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On this Day in History ... 26th April

26 Apr is in April.

1483 Edward Woodville puts to sea taking the Royal Treasure

1673 Test Act

1689 Act of Poll

1923 Wedding of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes Lyon

See Births, Marriages and Deaths.

Events on the 26th April

On 26 Apr 1319 King John "The Good" II of France was born to King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France (age 25) and Joan "Lame" Burgundy Queen Consort France (age 25). Coefficient of inbreeding 5.00%.

Archaeologia Volume 35 1853 XXXIII. On the 26th [Apr 1358], having returned to Shene [Map], doubtless from Windsor, Isabella (age 63) receives her daughter Joan Queen of Scotland (age 36), with her retinue. Joan is stated to have come at this time on a political mission to the court of Edward III.; and from the present document it would appear that she continued a guest with her mother Isabella up to the time of the death of the latter; and that even her own dress and the livery of her retinue were supplied from Isabella's funds.

On 26 Apr 1483 Edward Woodville Lord Scales (age 27) put to sea with around twenty ships taking a part of the Royal treasure with him eventually arriving in Brittany [Map].

Sherborne Abbey [Map]. On 26 Apr 1584 John Leweston (age 78) died. In 1579 Joanna Culpepper died. Bongrace.

Joanna Culpepper: Around 1520 she was born to Alexander Culpepper and Constance Chamberlayne. Before 1579 John Leweston and she were married.

Diary of Anne Clifford 1617. 26 Apr 1617. The 26th I spent the evening in working and going down to my Lord's (age 28) Closet where I sat and read much in the Turkish History and Chaucer.

Diary of Anne Clifford 1619. 26 Apr 1619. Monday the 26th my Lord's (age 30) cocks fought at Whitehall when my Lord won five or six battles. I went in the afternoon to see my Lady Windsor (age 44)1, my Lady Rawleigh (age 54) in her house which is hard by Austin Friars. Then went to Clerkenwell to the house that Sir Thomas Challum built.

Note 1. Catherine, daughter of Edward Somerset (age 69) Earl of Worcester, Lord Privy Seal, and wife of Thomas 6th Lord Windsor (age 27).

On 26 Apr 1649 Peter II King Portugal was born to John IV King Portugal (age 45) and Luisa de Guzman Queen Consort Portugal (age 35).

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1660. This day came Mr. Donne back from London, who brought letters with him that signify the meeting of the Parliament yesterday. And in the afternoon by other letters I hear, that about twelve of the Lords met and had chosen my Lord of Manchester' (age 58) Speaker of the House of Lords (the young Lords that never sat yet, do forbear to sit for the present); and Sir Harbottle Grimstone (age 57), Speaker for the House of Commons. The House of Lords sent to have a conference with the House of Commons, which, after a little debate, was granted. Dr. Reynolds (age 60) preached before the Commons before they sat. My Lord told me how Sir H. Yelverton (age 26) (formerly my school-fellow) was chosen in the first place for Northamptonshire and Mr. Crew (age 62) in the second. And told me how he did believe that the Cavaliers have now the upper hand clear of the Presbyterians. All the afternoon I was writing of letters, among the rest one to W. Simons, Peter Luellin and Tom Doling, which because it is somewhat merry I keep a copy of. After that done Mr. Sheply, W. Howe and I down with J. Goods into my Lord's storeroom of wine and other drink, where it was very pleasant to observe the massy timbers that the ship is made of. We in the room were wholly under water and yet a deck below that. After that to supper, where Tom Guy supped with us, and we had very good laughing, and after that some musique, where Mr. Pickering beginning to play a bass part upon the viall did it so like a fool that I was ashamed of him. After that to bed.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1662. Sir George (age 52) and I, and his clerk Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Holt our guide, over to Gosport; and so rode to Southampton. In our way, besides my Lord Southampton's' (age 55) parks and lands, which in one view we could see £6,000 per annum, we observed a little church-yard, where the graves are accustomed to be all sowed with sage1.

