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Exiled Collector Article 22 Daily Echo, MONDAY MAY 5, 2008 bournemouthecho.co.uk/news Bankes for the memory Nick Churchill looks at an extraordinary local life SEX scandal that His biographer, Anne Sebba, PIONEER: William John Bankes rocked the Dorset gen- has sold the film rights to her (1786-1855) by Sir George try and shocked highly-praised account of Hayter (1792-1871). Collector AParliament; cloak and William’s colourful life, The and traveller, rebuilt Kingston dagger dealings with the law Exiled Collector (John Murray, Lacy (above) to Sir Charles and the locals; a link to smugg- £8.99), and is hoping a good Barry's designs 1835-40. lers and priceless works of art…. script will entice the industry the life and times of a disgraced big boys to the story. ©NTPL/Angelo Hornak Dorset landowner could provide “You can just imagine it, Hollywood with its latest cos- these magnificent settings – tume drama. Kingston Lacy and Venice, William John Bankes, the maybe with someone like Jude his death in Venice. noted explorer and pioneer Law in the lead role,” she says. Bankes family lore has it that Egyptologist, who is widely “It’s very rare you get period a private Act of Parliament was credited with rebuilding the stories where the exact loca- required for his remains to be Kingston Lacy estate as it is tions still exist – it’s not like brought, but there is no such today, fled the country in shame you have to recreate a dingy Act. in 1841 having been caught in Liverpool street or make a vil- It seems William’s younger compromising circumstances lage as in Cranford.” brother Edward, who was with a young soldier in Anne met film producer Canon of Bristol Cathedral and London’s Green Park. Richard Foord after a lecture close to Queen Victoria, used Sodomy was a capital crime in she gave at Kingston Lacy about his considerable influence. those days and, on legal advice, 18 months ago. It’s now 25 years since Ralph they Bankes bequeathed the entire Bankes decamped to Venice “I was being asked questions were after signing over his interest in by a man in the audience who Bankes family estate to the archi- Kingston Lacy to his brothers was clearly very knowledgeable National Trust and Anne tect brought George and Edward. He was and enthused by the subject. He believes William would have Charles up with declared a criminal outlaw and told me afterwards that he was a been pleased with how it has Barry, who oral history, remained in exile until his producer and very interested in turned out. was also stories handed death in 1855. making a film about William “Well, I think he would have rebuilding the down the genera- Or did he? John Bankes. preferred it to be preserved for Houses of Parliament tions, rather than writ- By arrangement with Dorset’s “Often film rights are bought the family, but having it saved which had been destroyed by ten down. It makes sense that senior legal officials, politicians and nothing happens, but I just for the nation would have suited fire in 1834, to work with him on there was smuggling on the and local workers, it seems have a funny feeling that this him I’m sure. It’s certainly bet- renovating Kingston Lacy. Kingston Lacy estate as it suited William made at least one clan- one might take off. Richard has ter than seeing the collection “So many people have said to the government at the time to destine trip back to his beloved said that what they really love split up and sold off and me that it’s a poignant story, but turn a blind eye because they Kingston Lacy to check on the in Hollywood is great stories Kingston Lacy is to a great I’ve always seen it as a wanted the Napoleonic blockade progress of the work he was about plucky little Brits, that’s extent a memorial to his spirit triumphant story born of some- broken. orchestrating from afar. why Calendar Girls and films and vision.” thing quite sad,” says Anne. “William would have known like that do so well.” She also sees some similarities “Living on his wits in Venice how the local customs worked A friend of Lord Byron and an between William and the last with not much money he came as he always sent his artefacts MP from the age of 24, William Bankes – Ralph’s reclusive and as close as an 18th century gen- back through Poole, so the John Bankes became first in troubled son John, who died of tleman could do to having a familes simply arranged his safe line to inherit Kingston Lacy liver cancer in 1996 and is proper job. I really liked him in passage and made sure he could from his father Henry when his buried at St Nicholas Church, that he survived in adversity.” avoid arrest. I’m sure it hap- older brother, also called Henry, Studland. The intrigue continued pened at least once, if not twice. was drowned off the coast of “They were both exiles in throughout William’s life – and “Can you imagine the strength Tunis in 1806. effect and misunderstood by beyond. of will it took to do that? Widely travelled, as a young their family. I spoke with many Anne believes he made at least William lived in Venice but man William amassed a sizeable of John’s friends and – even one journey back to Kingston couldn’t swim, so he had to con- collection of antiquities, some of though it may have been for the Lacy in the spring or summer of quer that fear. Then landing in which he sold to the British best – he felt it was cruel that he 1854, the year before he died. choppy waters off England, wor- Museum, and earned a fine rep- couldn’t take up his birthright. She was told the story of how he rying about whether he’d be utation as a skilled translator of John had a real affinity with the slipped into the country through arrested if discovered – there’s ancient texts. place and such enthusiasm for Poole after landing at Studland so much intrigue and mystery But his private life scandalised it, as did William of course, but by the Castleman family of in this story.” high society. wasn’t able to live there.” Chettle House, adjacent to the The scheming continued even ● He was arrested, tried and Anne’s new book, Jennie Bankes estate. The Castlemans after William’s death. acquitted for sexual indecency Churchill: Winston’s American are descendants of celebrated Although branded an outlaw, with a young Coldstream Mother is published by John Dorset smuggler Isaac Gulliver his body was brought back and Guardsman in 1833. His father – Murray and available now. and it seems fairly certain that interred in the family tomb in who testified at his trial – Anne will be giving a lunchtime Gulliver and others were active Wimborne Minster. The funeral became ill and died little more talk at Kingston Lacy as part of on the Dorset estates. was held in total secrecy on than a year later. Soon after National Archaeology Week on “Teddy Castleman told me June 13, 1855 – two months after AUTHOR: Anne Sebba William appointed the eminent July 11..
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