Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/530

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. v. jr 1. 1912.


Baker Peter Smith, the youngest son of Thomas Smith, was born on 3 July, 1800, in a house on the north side of St. Paul's Churchyard. He witnessed the funeral of Lord Nelson at St. Paul's in January, 1806, and on 10 Jan., 1811. was entered at St. Paul's School (R. B. Gardiner, ' Admission Registers,' p. 241). He became an attorney, and for some years his business address was at the Chapter House, St. Paul's. After 1835 he practised for the most part at Den- mark Street, Camberwell, calling his home by the name of Sellon House.

On 23 May, 1850. Smith became a student of the Middle Temple, and was called to the Bar on 30 April, 1 853. He retired to Maiden- head about 1862, being then in feeble health and under the impression that his working days were over. The change to the country proved of so much benefit that he was able to resume his profession, and he practised at the courts in Berkshire for many years. He died at Sellon House, York Road, Maidenhead, on 18 June, 1888, and was buried in the churchyard of All Saints', Boyne Hill, on 22 June. Two sons and three daughters were at the funeral (Maiden- head Advertiser, 20 June, 1888, p. 2 ; 27 June, p. 2).

Smith was the author of: (1) 'Journal of an Excursion round the South-Eastern Coast of England,' 1834. The preface was dated 3, Carlton Terrace, North Brixton. (2) ' Ethelbert,' an epic poem in four books, 1837. (3) Smith's Luminary, a weekly sheet, consisting of an original essay, a review, and some anecdotes, which lasted from 1 Sept. to 23 Dec., 1837. (4) 'Trip to the Far West [Cornwall],' 1840, in which he was full of enthusiasm over the Cornish ladies. (5) ' Memoirs of the Rev. William Sellon [his grandfather].' 1852.

W. P. COURTNEY.

UPHAM (US. iv. 330). I have been dis- appointed at not eliciting any information about the armorial bearings on the tomb- stone in this churchyard. A friend has written as follows :

" In Gwillim I find : ' Sable, a chevron between three hammers arg., crowned or, belonging to the Company of Smiths .... And therefore the iron hammer doth well deserve the crown of gold on it. Iron itself in respect of the use being much more precious and necessary for a Commonwealth than gold is, which the enemies of God's people well knew when they would not permit a smith to live amongst the Israelites. 1 Sam. xiii. 19.' " But this does not explain the connexion of the arms with the families of Holdway and E-HU. E. L. H. TEW.

L'pham Rectory, Hants,


AUTHORS OF QUOTATIONS WANTED (US. v. 327). The lines

Perchance if we had never met, &c., are from a song entitled ' For Ever and For Ever,' written by Violet Fane, and set to music by Tosti. Violet Fane was a nvm de plume. The author was Mary Mont- gomerie, daughter of Charles James Savile Montgomerie Lamb. She married first Henry Singleton of Hazeley Heath House, Winchfield, Hants, and secondly the late Lord Currie, formerly British Ambassador at Constantinople and Rome. Lady Currie died about six years ago. She was a sister of Sir Archibald Lamb, the present baronet, of Beauport, Sussex.

JOHN HAUTENVIIXE COPE.

ASTARTE'S second quotation is taken from Violet Fane's ' For Ever and For Ever.' The first word is " Perchance," and for " vain " read mad. Set to music by Signor F. Paolo Tosti, it still remains one of his most famous songs. In an interview published in The Pall Mall Gazette of 18 August, 1890, Signor Tosti stated :

'"For Ever and For Ever!'" my first English song, was written during a visit to London in 1876i I was at the house of Mrs. Singleton* (Violet Fane) one evening in company with several of her musical friends, when she showed us some verses. On reading them we all agreed to set them to music, Mrs. Singleton deciding which should be published. Mine was chosen, and although, from the artistic point of view, I sincerely admired one or two of the others, I had an instinctive feeling that it would take the public ear."

JOHN T. PAGE.

[MK. ROBERT PIERPOINT and W. B. S3. also thanked for replies.]

SELBY (YORKS) PECULIAR COURT (10 S. xii. 409, 475; 11 S. i. 37, 97; v. 372). As my acquaintance William Wilberforce Morrell is not now able to speak for himself, I may say that he not only intended to write a history of Selby, but actually did so. It was published in 1867 (Selby, W. B.. Bellerby ; London, Whittaker & Co.).

DIEGO.

" JIMMY " GORDON : " HKMSMAN " (11 S. v. 308). Is not this word " henchman " a. male attendant, a servant, a page, a fol- lower ? RICHD. WELFORD.

MUMTAZ MAHAL (US. v. 369). See Mr. E. B. Ha veil's ' Handbook to Agra and the Taj,' second edition, revised, Longmans,. 1912. WM. H. PEET.


Afterwards Lady Currie.