Andrew Fleming Hudlestone Le Fleming (Baronet) 1855-20/10/1925.

Sir Andrew Le Fleming. 

Not till he was claimed by the Old Reaper who waits for us all did Sir Andrew le Fleming, Bart., come into the public eye in Dunedin. Indeed, outside a limited circle of intimate friends few people knew that such a person lived in Dunedin. But now he is gone, bearing to the grave the dignity and the prestige of an ancient and honoured name. 

It is a far cry from a country seat in Westmoreland to Dunedin and in point of time it is a far cry from the Norman Conquest to the present day, but both of these associations were linked in the person of the deceased baronet who lived so quietly and unobtrusively in our midst for a number of years. Sir Andrew was the 26th in succession from the original holder of the title and was born in Christchurch where his father lived after coming out to New Zealand. Down the generations, various members of this old family have been distinguished in learning, in war and in the Church and it seems a strange trick of fate that the last holder of the title should die in obscurity in this far-flung outpost of the Empire. As the old Latin tag says: Sic transit gloria mundi. -Cromwell Argus, 9/11/1925

When I first read the above story from Cromwell I though it interesting that the Baronetcy should end in Dunedin, in an albeit resplendent grave in one of our cemeteries.  But the le Fleming Barons live on - the current one, the 13th, was born in 1976.

Also living on was Jeanette le Fleming, originally of Seacliff, Otago, and more recently of The World.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

AN ANCIENT LINE

BARONET DIES IN DUNEDIN 

TITLE DATES FROM 1066 

Sir Andrew Fleming Huddleston le Fleming, whose death at Dunedin on Tuesday of this week has been announced, was a baronet whose title runs hack to the Conquest, he being the twenty-sixth in succession from Sir Richard le Fleming, the second son of Sir Michael le Fleming, who came over with William of Normandy. The patent of nobility dates from 1066. The family seat is Rydal Hall, in Westmoreland. Away back the le Flemings were the proprietors of Carnarvon Castle. Warwick, the King-maker, is in the pedigree, and several royalties. The father of the baronet who died in Dunedin this week was Sir Michael le Fleming, who came out to Canterbury when a young man. Sir Andrew was horn at Christchurch, sixty-nine years ago, and was educated at Christ’s College. He married Jeanette, daughter of the late Roderick Frazer, of Glen Lovat, Seacliff. Otago. There are no children by this marriage. The title goes to Sir Andrew’s cousin, William Huddleston le Fleming, Otakeho, Taranaki, and then to his son Frank Thomas le Fleming, who served with the New Zealand forces in the Great War. This Frank Thomas le Fleming is married to a niece of Andrew le Fleming’s widow, and they have a little son. 

Sir Andrew and Lady le Fleming came to Dunedin a year ago for medical attention to Sir Andrew, who was troubled with blood pressure. They lived at 165 Maitland street, where Lady le Fleming still resides. Owing to Sir Andrew's illness they could not go about in Dunedin. Three weeks ago Andrew  was crippled by a stroke of paralysis, wherefore he became a patient at Stafford Hospital. He was buried yesterday.  -Evening Star, 22/10/1925.

Rydal Hall, Wikipedia photo.

A LONG LINE OF ANCESTRY.

NORMAN CONQUEST TO 1925. 

