Hanbury

“ Horner was bitten with new-fangled notions, as she would say, though his new-fangled notions were what folk at the present day would think sadly behindhand; and some of Mr. Gray’s ideas fell on Mr. Horner’s mind like sparks on tow, though they started from two different points. Mr. Horner wanted to make every man useful and active in this world, and to direct as much activity and usefulness as possible to the improvement of the Hanbury estates, and the aggrandisement of the Hanbury family, and therefore he fell into the new cry for education. ”

“ Hanbury made a wry face, but answered without hesitation:
“Aiding a forgery isn’t quite the road to fortune I should have chosen, but beggars—you know the maxim. Society hasn’t been too kind to me, and I don’t see why I should range myself on its side. Yes, I’ll do it; and if I’m caught, stone-breaking at Portland won’t be any worse than adding up figures in a subterranean counting-house. Let me have the particulars, Mr. Jevons, and I’ll see it through to the best of an ability that hasn’t much to recommend it.” ”

“ Yet, this was a strange companion, friend, for John Hanbury, the well-known public speaker, a man who had made up his mind to adopt the career of a progressive and reforming politician, the descendant of Stanislaus II. of Poland! Contact with a man who had absolutely entertained the notion of trading in stolen goods was a thing most people would shun. But, then, were most people right? This man had claimed his good offices, first, because Hanbury was in his power, and now Leigh claimed his good offices, because he was in great affliction and prostration. ”

“ Mr. Hanbury, I am afraid it is my duty to send a paragraph to the papers. A paragraph of that kind always tells. Anything unkind and true invariably amuses our own side and injures the other side and sticks like wax."
Hanbury writhed. "The hideous beast," he thought. He would have liked to throw the little monster through the window. He rose and began walking up and down the room hastily. "Mr. Leigh, if you will not, as a party man, let this unfortunate thing lie still, will you oblige me personally and say nothing about it? If you do I will consider myself under a deep obligation to you." ”

“ That is his reward. Men have died for less.
Now, Mr. Hanbury, lord and master of the Lower Shell, a sort of intellectual dust-heap on the Modern side at Grandwich School, was specially favoured by the gods in that he received his reward more quickly than most. He was twenty-nine; he had been a famous Cricket Blue, and he enjoyed the respectful admiration of countless boys, who listened eagerly to his small talk, felt proud when he spoke to them unofficially, and endeavoured to imitate his bowling action. ”

“ Is it not strange that you should have wanted a cab in this spot forty-eight hours ago, and I should want it here now?"
"It is strange," said Hanbury, "but the world is very small, and our absolute wants in it are very closely circumscribed." The manner of Leigh had changed in a marked manner since they emerged from the door of the Hanover. His steps had become slow and more dragged, his breathing more laboured, and he had lost all swagger and bounce, and self-assertiveness. ”

“ Nobody knows what Bill is about, least of all Hanbury; but he has opposed it at every stage. Yesterday divided Committee on First Clause; returns to attack to-day. "Better let us get away for our hardly-earned holiday," I said.
"That's very well for you, Toby," said Hanbury, beating his chest in default of getting at the Treasury's; "but there's a dark mystery under this business which I mean to fathom. You remember the case of another chest and its weird associations?
'Fifteen men on a dead man's chest—
Ho! Ho! Ho! and a bottle of rum.'
Harcourt may, or may not, have been one of the fifteen. ”

“ A Czarina obstinate to a degree; would not consent, even when they made her the liberal offer, "Keep your 55,000 at home; don't attack the King of Prussia with them; you shall have your Subsidy all the same!" "No, I won't!" answered she,—to Hanbury's amazement. Hanbury had not read the Weingarten-Menzel Documents;—what double double of toil and trouble might Hanbury have saved himself and others, could he have read them! ”

“ A few small groups of people were gathered around the mouth of Welbeck Place, discussing the event of that afternoon. Hanbury looked around. If that man had come back with a cab he must have dismissed it, for no cab was in sight.
For a moment he paused in doubt. He approached one of the little knots of people. "Could you tell me, if you please, where I should be likely to see a low-sized gentleman who carries a heavy stick? I think he belongs to this neighbourhood," said Hanbury to a man standing at the corner, a very low-looking type of man, in a shabby jacket.
"You mean little Mr. Leigh?" ”

