New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-10
Lily Langhy
Now Forgotten
Once Toast Of London
Obscure at 76.

London. Nov. 1o.-A wrinkled old
lady of IS was the guest of honor
at a birthday party In a fashionable
London hotel the other night. and
the curious we're informed that she
was Lady de Bathe-"Lily Langtry.
you know"
Then there were ordinations Of
surprise. Most Of the diners thought
Lily Langtry had gone on a.
had King Edward VII and many
other famous men and women with
whom this birthday celebrant. in her
| younger years. was on terms Of
close friendship.
Thus was 1t demonstrated that
Lilly Langtry is a survivor of her
| own beauty and fame and general
popularity; an epilogue to story
of shining wonder and beauty.
She Won World Acclaim
Postal card pictures of this same
Lily Langtry once were sold by the
tens of thousands. Newspapers &C.
claimed her. The United States bow
ed to her loveliness: far down in
Texas. near the Mexican border. Z
town was named after her. ,--
Now, even In her own England
she was unrecognixed! 1t was
strange anti-climax.
| As Emily Charlotte lie Breton,
Lily Langtry came from the Isle of
Jersey. where she was born in 1852.
the daughter of a clergyman. When
she was %. Edward Langtry visited
| Jersey, met Emily, and married her.
| Langtry was factor In London So
ciety. His wife quickly became the
| toast of the town"
London society in those days was
| famous for its very beautiful wo-
| men. They we're known as profess
sional Beauties" and referred to as
Up. BIS"
sat for Famed Portrait
OF all the up. BIS" Mrs. Langtry
| was known as the most exquisite.
She was tall and slender with a
great crown of golden hair and a
perfect Greek profile. Her fame was
sealed when the great painter. J. E.
| Millais, himself from Jersey. under
took to paint her portrait.
Millais painted her in a simple
pose in a plain black dress and hold
ing a lily from Jersey. When the
portrait was exhibited at the annu-
al Royal Academy show it was la
beled "A Jersey Lily"
1t was the painting sensation of
the year. Also II labeled Mrs. Lang
try for life. She always was re-
| ferred TO as 1.-THE Jersey Lily" and
| later. when she went on the stage.
/! she dropped her Emily Charlotte"
! and always was known as Lily Lang
J try.
A new beauty appeared on the
horizon Of London. Since the advent
of this beautiful heiress all former
social lions have wasted their dew
drops on the desert air and vainly
roar" The following week Truth
solemnly explained that Mrs. Lang
J try was not an heiress. Through a
Typographical error. Truth had call
| ed her this. when the word meant
| was ,''lioness."
Denies Frivolous Legend
The Jersey Lily soon was swept
into the most exalted circles and
became a great favorite Of the
Prince of Wales, aftcrward kiSy
Edward Seventh. Out Of that friend
ship arose legend which has not
| been thoroughly killed down to this
| day.
It was said that one night at
big party Mrs. Langtry dropped a
! chunk Of ice down the neck Of the
prince. Years later. in writing her
! memoirs, Mrs. Langtry vigorously
denied this story. saying she never
would SO far have forgotten good
manners.
-Four years after her triuml hal
debut in royal circles. her hus-
, hands fortune was swept aside by
revcrses In Ireland. She had friends
on the stage and they advised her
to cash in on her youth and beauty.
She made her debut with the ia
nous Bancrofts at the Haymarket
Theater in 1881. playing the part Of
Kate Hardcastle in She Stops to
Conquer"
Well Known In This Country
A year later the ambitious young
woman formed her own company
and. among other roles, took that
of RoAlind in AS You Like It." She
was one Of the loveliest Rosalinds OF
all time.
Lily Langtry became competent
actress, but never a great one. She
, made several lucrative tours of
! America. She went there in 1886
and stayed three years. earning
more than 100000.
| She appeared on American vaude-
vile circuits In 1906, and was pre-
scented there in drama in 1912 and
| 1915.
| She remained widow for two
years after the death Of her first
husband in 1897. then married Sir
! hugo de Battle.
She retired late in 1915 and since
then has lived quietly in her villa.
| The Lily" near Monte Carlo.
A high school chamber Of COM
merce has been organized by New