298 KINGSCLERE 



concerts are given to local charities. It was only- 

 natural that the Kingsclere District Horticultural 

 Society should spring into flourishing existence with 

 Park House to support it. Writes the local chroni- 

 cler, after assigning a prominent place in his report 

 to Mr. and Mrs. John Porter, the Misses Porter, 

 Mr. John Porter, junior, and a large house party, 

 that ' Dr. Edwards next submitted the health of 

 Mr. John Porter, whom he thanked for throwing 

 his grounds open to the Society, and spoke of him 

 as a staunch liberal friend to Kingsclere. Mr. 

 Porter responded to the enthusiastic manner in 

 which the toast was received, and said it was a 

 source of real pleasure to assist at the working of 

 this excellent Society,' which hearty assurance 

 everybody who knew the speaker devoutly be- 

 lieved. As to the contributions to which the Society 

 owes so much of the success of its annual exhibi- 

 tion, such statements as the following have come 

 to be annually looked for : ' Mr. Norris's selection 

 from the Park House conservatories also displayed 

 much taste, while Miss Mildred Porter's button- 

 holes and Mrs. Milsom's beautiful hand-bouquet 

 were greatly admired.' Some idea of the part 

 which Mrs. Porter plays in the useful, social, and 

 graceful functions which diversify the life at Kings- 

 clere in its relation to Park House, and of the 

 estimation in which that lady is held, was given by 

 a speaker on another public occasion, who said that 

 * wherever the name of Mr. John Porter was men- 

 tioned — which was all over the land — his wife's was 

 equally well known.' 