“ WILLIAMS, Sir CHARLES HANBURY (1708–1759) , satirical writer and diplomatist, born probably at Pontypool on 8 Dec. 1708, was the third son of John Hanbury, known as Major Hanbury of Pont y Pool, or Pontypool, near Newport, Monmouthshire.
The father, John Hanbury (1664–1734) [q.v.] , descended from Roger de Hanbury (fl. 1150) , whose descendants were seated at Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire down to the middle of the sixteenth century. Capel Hanbury purchased an estate at Pontypool in 1565, and began developing the ironworks there during the last twenty years of Elizabeth's reign. ”

“ Hanbury, it became instantly apparent that the ultimate result would be the collapse of Hanbury or the reformation of the Shell.
The latter alternative came to pass, but not before both sides had distinguished themselves in several engagements.
Mr. Hanbury had to teach his form self-respect. Long experience had taught them that they were incapable as a body of producing good work; and being constitutionally averse to half-measures, they were accustomed, rather than turn out a second-rate article, to turn out nothing at all. Like the Tenth, who do not dance, the Lower Shell did not work. ”

“ Hanbury was acknowledged a minister in the Society of Friends in 1833. With her husband she resided successively at Bonchurch, Stoke Newington, and on Blackdown Hills near Wellington, Somerset. Her husband died at The Firs, Blackdown, in 1869. ”

“ His father John Hanbury was a wealthy iron-master and member of parliament, who inherited another fortune from his friend Charles Williams of Caerleon, his son’s godfather, with which he bought the Coldbrook estate, Monmouthshire. ”

“ Even Williams the landlord had been induced by curiosity to make one of the crowd.
"Hah," said Leigh, when he saw Hanbury come in and shut the door. "You thought better of waiting for that cab. I wasn't very long. I am glad you came back. I hope you are again quite well? Eh?" His words and accent were polite--too polite the young man thought. There was a scornful glitter in the hunchback's eyes. A huge volume bound in red cloth lay on the polished metal counter beside him. When Hanbury saw the volume his face flushed vividly. ”

“ Twice mentioned in despatches, he was made K.C.B. He served as principal medical officer at the Horse Guards and at Gibraltar (1887-8) , and was surgeon-general of the forces in Madras (1888-92) . In 1905 he received the reward for distinguished service. Tall (6 feet 1 inch in height) , alert, and handsome, of great independence and energy, Hanbury was a popular master of hounds at Ootacamund. ”

“ When you saw me in the Hanover, I was preparing a little paragraph for the papers." The dwarf smiled ambiguously.
Hanbury started and coloured and moved his feet impatiently, uneasily. He could not determine whether the clockmaker was sincere or not in what he had said in the earlier portions of this speech; he was startled by what he said at the end. "Mr. Leigh, you have done me a favour already, a great favour, a great service. They say one is always disposed to help one he has helped before. ”

“ These things grow. You must have patience, and the Lowther Arcade will still flourish. Let me see, whom you have got? There's Bartley, Hanbury, and Tommy Bowles. Lowe, forming his Cave, hadn't so many to start with."
"Yes," said the Master Builder, "that's all very well; but, fact is, you can't reckon upon these fellows as being, so to speak, colonnades in the Arcade. They are all on their own hook; fighting for their own hand; won't take the lead from me; must go foraging for themselves. Hanbury thinks he can boss a show better than most men. ”

“ His parents, Daniel Bell and Rachel Hanbury, were well-known members of the Society of Friends. He left school early, his proficiency in languages and drawing being acquired in after life. At the age of sixteen he entered the house of Allen & Hanbury of Plough Court, Lombard Street, in which his father was a partner. ”

“ To begin with, there was a clamour of contention and advice among guardians and friends; there were anonymous appeals to the runaways in agony-columns; there were futile attempts made to pacify the Court of Chancery. All the Beresfords came up to town, except Nan, who remained to look after the Brighton house. The chief difficulty of the moment was to discover the whereabouts of Mr. John Hanbury. ”

