Motor Car-narvon
Motor Car-narvon
“In early August 1909, Lord Carnarvon drove noisily down the drive away from the Castle, settling in as he changed down a gear to make the turn at the crossroads past the redwood tree his father had planted. He was at the wheel of his latest and fastest car, wrapped up in a favourite thick coat, his lucky hat pulled firmly down, luggage strapped on the back. His devoted chauffeur Edward Trotman was sitting beside him as he turned right out of the park towards Southampton. His destination was Constantinople (now Istanbul), some several thousand miles of often inadequate road away."
Rather like this year, July 1909 had been very rainy and thoroughly grey which never agreed with his bronchitis and asthma so a break in a sunnier clime seemed desirable. Despite the fact that the Orient Express train service now offered a non-stop train service to Istanbul, the tourists were reduced in number as it was not an entirely safe place due to political and social unrest. There were nevertheless still a number of excellent hotels, from the Bristol to the Pera Palace to look after anyone intrepid enough to visit and so Carnarvon packed his camera and a minimal wardrobe - Trotman the chauffeur would also act as his valet.
However, Carnarvon did not consider it was safe enough for his wife to travel there and instead arranged for them to meet some three weeks later at a fashionable spa town in Germany.
Like his younger brother Aubrey, Carnarvon was fascinated by this ancient city built on a promontory jutting out into the seas of the Mamora and Golden Horn, surrounded on three sides by glittering blue water and on the fourth by a broken down antique Roman wall studded by decaying watch towers. Like so many before him, he wandered mesmerised through a city of a hundred sounds interrupted by the haunting cries of the muezzins and embraced by a skyline studded by the domes and minarets of various religious buildings. The greatest of these, the Hagia Sophia, combined both Christian and Islamic styles having been transformed from an early Christian church into a mosque following the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453.
The city held memories in each visitor’s eyes and mind long after each had left. From tiny Armenian restaurants with French proprietors in the old Porte or Aubrey’s suggestion of the Tokatlian restaurant in the Grande Rue de Pera, all proved a great success. French was more useful than English and both were wholly insufficient in the bazaars.
All too soon it was time for Carnarvon and Trotman to set off towards home and three days later they had reached Germany. Usually, Lord Carnarvon favoured Panhard Levassors as his car of choice and found them most reliable but for this trip he was driving a Belgian marque, a Metallurgique, a very sporting car.
Nevertheless, the car had been a great success and it was with confidence and easy familiarity that
Carnarvon drove at some speed along the long empty sunny roads framed by thick dark endless forests and scattered low lying pockets of agricultural fields. Motor cars were not especially popular in rural regions – they had no mufflers so they announced their arrival well in advance and the occupants never looked back as they hastened on to somewhere else.
They were not far from Bad Schwalbach now, tired and, given there was no windscreen, both were grateful for their thick tweed coats and hats which offered some protection against the wind as they bowled along.
Carnarvon guessed the extraordinarily straight road was a Roman one, laid some two thousand years earlier road but as they crested a rise, they were confronted by an unexpected dip at the bottom of which, spread across the entire width, were two bullock carts.
Reacting swiftly, Carnarvon put the car onto the grass verge but hit a pile of stones. Two tyres burst and the entire car somersaulted and fell upside down. Trotman was mercifully flung clear and he later said he felt his thick coat shielded his fall.
Carnarvon, however, was trapped upside down by the steering wheel across a ditch. With the strength of despair, Trotman crawled underneath to find his employer unconscious.
He had suffered a massive trauma. Like you, I wondered what happened next..
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84 Comments
Ah, gee! You didn't just do that! I will stay tuned for next week's installment.
Nowadays he would be worried about range in an electric car ( biggest con going) and the prohibitive costs of car insurance that have leapt up out of all comparison with other prices His other worry would be a collision with an uninsured driver as the prices will surely lead to a huge increase in people not paying for insurance
Lovely the pictures of motor car - narvon did you and lord Carnarvon have a lovely weekend and lovely to visit highcelere castle and l am fan of Downton Abbey thank you for the email you send me very kind of you
I assume we will get part two next week?
