CANDELABRUM OF GODLEY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22430, 17 June 1938, Page 10

CANDELABRUM OF GODLEY

Offered To City For £25 CLUE TO LONDON MYSTERY Council’s Rejection Of Proposal A clue to the mysterious disappearance of the candelabrum given to John Robert Godley by the Canterbury Provincial Government has been provided by the Christchurch City Council. A cabled message W London, printed in “The Press yesterday, said that the candelabrum, which has been given by Viscount Bledisloe to the Church of St. Lawrence Jewry, was mysteriously missing from the home of Godley’s son when he died in 1932. and Godley s grandson. Lord Kilbracken, was hoping that the mystery would be cleared up when Lord Bledisloe returned from Rhodesia. Yesterday afternoon a letter was dispatched to Lord Kilbracken by the Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr J. S. Neville) stating that the candelabrum had been offered for sale to the Christchurch City Council last year by a London jeweller, Mr M. P. Levene. The price asked was £25, but the offer was refused. The offer was made through the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London (Mr W. J. Jordan).

An announcement of the gift by Lord Bledisloe was made on June 6. This was followed by a letter to “The Times” by Lord Kilbracken which was contained in the cabled message printed in “The Press” yesterday. Lord Kilbracken said: “The gift might suggest that a member of my family, flagrantly disregarding sentimental considerations, sold the candelabrum, which Lord Bledisloe subsequently purchased. Godley, my grandfather, died in 1861, and my grandmother carefully preserved the candelabrum until she died in 1907. It then came into the possession of my father, who was never even approximately in the position of having to sell his effects, and certainly would not have sold the candelabrum. “Nevertheless, when rny father died in 1932, the candelabrum was mysteriously" missing. While I do not suggest that Lord Bledisloe did not come into possession of it legitimately, I hope that when he returns from Rhodesia he will help to clear up the mystery.” Mr Levene’s Letter . Reading the cabled message yesterday, Dr. G. M. L. Lester, a member of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery Committee, recalled that the candelabrum had last year been offered to the City Council, and accordingly the Town Clerk has sent the following letter to Lord Kilbracken:— “For your information I may say that this candelabrum was in the hands of Mr M. P. Levene, jeweller, in London, who offered it for sale to the High Commissioner for New Zealand for £25. The'' offer was submitted to my council with a view to the purchase of the candelabrum either for the Canterbury Museum or the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, but was not accepted. The following is a copy of Mr Levene’s letter to the High Commissioner: —

“*1 have in my stock a massive and very finely wrought threelight silver candelabrum standing over 2ft high and inscribed on the base as follows: To John Robert Godley, in grateful recollection of services rendered to the Province of Canterbury in New Zealand as founder of the first settlement, the leader of its first colonists and subsequently its first agent in England of the Provincial This testimonial is presented by the Superintendent of the Province in compliance with a vote of the Provincial Council. “ ‘The other two sides of the base are engraved with crests and mottoes.

“ T do not know whether this piece has any historical interest, but as its price is based purely on its merits as a piece of silver by weight, I thought I might be permitted to draw your attention to it in case you were of the opinion that it would be of interest to some authorities in New Zealand. The weight is over 130 ounces, and the price only £25. Originally it must have cost well over £75 to make, and it struck me as being rather a pity to let it go to some private individual to whom its history might mean nothing. “ T would be very pleased to forward you a photograph or the original, if you think it is of interest to anyone here or in New Zealand,”’

This letter, with a covering one from the High Commissioner, was received by the City Council in April last year and a letter refusing the offer was sent in October.