Lady Helena Gleichen
Encyclopedia
Lady Helena Emily Gleichen, OBE
, DStJ
(1 February 1873, London
, England
, UK – 28 January 1947) was a British painter of landscapes, flowers, and animals, with a particular passion for horses.
Her brother, Lord Edward Gleichen
(1863–1937), a professional soldier, wrote several books. Her sister, Lady Feodora Gleichen
(1861–1922) was a sculptor. They were the children of Count Victor Gleichen aka Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
, a half-nephew of Queen Victoria and himself a sculptor and naval officer, and his morganatic wife Laura Williamina Seymour
, a daughter of Admiral Sir George Seymour.
She helped with illustrations for the Younghusband Expedition to Tibet
in 1904. During World War I
she abandoned her German titles, accepted the rank of a marquess's daughter and headed the 4th Radiographic British Red Cross Unit stationed in the Villa Zucco in Cormons
, Italy
. She later received the Italian Bronze Medal of Military Valour and was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and as an OBE
in 1920. She was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
.
She worked from her father's former studio in St James's Palace opposite Friary Court
. The family home was a rambling estate Hellens Manor
at Much Marcle in Herefordshire
, used during World War II by the Tate
for the safe storage of art works. Gleichen organised her estate staff of some 80 people into a local home guard during World War II
.
She died in 1947, three days before her 74th birthday. Her memoir, Contacts and Contrasts, was published in 1940. A memorial plaque to her and her siblings is located at Golders Green
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(1 February 1873, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK – 28 January 1947) was a British painter of landscapes, flowers, and animals, with a particular passion for horses.
Her brother, Lord Edward Gleichen
Lord Edward Gleichen
Major-General Lord Albert "Edward" Wilfred Gleichen, KCVO, CB, CMG, DSO was a British courtier and soldier....
(1863–1937), a professional soldier, wrote several books. Her sister, Lady Feodora Gleichen
Lady Feodora Gleichen
Lady Feodora Georgina Maud Gleichen was a British sculptress of figures and portrait busts and designer of decorative objects....
(1861–1922) was a sculptor. They were the children of Count Victor Gleichen aka Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Admiral Victor Ferdinand Franz Eugen Gustaf Adolf Constantin Friedrich of Hohenlohe-Langenburg GCB , also known as Count Gleichen, was an officer in the Royal Navy, and a sculptor.-Biography:...
, a half-nephew of Queen Victoria and himself a sculptor and naval officer, and his morganatic wife Laura Williamina Seymour
Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was a British-born aristocrat whose marriage to a German prince naturalised in England made her a kinswoman of the British Royal Family and a member of the royal court.-Ancestry:Laura Williamina Seymour was a daughter of Admiral Sir George Seymour and his...
, a daughter of Admiral Sir George Seymour.
She helped with illustrations for the Younghusband Expedition to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in 1904. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she abandoned her German titles, accepted the rank of a marquess's daughter and headed the 4th Radiographic British Red Cross Unit stationed in the Villa Zucco in Cormons
Cormons
Cormons is a comune in the Province of Gorizia in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 45 km northwest of Trieste and about 12 km west of Gorizia, on the border with Slovenia...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She later received the Italian Bronze Medal of Military Valour and was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and as an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1920. She was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
.
She worked from her father's former studio in St James's Palace opposite Friary Court
Friary Court
Friary Court is where the new sovereign appears before her subjects for the first time after her accession to the throne. It is located in London, England near Buckingham Palace, and St. James's Palace. The Court is where Queen Victoria was first seen by her subjects after her accession to the...
. The family home was a rambling estate Hellens Manor
Hellens
Hellens Manor, also known as Hellens House or simply Hellens and located in the village of Much Marcle in Herefordshire is one of the oldest dwellings in England, currently primarily composed of Tudor style architecture, but some elements may be far older.-History:The manor was granted to the de...
at Much Marcle in Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, used during World War II by the Tate
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
for the safe storage of art works. Gleichen organised her estate staff of some 80 people into a local home guard during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
She died in 1947, three days before her 74th birthday. Her memoir, Contacts and Contrasts, was published in 1940. A memorial plaque to her and her siblings is located at Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
.