The sun., 1913-12-28
Decline Of Agriculture Is
Partly RespOnsibel for the
Recent Sales.
OTHER REASONS ARE GIVEN
Lloyd Georges 1909 Budget
and Land Bursting Cam
paign Also Blamed.
Continued from First Page.

sporting Club. the scene Of many famous
fights. u couple Of important banks. besides
other property Of great value.
There is probably nothing like Covent
Garden district anywhere. Outwardly and
lnwardly II has preserved through oil mod
era changes something Of the registering.
Arcadian. fashy yet shady. criminal and
sporting atmosphere Of Stuart times, In
which II was laid out.
The Tavistock Hotel. with its familiar
pazza, IA the only unchanged bachelor
hotel OF the old school left In London. II Ia
much az it was when Marryats Japhet
lived high in its rooms when In search Of
his father. No women but the servants
are allowed to enter it's door
In Hummum's Hotel. where the jewellers
eat their early morning breakfast after a
,ovent Garden fancy dress ball; in the
National Sporting Club. which In Victorian
days was lvan's supper rooms. where Col.
Newcome took young Give. ~ readers OF
Thackeray will remember; in Rules oyster
rooms. still the haunt OF actors. and in
several late clubs of the old school. one has
almost the only relics left in London of a
period and Of customs now familiar only
10 the readers OF early and mid-Victorian
literature.
Row street Police Court.
Even at Bow street police court the old
business In still carried on. though its Bow
street runners" and Robin Redbreasts"
have gone. In some Of these dark streets
have been for generations tn" chief theatri-
cal makeup shops. whore wigs and masks
and other fantastic wares lighted up in the
flaming windows are almost startling late
at night
Hereabouts some nights one might
imagine oneself in the company OF the
Restoration ghosts. who still may haunt the
quarter, looking for their old gaming
houses and bagnios and masQuerades. but
II IL only a proof that Covent Garden is
having one of its famous fancy dress balls.
which are said to be the only lirht hearted
and genuinely Bohemian frolics lei. in twen-
tieth century London.
Perhaps the greatest theatrical effect
that London offers is the scene at Covent
Garden when the produce growers and
waRoncrs. with their fragrant high piled
loads. are met by the jewellers from the
fancy dress ball on a fine spring morning
among the flowers and vegetables.
Another aspect Of this great sale Of Lon
don property is alluded 70 in an editorial
in a morning paper. which remarks
THE public will scarcely know whether
most to admire the Incompatible pru-
dence of the Duke of Bedford in divesting
himself of his Covent Garden estate. or
the sublime courage of Mr.. Mallaby- -Deeley
ia venturing to purchase it when Mr. Lloyd
Georges stormy pctrels are lowering SO
threateningly overhead"
Purchaser Has No Fear.
Mr.. Msllaby- -Deeley himself declares that
he feels no fear whatever that any future
land legislation could. from his point OF
view. in any way affect the value OF the
s1,. ,,..t..
confscstory character" lie adds. Il fee.
that no legislation can prevent a landlord
and his tenant from coming TO "A iHir agree
ment. The fair dealing landlord has not hing
10 fear"
The fascination OF personality sur
rounds Mallaby-Deeley. The man VINO
startled the Imagination of London and
the country az no one has done for years
shrouds the immense broodings OF his
mind behind a veil Of reserve
HIS early life gave no hint OF the vast
ambition he ia realizing to-day. lie was
born in 1862. the son of w. Clarke Deeley
Of Curzon Hall, Chester His father was
a merchant engaged in large commercial
undertakings in Liverpool. Another son
is Frank CurzOn. the well known lessee
and manager of the Prince OF Wales and
Wyndhams theatres in London. who took
his stage name from his father 8 residence
at Chester.
The first part Of Mallaby- -Deeley's name
came from his mother. who was formerly
Miss Mallaby, member Of well known
Staifordshire family. resident at Loxley
Hall In that county He was educated at
Shrewsbury and at Trinity College. Cam
bridge.
At Cambridge he had a distinguished
scholarly career. He took the degrees of
NJ. A. and LII. NJ. obtaining law honors
in 1855. The degree of LII. NJ Master OF
laws) is somewhat unusual. He has never
pracHsed.
Married IN 1890.
His early associations with Shrews-
bury as a schOolboy were renewed many
years later, for 1t was to Shrewsbury that
he went for a wife. marrying In 1890 Joan.
the third daughter OF the late John Pursan-
smith Of Abbotsmead, North Shrewsbury,
There IL one child OF the marriage. a son
aged IL.
-sHts early ambitions were political and
for some time he was assistant private
secretary to Henry Chaplin. II was not
unsil 1910 that he entered the House OF
Commons. In January OF that year he won
for the Uniouists the Harrow division OF
Middlesex with majority Of S.lse over the
Liberal candidate. ,. Harris. in a total poll
Der he was unopposed. He Il popular in his
constituency and shows the keoaest interest
In all local affairs. His connsestpu with the
project for building goods raifwUy scros,
the Hampstead Garden Suburb has. how
over. aroused great opposition.
During his election campaign In 1910 hs
showed an able and alert understanding
OF practical business questions and po.
liticsl economy and made many brilliant
speeches. but In the House Of Commons
itself he has been silent.
The brilliant successes of his business
career have come comparatively late In
life. He had no special business train.
ing and was indeed never engaged in any
trading concern until he Became q director
OF the Norwich Union Life Insurance Societ,
few years ago. He 10 also chairman OF
General Explorers. Limited. company con
cerned with mining concessions in ths
Gold Coast Colony. and . director of ths
China Clay Corporation. Limited. which
operates properties for china clay on Dart
moor aud elsewhere In Devonshirs.
Bought Hotel for s2,bOO,OOO.
In 1900 Mr.. Mallaby- -Deeley began hi
London career AZ a Napoleon Of property
Early In that year he acquired for sum O
q. 2.50O.OO0 tho Piccadilly Hotel. together wit
the shops near It In Regent street and Pic
csdilly. lie originally intended to carr,
out there big international scheme whicl
had the support OF q number OF wealth.