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Kingsford, Dorothy, approximately 1897-

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: approximately 1987-

Biography

Dorothy Kingsford was born in Australia approximately 1897 and emigrated to the United States. She found work as a secretary for Mildred Bliss at Dumbarton Oaks in the 1930s, and lived nearby the estate at 3208 38th Street.

Found in 33 Collections and/or Records:

Exchange of letters, notes, and an announcement involving the Girl Scout Troop 53 and 54, District of Columbia and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss and her secretary, Dorothy Kingsford, April 10 - June 3, 1935 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 8, item: 10Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E8:Girl Scouts 1935.06.03
Scope and Contents:

Requests sent by individuals to Dumbarton Oaks and Robert and Mildred Bliss. Six letters are copies of letters sent by Mildred Bliss or her secretary in response to requests. Two copies, one letter and one telegram, sent by Robert Woods Bliss or his secretary responding to individual requests.

Exchange of letters, telephone messages, and a memorandum involving representatives of Western High School and Robert and Mildred Bliss and their secretary, May 3 - 17, 1937 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 8, item: 23Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E8:Western High School 1937.05.17
Scope and Contents:

Handwritten and typescript letters, telephone messages, and a memorandum regarding a request for Western High School students to use the Dumbarton Oaks gardens for a Greek play. Miss Gardner, a teacher working with the students, Dr. Elmer S. Newton, Principal of Western High School; Francis B. Sayre, Assistant Secretary of State; and Dorothy Kingsford, the Blisses secretary along with Mildred and Robert Bliss are involved in the communications.

Letter from Anne G. Miller, 2810 Adams Mill Rd. to Dorothy Kingsford, April 12 between 1930-1956 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 4, item: 87Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E4:Miller 19xx.04.12
Scope and Contents: Signed handwritten letter from Anne Gates Miller (Mrs. Gerrit S. Miller) to Dorothy Kingsford, secretary for Mildred Bliss thanks her for the privilege of seeing Mildred Bliss's gardens. She reports James Bryce met them and offered an hour's walk through a "fairyland". Dr. and Mrs. Seligman and Gerrit S. Miller, her husband who accompanied Anne Miller were delighted and recognized many varieties of plants and trees. She asks to convey to Mildred Bliss their appreciation and how grateful they...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Dorothy Kingsford, c/o Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., July 12, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 33Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.07.12
Scope and Contents: Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Dorothy Kingsford. Beatrix Farrand and her secretary's initials are in lower left corner. Beatrix Farrand kept copies of Mrs. Ogdan Reid's correspondence to Mildred Bliss but is returning the originals. Farrand comments on Reid's gardener, Edwin Beckett. Beatrix Farrand asks Dorothy Kingsford if Mrs. Reid has a price for the bulbs she is offering. If the price of the bulbs is not too great, buying 6 or 8 pots may be of interest to Mildred...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss, March 28, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 9Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.03.28
Scope and Contents: Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss. Beatrix Farrand reports the Palomar Observatory wants help in planting the surrounding great dome of the 200 ft. Hale telescope. She comments "how closely our minds jump in parallel lines." She says it is exciting about Dumbarton's future with the sculpture gallery being built, Christian and Byzantine census, and the interest expressed by Princeton and Harvard Universities.Beatrix Farand thinks the memorial...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., April 28, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 16Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.04.28
Scope and Contents:

Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss tells her $10.30 is being transfered to her for the [George Ellery] Hale funeral flowers. She will be sending lantern slides to Dumbarton Oaks. Farrand looks forward to her visit at Dumbarton Oaks and hopes to make the party on Sunday the 8th. Work has been heavy for her at Princeton and Yale Universities.

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Miss Dorothy Kingsford, 3101 R. Street, Washington, D.C., November 5, 1937 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 114Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1937.11.05
Scope and Contents: Unsigned copy of typescript letter most likely from Beatrix Farrand as she was planning to be at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. from October 26 to at least October 31 based on correspondence from Mildred Bliss dated October 25, 1937. Dorothy Kingsford works as a Secretary to Mildred Bliss.Beatrix Farrand feels distinctly deprived at having to bid Dorothy Kingsford farewell in a mechanized note. She also hated leaving without another word to Miss Bean and to tell her so and say...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Miss Dorothy Kingsford, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., August 17, 1937 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 100Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1937.08.17
Scope and Contents: Unsigned copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Mildred Bliss. Beatrix Farrand likely dictated letter to Miss [Mary] Fulkerson, her typist. She thanks Dorothy Kingsford for the affectionate and understanding letter. She tells her that although her aunt [Edith Wharton] was not well but not suffering Beatrix Farrand's weeks at St. Brice will always be a happy memory for her. Edith Wharton said to her faithful butler that she had really a happy summer...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, 3203 S. Street, Washington, D.C., June 18, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 30Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.06.18
Scope and Contents: Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss with responses to the following garden projects: Orion and Bootes chairs for the Star Garden, seat for the Lilac Circle, unicorn lady for Dumbarton Oak Park area, Forsythia arch in the Forsythia Dell, designing at Dumbarton Oaks, lantern in the Star Garden, the swinging seat in the Terrior Column and Enclosure, ironwork colors, William Gray's memorial, and the Music Room wall. She also responds to points on the the Memorandum...

