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54 Old Memories of East-Bourne. [Chap. V.
In 1860, and again in 1874, East-Bourne was visited by the Duke of Cambridge in order to witness certain gunnery experiments, but these are matters which belong to Chapter VI. (post).
On March 25, 1875, H.R.H. the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lome came to East-Bourne for a week and attended service at Trinity Church on the intervening Sunday. I think this was the first visit of any of Queen Victoria's children.
In the early part of the summer of 1878 East-Bourne was visited by some of the children of the Emperor Frederick of Germany, the sisters and brothers of the present Emperor. I sent for their use a copy of my Guide-book, and their Governess, Mdlle. De Perpigna, came and had tea with us on June 29, and proved to be a very interesting person who told us many things.
In the autumn of 1878 the Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse with their children made a long stay at a house on the Grand Parade. The Grand Duchess, it will be remembered, was our Princess Alice. They went about freely in the town and attended various festivities. On August 21 Her Royal Highness went to the Devonshire Park for the opening of a Bazaar for the Building Fund of All Saints' Church. My wife and I were introduced to her by Lady Fanny Howard. The thing which specially struck me in conversation with her was how completely she had lost her English pronunciation of English. This visit was a great "lift " for the Bazaar, which yielded £720. She also gave away the prizes at the College, and inspected the Christ Church Schools.
Their sojourn in East-Bourne was productive of such good results from a health point of view that in the following year (1879) the children came again for several weeks. The Grand Duke and Duchess of Baden also came with their children. The Grand Duchess was the daughter of the Emperor William I. of Germany. We also made their acquaintance, at a Bazaar held at the Devonshire Park on August 20 for the Christ Church Building Fund, when my wife and I and three of our children were introduced to them. They stayed several |
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