Grant Family 1929 Christmas card

Lady Godiva

(horseback statue)

With Every Good Wish for a Happy Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year from Alderman & Mrs W. H. Grant
Foleshill House, Great Heath, Coventry.		Xmas, 1929.

Printed on inside of card cover:-

THE LEGEND OF GODIVA

    The Countess Godiva, or Godeva, was the
wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, in the reign
of Edward the Confessor.
    In 1043, they founded the Great Benedictine
Abbey or Priory, part of the ruins of which
still remain.
    Owing to the oppressive taxation under
which the citizens suffered, the Countess
pleaded with her Lord for the removal of the
tolls to lighten their burdens.
    This request was refused by Leofric, but
finally as the result of her insistent pleading,
he agreed (probably in jest), on condition that
she rode naked through the town.
    The Countess accepted the challenge and
clothed only in her luxuriant tresses, rode
through the streets, the inhabitants keeping
indoors with windows shuttered and screened
and thus took the tax away.
    But it is said, that one low churl, to satisfy
his curiosity, bored an auger hole to spy, but
upon peeping, at once became bereft of his
sight, hence the association of Peeping Tom
with the legend.

[image of statue of
Godiva riding on black horse]

LADY GODIVA
Then she rode back, clothed
on with chastity.
And one low churl compact
of thankless earth: peep'd:
But his eyes, before they
had their will, were shrivell'd
into darkness in his head.
And all at once, the twelve
great shocks of sound,
The shameless noon was
clash'd and hammer'd from
a hundred towers.
But even then she gain'd her
bower; whence reissuing,
Robed and crown'd, she took
the tax away, and built
herself an everlasting name.
Tennyson

card (when closed):
cm wide by cm deep

silk:
cm wide by cm deep

This 1929 Christmas card comprises a folded card, with the Christmas and New Year's greeting printed on the front cover. Alderman & Mrs Grant's name is also printed on the front cover.
Inside to card, there is a summary of the Godiva story printed on the left hand leaf, with a silk attached to the right hand leaf, with a proper mount over the top. An extract from Tennyson's poem on the Godiva story are woven onto the silk. The rear cover is plain.

The card is from Alderman & Mrs W.H. Grant, the same address used on all their Christmas cards from 1921 until 1930.

Reference Number:-	Godden Number:-	Sprake Number:-	Radley Number:-
gc 824-fcc	not recorded	No Postcards listed by Sprake	not listed


Size:	card (when closed): cm wide by cm deep silk: cm wide by cm deep
Comments:	This 1929 Christmas card comprises a folded card, with the Christmas and New Year's greeting printed on the front cover. Alderman & Mrs Grant's name is also printed on the front cover. Inside to card, there is a summary of the Godiva story printed on the left hand leaf, with a silk attached to the right hand leaf, with a proper mount over the top. An extract from Tennyson's poem on the Godiva story are woven onto the silk. The rear cover is plain. The card is from Alderman & Mrs W.H. Grant, the same address used on all their Christmas cards from 1921 until 1930.