Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/401

 10* s.i. APRIL 23, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

329

this dictionary, and all other dictionaries, is an error : that his father was the Rev. Alexander Garden, Church of Scotland, Birse, Aberdeenshire, to whose memory a marble tablet, with a Latin inscription, was placed by Dr. Garden in the Birse Churc in 1789. Can any of your readers, or Dr Garden's descendants, explain the apparen error? ALAISTER MACGILLEAN.

STEP-BROTHER. I have been interestec lately in a discussion as to the correct meaning of the term step-brother. I have looked the word up in about eight different dictionaries Two give decided definitions, but as they are different, they do not help much. All the rest give opinions which might be considerec either for or against one's own.

Must a person and his step-brother have one common parent? or is it when a widower with children marries a widow with children that these children of previous marriages become step-brothers and step-sisters ?

RACHEL BLAIKLEY.

WILLIAM GIBBARD was admitted to West- minster School, 8 September, 1777, and became a King's Scholar in 1783. I should be glad to ascertain any particulars of his career and the date of his death. G. F. R. B.

WELLINGTON'S HORSES. Where can infor- mation be found as to the breeding of Wellington's chargers, and particularly whether they had anything to do with a " Wellesley Arabian " whose portrait was painted by J. L. Agasse? it seems the Wellesley Arabian died 1811 (J. C. Whyte. 'British Turf,' vol. ii. appendix); and in the ' Racing Calendar ' for 1804 and subsequent

years a chestnut Arabian and a grey Arabian, both said to be brought from India in 1803 by " the Hon. Mr. Wellesley," are advertised as stallions. The Mr. Wellesley referred to was apparently Henry Wellesley, afterwards the first Baron Cowley, youngest brother of Wellington. I believe a good deal has been written about the horse on whose back Wellington is represented at Hyde Park Corner. C. F. H.

FETTIPLACE. Can any reader inform me if any MSS. or records of the family of Fetti- place are in existence ? I believe the family at one time owned Ockwells Manor and Child rey, both in Berks, also property in Oxon. C. P.

COLLINS. I wish to learn the origin and centre of distribution of the name Collins. The name is found in Ireland, and very generally along the South of England. Some

of the name claim it as Saxon, others as Celtic. Can any of your correspondents throw any light upon this matter, or give me the name of an author who has dealt philo- logically with name-origins?

EDWD. JACKSON.

[New editions of Bardsley's ' English and Welsh Surnames' and Barber's 'British Family Names' have recently appeared.]

REGISTER OF THE GOLDEN BALL, SOUTH- WARD Is the under- mentioned marriage register in existence ? and if so where can it be seen ]

"A Register kept at ye Golden ball in Blew ball Alley in Sussex Place in S' George's Parish in South wark."

FRANCIS R. RUSHTON.

LAMONT HARP. Who bought the Lament harp, sold at Edinburgh on 12 March for 500 guineas? As this passed into private hands, its destination should be recorded in ' N. & Q.' for future reference.

T. CANN HUGHES, M.A., F.S.A.

THE SUN AND ITS ORBIT. The Marquis of Bute, in his translation of the Roman Breviary, published in 1879, has at p. 408 a foot-note in reference to the sun, reading thus : " Modern astronomers believe the centre of its orbit to be a star (Alcyone) in the constellation Pleiades." He quotes no authority in support of his assertion, nor lave I succeeded in finding any. Perhaps some of your readers may be able to throw a ight on the subject. ROBERT PARKER.

WILKIE'S Ronald S.

JOURNAL Gower,

in

OR DIARY. Lord his little book 'Sir

David Wilkie,' 1902, states that on 1 January, 809, the artist began to keep a journal. Can any reader inform us in whose possession the original now is ? I presume it has never been printed. W. I. R. V.

READE. A William Reade was Bishop of Jarlisle about 1500, and was afterwards le was succeeded by Robert Reade, where at the same time was an archdeacon named William Reade. Were these dignitaries re- lated to each other? To which family of Reade did they belong ? Is anything known of the descendants of either of them ?
 * ranslated to Chichester. In the latter see

W.R. Carlisle.

HERALDRY. I want the owner of this coat : Sable, an escutcheon of pretence between eight howletts sejant guardant, 3, 2, 3, all argent. Crest, an howlett sejant guardant argent. Motto, " Ex caligine veritas." FR. ROLFE.