Note 1. Gough says, "It is the custom at this day all over Wales to strew the graves, both within and without the church, with green herbs, branches of box, flowers, rushes, and flags, for one year, after which such as can afford it lay down a stone".-Brand's Popular Antiquities, edited W. C. Hazlitt, vol. ii., p. 218.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1663. So home and all to dinner, and then would have gone by coach to have seen my Lord Sandwich (age 37) at Chelsey if the man would have taken us, but he denying it we staid at home, and I all the afternoon upon my accounts, and find myself worth full £700, for which I bless God, it being the most I was ever yet worth in money.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1664. Up, and to my Lord Sandwich's (age 38), and coming a little too early, I went and saw W. Joyce, and by and by comes in Anthony, they both owning a great deal of kindness received from me in their late business, and indeed I did what I could, and yet less I could not do. It has cost the poor man above £40; besides, he is likely to lose his debt.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1665. So to dinner to my Lady Sandwich's (age 40), and there after dinner above in the diningroom did spend an houre or two with her talking again about Creed's folly; but strange it is that he should dare to propose this business himself of Mrs. Pickering (age 23) to my Lady, and to tell my Lady that he did it for her virtue sake, not minding her money, for he could have a wife with more, but, for that, he did intend to depend upon her Ladyshipp to get as much of her father and mother for her as she could; and that, what he did, was by encouragement from discourse of her Ladyshipp's: he also had wrote to Mrs. Pickering, but she did give him a slighting answer back again. But I do very much fear that Mrs. Pickering's honour, if the world comes to take notice of it, may be wronged by it.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. By and by we discoursed of Sir Thomas Clifford (age 36), whom I took for a very rich and learned man, and of the great family of that name. He tells me he is only a man of about seven-score pounds a-year, of little learning more than the law of a justice of peace, which he knows well: a parson's son, got to be burgess in a little borough in the West, and here fell into the acquaintance of my Lord Arlington (age 49), whose creature he is, and never from him; a man of virtue, and comely, and good parts enough; and hath come into his place with a great grace, though with a great skip over the heads of a great many, as Chichly and Duncum, and some Lords that did expect it.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. By the way, he tells me, that of all the great men of England there is none that endeavours more to raise those that he takes into favour than my Lord Arlington (age 49); and that, on that score, he is much more to be made one's patron than my Chancellor (age 58), who never did, nor never will do, any thing, but for money! After having this long discourse we parted, about one of the clock, and so away by water home, calling upon Michell, whose wife and girle are pretty well, and I home to dinner, and after dinner with Sir W. Batten (age 66) to White Hall, there to attend the Duke of York (age 33) before council, where we all met at his closet and did the little business we had, and here he did tell us how the King of France (age 28) is intent upon his design against Flanders, and hath drawn up a remonstrance of the cause of the war, and appointed the 20th of the next month for his rendezvous, and himself to prepare for the campaign the 30th, so that this, we are in hopes, will keep him in employment. Turenne is to be his general. Here was Carcasses business unexpectedly moved by him, but what was done therein appears in my account of his case in writing by itself. Certain newes of the Dutch being abroad on our coast with twenty-four great ships.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. This done Sir W. Batten (age 66) and I back again to London, and in the way met my Lady Newcastle (age 44) going with her coaches and footmen all in velvet: herself, whom I never saw before, as I have heard her often described, for all the town-talk is now-a-days of her extravagancies, with her velvetcap, her hair about her ears; many black patches, because of pimples about her mouth; naked-necked, without any thing about it, and a black just-au-corps. She seemed to me a very comely woman: but I hope to see more of her on Mayday. My mind is mightily of late upon a coach.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1667. My Lord Chancellor (age 58) showed me all his newly finished and furnished palace and library; then, we went to take the air in Hyde-Park [Map].

