Prisoners of WW2 British exhibition album belonging to George H. Grimaldi
Place Published: [London}
Publisher: Daily Telegraph prisoners of war exhibition, in the grounds of Clarence House (by gracious permission of H.M. The King)
Date Published: 1934, 1937-8, 1943-5, 1947, and 1949
Edition: 1st Edition
Binding: Photo Case
Grimaldi’s bookplate is on the verso of the front cover. The album contains 28 b&w photos, 26 letters, 6 news articles (2 articles extracted from The Prisoner of War newsletter), printed card signed by members of the Mills family on the death of Bertram Mills the circus owner (May 1938), and 2 pamphlets. Material dates; 1934, 1937-8, 1943-5, 1947, and 1949. 21.5 × 29 cm.
Most of the material in the album pertains to the Daily Telegraph prisoners of war exhibition, in the grounds of Clarence House (by gracious permission of H.M. The King) held in May 1944. The exhibition devised and organised by George H. Grimaldi with the collaboration of Mrs Darcy Braddell. The correspondents include:
• Clementine Churchill (2 letters);
• Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein;
• The Duke of Gloucester; Lord Clarendon; Major General P.S. Tomlinson; Lord Luke;
• Major General Johnny Henderson; Baron Iliffe;
• Lady Nancy Dill; Digby d’Avigdor; and Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode;
• Major General Sir Richard Granville Hylton Howard-Vyse
Many of the photos show visitors viewing the POW exhibition, including Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother (Mary of Teck), the King of Norway, and other dignitaries.
One of the pamphlets is: City of Birmingham, Visit of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Wednesday, 1st June 1949.
The other pamphlet is central to the album’s main theme:
• Daily Telegraph Prisoners of War Exhibition in the Grounds of Clarence House (By gracious permission of H.M. The King) May 1-20, 1944. [London]:
• Red Cross & St. John Fund, 1944. Presented in conjunction with The Red Cross & St. John War Organisation.
The exhibition devised and organised by Grimaldi with the collaboration of Mrs. Darcy Braddell. 40 unnumbered pp: illustrations, map, b&w photo wrapper, wire-stitched. The exhibition featured six huts of artifacts and documents on living conditions of British war prisoners in German captivity. Most of the documents are pasted on to black paper extensions.
Grimaldi (died 1951) was a playwright (Contact, Blessed Illusion, and Behind the Schemes!) and an exhibition coordinator. During WWII, he worked for the Red Cross and St. John War Organisation. In 1944 he visited POWs in the Netherlands after their liberation from the Nazis. Prior to the war, he was in charge of the annual Ideal Home exhibitions, sponsored by the Daily Mail. 3 photos (1934, 1937-8) show people at these home exhibitions with King George VI in attendance.
Collection on consignment with LDRB.
Item #8809
$1,000.00 USD
$1,350.12 CAD