274 
The  late  Joseph  Shuttleworth. 
refinement — on  being  told  that  Mr.  Shuttleworth  had  not  had 
the  advantages  of  education  in  early  life,  replied,  “ I should 
never  have  supposed  this,  for  his  letters  were  those  of  a gentle- 
man, and  so  correctly  expressed.”  Another  friend  writes  that 
“ he  was  manly  and  Englishman-like,  never  pushing  or  obtru- 
sive ; never  obtruding  his  business  ; on  the  other  hand,  rather 
pleased  than  otherwise  if  it  became  the  subject  of  conversation. 
He  was,  so  far  as  I saw,  kind  and  gentle.  1 never  really  grasped 
any  salient  feature  of  character — in  manner  he  suggested  ‘ I 
know  exactly  my  own  place  and  position.  I respect  myself — 
and  respecting  myself,  and  knowing  my  position,  I,  relatively 
and  in  like  manner,  know  and  respect  you.’  One  principle  of 
his  only  I recall  ; he  said,  ‘ If  I want  anything,  my  invariable 
rule  is  this : I enquire  which  firm  is  most  famous  for  any 
particular  production,  and  I send  my  order  accordingly.’  ” 
Nearly  thirty  years  ago  Mr.  Shuttleworth  formed  the  desire  to 
possess  an  estate  and  a home  in  Bedfordshire,  in  which  county 
he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  staying  with  his  friend,  Mr.  James 
Howard,  M.P.  About  twenty  years  ago  the  Colworth  property, 
now  owned  by  Mr.  Magniac,  M.P.,  came  into  the  market  and 
was  advertised  for  sale.  Mr.  Shuttleworth  accordingly  went  to 
inspect  the  picturesque  spot,  close  to  the  Sharnbrook  Station  on 
the  Main  Midland  Line,  and  at  once  formed  a resolution  to  be- 
come the  purchaser.  Finding,  however,  that  Mr.  Magniac,  sen., 
who  had  long  occupied  Colworth  as  tenant,  was  so  greatly 
beloved  by  his  neighbours  and  all  the  people  about  him,  and 
that  he  was  anxious  to  become  the  owner,  Mr.  Shuttleworth 
said  to  his  friend  Mr.  Howard,  upon  his  return,  “ much  as  I 
should  like  the  place,  I shrink  from  the  idea  of  disturbing  so 
good  a man  ; ” and  he  added,  “ after  having  partaken  of  Mr. 
Magniac’s  hospitality  I think  it  only  right  that  I should  inform 
him  of  my  decision  not  to  bid  against  him.”  The  late  Mr. 
Magniac  told  a friend  that  of  all  who  had  visited  Colworth  on  the 
same  errand,  Mr.  Shuttleworth  was  the  only  one  who  had  had 
the  civility  and  kindness  to  inform  him  of  his  decision.  This 
incident,  though  simple  in  itself,  throws  a light  upon  the  innate 
goodness  of  Mr.  Shuttleworth,  who  all  through  life  displayed  a 
similar  gentlemanly  feeling — and  this  in  a variety  of  ways. 
In  1861  he  acquired  by  purchase  the  estate  of  Hartsholme, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lincoln,  on  which  he  erected  a stately 
mansion.  Ten  years  later  he  purchased  of  the  late  Lord  Ongley 
the  manor  of  Old  Warden,  in  Bedfordshire,  and  from  that  time 
this  estate  appeared  to  be  the  great  hobby  and  pleasure  of  his 
life.  A considerable  portion  of  his  time  was  spent  upon  it, 
and  he  was  unsparing  in  money  and  personal  trouble  in  carry- 
ing out  extensive  improvements.  Although  lie  did  not  come 