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. She is gone yesterday with her Lord to Cobham, Kent. He did tell me of the ridiculous humour of our King and Knights of the Garter the other day, who, whereas heretofore their robes were only to be worn during their ceremonies and service, these, as proud of their coats, did wear them all day till night, and then rode into the Parke with them on. Nay, and he tells me he did see my Lord Oxford (age 40) and the Duke of Monmouth (age 18) in a Hackney-coach with two footmen in the Parke, with their robes on; which is a most scandalous thing, so as all gravity may be said to be lost among us.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. Up, and by coach with Sir W. Batten (age 66) and Sir W. Pen (age 46) to White Hall, and there saw the Duke of Albemarle (age 58), who is not well, and do grow crazy.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. Thence I to St. James's, to meet Sir G. Carteret (age 57), and did, and Lord Berkely (age 65), to get them (as we would have done the Duke of Albemarle (age 58)) to the meeting of the Lords of Appeale in the business of one of our prizes. With them to the meeting of the Guinny company, and there staid, and went with Lord Berkely. While I was waiting for him in the Matted Gallery, a young man was most finely working in Indian inke the great picture of the King (age 36) and Queen (age 28) sitting, [Charles I and Henrietta Maria.] by Van Dyke; and did it very finely.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. Thence to Westminster Hall [Map] to hear our cause, but [it] did not come before them to-day, so went down and walked below in the Hall, and there met with Ned Pickering (age 49), who tells me the ill newes of his nephew Gilbert (age 15), who is turned a very rogue, and then I took a turn with Mr. Evelyn (age 46), with whom I walked two hours, till almost one of the clock: talking of the badness of the Government, where nothing but wickedness, and wicked men and women command the King (age 36): that it is not in his nature to gainsay any thing that relates to his pleasures; that much of it arises from the sickliness of our Ministers of State, who cannot be about him as the idle companions are, and therefore he gives way to the young rogues; and then, from the negligence of the Clergy, that a Bishop shall never be seen about him, as the King of France (age 28) hath always: that the King would fain have some of the same gang to be Lord Treasurer (age 60), which would be yet worse, for now some delays are put to the getting gifts of the King, as that whore my Baroness Byron1, who had been, as he called it, the King's seventeenth whore abroad, did not leave him till she had got him to give her an order for £4000 worth of plate to be made for her; but by delays, thanks be to God! she died before she had it. He tells me mighty stories of the King of France, how great a Prince he is. He hath made a code to shorten the law; he hath put out all the ancient commanders of castles that were become hereditary; he hath made all the Fryers subject to the bishops, which before were only subject to Rome, and so were hardly the King's subjects, and that none shall become 'religieux' but at such an age, which he thinks will in a few, years ruin the Pope, and bring France into a patriarchate. He confirmed to me the business of the want of paper at the Council-table the other day, which I have observed; Wooly being to have found it, and did, being called, tell the King to his face the reason of it; and Mr. Evelyn tells me several of the menial servants of the Court lacking bread, that have not received a farthing wages since the King's coming in. He tells me the King of France hath his mistresses, but laughs at the foolery of our King, that makes his bastards Princes2, and loses his revenue upon them, and makes his mistresses his masters and the King of France did never grant Lavalliere (age 22)3 any thing to bestow on others, and gives a little subsistence, but no more, to his bastards.

Note 1. Eleanor, daughter of Robert Needham, Viscount Kilmurrey, and widow of Peter Warburton, became in 1644 the second wife of John Byron, first Lord Byron. Died 1663. B.

Note 2. Louis made his own bastards dukes and Princes, and legitimatized them as much as he could, connecting them also by marriage with the real blood-royal. B.

Note 3. Louise Francoise de la Baume le Blanc de la Valliere had four children by Louis XIV., of whom only two survived - Marie Anne Bourbon, called Mademoiselle de Blois, born in 1666, afterwards married to the Prince de Conti (age 6), and the Comte de Vermandois, born in 1667. In that year (the very year in which Evelyn was giving this account to Pepys), the Duchy of Vaujour and two baronies were created in favour of La Valliere, and her daughter, who, in the deed of creation, was legitimatized, and styled Princess. B.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. He told me the whole story of Mrs. Stewart's (age 19) going away from Court, he knowing her well; and believes her, up to her leaving the Court, to be as virtuous as any woman in the world: and told me, from a Lord that she told it to but yesterday, with her own mouth, and a sober man, that when the Duke of Richmond (age 28) did make love to her, she did ask the King (age 36), and he did the like also; and that the King did not deny it, and [she] told this Lord that she was come to that pass as to resolve to have married any gentleman of £1500 a-year that would have had her in honour; for it was come to that pass, that she could not longer continue at Court without prostituting herself to the King1, whom she had so long kept off, though he had liberty more than any other had, or he ought to have, as to dalliance2. She told this Lord that she had reflected upon the occasion she had given the world to think her a bad woman, and that she had no way but to marry and leave the Court, rather in this way of discontent than otherwise, that the world might see that she sought not any thing but her honour; and that she will never come to live at Court more than when she comes to town to come to kiss the Queene (age 57) her Mistress's hand: and hopes, though she hath little reason to hope, she can please her Lord so as to reclaim him, that they may yet live comfortably in the country on his estate. She told this Lord that all the jewells she ever had given her at Court, or any other presents, more than the King's allowance of £700 per annum out of the Privypurse for her clothes, were, at her first coming the King did give her a necklace of pearl of about £1100 and afterwards, about seven months since, when the King had hopes to have obtained some courtesy of her, the King did give her some jewells, I have forgot what, and I think a pair of pendants. The Duke of York (age 33), being once her Valentine, did give her a jewell of about £800; and my Lord Mandeville (age 33), her Valentine this year, a ring of about £300; and the King of France (age 28) would have had her mother, who, he says, is one of the most cunning women in the world, to have let her stay in France, saying that he loved her not as a mistress, but as one that he could marry as well as any lady in France; and that, if she might stay, for the honour of his Court he would take care she should not repent. But her mother, by command of the Queen-Mother, thought rather to bring her into England; and the King of France did give her a jewell: so that Mr. Evelyn (age 46) believes she may be worth in jewells about £6000, and that that is all that she hath in the world: and a worthy woman; and in this hath done as great an act of honour as ever was done by woman.

