THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From Dr. R Vaughan Williams
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

About 1st December 1935

GUSTAV HOLST MEMORIAL FUND

The Viscountess Wimborne

I venture to write to you on the advice of Miss Olga Lynn and Miss Harriet Cohen, who tell me that you are very much interested in music and might care to help us.
Miss Cohen and the Tudor Singers have generously offered to give a memorial concert in aid of the Gustav Holst Memorial Fund, of which I am the Chairman.  It is to be a Sunday afternoon affair about 5.30, and it would greatly add to the attractiveness of the concert if it could be held in a suitable private house.  Would it be asking too much to enquire whether you would lend Wimborne House for the occasion?  February 16th and February 23rd are both dates which suit us; I wonder whether either of these would be possible for you?
I feel it is asking a great deal from a stranger, but I hope that you will understand it is because we do want to make this a fitting tribute to a great man.  Perhaps I ought to explain that the Memorial Fund is being used to further the study of music at Morley College for Working Men and Women, where Holst taught for so many years.  We are fitting up sound-proof music rooms, providing good pianos, etc.  It is a form of memorial of which I am sure Holst himself would have approved.
Yours faithfully

R. Vaughan Williams.