DLA123-0809  Transcription

10, UPPER BERKELEY STREET,

W.1.

[Stamped date: 31 JUL 1956]

30th July, 1956.

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your letter of the 26th July returning the memoranda about Manzanares.

I saw Nigs Willingdon^[1] on Saturday at the White City Pony Show and he was very anxious to tell me the following story:-

It seems that he inherited from Austin Chamberlain^[2] (I did not inquire how) a portrait by Father of a certain Mehan Mahomet [sic] Khan [1833] – Malerkutla [sic] State Forces. This portrait was painted by Father for Sir Austin Chamberlain in 1916 when Chamberlain was Secretary of State for India. The picture is entitled “The First Indian V.C.” and he is wearing the V.C. in the picture – During the recent V.C. Exhibition in London Nigs made enquiries about Mr. Khan and finds that he is not a V.C.

Nigs wondered whether we had any information which would throw light on this strange story.

I told him that there probably would be correspondence about the picture but that it would be a fabulous task to dig it out.

I thought you would be interested in so strange an incident.

[PDL.?] [signed]

P. de Laszlo Esq.,

Marconi House,

Strand, W.C.2.

HJ

07/02/2022