Dame Alida Luisa Brittain (''née'' Harvey; 12 June 1883
[''1939 England and Wales Register''] – 5 January 1943) was a British harpist. She was the wife of politician and journalist Sir
Harry Brittain
Sir Harry Ernest Brittain, Order of the British Empire, KBE, Order of St Michael and St George, CMG (24 December 1873 — 9 July 1974) was a British journalist and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician.
Biography
Brittain was born i ...
.
The only daughter of businessman Sir
Robert Harvey and Franco-Peruvian Alida María Godefroy, Alida was born in
Iquique
Iquique () is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the Atacama Desert. It has a population of 191,468 ...
(then in
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
), where her father made millions as a
saltpetre
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...
producer. Her maternal grandfather was Émile Godefroy of
Pessac
Pessac (; ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a member of the metropolis of Bordeaux, being the second-largest suburb of Bordeaux and located just southwest of it. Pessac is also home to B ...
, Bordeaux. In 1885, the family returned to
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, where her father purchased the
Trenoweth
Trenoweth is a hamlet in the parish of Mabe, Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the ...
estate and several properties in nearby
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
. She had five younger brothers, including politician Sir
Samuel Emile Harvey
Major Sir Samuel Emile Harvey DL (7 December 1885 – 9 November 1959) was a British Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons for all but one of the years from 1922 to 1935.
Early life
Harvey was born in Cornwall to Sir R ...
.
A noted harpist and composer, she was elected a
Bard of the Cornish Gorseth. In 1927, she was honorary musical director of the National Conservative Musical Union. She served as president of the Society of Women Journalists from 1929–32, and was a Member of the Celtic Congress in 1933.
She was created a Dame Commander of the
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
in the
1929 New Year Honours
The 1929 New Year Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the United Kingdom and British Empire. They were announced on 26 February 1929.United Kingdom and Briti ...
, for political and public services.
She married Harry Brittain in 1905. They had two children: Robert Edmund Godefroy Brittain and Alida Gwendolen Rosemary Brittain.
She died suddenly at home in
Headley Headley may refer to:
Places
* Headley, Basingstoke and Deane in the civil parish of Ashford Hill with Headley
* Headley, East Hampshire
** Headley Grange, Hampshire
* Headley, Surrey
Other uses
* Headley (surname)
* Baron Headley, a title in t ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
, in 1943.
Legacy
Alida, Saskatchewan
Alida ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Reciprocity No. 32 and Census Division No. 1. The village is approximately east of the City of Estevan. Farming and oil are th ...
is named in her honour.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brittain, Alida
1883 births
1943 deaths
English harpists
English people of Cornish descent
English people of French descent
English people of Peruvian descent
Bards of Gorsedh Kernow
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
People from Iquique
British people of Cornish descent
British people of French descent
British people of Peruvian descent
Women harpists
20th-century English women musicians