“OUR LADY IS DEAD.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 November 1925, Page 7

“OUR LADY IS DEAD.”

BREAKING THE SAD NEWS. MANY PATHETIC SCENES. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Nov. 21. There were pathetic .scenes u,t Marlborough House, where callers arrived to await the bulletin , regarding the Queen Mother’s condition. Many were elderly women who knew Queen Alexandra intimately, 'they stood, tears streaming down their faces. Among the callers of note were those who had added to the glory of the Eidwarclian era in the realm of politics, drama, art and literature. , :

When the afternoon deepened into twilight a great crowd of distinguished people waited in expectation' of a bulletin at 6.30, Instead, an hour earlier an official came from the House in tears and announced: “Our lady is dead.’’ He was succeeded by another with a White Paper, from which he read in a broken voice the official anno unceanent of the death. After several hours spent in coma, at one o’clock Queen Alexandra had rallied and smiled in recognition of those about her, but immediately She relapsed into unconsciousness, in which she died. _ , .

The King, on arriving at Sandringham House, was bowed of figure and pale of face. His eyes were heavy with grief. He paused and spoke consolingly with the gardeners sweeping the park walks, and, later with the Queen and the Royal family. He attended a simple and touching service in .the death chamber. Later the servants and tenants were invited to view the body, which lies on a bed covered with a pale pink crepe de chine coverlet, on which are a few bunches of flowers. The late Queen’s hands are crossed on her breast, holding a crucifix. Her body will immediately be placet] in the innermost shell of three, which the foreman, carpenter of Sandringham House is constructing of wood grown oil the, estate. The second will be leaden, and the outermost oaken. It is expected that a sarcophagus enshrining King Edward and Queen Alexandra- will eventually bo erected at Windsor. Tho Prince of Wales and the Duke of York reached the dimly lighted railway station sixteen minutes behind schedule time'. This was perhaps the most poignant tragedy in a tragic day, as four minutes, before their arrival Queen Alexandra died. The news was telephoned to the stationmaster, who informed the grandsons on their arrival. The Princes bowed their beans, and then entered a waiting car in complete silence and drove away. The first visitor to Marlborough House to receive the news was the Japanese Ambassador, who came to inquire as to Queen Alexandra’s condition at the very moment when a telephone message from. Sandringham announced the Queen’s death. The ambassador was visibly affected. NEWS SENT BY WIRELESS. THE LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE. LONDON, Nov. 21. Though most of the evening papers in London and the provinces rushed out special editions, most residents of the British Isles learned the news of Queen Alexandra’s death by wireless, all stations at seven o’clock making the solemn announcement, after which they closed down for forty minutes. Then a hymn, a, prayer and “The Dead March” were broadcasted, the rest of the. evening’s programmes being cancelled. The news of the death spread rapidly, the newspapers hurrying out editions containing long biographical notices, sketches and photographs of Queen Alexandra in various stages of her long life. The King sent a message to the Lord Mayor: “I regret to inform you that my beloved mother, Queen Alexandra, passed away peacefully at 5.25 this afternoon.” The Lord Mayor affixed the telegram to the wall of Mansion House, where it was read in silence by thousands of passers-by. The Home Secretary (Sir \V. Joyn-son-Hicks) sent a. message to the Lord Mayor as follows:—“It is my painful duty to inform Your Lordship of the death of Queen Alexandra. I have to request Your Lordship- will give instructions for tolling the great bell in St. Paul’s.” The Lord Mayor telegraphed to the King as follows :—“O'n behalf of_ the citizens of London I beg Your Majesty to accept our profound sympathy and condolence at the death of your illustrious mother. Her Majesty has been loved deeply and reverred from her marriage sixtyltwo yeaifs ago until now. Her passing not only removes- a mu oh respected and universally popular personality, but also severs a link with the pact which is deeply deplored. The Prince of Wales, in a letter to the Lord Mayor, sa.ys : “I want to say how much the sad circumstances prevented me accepting your hospitality to-day. I fear the cancellation of the entertainment put your corporation to great inconvenience and exnen.se. However, I know you realise how unsuitable i.t would have have carried out our programme. An the result of the coneellation a, whole flood of flowers has been distributed amongst the hospita. s. Manv huncrv men and women in shelters on the Victoria embankment and Muechapel last evening enjoyed food from the cancelled banquet. The public deep-seated regard foi Queen Alexandra was revealed not onlv in the buying up of the newspaper editions, but also in the constant stream of callers at Marlborough House.