Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/50

 38 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. vm. JAN. s, 1021, Paymaster- General of the forces and the Com- missary-General of the Musters bad their quarters in a building on the east side of the street leading from Charing Cross to Westminster, about where the War Office is to-day. This building had a frontage on the street of 55 feet, but was only 46 feet wide at the rear, while the dimensions up one flight of stairs were only 31 feet before and behind. In 1751 the present building of the Horse Guards was begun and [it was] completed in 1756, on the site of the old Guards House, the yard, and the stables, and thither the War Office was removed in the latter year." The office of Secretary at War was abolished by Stat. 26 and 27 Viet. c. 12, to which the royal assent was signified on May 4, 1863. Q. V. HERALDIC (12 S. vii 490). I wish your correspondent had cited an instance or some instances of the occurrence of the blazon which is the cause of his query. I imagine it to be due to the canting device, the inter- laced knot of . the Lacy family, or to the double B twist of the Bourchiers. ST. SWITHIN. WOOL-GATHERING (12 S. vii. 510). In the early part of the nineteenth century when people were careful of everything, and not ashamed of small economies, poor women would go wool-gathering, that is, they would glean from hedgerows, &c., flakes or locks which the thorns had torn from the fleeces of sheep that had approached too r*ear to pass untolled. When I was in the nursery a faithful shepherdess suggested that her charges might pursue this occupa- tion in our own paddock ; but the prospect of " great cry and little wool " was not found particularly alluring. When sheep were washed there must have been pickings for pious standers-by and when the shearing came coarse dag-locks would be a precious perquisite if the farmer did not keep them for himself. When at times "one's wits go a-wool-gathering, " as they are supposed to do, it is imagined that they stray about to small profit as did the women who sought stuffing for cushions in the hedges. ST. SWITHIN. FRENCH PRISONERS OF WAR IN ENGLAND (12 S. vii. 469, 517). An interesting volume could be written entitled ' Sons of French Prisoners of War in England who Became Famous.' One of the most conspicuous is Henry Litolff, the composer-pianist, born in London in 1818. He was the son of a French-Alsatian soldier taken prisoner in the Peninsular War, who became a violinist in a London theatre, and married an English- woman. Henry made his first appearance^ as an "English boy pianist, aged 12," at Covent Garden Theatre in 1832. When in his 17th year he married an English girl a* little older than himself. In 1851 he settled in Brunswick, became a naturalized Germaa (citizen of the Duchy), married the widow of a German musical publisher, and gave his name to the still flourishing firm of Litolff (London agent, Enoch, Great Maryborough Street). Three years before the Franco- German War, Henry Litolff settled in Paris y married his third wife, the Comtesse de Larochefoucauld, and died a Frenchman at Bois le Combes (near Paris) in August, 1891.. ANDREW DE TERNANT. 36 Somerleyton Road, Brixton, S.W. TERCENTENARY HANDLIST OF NEWS- PAPERS (12 S. vii. 480). A preliminary search in the Index of Titles to ' Section IL The Provincial Press ' shows that the Addenda for one county will amount to about 150, almost entirely belonging to the nineteenth century. The compiler's plarv of admitting school magazines to his list, while excluding parish magazines, has been, borne in mind. M. [We are prepared to print any Addenda to the Handlist which our correspondents may care to send us in the last number for each month. They should reach us not later than one week before the date of issue.] THE HERMIT OF HERTFORDSHIRE (12 S. vii. 466, 516). My mother remembers that, when staying with cousins at Hitchin, in 1858, she was taken to see Lucas as one of the local attractions ; and that, being at that time an adherent of "Pussyfoot," she managed to evade drinking from a somewhat dirty bottle with which the hermit welcomed his visitors. A. R. BAYLEY. " Now, THEN ! " (12 S. vii. 512 ; viii. 17). Your correspondent MR. JOHN B. WAINE- WRIGHT makes the inquiry whether the German Nun as an interjection is not used in a similar way to "Now, then." Possibly he has in his mind the combination Nun also, but the more exact parallel would be found in the two words Nanu. This phrase has exactly the same meaning when spoken to children as the warning "Now, then," or " stop -it. " It has a second mean- ing, being an exclamation of surprise Nanu or "What can this be ? " a startled inquiry. The first word na is frequently used as a prefix, thus Naja, Nanu, Naso, also as the