The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey, Journal entry, 1 November 1811
“Nov. 1st.—We were at the Pavilion last night—Mrs. Creevey’s three daughters and
myself—and had a very pleasant evening. We found there Lord and Lady
Charlemont, Marchioness of
Downshire and
* Afterwards Sir William
Congreve, Bart., M.P., F.R.S. Wellington disapproved of
Congreve’s invention when it was first
brought to his notice. “I don’t want to set fire to any
town, and I don’t know any other use of rockets.”
But he changed his opinion after witnessing their effect in action at
the passage of the Adour in 1814. |
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| 148 | THE CREEVEY PAPERS | [Ch. VII. |
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old Lady Sefton. About
half-past nine, which might be a quarter of an hour after we arrived, the
Prince came out of the dining-room. He
was in his best humour, bowed and spoke to all of us, and looked uncommonly
well, tho’ very fat. He was in his full Field Marshal’s uniform. He
remained quite as cheerful and full of fun to the last—half-past
twelve—asked after Mrs. Creevey’s health, and
nodded and spoke when he passed us. The Duke of
Cumberland was in the regimentals of his own Hussars,* looked
really hideous, everybody trying to be rude to him—not standing when he
came near them. The officers of the Prince’s regiment had all dined with
him, and looked very ornamental monkeys in their red breeches with gold fringe
and yellow boots. The Prince’s band played as usual all the time in the
dining-room till 12, when the pages and footmen brought about iced champagne
punch, lemonade and sandwiches. I found more distinctly than before, from
conversation with the Gyps, that Wellington and Portugal
are going down.
“The Prince looked
much happier and more unembarrassed by care than I have seen him since this
time six years. This time five years ago, when he was first in love with
Lady Hertford, I have seen the tears
run down his cheeks at dinner, and he has been dumb for hours, but now that he
has the weight of the empire upon him, he is quite alive. . . . I had a very
good conversation with Lord Charlemont
about Ireland, and liked him much. He thinks the Prince has already nearly
ruined himself in Irish estimation by his conduct to the Catholics.
Sir William Congreve, second baronet (1772-1828)
Military engineer patronized by the Prince of Wales; he invented the Congreve Rocket and
was a Tory MP for Gatton (1812-16) and Plymouth (1818-28).
Eleanor Creevey [née Branding] (d. 1818)
The daughter of Charles Branding (1733-1802); in 1779 she married William Ord (d. 1789)
and in 1802, the politician and diarist Thomas Creevey.
King Ernest Augustus, of Hanover (1771-1851)
The fifth and last surviving son of George III; he was king of Hanover 1837-1851. Though
acquitted, he was thought to have murdered his valet, Joseph Sellis.
