Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/163

 12 s. ix. ATO.I 3, mi.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 129 Was this Captain William Gordon (1784- 1841) of the Madras N.I., whose son, Thomas Wilkinson Gordon (1821-41), was born at Nagpur on Aug. 19, 1821 ? J. M. BULLOCH. 37, Bedford Square, W.C.I. WEATHERALL. -I shall be much obliged for information respecting Captain Weather- all, who was in command of H.M.S. Observateur in 1809. Are any of his de- scendants now living ? CHRISTOPHER W. BAYNES, Bt. 27, Lowndes Square, S.W.I.. GEORGE III.'s SON, ERNEST, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND. Mr. Lytton Strachey, author of a recently published book, ' Queen Victoria,' says (p. 7) : The Duke of Cumberland was probably the most unpopular man in England. Hideously ugly, with a distorted eye, he was bad-tempered, and vindictive in private. Was he ''hideously ugly" ? The numerous portraits of him that I have seen have led me to quite a contrary conclu- sion, but I think they were mostly in profile and that secured the concealment of the unfortunate eye, and I do not forget that portraits, like epitaphs, are given to flattery. ST. SWITHIN. ROYAL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE CORPORA- TION. Information on the early history of above in Dublin and the Irish Provinces will be welcomed. Please reply direct. WILLIAM MACARTHUR. Gardiner House, 43, Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin. 'THE NOBLE LAIRD OF THORN YBURN.' I have a Northumbrian Border Ballad en- titled ' The Noble Laird of Thorny burn.' It is stated in the introduction to my copy, which was published by Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street, in 1855, that it is " the modernized narrative of a tradition of a by- gone foray on the Borders, which took place between the English and the Scotch, tempo Edward III., circa 1333." The Laird Dodde is the hero of it. I should be glad to know whether there are any earlier editions of this ballad, and, if so, where they can be found ; also where the " tradition of the foray " is to be found. J. D. THE 29TH DIVISION. Has any history of the fighting done by the 29th Division been published, and, if so, by whom ? J. D. GROUTE'S ENAMELLED PICTURES. I have a reference of 1720 to ' ; Mr. de Groote's pic- tures," and to a family of " limners " called Le Grout. Who were they ? R. S. B. " SHUFFLE-WING " OR " SHOVEL-WING." Does anyone know "' shuffle-wing " or '' shovel-wing " as the local name for the sparrow ? If so, in what localities is the name found ? Does it persist to-day ? Is it modern, or has it been used " time out of mind " ? Its significance is obvious, and from the way sparrows manage their wings it seems a peculiarly appropriate name for them. W. J. L. SIR HUMPHRY DAVY'S FAMILY.- The scientist, whose ancestors owned the Varfel estate near Penzance for many generations, was descended from the Davy family of Ingoldisthorpe Hall, near Sandringham, Norfolk, the arms of both being almost identical. Could any reader kindly supply details of such descent ? The first known Norfolk Davy to settle in Cornwall did so before 1588. H. H. H. DAVIE, DAVY AND DAVYE. Could any readers kindly give genealogical links con- necting families so named in or about Exeter, Credition, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Plymouth, with families similarly named in the Penzance district, the origin of the name I of Sir Humphrey Davie, 10th Bt. (of Credi- ! ton), and that of Sir Humphry Davy, 1st j Bt. (of Penzance), being alike the Norman j name De la Wey, later altered to De Wey, De Vie, Davie, Davy and Davye ? Who were the forefathers of James, William and Henry Davy (brothers), born between 1800 ! and 1820 in or near Newton Abbot ? H. H. H. FABIUS SEGNIUS (FABIO SEGNI) AND RAPH. PLACENTLNUS (RAPHAEL OF PIACENZA). Can some 'one kindly tell me the death-dates of these two Italian neo-Latinist poets ? Was the former related to Bernardo Segni the historian of Florence, who died in 1559 ? Poems by them were published by Gmter and by Bottari. SLEUTH-HOUND. SIR JOHN PARSONS, KT. He lived at Reigate Priory and represented that town in every Parliament from 1685-1717, be- sides holding the office of Lord Mayor of London in 1703. Can anyone give me infor- mation regarding his forbears ? J. C. RUSSELL PARSONS.