#cornbury

TreeDwellers,

Originally posted January 28, 2009 I used to shill for a stodgy uptown joint called the New-York Historical Society. (Don’t ask about the hyphen). The oldest museum in New York, its holdings include the complete set of Audubon originals, significant paintings from the Hudson River School, the desk at which Clement Clark Moore wrote “The Night Before Christmas”, and relics from…

The great Lady Gaga said, “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen.” Well history as it turns out, has declared our town’s namesake to be both. There has always been a great mystery as to whether Edward Hyde, Viscount of Cornbury, Governor of New York and New Jersey, was a transvestite, or not. We may never know that part of his-story (get it?) but what we can ascertain is that his life was an interesting one to say the least. But was the man for whom our town is named the most “detestable maggot” or just a victim of slanderous lies from political rivals?    

First of all, who was this Edward Hyde? He was born on the 28th day of November 1661 as the only child of Henry Viscount of Cornbury and Theodosia Capell. His grandfather the 1st earl of Clarendon was also the grandfather of Queen Anne, is cousin. He graduated from Oxford and with his family’s money he was able to buy a commission of Lt. Col. in the Royal Regiment of Dragoons. Like many men of his class served in Parliament for a brief time. He decided during the start of the Glorious Revolution to switch sides and instead of fighting for the Catholic King James, he supported the husband of his Aunt, William of Orange.

He was rewarded for his support of the new King with the title of Governor-in-Chief of New York (and eventually New Jersey) in 1701. Though “rewarded” may be interpreted in many ways, as it could be said that shipping people off to the colonies was a good way of getting rid of a political nuisance. Still, Cornbury brought his family to New York and got straight to work. He found the fortifications at Albany and the Port of New York to be in disrepair and endeavored to improve them. He put aside land for Trinity Church and helped to establish King’s College which would eventually be known as Columbia University. However, Cornbury lived in times of political and religious turmoil and much of the slanderous things said about him come from political enemies. Lewis Morris was perhaps his main opponent and it seems quite likely that Morris and his allies are the ones who started the cross-dressing rumors.

On February 9th, 1707, Morris wrote, “I must say something which perhaps nobody will think worth their while to tell, and that is, his dressing publicly in women’s clothes every day.” It was said that Cornbury opened the 1702 New York Assembly dressed as a woman to represent his cousin Queen Anne reportedly saying, “you are all stupid people not to see the propriety of it all, in this place and occasion I represent a woman (the Queen) and in all respects I ought to represent her as faithfully as I can.” However, it would appear that these stories came from the lips of disgruntled political enemies of the Governor.   

The rumors notwithstanding, the Morris allies managed to have Cornbury removed after petitions and lists of grievances were sent to London. It was reported that the Governor took funds that were going to rebuild fortifications to build a mansion instead. Cornbury was even arrested by New York officials for non-payment of debts, which was not uncommon among royal governors of New York at that time. All of this did little to effect Cornbury’s career overall. He returned to England where Queen Anne gave him a pension and use of a royal residence, he was eventually made a special Emissary to Hanover and served as First Lord of the Admiralty. He died in 1723 and was interred at Westminster Abbey.

Why is our town named after him? Well, Cornbury’s private secretary Peter Fauconnier was awarded a patent of land on the east side of the Hudson River which he never got around to using but the name Hyde Park was given to the patent lands. After the land passed down to Fauconnier’s daughter, she sold the lands to her son-in-law Dr. John Bard who kept the name Hyde Park.

What about the famous portrait? Recently historians have come to believe that this portrait which is in the New York Historical society, is most likely not of Cornbury but of some unknown English woman. There were jokes and documented conversations from people in the late 18th century claiming that the portrait was indeed of Lord Cornbury, but these words were spoken 70 years after his death by people who had never met him. Nevertheless, people will still be mesmerized by the idea of our former Governor being a transvestite, whether or not it is true. Just ask members of the Cornbury Society, an organization of heterosexual cross-dressers from British Columbia, who still pay homage to the notion of Lady Cornbury.