EARLY 20TH CENTURY DIAMOND BRACELET, POSSIBLY CARTIER

Lady Gertrude Mary Denman, known by her friends as Trudie, was the daughter of Weetman and Annie Pearson, later Viscount and Vicountess Cowdray. Her mother was a distinguished connoisseur of the arts and was well known for her superb collection of pictures, furniture and objets d’art.

The Cowdray family fortune was founded on the success of a number of businesses developed during the late 19th century by the 1st Viscount Cowdray. Lady Denman’s parents were unwavering liberals; her father supported causes such as free trade and women’s suffrage and her mother an active member of the Executive of the Women's Liberal Federation.

Following her parents’ example Lady Denman went on to become a bastion for both liberal reform and social and charitable causes. During her lifetime she was elected to the Executive of the Women's Liberal Federation to support the suffragette movement. Whilst she lived in Australia she worked with the Australian National Council of Women and was integral to the establishment of Bush Nursing Centres providing medical aid to those living in remote areas. Upon returning to England after the start of World War I she was involved with Smokes for Wounded Soldiers And Sailors Society; became President of the Women's Section of the Poultry Association, a scheme to avoid the wastage of food scraps and reduce food imports; became chairman of the Women's Institute Sub-Committee of the Agricultural Organisation Society; was the first President of the National Federation of Women's Institutes; was the first Chairman of the Family Planning Association; President of the Ladies Golf Union; a member of the Executive Committee of the Land Settlement Association; a Trustee of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust; a Director of the Westminster Press and during World War II was Director of the Women's Land Army.

In acknowledgement of her tremendous contributions to such a number of important causes Lady Denman was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1933 and was later advanced to Dame Grand Cross 1951.