GRETNA GREEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20473, 30 July 1928, Page 15

GRETNA GREEN.

Like a breath of old-world fragrance conies the news that.all records ha\e been broken »<r the number of marriages taking place at Gretna Green blacksmith’s forge in a single month. Those who imagined that the glories of Gretna had departed must have received the news with surprise, but it is a fact that marriages still take place at the forge, providing the parties have resided in Scotland for a certain period, and that other legal requirements are satisfied. And when a marriage takes place, how the ghosts of the past must assemble and smile, all unseen, upon die romantic couple! And what blue blood is repiesented by the ghosts of the past (writes a contributor to the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle). Lady Florence Paget, the affianced of Mr Chaplin, one time Minister of Agriculture, ran away with the Marquis of Hastings; and Lady Adele Villiors, daughter of Lord Jersey, eloped with Colonel Ibbetson, and was married to him at Gretna Green. This Lady Adele was a grand-daughter of the Earl of Westmorland, whose runaway marriage with Miss Child was full of romance. Miss Child was the daughter of the famous banker, Child, and she was heiress to a huge fortune. The Earl became her accepted lover, but the banker said, “My lord, your blood is good, but money is better.” Accordingly the Earl and Miss Child eloped at midnight, and, having engaged horses and postilions to be ready al la-long the road, were able to travel very quickly. But the banker heard of the journey, and set off in pursuit, and by means of lavish bribes was able to overtake the couple near Carlisle. Then, in true legendary manner, Mr Child shot one of the Earl’s horses, while one of the earl’s servants ran behind Child’s coach and cut the leather joining the body to the springs. The Earl started off with three horses, and the banker also started, only to find the coach collapse. Long before the angry father could reach the marriage place the Earl and Miss Child were united. The forge has not always been used as the marriage hall. In fact, in Dickens’s time the “ priest ” expressed surprise that anyone imagined that the blacksmith had ever used his forge as an altar. The usual place was the “ Old Toll Bar,” which was converted into a house of refreshment, so that the proprietor could make money from marrying couples and from feeding them. At the “ Old Toll Bar ” were married the Marquis of Hastings and Lady Florence Paget, already mentioned, although it should be noted that they were again married in St. George’s, Hanover square. When Viscount Derhurst took his bride-to-be to Gretna Green he paid the priest £IOO as a fee, a sum which was seldom exceeded. Other couples who were united at Gretna include members of the families Beauclerk, Coventry, Filliers, and Douglas. Lord Archibald Douglas, who eloped with Caroline Clayton, became the seventh Marquis of Queensbury and his wife died so recently as 1904. Foreign princes have also been married at Gretna and the record might well close with the names of the Dukes of Camn. Oesnrmi. Storza and Carlo Frederick, Prince of Bourbon.