BRITAIN’S WEALTHIEST WOMAN DEAD

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 321, 31 December 1936, Page 5

BRITAIN’S WEALTHIEST WOMAN DEAD

NO SIGN OF WILL.

Woman Who Gave Thousands To The Nation. Press. Association —Copyright. London, Dec. 30. Lady) Houston,, D.8.E., millionaire philanthropist, died to-day. A daughter of Thomas Radmall, she married Lord Byron and later Sir Robert Houston. On the death of her second husband she inherited a huge fortune, and in recent yeans has made many notable gifts, including £lOO,000 to make possible Britain’s participation in the Schneider Trophy air race in 1931. She made a notable gift to the Execheqner in 1932 and later financed the Houston Mount Everest Expedition. A search among Lady Houston’s documents failed to reveal her will. A search was also made in Jersey but the will could not be found. In the meantime the funeral arrangements are held up. Lady Houston contracted bronchitis and died in her sleep, apparently from heart failure. It is believed that she was 70 years old. Newspapers give prominence to her generosity, notably her financing of Britain’s Schneider Trophy victory, and the Everest Air Expedition. Her payment of £1,500,000 for her husband’s death duties was an act of grace, because it was claimed he was domiciled in Jersey. Her Ladyship in recent years lavished money on a garish weekly journal in which her own pen heaped vituperation upon such statesmen as Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Eden, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, and often adding as a postcript an invitation to sue her for libel. As recently as December 10 she charged Mr. Baldwin with "driving the King from the country. ' ,,w