AN UNWANTED TITLE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 144, 16 December 1930, Page 15

AN UNWANTED TITLE

LADY PASSSMELD'S CHOICE

1 (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 14th November. I On several occasions lately, in official social lists, one has been interested to notice among the guests present the "Secretary of State for tho Colonies and the Lady Passfield," or "Lord and Lady Passfield," and 0110 naturally thought that Mrs. Sidney Webb had at. length decided to share her husband's title —tlie more so, indeed, as "Lord and Lady Passfield" were among the guests at a luncheon given at 10, Downing street, by the' Prime Minister and Miss MaeDonald. As (*tlie Secretary of State for the j Colonies and the Lady Passfield" their names appeared as among those who hud the hononr of being invited to Their Majesties' afternoon party at j Buckingham Palace 011 29th October. A correspondent in the "Evening Standard" remarked, under the heading "An Unwanted Title": "It looks as though Mrs. Sidney Webb will have Ito give in to the reflection of her j husband's title. I was not surprised to find that tho Court Circular desctib!ed her as 'Lady Passfield' when sho dined with tho Prince of Wales, but to-day it is reported that 'Lady Passfield' yesterday lunched with the Prime Minister. This looks moro like capitulation." Not so, however, for Lady Passfield writes to "The Daily Mail," settling the point: "In reply to your courteous inquiry whethor I wish to be called Mrs. Sidney Webb or Lady Passfield, the answer "is that I prefer to be known by my long-accustomed name—Mrs. Sidnoy Webb; and I am so called by all my friends and associates. But I huve no right to claim acquiescence from, those who have no desire, and are under no obligation, to meet my wishes. —Beatrice Webb."