CROSBY HALL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18890, 4 January 1927, Page 2

CROSBY HALL.

FOR WOMEN GRADUATES.

TABLET UNVEILED. (THOU OU» OWN COBBESfONDMtT.) LONDON, November 20. The Duchess of York unveiled at Chelsea a tablet commemorating the acquisition of Crosby Hall by the British Federation of University Women. It is seventeen years now since the old hall—in its origin nearly five centuries old, and harbouring its glad and sad memories of the "wicked" Duke of Gloucester, of the Mores, of "Sidney's sister, Pembroke's mother,'' of King Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, of Kenelm Digby and other Royalist prisoners in the Rebellion, of many a worldly and unworldly use to which it had been put —was moved from Bishopsgate street to Chelsea. The chance was then taken to restore it, in the proper seuse of the word; but the public has had no opportunity of seeing what it was and ought to be—its timber roof, its oriel, its stone mullions, and its other beauties. During the war Belgian refugees used it, and have left a record of their gratitude in a tablet on its wall. Now it will soon be used again and filled with life and warmth, and (at certain houra of the day) opened again to the public, for it is to be the dining hall and meeting place of women graduates from Great Britain,, tho Dominions, and every part of the world who are engaged in London in research work. _ To greet the Duchess on her arrival, was a little girl of the lino of Sir Thomas More, Miss M«7« e * ** e * Bray, a direct descendant of Sir Thomas More's daughter, Margaret Roper. She was dressed as a Tudor child, in a white cap, black bodice, and long skirt, and she presented the Duchess with an ° l oSS d .p& F-ted the announcement by Professor Winifred (Jul « (proSit of the- British Federation of Un versity Women) that Mm Adamson, a university woman from Bath, had C iven.£looo to enable a room to be famed after the infant Princess Elizabeth of York, who thus becomes a 'ounder. Professor CulU. *old hajrJc British Federation of University W men had come into being as the recit nf i visit to America by Prores l Caroline Spurgeon and a colleague, fori oration was yet another link in the chan of friendship and understanding ha was being welded between univer-, eity women of all countries. In the old hall they would be able to welcome them, and the new wing now being built would provide residential accommodation for fifty research workers. Up to tho day of the ceremony £33,000 had been raised for the scheme, and yet a further £17,000 was required, The very satisfactory announcement was made, however, by Sir William Plender (honorary treasurer of the Crosby Hall Endowment Fund) that donations presented to the Duchess that afternoon amounted to £11,516. Thus only a further £5500 is required, some of which has already been promised. A Great Enterprise. Among the gifts handed to the Duchess was a cheque for £SO from the Queen of Norway to furnish a room for a Norwegian Btudent. Gifts were also received enabling rooms to be furnished for French, Dutch, Italian, and Czeeho-Slovakian students. Founders (who give £1000), subscribers, patrons, and also friends-who will give foO to furnish a room, are still needed, denerOUS gifts have been received from university women of other countries. The unveiling of the commemorative tablet was performed in the quadrangle The stone tablet, bearing the Wteness, of Sir John Crosby and Sir Thomas More, is inscribed as follows: "In the vear 1926 the women graduates of treat Britain were able, with the generous help of their friends in this and other countries, to acquire the ancient hall of Sir John Crosby and to erect on the site of the home of Sir Thomas More this quadrangle dedicated to the encouragement of learning and the promotion of friendship between the women S"all nations." The Duchess pulled he Union Jack, which fell, «v«ta. ? the tablet. "I have »?*#*"«* she declared, "in unveiling this tablet, Siictt marks the successful completion of a great enterprise. I wish the hall all proaperity in its new life as a centre for university ™ mo * al ,\X ~ world who may come here to study.