Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
LIVED TO AID OTHERS
Fortune u Baroness Burdett-
coutts Went 10 Charity.
DEATH GREATLY REGRETTED
Members Of Royal Family Telegraph
Their Condolences.
CONSCIOUS TO LAST MOMENT
An Ardent churchwoman, who Pre-
ferred Charitable Work to Society
Beloved by the Nation.
CONSCIOUS TO LAST MOMENT

LONDON. December 31.-Baroness Bur-
dett-Coutts. who has been Ill at her home
mere since. Christmas eve, is dead.
The death of Baroness Burdett-Coutts, at
the age OF ninety-two years, besides de-
priving the country of one of its greatest
and most famous philanthropists removes
from London remarkable personality and
an interesting social figure. AS link with
the past, her life beginning in the reign
Of the Emperor Napoleon /, she lived dur
ing the refgns of five British sovereigns
lnheriting an immense fortune, she so used
1t as to die beloved by the whole nation,
from the queen, who bestowed upon her the
warmest friendship, to the humblest citizen.
Her wonderful vitality led those about her
to believe, as late as Friday, when she
rallied, that her life might still be pro-
longed; but on Saturday she grew weaker.
She was conscious to the last moment and
able to recognize all of the older members
OF her household, to each of whom she gave
a handshake as they came to bid her a
last farewell. She died peacefully at 1890
o'clock yesterday morning.
During the last illness of the baroness
numerous royal inquiries were made at her
nome Queen Alexandra sending a specially
gracious message, which the baroness was
able to appreciate and answer. All the
members of the royal family have tele-
grapher their condolences to the Hon. Will
liam Ashmead Burdett-Coutts, the husband
of the baroness.
Led Secluded Life.
The baroness had been i'll altogether for
nearly two months, and confined to her
room at her town residence in Stratton
street for the last six weeks. Her illness
had its origin in a cold, which developed
into acute bronchitis. In recent years she
had led rather secluded life passing her
time either at her town residence or at her
delightful country place on the outskirts of
London, near Highgate. where she formerly
entertained largely. She was a great pat
roness of art, science and literature, III OF
fering little in politics. Until recently she
well well-known figure to Londoners,
driving her donkey chaise in the neighbor-
hood of her home.
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts was the
first peerless created in her own right, and
the first woman to whom honorary citizen
ship in London was presented.
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts was the
only peeress who had received the dis
tinction in recognition of personal services
and as mark of esteem from the sover-
eign. She was born April 26 1914 but in
spite of her advanced age until recently
she continued to assemble her more init
mate friends around her in her house in
Stratton street, Piccadify, long connected
with the Coutts family. The baroness was
slight and elegant girl in her youth, and
attractive by reason of a certain quiet
dignity and unaffected sweetness of man
ner and expression. She but girl
of twenty-three when she suddenly found
herself, by an unexpected train of circum-
stances, the richest woman in England
Society was quickly at her feet. and the
bankers granddaughter and the descendant
of race of successful merchants had the
entree of the greatest houses in London.
not excluding Buckingham Palace, where
the young queen had just assumed the
scepter
The baroness was the daughter of Sir
Francis Burdett, for thirty years member
of parliament for Westminster, and a poll
ucian who twice underwent imprisonment
for defending the liberties of the people
against the tyranny of parliament Her
mother was the daughter of Thomas Coutts
the great banker. who married in his old
age the beautiful Miss Mellon, the actress.
and at -his death left her his enormous
wealth. She afterward became the wife of
the Duke of St. Adams. At her death
she left the entire fortune bequeathed to
her by her first husband 10 his grand
daughter Angela Georgina Burdett, with
the proviso that she should take the name