Sir Andrew Fleming Hudleston 1e Fleming, formerly of the North Canterbury Volunteer Cavalry, whose death in Dunedin on October 20 has already been recorded by us, was the descendant of a long and distinguished line of ancestors, and was, in fact, able to trace his lineage back to the time of the Norman Conquest. He was the 26th in succession from Sir Richard le Fleming, Lord of Beckermet and Caernarvon, second son of Sir Michael le Fleming, Lord of Aldingham, kinsman of Queen Matilda, and Baldwin V, Earl of Flanders. Sir Michael, the founder of the house, came into possession of large estates in Cumberland and Lancashire, with the manors and lordships of Aldingham, Beckermet, and Furness, and the castles of Gleaston and Caernarvon, during the Norman period. The fourth in succession from Sir Richard was Sir John, of Coniston Hall, who was succeeded by Sir Raverus le Fleming. Sir Thomas le Fleming, fifth in succession from Sir Raynerus, married Isabel, daughter and co-heiress of Sir John de Lancaster of Rydal Hall and Howgill Castle. This was the first introduction of the le Flemings into Westmoreland, and Rydal Hall thenceforth became the chief seat of the family. Sir John le Fleming, second in succession from Sir Thomas, married Joan, grand-daughter of Henry, Lord Clifford, and niece of the First Earl of Cumberland, and cousin of the Second Earl of Cumberland, who was son-in-law to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and Mary, Queen Dowager of France, sister of Henry VIII. He was succeeded by Hugh, who married Joan, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Richard Hudleston, Millorn Castle. The seventh in succession was Sir Daniel le  Fleming (1633), during whose boyhood a detachment of Cromwell’s soldiers plundered Rydal Hall, and destroyed part of it in search of hidden treasure. Sir Daniel himself was subjected to very heavy annual payments for his loyalty to the Crown. He was a man of powerful intellect, and applied himself to almost every branch of human learning. He died in 1701, leaving an established reputation for antiquarian and legal knowledge, of which there is an outcome in the curious and valuable collection made by him, and still treasured, with other heirlooms, at Rydal Hall. The third in succession from him was the Right Rev. Sir George le Fleming, Bart., of Rydal Hall, and Lord Bishop of Carlisle. The next second in succession was Sir Michael le Fleming. “The Star of the North," as he was called, was a man of remarkable social and literary gifts. He was married to Lady Diana Howard, daughter of Thomas, 14th Earl of Suffolk, and 7th Earl of Berkshire. Their daughter, Anne Frederica Elizabeth le Fleming married her cousin, Sir Daniel le Fleming. She survived her husband for 40 years, and died in 1861. The estates then passed under a new entail executed by her ladyship to the descendants of her paternal aunts. The title then passed to the Rev. Richard le Fleming, Bart., Rector of Grasmere and Windermere, Westmoreland, next to Sir Michael le Fleming, of Christchurch, New Zealand, and then to his son, Sir Andrew Fleming Hudleston le Fleming. The abovementioned names are a few only of those of the members of this old family, distinguished in learning, in war, and in the Church. The Continental records go back in an unbroken line to the time of Charlemagne.  - Otago Daily Times, 27/10/1925.

LONDON PERSONALS

Lady le Fleming (Dunedin) crossed America by way of the Santa Fe route, and arrived in England on June 24th. After some weeks on the Continent she will be returning to London, and then visiting the North of Scotland and the South of Ireland. Later on she will journey to the East, spending some time in Arabia and also in Quebec. From there she will return to New Zealand, but contemplates a visit to Arizona, New Mexico, for further information regarding the history of the Pueblo Indians.  -The Press, 26/8/1929.

NOTES FOR WOMEN

Lady Le Fleming, of Maitland street, widow of Sir Andrew Fleming, has left for Wellington to connect with the R.M.S. Tamaroa, en route for London to commence a world tour embracing Central Africa and the East. -Otago Daily Times, 8/5/1931.

LONDON PERSONALS

Lady le Fleming (Dunedin) will be in London for some weeks prior to a tour in Norway, and Sweden. She has in view a round of travel in South Africa via the West Coast to Cape Town, and thence to Central and East Africa. Lady le Fleming hopes to be able to arrange a flight from Central Africa to Cairo before going again to India and the Malay States.  -Evening Post, 24/7/1931.

MYSTERIOUS RUINS EXAMINED.

WOMAN ARCHAEOLOGIST RETURNS. 

VISIT TO ANCIENT CITY IN EAST AFRICA. 

[THE PRESS Special Service] WELLINGTON, January 25. 

