Romance of Devotion.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14274, 13 August 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

Romance of Devotion.

LIFE MASQFF.PAUE FOR, THE SAKE OK A CiIP.L. LONDON, June :M. Seldom lias so romantic a story of devotion and seif-sacriiico been unfolded as that, which was, related yesterday at the inquest on ••Harry" Lloyd, the Kixlield woman who had masqueraded in man's attire tor a quarter ot a century, j and whose long-kept secret was only revealed by her death. Twenty-six years ago she posed as the lather of a child who was christened Elizabeth Lloyd, and who is now a school-teacher The child's mother died in IS3U, and was described in the death certificate as "Eliza Lloyd, wife of Harry Lloyd, newsagent." Even then. ••Harry" Lloyd did not reveal her secret, and it was never sus- . peeled by -Miss Lloyd. The former was known at Enfield as an intelligent and well-educated old man, who gave lessons in French and German, took a keen interest in politics, and actuailv voted at elections. By piecing together the evidence that was given at the inquest and the stories ibaL bare h< related <-.< her. it is possible 10 arrive ai an explanation oi her strange conduct. She was ra refill to leave nothing b.-hmd that would disclose (he story of her life, but inquiries tend to show that- .die was in r.-aliiv. Mane Le Boy, a vivacious Frenchwoman, who worked with Charles Bradiaugh and Austin llolyoako thirty year-; ago and took a nromiuent part at meetings of Freethinkers. It was, about- the time that Miss F.lizaheth Llovd was born that Marie Le Koy siiddenlydisappearod. "It seems as if this woman was attached to Miss Lloyd's mother." said Mr. A. M. Forbes, the coroner." at the inquest yesterday, "that she v>assrd as her husband during her life-time in order to protect her. that alter Eliza Lloyd's death she continued to nn-s as the father of the little girl who was left- behind, and that she did so to protoct_thp honour of Eliza Llovd. "If that is so it was a very pathetic and kind reason which promoted her to undertake that ta«k of unselfish love for so many years." '"-MY FATHER." "Miss Elizabeth Lloyd, who lived with "Harry'' Lloyd at Alma-road. Enfield Wash, was the principal witness at the inquest. She gave her evidence without emotion, and in a straightforward manner. "I always regarded her as my father.'' she said. "So lar as my memory goes back she always dressed as a man. I remember things that happened when 1 was three years old. "I remember the death of my mother perfectly. 1 was just- >ix and a half years old, and we were livin"- at Ponders End. After we left render's End we lived at Tottenham Hacklier, and Edmonton before we came to Enfield." "Did you understand what her nationality was?" the coroner inquired. "I always understood it was French." Miss Lloyd replied. "She spoke French perfectly." Did she have'any friends?— Not that I can remember, except local friends Tney were people who became acquainted with her after we came to live here. I have received a telegram from Mr. Ivols. an auctioneer at Southend?—She worked tor Air. Ivels at Edmonton -at the time 1 first remember del'mitelv. She did some distraint .work and kept a lodging-house for him. During what period of her life did she give lessons in French ?—Until last August, when she became unwell Did .she ever tell yon what her ao- 0 \". iK '—-"ilie was seventy-four tidien «lin (.lied. Did she over see a doctor?— Never to my knowledge. She was never >'M until last August. Did you ever suggest she should sec a doctor r l —l have done so nianr times during the last year, but she'always tieelmed. saying she would be better when the weather got better. "Was .she very decided about it?— t \ err. ' DEATH CERTIFICATE The coroner read a copy of a death certificate showing that Eliza Lloyd, the mother, was twenty-nine years old at the time of her death in "1890. "Did she ever speak about your mother:-" lie asked. 1 "If T questioned her sho would tell j me little .details," said Miss Llovd. "I j rarely asked her, boatise it always upi set Jier." ! What did she tell yon ?—She told me I my mother s name was Conduit, or a. • name something like that. She said my | mother and her brother were Londonj ei's, were left orphans, and were j brought up in Holborn. While thev lived there her brother went awav to I tho Colonies, and she went to star with her maiden aunt. I Did she ever say anything to you ! 1 about the circumstances of her niarI riage with your mother?—l asked, and j she.always said, "Another time." I Did you ever say anything about the j name I,lord, knowing she was supposed [ to_ be French —She said she can'ie of Welsh people who settled in France -some generations back. She said she ■ had one brother named Paul Lloyd. , Do you think your mother was her '■ sister?—l do not think so. Sometimes I think she was one of the maiden aunts, because, so far as I know, she . went as a man before. ; Before tho death of your mother?—'. No, before my birth. ' She told me '• about many of her connections with • politics and things like that which led me to believe that she was a man PHOTOGRAPHS. A number of uhotographs which were handed to Miss Lloyd included one j of "Harry" Lloyd, her mother, and her-' self as a little girl. Another was a | photograph of a young girl in white j who bore a strong resemblance to I "Harry" Lloyd. : "She was acquainted with Mr. i Charles Bradiaugh?" the coroner sug- i gested. . . 1 "She was very intimate with him." ' Miss Lloyd answered. "Sho went about ' and helped him to arrange meetings." j "She told me sho was borrT in i France." Miss Lloyd added, "and that' her father was some kind of an officer ' in the French Army. She also said her grandmother lived in Brussels, and : that in her youth she used to go' and •' stav with her." ; Dr. Foot stated that he had known "Harry" Lloyd by sight for some time, i

