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HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019
[Found in TNA file FO 383/308]
Count Steven Zichy, 5346. Aliens' Detention Camp I Douglas, Isle of Man. March 6th, 1918.
To the Swedish Legation ,
Austro-Hungarian Division, 18 , Belgrave Square , .London , S .W.l .
Sir,
I beg to inform you that yesterday I have been transferred from Alexandra Palace
to this Camp after having received only one hour notice.
I should like to make now a full report of my release for work and the reason why I have asked your kind assistance for reinternment, with the request to forward my letter to the Imp. & Royal Austro-Hungarian government.
After having been interned for nearly three years and suffering from barbed
wire disease I have applied for my release combined with some kind of farm work.
On tine 16th of January 1918, my release came from the British authorities and
I have been sent to Miss C.V.T. Ackers , Huntley Manor Gloucester as farm worker
, Arriving there I have been told by the owner of the farm that my treatment
shall be the same as
the others receive and I have never thought of getting any kind of privileges
as my intention was to satisfy my employer in every way. Unfortunately the lady
whom I was serving had very little idea of respecting a gentleman, and the treatment
on her side was simply shameful. I never expected to be treated as my social
position would have required it, but I did expect anyhow the treatment as every
labourer in this country received from his employer,
When I undertook the work, I have never thought of taking the work of a nigger,
but Miss Ackers expected from me the kind of nigger work.
from me. After I had done four weeks of hard work at the rate of 11 hours daily,
I could not bear it any longer, as my hands were full of blisters, my ears and
feet frozen and I have asked Miss Ackers to reduce my working hours for the
time being till I regain my strength again . With the proposition that I am
to pay during the reduced working time £5 weekly for the Red Cross in
exchange for her indulgence. Her reply to my generous offer was reproachment
in the rudest manner and accusation of having; been late by 5 minutes once or
twice. These are only details which should describe my sad experience with Miss
Ackers, but amongst others she tried to prevent me to have my lunch in the nearest
place to the works and she expected me to have my lunch under no cover, no matter
if rain or snow would make it unbearable for me.
During my stay there, I have received from my Bank a cheque of £100 and as I was not allowed by her to go to Gloucester to cash it, she has taken the cheque and gave me, after several reminders, only £50 in instalments as she told me she wants to have full control over my private means. She went so far that she wanted me to give her details, in which way I am spending my own money. Miss Ackers still holds back £50 of mine and I beg you to use your good offices to help me get this money back by return, [last sentence underlined in the copy on file]
All these circumstances and bad treatment, induced me to give her notice, as
a man in my position who is standing financially and socially far above Miss
Ackers' could not bear any longer these inhuman, cruel and unfair treatments
and having given her to understand that I am no longer willing; to work for
her, she went to the local police and asked for assistance to force me to do
so, which assistance, however, was declined by the Police.
Sir, you will be able to judge now in the right way, why I have asked you, to use your influence for my reinterment and kindly accept my heartiest thanks for helping me to get away from the place, which was made hell to me by the unfairness of that spinster.
Kindly forward my letter to the I. & R Austro-Hungarian Government, in
order to show them how we Hungarians are treated in England while all the English
subjects in Hungary are living without any kind of restrictions either in private
or business life, and are looked upon as noble guests of the I. & R. Austro-Hungarian
Government.
I have the honour to be, Sir, awaiting the favour of your acknowledgement of
this letter,
Your obedient servant,
Steven Zichy.
Huntley Manor, now a grade 2 listed building, was designed by S.S. Teulon in the 1860s as a rectory for the Rev Daniel Capper, Anglo-Catholic Rector of Huntley 1839-1866 who had rented the Manor of Huntley from the then owner Edmund Probyn - built in a sort of French Chateau style but with some Scottish Gothic features.In 1866 Capper exchanged the house for other property of Probyn who then occupied the house.
Bought in 1884 by Benjamin St John Ackers (1839-1915) who was briefly in March-November 1885 Conservative M.P. for the surrounding constituency of West Gloucestershire and who over the next 30 years added to it with a large servants quarter(now removed) and other alterations. Left 6 daughters and one surviving son at the time of his death in 1915 (his widow also dying shortly afterwards in the same year) - the surviving but at the time unmarried son Major Charles Penrhyn Ackers(1882-1960) inherited but presumably was away at the war. His sisters, including the eldest, deaf since the age of 3 months, remaining at the manor then with some 1100ac of land plus a further 700ac of woodland. All of these sisters died unmarried - the lady involved with Zichy was the youngest daughter Catherine Victoria Isabel Ackers (1886-1962) of about the same age as Zichy.
There is a follow-up draft note on file from the Home office dated 11 April that the complaint was sent unofficially by Mr de Dardel of the Swedish Legation to the Prisoners of War Department of the Home Office in early March and a reply sent to him on the 25th - the note is a draft reply to a letter from Count Wrangel the Swedish minister at the Legation - it contains a paragrap possibly not sent as it is bracketed by two pencilled line and with several crossings out -
I am to add that there is no doubt that Miss Ackers is a good and considerate employer. Her letters to this department showed that she took a very kindly view of Count Zichy's position, and was anxious to make the circumstances of his employment as easy as possible for him. [crossed through] the Chief Constable's detailed report, from which it appears clear that several of the statements in Count Zichy's letter must have been made under some misapprehension.
In these circumstances the Secretary of State would suggest that Count Wrangel be requested not to transmit Count Zichy's letter to Vienna, as to do so could serve no useful purpose
The Chief Constable's report is not included.
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| Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The
Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019 |
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