William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck

[My Good Babushka]

William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck inherited the dukedom of Portland in 1854. He retired to his estate in Nottinghamshire, stayed in the west wing, and painted all the other rooms pink. He was pathologically shy. All his doors were fitted with letterboxes, and no one could come in, or even acknowledge his presence. One valet alone could see him in person. He had hundreds of workmen create a vast underground complex with a library, observatory, ballroom, a billiards room, and 15 miles of tunnels, one wide enough for two carriages to pass. The hydraulic lift to the ballroom could carry 20 people, but no one was ever invited to see it. he left the house only at night, with a servant who was made to carry a lantern 40 yards ahead of him. He died in 1879.

[Tobin S.]

1. Life without good psychiatric meds must have been terrible for some people.

[malthaussen]

2. The Cavendishes have long be known as eccentrics.

It's an interesting family. Crazies and heroes and all sorts of folk.

-- Mal