ARISTOCRATS IN TRADE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10092, 4 March 1911, Page 1

ARISTOCRATS IN TRADE.

Titled Persons Who Seep Shops.

(London Correspondent Chicago ,■. • "Tribune.")

Though .England always has been known as a nation of shopkeepers, it is only within the last decade that English aristocrats have condescended to engage in trade. Nowadays there are so many titled shopkeepers that dowagers are no longer squeamish when an unmarried daughter tries to make a commercial success; for the things a well, born woman may do without losing caste are rapidly on the increase. ,

The most recent aristocratic acquisition to the business world of London is Lady Angela Forbes, who has just set up a floVer shop in Portman Square. Ehe calls it "My Shop," and this natty name appears over the door, and even in the; telephone directory. Lady Angela is wonderfully enterprising, and will make a success of her floral undertaking: She has used, however, a ready made precedent for the same fit-out was owned by another smart Lower Grosvenor Place, Mrs Wellesleyj a relative of the Duke of Wellington. Furthermore, one may see in Mount Street a flower shop known as "Good's,'' the stock of which is said to come from the gardens of a certain widowed countess. LORD KEEPS A DAIRY FARM. At Terlirig Place, Essex, Lord Rayleigh goes in for dairy farming, and in the Park, instead of deer, may be seen choice herds of cows in the pink of condition. This fine country seat comprises about 5000 acres or arable and grass land. This area is divided into ten separate farms, each under a separate steward, and all giving employment to about 300 men. Altogether,* Lord Rayleigh, who is perhaps the' largest dairy, farmer in the kingdom, has a licrd ot 1500 cows whose milk is carried to London by special, trains morning after* morning, and distributed through the shops which he owns in various parts of the metropolis. ' With a view of encouring' his workmen to take a greater interest in the cultivation of the soil and at tho same time improve their lot in life, Lord Rayleigh has instituted a system under which every man who has worked continuously on the estate for a year is entitled to receive a bonus in supplement of his wages. As a further incentive to thrift among his workmen, Lord Rayleigh has given them the option of investing their bonuses in the farms instead of depositing them in the bank, the terms, whioh are generous in tho extreme, being that loss, if any, shall be borne by the estate, and that the men shall get a minimum return of 4 per cent for their money instead of the 2J per cent offered by the Government. DUCHESS SELLS MILK. AND BUTTER. , The Duohess of Abercorn has a creamery near her Irish home at Baronsccurt. County Tyrone, which supplies Belfast and some of the big liners with dairy produce. Among the smart women who have made a marked success in matters commercial, perhaps the most picturesque is Mrs Jack Cumming, a cousin of Sir Andrew de la Rue, and a member of that highly-respected semi-French family which gained riches and honours by a monopoly in the manufacture of playing cards. Besides being gifted with wit, beauty and taste, she has an unusual power for organisation; while in business she managed to anticipate the fashions' at all the smart race meetings, and her electric brougham was one of the first to be seen in London. For •■ a time she tried the millinery game in Dover Street, and was known as "Machinka," the Russian form of her own name, Mary. Later she set up an old curiosity shop called " Lares and Pdnates," which is in the hands of Lady Auckland. When trade fell flat; Mrs Cumming started as a mimic and '■ diseuse," took lessons in Paris, and performed under the name of Mary Venant, which is, of course, a play on her own name, Mary Cumming. MANY TITLED MODISTES. It has suited many titled women to become modistes or milliners. If I mistake not, the, late Lady Granville Gordon was the pioneer. Many years ago she started a hat shop in Park Street. " Lierre" was the name she took, which of course means ivy, and is the badge of the Huntly Gordons. Later on, Mrs Maxwell Heron, wife of an important Scotch laird, joined the once worldfamous firm of Elise in Regent Street, and called herself "Madame Rita." Then Lady Rachel Byng, known as "Levana," had a milliner's shop in the same district; she also sold artistic needlework and dainty trifles. Lady Rachel is a daughter of one of the clergymen peers, Lord Stafford, a man of old and high position. Mrs Bertie Dormer, a cousin of Lord Dormer, traded under the name of " Olivette." The Hon Lady HerveyBathurst as the Hon Moira O'Brien had a shot at millinery as soon as she left the schoolroom; she used to trim hats for her girl friends, and finally decided to set tip a shop in Sloane Street, so she started in trade with a big'"Moira" over the door, and now in recent years she has been owner of a hat shop north of Hyde Park under the name of " Sarta." Of the aristocrats who have become modistes, Lady DuflyGordon is undoubtedly the best known. Some years ago, under the name of Lucile, she started a dressmaker's shop in Hanover' Square, and, having consummate taste joined to energy and enterprise, the venture has been crowned with success.

• KEEPS, SERVANTS' REGISTRY. One of the unmarried daughters of the late Lord Frederick Ker keeps a registry for servants in Eaton Square, a.:nd makes a success of the undertaking. Lady Essex is said to ho interest-

Ed in a laundry near London. In fact, one might go on indefinitely naming the aristocrats who are and who have been in trade.

How does it happen that so many aristoorats, because of their need for cash, have put their pride in their pockets 'and descended to the vocations of common people? The point is, there was no sacrifice of pride. Aristoorats, since aristcrats began to be aristocrats, have always been traders. In feudal days the Lord of the Manor traded the use of his land and its produce. Later came the age of finance. Finally, the keen competition of the present day has forced many well-born people to shopkeeping; they can't all dabble in finance. Besides, since the one price system has become universal, trade has become respeptable. Moreover, in these democratic days kings and queens are often in business. The widowed ex-Queen of Portugal kept a drug store, registered in her own name, in Lisbon. This, however, was conducted solely in the interests of charity, so that when the ex-Queen, made up prescriptions herself, she feared no criticism. KINGS AND QUEENS IN TRADE. Queen Carmen Sylva ha 3 hitherto been the only journalist among the crowned heads of Europe; but of late years sho has established a book shop in Bucharest. And in Paris there is an emporium which was opened by a queen—the ex-Queen Marie of Sicily. This is a lace shop in the Rue St Roch, where . nothing is sold but Calabrian lace. The German Emperor is the proprietor of a porcelain factory at Cadinen, and, as may be guessed, does not delegate his duties to others. Also he is a model employer, gives his men cottages and pensions, and a share in the profits, which have been estimated at £IOOO a year.

The Emperor of Austria owns a china factory in Vienna, which is one of the most famous in the world, and employs over 1000 skilled workmen. The King of Saxony has a similar business on a smaller but report says that trade flourishes. The King of Wurteihberg is the proprietor of \,wo hotels in his kingdom/ and they add a clear £I.OOO a year to the royal revenue. The reigning Prinoe of LippeDetmold deals in butter and eggs, and a well-managed brick factory increases his income.

King Peter of Servia is perhaps the most unconventional of all, as he runs a barber shop, owns a patent medicine, and conducts a motor-car agency in his own capital.