‘The poor dear man’
Elizabeth and Henry Holland followed Napoleon’s career with close attention and the Holland House Set toasted every victory and mourned every loss. For these two, Napoleon represented the forces of democracy and liberation and the deposed Bourbons those of repression.
On Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in June 1815, Elizabeth spoke of ‘the poor dear man’ and the dashing of their hopes for political reform. They were right to be anxious about the country’s future. Lord Liverpool’s Government began a sustained campaign of repression that soon led to widespread insurrection.
The Combination Acts were rigidly enforced that forbade gatherings of more than ten people in one place and these were followed by a series of Sedition Laws – The Six Acts – that were designed to deny free speech and supress ‘seditious libels. As the war-time economy collapsed and the price of bread rose, rioting broke out in towns and cities across the country. In the country areas, labourers took their revenge on harsh landowners and started burning hay ricks and smashing threshing machines.
At night Captain Swing, an invented figure on a pure white horse, roamed the county areas, rousing the population and destroying crops. In these increasingly lawless conditions, the Government did its best to maintain order but it seemed that the Hollands were aimed to pour fuel on the flames through their support for Napoleon both inside and outside of Parliament and this was confirmed the discovery of the Cato Street Plot in February 1819, whose members planned the murder of the Prime Minister and the whole of his Cabinet.
The Government passed an Act confirming Napoleon’s status as a prisoner of war to justify his incarnation on St Helena and Henry Holland vehemently opposed the measure almost single-handedly in the Lords. When this tactic failed the Hollands changed tack and set about the seduction of the newly appointed governor, Sir Hudson Lowe, flattering him with no less than eight invitations to dine with them at Holland House, obviously hoping to bend his ear.
Meanwhile, Napoleon had already boarded HMS Northumberland for the long voyage into the South Atlantic arriving on St Helena in the autumn. Almost at once, reports began to arrive in London complaining about the harsh treatment that Napoleon was experiencing. These reports came from both British and French sources and caused Lord and Lady Holland much anguish. Correspondents reported that Napoleon was being kept a virtual prisoner; his living conditions were primitive; he was denied exercise and his location was unhealthy.
Henry Holland raised the matter in the House of Lords at once and Lord Bathhurst, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who was responsible for Napoleon’s security, promised to look into the matter, and there was a slight relaxation in the regime on St Helena.
Elizabeth Holland now began a campaign using every possible means of communication with the Household at Longwood by sending every kind of book, journal and, in particular, newspaper, containing the latest news from Europe and North America, by whatever means that she could. This included secret messages of support contained in the Small Ads columns of the Daily Courier, a newspaper with liberal sympathies and individuals travelling to the East Indies – anyone who Elizabeth believed would be sympathetic to her cause.
In addition to over 1,000 of such papers, the Hollands also send additional comforts including food, seeds for Napoleon’s vegetable garden and even his favourite crystallised fruit.
Napoleon died on 21st May 1821 whilst Lord and Lady Holland were staying in Paris and they were advised of his death when a note was pushed under their door ‘Le grand homme est mort’.
In his Will, Napoleon bequeathed Elizabeth a gold snuff box in token of the high regard in which he held her: ‘L’Emperor Napoleon a Lady Holland, temoignage de satisfaction et d’estime’ which was delivered to Holland House by the Comtes Bertrand and Montholon on their return to Europe after his death wearing the full dress uniform of the Imperial Court.
Soon after Lowe returned to London, he called at Holland House but was advised that Lady Holland was not at home and two days later received a note from her confirming that she would never do so.
