her income would be discontinued.  She added that she was receiving five pounds per week from a firm of solicitors in London.  The defense did not prevail, and both the woman and Ralph Lancaster were sent to gaol for nine months.

The way the three persons mixed up their relationship is decidedly interesting.  Earnshaw or Hoare is the son of an officer who held high rank in the Navy and was known as groom, butler, chauffeur, husband, or foster-brother, while Ralph Lancaster was referred to as foster-brother, husband, or stepbrother.  The real husband was nearly always treated as if he were the groom, and when the three were living in Yorkshire, Lady Lettice was summoned for keeping a man-servant without a license--the man-servant was her husband.  This was not the only occasion on which the Inland Revenue took action against Lady Lettice.  Once when the woman was prosecuted for keeping a dog without a license, Lancaster represented her at the police-court.  He then said he did not know whether she was the daughter of a Duke or of an Earl, but she was his wife.

While living near Lincoln, the woman came into prominence for an unusual assault on a butcher's salesman, who had been sent to obtain payment of an account.  He found the gate of the house locked and rattled it to attract attention.  Lady Lettice then came out of the house with a hunting-crop in her hand and shouted to her daughter: 'Let loose the dogs, and they will kill and devour him.'  The dogs, however, neither killed nor devoured him, but the woman hit him on the head with a hunting-crop and knocked him over his bicycle.  This little amusement cost her two pounds and costs at the subsequent police proceedings.

Lady Lettice was always interested in horses and she generally had some good animals in her stables.  For some years she, in conjunction with Ralph Lancaster, had been running a riding-school in the West End, and it is stated that her income from this source was nearly 500 a year.  When at Woking, in 1907, she was known as the 'lady horse-dealer' and was very popular locally, until pressing creditors caused her to seek fresh fields and pastures new.  When she was at Stuston Hall, she stated that she had taken the place for the purpose of teaching riding and receiving hunting guests.  But although she had several horses there, the only persons to use them were Lady Lettice, the two men, and the children.  The eldest of the children, a girl of sixteen, frequently attracted attention by her plucky riding, and she is now earning money as a rider.While Lady Lettice was living at Stuston Hall, the house was regarded more or less as a house of 

 Prev. P 10/188 next