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., March 14, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 5Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.03.14
Scope and Contents: Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss (Mildred Bliss) expresses her thoughts on the death of William Gray and the loss to Dumbarton Oaks and his family. Beatrix reports that Ellis Russell has written that James Bryce has been given William Gray's head [gardener] position at Dumbarton. She discusses Mrs. Mudski (Mary Cadwalader Jones) her mother and lantern slides that Robert and Mildred enjoyed, and Elisina Tyler inheriting Sainte Claire [du Chateau] as...

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Robert Woods Bliss to Mrs. William Fitch Kelley, President, League of Republican Women, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, D.C. , April 16, 1935 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 8, item: 17Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E8:RB 1935.04.16B
Scope and Contents:

Photocopy of letter from Dorothy Kingsford on behalf of Robert Woods Bliss to Mrs. William Fitch Kelley, President, League of Republican Women tells her the request for the members to use the grounds of Dumbarton Oaks for philanthropic efforts can not be granted. Original letter is with exchange of letters, E8:Kelley 1935.03.22.

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Madam (Mrs. Joseph R. Lyddane, Francis Scott Key Parent Teacher Association. President), February 19, 1937 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 6, item: 1Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E6:Kingsford 1937.02.19
Scope and Contents:

Copy of typescript letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Mrs. Joseph R. Lyddane (Alton Lyddane) discusses Mildred Bliss making a donation of 100 Forsythia plants for the garden of the Francis Scott Key School. Correspondent and recipient based on addressed letters about the request, E6:Lyddane 1937.02.14 and E6:Lyddane 1937.02.23.

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Miss Ruth Havey, c/o Mrs. Farrand, 123, East 40th Street, New York City, December 16, 1933 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 51Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1933.12.16
Scope and Contents: Copy of unsigned typescript letter attributed to Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Mildred Bliss, telling Ruth Havey, assistant to Beatrix Farrand, she is returning the Greek inscription with revised lettering and asking for two sample designs for the date from which Mildred Bliss can choose. The inscription is for the Beatrix Farrand dedication panel in the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Green Garden.A letter was enclosed that Mildred Bliss wants Ruth Havey to read and return. Enclosed...

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Miss Ruth Havey, c/o Mrs. Max Farrand, 124, East 40th Street, New York, May 20, 1935 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 69Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1935.05.20
Scope and Contents: Copy of unsigned typescript letter from Dorothy Kingsford, Secretary to Mildred Bliss to Ruth Havey, Assistant to Beatrix Farrand in her New York office. On behalf of Mildred Bliss Dorothy requests that Ruth Havey send the Latin inscription no later than Saturday morning even if she hasn't been able to work on it. Mildred Bliss asks that Ruth Havey notify her by telegram or air-mail whether Beatrix Farrand will be arriving here Saturday morning or afternoon and where Beatrix Farand can be...

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Miss Ruth Havey, c/o Mrs. Max Farrand, 124, East 40th Street, New York City, April 20, 1934 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 63Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1934.04.20
Scope and Contents: Copy of unsigned typescript letter from Dorothy Kingsford, secretary on behalf of Mildred Bliss to Ruth Havey, in care of Beatrix Farrand's New York City office. She informs Ruth Havey that Mildred Bliss received a letter from Miss Gisela Richter [The Metropolitan Museum of Art] about the grammatical mistakes in the Greek inscription [to be on the panel dedicated to Beatrix Farrand in the Dumbarton Oaks Green Garden]. Mildred Bliss wants her to discuss the inscription with Gisela Richter and...

Letter from Dorothy Kingsford to Miss Ruth M. Havey, c/o Mrs. Farrand, 124, East 40th Street, New York City, April 2, 1934 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 60Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1934.04.02
Scope and Contents:

Copy of unsigned typescript letter from Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Mildred Bliss, to Ruth M. Havey in care of Beatrix Farrand's New York office expressing Mildred Bliss' response to hearing of grammatical errors in the Greek inscription (dedicated to Beatrix Farrand for the panel in the Green Garden). Mildred Bliss asks if the alterations that need to be made will be completed before Beatrix Farrand returns.

