Talk:Courtice Pounds/Archive 1

Archive 1

Scandal and the fat knight

Pounds was embroiled in a divorce scandal in the latter years of the 19th century. I have not added details because as far as I can see the evidence was not conclusive, it didn't affect his career, and from a 21st century perspective it isn't frightfully interesting. I'll add something if others think it worthwhile.

I have removed from the previous version the uncited statement that Pounds played Falstaff in 1902, which seems to me highly improbable. Falstaff was one of Tree's favourite parts and one can't imagine his giving it up to anyone else, and moreover Pounds (described by Gänzl as "short and boyish") was about the last actor anyone would cast as Falstaff. (He would clearly have made a splendid Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff, though.) Happy to eat my words if anyone has any persuasive evidence that Pounds really did play Falstaff. — Tim riley (talk) 17:09, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Great job on the article. Err, what was scandalous about the divorce? Can you give the details here so we can discuss? All the best -- Ssilvers (talk) 19:43, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

From The Morning Post, 14 December 1895, p. 7:

REMARKABLE DIVORCE CASE

In the Court of Session, Edinburgh, yesterday, Lord Moncreiff granted a divorce to Mr. C. W. Hardie, member of the Royal Scottish Academy, Lynedoch House, Belford, from his wife Mary Hardie Lewis or Hardie, of 67, Portman-square, London. The action was undefended. Mr Hardie said he was 37 years of age, and was married in 1889. There had been two children, the elder one of whom had died. After the death of the child his wife, who was an American lady, became ill, and the doctor advised a change. She accordingly, with petitioner's consent, paid visits to various friends in London and the country. When away she wrote regularly, and he had not the slightest reason to think there had been any impropriety. In March last he was doing some work in the Highlands, and his wife was in Edinburgh. She had just recovered from an attack of measles, and wrote that she would like to go to London. She afterwards wrote to him from London, and subsequently, in consequence of what she said in the letter, he followed her. It had been arranged that she should stay at the house of a friend of her own in London, and when he reached London he called at the lady friends, and found that Mrs. Hardie had not been there. His wife had been a little flighty at times, and he thought this was an escapade of hers, and that she might have gone on the stage. He heard no more of her for three months and a half, when he received a cable message from her, handed in at Sydney, asking him to send her money, as she was returning home. He accordingly cabled her an adequate amount to bring her home. On her return on July 21 he met her in London, and took her to Edinburgh. The respondent told him that she had been in Australia with an old friend, a gentleman whom she met in London. She went to London again in August last against his will, and said she was not coming back. The petitioner therefore telegraphed to respondent's father in America, who came over, and there was an interview in Liverpool. The respondent then said she had been guilty of misconduct with a gentleman whom she met on the steamer going to Australia, and who was now in India. She also mentioned Mr Courtice Pounds, and said she had committed misconduct with him in London. The witness, continuing, said there was no truth in the newspaper rumours about other parties being mixed up in the case, or in the report that he had received money in connection therewith. William Henry Clark, formerly landlord of the Imperial Hotel, Rupert-street, London, and his wife gave evidence that Mrs. Hardie and Mr. Courtice Pounds had stayed on several occasions as husband and wife. Lord Moncreiff, in granting the decree, gave the petitioner custody of the child. (Tim riley (talk) 07:11, 4 August 2010 (UTC))

I added a sentence about this to the article. See if you like it. -- Ssilvers (talk) 15:18, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Just the thing. The Jones quote (new to me) puts it in context admirably. I have just spotted the question in your recent edit summary. Rather than move this info to the D'OC section, what about having a "Family and personal life" section to cover the Benefit, sisters, wives, scandal and death? — Tim riley (talk) 16:17, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Good idea. I have added the heading. -- Ssilvers (talk) 21:29, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Cranfield?

An editor added the following: "Later Pounds set up home with Dublin-born actress Mary Gertrude Cranfield (1880–1973), who took his name and with whom he had two sons and two daughters. (citing: Baptismal and census records at www.familysearch.org; death records at www.freebmd.org.uk; The Times report of Pounds's funeral, 27 December 1927).

This might be true, but (i) The Times piece cited as a source doesn't corroborate it, and (ii) the quoted website is inadequately cited, so one cannot confirm the statement. The Times' Funeral report mentions a wife but does not name her. -- Ssilvers (talk) 20:46, 25 May 2017 (UTC)