Note 1. Even at a much later time Mrs. Godolphin well resolved "not to talk foolishly to men, more especially the King",-"be sure never to talk to the King" ("Life", by Evelyn). These expressions speak volumes as to Charles's character. B.

Note 2. Evelyn evidently believed the Duchess of Richmond to be innocent; and his testimony, coupled with her own declaration, ought to weigh down all the scandal which Pepys reports from other sources. B.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1667. That now the Countesse Castlemayne (age 26) do carry all before her: and among other arguments to prove Mrs. Stewart (age 19) to have been honest to the last, he says that the King's keeping in still with my Baroness Castlemayne do show it; for he never was known to keep two mistresses in his life, and would never have kept to her had he prevailed any thing with Mrs. Stewart.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1668. Lord's Day. Lay long, and then up and to Church, and so home, where there come and dined with me Harris (age 34), Rolt (age 39), and Bannister, and one Bland, that sings well also, and very merry at dinner, and, after dinner, to sing all the afternoon. But when all was done, I did begin to think that the pleasure of these people was not worth so often charge and cost to me, as it hath occasioned me. They being gone I and Balty (age 28) walked as far as Charing Cross [Map], and there got a coach and to Hales's (age 68) the painter, thinking to have found Harris sitting there for his picture, which is drawing for me. But he, and all this day's company, and Hales, were got to the Crown tavern, at next door, and thither I to them and stayed a minute, leaving Captain Grant (age 48) telling pretty stories of people that have killed themselves, or been accessory to it, in revenge to other people, and to mischief other people, and thence with Hales to his house, and there did see his beginning of Harris's picture, which I think will be pretty like, and he promises a very good picture.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1669. Up, having lain long, and then by coach with W. Hewer (age 27) to the Excise Office, and so to Lilly's (age 50), the Varnishes; who is lately dead, and his wife and brother keep up the trade, and there I left my French prints to be put on boards:, and, while I was there, a fire burst out in a chimney of a house over against his house, but it was with a gun quickly put out.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26 Apr 1669. After dinner comes one Colonel Macnachan, one that I see often at Court, a Scotchman, but know him not; only he brings me a letter from my Lord Middleton (age 61), who, he says, is in great distress for £500 to relieve my Lord Morton with, but upon, what account I know not; and he would have me advance it without order upon his pay for Tangier, which I was astonished at, but had the grace to deny him with an excuse. And so he went away, leaving me a little troubled that I was thus driven, on a sudden, to do any thing herein; but Creed, coming just now to see me, he approves of what I have done. And then to talk of general matters, and, by and by, Sheres being gone, my wife, and he, and I out, and I set him down at Temple Bar, and myself and wife went down the Temple [Map] upon seeming business, only to put him off, and just at the Temple [Map] gate I spied Deb. with another gentlewoman, and Deb. winked on me and smiled, but undiscovered, and I was glad to see her. So my wife and I to the 'Change [Map], about things for her; and here, at Mrs. Burnett's shop, I am told by Betty, who was all undressed, of a great fire happened in Durham-Yard last night, burning the house of one Lady Hungerford, who was to come to town to it this night; and so the house is burned, new furnished, by carelessness of the girl sent to take off a candle from a bunch of candles, which she did by burning it off, and left the rest, as is supposed, on fire. The King (age 38) and Court were here, it seems, and stopped the fire by blowing up of the next house. The King and Court went out of town to Newmarket, Suffolk this morning betimes, for a week.