SECRET HOARD

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1938, Page 11

SECRET HOARD

OLD LADY’S FORTUNE.

FORMER “GAIETY GIRL.”

Popular London actress of the “eighties,” and at one time the “toast of the Gaiety,” a frail, whitehaired old lady lives now in a little flat in Brixton, alone' with her memories. She is 89-year-old Mrs Sarah Brown, a well-known character in Angell road, Brixton. Everybody knows the old lady who still dresses in the fashions of 40 years ago, and who, on her occasional appearances outdoors, sits on doorsteps to rest. But few, know her story. Her daughter died years ago as a young girl. Her husband died 50 years ago. • Since then she has looked forward to the one thing which she believes will unite her with her dear ones. For years Mr s Brown has Scraped and denied herself to make sure she would lie. at last with her husband and daughter in Streatham Cemetery.

Her loyalty and fear of a pauper’s grave were revealed when the authorities sent an official to see her. He. found in her flat a small fortune —bidden in the furniture, in Vases and other places— pound and ten shilling notes, long out of date, and jewellery. The authorities took the money and made Mrs Brown an They paid a_woman to.look after the flat.

“Since the council made arrangements for her,” a tenant in the house who has known Mrs Brown many years, . told a .newspaper reporter, “all the life seems to be going out of her.

“It was a great shock to her when her daughter died, and I don’t think .’s)he /ever /got over her husband’s; death so many vears ago. “She still does her own little bit of cooking, and occasionally goes down to the shops, but she never says anything to anybody except ‘good morning.’ . She will see no one.

“She. just locks the door of her room and refuses to answer any knocks. “At one time she must have been a tall, fine woman. Now, when she goes out, she has to rest frequently. She usually chooses other people’s doorsteps, but nobody minds.”