Documents

Lot 4669    Session 14 (4.30pm Thursday)    Documents

Estimate $1,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,600

QUEEN MOTHER, personal letters as a young woman, includes a number of letters from Elizabeth and her family members to an Australian, Mr Rupert Dent, during the period from 1918 through to 1932, includes letters signed by (the young future Queen and later Queen Mother) with signatures Elizabeth Lyon (5), Elizabeth Bowes Lyon (1) and Elizabeth (1); (her mother) with signatures Cecilia Strathmore (7), C.Strathmore (3), Strathmore (1); (her older sister) with signature Rose Leveson Gower (2); (organiser of hospitality while recuperating from war wound) Celia Macdonald of the Isles on behalf of Lady Harrowby (1); advice from the Private Secretary of Duchess of York (one of Elizabeth's titles) ex Federal Govt House, Melbourne (1927 prior to the opening of Parliament House at Canberra); also a Christmas card (28x22.5cm) in envelope postmarked for 1926, depicts colour photo of Glamis Castle (one of the Strathmore family homes) on Christmas Eve and inside a one page personal letter signed by Elizabeth and on the adjacent side with Xmas wishes it is signed personally by Elizabeth and Albert; also included are copies of newspapers and a cracked, coloured card, possibly a cover from a notebook; some relevant details of these personal letters are outlined below. Foxing on some documents but an interesting insight into the life of the Queen Mother as a young woman and her family, overall very fine and a rare collection. (lot)

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother was born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon on 4 August 1900, the youngest daughter of a family of ten children. Her mother was Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck (later Cecilia Strathmore) and her father was Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis. Elizabeth became Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon when her father inherited the Scottish Earldom of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1904. After twice refusing the proposal of Prince Albert, Duke of York, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary, the strikingly beautiful Elizabeth accepted on the third occasion and in 1923 she married Albert in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey. On her way into the Abbey she laid her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in tribute to her brother Fergus, an officer in the Black Watch Regiment who was killed in action at the Battle of Loos in 1915. This became a tradition that has been continued by royal brides, albeit now the bouquet is laid after the wedding ceremony rather than before.

Elizabeth had two daughters, Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Margaret (later Princess Margaret). In 1936 her husband became King George VI when his brother Edward VIII abdicated and she became Queen Consort. An older sister was Lady Rose Constance Bowes-Lyon (later Countess Granville). She married the Honourable William Leveson-Gower in 1916 and was godmother to Princess Margaret (younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II) on 3 October 1930.

Rupert Octavius Dent, a former student at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and a member of the Senior Cadets, was part of a family business called Dent & Perry, Auctioneers and Commission Agents, which operated from premises at 151 Sussex Street, Sydney and conducted daily hay, chaff and produce sales at Redfern. In December 1916 he qualified at Duntroon for appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant.

During WWI Lt Dent, 53rd Battalion, AIF, now 29 years old, was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to the right shoulder while fighting at the Battle of Peronne on the Somme. He was returned to England for treatment at Wandsworth Hospital and recuperation and while there was invited to be a guest at Glamis Castle. This was under a convalescent scheme for recovering Australian and other Dominion soldiers that was in part conducted by Lady Harrowby and her daughter Lady Frances Ryder as well as Celia Macdonald of the Isles. These were the people responsible for Rupert Dent's stay at Glamis Castle which was converted into a convalescent home that Elizabeth helped to run. Rupert was nursed back to health by Elizabeth. He said he was the only officer there at the time and was treated like one of the family.

A few years after Rupert returned to Australia he married. Not long after a baby daughter was born and not surprisingly, she was named Elizabeth. She would later serve in the AAMWS and the AIF in World War II. Rupert also served on home duties as a Captain with HQ Eastern Command. In 1927 Elizabeth and her husband made a Royal Visit to Australia. An article on the front page of The Daily Guardian, April 8, 1927 headlines, 'Duchess Didn't Forget An Old Pal - 53rd Bn. Officer Who Was Honoured'. 'It all seemed like a dream', said Mr Rupert Dent yesterday, 'when I got a wire asking me to attend Government House with my wife as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York wanted to see me.' He said he was a bit nervous at first because of her new status however soon they were talking about old times. 'Then she and the wife started talking babies. After that I never got a word in. I feel very proud about it all, and it just goes to show that true friendship stands the test of time, despite rank.'

