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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 391, 5 November 1903, Page 7

One of the most famoua women in England, the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, has lately entered her ninetieth year. The daughter and heiress of Sir Franciß Bardett, sbe succeeded when quite young to the imm3asa wealth of Mt Thomas Coutfcs. With her noble mind she became the pioneer of the great movements which have Bines developed into hundreds of various charitable organisations, which taught tho rich aad powerful sometbiag of their duties towards the poor and needy and oppressed, and which made the name of Miss Angela Cuutts & household ward. .3. ■«

The baroness's social recoUecfctaruiii*- ' elude a far-off peii )d when there was but one American admitted to the higher . circles of London society, Her friends have beon gathered from every rank and honourablo profession, and they range from such bygone celebrities as William IV., Lord Grey, the Duke of Wellington, Ljid Palmeirstoß, and Princess Lieven down to the little Princess of Wales and three-year-old Baroness Clifton, who, as the youngest peeress in England, baa I been taken to pay her duty to the vener--1 able doyenne of the aristocracy. While her two town residences are very comfortable, they have a touch of the primness of the older generation. People could not recline in some ofthechafre, and to this day the baroness sits very upright, seldom leaning against the back of the seat, at any rate at meals. The baroness is one of the few survivors who witnessed the splendours of the costume balla at Buckingham Palace, when her. jewels, some of them originally Euaaian property, provoked the admiring notice of esrery oho from the late Qaeen and . Princess Consort downwards. Charles' Dickens was so much in sympathy with the charitable work of the Baroness » Burdett-Coutfcs that he aided her in many of her schemes. For one of the homes founded for the benefit of the poor of London he personally superintended the purchase of the land and buildings, and drew up the rules for the administration of the homes. In futtherance of the scheme he also wrote letters to many in seed of relief, as oaly.a large hearted man could write.