People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 28 October 1909, Page 1708

People We Hear About

M. Bleriot, the aviator, who recently crossed the English Channel in a flying machine, is a graduate of the Catholic College of Our Lady of Grace, Cambray, France (says America). He was born at Malincourt, Canton of Clary, France. The value of the estate of the late Marquis of Ripon, formerly Governor-General of India and later Lord Privy Seal in Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's Ministry, has been proved at £125,574. The testator bequeathed to Mr. St. Quentin, a former private secretary, the sum of £10,000, and made provision for the establishment of scholarship's in connection with the Ripon Grammar School. He bequeathed . the church and convent of San Damiano, near Assisi, in Italy, to the Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Walter Talbot Kerr, son of the seventh Marquis of Lothian. Lord Walter, like' the deceased Marquis, is a> Catholic. It will doubtless interest some of our readers (remarks, the London Tablet) to learn that the new Prime Minister of Denmark, Count Holstein-Ledreborg, is a Catholic. He was born (writes a correspondent from Copenhagen) in 1839, and after a distinguished career at the "University ' of Copenhagen, he went abroad in 1866. There he remained till 1872, and during his sojourn abroad the. Count was received into the Catholic Church. That this change was not merely due to the influence of his Catholic, mother is evident to anyone who reads the learned pamphlets published by Count Holstein-Ledreborg in 1872 and the following years when he entered .into controversy with Provost Schepelern, and Bishops Martensen and Grundvig, some of the greatest men whom the Danish Lutheran Establishment has numbered amongst her ministers. Indeed, the Count ever since his conversion has shown himself .to be a zealous Catholic. For many years he has been a Radical, though he "has taken no part in politics since 1890. The only Catholic member of the Danish Parliament till recently was the late Jens Buck, a Socialist and a most ardent Catholic. In a recent number of the World Sir John Ross of Bladensburg is the ' Celebrity at Home.' The writer recalls the origin of the family surname, which owes its rather baffling form to the exploits of Sir John's grandfather, Major-General Robert Ross. This officer, after gaining high distinction in the Peninsula War, was chosen by Wellington for the leadership of one of the expeditions sent out in 1814 to the United States. ' After a short campaign of interrupted success, during which he achieved the victory of Bladensburg and possessed himself of the American capital, General Ross fell on September 12, 1814, while advancing to take the enemy's v position near Baltimore. His widow and descendants were accorded permission by the Prince Regent to commemorate the General's services by adding the title of his victory to the family name. At the same time an augumentation of the family arms was made by the Crown granting the emblazonment of a hand and arm (wearing the uniform of a British General and wreathed in laurel), the hand holding a "broken flag" of the United States.' - Sir John would, one imagines, feel a little shy of taking heraldic notepaper with him on a visit to the United States. Sir John Ross of Bladensburg resides in Dublin, where he is a prominent figure. [■ Writing some time before the election of Sir John Knill as Lord Mayor of London for the coming year, the London Sunday Observer had this to. say: — 'Exceptional interest attaches to the approaching election, for three reasons. In the first place, the Alderman next in rotation, Sir John Knill, will follow, after the lapse of some years, his late father, Sir Stuart Knill, as Lord Mayor, a most unusual occurrence. In the second place, Sir John Knill, if elected, will be, one of the very few Aldermen *ho can claim to have been baronets at the time of election. And, thirdly, the election will attract especial attention for the reason that Sir Jdhn Knill is a staunch Roman Catholic, and as such will not attend any Protestant place of worship during the year. ~ The full force of the militatit Protestant party was- brought to bear against the late Sir Stuart Knill at the time of his election, his opponents even going so far as to demand a poll, an exceedingly rare occurrence in the city's history. Sir Stuart Knill, however, was triumphantly returned, end so brilliantly discharged his manifold duties that he quickly overcame all prejudices, and retired amid 'universal acclamation. It is probable that on ~ Michaelmas Day a few questions will be addressed to" Sir John Knill, but any active opposition to his election is very unlikely.