#Duchess of Gordon

[j-august]

Amanda Foreman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

[crispie-lasagne]

lots of doodle reqs from the disc and one oliver

[mwolf0epsilon]

The Unlucky Tug's season 13 & Hero of the Rails Retrospective video got me thinking about Spencer... As a character we really don't have much on him do we? (Which is ironically fitting since he's a private engine)

Come to think of it, most of what we know of Spencer are a handful of crumbs you can count off your fingers (that he's proud of being a speedster, that he enjoys his work as a private engine, that he's not overly fond of Sodor's engines, etc...), and just a few personality traits you can parse from watching how he interacts with others (which often amounts to him being a pompous jerk who cares more about his status than actually behaving in a way that upholds that status with grace). Other than that, we don't really know who he is or what he did before he became the Duke and Duchess of Boxford's privately owned engine...

Sure, he's an A4 Pacific but... Is he meant to be a specific one?

Every engine in the railway series and the tv shows has a proper basis one can refer to. Even if some of them are fictional members of a specific line of engines or heavily altered (Gordon as his class's imperfect but no less endearing prototype, Edward being a surviving member of his class despite all of the Larger Seagulls having been scrapped in actuality, James being a custom fleshed out in the series, and Henry being a personification of one class configuration being rebuilt into another, etc...the list is never ending here!) they still have a concrete basis you can look at and equate them to.

With that in mind... Is Spencer supposed to be one of the Silvers? The first batch of A4s that pulled the Silver Jubelee and didn't escape scrapping? If so, is he meant to be a fifth fictional member of the Silvers or is he actually one of them under a new identity?

I've seen the latter idea being toyed with a lot (and I do vibe with it because second chances at life freaking slap as a character arc!), but the former idea... The one where maybe he's a secret fifth member that was never really in prominence compared to his older siblings (overlooked and ignored)... It also does seem fitting doesn't it?

Especially considering none of his fellow Silvers survived.

What I'm getting at, is that Spencer strikes me as someone who's deeply insecure to the point he'll latch onto what he thinks is his (his status for example), and protects it with such jealous ferocity that it makes him a very difficult engine to get along with.

If he were one of the Silvers who somehow miraculously got bought by the Duke and Duchess of Boxford when he was going to be scrapped, it definitely makes sense why he tries to seem like he's more than he really is. Making himself out to be important would ensure he continues to remain useful enough that he won't see the cutter's torch so soon...

But it also makes him a potentially very unstable and volatile individual if he gets it in his funnel that someone is threatening his position/existence. Literally anything minor can be blown out of proportion. Including something as harmless as a cheeky little tank engine trying to show him up, and humiliating him in front of his lifeline...

Because trying to get a fellow steam engine scrapped due to a wounded ego is DEFINITELY a disproportional response to his petty squabble with Thomas. And his later reaction when Hiro rescues him shows this too. If Spencer were that much of a jerk that he is all for getting someone else scrapped, he wouldn't have changed his mind so easily.

Spencer's lack of a backstory not only bothers me, it also makes his behavior all that much more interesting to study under a microscope... Just what did he go through that THAT was the only way he thought was appropriate to get back at Thomas? Especially when later it becomes very apparent he didn't mean it...

Who were you Spencer? What did you see?

[unpopularvivian]

Incorrect Ttte Quotes 389:

Mallard: Duchess? Duchess? Where in the world could she be???

Mallard: *Goes into a room* Oh! There you are my dear! I thought I couldn't find you for a second. Hmmm... Seems like you're not affected by the spell, are you?

Duchess of Hamilton: Well, Mallard. I'm fine it's just.....

*Duchess of Hamilton then points to the other direction*

Georgia, Flying Scottie and Speranza: *All pointing at each other with exasperated faces* WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!??!?!?

Georgia: Wait, wait, wait, wait! Bill and Ben did this for a prank didn't they????

Flying Scottie: Eh-No??? I'm pretty I saw one of them sprinting down the line screaming his funnel off!

Speranza: Oh dear goodness, I absolutely CAN'T imagine surviving while being the other gender!

Georgia and Flying Scottie: *Stares at Speranza*

Georgia: Spencer what.