Among the passengers on the Makara, which arrived at Wellington this morning from Sydney, was Lady le Fleming, of Dunedin, who since last May, in her capacity of an archaeologist, has visited Norway, Sweden, Esthonia, Finland, Latvia, and Denmark, and who has investigated mysterious ruins in the heart of East Africa. In she also visited many countries, and travelled 40,000 miles in seven months. She is now on her way home for a rest necessitated by injuries which she received in a motor accident. 

In an interview, Lady le Fleming said she considers that her most interesting experience was her recent examination of the ruins of Zimbabwe, west of Beira, in East Africa. She visited the ruins to investigate two opinions expressed about their antiquity — whether they were comparatively recent, the original buildings having been erected about 1000 years ago; or whether they corresponded with the era of great Babylonian power, being built by people strongly influenced by Babylon. From the evidence of certain motifs and hawk symbols in the decorations on the buildings, Lady le Fleming said she believed that the latter view was correct, and that the original buildings were erected under Babylonian influence. Tens of thousands of slaves must have laboured to erect the buildings, which were of black granite, stone which was not to be found anywhere near the neighbourhood.

On the hills at each side of the valley at Zimbabwe stood the ruins of a military acropolis and a temple, both of impressive size. The walls of the temple ruins were fourteen inches thick, and within there was evidence of human sacrifice.

Lady le Fleming has written many articles on travel subjects, ancient history, and archaeology. She said that these had been published under a nom-de-plume, and not even her own sister was aware of her identity with a certain writer and archaeologist.

Lady le Fleming is the widow of Sir Andrew le Fleming, eighth Baronet of Rydal, who died in Dunedin in 1925.  -The Press, 26/1/1932.

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Lady Jeanette Le Fleming, who is now visiting New Zealand, has travelled extensively, and in 1930 covered over 40,000 miles in less than seven months. Since she commenced her present tour in May she has visited and investigated into the customs and history of Norway, Sweden, Esthonia, Latvia, Denmark and primitive Africa. But wherever she went she found a deplorable ignorance of Australia and New Zealand. The latter Dominion was, she said, generally considered to be a large town in the Commonwealth and the home of a primitive civilisation.  -Waihi Telegraph, 4/2/1932.

PERSONAL

Lady le Fleming left by the 11.35 train this morning to embark on the Tamaroa, intending to visit Peru. -Evening Star, 6/8/1935.

Lady le Fleming left on Tuesday on the first stage of a trip to Peru. She will sail from Wellington by the Tamaroa, and it is her intention, when she arrives in South America, to fly across the Andes.  - Otago Daily Times, 9/8/1935.

Social and Personal

Lady le Fleming returned an Friday last from travels abroad in South America, Central America, and Mexico.  -Evening Star, 4/12/1935.

PERSONAL

Lady le Fleming, who returned recently from a tour of South America, Central America, and Mexico, will leave shortly on a visit to India.  -Otago Daily Times, 10/12/1935.

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL

Lady le Fleming is at present in Dunedin after a tour of South and Central America and Mexico. Very fond of travel, she chooses places not usually selected by the tourist, and has interesting tales to tell of the Aztec calendar and beautiful cathedrals with golden altars in Mexico, and incidents of varying nature in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Panama. Costa Rica, Salvador and Guatemala — places she visited on her last trip. She prefers to travel alone, but says that she is never afraid, her interest and keen powers of observation seeming to occupy her mind too fully to leave room for fear. For instance, on a previous occasion she penetrated into New Guinea and was often the only white person for miles around. She has no dislike of colour, but sees all men as brothers in a large family — which probably accounts for the courtesy she receives wherever she goes. She will shortly leave on a visit to India and Europe.  -Otago Daily Times, 10/12/1935.

