Admiral Sir Roger Keyes’ Visitor Book – Autographs

Admiral Sir Roger Keyes and his wife Eva (nee Bowlby), were given this book on their wedding day in 1906.

This book spans 76 years: starting with their wedding day in 1906 until Lady Keyes’ funeral on Sept, 3, 1973. The pages are filled with entries (signatures & dates) interspersed with photos, postcards even several hand-drawn works of art.

There are many important Royal, Political and Military signatures including Winston Churchill, King George V, Queen Mary, Edward Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), George (later King George VI), King Albert and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, (who signs ‘Elisabeth’ in a very distinct penmanship).

Sir Roger Keyes died in 1945 but the entries continue up until Lady Keyes’ death in 1973.

This unique visitor book in white vellum with a presentation Art Nouveau decoration / binding is housed in a protective silk embroidered bag.

There are way too any signatures to list them all. In fact, every time I open a page I find another ‘important’ one I’d previously missed. Churchill’s signature appears twice. Other notable signatures are listed below:

Franklin D. Roosevelt July 30th 1918
F.M. Douglas Haigh In 1918
General H. Plumer
General Birdwood
General J. Byng 1st -2nd January 1919
General H. Rawlinson
General H. Gough 15th – 18th January 1919
Admiral David Beatty
Admiral Jellicoe
Admiral Chester Nimitz , Pearl Harbour, Honolulu, 16th September 1944
Admiral R.L. Connolly, Pearl Harbour
Princess Louise 6th January 1928
Milford Haven
Nada Milford Haven
Lord Louis Mountbatten
Edwina Mountbatten
H. Trenchard September 6th – 8th 1929
King George V
Queen Mary
Edward Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII)
George (later King George VI)
King Albert and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium – numerous entries
Prince Leopold of Belgium
Charles Theodore of Belgium
Olav of Norway
Bernard Baruch, August 4th – 6th 1930
Winston S. Churchill, August 4th – 6th 1930
Clementine S. Churchill August 4th – 7th 1930
Diana Churchill, August 4th – 7th 1930 (Churchill’s eldest daughter)
HM King Hussein of the Hedjaz 7th October 1927 at Cyprus
HH Emir Abdulla of Trans Jordania at Haifa 12th Oct. 1927
Winston S. Churchill in Malta Jan 8th -10th 1927
Randolf S. Churchill,  (Churchill’s son) Jan 8 -10, 1927
John S. Churchill (Churchill’s nephew) Jan 8 – 10, 1927
Shane Leslie, Portsmouth Nov 6th – 7th 1930 (Churchill’s cousin.)

Item #394