QUEEN’S SURPRISE VISIT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 352, 12 May 1928, Page 5

QUEEN’S SURPRISE VISIT

WOMEN’S SHELTERS IN EAST END Inmates of the Salvation Army Slielter for Women in Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, and the . Church Army Lodging House for Women, Lambeth, received the surprise of their lives when Queen Mary paid visits to both institutions, writes the “Sunday News.” Early in the afternoon an L.C.C. inspector and a doctor, both women, visited the Whitechapel shelter. “Quite

casually the inspector said that she was waiting for someone else to come.” said one of the officers afterwards. “We did not know that the ‘someone else’ was going to be the

Queen until we were told just be-

fore she came by a private detective whom we might expect. “All the inmates were gathered together in the common room, where they sit, and as soon as the Queen arrived, with her lady-in-waiting. Lady Amptliill, they knew, of course, who the visitor was. “They clapped and cheered, and sang. ‘God Save the King.’ “This is a shelter for homeless women, among whom are many old age pensioners, and the Queen spoke to one or two of them, and said in that kindly, gracious way of liers: ‘I hope you are comfortable and happy here.’ “The Queen told us that she had come without warning because she wanted to see the normal w*ork of everj r day in progress, and was anxious that no special preparations should be made, and that there should not be any fuss.” The inmates of the Church Army institution in Lambeth were having tea in the kitchen when the Queen arrived. “We were too surprised to do anything at first.” said one of them, “and then we remembered our manners and stood up and cheered. She looked lovely.” “I told the Queen of the arrangements made for the reception of women on discharge from prison,” said the sister-in-charge. “She was ver~ interested in the case of one of our kitchen staff —an Irishwoman. who had spent most of her life in prison. “She 4iad a very hot temper, and re ived conviction after conviction for fighting. She came to the home 12 months ago. and now says she works off all her badness scrubbing floors.