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1673. Dr. Lamplugh (age 58) preached at St. Martin's [Map] the Holy Sacrament following, which I partook of, upon obligation of the late Act of Parliament, enjoining everybody in office, civil or military, under penalty of £500, to receive it within one month before two authentic witnesses; being engrossed on parchment, to be afterward produced in the Court of Chancery, or some other Court of Record; which I did at the Chancery bar, as being one of the Council of Plantations and Trade; taking then also the oath of allegiance and supremacy, signing the clause in the said Act against Transubstantiation.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1689. I heard the lawyers plead before the Lords the writ of error in the judgment of Oates (age 39), as to the charge against him of perjury, which after debate they referred to the answer of Holloway, etc., who were his judges. I then went with the Bishop of St. Asaph (age 61) to the Archbishop (age 72) at Lambeth [Map], where they entered into discourse concerning the final destruction of Antichrist, both concluding that the third trumpet and vial were now pouring out. My Lord St. Asaph considered the killing of the two witnesses, to be the utter destruction of the Cevennes Protestants by the French and Duke of Savoy, and the other the Waldenses and Pyrenean Christians, who by all appearance from good history had kept the primitive faith from the very Apostles' time till now. The doubt his Grace suggested was, whether it could be made evident that the present persecution had made so great a havoc of those faithful people as of the other, and whether there were not yet some among them in being who met together, it being stated from the text, Apoc. xi., that they should both be slain together. They both much approved of Mr. Mede's way of interpretation, and that he only failed in resolving too hastily on the King of Sweden's (Gustavus Adolphus) success in Germany. They agreed that it would be good to employ some intelligent French minister to travel as far as the Pyrenees to understand the present state of the Church there, it being a country where hardly anyone travels.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1689. There now came certain news that King James (age 55) had not only landed in Ireland, but that he had surprised Derry aka Londonderry, and was become master of that kingdom, to the great shame of our government, who had been so often solicited to provide against it by timely succor, and which they might so easily have done. This is a terrible beginning of more troubles, especially should an army come thence into Scotland, people being generally disaffected here and everywhere else, so that the seamen and landmen would scarce serve without compulsion.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1689. A fight by Admiral Herbert (age 41) with the French, he imprudently setting on them in a creek as they were landing men in Ireland, by which we came off with great slaughter and little honor-so strangely negligent and remiss were we in preparing a timely and sufficient fleet. The Scots Commissioners offer the crown to the new King and Queen on conditions. Act of Poll money came forth, sparing none. Now appeared the Act of Indulgence for the Dissenters, but not exempting them from paying dues to the Church of England clergy, or serving in office according to law, with several other clauses. A most splendid embassy from Holland to congratulate the King (age 38) and Queen (age 26) on their accession to the crown.

On 26 Apr 1765 Amy Lyon aka Emma Hart Lady Hamilton was born to Henry Lyon (age 28) in Swan Cottage, Ness Necton. He died two months later.

1840. Franz Xaver Winterhalter (age 34). Portrait of Princess Victoria Saxe Coburg Gotha (age 17) around the time of her marriage to Prince Louis Duke Nemours (age 25) on 26 Apr 1840.

Princess Victoria Saxe Coburg Gotha: On 14 Feb 1822 she was born to Ferdinand Georg August Saxe Coburg Gotha and Maria Antonia Koháry Csábrág. In 26 Apr 1840 Prince Louis Duke Nemours and she were married. He the son of King Louis Philippe I of France. On 10 Nov 1857 Princess Victoria Saxe Coburg Gotha died.

On 26 Apr 1898 Christian X King Denmark (age 27) and Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark (age 18) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. He the son of Frederick VIII King Denmark (age 54) and Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark (age 46). He a great x 4 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.

On 26 Apr 1901 Dean William Clavell Ingram (age 66) died. Monument at Peterborough Cathedral [Map] sculpted by his brother Walter Rowlands Ingram (age 63) shortly before he died on 21 Jul 1903.

