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Interview with Author William Cross The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon of Tutankhamun Fame
http://down-downton.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/conversation-with-william-cross-on-lady.html
Lady Almina is still news!!!!!
On this terribly sad day that witnessed the tragic loss of one of the great reporters in that hell hole of Syria I thought it might amuse visitors to note Meredith Blake's piece in swanky up market literary rag called The Paris Review.
New Third Edition The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon By William Cross, FSA Scot FROM 15 DECEMBER 2011
In the third edition, of The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon, published on 15 December 2011, the text has been enhanced with many fresh facts and further sources added. The new book contains over 900 footnotes to excite, provoke and develop the reader’s attention and provide much deeper insight into the narrative. Moreover, these give a unique window into the author’s mind as to how and in many cases why he compiled certain aspects of the book. The points of explanation in the footnotes are essential reading for those who agree, disagree or challenge the author’s judgement about the his interpretation of Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon’s story. William Cross believes in total transparency, hence the restoration of the original footnotes, which were omitted from the second edition ( published on 15 September 2011). The decision to do this was in order to aid the General Reader’s interest purely in the storyline of Almina’s life and times.
CONTACT WILLIAM CROSS BY EMAIL FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Ian Skidmore reviews " The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon" By William Cross, A Candid Biography of Almina Carnarvon
William Cross has also just published a fascinating biography of Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon, who lived at Highclere. Now there is a lady crying out for a series. And that is not all she was crying out for. She was fond of a Mellor Moment. When she felt the urge for horizontal gardening she had an arrangement with one of the gardeners at Highclere. She later told a friend how she would stand away from her desk in one of the windows and that was the signal to summon him. She was nothing if not ecumenical. Shortly after her marriage to the 5th Earl she began an affair with his best man, an Indian Prince. Almina was the natural daughter of Alfred de Rothschild, who bought her an aristocratic husband, the earl, with a dowry of £400,000. The Prince, who was at Eton with the groom, came at no extra charge. In fairness, Almina was a generous lady. As in the TV series, she established a hospital for wounded officers at Highclere. She was very strict. When she caught a nurse in bed with an officer in the Scots Guards the nurse was given a severe reprimand. She told her: “That sort of thing puts a severe strain on the patient’s heart and he might have died as a result.” The hospital had a profitable sideline. Socialites could use it for abortions. No wonder the king sent along a gift of 120 bottles of port, sherry, claret and burgundy. Anyone was fair game for Almira, even friends of her son. Her most public affair was with Colonel Ian Dennistoun, the husband of her best friend Dorothy, whom she stole and married. Almina insisted that she had sought permission from her husband to start the affair (he at the time was busy excavating the tomb of Pharaoh Tut).Dorothy responded by suing her ex-husband for £13,035 and 18 pence in alimony. In court she claimed he had made her sleep with General Sir John Cowans, the Quartermaster General of the British Army who was involved in a number of similar scandals and must have had a busy war. In return Cowans promoted her husband. The new Colonel wrote to her: “Oh girlie, I hate you using that lovely body of yours as a gift.” The jury found for Dorothy but in a reserved judgement the Judge dismissed their findings. Despite winning, Almina was ruined by the publicity. Things went from bad to worse. When she died in Bristol in 1969 all Almina’s money had gone and she was renting a terraced house in a semi slum. Now I reckon if Fellowes had used that for a plot it wouldn’t have mattered if the houses in Downton had been festooned in TV aerials. No one would have noticed.
The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon From William Cross, FSA Scot A Candid Biography of the 5th Countess of Carnarvon IS ON YOU TUBE A short two minute feature on The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon is now on YouTube. Please watch and comment and pass on the link to kindred spirits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjrtJkiLxvQ Contact Will on
With thanks from the Author to John Briggs and Tony Leadbetter For the images used in the short promo piece to the book. |  |
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