QUEEN MARY’S HOBBY

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 13

QUEEN MARY’S HOBBY

HUNTING FOR RARE ANTIQUES. “FINDS” IN MANY QUEER PLACES. F'or some time) intimates of Queen Mary have enjoyed her confidence respecting a discovery made early last year, which, though consisting of a dusty little shop in an unexpected thoroughfare, has come to stand for her, with its varied assortment of old china and glass, as a veritable “Aladdin’s Cave.”

Quite apart from her pleasure in the crowded shop’s many quaint and beautiful treasures, and her interest in the naive and engaging personality of the young North Countryman responsible for accumulating them, is the element of secrecy and adventure she admits to experiencing on the occasion of these visits. Not that these adventures by any means terminate with her homeward journey, for whatever she has purchased is afterwards washed and polished by herself. When she sets forth on these expeditions the Queen invariably dons an old pair of gloves, and orders are given for the Royal car to be stopped around a quiet corner near the shop, the couple of hundred yards to and from which being traversed by Her Majesty on j foot. Her purchases are sqn.t to Buckingham Palace in exactly the same condition 1 they were in when she first handled them. Of the latter no one could have been more incredulous than the young dealer himself when he became aware of the fact some months ago through the question of the old gloves specially worn by Her Majesty being brought to his notice. He was, of course, immediately profuse in his apologies when informed that the dusty condition of his -stock was responsible for the habit described (states a wrter in “The Queen.” To these expressions of regret he received a laughing Tejoinder to the effect that his smiling' sovereign did not mind in the least.

. “And,” she added, “it is always such a pleasure to me to watch the colour and lustre coming up while I am washing them.”

If these little excursions afford delight to the Queen, they are certainly only to be described as intensely thrilling experiences for the young antique dealer! His Royal patron is always at her gayest and most- light-hearted at these times, and it is seldom that something does not pass between the two that goes to portray the former as what she most assuredly is, a simple and exceedingly amiable woman, who wishes besides, for a time at least, to forget that she is a Queen. At times, indeed, the young man appears to find some difficulty in realising that he is confonted by the “first lady of the land,” and on one occasion he was gently remonstrated with by an accompanying friend for the statement, “But she hasn’t bought that one! ’’

It is Her Majesty’s habit to place articles she has selected on the few stairs of an otherwise built-in staircase in the shop, and the remark quoted was intended to prevent a piece of china being put on these stairs in error. Whereupon, he was cautioned not to let the Queen overhear him speaking of her as “she.”

The premises themselves are -old and threatened with demolition, and for some time have received a good deal of extra dust owing to demolitions and rebuilding in the vicinity. On two occasions these circumstances have provided opening for a display of the characteristics in Her Majesty to which reference has been made.

With an entire ingenuousness Her Majesty one day after being in the shop a few minutes, spoke of the" fog that appeared to be rising. Thus addressed, the proprietor felt compelled to admit that it was the griminess of his windows that had made her think so, and was then surprised to find himself being hastily rejoined not On any account to have them cleaned.

“If you do,” explained the Queen, “I expect the people in the flats opposite will be looking in the whole time I’m here and I shouldn’t like that to happen.” The second episode concerned a flake of plaster falling on Her Majesty from the ceiling, and this, following upon the antique dealer’s apologies, gave rise to the merry, inconsequential retort:

‘‘ I don’t mind so long as the roof won’t fall on me!”

•Such things have naturally completely won the heart of this dealer im antiques, and Her Majesty’s charm and graciousness are continually being made manifest to him. A striking example of her eagerness to please is furnished by her comments on a birthday present she had purchased for the Prince of Wales.

■She spoke of the pleasure it had given His Royal Highness, adding, to her hearer’s great delight, that he liked it better than any other gift received for the occasion.