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DateOriginal Topic
1st November 2002More trivia
By John Young
Following on from Ron Lock's little aside, here's another one.

Question: Who would you not trust with a pack? The person in question is also in Mac' & Shad'.

JY
DateReplies
3rd November 2002steven
i wouldnt trust reynolds
8th November 2002John S Radburn
John
I dont know what Reynolds has to do with it, but I havent a clue, so you had beter put us out of our misery.
Regards
John

P S Is it cards or dogs
9th November 2002John Young
John,

O.K. then it is cards.

The officer in question was Sir William Gordon-Cumming, 1st Battalion, Scots Guards. Page 308 of 1995 edition of Mac' & Shad'.

Sir William was involved in "The Baccarat Scandal" of 1891, which was a slander case, that involved an allegation of cheating at cards. One of the players in the same game, which happened on the eve of the St. Leger in 1890, was the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, who was "the banker" in the game.

Sir William having won two nights in a row, and on-looker question his luck, and deduced he had been cheating. As a consequence Sir William was made to sign a pledge that he would never play cards again. The story hit the papers, which as now loved a royal involvement in any scandal.

Sir William brought the slander case against five persons who had inferred he was a cheat. Sir William lost the case. Two days afterwards the following notice appeared in 'The London Gazette':
"Scots Guards:- Lieut.-Colonel Sir William Gordon-Cumming, Bart., is removed from the Army, her Majesty having no further occasion for his services."

JY
9th November 2002John S Radburn
John
Thank you for the answer, here's an added piece of information, maybe you have read about it, but others may not have.
'Sir Alexander Cumming of Altyre was created a baronet in 1804. Sir William Gordon Cumming of Altyre, fourth baronet, served with the Scots Guards in the Zulu war of 1879 and later in the Guards Camel Regiment. He is perhaps best remembered for his part in the Royal Baccarat Scandal, in which the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, became the first member of the royal family to give evidence in a civil court action for slander rising out of an accusation of cheating at a game of cards.
The family acquired the estate at Gordounstoun which is now well known because of the famous public school established there.
Source ‘The History of the Clan Cumming’
Sorry to repeat some of John's' thunder', but it's the last part that i'm referring to.
Regards
John R