UPTON MEMORIES

Evening Star, Issue 20993, 6 January 1932, Page 4

UPTON MEMORIES

Bluff, genial Sir Thomas Lipton, planning almost on his deathbed another quest for “ that blooming old mug,” the America Cup, comes back vividly in Ids autobiography, ‘ Leaves From the Lipton Logs,’ recently published, says the ‘ San Francisco Chronicle. 1 With a wealth of anecdote, Sir Thomas, born eighty yearn ago in Glasgow, of Irish parents, traced his life from the days he cleaned shop windows and ran errands for half a crown a week to the years when ho entertained kings and courtiers as a millionaire. This story of his toils and triumphs was completed a few mouths before his death. At a royal review in Edinburgh, Sir Thomas, in the uniform of an honorary colonel, was riding past the King’s stand when his horse bucked and, “ like an Arizona rodeo performer,” he was flung loft in the air and woke up in a nursing home. King Edward insisted on Sir Thomas completing his convalescence at Balmoral Castle, and at dinner the King tapped him on the shoulder. “ And now, Lipton, I am going to bestow upon you a new honour,” he said. “ I promote you to the horse marines!” On another occasion the King said to Sir Thomas Lipton: “ Lipton, I think I shall give you an order shortly.” “ This is exceedingly kind of your Majesty,” said Sir Thomas. ‘‘ It will do me a lot of good in my business. I shall have a price list sent to your Majesty at once.” Shortly afterward, the King said: “ Here is a surprise packet for you, Lipton. Please do not open it until you return home.” The packet contained the “ order ” —the insignia making Thomas Lipton a Knight Commander of the Victorian Order. The autobiography might be used as a text book for young men in business, for it reveals the secrets of its author’s success, based on this motto: The man who on his trade relies, Must either bust or advertise. Speaking, of his efforts to win the America Cup, he declares that neither money nor time nor trouble nor disappointment marred his joy in the pursuit of it. It kept him young, eager, buoyant, hopeful.