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Gift of Stonehenge to the Nation – letter from Cecil Chubb

A thank you letter written to Canon Goddard from Cecil Chubb dated 1st October 1918 found whilst cataloguing a book entitled Wiltshire Autographs. The year it was discovered (2018) marked the centenary of Sir Cecil Chubb giving Stonehenge to the nation on 26th October 1918 after buying it for his wife at auction in 1915. The letter reads…………

 

Oct. 1st 1918                                                                                                                Bemerton Lodge, Salisbury

Dear Mr Goddard,

Very many thanks indeed for your kind letter of appreciation on my gift of Stonehenge to the nation. This, coming from you who has done so much for the antiquities of the County is very welcome to me. The numerous letters I have received, among them being some from great Wiltshiremen show me, that although it was hard to part with such a possession as dear old Stonehenge, I have done the right thing in passing for ever from private ownership to the custody of the nation this grand old monument. Naturally I am very proud that a Wiltshireman was fated to give this to the Country.

All controversy will now cease & Stonehenge so dear to the hearts of us all will now rest safe and secure a possession of our great race.

Again many thanks for your kind appreciation

Believe me,

Yours v. Sincerely

C.H.E. Chubb

 

 

DZSWS:Book.17488 Volume of Autographed Letters by Natives and Residents of Wiltshire who have at some time played their part in the Affairs of the County. The letters have been collected, mounted and indexed by Edward Goddard, Hon. Librarian / Goddard, Edward/ 1927.

James Kay

Also shown here is a scan of the account of the presentation ceremony held at Stonehenge on 26 October from the Wiltshire Telepgraph.

This item was featured on BBC News Online on 31/12/2018 and in a BBC Wiltshire interview on 1/1/2019.

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