While not directly related to this case, here is a story about the actual person who was the inspiration for the character "Little Lord Fauntleroy"...
Albert Hodgson (aka, Little Lord Fauntleroy)
Albert Hodgson was a Norfolk (Virginia) resident and the nephew of author Frances Hodgson Burnett, who wrote "Little Lord Fauntleroy."
Albert E. Hodgson (1881-1960) was born in Norfolk on Chapel Street near St. Mary's Catholic Church. His father, Herbert E. Hodgson, was from Manchester, England and owned a small jewelry store on Church Street.
On a trip to Washington, D. C. with his mother, Medora Hodgson, little Albert, only 6 years old and with long golden blond curls, visited his aunt, Frances H. Burnett, for the first time. It was there, in his fancy clothes that his mother made, and that he modeled, which give Frances Burnett the inspiration to write this beloved novel. His clothes became a symbol of upper middle class boys in America, a fad that lasted for many years.
Albert E. Hodgson passed away at the age of 78. He had been an expert on building and repairing organs in local churches and theaters in our area. However, when he died on April 3, 1960, nothing was mentioned in his obituary about him being the model and inspiration for "Little Lord Fauntleroy."
For those who never read the book, it's a sentimental children's tale about a young American boy from New York named Cedric, who is an heir to one of the British earldoms. He leaves New York to take up residence in his grandfather's ancestral castle.
The old grandfather, Earl of Dorincourt, is grumpy and reclusive. But Cedric warms the old Earl's heart and they become very close. Interestingly, the old grandfather who tries to teach the young boy how to become an aristocrat, in turn learns compassion, love and social justice from his grandson...
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Inspiration for "Little Lord Fauntleroy" was a long-tressed boy who grew up in Norfolk