Well, this is certainly a "cliff hanger"?? LOL!
I’m looking forward to finding out what happened.
After my visit to Highclere this past April I had to read more about Lord Carnarvon (1909 version) and your family and the estate. He was a fascinating and certainly a well traveled and adventuresome man.
Wondering the same here in Georgia, USA. Do we get the rest of the account next week??
Written beautifully! The first descriptive paragraph took me there and avidly read until the end as I have been to Istanbul and also found it fascinating. Can not imagine driving there!
Hurry back... can't wait for more of the story of the "Adventures of the Earl" !
Elise
Wow! What a fascinating account! I’m guessing this is what inspired Julian Fellows to write the storyline about his character Matthew’s untimely death in Downton Abbey.
Thank you for another wonderful post.
A real attention grabber! I look forward to hearing what happens next ……
Oh no! I am waiting anxiously for the next installment!
Love the cars!
Thank you for the "cliff-hanger" story; I am looking for to the next episode.
Love the cars!
Thank you for the "cliff-hanger" story; I am looking forward to the next episode.
I went on Google maps to see where his house was in London (13 Berkeley Square, as specified in that letter above). I suppose that the house was demolished. Imagine how it must have been in 1886! A great story, thank you, Lady Carnarvon!
Yikes! Anxiously waiting for part two ….
There's always more in my latest book The Earl and the Pharaoh.
An exciting story for Monday morning and a cliff hanger ending!!! Looking forward to the next chapter!
My cousin lived in Istanbul for a year or so and taught at the American university there. He enjoyed his time there very much. Especially exploring the city.
Impressive family history details from so many years ago and a very clever title to this days Blog!
Well done again Lady Carnarvon.
Remain well.
Just finished The Earl and the Pharaoh and passed it on to my friend. We visited Highclere several years ago and I spoke to you briefly in the gift shop. One the most outstanding days for me. Thanks!
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
You left us with a cliff hanger. Lord Carnarvon was definitely an adventurer and lucky for us. As we know his adventures were wondrous. A woman I worked with, who traveled a lot, said Istanbul was her favourite destination. From you description it sounds amazing. Take care.
Susan
Oh no! How Matthew is THAT?!
A cliff hanger indeed; tales of a "snappy chariot" and a most adventurous Earl.
But more importantly, the puppies are almost 12 weeks old! A post script update please.
Thank you for your kind words.
That's very kind of you Jan and I'm so pleased you enjoyed my latest book, The Earl and the Pharaoh.
Warmest wishes
Lady Carnarvon
Wait! Where’s the rest of the story?? Monday morning next waiting for the Car-ventures of the Earl!
Thanks for pulling us in!
Martha G
Perfect question!!
Lady Carnarvon,
What an exciting tale to start the week with. I too have been bitten by the allure of the open road with the aim of exploring exotic and mysterious destinations. Thank you for the lovely accompanying photos to add to the story as masterfully told by yourself.
The puppies are all well and some have gone. Have you seen the adventures on our Instagram @Highclerecastle
Thank you for your kind comments John.
Have a good week.
I’m hooked! Can’t wait to find out what happens next. Way back in 1992 my husband and I were assigned to a small US Air Force Base located at San Vito de Normanni near Brindisi in southern Italy. In February of that year he retired and was hired on to work for a US Government Contractor in Ankara, Turkey. So we loaded up our little BMW with what luggage we could pack into it, our dog, Raviola and our Persian cat, headed for the ferry docks at the port and headed towards Greece. We traveled across Greece to Istanbul and from Istanbul to Ankara. There is a super highway between the two cities now but back then there definitely was not, it was rough but what a grand adventure. Not as grand as Lord Carnarvon’s but an adventure nonetheless. We lived in Turkey for three years and then returned to Germany for another assignment. Yes, we traveled back across Anatolia ( we had subsequently been reassigned to Incirlik AB located near Adana, Turkey) to the port of Izmir, same BMW, doggie and kitty. That’s another story. Can’t wait to find out about what happens next for Lord Carnarvon.