Letter from Lewis L. Delafield, Hawkins, Delafield and Longfellow, 49 Wall Street, New York to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Box 596, Santa Barbara, California, April 9, 1935 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 8, item: 8Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E8:Delafield 1935.04.09
Scope and Contents:

Typescript letter with handwritten signature from Lewis Delafield to Mildred Bliss tells her he does not know of the League of Republican Women of the District of Columbia and supports their decision not to draw political attention to Dumbarton Oaks. He tells her that because she was in New York for 51 days in 1934 she would need to pay New York taxes.

Letter from May M. Kelley, League of Republican Women of the District of Columbia, Sixteenth Street at Scott Circle, Washington, D.C. to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Robert Woods Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks, March 22 - April 16, 1935 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 8, item: 13Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E8:Kelley 1935.03.22
Scope and Contents:

Handwritten letter from May McClure Kelley (Mrs. William Fitch Kelley) to Mildred Bliss asks if she would open the Dumbarton Oaks grounds to raise funds for the 1936 Presidential campaign under the direction of the League of Republican Women of the District of Columbia.

Letter from Mildred Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Trix, June 13, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 28Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:MB 1938.06.13
Scope and Contents: Dictated typescript letter with handwritten signature and postscript from Mildred Bliss to Beatrix Farrand. Mildred Bliss was hoping that Beatrix Farrand would stop in Washington, D.C. on her way to Calfornia as she had much to talk over with her. She thanks her for the recent letter and photographs. She reports the Garden Club met at Dumbarton Oaks and Anne Sweeney gave a talk about the Catalogue House. Royall Tyler leaves for New York and Robert Bliss is going to hear him speak at the...

Letter from Milrob, 3101 R Street, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Mrs. Farrand, 1938 Digital

File — Box B: 2, Folder: 31Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:MB 1938.xx.xx
Scope and Contents:

Handwritten letter from Mildred Bliss to Mrs. Farrand/Trix [Beatrix Farrand]. Mildred Bliss tells her about her upcoming schedule and mentions Nadia Boulanger, Ernest [Schelling], Bertie Wright's daughter, and Royall Tyler. Letter has a date in it of June 27, this letter probably written in 1938 based on other correspondence with similar topics of conversation.

Letter from Miss Dorothy Kingsford, Secretary to Miss Havey, c/o Mrs. Max Farrand, 124, East 40th Street, New York, May 7, 1935 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 67Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1935.05.07
Scope and Contents: Unsigned copy of typescript letter from Dorothy Kingsford, Secretary to Mildred Bliss, informing Ruth Havey, Assistant to Beatrix Farrand, that Mildred Bliss has abandoned the idea of a Greek inscription and is enclosing a proposed Latin inscription for the English words instead. Mildred Bliss would like sketches with lettering as it appears on the attached sheet. Mildred Bliss would like the inscription for the panel dedicated to Beatrix Farrand in the Dumbarton Oaks Green Garden to be in...

Letter from Miss Dorothy Kingsford to Miss R. Havey, c/o Mrs. Beatrix Farrand, 123, East 40th Street, New York City, November 16, 1933 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 44Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1933.11.16
Scope and Contents:

Unsigned typescript letter probably sent from Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Mildred Bliss, to Ruth Havey, assistant to Beatrix Farrand. Mildred Bliss concludes that limestone would be the best stone for the inscription. She is also returning to Ruth Havey designs for the consoles in the gallery with corrections.

Letter from Miss Dorothy Kingsford to Miss Ruth M. Havey, c/o Mrs. Beatrix Farrand, 124, East 40th Street, New York City, November 29, 1933 Digital

File — Box B: 1, Folder: 47Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:Kingsford 1933.11.29
Scope and Contents:

Copy of unsigned typescript letter attributed to Miss Dorothy Kingsford, secretary to Mildred Bliss, and sent to Ruth Havey, assistant to Beatrix Farrand's office, relaying that Mildred Bliss would like changes to the panel inscription. Dorothy Kingsford states that Mrs. Bliss wants the altered design in time to take it with her to Boston to have the Greek letters verified. She lets Ruth Havey know that dummies are being sent separately.

Letter from Mrs. Joseph R. Lyddane, 5533 Sherrier Place, N.W., Washington, D.C. to Dorothy Kingsford, February 23, 1937 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 6, item: 3Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E6:Lyddane 1937.02.23
Scope and Contents:

Handwritten letter from Mrs. Joseph R. Lyddane (Alton Lyddane) to Robert and Mildred Bliss thanks them for the donation of 100 Forsythia plants for the Francis Scott Key school.

Letter from R.S. Thager, Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Dorothy Kingsford, April 1 between 1934-1960 Digital

File — Box E, Folder: 4, item: 113Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, E4:Thager 19xx.04.01
Scope and Contents:

Handwritten letter from R.S. Thager thanks Dorothy Kingsford and Mildred Bliss for allowing her to visit the Dumbarton Oaks Garden and see the tulips. "There is no garden like it in the country!"