Detail, figurine of a gentleman in court dress.

In August of 1904 the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain (father of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain) visited Welbeck Abbey and made a speech to a "gigantic" gathering of the tenants and staff and assembled guests of the Duke of Portland's in the Duke's glass-domed riding school (one of the largest in the world).  A terrific thunderstorm came up, and in the words of Lady Desborough --

"...the noise of the hail on the glass roof, and the chattering of the sparrows under it, drowned even Mr. Chamberlain's superlative voice, and for a few minutes there was great confusion; some of the crowd at the back, who couldn't hear a word, began to play football with their hats..."

But the storm abated and Mr. Chamberlain resumed his talk.

 Monumental figurine of a gentleman in court dress,
                                                                                                            handpainted china.
                                                                                                            9 " tall, stamped on the base "Made in Occupied Japan"
                                                                                                            Private Collection