Flying Scottie: Actually, it feels that I was almost meant to be this way....

Duchess of Hamilton: Should we tell them that-

Mallard: No, let them figure it out themselves.

[askyoungiron]

So Flying Scotsman is the gold soul of the LNER, Truro is the gold soul of the Great Western. Who are the the gold souls for other railways like the LMS and North Western?

DUCHESS OF HAMILTON: Why that would be myself of course!

SCOTSMAN: I’ve never actually considered the Sudrian’s would have a Golden Warden.

GORDON: It would be myself, of course!

SCOTSMAN: Brother please.

GORDON: Who else on Sodor is more famous than me?!

SCOTSMAN: …

GORDON: Not him, he’s not-

SCOTSMAN: 🙃

[artschoolglasses]

Jane Maxwell, Duchess of Gordon, with Her Son George Duncan, George Romney, 1778

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

From a FAKE rented cottage at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA, Harry told his good global therapist:

"Meg gives me my space."

Why wasn't the good doctor allowed to meet at their massive Montecito Olive Garden SPACE?

Byrony was allowed to conduct their interview in the so called, "guest house" (as Sparry hung family photos on the wall). Afterwards she was rewarded to step foot across the threshold of the REAL "mansion" to observe and testify to the UK of the "normal" family living behind their very own security wall.

How much "space" does a spouse need? Anderson, Bradbury, Variety and even NOoprah were denied entrance to Casa de Montecito.

With so many "lemon trees," The Meghans still PAID a HOTEL to stage:

pandemic zoom calls & interviews

BLM & pro Biden Bench speeches

40th bday juggling act

chatting with teenagers

AGT (except the meghans who have zero talent)

Spotify Spots

magazine photoshoot & interviews

The very fake mockumentary megflop soap opera filmed inside various rented hotel cottages, on rented benches

All 1 hour away from Montecito at Santa Barbara's San Ysidro Ranch for megflix.

The Meghans still expect Americans to think it's normal to request discounts at a NYC hotel while suing his grandmother's government for (FREE) tax payer funded security.🧐

How convenient for megs that everytime she moved to a new country or city, her self titled "gay husband," Mr. Markus Anderson (former Soho House Bus Boy) chose to relocate to live w/her or near her

La->NYC

NYC->Toronto

Toronto->London

London->California

In LA, Meg was known as a serial celesbian to the stars. So how did Sparry & Eugenie become bffs with Omit's former gutter guyfriend, the infamous Markus Anderson?

Does MA's influence on the young BRF begin with Misha NooNoo and her friendship with Yorkie Eugenie? It would make sense that Eugenie, was the easy workaround to Sparry. What about all the photos of the York family posing, Sarah included, with sleazy Ron Burkle🤮😖😳

Of course Sparry preferred to party at Soho House instead of working on his character flaws. No coincidence that on more than 1 occasion, Sparry was videotaped pinching or sucking the nipples of male friends & male strangers.

Over the past 12-24 months we've seen Sparry become more effeminate in his motions, walk, speech, and who can forget seeing Sparry rub the back of his male partner as they enter his alleged personal man cave.

According to Caitlyn Jenner:

"supposedly they have a place in LA"

and Harry spends his free time in San Francisco. Is it any wonder Thirsty Tyler Perry who has his own skeletons declared he doesn't want love if it isn't The Meghans kind of love.🙄

Meghan, Markus & Dorito have made all of Sparry's dreams come true.

Dear Sparry, I hope finding your freedom & freebies in CA with your new "friends" was worth the price of your soul. By the way, it's not.

Meghan must feel like she can finally see a light at the end of her failed attempt to destroy the BRF via Sparry. In the end, it was the Queen of England who accurately SUSSed out the heart of Rachel Meghan Markle: an interloper who repaid good with evil.

[gordspost]

*I write the dialogues below because I know my writing sucks!

I randomly decided to make a mini comic, it took me a lot to do since I don't currently have a graphics tablet. I would like to do the second part but my eyes are burning, maybe tomorrow.

dialogue:

Gordon: goodmorning everyone!

Henry: finally, Gordon! You should hear what your brother says!