So, you are continuing the story tomorrow, right?
I won’t spoil anything, but I read your book, “The Earl and the Pharaoh” so I know, as Paul Harvey used to say on American radio, the rest of the story. Lord Carnarvon was a truly remarkable man, and I was pleased to get to know him through your book. It still amazes me though, how much time must have been spent in travel between places at that time, and how much time married couples, who evidently did love each other very much, spent apart because of their travels. I do some solo traveling in the US because my husband is not a great lover of slogging around in the US Western wilderness, but gets pretty testy if I am gone for more than two weeks.
I love the history and the stories that you share. But now, a cliffhanger!! I can almost hear the voiceover at the end of a show: "What will happen next? Will our hero survive? Will the chauffeur/valet be able to save our hero? Find out in the next column of Lady Carnarvon's blog."
I just finished the Earl & The Pharaoh, all of which the above is in. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend you get a copy!
-John
Thank you for your endorsement John.
Not tomorrow Joan, this is a weekly blog but the detail is in the book.
Wow! I did read your book but it is all so exciting. Can't wait to read next week's Episode.
Best wishes
Sandria
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I have read the "Earl and the Pharaoh"; however, I was still caught up in the story once again!
I just love his adventurous spirit.
Pam
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
How exciting....what happens next? Fortunately, I'm further along in the book. I love how you have made history come alive.
I'm enjoying this book as much as I have since reading Almina and Catherine. You are a very gifted writer and guide through the past.
Sincerely,
Peggy Helbling
Thank you
What a life- story!
You are very kind...
Practical thoughts!!!
Looking forward to the rest of the story next Monday!!!
Lady Carnarvon.......I almost missed your blog this morning as it didn't populate into my email. It was a very interesting recount of Lord Carnarvon and his chaufer on their journey. You are truly a wonderful family historian. Thank you for sharing the family stories.
.
Oh too funny (& most apropos)!
Dear Lady Carnarvon
You are so delightful and inspiring I am reading earl and the pharaoh as we speak this week .. fascinating
I am set next to read lady Caroline’s
story c your gifted prose
I have the highclere holiday cook books and am enjoying them as a yankee very much
Thank you so much!
Best regards
Laura
Delightful & exciting this morning! Thank you for the thrill of the (armchair) adventure.
Wish we could send you some of our sunny skies....
Thank you, sunny skies thought is very kind too.
Thank you Laura, I'm delighted to hear you are reading The Earl and the Pharaoh. I so enjoyed researching and writing the book.
With all best wishes
Thank you Mary Ann, you are very kind.
A cliffhanger! And it features a town I visited often when I lived in Mainz! I have fond memories of picnics in the hills with my toddler and infant, when I visited a much-used merchant in Bad Schwalbach. Those babies are now mothers themselves, so your story invoked lovely memories.
To drive from Highclere to Constantinople is such a long way! I will be going to Istanbul next year and as I fly over Europe, I’ll marvel at Lord Carnarvon’s strong will to make that journey by driving, and without GPS! Of course, he must have had maps, but still he had to drive through many countries. He was quite the adventurer. I look forward to your next entry!
Oh, dear, you have kept us hangin'...just like the poor Earl upside down in a ditch. (though, I, too, have read you great book,The Earl and the Pharaoh soooo, 'will say no more). Sixty years after the Earl, in 1969, I had to travel from Chicago to Istanbul for my first teaching job overseas. With PanAm and some DC9 aircraft, before the Jumbo 747, it was a steady hop Chicago to New York, to
London, to Paris, to Rome, to Athens...arriving in Istanbul. How the Earl and others in the early 1900's managed the route by car, amazingly! Maybe very, very carefully? Fantastic photos of the cars, now to wait for next week's episode!
I agree! This is a thriller and reminiscent of Mathew Crawley’s tragic death. I want to read on!
Thank you so much for such an engaging story. I loved visiting Istanbul in 2013 so your account certainly resonated. My daughter and I are booked to visit Highclere on 28 September - we can’t wait! Apart from seeing your splendid castle, I’m wondering also if you have any of your family’s vintage cars on display. Meanwhile I shall anxiously await the sequel to your story.
