Newspaper

Newcastle Journal – Saturday 20 April 1918
Red Cross Pearl Necklace

Sir – The committee of the above have requested me, as the wife of the High Sheriff of Durham, to invite the ladies of the county to each present a pearl towards the building up of this historic necklace, which will be sold for the benefit of the sick and wounded and prisoners of war. The name of each contributor will be duly published in The Times, and I greatly hope that a generous response may lead to a substantial addition to those pearls already received, as well as to those it is hoped to gather from all parts of the Empire.

Amongst the contributors are Her Majesty the Queen, H.M.Queen Alexandra, H.R.H Princess Victoria etc., etc. All pearls given (which may include pins, drop pearls or money to buy same) should be sent direct to one of the following jewellers, together with the name and address of the donor, and earmarked “ Durham County Collection”

EDITH DALE
Apperley Dene, Stocksfield

Newcastle Journal – Wednesday 1 May 1918

There are now 1,300 pearls in hand for the Red Cross necklace.

Shields Daily News – Tuesday 18 June 1918
Red Cross Pearls
Suggested “In Memory” Necklace

The picturesque appeal of the Red Cross Pearls – a wonderful array of gems, many of them presented in memory of fallen officers, promises to attract huge numbers of people to the exhibition at the Grafton Galleries, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London from Saturday next until July 1st.

Never before has there been a collection of jewels from ten royal necklaces and gems from historic family jewels. One is from the necklace worn by The Countess of Rothes on board the Titanic when that vessel foundered in the Atlantic: another is from the Empress Josephine’s jewels.

The total number is now 2,420, varying in weight from two grains to 72 grains, and of every known shape and colour.

At the meeting of the committee and patronesses, at the Royal Automobile Club yesterday, it was suggested that the pearls given in memory of fallen soldiers should be made into one row to form an “In Memory” necklace.

Newcastle Journal – Thursday 20 June 1918
Pearls for the Red Cross

Sir, – May I ask your kind help in bringing to the notice of the ladies of the county of Durham that the response to my letter of a few weeks ago (which you were kind enough to insert in your paper) appealing for contributions of pearls to the Red Cross Pearl necklace has had a most disappointingly small result.

At a meeting of the London Committee on the 17th inst., it was mentioned that the southern counties had contributed many more that those of the north, viz., Sussex 143, Surrey 110, Berkshire 68, Somerset 67, Kent 64 and Warwickshire 71. I feel through your assistance the County of Durham may be stimulated to send pearls to the Red Cross in aid of our magnificent sailors and soldiers as a small token of appreciation of all they are doing for us. Pearls may be sent to the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company, 112, Regent Street W.1 marked “Durham Collection”

EDITH J DALE
Apperley Dene, Stocksfield, Northumberland
June 19th 1918

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail – Tuesday 30 July 1918
LOTTERIES FOR WAR CHARITIES
PEERS GIVE SECOND READING TO LEGALISING BILL

In the House of Lords last night the Marquis of Lansdowne, in moving the second reading of the Lotteries (War Charities) Bill, said it might seem surprising that he should move a Bill to legalise the principle of lottery, which was not permitted by Parliament. This Bill was not a departure from the path of virtue, because it would only apply to war charities. It was a measure to legalise in certain cases lotteries promoted by war charities. He merely took charge of the Bill as he was the chairman of the British Red Cross Society, and that organisation was desirous of dealing with the great collection of pearls it had recently received. The only way to get out of the difficulty was by means of the lottery, which would enable the society to satisfactorily dispose of the 3,300 pearls.

The Bill was accepted by the Government, but the Archbishop of Canterbury and Viscount Bryce strongly opposed the measure. The Marquis of Crewe supported the Bill, which was given a second reading.