WORLD WIDE TRAVELLER

LADY LE FLEMING RETURNS 

Few people in Dunedin realise, I think, that we have in our midst one who has made many excursions into little known portions of the globe, and has brought back with her. a wealth of knowledge and an account of thrilling experiences from many distant lands. Lady le Fleming is a born traveller with a gift for organisation. She always knows beforehand just what she wishes to see, and of which particular conditions in the various countries she wishes to obtain first-hand knowledge instead of being satisfied with mere haphazard sight-seeing. She has also a wonderful gift of description, and makes her account of her travels most thrilling for her listeners. 

I was privileged to visit her on a recent evening in her charming home, set in an old-world garden that seems a far cry indeed from her flying exploits in South America, of which she told me, and from her visit to Ecuador during one of its periodic political upheavals. Her most recent travels have been in South and Central America and into the heart of Mexico, but during the past nine years or more, her journeyings have taken her, through all parts of Europe — to Russia and the far north, through little known parts of Africa, through India, China, and Japan, and to New Guinea. The lastnamed country she has visited four times, and for her it holds the most wonderful possibilities and calls her yet again. 

“My recent tour,” said Lady le Fleming, “has been so extensive, comprising so many different aspects— the natural features of varying climates of so many different countries, the archaeological, medieval, and modern interests, as well as the present economic conditions — that it is difficult to known what to omit. 

Interesting Cargoes. “To me, next in interest to the natural features and history of the various countries, comes the economic positions of each — the romance of the shipping, the loading and unloading of the several cargoes. To give only one instance, when watching the loading of copper bars at Antofagasta and Chanaral, a mental vision was presented of the early discoverers, of the Indians at work in the mines, long before the time of the Spanish conquest, of the narrow old llama tracks and then of the efficient modern machinery and means of transport. One saw the workers in the mines, the crushing and the smelting and then the car loads of ore and bars on the high gauge railways, and finally one could picture the world-wide destinations and the multitudinous uses of the copper.

Interesting People Met With. “Going inland from the various ports on the west coast of South America were mining engineers, wireless operators, aviators, assayers, electricians, high government officials, and railway magnates, quite different types from those met in any other part. 

Chile. “The natural aspect of Chile is interesting, it has a varying coast line, in some places narrow plains, and in others the mountains rise sheer from the shore. Between the coastal range and the mighty Cordilleras lies the fertile Chilian valley. I was there in the spring. The orchards were in full bloom and oh! so beautiful. Chilians from surrounding ranches were seen riding in to the towns to take part in the Independence celebrations and gave a romantic note. Their superb horsemanship, brilliant ponchos, and ornate sombreros formed pleasing pictures. 

Guano Birds. “All along the course of the Humboldt current the guano birds, gannets, pelicans, lancers, and cormorants, in tens and hundreds of thousands, were a source of never-failing interest and incidentally, a source of great wealth to the countries along the coast. In Peru, the flocks of llamas, alpacas, and vicunas carried one’s thoughts back to Inca and pre-Inca days. 

Historic Buildings. “In Lima, among the many buildings of historic interest, were the Torre Tagle Palace, which gives some idea of the luxury and magnificence of the Conquistador days, and the great Cathedral, with its countless art treasures and the wonderful carvings of the mahogany and cedar choirs.

Ecuador. “I arrived back in Ecuador during one of its periodic political upheavals — indeed, we had on our ship the new President, who was to take up his duties on arrival. 

Mexico. “ Returning to Panama, I went on through Central America and Mexico. The coast line of Central America is altogether different from that of South America. Here the rich tropical vegetation comes in places right down to the water’s edge. We came to Costa Rica, noted for the excellence of its coffee and the beauty of its senoritas; then on to Salvador, which, with its 14 volcanoes, never suffers from monotony; The motor roads inland were through exceptionally diversified scenery —jungles, where vegetation ran riot, and areas of cultivated land. 

Guatemala. “ Guatemala I found to be a land of colour, where one sees more of real Indian life than in any other part of Central America. On the way to Palin Junction the train wound up and up by zig-zags along the slopes of the volcanic mountain Agua, quite a unique experience. 

