A cabriolet (cab) was a vehicle similar to a hackney-carriage with two or four wheels, originally drawn by a single horse but later by a motor. The original cabriolets were for a single passenger beside the driver and were a kind of hooded chaise. In the beginning of the 19th century an effort was made to introduce cabriolets into Britain, to supersede hackney carriages. It was not until 1823, however, that licences were obtained for cabriolets. At first their number was limited to twelve. These were of an improved pattern, with a folding hood, and seated two passengers, the driver being separated from them by a partition. In 1832 all restrictions were removed, and cabriolets came into popular favour. In 1836 a cabriolet on four wheels, the precursor of the brougham, was introduced, and from this the clarence evolved. In 1834 a patent was taken out for an improved, two-wheeled safety cab by Hansom, the architect of Birmingham town hall. The safety consisted in an arrangement of the framework which prevented the cab tilting backwards
or forwards in case of accident. These cabriolets had a small body, hung between wheels of over seven feet diameter. Two years later a fresh patent was obtained for an improved Hansom. Motor cabs were first introduced in 1897, but failed to pay and were phased out, only to start to reappear in London around 1905. Research Cabriolet
Adelaide was queen of England. She was born in 1792 and died in 1849. The daughter of George, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Meiningen, and wife of the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV, King of England whom she married on the 11th of July, 1818. She had two daughters, who died in infancy. She became queen-consort on William attaining the throne in 1830, and was for a time unpopular from being supposed to be averse to reform. On the death of William she passed into private life, with an allowance of 100,000 pounds a year. Research Adelaide
An admiral is the commander-in-chief of a squadron or fleet of ships of war, or of the entire naval force of a country, or simply a naval officer of the highest rank. In the British navy admirals are of four ranks: admiral of the fleet, admiral, vice-admiral, and rear-admiral. They were also divided formerly into three classes, named after the colours of their respective flag's, admirals of the red, of the white, and of the blue. In 1864, however, this distinction was given up, and now there is one flag common to all ships of war, namely, the white ensign divided into four quarters by the cross of St George, and having the union in the upper corner next the staff.
The title admiral of the fleet is conferred on a few admirals, and carries an increase of pay along with it. A vice-admiral is next in rank and command to the admiral: he carries his flag at the foretop-gallant-mast head, while an admiral carries his at the main. A rear-admiral, next in rank to the vice-admiral, carries his flag at the mizzentop-gallant-mast head.
In Great Britain the titleLord high admiral is an officer who (when this rare dignity is conferred) is at the head of the naval administration of Great Britain. There have been few high admirals since 1632, when the office was first put in commission. James Duke of York (afterwards James II) held it for several years during Charles II's reign. In the reign of William and Mary it was vested in lords commissioners of the admiralty, and since that time it has been held for short periods only by Prince George of Denmark in the time of Queen Anne, and by William IV, then Duke of Clarence, in 1827 to 1828.
Queen Alexandra was the daughter of Christian IX of Denmark. She was born in 1844 and died in 1925. She married Edward VII in 1863 when he was the prince of Wales, becoming princess of Wales and on his coronation in 1901 she became consort She was highly popular from the first in Britain, and the feeling never waned, the Queen constantly showing an interest in all benevolent causes. She was the mother of six children, one of whom died in infancy, while the eldest, Edward, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, was cut off in 1892 at the age of twenty-eight. Queen Alexander founded theImperial (Royal) Military Nursing Service in 1902. Research Alexandra
Edmund Clarence Stedman was an American poet and critic. He was born in 1833 at Hartford, Connecticut and died in 1908. Educated at Yale, from 1859 until 1861 he was on the staff of The New York Tribune and from 1861 until 1863 was correspondent in the American Civil War for The New York World. Research Edmund Stedman
Edward V was a King of England. He was born in 1470 and died in 1483. Edward V was the eldest son of Edward IV and reigned from April to June 1483, but was a minor, and his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was made Protector. Richard had been loyal throughout to his brother Edward IV including the events of 1470 to 1471, Edward's exile and their brother's rebellion (George Clarence, the Duke of Clarence, who was executed in 1478 by drowning, supposedly in a barrel of Malmseywine). However, he was suspicious of the Woodville faction, possibly believing they were the cause of George Clarence's death. In response to an attempt by ElizabethWoodville to take power, Richard and Edward V entered London in May, with Edward's coronation fixed for 22 June. However, in mid-June Richard assumed the throne as Richard III. Edward V and his younger brother Richard were declared illegitimate, taken to the Royal apartments at the Tower of London which was then a Royal residence, and never seen again. Research Edward V
George Clarence, Duke of Clarence, was an English noble. He was the son of Richard, duke of York, and brother of Edward IV, king of England. On his brother's accession, in 1461, he was created Duke of Clarence, and in 1462 Lord-lieutenant of Ireland, but afterwards joined the disaffected Warwick, and married his daughter. On the eve of battle he rejoined his brother, and was afterwards involved in a quarrel with his brother Eichard, who had married Warwick's younger daughter, about the inheritance of their father-in-law. On the death of his wife George Clarence sought the hand of Mary of Burgundy, but Edward interposed and a serious breach ensued. A gentleman of the household of Clarence having at this time been condemned for using necromancy against the king, George Clarence interfered with the execution of the sentence. He was impeached by the king in person, condemned in 1478, and secretly murdered in the Tower of London. The tradition that he was drowned in a butt of malmseywine is unsupported by evidence. Research George Clarence
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Cabriolet