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette – Wednesday 07 August 1918
THE LOTTERIES BILL
REJECTED BY COMMONS

An Interesting Debate

In the House of Commons last night, Sir G.Cave moved the second reading of the Lotteries (for Charities) Bill, on which he said the Government wished to take the judgement of the House. From the police and the Home Office point of view the present position was intolerable. He thought the time had come when the law must be enforced or altered. The proposal in the Bill was that lotteries should be allowed for war charities only, and only during the period of the war, and that the Act should be confined to war charities registered not less than six months, and that lotteries should only take place with the permission of the police. One of the main reasons for the Bill was the sale of the Red Cross pearls. He was informed that if this necklace was sold by an auctioneer privately they would get from £100,000 to £200,000, but if it was put in the manner authorised by the Bill they would receive from one to two million pounds. He ventured to think that in lotteries of that kind there was no element of gambling. He hoped the House would give facilities for the passing of the Bill, as he believed it would help war charities.

FAVOURITISM

Mr Theobald C. Taylor moved the rejection of the Bill. He warned the House that just as a diamond necklace had something to do with the French Revolution, so this sale of a pearl necklace would have something to do with spreading the revolutionary spirit in this country. Could they let titled ladies gamble for that necklace and then let poor men be sent to prison for playing pitch and toss?

Sir John Spear seconded the rejection of the Bill.

Mr Evelyn Cecil supported the Bill. Episcopal fears, he considered, were exaggerated, and he doubted whether if spokesmen of the Episcopal Bench spoke for all its occupants. Gambling in itself was not a sin or a crime, the evil being excessive gambling, which led to ruin, and that result was not to be anticipated from the Bill.

Mr Bonar Law said the Government had come to the conclusion that the decision in this matter should be left to the free vote of the House. Lotteries which were illegal had been going on all over the country under the auspices of some of the largest local authorities, and some under the auspices of religious denominations. A difficult situation was thus created. This was a case in which the free judgement of the House of Commons ought to have to play.

On a division, the Bill was rejected by 81 to 77.

Shields Daily News – Monday 12 August 1918
The Pig and the Pearls
The proposal for a lottery having been refused by Parliament, the Red Cross Pearl Necklace Committee are considering how to dispose of their treasure to the best advantage of the great cause for which they have been collected. The decision will probably not be made for some few days. Meanwhile, for Daisy, the Wimbledon pig, which the Queen gave to the Red Cross gift-house in St. James’s Street, it has been decided to ask for bids from persons who will buy her for a day and give her back to be sold again and again for the Red Cross.

Newcastle Journal – Saturday 2 November 1918

The successful collection of pearls on behalf of the Red Cross is now formally closed. It is hoped to hold an exhibition of the necklaces in London about the end of the year, when it may be possible to announce the method of disposal

Newcastle Journal – Friday 20 December 1918
The Red Cross Pearls
Total of £85,290 Realised in Sale by Auction

At Christie’s, London, yesterday, the Red Cross Pearls comprising 41 necklaces with scarf pins, studs etc., were disposed of by auction. There was a large and fashionable attendance.

Much the highest price paid for a single necklace was £22.000 for what was described as the necklace deluxe of the collection. Mr Carrington was the purchaser of this and other lots. The total amount realised by the sale was £84,492 10s, which with proceeds from the sale of catalogues and charges for admission to the sale, brought the gross amount to £85,290 12s 4d.

Sir Arthur Stanley on behalf of the Red Cross and Order of St. John, thanked the donors and all who had helped to achieve the great success. With donations from India and the Colonies, the total amount would reach nearly £100,000.

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette – Friday 20 December 1918
Red Cross Pearl Sale

The sale of the Red Cross pearls took place yesterday at Messrs Christie’s, London, when 135 of the lost were disposed of for close upon £100,000. The gem of the sale, a magnificent single row pearl necklace composed of 63 pearls, with a snap composed of a large rose diamond surrounded by small diamonds, was started at £20,000, and rose by bids of £500 to £22,000 being knocked down to Mr Carrington.

Where to find this: British Newspaper Archive

Contributed by Judith