Mexico. “ Mexico, the last country visited, I might describe as a land of contrasts — lofty mountains and deep valleys, archaeological treasures and modern airplanes, gorgeous zarapes and delicate onyxes, cathedrals and bull rings — and it is at the same time as colourful as Guatemala.” 

From Central America Lady le Fleming has brought many beautiful Indian works of art, rugs and scarves in fine hand-weaving, exhibiting brilliant colourings, and carvings in ivory nuts, as well as many old treasures that have been excavated from the buried cities of Mexico.  -Evening Star, 14/12/1935.

CAUGHT MONOWAI BY FOUR MINUTES

LADY LE FLEMING RETURNING TO NEW ZEALAND 

(Received June 7, 6.30 p.m.) 

SYDNEY, June 6. Lady le Fleming, widow of Sir Andrew le Fleming Hudleston le Fleming, of Dunedin, who arrived at Newcastle yesterday from New Zealand on the cargo steamer Narbada, received a cablegram saying that her sister was seriously ill. She immediately came to Sydney by train and embarked on the Monowai for New Zealand with four minutes to spare. She had intended to visit Darjeeling to gather material for articles.  -The Press, 8/6/1936.

THE AIRWAYS

TO-DAY'S PASSENGERS The Union Airways air liner Kotuku left the Taieri airport at 8.15 this morning for Christchurch, and Palmerston North with Mr L. K. Neil (for Christchurch). The Korimako arrived at 12.50 with Lady le Fleming, Mrs M. C. MacLeod, Mr and Mrs Robert Linklater from Palmerston North, Mr A. O. Wilkinson (from Christchurch), and Mr Noel McGregor (from Blenheim).  - Evening Star, 9/6/1936.

DASH TO BEDSIDE

ILLNESS OF SISTER 

RETURN FROM AUSTRALIA 

After a hurried dash from Newcastle to Sydney to catch the Monowai before she sailed for New Zealand, Lady le Fleming of Dunedin, arrived at Auckland by the vessel yesterday. Lady le Fleming was en route to India by the Narbada, intending to make a round trip from New Zealand by the vessel, but at Newcastle she received a cablegram stating that her sister was seriously ill. She at once cancelled her passage by the Narbada, and left for Sydney by train. She was met at Sydney by a passenger agent of the Union Steam Ship Company, and was taken straight to the wharf in a taxi, boarding the Monowai with only a few minutes to spare. She left for the South by the limited express last evening, intending to catch the Union Airways air liner from Palmerston North for the South Island this morning.

Lady le Fleming is the widow of Sir Andrew le Fleming, Bart., and a daughter of the late Mr. R. Frazer of Otago.    -NZ Herald, 9/6/1936.

DEATHS

FRASER. — On August 15, 1937, at her residence, Maitland street, Dunedin, Johanna Fraser, dearly beloved sister of Jeanette le Fleming.  -Otago Daily Times, 16/8/1937.

Johanna was laid to rest beside her brother in law Andrew, 8th Baronet le Fleming, where Jeanette now also lies.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Lady le Fleming left this morning by the steamer Narbada for India and the East. -Evening Star, 1/6/1938.

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL

Lady le Fleming returned on Tuesday by the Narbada from a visit to India.  -Otago Daily Times, 22/9/1938.

TRAVELLERS’ TEMPORARY RETURN

Lady le Fleming has frequently been called a globe-trotter. This is altogether misleading. With more sightseeing, or irresponsible aimless wandering here and there, and to and fro, she has no connection. Each of her tours has been arranged with a definite purpose in view. In no other manner could definite first-hand knowledge regarding the various countries visited be obtained. To those who are satisfied to rely altogether upon books or upon the words or opinions of others regarding the events which have made (and are now making) history, it may not seem necessary to visit other lands, but Lady le Fleming has never yet been satisfied with less than definite firsthand knowledge concerning this or any other subject that is, of course, where it has been possible to obtain such knowledge. Hence these long j'ourneys and continued travel in distant lands. 

