May, 2025

King’s Birthday promotes thoughts of past and present members of the Royal family. Second in line to the throne is the young Prince George, and his earlier namesakes seemed to abound from the 18^th C and onwards.  Without social media, it is photographs, signatures and letters that make them visible.

Carrying the George name through the turn of the 19^th C, was Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, cousin of Queen Victoria and grandson of George III. We have a fine full length mounted cabinet photograph of him, be-whiskered and bristling with medals and regalia.

George’s father, Adolphus, was the 7^th son of George III, so he wasn’t going to get very near the throne. However, his uncle, George III’s first born son, the extravagant ‘Prinny’, became George IV. We have for sale the hand-written signature of King George IV, dated April 1820.  It is on black margined paper headed 'The Word for April 1820' and the start of a court schedule with headings Days, Court, City. This was the year that he ascended the throne.

The next George on the throne, George V, carrying the throne and leading society through the Great War and into the thirties. He continued the flourishing style of royal George signatures, as can be seen in a signed document dated June 3 1918, granting "the dignity of a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire to Mrs Sophie Florence Lothrop Hall-Walker". The latter, Lady Wavertree, was a leading society hostess, with Royal Georges, and most other Princes and Dukes, gracing her rooms.