A framed and signed letter from Mary of Teck, Duchess of York to General Sir John Hart Dunne...

A framed and signed letter from Mary of Teck, Duchess of York to General Sir John Hart Dunne K.C.B, December 5^th 1893.

A two page letter with blue printed header ‘York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk’, hand written in black ink, dated Dec 5^th 1893,  contained within a twin faced bevel edged glass and gilt-metal frame, the upper edge surmounted by an applied gilt-metal crown and gilt-metal suspension chain. Frame measuring 9 inches (23 cm) by 10 ¼ inches (26 cm).

‘Dear General Dunne,

it is with very sincere gratitude that I offer you and through you to the officers of the Army past and present my best and warmest(?) thanks for the magnificent gift you and they have enabled me to present to the Royal Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers Widows instituted in memory of my grandfather the late Duke of Cambridge. Be assured(?) that I am deeply touched by the kind manner in which so many have responded to your appeal and that no present could have given me greater pleasure.

Thanking you for all the trouble you have taken.

I remain

Sincerely Yours

Victoria Mary’

General Sir John Hart Dunne K.C.B. was born in December 1835. Dunne obtained his first commission with the 62^nd Regiment in September 1852, transferring into the 21^st Regiment in January 1854, and travelled to the Crimea with his regiment as Lieutenant. He received the Crimea Medal with four clasps, the Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class and Turkish Crimea Medal. He gained his Captaincy in July 1855 and transferred to the 99^th Regiment in 1856. In 1860 Dunne took part in the campaign in the north of China being awarded the China War Medal with two clasps.

In 1865 General Sir John Hart Dunne was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, reaching the rank of Major-General in 1881, Lieutenant-General in 1889, and General in 1893. In 1894 Dunne was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London, in 1898 became Colonel of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Wiltshire Regiment and in 1899 was given a reward for distinguished and meritorious service. Dunne retired in 1902 and received the The Most Honourable Order Of The Bath, K.C.B., in 1906. General Sir John Hart Dunne K.C.B., died in 1924 at his residence in Sidmouth, Devon.