Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald - August 21, 1880
In Memoriam - The Late Mr A Gamble,
Master of the Horse To The Late Emperor Napoleon.
On Sunday morning there died in the quiet and picturesque town of Chislehurst, in Kent - made famous as being the retreat of the Imperial Family after the fall of the Napoleon dynasty, in 1870 - Mr Alexander Gamble, who shared much of the exciting vicissitudes and chequered life of his Imperial master - Napoleon Ill. His life was a most remarkable one, and worthy of more than a mere passing notice - a brief sketch of which, we doubt not, will be interesting to our Ayrshire readers
The late Mr Gamble, although he spoke of himself as being a native of Kilwinning was born in Saltcoats in 1817. Before the end of his first year he was removed to Ardrossan, where his father, who was in the service of the Eglinton family, resided a baron officer. Here he received his early education, but had to leave school when ten years old. As he was the eldest son his father and grandfather fostered the idea of making him either doctor or a minister; but in his own mind - even at that early Age -he disliked the idea.
In fact, he did not remember anything in the days of his boyhood, that gave him more pleasure than when he was told that on account of his father losing his situation, through what cause we cannot exactly tell, he would require to leave school and do something for his own support. In 1897 he came with his parents to Kilwinning, their native place, and here he dragged as be said, life wearily for two years endeavouring to learn trade.
In looking back to our early year we often find some source or spring that flowed within us - a moving power which had a special influence upon our actions in after life. This was really Gamble's experience. There were two things, he said, that had a very beneficial effect upon his conduct through life. The first was an advice he often got from his father, namely "whatever work he engaged in, to do the best he could; he who does the best he can - acts well - acts nobly!" The other advice was one given by his grandfather, who would say to him in his own quiet and serious way," he should steer clear of debt and drink."
When young he had seen the bad effects of both, and, in fact, had an actual horror of them. No doubt that feeling helped him through a very dangerous part of his life, for when first launched upon the world he was much exposed to all kinds of society. It required no mean strength of mind and determination - even in after life - to act up to the good old man's sage advice. When twelve years old he wished to see something more of the world, and one fine morning he started on the road for Glasgow. There he had an old grand-aunt who kept a shop in Duke Street, and on his arrival she gave him a kindly welcome, and a warm corner by her fireside. In return, Gamble made himself generally useful, He kept her books, ran errands; in brief, did everything she wished him. Here he felt himself really happy, but for the craving to get further a-field.
He was in his 14th year when her business unfortunately went down, and she was obliged to give up the shop. As Gamble could not allow himself to be a burden upon her he resolved to go to Edinburgh. An old Lady friend, Mrs Buchanan of Cunninghamhead, lived there, who had promised to him when quite a child to pay his "prentice fee" when old enough to learn a trade, so he thought he could not do better than remind her of the promise she had then made. The old lady received him very cordially, who had not forgotten her promise, and gave him three days to decide upon what he would like to follow after.
Gamble had always a great idea of attending to horses. He thought if he had been born to ten thousand a year he should have had a pack of hounds and as many horses as his stable would hold. But, as he could not get ten thousand A year or a horse of his own to ride, he thought the next best thing for him to do was to ride someone's else. Hence his choice of the stable. When he told the old lady what he had decided on she felt horrified, as her impression of a stableman's life was not a very favourable one. However, when she saw his determination, it was at once agreed to send him for a twelve month training to Laing's Horse Repository in Lothian Road, Edinburgh.
Suffice is to say that at the end of the year Gamble could ride well, thanks to Laing's whip. His first master on leaving the Repository was Lord Gray, Kinfaun Castle, where he spent some of the happiest days of his life during the seven years he had the honour of serving so good a master. It was while in Lord Gray's service that he visited Leamington and spent the winter of 1834, and met with Elizabeth Merry, belonging to an old and respectable family in Leamington, who fully seven year afterwards became his wife.
Touching his married life, turning to the writer of this notice, on one occasion he said - "You know what a great prize I drew in the matrimonial lottery." Gamble now left the service of Lord Gray, and his whole reason for doing so was that in Scotland he was too far away from the new home of his affections. He afterwards served some of the best men in England. It was in the year 1816 that he entered the service of Prince Louis Napoleon in London, and when elected President of the National Assembly in 1848, Gamble, who had meantime been left in charge of his London establishment, joined the Prince at the Champe d' Elynees in Paris, and was appointed Master of the Horse - a situation he held at first not without a good deal of jealousy on the part of some of the French servants.
He industriously set to work to acquire a knowledge of the French language, and soon after was able to speak It almost as fluently as a native. He played his part on that dark December morning of the coup d'dat in 1851. He rode through the streets of barricades closely behind Napoleon, and was all but torn from his horse as the gates of the Tuillieries were about to be closed on the terribly excited crowd outside. In the war with Austria, in 1859, he accompanied the Emperor through the short but brilliant victories of the Italian Campaign. He was in the thick of the battles of Magenta and Solferino, and held the Emperor's horse in charge while the treaty of Villafranco was being signed.
When the France-Prussian War broke out in 1870, he left St. Cloud with the Emperor and the Prince Imperial for Metz, and was at Saarbruck when "Louis received his baptism of fire. "The bullets and balls whistled and hummed" over him and around him, and thudded on the ground underneath his horse on the battlefield of Sedan. He was at hand when that memorable interview took place between tho Emperor Napoleon and Bismarck at the wayside house, near Douchery; and Bismarck. who chatted to him afterwards, was surprised to find Scotchman in charge of the Emperor's war horse.
Gamble, after the Emperor's surrender, went with him to his place of captivity at Wilhelmshöhe. He next came to Chislehurst, and remained the faithful attendant of the Emperor, Empress, and Prince Imperial, who were greatly attached to him. Gamble had also many Scotch and English friends, who will remember his hospitality during their visits to the Imperial stables at the Louvre, where he had the charge of the largest and finest stud of horses in the world. On our first visit we read with singular interest, above their respective stalls, names which were familiar to " Sir Walter Scott," "Kilwinning" and "Segton," All favourite horses of the Emperor. Gamble received valuable presents from most of the crowned heads in Europe when visiting Paris, including the Queen and Prince Albert.
We remember being present at St. Cloud when he was presented with a valuable snuff-box by the representatives of the London press for his attention to them during Queen Victoria's visit. He was proud of being a Scotchman, remarkably shrewd and intelligent, and kind to his relatives and friends. Now that he is gone, many will miss his generous face and open hand. His loss is greatly mourned, and much sympathy is felt for his widow. Of him it may be fittingly said in the words of the poet:
"Friend after friend departs,
Who has not lost a friend!
There is no union here of hearts,
But what finds here an end."
The funeral took place on Tuesday, and his remains were followed to their last resting place by a large number of mourners, including the whole household of the Ex-Empress Eugenie, who was represented by her private secretary. So closed the grave over all that remained of him who had, for a many year, been the faithful and devoted retainer of the late Emperor Napoleon lll., the early trainer of the Prince Imperial, whose lamentable death he deeply mourned ; and servant of the illustrious lady. whose singular vicissitudes of fortune hae taken so deep a hold on the popular mind - the Ex-Empress Eugenie.
Thanks to the starter of this topic, Penny Tray, for raising our interest
See from first post.