Royal Gifts for the Needy

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

Royal Gifts for the Needy

Little ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth, the new Heir Apparent, is perhaps the best-known and best-loved child in the world. She and her little sister, Princess Maragaret Rose, are being educated privately, and besides learning the ordinary school lessons, they are taught to sew and knit, and are very painstaking over their work.

r Jp\VO warm woollen scarves, one knitted by Princess Kli/.abeth and the other by Princess Margaret, are among the annual collection of clothing and household linen which will be distributed during the winter by Queen Mary's London Needlework Guild. Princess Kli/.abeth is becoming an expert knitter, and each year the scarves she knits for her grandmother's special collection for the guild show fewer dropped stitches. Six-year-old Princess Margaret, however, still appears to have difficulty with her one plain, one purl. Up to date the total number of gifts received is 68,310, an increase of over 2000 on last year's figure. Included in this total is Queen Mary's own collection of 2012 articles. She has again crocheted 12 babies' cot covers in pink, blue rind white, which will be distributed to different charities and maternity' hospitals. She has also sent a large collection of clothing.

Other Royal gifts included in Queen Mary's collection are: A large contribution of men's and boys' clothing from the Duke of \\ incisor. Ten men's cardigans knitted by the Princess Royal; Shirts from the King, and babies' jackets from Queen Kli/.abeth; P.vi ainas from the Duke of Kent, and a bundle of babies' clothing from the Duchess of Kent; Pullovers from the Duke of Gloucester. and shawls and men's socks irom the Duchess of Gloucester. The Princess Royal also sent her usual gilt of 12 maternity outfits, 12 girls' outfits, and 12 boys' outfits. Queen Mary recently spent two days at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, helping to sort the clothing, and the gilts were on view for one day to the public free of charge. Afterwards they were done up in bales and dispatched to 500 London charities.