WIRELESS FOR HOSPITALS COLLECTING SHEET NO. 1 SIGNED BY THE ROYAL FAMILY. MARCONI AND THE MILLIONAIRESS LADY HOUSTON MARCONI (Guglielmo, 1874-1937, Wireless Pioneer), EDWARD VIII (1894-1972, King of Great Britain, Later the Duke of Windsor), GEORGE VI (1895-1952, King of Great Britain), MARY (Princess Royal, 1897-1965, Countess of Harewood) and HENRY (Prince, 1900-1972, Duke of Gloucester) ARTHUR (1850-1942, 3rd son of Queen Victoria, Field Marshal and Governor of Canada, Duke of Connaught), Lucy LADY HOUSTON (1857-1936, Benefactor, Philanthropist, Adventurer and Patriot), Lord NUFFIELD (William Morris, 1st Viscount, 1877-1963, Motor manufacturer and Philanthropist), Edward W. MEYERSTEIN(1863-1942, Jewish Merchant, Stockbroker and Philanthropist) and Montague BURTON (1885-1952, Founder of Burton's stores and Philanthropist)

Presentation binder for the Collection Sheet for the News Chronicle Wireless for Hospitals Fund signed first by the members of the Royal family, starting with Edward giving 25 guineas, his brother Albert 10, and the others giving £5 each, Lady Houston has donated 25 guineas as has Lord Nuffield whereas Marconi only gave £5, the others gave varying amounts between £5 and 25 guineas, the pages are decorated with a pattern of gilt flowers and leaves, there is a description of the project at the front and a list of the Council members at the back, the whole bound in white leather with cream watered silk endpapers and a gold tassle, 13" x 10", no place, no date, circa

Lady Houston was born the ninth of ten children and as a young woman was a professional dancer, a chorus girl named 'Poppy'. She was married three times, in her second marriage to Frederick, 9th Baron Byron she was an active suffragette and was awarded the DBE. Her third marriage was to Sir Robert Houston, a shipping magnate who left her with 5.5 million which she gave generously to many causes. Specifically she supported British aviation. In 1931, she donated £100,000 to Supermarine, allowing them to win the Schneider Trophy that year. In 1932 she offered £200,000 to strengthen the British forces but was refused. In 1933 she financed the Houston-Mount Everest Flight Expedition, in which aircraft flew over Everest for the first time. She was so upset by the Abdication Crisis in 1936 that she stopped eating and died of a heart attack on 29 December 1936.

Item Date:  1932

Stock No:  37178      £1675

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