DLA095-0092  Transcription

‘Presentations to Lord and Lady Apsley’, The Western Daily Press, 30 July 1924

[Photographs]

Photos Dennis Moss, Cirencester.

Top, left to right—Earl Bathurst, C.M.G.; Capt. Lord Apsley, D.S.O., M.C., M.P.; Lady Apsley, and Major F. W. B. Cripps (who presented the painting). Below—Vale of White Horse (Earl Bathurst’s) Puppy Show. Judges in the ring. Left to, right-Will Boors (huntsman), Major Jackson, (late M.F.H., Cotswold), Joe Willis (huntsman), and Ben Wilkinson (late huntsman).

In accordance with a custom which has been in vogue for generations, Lord Apsley, heir to Earl Bathurst, of Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, was presented by members of the V.W.H. (Earl Bathurst) Hunt and the inhabitants of the district with a beautiful portrait in oils, the work of Mr. de Laszlo, the eminent painter, of Lady Apsley [3534], together with a silver tea service and an illuminated album, containing the names of the 800 or so subscribers, as a wedding present. The presentation was made at a garden party in the beautiful grounds of the Park, which was attended by over 1,000 people, representative of all classes, and a large party from Southampton, for which Lord Apsley is M.P. Although the weather was most unfavourable, the function was a huge success, and Earl Bathurst distributed the prizes won by the puppy walkers, whilst music was supplied by the Band of the Gloucestershire Yeomanry.

The presentation was made by Major F. W. B. Cripps, who mentioned that the tea service was purchased in London, at the shop of a Cirencester man who had been present at the wedding festivities of the Earl and Countess Bathurst. They were all proud of Lord Apsley, and the gifts represented the good feeling and affection in which he and his parents were held and the cordiality with which they welcomed Lady Apsley to her Gloucestershire home.

Lord Apsley, in expressing his gratitude for the presentation, said the portrait was the best possible gift they could make to him. It was a beautiful picture of a beautiful subject, and would go down to history as evidence of the goodwill of the people of Cirencester and the Hunt towards Lady Apsley and himself.

Lady Apsley briefly expressed her thanks.

Earl Bathurst said that in honouring his son, of whom he was very proud, they honoured not only him (Earl Bathurst), but also his house. It was interesting that some of those who had subscribed towards the portrait had thirty years ago also subscribed to a portrait of Countess Bathurst as a wedding present. The portrait of Lady Apsley would in the course of time be placed in the gallery of Cirencester House, and it would be the tenth of a series of Lady Bathursts or Lady Apsleys to be hung in that gallery, and would represent a straight line of ten generations of the Bathurst family.

MD

11/12/2007