CULTURED WOMAN'S PLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21912, 22 September 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

CULTURED WOMAN'S PLIGHT

SLEEPING ON PUBLIC BENCH HOPING TO RECEIVE FORTUNE .An elderly woman of culture, who says she believes she is heiress to a fortune, has made her home on a publio bench at Ladbroke Grove, London. Beside her sits her faithful cook-house-keeper. They had been there for sev-, eral months, sleeping on the bench at night and scarcely stirring during the day up to the beginning of August. All their property is contained in a number of brown paper parcels which are beside them. The mistress of this strange pair is Miss Annie Sands, who is sometimes known as Miss Gray. Her cook is Miss Sim. They have been together for 20 years, and the cook remains faithful though the fortimes of Miss Sands have declined so tragically. Miss Sands speaks three languages. She is reduced to eating dry bread and little else for her meals, which she shares with her cook. When a Sunday Graphic correspondent came upon Miss Sands he found her filing her nails and trying to hide the frayed edge of the black silk coat she wore. She Btated how, not long ago, she owned two houses, and her sister Letitia three houses, not. a mile from where she then "lived." She told also of a fortune to which she believes sho is entitled.

" The story starts a good many years ago," Miss Sands said, "when I was aged about 12 and my sister Agnea was 10. We were sent to a. school near Louvain, in Belgium. Our parents were not able to accompany us, and as it was not usual for children of our age and breeding to travel alone on the Continent, an English peer agreed to take care of us.

"We travelled from St. Katherina Dock to Antwerp and the peer came with us to the convent, and took an interest in us from that moment onward. Subsequently Ssl learned I had been left a fortune in the estate of this man's sister. I have been unable to get it, and I have not the necessary money for a solicitor. I have not given up hope, though. " My most immediate concern is having no roof above my head. I don't know quite how it happened, bnt one day I was the owner of two houses and the next day I was out in the street penniless. It is all very bewildering. I don't quite know what to do about it. I have lost contact, too, with my sister Letitia." It was stated that assistance had been offered to Miss Sands but declined. Until, however, somebody took a more active interest in her case it was stated that she would continue to live and sleep out in the open, unprotected from wind and rain save by the shabby clothes she wore. And sa long as she was there Mies Sim would be by her side.