LATEST TOUR. “This tour, within the Great Barrier Reef, through Torres Strait and the Dutch Archipelago, has been of unusual interest in many ways, physiographical, historical, and in relation to the ever-changing beauty of the sea and sky,” she said when she granted “Diana” a short interview in her charming home set high on the hills above the city, from which she gets a lovely panoramic view of the town, the harbour, and ocean, as well as an uninterrupted view of the heavens from a platform built on the roof. 

THE GREAT BARRIER. “This thousand-mile barrier is not one long, unbroken reef; it is a maze of countless reefs differing in size, shape and distances apart — the longest line of coral reefs in the world. All the way from the southern end of the Barrier right on through Torres Strait and the Dutch Archipelago there are islands — singly, then in dozens, scores, and hundreds. To name all or even the majority of those and the numerous lighthouses would take too much time and use too much space. Along some parts of the mainland one sees long stretches of white sandy beaches, alternating with rock-bound or hilly coast. The hills may be barren or grassy, or covered with scrub or stunted trees. .Further north the coast is abruptly mountainous and more deeply wooded. 

“Round some of the more lofty islands the spray is thrown high up on the rocky walls, and here there are whole colonies of birds, which, one hopes, are left in undisturbed possession — boobies, terns, gannets, cormorants, and frigate birds. Most, but not all, of the islands are tree clad and well watered. Many have beautiful beaches and curving bays. By noting the colour of the sea surrounding them one knows the islands which are connected by hidden reefs. All along the way the different shades and colours of the sea indicate the varying depths. Green shows shallow soundings, light green shoals, blue indicates depth, and the deeper the blue the greater the depth. 

SUNSET IN THE BARRIER. “Surely the spirits of the air take delight in their artistry when they paint a sunset within the Barrier! Who but these master artists could have used an intervening cloud to produce a sunshaft. Who but they could have painted beneath the deep blue of the rapidly-darkening sky such rays and banners of glowing gold and deep fiery red, of mystic green merging into amethyst, of lapis lazuli upon the previous aquamarine of the waves? 

“But go to the Great Barrier, then through Torres Strait and the Dutch Archipelago, right on through the Strait of Malacca, and live for a time in the great kingdom of light and colour.” 

Other places visited on this tour were Rangoon, Mandalay, Darjeeling, Benares, Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Cawnpore, Allahabad, etc. (To be continued on Wednesday.)  -Evening Star, 24/9/1938.

Lady le Fleming, 1938.  Evening Star photo.

TRAVELLER’S TEMPORARY RETURN

(Continued.) Travelling on from Northern Australia and the Great Barrier, which were described in last week’s article, Lady le Fleming came to shores of India, and as the good ship Narbada was in Calcutta for a whole month our traveller was able to renew her acquaintance with this fascinating country. Much experience in modern methods of travel enabled her to see more in less time than would have been possible only a few years ago. Before reaching Calcutta calls were made at Burma, with its wonderful forests, its brilliant colours, its thousands of pagodas, and above all, its incomparable Shawe Dagon. 

“In Mandalay,” said Lady le Fleming, “it was strange to walk in Thebaw’s red and gold palace and in Queen Supaya-Lat’s Golden Monastery, to recall the terrible history of this 'City of Gems,’ and then to come out into the brilliant sunshine, to see the exquisite water lilies still growing in the moat as they did in the olden days of King Thebaw’s splendour. 

INDIA. “First to Darjeeling, with its breath catching heights and its wonderful views of the Himalayas. To Benares, which to over 230 millions of people is the most sacred city on earth, with its ghats, where the still figures lie swathed in scarlet or in white, piled high on fagots awaiting the final purification by fire; with its palaces, its mosques, its temples, its 3.000 years of tradition. To Sarnath, where Buddha first made known his doctrine — the buried Buddhist city, which is still being excavated. On to Delhi, with its 45 square miles of many former cities and its 5,000 years of history, out to a rock-strewn height, the ‘Ridge,’ occupied by the British during the Mutiny—from which one can see the old Delhi and the,new Delhi, formerly the capital, is now again the Imperial City of India. Delhi with its tombs and shrines and mosques of former times, and the new Delhi, where one with a knowledge of history can see the widely separated and diverse influences which are united there — Hindu, Buddhist, Mohammedan, and British. 

