DENNISTOUN V DENNISTOUN RECALLED FROM 1925

 

 

Dennistoun v Dennistoun

Kings Bench Division, High Court, 1925

“The Dustbin Case”

 Dorothy Dennistoun brought a Civil Court action against her former husband, Ian Dennistoun, a retired Army officer, to recover £1300 she advanced him for bills and loans during their marriage. She also claimed damages for breach of a verbal contract for maintenance.

 The Dennistouns married in 1910 but divorced in 1921. Dorothy was persuaded not to seek maintenance.  Ian said he’d make provision, if he could, at a later date.   In 1920, Dorothy met Almina, Lady Carnarvon through General John Cowans, quartermaster of the British Army during WW1 and a close friend of the Dennistouns.  Later, Ian met Almina, whose husband discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb and famously died from a mosquito-bite in April 1923. Almina and Ian fell in love.

Almina deposited large amounts of money into Ian’s bank account during 1922-3.  Ian repaid Dorothy £500.  She reminded him what amount was owed.  Later, he left an envelope addressed with her pet name “Brown Mouse” containing £100. By September 1923, Dorothy wanted full repayment.  Ian refused to discuss matters except through his solicitors. Meanwhile, Almina installed him in a flashy London apartment, and then in December 1923 they married.

During 1924 no progress was made to settle with Dorothy. On 3 March 1925 The Dustbin Case (said Punch) came before Mr. Justice McCardie.  Sir Ellis Hume-Williams KC representing Dorothy, Sir Edward Marshall Hall KC for Ian. It lasted 17 sordid days, rocking the Establishment, destroying many reputations.

Dorothy was named mistress of General John Cowans.  She claimed she’d only been intimate with him to secure advancement for Ian in the Army.  Cowans  - a legend – had died in 1921 – and was given a State funeral.

There was mudslinging all-round. Dorothy’s team claimed she’d been intimidated by claims about her misconduct. Ian’s team described Dorothy as a blackmailer misusing private letters written by him ( pet name “Tiger” ).

The case dominated newspaper headlines for weeks. Well-dressed women camped in the Strand to visit the Court scene. The King wrote to the Lord Chancellor of his  “disgust and shame” about the case.

Edward Marshall Hall – who’d misguidedly taken the brief as a friend of Ian - lost control of his attacks on Dorothy, she remained cool throughout 14 hours of cross-examination.  Her immorality was exposed with many lovers named.  One, a Spaniard, Bolin (with whom she fell pregnant and was to marry) was cited as the true reason for divorcing Dennistoun.  And that Dorothy had only taken the proceedings as Ian’s new wife was very rich and was sure she’d want to settle out of Court.   It was said “ Tiger” Dennistoun was fully aware and encouraged Dorothy’s liaisons with Cowans.  Ian’s appointments between 1913-17 were orchestrated by Cowans, first as a favour, then only for sex.   In 1916, Ian visited the Ritz Hotel, Paris ahead of Cowans seducing Dorothy to ensure everything was laid-on.   Dorothy impressed the Jury who awarded her £5000 damages. The Judge said this was inconsistent with the law. He gave judgement in favour of Dorothy’s claims for only £472.18 ruling “there was no binding agreement to support her.”  The case incurred ten-of-thousands of pounds in costs and lawyers’ fees, neither party saved face.   Interestingly it was the last divorce case of endless dirty-washing being hung out in public.  Despite a strong protest campaign by the Press, Parliament passed the Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Act 1926 prohibiting the detailed reporting of divorce cases in newspapers. MORE INFORMATION CONTACT WILLIAM CROSS COPIES OF THE BOOK ARE STILL AVAILABLE FROM WILL williecross@aol.com

MORE ON PRINCE VICTOR DULEEP SINGH AND THE CURSE OF THE CARNARVONS

 

NEW BOOK FROM WILLIAM CROSS, FSA SCOT

NOW AVAILABLE

MORE ON PRINCE VICTOR DULEEP SINGH 

AND THE CURSE OF THE CARNARVONS

PUBLISHED  4 AUGUST 2022

AVAILABLE DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR  ( UK ONLY)  £10.00 

including p&p

OR ON EBAY OR AMAZON FOR SLIGHTLY MORE

LIMITED NUMBERS FOR SALE

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PATERNITY OF HENRY ( PORCHEY )  CARNARVON
6th EARL OF CARNARVON

https://twitter.com/Victor_Duleep?lang=en-gb

Contact the Author for further details.

williecross@aol.com

David Sox : Highclere Guide "The Man Who Knew Too Much" : A New Book for 2022

 

Highclere Insider 

David Sox

                 The Man Who Knew Too Much                                

The Rev. Harold David Sox, (1936-2016), was an American,  part-time clergyman, and author of several books on the Shroud of Turin. 

In the 1990s, in the shadow of being snubbed for unprofessional conduct by his colleagues in the Shroud Community, Rev. Sox took a job as a visitor/tour guide at Highclere Castle (the backdrop to TV's "Downton Abbey").   

During his long association with the Turin  Shroud history Sox was charged with  underhand methods of research and leaking secret data to the press on attempts to carbon date the mysterious relic. 

To his delight and bank balance Sox scored a major coup with one of his books on appraising the authenticity of the Turin Shroud  by including classified information that was not to be published.   

Not  quite what you would expect from a man of the cloth. 

Sox was a convincing double dealer. Engaging, dapper, a popular figure with everyone at Highclere Castle working for Henry Porchester, the 7th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.  Visitors adored him, especially Americans.

                                                              

                                             Ophiuchus! The Serpent Bearer

David Sox's style was to "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it". 

It was well staged. 

 

Sitting Pretty : King Charles I on horseback

Sox very soon had his feet under the dining room table sitting pretty like King Charles I does on his horse inside Highclere Castle.

The Highclere Earl and Countess clearly knew nothing about Sox's chequered past. 

Before too long Sox saw an opportunity to  write a biography of  Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon, the Earl’s beloved ‘granny’ – the widow of the 5th Earl of Old King Tut fame.

The idea of Sox’s biography received the green light. He was given unfettered access to Highclere Archives, and although Almina had died aged 93, in 1969, there were many people still alive who knew her  and numerous sources to tap into about her extraordinary life and times.

Sox's research full speed  ahead. He interviewed many of Almina's family, friends and others but soon found a downside - Almina had several skeletons in the closet.

                                  

                            Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon in her glam period

It became clear that some material supplied to Sox by Almina's godson, the late Tony Leadbetter, was controversial, laced with details of the Countess's colourful life that Highclere could never let enter into the public domain. 

To dwarf  all that,  several people on Highclere Estate and elsewhere told Sox of the rumours around one issue that was the most damaging - that Almina's only son was illegitimate. 

Sox also claimed  he'd found in Highclere Archives details of this  a scandal relating to the paternity of the 6th Earl of Carnarvon.  But Sox was an expect on forgery, did he really find anything in Highclere Archives?

One thing was clear - Sox  was 

 " The Man Who Knew Too Much"

NB : Based on an investigation by William Cross, FSA Scot, author of several book on the Carnarvons, a new book in 2022 will try to provide the answers. 

"Highclere Insider - David Sox : The Man Who Knew Too Much"

ISBN 9781905914746

MORE INFORMATION WANTED

Enquiries about this article contact williecross@aol.com

David Sox : Highclere Insider

The Man Who Knew Too Much

A NEW BOOK BY WILLIAM CROSS FSA SCOT