Gordon: what happened?

Scott: this morning I went for a walk on the estate, and i found a swamp among the ancient oak trees

Duchess: you absloutely must remove it! The stagnant swamp bring diseases! Here there are pregnancies and newborn children. There is NO WAY that we have to spending the holiday in Hospital.

Gordon: I don't understand, this swamp wasn't there when we inspected the estate when we arrived

Scott: the estate is one hundred hectars large, it wouldn't surprise me if we missed some pieces.

Frieda: the fact is, You, Spencer, Gordon and Ryan need to shut that shit down. If the children find it, and they'll find it, they will fall into it.. and the first to fall into it will surely Nicolaj, knowing him..

Nicolaj: a Swamp in the estate? Cool!

Spencer: maybe we should warn the children-

Frieda: it doesn't exist! If you tell them they go there!

Nicolaj: Lilibeth, Margot, Wake up!

Elizabeth: what's happened?...

Nicolaj: I discover a place in the garden!

Elizabeth: where?..

[ingek73]

It took Harry guts and bravery to come to the Coronation

He cut a lonely figure on Saturday, but we must salute the Duke of Sussex for smiling in the face of adversity

BRYONY GORDON

7 May 2023 • 3:52pm

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

All eyes were on the Duke of Sussex as he arrived for his father’s Coronation CREDIT: BEN STANSALL

It takes strength to walk through Westminster Abbey balancing a five-pound crown made of solid gold on your head – but it takes a particularly special kind of fortitude to make that journey in just a simple black morning suit, knowing that most of the 2,000-strong congregation are watching your every move and waiting to see you stumble.

All eyes were on the Duke of Sussex as he arrived for his father’s Coronation, but if the 38-year-old was feeling the pressure, he was damned if he was going to show it. As he made his way into the Abbey, only the medals on his collar hinting at his decade of service in the armed forces, Prince Harry made a point of grinning and nodding at various members of the congregation as if he hadn’t a care in the world, or a recently released memoir under his belt. A chance visitor from outer space would have glanced at proceedings and had no idea of the months of fevered speculation about his attendance.

Britain's Prince Harry arrives to attend Britain's King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's coronation ceremony

Prince Harry made a point of grinning and nodding at various members of the congregation CREDIT: Phil Noble

Body language experts and lip-readers were drafted in, en masse, to try to reveal something scandalous from Harry’s briefest of visits to the UK. Perhaps mindful of this, Buckingham Palace had seated him slap bang behind his aunt, the Princess Royal, who was wearing a giant hat complete with exotic red feather, the plumage of which blocked almost all view of his face.

Buckingham Palace had seated Harry slap bang behind his aunt and her striking hat

There was another impediment to staring at the Duke, given that he had been placed three rows back, next to Jack Brooksbank, the husband of Princess Eugenie, and Princess Alexandra, a cousin of Elizabeth II who hasn’t had a royal engagement in more than a decade. “He isn’t a working member of the royal family,” came the refrain, again and again, from officials at Buckingham Palace, as they explained this punitive seating plan.

A working royal he may not be, but Prince Harry will always be the King’s youngest son, his ‘darling boy’. It seemed petty, then, to welcome the Duke as if he were a distant relative, especially when you consider his crime: standing up for his wife when he felt nobody else would.

Much has been made of the Duchess of Sussex’s decision to stay at home in Montecito, with one tabloid recently running a front-page splash shaming her for doing so. The narrative of the lone Duke has not been helped by images of him walking solo down the nave of the abbey, flanked by his cousins and their husbands. But the truth is that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s marriage is as strong as ever, with Harry determined to do everything in his power to protect the mother of his children from the dreadful pain she felt back in 2019, when she said that endless negative press attention left her feeling suicidal.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank (front), Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (centre) and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive at Westminster Abbey

The Prince was flanked by his cousins and their husbands as he walked solo down the abbey CREDIT: AARON CHOWN

Sadly, the media narrative has changed little since then, with recent headlines suggesting that the Duchess’s current quietness is because she is busy behind the scenes trying to launch her own brand. The truth is a little less exciting than that: the only thing that Meghan is trying to do right now is protect her mental health, by keeping a low profile.