Dean William Clavell Ingram: On 11 Aug 1834 he was born to Reverend George Ingram. In 1900 he was appointed Dean of Peterborough.

On 26 Apr 1915 Captain Philip Noel Sanderson (age 27) was killed in action. He died aboard the Hospital Ship "Guildford Castle" and was buried at sea. The Berwickshire news reported ...

With a battalion of Marines the battalion was chosen to land on a beach which Sir Ian Hamilton described as merely a narrow strip of sand at the foot of a crumbling cliff, not unlike some spots on the coast of North Devon.The men got on shore, climbed up some small gullies to the top of the cliff, and brought up food, water, and ammunition. Then, in great force, the Turks attacked, and they kept this up through the day (April 25th), and all through the night.

They threw bombs into the allied forces trenches, and so black was the darkness that they were able, quite unseen, to bring a pony with a machine-gun on its back into allied defences, where the party was discovered and bayoneted. Growing fewer and fewer every hour, the Borderers and the Marines fought through that terrible night, rushing forward with their bayonets to meet the Turks, who seemed to have an endless supply of men.

Then Sir Ian Hamilton, seeing that good progress had been made elsewhere, ordered the Borderers and the Marines to retire. Quickly the whole of the force was embarked on the transports with their wounded, their stores, and their ammunition, this being successfully accomplished owing to the fire from British warships and the devotion of a small rearguard of the Borderers, who prevented the enemy from lining the cliff.

In this operation the losses were heavy, and roughly speaking only half the battalion remained. In addition to:Lieut.-Col. Archibald Stephen Koe, who dies from his wounds, Captain Charles Alexander Antrobus, Captain A.S. Cooper, Captain E.A. Marrow, Captain Philip Noel Sanderson, and Captain Archibald James Sanderson, and two subalterns were killed, and six officers were wounded.

In this desperate fighting many deeds of gallantry were done, and many, alas! unnoticed in the darkness, will never be revealed, for the men who did them and the men who saw them done were no longer alive.

One of these deeds, however, may be mentioned, not as anything special, but a mere example of many others. Private S. G. Bidgood was in a trench which had been partially destroyed, and after a time he was there alone. He blocked up the broken end and kept his position until daybreak, although only twenty yards away a Turkish machine-gun was firing. He was severely wounded, and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.).

On the retirement, the survivors of the battalion were taken round to another landing, where they joined their comrades of the 87th Brigade in forming the extreme of the British right. Once there they shared in the attack on the Turkish positions, including those made early in June. At this time the Borderers were commanded by Captain George Butler Stoney, who "showed great coolness and good leading, holding together in a most praiseworthy manner the battalion, which had suffered greatly."

By morning, half of the little detachment had been killed or wounded, its leader, Lieut.-Colonel A.S. Koe, seriously injured, and no reinforcements were available.

Click to read complete text ...

On 26 Apr 1943 Alastair Windsor 2nd Duke Connaught and Strathearn (age 28) died at Ottawa. He was buried at St Ninian's Chapel, Mar Lodge Estate. Duke Connaught and Strathearn extinct. The diaries of Sir Alan Lascelles (age 56), King George VI's (age 47) private secretary, published in 2006, recorded that both the regiment and Athlone had rejected him as incompetent, and he fell out of a window when drunk and perished of hypothermia overnight.

On 26 Apr 1944 Edward Dixon MacDonald (age 21) died in a plane crash. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Ennerdale Bridge. when Wellington III DF640 crashed following a failed landing. Took off Hixon for night circuit training, Landed 0134 hrs but bounced rather badly. The crew attempted to go round again, but their aircraft failed to gain height and flew into a hill, 250 feet above sea level and known locally as Weston Bank, near the airfield, bursting into flames on impact amongst some trees. Norman Albert Roberts Mousdell and Harold Desmond Purbrick were also killed.

Births on the 26th April

On 26 Apr 1284 Alice Tosny Countess Warwick was born to Ralph Tosny (age 28) at Flamstead, Hertfordshire.

On 26 Apr 1319 King John "The Good" II of France was born to King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France (age 25) and Joan "Lame" Burgundy Queen Consort France (age 25). Coefficient of inbreeding 5.00%.

