ROYAL. AN INDIAN WOOD MODEL OF A CROSS GABLED BUNGALOW

ROYAL. AN INDIAN WOOD MODEL OF A CROSS GABLED BUNGALOW, 1911 with fretworth barge boards, chimneys, corbels, windows and pairs of opening doors to the front and back, the roof with contemporary white painted inscription DURBAR DECEMBER 1911 A gift to our gracious empress from your loyal subjects "The Children of Delhi", 51cm h; 56 x 78cmThe appearance of this unusual royal gift from the Delhi Durbar of 1911 at a country sale near Doncaster in the 1980s is almost certainly related to the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to South Yorkshire in 1912. The purpose of the visit was "to acquaint themselves with the lives, work and homes of their industrial subjects. " On Monday, 8th July the King and Queen visited Coningsburgh Castle where they were greeted by an enormous crowd, before spending the night at Wentworth Woodhouse. Over breakfast the following day the King was informed of the disaster at Cadeby Colliery in which 91 men were killed in two explosions. Later that day, after becoming the first British monarch to descend a coal mine, - a singular act of solidarity and sympathy of far greater significance than originally envisaged - at around 7pm the royal couple made an unscheduled return to Cadeby, where the Queen was seen to be in tears. It is probable that she considered the gift of the Indian 'doll's house' to some afflicted young family in the community would be well received. The High Sheriff, who organised the visit, was Charles Thellusson of Brodsworth Hall and he is the person likely to have been ordered to select the recipients of the royal gift.