£10,000 GIFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 5

£10,000 GIFT.

ROMANTIC STORY.

EQUIPMENT FOR PALACE.

PLATE, LINEN AND GLASS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) EDINBURGH, June 6. For the first time for hundreds of years, through the munificence of al famous Scottish millionaire, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, has become a completely equipped Royal residence, ready at any moment for immediate occupation. At a cost of £10,000 the millionaire has presented to the palace a complete equipment of silver plate, linen and glass. The gift was made anonymously, but it has now been revealed that the donor was the late Sir Alexander Grant. During the past 20 years Sir Alexander Grant, who started work 60 years ago as an assistant baker at 4/ a week, has made gifts totalling £750,000. Expensive Visits. The story behind his gift is a romantic one. Two years ago the King and Queen, then Duke and Duchess of "iork, visited Edinburgh. Sir William Thomson, who was Lord Provost of Edinburgh, mentioned to the Royal visitors that Scotland would like visits to the Palace of Holyroodhouse by members of the Royal family to be more frequent. It was pointed out to him that a Royal visit was very expensive, as complete equipment of household effects had to be brought from London. Sir William Thomson mentioned this to Sir Alexander Grant, one of his closest friends. Sir Alexander said that he would pay for a full equipment, and that the gift would be made as a King George V. jubilee memorial.

Miles of Linen. It was intended that King George and Queen Mary, who had done so much to bring the Palace of Holyroodhouse into favour as a Royal holiday place, should first use the silver plate, linen and glass. Every article contained in the gift was made in Scotland. The banqueting service of silver, which will probably be known as the Holyrood plate, consists of 4000 pieces, and weighs 1800 ounces. Its design is that of the seventeenth century—the period of the last reconstruction of the palace. The articles have been hammered out oi sheet silver. The Royal crest is [engraved by hand on all the articles. On the handles of two duaichs (drink-, injr cups) are engraved the Roval cvpher -O.R. and M.R. The linen has been made in 30 looms in Dunfermline during the past year. Tt consists of 7000 articles, from 50,000 miles of varn.