MILLIE  EDWARDS  UPDATE
  In late Dec 2006, this author was fortunate to have discovered and won at auction a postcard of Mr. and Mrs. General Mite.  The reverse of this card (left) reads:
"Saw Mrs. General Mite at Timaru (NZ) Show Oct. 1919.  Mrs. Mite since been killed - knocked down by tram car in ChCh (Christchurch, NZ).  Dec 1919"
   Millie's great-nephew, Allen P.,  was immediately notified. His correspondence and further research in New Zealand archives has revealed that Emily in fact died of sudden heart failure while walking in High Street, Christchurch on Dec 16, 1919.  Her funeral was held two days later, the interment being in Bromley Cemetery there. 
    A headstone or memorial marker of some sort will soon be installed at the gravesite of this celebrated little lady.  She had resided in New Zealand for 28 years.  She was only 42 years old.
(above) This is an advertising imitation spade guinea issued to promote the levees of Frank and Emily.  "Willing" is in reference to James Willing who was their theatre agent at 366 Grays Inn Road, London.
   Tokens such as these were issued mostly in the 1800's during the reign of Queen Victoria.  To avoid the Counterfeit Laws they have the bust of King George III and the reverse is usually the spade shield - hence the name "spade guinea".
   Collectors have found that ther are over 1,000 different types of these coins known to exist and rare examples can command prices of well over £100. For more, see the reference work "A Thousand Guineas" by W. Bryce Neilson.
EMILY "MILLIE" EDWARDS
1877 - 1919