GIFT TO CHURCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 8

GIFT TO CHURCH

UNSOLVED MYSTERY SILVER CANDELABRUM LORD BLEDISLOE'S PURCHASE (.from Otra OWN CORRESPONDENT] LONDON, March 23 The mystery of the silver candelabrum which was presented by Viscount Bledisloe to the City church of St. Lawrence Jewry, and subsequently claimed by Lord Kilbracken, is still unsolved —and likely to remain so, says the Sunday Times. The story is an interesting one. St. Lawrence Jewry-next-Guildhall is re . garded as the official church of New Zealand in London. Its rector, the Rev. A. Lombardini, is chaplain of the New Zealand Society in London. Lord Bledisloe, who was a very popular Governor-General of New Zealand from 1930 to 1936, attended the New Zealand service there last year and informed the rector of his desire to present a piece of plate to the church to cement the bond of friendship between it and the Dominion. When this desirei became known Lord Bledisloe was approached by a Lon'don ■ silversmith, who showed him the candelabrum, which he had purchased at a sale in the city. Its inscription showed that it had been presented by the Dominion Government to John Robert Godley. the founder of Canterbury, New Zealand, and the first Agent-General of the Dominion in London. In the three lower panels were the arms of Mr. Godley, those of the province of Canterbury, and an inscription setting out the occasion of the gift. Lord Xilbracken's Protest As it seemed appropriate for the purpose, , Lord Bledisloe purchased it, added his own arms and those of the City of London, another inscription recording its gift by him on behalf of the Dominion and- presented it to the church. The sequel was the publication of » letter from the present Lord Kilbracken, Mr. Godley's grandson, asking if Lord Bledisloe cpuld help in clearing up the mystery of the reappearance of the candelabrum. , Lord Kilbracken pointed out that the announcement might give the impression that the candelabrum had "been sold by some member of the family in flagrant disregard of sentimental considerations," and added: —

"My grandfather died in ISGI and the candelabrum was carefully preserved by my grandmother till her own dfjtfth in 1907. It was then transferred to the?'possession of my father, who was never even approximately in the position of having to sell his personal effects, and who, I am convinced, would never nave sold this one in any circumstances Nevertheless, on my father's death in ia32 it was mysteriously missiifg." „ " With Mask and Jemmy " Lord Bledisloe's reply from Nyasaland (where he was at the time on an official mission) gave the facts of the purchase as set out abore, and added:— "As so many old families find it necessary nowadays to dispose of their family plate, i naturally assumed that the descendant or legates oit the original presented had done so in thin case. In the circumstances I am requesting the rector by cablegram to send the candelabrum to Lord Kilbracken, while promising to supply another piece of plate • in substitution for it." ' In a further letter Lord Kilbracken said he "learned with relief, but without; surprise, that Lord Bledisloe did not assume the mask and jemmy and feloniously enter my father's house either by violence or hy stealth. He is not at all that'sort of man, and I never suggested that he was. The explanation given by him is what I expected, and there can be little doubt that this object, t/as at some time stolen from my father and secretly dis posed of." ■ / ■ Joint Gift Arranged V Lord Kilbracken pointed out that he felt bound to put himself and his family right with the New Zealand public, and added: — / "Though I would certainly be ?lad to have the candelabrum back for use in the Irish home foi which it was originally intended. I hope (.lie rector will consent to keep it in told storage for us until Lord Bledisloe's return, and that an arrangement may then be made by which it is regarded as a joint gift from Lord Bledisloe and myself to this beautiful and historic church."

That, in fact, is what has happened. Lord Bledisloe has been at home for some time, and the Sunday Times is informed that with the approval of both peers the candelabrum is to remain in possession of tTie church, to be preserved for the interest of all visitor! from New Zealand. • Police Inquiries Fail But the historv of the candelabrum between 1932 and 1938 is still a mystery. It had previously been to the Government of New Zc&land, but owing to lack of funds for luch a pur: pose the purchase was not made., W hen Lord Bledisloe heard of Lord Kilbracken's protest h§ wrote from South Africa tp Sir Philip Game, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, asking tor the whole matter to be investigated. The most the police were able to find out was that the silversmith who sold the canddabrum to Lord Bledisloe purchased it from a perfectly reputable firm in the city. Unfortunately the head of that firm, apparently the only one who had knowledge of the manner in which the candelabrum came into their possessioH, had died, and there was no book record in regard to the transaction. There was, however, no reason to believe that the method of its acquisition by them was in any way open to suspicion. Beyond that the most stringent inquiries have revealed nothing.