Antique calling card English diplomat Washington DC 1865 . . . .

I just wanted to share something I found in an old (yes, it qualifies as an antique, being from the 1870s) book which I bought a couple of years ago. The book still has a small paper label as being from the bookseller "Philps & Solomans" in Washington, D.C., the bookstore having been started in 1859 and later having the distinction of being used as the headquarters of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Supreme Court Justice Salmon Chase, and the bookstore's Photographic Department contained the last photograph of President Lincoln.

I know that Henry Howard was appointed by Queen Victoria and posted to Washington, D.C., in 1865 and served there until about 1873.

Description of the calling card:

Ivory, medium weight ivory-colored card stock, measures 3" long and 1-1/2" high.
Imprinted (not engraved) in light black/dark gray ink, written in French using a fine/delicate cursive typeface.

"M[no period but a quotation mark at the bottom side right of the M] Henry Howard"
"Attache a la Legation de T. M. Britannique."

Almost more interesting to me is a person's name written in medium-dark pencil in small cursive at the top of the card: "M' de St Ferriol"

Can anyone give me any insights as to how British history has remembered (or perhaps not remembered) Henry Howard? And what could have been Henry Howard's tie(s) with M' de St Ferriol?

 

From The Times, on his death in 1921:

THE LATE SIR H. HOWARD

A Roman reader of The Times sends us, under date May 4, the following tribute to the late Sir Henry Howard:

With the passing of Sir Henry Howard to-night the world is poorer by the loss of one of the most beloved Englishmen, whose personality was the best propaganda for his country, and who will be truly and deeply mourned by people in many lands. One who knew and loved him would beg a little space to tell all that he did for England in Rome when he came here as Minister to the Vatican in 1914. In the world of "Black" Rome there were few representatives of the Allies; there were many Germans and Austrians, who had left no stone unturned for many years and were reaping their reward. Into an atmosphere sometimes indifferent, often hostile, Sir Henry brought his beautiful courtesy, his goodness, his ripe wisdom, and knowledge of the world, and wherever he went people loved him and the warm affection he aroused was a potent factor in changing many opinions of the English.

Many people of this world had never known English people or been in an English house until then, and Sir Henry and his daughters [his wife had died in 1907] made such an impression and so many friendships that one heard a different tone used in speaking of the English, so "simpatico" was her representative. Rome will always cherish and never forget his memory.


The entire Wikipedia [UK] article, with photos and highlights of his career, is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Howard_(diplomat)

Hope this helps!

 

By the way: Nice find!

 

Thank you so much for the information, especially the newspaper article regarding Henry Howard's death.

Thanks also for the "nice find" comment. You know how it goes. A heavy, large, historical book eventually read a few pages at a time. The book was based on information and calculations on the "cost," both in persons and financial aspects, of the Civil War a/k/a the War Between the States. I had the book for probably a year before I read it to the point of finding the card in the book. Finding the card was a surprise.

 

M le Vicomte de St Ferriol was the First Secretary, French embassy, in Washington during the same time Henry Howard was at the British embassy, per the Congressional Directory, 1868, p. 72:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zs4-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=henry howard + d st ferriol&source=bl&ots=S2nru8fvTh&sig=ZpjZgNAc_EalrjyNaEO_UjzP5K0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6TaBU4usFJS-sQS944DQDA&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=henry howard + d st ferriol&f=false

 

Maxine, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh my goodness. I can't believe you found the person who surely is the "St. Ferriol" written in cursive on Henry Howard's calling card. I had earlier done a bit of searching but found no St. Ferriol who seemingly had even a remote tie to Henry Howard.

You are a jewel, Maxine. One more "thank you" for good measure.

 

You're more than welcome. My pleasure to do the research. Nice bit of history to hold in your hand!

 

That is wonderful -- I love finding small items left between the pages of books.

Fig