LORD GREY’S ASHES

Southland Times, Issue 22187, 1 December 1933, Page 8

LORD GREY’S ASHES

IN A SECRET SPOT. HALLOWED ASSOCIATIONS. In a secret place in the beautiful grounds of Fallodon, his Northumberland home, the ashes of the late Viscount Grey were deposited in the presence of his immediate relatives. Nobody beyond the people present at the funeral will ever know where this place is. It was cherished by the dead statesman as the last resting place of the ashes of his first wife, Dorothy, who was killed in an accident 27 years ago. It was his dearest wish that his ashes should be placed in this hallowed spot, and that the location should never be made public. There were touching scenes at the memorial service in the little 14th century church at Embleton where Lord Grey and his ancestors have worshipped for centuries. Villagers sat side by side with men and women distinguished in every sphere of the national life. Conspicuous were Lord Runciman and the Countess of Oxford and Asquith. They sat behind the old village postmaster, who was dressed in the uniform of his office. Miss Alice Snell, the housekeeper who had been with Viscount Grey for nearly 50 years, and Mr Harry Welsh, head gardener for more than 30 years, who helped Lord Grey to make his famous bird sanctuary, were also present.

In his address at Embleton, the vicar, the Rev. R. B. Dawson, disclosed that three weeks previously Lord Grey told him he did not expect to get over his illness. “I had just been watching the Viscount feeding one of his birds—a shy little waterhen which had come into the room from the sunny garden without to see him,” said Mr Dawson. “The last words I heard him say were some words from St. Paul: ‘Shadows of things to come.’ ”