The practice of euthanasia at the highest level of society: the Lords Dawson (1864–1945) and Horder (1871–1955)

Abstract

The intimate involvement of Lord Dawson of Penn in the terminal illness of King George V in 1936 was highlighted 50 years later when his personal papers were released for perusal in the public arena. A popular jingle of the time relating to Dawson was recalled in a leading article in The Times newspaper in 1986. Knowing that a similar rhyme was in circulation involving Lord Horder of Ashford, I wrote to his son in order to verify exactly what this was; his reply is reproduced in this article.