The following extracts are an indication of the friendship that developed between Rupert Dent and the people from the English nobility that he met while in England during World War I, particularly Elizabeth who would later be the Queen Consort of England, Empress Consort of India and then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Undated (c1918) - from Elizabeth Lyon, St James Square - jokingly writes, 'there is no need really for me to write this, except that I want to see if I can write your lengthy address on the envelope neatly.'

1.11.1918 - from Elizabeth Lyon, Glamis Castle - enclosing a ration book and also sadness and annoyance at missing his departure and delight reminiscing about his visit and a hope that 'your heart will soon be quite recovered'.

9.12.1918 - from Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, St James Square - waiting for her brother who is a POW in Germany - hasn't seen him for 2 « years - jovial remarks reminiscing about their meeting and discussions on ear sizes and other traits to assess a persons character. (Elizabeth's brother Michael was reported missing in action on 28 April 1917 and later reported as a POW).

28.10.19 - from Elizabeth Lyon, Glamis Castle - writes, 'I am now a confirmed Liar, you will be pleased to hear and lose no opportunity to tell an untruth.' She also mentions her excitement of driving the Wolseley now instead of the horses and reveals a number of near-accidents. Also states how well she is, 'simply full of beans'. She finishes the letter, 'With thousands of good wishes for Xmas, and the best of luck for 1920.'

5.1.1920 - from Elizabeth Lyon, St Paul's Walden Bury, Welwyn - replying to Rupert's letter re drought in Australia - she recollects on an evening at Glamis with him - states the family has sold one house in London and looking for another and she is miserable and that her mother has started a chicken farm. Also states that she often goes shooting with her brothers. She further writes, 'You say will I go round and round the point if you ever come back to Scotland? - from what I can recollect it was you who respised to come to the point! Isn't that true? Do you wander round it with everybody you meet? Somehow, I shouldn't think you do, but one never can tell!'

29.11.1920 - from Elizabeth Lyon, St Paul's Walden Bury, Welwyn - writes to express her excitement and happiness and the fact that all her family are thrilled to hear of Rupert's engagement and she intends to send a wedding present. 'I wish you both every possible happiness Mr Dent, and all the most perfect things in life - it's all delicious.'

23.12.1926 - from Elizabeth and Albert, Glamis Castle - personal Xmas card with a message which in part reads, 'The Lyon family seems to be flourishing at the moment, and my sister Rosie sends her best wishes. Yours very sincerely. Elizabeth' and the card is signed by Elizabeth and Albert.

29.12.1928 - from 145 Piccadilly (the London house where the future Queen Elizabeth II spent her early years) - letter of best wishes for the year, belatedly because of her being upset due to the King's illness (this was King George V, her father-in-law). Elizabeth expresses her interest in the cricket and relays news of her immediate family. She expresses her desire to return to Australia, 'it's a great country and we love it.'

There are several other letters from Elizabeth's mother Cecilia Strathmore and her sister Rose. Among the things her mother writes about are recollections of Rupert's visit, her daughter's visit to Australia and Rupert's daughter, Elizabeth. Rose Leveson-Gower in her letters in relation to the visit of Albert and Elizabeth to Australia states, 'I shall hear all about you and Mrs Dent when my sister returns. We have so often talked about you. I would like to see your little family and I hope to see the photograph of them when my sister Elizabeth gets it. I think you must all have given her a wonderful time and made her really welcome! I wish she could have taken her baby with her, to show you - She is with my mother at the moment - and is the most adorable smiling baby you ever saw. The other grandparents (King George V and Queen Mary) love her as much as we do - and I hear the King never allows any engagement to interfere with his time with her, when he comes down from 5.20 to six!'