On 26 Apr 1607 Johann Christian Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg was born to Alexander Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg (age 34) and Dorothea Schwarzburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg (age 28).

On 26 Apr 1649 Peter II King Portugal was born to John IV King Portugal (age 45) and Luisa de Guzman Queen Consort Portugal (age 35).

On 26 Apr 1720 Lister Holte 5th Baronet was born to Clobery Holte 4th Baronet (age 38).

On 26 Apr 1729 Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl Liverpool was born to Colonel Charles Jenkinson (age 36).

On 26 Apr 1739 Harry Goring 6th Baronet was born to Charles Mathew Goring 5th Baronet (age 32).

On 26 Apr 1756 Edward Finch was born to Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Aylesford (age 40) and Charlotte Seymour Countess Aylesford (age 25).

On 26 Apr 1765 Amy Lyon aka Emma Hart Lady Hamilton was born to Henry Lyon (age 28) in Swan Cottage, Ness Necton. He died two months later.

On 26 Apr 1770 Robert Waller Otway 1st Baronet was born to Cooke Otway at Castle Otway.

On 26 Apr 1790 Elizabeth Molyneux was born to General Thomas Molyneau 5th Baronet (age 23) and Elizabeth Perrin Lady Molyneux (age 21).

On 26 Apr 1800 Reverend Richard Harington was born to John Edward Harington 8th Baronet (age 40) and Marianne Philpot Lady Harington.

On 26 Apr 1802 John Wilson aka Wilson-Patten 1st Baron Winmarleigh was born.

On 26 Apr 1828 Henry Pellew 6th Viscount Exmouth was born to George Pellew (age 35) and Frances Addington (age 35).

On 26 Apr 1830 Charles Mills 1st Baron Hillingdon was born to Charles Mills 1st Baronet (age 38).

On 26 Apr 1833 Edward Knatchbull 11th Baronet was born to Norton Joseph Knatchbull 10th Baronet (age 24) and Mary Watts-Russell.

On 26 Apr 1835 John Warren 3rd Baron Tabley was born to George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley (age 23).

On 26 Apr 1852 John Robert Gladstone 3rd Baronet was born to Thomas Gladstone 2nd Baronet (age 47).

On 19 Apr 1855 Charles Bertram Bellew 3rd Baron Bellew was born to Edward Joseph Bellew 2nd Baron Bellew (age 24) and Augusta Mary Bryan (age 21). He was baptised on 26 Apr 1855 at the Roman Catholic Church, Balbriggan.

On 26 Apr 1856 Selina Frances Watson-Copley was born to Charles Watson-Copley 3rd Baronet (age 28) and Georgiana Tredcroft Lady Watson-Copley (age 29).

Marriages on the 26th April

Before 26 Apr 1467 Thomas Boyd 1st Earl Arran and Mary Stewart Countess Arran (age 13) were married. The marriage arranged by his father, Regent Robert Boyd 1st Lord Boyd (age 47). The King, her elder brother King James III of Scotland (age 15) consider the marriage a great insult. He, Thomas, was subsequently charged with treason and when failing to appear in response to a summons, their marriage was declared null and void, and she was married to James Hamilton 1st Lord Hamilton (age 52). She the daughter of King James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders Queen Consort Scotland. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 26 Apr 1620 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) and Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 15) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Mandeville. The difference in their ages was 42 years.

On 26 Apr 1683 Edward Noel 1st Earl Gainsborough (age 42) and Mary Herbert Countess Gainsborough were married. She by marriage Countess Gainsborough. They were fourth cousins.

On 26 Apr 1763 Robert Eden 1st Baronet (age 21) and Caroline Calvert (age 18) were married. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 26 Apr 1859 William Morris (age 25) and Jane Morris nee Burden (age 19) were married at St Michael at the Northgate Church, Oxford.

On 26 Apr 1864 Mervyn Wingfield 7th Viscount Powerscourt (age 27) and Julia Coke Viscountess Powerscourt (age 20) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Powerscourt. She the daughter of Thomas Coke 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 41) and Juliana Whitbread Countess Leicester (age 38). She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 26 Apr 1881 Delves Louis Broughton 10th Baronet (age 23) and Rosamond Broughton (age 19) were married at Yazor, Herefordshire.