“ HANBURY, ROBERT WILLIAM (1845–1903) , politician, born on 24 Feb. 1845 at Bodehall House, Tamworth, was only son of Robert Hanbury of Bodehall, a country gentleman of moderate landed estate but of ample means derived chiefly from collieries, by his wife Mary, daughter of Major T. B. Bamford of Wilnecote Hall, Warwickshire. Left an orphan in early childhood, Hanbury was educated at Rugby and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he was well known as an 'oar.' He graduated B.A. in 1868 with a second class in literæ humaniores. ”

“ Hanbury promptly, "narrow circumstances are all the drawback they labour under that could be soon put right."
"God bless you, my good mother," cried the son with affectionate pride. "Well, when I saw them yesterday in their place in Grimsby Street I had, of course, no notion whatever that they were in any way related to us. I took no particular notice of them beyond observing that they were ladies. The strangest thing about them is that the younger is--is----" He hesitated, not knowing how much of yesterday's events must come out. ”

“ Mr. Hanbury, or "Ham" as he was usually called, had been in charge of the Lower Shell some four years, and had long reduced that chaotic assembly to respectability, and even intelligence. It was the first morning of a new term, and he had just entered his classroom, and was engaged in greeting his pupils. The ceremony over, he mounted his throne and addressed the multitude,—
"Having said 'How do you do?' to all of you, I will now proceed to say 'Good-bye' to some of you. Hood down to Aitchison, you are promoted. Out you go! Mr. Mayor is anxious to make your acquaintance." ”

“ I told you before, I never make mistakes about people." In all this talk Hanbury noticed that the old self-assertive "Hah!" had no place, nor was there any use of eau-de-cologne or reference to it. These had been nothing more than conversational fripperies, and had been laid aside with the spirit of aggression. The manner of aggression still prevailed in the form of thought and manner of expression. "You will be astonished to hear that I was attracted towards you from the moment I saw you in Welbeck Place--the attraction of repulsion, no doubt. ”

“ You are too kind. It is a pleasure to do a little service for a gentleman like Mr. Hanbury, the great orator. If only Chetwynd Street knew it had so distinguished a visitor it would be very proud, although the cause in which I heard you speak in Bloomsbury is not very popular in the slums of Westminster. However, you may rest assured the public shall not be allowed to remain in ignorance of the distinction conferred upon our district, this obscure and poor and unworthy corner of Westminster. ”

“ HANBURY, WILLIAM (1725–1778) , rector of Church Langton, Leicestershire, born at Bedworth, Warwickshire, in 1725, was the son of William Hanbury of that place who afterwards removed to Foleshill. He matriculated on 17 Jan. 1744-5, at the age of nineteen, at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and took the degree of B.A. as a member of St. Edmund Hall in 1748. The degree of A.M. was conferred on him by the university of St. Andrews 11 Nov. 1769. In 1753 he was instituted on his own petition to the rectory of Church Langton, of which his father appears to have bought the advowson. ”

“ He never irritates or frightens his clients with unpleasant truths. He doesn’t tell the men to stop [147] eating and drinking and the women to stop gadding. He gives them digestion-tablets and nerve-tonics and sends them on agreeable excursions to Europe. Of all the swarm of parasites that live upon rich New Yorkers none keeps up a more dignified front than does Hanbury. ”

“ Hanbury had assisted Leigh into the cab, and was standing on the flagway.
Leigh gave the address, and the two drove off.
The dwarf's confession had not benefitted his position in Hanbury's mind. The fact that this man had been in communication with a fence, with a view to the disposal of stolen gold, was enough to make the average man shrink from contact with the dwarf. But then Hanbury remembered that the secret had been divulged by the clock-maker in a moment of extreme excitement, and after what to him must have been an enormous calamity. To have been tempted is not to have fallen ”

“ Benjamin Truman was knighted by George III., and portraits of him and his daughter, by Gainsborough, still hang in the drawing room of the house in Brick Lane. In the same room is a portrait of Mr. Sampson Hanbury (the first of the name who joined the firm) , a famous sportsman, who for thirty-five years was Master of the Puckeridge Hounds. He entered the firm in 1780, and was subsequently joined by his brother. Sampson Hanbury’s sister, Anna, married Thomas Fowell Buxton, of Earle’s Colne. This gentleman was High Sheriff of his county, and served the office with special credit. ”