RUSSIA IN LONDON

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1929, Page 3

RUSSIA IN LONDON

. ARISTOCRATS) IN BUSINESS. Most. Londoners would, probably be surprised to hear that there is a large colony of Russians permanently settled down in their midst, writes George Popoff in the “London Sunday Times. ” Some might even express alarm at the presence of so many members of that turbulent race. But their fears would be groundless’; for these Russians are harmless emigrants who merely prefer living in England to living in Soviet Russia. But all might ask with great reason: Where are they? And what are they doing? The fact that one so rarely notices them or hears about them is not difficult to explain. First, London is vast, and our Russians are scattered over ..wide areas, and are not localised as are the French and Italians in Soho; secondly, they are not specialised in one calling, but are engaged in a great variety of occupations; and thirdly, there is very little in their appearance or behaviour to distinguish them from Englishmen. One cannot help comparing the Russian colony in London with that in Parjs oi’ Berlin. The difference is immense. The London colony is much smaller, but one might alpiost say more select. London seems to have attracted the more “respectable” type of Russian —and most of them also are working in professions no less “respectable”'—to use a word which all English people hate to say, but constantly think of. - i In London there is far less chance than there is in Paris or Berlin of one’s taxi driver being at least a Russian general, if not. a prince, or of a too distinguished-looking teashop waitress turning out to be Countess So-and-So. For while in Paris or Berlin there are literally hundreds of Russians driving taxi-cabs, their Russian colleagues in London number exactly eight. Although we have in Kensington a Russian admiral who runs an excellent tea-room, there is a remarkable absence in London of that swarm of Russian restaurants, cabarets, and tea-rooms which has settled down on Paris and Berlin, where one may linger all night over bottles of champagne listening to the nostalgic songs of “Mother Russia,”/ more intoxicating in their melodious yearning than the wine itself. Absent also are the musicians and performers, who as likely as not are ex-officers or ladies of the best families. . : ; ■. ■ .

THE “ROYALTI/ES.” Let us take a glance first at the Russian element in English society, be-ginning-with the “Royalties”—that is, the relatives of the late Tsar Nicholas 11. of Russia who now reside in England. First of all, there is the Grand Duchess Xenja. Alexahdrovna, sister of

the late Tsar and cousin of the King of England. She lives at Windsor, at Frogmore Cottage, which the King has placed at her disposal. She has a son, Prince Vassili of Russia, and both live a retired life. Then there is Prince George of Russia, son of the poet-Grand Duke Konstantin. He is a young man, and is frequently seen at different social, functions and dances. He is one of the aristocrats who have gone into business, and is to be found during the daytime presiding over a smart West-End interior* decorating shop. One may also mention the Grand Duke Dmitri, although he spends bhly a portion of the year in London. He married an English girl, Miss Emery , and has a son who . was born in England. On the occasion of her marriage, Miss Emery received from the Grand Dulce' Cyril—the head of the family of Romanoff—the title Princess Ilvinsky.

The late Grand Duke Michael Mihailovitch, an uncle of the late Tsar, lived for over thirty years in England, and was considered as the head of the Russian nobility here. He married the Countess Torby, and: his son, Count Michael Torby, is Still living in London, and is a painter by profession. An exhibition of his pictures was recently held in Bond Street. The Grand Duke also left two daughters, one of whom is now Lady Milford Haven.--The other is Lady Zia Wernher, also a popular Society beauty, and .both are well known for their services to the cause of charity.

Now let us turn to- the Russian ladies of the aristocracy who have married prominent Englishmen. First of all,, of course, must be mentioned London’s Lady Mayoress, Lady Studd, who was Princess Lieven, and is a daughter of the Grand Maitre de Ceremonies of the Tsar. Though her kindness and hospitality to Russians in London she has earned the affection of the whole colony. Then there is Lady Deterding, wife of Sir Henry Deterding (who is of Dutch origin). She was before her marriage Lydia Kandayaroff, and is the daughter of a Russian General. The great Russian dander, Tamara Karsavina, is married to Mr Henry Bruce, ex-diplomat and formerly British Delegate in Bulgaria. Another famous Russian ballet dancer, Lydia Lopokova, who is particularly popular in England, is the wife of Mr Maynard Keynes, the Cambridge economist. DRESSMAKERS AND BANKERS. Several very distinguished Russian ladies have shown enterprise in opening dressmaking businesses, in London. Princess Soumbatiff has an elegant fashion shop in Brompton Arcade. Her husband, incidentally, is the leader ..of the Caucasian nobility, and was for a short, time Georgian Envoy in London. Princess Putyatin runs a mil*

.■■■'< ■ ' . t linery shop in. the West End, and Princess Marie Galitzihe, has another establishment in Baker Street. Mme. de Gqgel, sister-in-law of the ex-Rus-. sian Charge d’Affaires in. London, Mr Eugene Sablin, is also, manageress of a successful dressmaking business;But the ladies are not the only ones who have gone into business. Prince George of Dussia/as was mentioned before, has taken up decorating work. Prince Vladimir Galitzine runs an elegant - antique shop in Berkeley Street. Not far off, in the same street, one may find Prince Troubetzkov, who helps his wife to manage yet another fashion simp.

Among the Russians who work in. the City is Mr Bark, ex-Finance Minister of the Russian. Government, and now managing-director of the AngloInternational Bank. He is a wellknown financial expert, and from time to time is received by the King. Qther Russian "City men” are Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky and Count Kleinmicliel, who are both employed in banks.

There are two Russian's who hold important positions in the intellectual world in London.,, One is Prince Mirsky, of London University, who has achieved fame as a literary critic and writer, and, incidentally, is a master, of English style The other is Baron Meyendorff, of the, London School of Economics, who was of the old Russian Parliament, and is an expert on the economic and political problems of Eastern Europe. The Bolsevik revolution has, of course, put an end to the brilliant entertainments and receptions for which the old Russian Embassy used to be famous, and which used to bring together all the prominent members of the pre-war Russian colony. But one of the ,old Tsarist diplomats, Mr Sablin, whom-we have already, mentioned, has remained, and has kept his'house in Kensington as a kind of centre for the Russian emigrants of London. Both he and his wife are well known to most of his compatriots , in the metropolis, who naturally appreciate his enterprise, which is directed towards fostering social intercourse among the emigrants. . His house is known to them as the “Russki Dorn,” or Russian House; for there are to be seen, carefully and affectionately . preserved, various relics of the old Embassy which have been removed from Chesham Place since the Soyiets came into power. The Imperial hag which once fluttered proudly above old Embassy building now hangs—a cherished symbol of the fatherlapd—on the stairs of the ‘‘Russki Dom. The portraits of the Tsars which (used to adorn the ambassadorial halls ;now look ' out, ■ ..f,r.Qm their .fine •frames oh to new and • unfamliar scenes.. Even the official / brass plate which was fixed outside the old Embassy , is loyallypreserved.