Published in Windlesora 30 (2014)
© WLHG
King George III was always well-liked ~—in Windsor. Though he could be stubborn and reactionary in political matters, stories of his encounters with Windsor citizens show him at his good-natured best, as this one, appearing in The Morning Herald in September 1781, shows:
‘The King is becoming very fond of tench, and gentlemen in the neighbourhood of Windsor, send presents of that fish to the Castle. Among others, an honest farmer brought a brace in a basket, and a servant offering to take them, would give them, he said, to nobody by the King himself. Mr. Ramus, the page, hearing something of a squabble, went out, and upon understanding the cause, returned to the King, and acquainting him of it, his Majesty came out, took the tench in his own hands, which were amazingly fine, and sent Ramus to desire the Queen to come out and see them. He offered the farmer five guineas, but he would take nothing — telling the King, that if his Majesty would call on him at his farm, he would drag the pond and get some more: his Majesty took the direction, and in a fortnight went, when it being harvest, and the farmer’s people absent, the King hauled as lustily at the net as the farmer himself, and having good success a servant took the fish, and his Majesty gave ten guineas among the farmer’s children.’
Windsor Local History Group 