Adeline Maria Pattle

Adeline was the eldest daughter of a family of ten children. When she was nineteen, she was a fellow passenger of a rather good-looking young army officer from Scotland, Colin Mackenzie. She was sailing to England with her mother, and he was travelling there on furlough from India. During the voyage, their friendship blossomed into love, and not long after their arrival in England, they were married at St. Mary's Church, Bryanston Square.

Count Walewski, Napoleon's natural son, acted as Colin's best man. Adeline was described as being of a most affectionate and unselfish nature, "not pretty, but with fine eyes, a beautiful fair skin, and much of her mother's grace." She adored Colin, but the marriage which began so happily was not destined to continue. Four years after being married, Adeline died. After the birth of her third daughter, she had been bled and blistered by an incompetent doctor, until her powers of resistance had been fatally weakened. It was thought that a sea voyage would restore her to health, so Colin placed her and her three young daughters on a ship bound for England. It is said that at their last farewell she sat up in bed and appealed to him, "Oh, Colin, do not leave me!", as though she foresaw her death, but all her husband could say was, "It is God's will." They were never to see each other again, for Adeline died during the voyage, on the anniversary of their wedding day, and was buried at sea. She was only 24 years of age at the time of her death. The three girls aged 3, 2, & 1, were placed in the care of Colin MacKenzie's sister, Mrs King King, who was married to James King King (who was a school chum of Colin's at Oswestry and owner of Staunton Park, Herefordshire). The three girls lived with the King King's and MacKenzie relative for 7 years until Colin married Helen Douglas.

Other rumors include Colin trying to help free Napoleon from prison.

Bayanne Notes: