Accession Number

2022.006.020.001

Description

A gray paper envelope, the top printed with the words "ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE" in black upper-case lettering that is underlined. At the lower left corner is printed: Earl Marshall’s Office in black upper and lower-case lettering. The envelope is addressed by hand to Lieut. Holme Sumner RN c/o Admiralty SW. The words “c/o Admiralty SW” are crossed out in red ink and corrected by hand to read H.M.S. Furious Nauplia. The envelope also bears the Earl Marshall’s stamp from Norfolk House and a postage-paid mark indistinctly dated 22 ??, 02.

Narrative

This envelope probably originally contained a printed invitation (see: 2022.006.020.002) to Lieutenant and Mrs. Berkeley Holme-Sumner to attend the Coronation of Their Majesties King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra which took place at London’s Westminster Abbey on 26 June, 1902. The envelope was addressed c/o the Admiralty and re-directed to Lieutenant Holme-Sumner while he was serving on His Majesty’s Ship Furious based in Nauplia, Greece.

This envelope is part of other ephemeral papers related to the Coronation of Their Majesties King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra and was collected to aid in the understanding and presentation of the Dunsmuir family story.

History of Use

This envelope was used by Captain Berkeley Holme-Sumner (RN) CBE OBE (1872-1943) in England until his death in 1943. It was inherited and used by his widow Margaret Joan Harvey and later by his daughter Georgiana Holme-Sumner (Mrs. Robert Dunlop Stewart) in England, and later, in Scotland by her son, who donated it to The Castle Society in 2022.

Date

1902

Dimensions

24.4 x 29 cm

Material

Paper

Country of Origin

England