JAIPUR. “To Jaipur, chief city of Rajputana, the most Indian of Indian cities, which, though founded only in 1728 (when the capital was removed from Amber), is still a walled city. One wishes that the idea of one of its former rulers. Maharajah Ram Singh, had been fulfilled. His idea was to have each street painted a different colour, but after trying this the later rulers rejected it. and now a soft pink is the universal shade. 

“Jai Singh’s Observatory is an example of the knowledge of astronomy possessed by the builder. One sees here a connection between this knowledge and that of the designers of the great Aztec Calendar in Mexico. Whence, with apparently no intermediate steps of progress, did these designers and builders obtain their knowledge? 

"The Hall of the Winds, the thronging streets and squares, the colourful bazaars, the innumerable pigeons and peacocks safe and unafraid under the protection of the Maharajah are all seen here. 

“The Maharajah’s palace, his stable of wonderful horses, including his world-famous polo ponies, was visited, with, his elephants and their mahouts. One of the hunting elephants, a big black beauty, who courteously salaamed to ‘Mem Sahib’ carries one’s thoughts away and away into the glamorous past.“

The Maharajah has a marvellous museum and zoo, where one of the big Bengali tigers was the very perfection of beauty in form and colouring. With the long lines of camels, the caravans coming and going, the fortress on the heights beyond the city, it was hard to leave Jaipur. 

AGRA. “Agra — the City of the Taj — who has not heard of it? Certain travellers and writers have professed to be disappointed in the Taj. Well, well, of course there are queer people in the world, people who would criticise adversely the blending of the colours of sunrise or sunset. Of as great interest as the Taj itself is the history of its builder and his Moghul ancestors. On to the Fort. Nothing that one had ever read or heard of the Fort could give an adequate idea of its size and beauty“ 

Its lofty walls (the outer one 40ft in height, the inner one 70ft), and over a mile in circumference, enclose so many great courtyards, gateways, mosques, and palaces of the Moghul Emperors that it takes a very long time to walk even once through them. This colossal crescent on the banks of the Jumna was built so truly and well by Akbar and his successors that it is still in a perfect state of preservation. One does not know which holds most interest: the vigorous style of the architecture, or the marvellous beauty of the inlay work, the precious and semi-precious stones set in the ceilings, walls, and columns of the various buildings within the fort. It was strange to stand in the Summan Burj (sometimes called the Jasmine Tower) and look across the Jumna to the Taj. 

“The ceiling of this octagonal tower is inlaid with agate, carnelian, jasper, jade, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, etc., in the form of jasmine sprays. It was here that the Emperor Shah Jehan, after he had been imprisoned in the fort by his son, Aurangzeb, used to sit looking towards the Taj Mahal, the magnificent tomb which he had built for his wife, and in this tower he died in 1666. In regard to the other places visited in India and Burma, each one holds special interest to one who knows something of its history.

A Fellow-passenger. “The most interesting passenger on our ship,” said Lady Fleming, “was a lovely leopard travelling from Calcutta to Wellington.”  -Evening Star, 28/9/1938.

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL

Lady le Fleming is at present in Wellington. She will leave shortly for Alaska.  -Otago Daily Times, 20/2/1940.

PERSONAL NOTES

Lady le Fleming, Dunedin, has arrived at Auckland from abroad.  -Evening Post, 30/4/1940.

Her later life was a quieter one with advancing age leading to her death at 81.  My usual information source, Papers Past, ending before her death, I photographed her Evening Star obituary in the local public library.