LATE KING GEORGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 6

LATE KING GEORGE

INCIDENT OF BOYHOOD APOLOGY FOR A PRANK [from a special correspondent] £ LONDON, Jan.*3o A resident of Chiswick, Mr. John ODalton, who recently retired after 60 yeara of bell-ringing at his parish jchurch, told this week of an occasion the late King George V. was made to apologise to his father for a prank. Mr. Dalton's father was employed as a carpenter at Chiswick House, the former residence of the Dukes of Devonshire, and the incident occurred during jtbe time when King Edward VII., then Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexanjdra occupied Chiswick House. "My father was a great favourite •with the Royal children," said Mr. IDaltqn, "and used to construct all sorts of tovs for them. On this < Mcasion he ;was launching a model yacht for the young Prince George in the lake which runs through the grounds. While my father was engaged in setting the rigfiing, Prince George crept up behind iiim and tipped his hat into the water 1 .-"Of course, 'my father treated it as a joke, but the Prince's mother rebuked jaim for 'unseemly conduct' and sent to apologise."