An Album of clippings and ephemera pertaining to the Abdication of Edward VIII, the Coronation of George VI, and the Second World War.

Bookseller Notes

An absorbing documentary of turbulent times, the fact of it being largely formed of newspaper clippings available to any belying a significant detail of its provenance: the album was formed by Antoinette Brett, ne Heckscher, daughter of the German-born American capitalist August Heckscher and the wife of Oliver Brett, the 3rd Viscount Esher. Not only does her background suggest a possible additional aspect of interest to the Anglo-American union a much less happy version of her own but there is a tangible proximity to events that is represented both in her commentary, which supplements the printed gossip with that of her own circle ('Lord Wigram told O. [i.e., Oliver, her husband]', etc.), and in the presence of such ephemera as the notice to Peers of the forthcoming 'Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VIII' (with her caption: 'The Coronation that never took place'), and both the invitation (addressed to 'Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Cousin' and signed 'Norfolk' on the King's behalf) and the ticket of admission for the Viscount and his wife to attend the eventual 'Coronation of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth' at Westminster Abbey this last faced with the photographic portrait of the Eshers in their robes.Even were it simply the work of an outsider, this would be a wonderful feat of compilation, richly illustrated and with a broad survey opinion including her own but the inside perspective that enters at relevant junctures elevates it beyond everyday examples. Oliver Brett's father, Lord Esher, had been a confidant and adviser to Edward VII and retained his proximity to the royal family during the reign of George V. The fact of Churchill being referred to as 'Winston' in her captions both in the Abdication section ('Winston, fishing in troubled waters') and during the War ('Some of Winston's perorations') is more likely a token of true familiarity rather than false (see, 'Boris').The quality of the work continues into the section on the War, where her interest in poetry is manifest in the various examples gathered to accompany the accounts of reporters; she notes the entry 'at last' of America into the War and includes a typed copy of an extract from the Duke of Norfolk's account of the Sinking of the Bismarck.