DB124

The Mercury, Wednesday 1 September 1915, page 4

THE “QUEEN MARY” BOOK.
The “Queen Mary” book, which will shortly be forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen by His Excellency the Governor (Sir William Ellison-Macartney), was yesterday on view in the vestíbule at the Town-Hall.

The idea originated with Mrs. W. F. Forster, who undertook to raise by its means £100, made up of 2,000 contributions of a shilling each, each contributor to sign the book. Most of the signatures were obtained in Hobart and suburbs by personal canvas by Mrs. Forster, and a few were secured at Bagdad, New Norfolk, Swansea, and Lymington, through the kind help of Mrs. G. Swan, Mrs. Ellis Dean, Miss Kitty Dilger, and Miss Tillack respectively.

The book was much admired by a large number of people who saw it yesterday. It is handsomely bound in white kid. On the front cover the Queen’s crown and the initial “M” in gold are encircled by a pretty wattle wreath in natural colours, with “Tasmania” beneath in gold letters. The painting of this front has been excellently done by Mrs. C. Payne.

Inside the book, on the first page, is an illuminated address, reading:-“We, the undersigned women of Tasmania, who are working on behalf of the sick and wounded of the Allied Armies, desire, with our humble duty, to ask Your Majesty’s gracious acceptance of this volume as a token of our admiration of your Majesty’s noble work for the alleviation of suffering caused by the war.”

The lettering of this text is the work of Mr. Hedley Westbrook, and it is surrounded by a most artistic colour design of mountain berries, beautifully done by Miss Hope.

Messrs. J. Walen and Sons bound the book, and the workmanship is admirable. The book is enclosed in a neat case of royal purple kid, with a lion rampant on the lid. This, too, was the work of Mrs. Payne. Lady Ellison-Macartney heads the list of subscribers.

The book will again be on view between 3 and -5 today.

The Mercury, Tuesday 30 November 1915, page 4

QUEEN MARY’S BOOK. MESSAGE FROM HER MAJESTY.

Mrs. W. F. Forster, who promoted  the Queen Mary Book, has received the following letter from Lady Ellison-Macartney: –
Government House, Hobart.

Dear Mrs Forster -I am commanded by Her Majesty to express to you her great appreciation of the beautiful address from the women of Hobart, which she is graciously pleased to accept, and to say that she is much touched by the kindly thought which prompted this present, and to ask you to let your colleagues know that Her Majesty greatly admires the exquisite manner in which the volume has been designed and executed. The Queen is much interested to learn that the address is entirely the work of local amateur talent, and that the movement received such hearty support. Very truly yours,- Ettie Ellison-Macartney.
November 29, 1915.

The Secretary for the colonies (the Right Hon. A. Bonar Law), writing to His Excellency the Governor on the same subject, says:- “I have laid the address before the Queen, who was pleased to receive it very graciously, and Her Majesty desires that an expression of her warmest thanks may be conveyed to the signatories.”