The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 24 August 1822
“Cantley, Aug. 24, 1822.
“This Royalty is certainly the very devil. . . .
Sussex arrived on Wednesday between 3
and 4, himself in a very low barouche and pair, and a
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| 1822.] | THE DUKE OF SUSSEX. | 47 |
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thundering coach behind with four
horses—his staff, Stevenson, a son
of Albemarle’s, a
Gore, servants, groom of the chambers, a black valet-de-chambre and two footmen, clad en militaires. . . . It has been my good
fortune during his stay here to be considered by all parties as his fittest
companion. Accordingly, I had a tête-à-tête with him of
nearly four hours together on Thursday, and of 2½ yesterday, and my health has
really been greatly impaired by this calamity. He has every appearance of being
a good-natured man, is very civil and obliging, never says anything that makes
you think him foolish; but there is a nothingness in him that is to the last
degree fatiguing. . . . Althorpe was here
yesterday, and told me there had certainly been rejoicings in the neighbouring
market towns upon Castlereagh’s
death. . . .
“Robert
Ferguson* tells me that he has seen a great deal of Major Poppleton lately, the officer of the
53rd who was stationed about Bonaparte.
Bob says Poppleton is quite as
devoted to Nap, and as adverse to Lowe as O’Meara, and that all the officers of the 53rd were the
same. . . . Poppleton has a beautiful snuff-box poor
Nap gave him. What would I give to have such a
keepsake from him, and, above all, to have seen him.
O’Meara has a tooth of his he drew, which he
always carries about with him. . . .”
Sir Ronald Craufurd Ferguson (1773-1841)
Scottish officer who served in India and fought with a Highland brigade; he was MP for
Dysart (1806-30) and Nottingham (1830-41).
Sir Hudson Lowe (1769-1844)
Born in Galway, Ireland; he was lieutenant-general and governor of St. Helena where he
had custody of Napoleon.
Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821)
Military leader, First Consul (1799), and Emperor of the French (1804), after his
abdication he was exiled to Elba (1814); after his defeat at Waterloo he was exiled to St.
Helena (1815).
Barry Edward O'Meara (1770 c.-1836)
Naval surgeon who attended Napoleon on St. Helena; after his dismissal he published works
critical of the government, including
Napoleon in Exile: a Voice from St
Helena, 2 vols (1822).
William Henry Poppleton (d. 1827)
Irish military officer; after service in the Peninsular War he was assigned to guard
Napoleon on St. Helena and was given a snuff-box by the emperor.
John Charles Spencer, third earl Spencer (1782-1845)
English politician, son of the second earl (d. 1834); educated at Harrow and Trinity
College, Cambridge, he was Whig MP for Northamptonshire (1806-34) and chancellor of the
exchequer and leader of the lower house under Lord Grey (1830).
Benjamin Charles Stephenson (1766 c.-1839)
After service in the dragoons he was appointed Master of the Household at Windsor Palace
(1812); in 1823 he was appointed to supervise the household of the Duke of York.
