When I worked in Accessibilities, one of my favourite jobs was writing the image descriptions for historical images, which were largely political cartoons. I think I’ve written before about how I really developed an appreciation for the cartoons and cartoonists from it, especially for those from the interwar period and David Low in particular. Hitler apparently disliked Low and his cartoons enough to place him in his Little Black Book of people he would round up when he got to Britain.

Imagine my surprise, and delight, therefore to happen unexpectedly across a set of Low caricatures when we visited Tredegar House, a Restoration-era mansion, last weekend. Hidden away down by the servants’ stairs, four portraits of HG Wells, Aldous Huxley, Augustus John, and one unnamed man whom the volunteer I asked about it didn’t know. I presume either a self-portrait (but it doesn’t look much like him from the photographs online), or one of the Morgan family – if anyone from the National Trust knows, or anyone else recognises this man, please let me know.

Naturally, of course, Tiny was fidgeting (it was about lunch time), and there were other people coming down behind us, so I couldn’t linger as long as I liked, or get particularly good photos. We shall have to return for another look.
Tiny’s favourite part of the house was the stables before we got to the house proper. You see, one of the Morgans, Godfrey, was a part of the Charge of the Light Brigade. Amazingly, both he and his horse, Mr Briggs (subsequently “knighted” for his bravery), survived with naught but a scratch upon the horse’s nose. Sir Briggs lived a very respectable 28 years, and the stables now house a wicker horse in his memory.

Godfrey, surviving the Crimea at 22, never married: his childhood sweetheart, believing him dead abroad, married someone else, and while she and Godfrey always planned to marry after the death of her much older husband, sadly she died first. Poor Godfrey lived until 1913, whereupon a nephew inherited.

M was more interested in the magick room of Catholic-convert Evan Morgan, two Viscounts later. He it was who must be the link to Low, since he apparently provided inspiration to Huxley for a character in one of Huxley’s novels (Ivor Lombard in Crome Yellow, if you’re interested, and Huxley and Low were friends). Apparently, though, Evan impressed Aleister Crowley with his occultist skills.

A combination of expensive living and death duties led to the house and contents being sold off, first to the Catholic Church for a school, and thence to Newport Council in the 1970s. The National Trust took it over in 2012, on a 50-year lease.

I know, so much interesting history, and I get hung up on four cartoons hanging in the servants’ staircase.