Duke of Northumberland, Lying-in-State
The Dukes's funeral was the kind of occasion which benefitted a man whose income was a staggering £50,000 p.a.
With regard to the lying in state, the London Gazette on the previous day advised that servants should set down and take their carriages to below Charing Cross, such was the likely interest on the day.
Amongst those who attended the event was Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams who had a crucial bearing on the handling of the estate years later.
Mrs Adams only went along because she wanted to observe the pageantry which she was lead to believe would be unrivalled but for royalty. She described the event as a "farce."
She called Northumberland House "a great immense pile of a building, " being impressed with the illuminations, his strong hand when it came to parties.
She comments that daylight was excluded from the building which was illuminated by thousands of candles. On the walls were as many escutcheons as candles.She finishes up by saying- "This farce was kept up for days."
The funeral service itself continued in the same vein. The Duke's love of pomp extended to him having a separate horse-drawn carriage to carry his coronet on a cushion along with his sword.
The Gentleman's Magazine carried a two-page obituary in which all his titles and positions filled many lines.
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