Is it any surprise, then, that the Duchess chose not to throw herself into the lion’s den of the Coronation? That, on the day of her son’s fourth birthday, she felt a better use of her time would be to stay in the safe haven of her California home, where she could concentrate fully on Archie and Lilibet, and the lovely life they have created away from prying eyes? And yet despite her physical absence, Prince Harry went into Westminster Abbey with the full support of his wife behind him.

He managed that well, in trying circumstances that few of us would fancy being tested under. Broad smiles and impassive faces were the order of the day – Prince Harry has, after all, had a lifetime of coaching on how to appear as if all is well in public. And yet it must have been bittersweet for the Duke to be apart from his first-born child on his birthday, while watching his nephew, Prince George act as page boy alongside the new Queen’s grandchildren, Gus and Louis Lopes and Freddy Parker Bowles, and her great-nephew, Arthur Elliott. Spare indeed.

As ever, Beatrice and Eugenie were there to support their beloved cousin. There had been talk of Prince Harry perhaps making the family lunch, an invitation extended by the King as an apparent “olive branch”. But that peace offering was surely only ever about optics, with the team at Buckingham Palace knowing full well the Duke’s priority was getting back to the US to see his son so he could wish him a happy birthday in person.

And so by the time that the new King and Queen stepped on to the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the fly-past, Harry was already on his way to Heathrow, to catch a plane back to California. There, he could carry out his most important duty of the day: that of a dad tucking his son into bed, on the joyous occasion of his fourth birthday.

[daikenkki]

The Royal Visitor by OkamiTakahashi

[ifreakingloveroyals]

18 December 2018 | Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speaks to Dr Stuart Ward and Actress Josephine Gordon as she visits the Royal Variety Charity's residential nursing and care home at Brinsworth House in Twickenham, England. (c) Geoff Pugh- WPA Pool/Getty Images

[j-august]

Amanda Foreman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

[countvonreutern]

It is with profound sadness and shock that the Count of Münnich and Reutern learned of the passing of his cousin, Her Grace Susan, Duchess of Richmond and Gordon, wife of the late 10th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, a beloved mother of His Highness's cousin Charles, The Duke of Richmond and Gordon.

SUSAN, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, PICTURED WITH HER FAMILY AT GOODWOOD

Her grace, resilience, and tireless commitment to family and charitable causes have left an enduring legacy.

Susan's impact on Goodwood House, her dedication to various charities will forever be remembered. She was a devoted grandmother to 13 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. The duchess died at the age of 90 at her home, Carnés Seat at Goodwood.

Rest in peace, dear Susan. You will be dearly missed, but your legacy will live on in the hearts of those you touched.

[mwolf0epsilon]

Fun Mimic Fact of the Day: Mimics are a lot more intelligent than most people give them credit. Especially the zoologists who are adamant on defending the specialised animal vs folklore beast theory.

Sure, there is an argument to be had that some species of primates, octopi, dolphins and parrots are good examples of animals displaying higher problem solving capabilities, as well as an awareness of language and cooperation within an established "society/social group". Giving some credence to the hypothesis.

But these examples still lack the refinement and sense of awareness that a mimic displays when comfortable among humans.

This is what convinces those who work with mimics more personally that they are, in fact, fae and not mere animals. Especially when working in railways that are in favour of conservation efforts (the NWR being a prime example), or within households that have had one vehicle mimic for generations.

People who have a lot of contact with mimics (especially older/elderly ones), will notice mannerisms and actions that surpass basic animal intellect or even acts of mimicry.

Here are a few examples:

Charlie Sand and Sidney Hever participate in a children's reading program at the library. They have both witnessed Edward (who they loan to the library in his smaller form so that children with learning disabilities and speech impediments have the opportunity to read to him) not only speaking in clear English, but also read paragraphs when the child that is meant to be reading to him can't seem to pronounce the words.

Sir Topham Hatt has watched Glynn work the kettle and prepare himself tea, as well as help himself to the radio when he's had to work from home.

