Fund Raising Concert at Welbeck Abbey
Image from a postcard posted 1913
Private collection
July 1916
By Pauline Marples
Article in the Yorkshire Post Newspaper Friday July 6th 1917
At Welbeck last night a concert was held in aid of the fund to equip the house for paralysed solders which the Duke and Duchess of Portland recently purchased in Nottingham. The function which was well attended was arranged by Mr J W Spedding, the Duke's house steward, and was the first public function held at Welbeck since the outbreak of war.
The company present included the Duke and Duchess of Portland, Lady Victoria Cavendish Bentinck, Lady Charles Bentinck, the Misses Betty and Alice Bentinck, the Marquis and Marchioness of Douro, Countess Resy, Major General F H kelly, CB., Brigadier-General Fortesque CB., Brigadier-General HH Butler, Brigadier- General H Haggard, Brigadier-General G Downing, Brigadier-General Watson CB., and officers of the 69th East Anglican Division and Clipstone Camps.
The artists included Lieut. T J McCormack (principal bass, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden), Lieut. Norman Payne (Entertainer London Coliseum), and the "Merry Duke's" Concert Party of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, under the direction of Lieut. Mallinson, which provided the second part of the programme. The orchestra of the Duke of Wellington's under Bandmaster Mott, rendered musical items before the concert and during the interval. Miss Hilda Royce (Mansfield) was the only lady vocalist. Violin solos were contributed by Musician W Hide, and cello solos by Musician Bevan. Sergt. Cunningham contributed a ventriloquial [sic] sketch, and Lce., Cpl. Green a piccolo solo.
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It doesn't take little imagination to imagine the splendour of this occasion. We are not told how much money the event raised for the Home purchased by the Duke and Duchess of Portland which is believed to be Ellerslie House on Gregory Boulevard and First Avenue,, Nottingham.
See http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/collectionsindepth/health/ellersliehousehome.aspx