Much as I am vehemently against inherited privilege, my great-grandfather, John Leith, would have been chuffed to receive this gift from the then Governor-General of the Union of South Africa (the Earl of Athlone and husband of Princess Alice, granddaughter of Queen Victoria), on his retirement from the railways.

As the following letter shows, John was in charge of the train that the Governor-General often used to travel around the country on his frequent ceremonial tours.