The station-masters have noticed that, whenever they forget to feed the various cats that linger around the various stations around the island, someone comes in and does it for them (leaving behind a trail of opened cat food bags and cans). They can't be sure, but they have their suspicions that Gordon might be the one picking up their slack, because the cats all come to greet him when he comes by as if he were one of them.

The Duke and Duchess of Boxford once gave Spencer some old newspapers for him to entertain himself (thinking he'd just rip them up and roll around on the shredded paper) only to find someone had filled in all the crosswords and cut out sections of the funnies or interesting articles.

Hiro appears to know sign language. At the very least, he seems to use his paws to make very defined gestures when interacting with his crew. Whether or not this is a form of mimic dialect or Japanese sign language is currently unknown, since very few people on Sodor knows how to speak Japanese much less know JSL.

Mimics who participated in the war efforts both recognize and understand military slang and morse code. Flying Scotsman appears to be in the habit of using morse code to grumble about British Rail's incompetence, something which seems to amuse the occasional veteran that take his train to Vicarstown.

[yeoldenews]

A selection of looks from the 18th Century equivalent of the MET Gala (aka The Queen's Drawing Room) in March 1789.

(To help with your mental images - this would have been roughly the court silhouette at the time.)

Queen Charlotte - "Was dressed in purple, silver and orange body and train; the petticoat likewise of purple and silver, richly embroidered upon crape. Her Majesty’s head-dress was the most superb and beautiful that ever appeared at Court. A bandeau of purple sattin was fastened around the cap, with a motto in diamonds of “GOD SAVE THE KING.

Round the Queen’s neck was a medallion, tied with a double row of gold chain, and across her shoulders was another chain of three rows of pearls, and five rows of diamonds fastened low behind, with a fine miniature portrait of the KING, studded with diamonds, hanging in front. The tippet was of fine lace, and fastened with the letter G. in diamonds."

The Duchess of Gordon - "White sattin, superbly spangled in gold, and drawn up with a bandeau of the most costly embroidery, imitating the sun [in] the fullness of its glory. The petticoat was festooned in a beautiful manner with branches of oak."

The Duchess of Devonshire - "A white sattin petticoat most superbly embroidered with wreaths of foil, flowers and stones, the gown of dark green sattin, richly embroidered with spangles; and a most beautiful diamond stomacher."

Lady Lloyd - "A crape petticoat, over one of white sattin, with stripes of purple velvet, ornamented with gold and stones, representing peacock feathers. The train purple, trimmed with crape.

Her Ladyship's cap had a painting, describing Britannia kneeling and offering praises to heaven for the recovery of the King, very richly ornamented with diamonds, blond, flowers, and feathers. In the front, "Dieu nous le rend," (God restores him to us,) embroidered in gold letters."

Mr. Pitt - "A green and rose striped velvet, richly embroidered with gold and silver stones; the waistcoat of white satin, embroidered as the coat."

The Hon. Mr. Edgecumbe - "A blue and brown shaded velvet, most superbly embroidered with diamonds and point lace, with beautiful bouquets of flowers; the waistcoat of white satin, embroidered the same"

Sir John Marriott - "Sea green striped velvet, with gold tissue embroidered waistcoat."

and my personal best dressed -

The Duchess of Rutland (who was making her first appearance at court since the death of her husband) - "The time allotted by the decree of fashion for customary suits of solemn black, and all the trappings of widowed woe, being expired, her Grace, lovely in her person, and attractive in her manners, came forward in all the fullness of splendor, and in imitation of the Heavens when they declare, by a rainbow, that the tears of the sky have stopped, wore a dress of embroidered crape, fashioned in such a manner as to resemble that variegated sign of an unclouded atmosphere. But we are at a loss to find out what was meant by the gold-spangled darts of lightning that appeared through this rainbow, unless that her Grace meant them as emblematical of what her eyes can do, now that the day of weeping’s over. To write, however, in more plain terms, we shall state exactly what her Grace had on. It was an embroidered crape, something in imitation of a rainbow, having variety in its colours, and being ornamented with gold spangles which really appeared like darts of lightning through the crape, and gave it a most superb appearance. Her head-dress of white crape, with a towering branch of ostrich feathers, and the motto of God save the King,  in white and gold."

(source: The Times, March 27, 1789.)