f ) 'Mv attention .vas directed '.ii her I.V II.T --.MM!!!:!-,- i.l.livi.lui.liiV." CO de•b.r.vl. ■•[ ~-;,..! •„, t . r , r! .,. i„;„ ~,,„■,., .1 me Ul> fhsrpi-. . ] . "When I'reaehed the- house on S^ur- ' clay and saw her Iving on the couch 1 ■'. ;aid to Miss I.lovd. I thought ir ( j man I :v, s caliect f. «f.' "She replied. .'; ■)...=-. --t is. Tha* i.= P...v father.' T ;, : -i"-|. '] hai-« neve.- scon -a more 0ft,.,.. • mate expression on ;i man's i:■••■•-■ in mv ~ lire' j •Miss Lloyd was absolutely surpri=o«l ■I when 1 told her the bodv was that of a I; woman. She liad not" the slightest J knowledge that the person was anyj tinny else lint a man. Death was duo I to pleurisy." >. "It- is clear that she was not the i mother of Miss Lloyd/' said the coroner •: "I extremely roriret the position hi which Miss LWd lias been'ohe-ed bv tins iiKiin-y. and I hone her" portion will not he affected by "what ha-; taken place. In the opinion of overv ri-ht-minded person it will remain 'unaltered .'' The jury returned a verdict in ao- ; oordance with the medical evidence, j and expressed their sympathv with Mis; ■I Llovd. The widow of the late Mr. Austin TTolyoake. Bradlaugh's publisher, who lives at Chelsea, is convinced that •'Harry' Llovd was Iter fnend. Marie Le Roy. who lived for some tune at her house, and whom she la>t saw in IRSO. "The description siren points in every way ro the fact that- she was Ma.rie ; --' .she stated last nig Jit. 'Tl»r small and slim fitrnre. phort hair, and toreign accent, that thin voice.' and above all. her masculine wavs —all these tend to confirm mv belief "'Marie Le Roy had' a wonderful! v affectionate nature, and even her m-is-euline ways—she loved to wear a collar and iie—did not detract from ] ; er i'eminip.e charms. "I first met her when I was finite a youmr woman. I introduced "her "■ the Hal! of Science circle, and she hecame a great heli> there, ahvavs takin" an active part in the Secretarial side of the work and in the management o>' 'lie lectures. She Was well known l-o all the circle, includinsc Mr Charles Bradlautih and mv hue husband. . I '-' Vv ' i,s « :, "* '.iv home she lei, nl. and her mother fame ovv Irom Belgium. Her father. 1 lieiiev.-. had been an ofiicer in the French Army. "We began to drift apart about thirt- years ago. soon after T re-mar-ned. and when I last saw ]iev in 1-afl she told me that she was livim; with a woman friend. She seemed to di-an-pcar finite suddenly, and T never heard anything of her from that time. 'T made many inouiries. but eor.M nor trace her. nor did : ,,, v ~r " ;} lo ,-.;,.,'.],> hear <.f her again jo mv knowledge." .Mrs. <miih. who lives almost~<:i,posite "Harry" T.lovd'-, house in .\1„,:.road. was introduced bv her in l--<!i 1.1 a grey-haired woman' wh-.m :-],.. ,],-_ -cribed as her sifter. and who v. a, nursing :: . 1,..||,y. "fbinv" l.|,,vd ;,,!d Mrs. Smith t!, : ,r I),-,- ■■si-tor" liad been housekeeper to Bradlaugh.