DEATH OF MRS. LANSBURY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 104, 5 May 1933, Page 11

DEATH OF MRS. LANSBURY

(From "Tha Post's" Representative.) LONDON, March 31. Mrs. Lansbury, wife of Mr. George Lausbury, M.P., the leader of the Opposition, died on March 23 at her homo at Bow from au attack of' bronchitis which had affected the heart. The news was received with sympathy in all parts of the House^ of Commons. During her niarried life,' which extended to .nearly 53 years, Mrs; Lansbilry was consistently devoted to the various causes which her husbapd championed. She met her future husband at school. Their early married life was a Htory of hardships. Mr. Lansbury was in partnership with his brother in Whitechapel unloading coal. Afterwards for a short time he managed a coffee-stall, and then, after selling their wedding presents, they sailed for Brisbane, taking with them their three , little children. "'We-had a hard life i 'down under,' " wrbte Mr. Lansbury, "and eventually got back to England j again a rather sad and disillusioned i pair. Our house in Bow was a four- : roomed cottage. Our family ran up to ;

wages were'3os a week. How my wife managed to feed and clothe us all 1 don't know, except that she worked early and late at her job.- We walked tlio streets of London by night, talking and dreaming togcthci of a future in which the world of man would be a world of beauty, love, and joy. Many of our dreams have come true. Bessie hrw been all round the world with me —to Russia, America, and Australia. She has been a real pal.'' Mr. and Mrs. Lan&bury had four sons and ei^ht daughters, and he wrote in hiss book: "Our family has been a big one. Fuv a time we brought up my two young brothers and later had tho charge of three grandchildren, f so our, total ran up to 17 in all." The church in Bow Road, where Mrs. Lansbury worshipped; was crowdbd for the funeral service. Instead of the customary "Dead March," tho organist played Mendelssohn's "Wedding March." One huge and beautiful wreath of daffodils bore a card headed "10 Downing Street," and was. inscribed J. Ramsay Mac Donald, '-'in remembrance of old days." ; Among tho ! messages of sympathy received by Mr. Lansbury and his family was one from 'Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. for Manukau, on behalf of the Parliament and people of New Zealand. On their behalf also Mr. Jordan sent a beautiful wreath.