DUKE AT GRAVESIDE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 1

DUKE AT GRAVESIDE.

Tribute to His Divorced Wife. MAY FITZGERALD’S FUNERAL. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received February 15, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, February 14. The Duke of Leinster attended the funeral of his ex-wife, May Fitzgerald, who died as a result of an overdose of a sleeping draught. He stood at the graveside beside her postman cousin. Grey-haired former members of the Gaiety chorus also attended. The Duke’s Wreath was inscribed “ To Gerald’s Mother.” Her son, the Marquis of Kildare’s wreath was inscribed: “ With love, Gerald.” A verdict of death by misadventuie was returned at the inquest, on Tues-

day, into the death of May Fitzgerald, forty-three years of age, formerly a Gaiety star and divorced wife of the Duke of Leinster. Her mother, in giving evidence, stated that her daughter was -worried because she never saw her son, the Marquis of Kildare, but was not depressed, and had never threatened to

commit suicide . The mother added that her daughter received an allowance from the Duke of Leinster. The newspapers recall that May Fitzgerald, who was a famous beautv, formerly known as “ The English Rose,” was secretly married to the Duke of Leinster in 1913, when in the Gaiety chorus. Differences arose between them in 1922. when he succeeded to the title, resulting in a separation, after which the Duchess, despite her allowance, sai'l she was forced to sell her jewels, and complained at not being permitted to see her son. She was found, in 1930. suffering from gas poisoning in a flat in Brixton. where she had been living with a chef, after which the Duke of Leinster was granted a divorce.