I know! Thought I could make you feel sorry for us! Yes, I am getting the book! You are an excellent writer.
What a wonderful—and suspenseful—read! I see a book purchase in my near future.
Thank you, as always, for my wonderful Monday reading.
Jane McIntosh
Canada
Betty, what a grand adventure you were on, indeed! Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your fascinating travels and life abroad.
Thank you Joan
We look forward to welcoming you Michele. The vintage cars on display will depend on the weather.
Wonderful writing!!! I see the amazing pictures as you write! Thank You so much!
A lovely excerpt from the Earl and the Pharaoh. I hope your book flies off the shelves.
Thanks again for taking the time to chat with us on 26 July. Our tour group was sadly too late getting to Highclere to join your impromptu garden tour. We had the most fabulous visit though. This time gardens were even more colourful and the wildflower meadow spectacular.
Oh my! Do tell us more, Lady.
I think you need to read on!!!
Thank you so much!
What a superbly crafted, and illustrated, blog. Despite knowing the ending, reading it still created a frisson and the atmosphere of the journey and of Istanbul were vividly realised.
A terrific piece that brightened my Monday.
Thank you!
August 10, 2023
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I am so enjoying your blog and love hearing your Highclere stories. I was fortunate enough to visit Highclere in person on June 23, 2023. I took the tour, then had the delicious lunch at your cafe in the back and shopped at your lovely gift store. It was a wonderful day - very peaceful and serene! I love trees and my favorite were the magnificent cedar trees with their amazing large trunks. How very grand they are and fit right into the Highclere scene. The inside tour with Ruth as our guide was excellent. She was very good and informative with stories about the castle, your lives, but also when Downton Abbey was filmed.
I just ordered some gifts from your store and they arrived today. I am looking froward to sending them to my friends who love Downton Abbey and Highclere as much as I do. As a member of Friends of Highclere, I had hoped to see you during my visit, but believe you were not in residence. Maybe next time. I want to come back for another visit soon.
All the very best and kind regards,
Shirley Ann Stucky
The earl and the pharaoh will definitely be my next purchase when I visit Downtown at Christmas cannot wait !!!! Brilliant blog Lady Carnarvon
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
You've done it again, a wonderful piece of history to share!
I loved the Earl and The Pharaoh!
Best wishes. Carol
Can't wait for the next chapter of this story , quite gripping.
Hello Shirley
Sorry to have missed you on your last visit.
Best
Hannah
Thank you Carol
What a wonderful story and I can't wait for the next installment. The way you describe it I can picture the two of them roaring down the road towards their destination.
Dear Lady Carnarvon:
Thank you for this Monday's very interesting and thrilling blog! Great pictures of Constantinople, the automobile, and passage document. Reading the same was excellent timing, as the Woodward Dream cruise occurred yesterday. Motor car enthusiasts from around the world come to Oakland County, Michigan to participate in this annual event.
I am curious, though, by any chance did Lord and Lady Carnarvon's stay at the fashionable spa occur in Baden-Baden, Germany?
Until next week, happy motor travels.
Perpetua Crawford
My husband & I are travelling to Egypt in 4 weeks and I thought your book would be an interesting read prior to departure. I just finished your book and and found it so much more! Wonderful amusing family anecdotes as well as tales of sadness and struggle besides the expected honours of discovery.
Thank you Lady Carnarvon for your delightful book.
Kind Regards, Sally Kling, Sydney
Dear lady Carnarvon, i would like to contact you personaly regarding the old cars. Specialy the Metallurgique. I see you removed the photo you posted earleyer, wich was not the metallurguque, but i hope to help you identifie cars on photis you maybe have.
Thank you foe a replay and greetings from Belgium.
Ivo Braeken.
I did not remove any photo- how weird! Help much appreciated pa@highclerecastle.co.uk
Did send you lots of info but had no reaction.
To where did you send it?
Wow! A thriller this morning! Still, wondering how you drive from Highclere to Istanbul?!