WILL OF “LONLIEST MAN.”

Shannon News, 19 February 1924, Page 4

WILL OF “LONLIEST MAN.”

Yaluable historical 'left by 3VEr. H. p. House, the wealthy retired Indian, Civil- Servant, who was desprihed as “the loneliest man in the wpild,” have been destroyed, owing to instructions left in his will. When, he died suddenly last March at a West-End hotel, it was found that Mr| House, who had an income of -between £2OOO and £3OOO a had been wandering aimlessly from one hotyd to another, living on about £3 a •wedk, and refusing to tip servants be•cause, he said, he could not afford it.

Mr House never communicated with his | relatives or friends, never smiled, -nevjjpr spoke to a woman, and very rarely to a man, and never drank or smpked. He had stored up a large nunpber of old books and manuscripts and it-is the latter which have now been burnt.

The testamentary, instructions have . involved the destruction of the result of years of ardous and .patient work on |the .part of Mr House, who . had been conducting researches for a new history of the English drama, says the j “Bookman’s Journal.” Representations were made, .both through, the columns of the “Bookman’s Journal,” and privately with •the i objects of saving the manuscripts in the, interests of scholarship. Mr, -House’s sister, the - chief beno-kept-the, papers forrsome time, but; after .a thorough examination of, them, she. felt bound to carry out her brother’s wishes. One of the documents left ;by jMnjireanired, fhis r , ; sistpr to. Sign a written declaration saying, “I promise to carry out your wishes.” “In the face of these insistent and, impressive injunctions, : adds the, “Bookman’s Journal,” “Mr. House’s, sister has out rher, melancohly duty—a; task which -occupied • several • hours. and consigned ilto; ashes the labour of. years of -this* s t ardent • bibliophile.”