Parte 37 - Letter from Brighton requesting autograph for an Autograph Tea-Cloth, 30 August 1923

SUMMARY:
A correspondent from Calgary, 38 Ellwood Road, Brighton, requests an autograph for a new Autograph Tea-Cloth, describing a previous cloth—signed by Haig, French, Foch, Jellicoe, Beatty, and Sturdee—that was repeatedly sold for war charities and then stolen. They mention Scotland Yard’s efforts, an auction at the Royal York Hotel, Brighton for the R. Sussex County Hospital, and new signatures including the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lady Eliza Bowes-Lyon.

CONTENT:
Calgary 38 Ellwood Road
Brighton. 30/8/23.

Slip sent
you. I
was glad to get it.

Dear Madam,

Pray pardon me, an utter Stranger, thus addressing
you, but I was looking at several pictures of your lovely
in "the Sketch" & the description under them so
attracted me I felt bound to write and ask you
the following favour- that of your autograph for
my wonderful "Tea-Cloth" May I explain?

About 22 years ago I began to make an Autograph
Tea-Cloth - & such is over the Water" 18 inches by
be signed by such men as Haig - French -
Foch - Jellicoe - Beatty & Sturdee - It was then
filmed! Then sold - auctioned & raffled, 5 times
in aid of War Charities - Last November - having
had it returned to me each time I gave it to Mr.
Harry Preston, Royal York Hotel - Brighton - to be auctioned
in aid of the R. Sussex County Hospital - at his
Great Yearly Boxing Tournament. During the evening
my Cloth was stolen - Scotland Yard did all in
their power to recover it, and a big reward was
still is, offered. but of no avail - Not to be
beaten I started another; the Archbishop of Can-
terbury signed first, consecrating it for its good
work! he wrote - Then Lady Eliza Bowes-Lyon
signed next, 10 days before her marriage -
And so on - the wonderful names are coming