ETHEL SYDNEY "COUNTESS OF KINTORE" KEITH-FALCONER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 305576

COUNTESS OF KINTORE (ETHEL SYDNEY KEITH-FALCONER)
Unable to attend a charity event, she inquires whether she should contribute fancy or useful items. Many years later, and after inheriting an earldom from her brother, she would set the record for the oldest ever member of the House of Lords.
Autograph Letter signed: "Lady Kintore", 4 pages, 8¾x7 open flat, 4½x7 closed. Green Park, Bath [England], no date. To "Dear Mrs. Innes", in full: "Thank you very much for your kind offer. I am afraid I shall not be able to attend the festivities which are to be held in Stonehaven in July. Otherwise I should gladly have availed myself of it. We shall be at North Berwich at that time where we have taken a house for the children's benefit. I hope to send you a lot of articles for the table if you are to have one. Tell me please if fancy or useful articles will be best for me to send. Perhaps being in England I shall be more likely to get pretty fancy things & let Scotland contribute the others. With our united kind regards to Mr. Innes & yourself believe me my dear Mrs. Innes very truly yours". Ethel Sydney Keith-Falconer (1874-1974) was the eldest daughter of the 9th Earl of Kintore, a Lord in Waiting to King Edward VII. In 1905, she married John Baird, who would inherit the title of Viscount Stonehaven in 1936. She accompanied Baird to Australia when he was Governor General there (1925-1928), having known the continent earlier when her father was Governor of South Australia. Upon the death of her older brother, the 10th Earl, she became the Countess of Kintore in1966. She died at the age of 100 years and one day, until then the oldest living member of the House of Lords. Her son James Ian inherited the earldom. Light folds. Lightly toned on right margin. Adhesive residue on right margin (verso). Otherwise, fine condition.