On 26 Apr 1892 Henry FitzWalter Plumptre 20th Baron FitzWalter (age 31) and Maude Dora Gertrude Baird (age 26) were married. He would, eighteen years later, marry her older sister Emily Harriett Jemima Baird (age 30); an example of Married to Two Siblings.

On 26 Apr 1898 Christian X King Denmark (age 27) and Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark (age 18) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. He the son of Frederick VIII King Denmark (age 54) and Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark (age 46). He a great x 4 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.

On 26 Apr 1916 William Acland 3rd Baronet (age 27) and Emily Barclay Baroness Acland were married.

On 26 Apr 1932 John Crichton-Stuart (age 24) and Eileen Forbes (age 20) were married. She the daughter of Bernard Forbes 8th Earl of Granard (age 57) and Beatrice Mills Countess of Granard (age 48). He the son of John Crichton-Stuart 4th Marquis of the Isle of Bute (age 50). They were fourth cousins.

On 26 Apr 1962 Thomas Percy Tuchet-Jesson (age 48) and Sarah Churchill Baroness Audley (age 47) were married. She by marriage Baroness Audley of Heighley in Staffordshire.

Deaths on the 26th April

On 26 Apr 1214 Henry Welf VI Count Palatine of the Rhine (age 17) died without issue. Louis Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria (age 40) succeeded Count Palatine of the Rhine.

On 26 Apr 1703 Mary Cornwall Lady Reade (age 73) died. She was buried at St Mary the Virgin Church, Shipton-under-Wychwood.

On 26 Apr 1707 Margaret Hay Countess Mar (age 20) died.

On 26 Apr 1711 Catherine Smythe Baroness Teynham died.

On 26 Apr 1715 Anne Digby Countess Sunderland (age 69) died.

On 26 Apr 1716 John Somers 1st Baron Somers (age 65) died unmarried and without issue. Baron Somers extinct. His great nephew Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers became 1st Baron Somers of the second creation in 1784.

On 26 Apr 1720 Nicholas Browne 4th Baronet (age 60) died. His son Valentine Browne 5th Baronet (age 25) succeeded 5th Baronet Browne of Molahiffe in County Kerry.

On 26 Apr 1852 Alexander Ramsay 2nd Baronet (age 67) died. His son Alexander Ramsay 3rd Baronet (age 38) succeeded 3rd Baronet Ramsay of Balmain in Kincardineshire.

On 26 Apr 1857 George Denys 1st Baronet (age 68) died. His son George William Denys 2nd Baronet (age 45) succeeded 2nd Baronet Denys of Stratford Place.

On 26 Apr 1876 Emma Caroline Bootle-Wilbraham Countess Derby (age 71) died.

On 26 Apr 1901 Dean William Clavell Ingram (age 66) died. Monument at Peterborough Cathedral [Map] sculpted by his brother Walter Rowlands Ingram (age 63) shortly before he died on 21 Jul 1903.

Dean William Clavell Ingram: On 11 Aug 1834 he was born to Reverend George Ingram. In 1900 he was appointed Dean of Peterborough.

On 26 Apr 1915 Arthur George Egerton 5th Earl Wilton (age 51) died. His son Seymour Egerton 6th Earl Wilton (age 18) succeeded 6th Earl Wilton, 6th Viscount Grey de Wilton.

On 26 Apr 1943 Alastair Windsor 2nd Duke Connaught and Strathearn (age 28) died at Ottawa. He was buried at St Ninian's Chapel, Mar Lodge Estate. Duke Connaught and Strathearn extinct. The diaries of Sir Alan Lascelles (age 56), King George VI's (age 47) private secretary, published in 2006, recorded that both the regiment and Athlone had rejected him as incompetent, and he fell out of a window when drunk and perished of hypothermia overnight.

On 26 Apr 1952 John Compton Cavendish 4th Baron Chesham (age 57) died. His son John Cavendish 5th Baron Chesham (age 35) succeeded 5th Baron Chesham.

On 26 Apr 1954 Evelyn Francis Edward Seymour 17th Duke of Somerset (age 71) died. His son Percy Hamilton Seymour 18th Duke of Somerset (age 43) succeeded 18th Duke Somerset, 16th Baronet Seymour of Berry Pomeroy. Gwendoline Collette Jane Thomas Duchess Somerset by marriage Duchess Somerset.