OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 9

OBITUARY.

DOWAGER LADY COWDRAY. NUMEROUS BENEFACTIONS. LONDON, April 15. The death has occurred of .Annie, Dowager Viscountess Cowdray. In the last. New Year honours she was created a Damo Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of her numerous benefactions, particularly in connection with hospitals and the nursing profession.

Annie. Dowager Viscountess Cowdray, was a daughter <>f Sir John ('ass, of Bradford. In 1381 she married Wcetman Pearson, head of the engineering firm of S. Pearson and Son. This (inn under his direction developed rapidly and undertook some of the. biggest bridge-building and other constructional contracts in the world. Pearson was made Baron Cowdray in 1910 and a Viscount in 1916. Ho had a. Scottish seat at DiniQcht in Aberdeenshire. Lord Cowdray, who was a great philanthropist, died in May, 19.27, his funeral taking place on the very day op which lie and Lady Cowdray were to have received the. freedom of Aberdeen for their many local benefactions. In the speech which lie had prepared, Lord Cowdray referred (o his happiness Jn a " wellmated wife beyond all praise or price." In Oelober the Viscountess was presented with llu> caskets containing tin l burgess tickets admitting to the freedom of tho city of Aberdeen and signed the roll on behalf of her late husband as well as for herself. She. also handed over the Cowdray Hall to the eily and university. In .June, 1927, Lady Cowdray was elected High Steward of Colchester in succession to the late Lord Cowdray, being the first woman to hold such a post. In 1928 she took a course to which the heavy taxation following the war had already driven many other owners of large estates —that, of turning the estate into a limited company. Not only did such a step tend to more businesslike, running of the properly, but it also avoided (some of the crippling charges which otherwise would have fallen on it at the death of an owner.

Thc Covdrav estates in Scotland, which cover ah >u|, 30,000 acres, arc in Kincardine, hire as well as .Aberdeenshire. The coinpn >y formed was registered as Duneeht Est ites. Limited, with a capital of between .'.600.000 and £700,000. The Dowager \ isc >untess was made managingdirector anoj there were two other directors. was announced thai, the object was t<,' entralise the management and that, u the expenditure on maintenance nn'.l iniprovctrients had been very high, it. v necessary in view of modern fendenc' and methods to adopt the company ayiv ;m.