A pristine baby blanket made by Queen Mary of Britain almost a century ago has been discovered in a loft during a house clearance - but mystery surrounds how it ended up there. The pink crochet blanket, crafted by Queen Mary in the 1930s/40s, still bears its Buckingham Palace label stating, ‘Made by Her Majesty the Queen’. But no one knows how the rare item ended up in the attic. Notty Hornblower, textiles consultant at Hansons Auctioneers, which will offer the royal find on September 27, said: “The seller found it when she was clearing out her aunt’s house in Wimbledon but neither she, nor her aunt, have any idea how this remarkable royal discovery came into the family. “We have some inkling, though. Due to a similar find, we know Queen Mary occasionally donated these lovely little cot blankets to help families in London. An almost identical pink blanket made by Queen Mary sold for £400 at Hansons in 2022. The seller’s mother won it in 1938 at a mother and baby clinic at London’s Claremont Mission in Islington. It was her most precious possession. She kept it tucked way in its box for decades, only giving it to her daughter after she married and had a family of her own. “This new find, which is being guided at £200-£300, has been equally well looked after and comes to auction in its original box. However, though cherished, there is some mystery over its journey into the loft.” The seller, a 68-year-old book-keeper from Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, said: “My 93-year-old aunt, Margaret Brassett, went into residential care about five years ago. When it became apparent she could not return to her house, it had to be cleared and sold. “As this was her parents’ house prior to her owning it, there was an awful lot of stuff. The cot blanket was found in the loft. My aunt was widowed in 1993 and had no children. I asked her if she knew where the blanket had come from and she replied, 'I haven't a clue'. “Unfortunately, after the blanket came to me, it still didn't see the light of day, as I just stored it in my loft. I wasn't sure what to do with it. Some online research threw up one clue thanks to Hansons Auctioneers - Central Claremont Mission. The single connection I could make is that my uncle, Bill Brassett, came from Islington and had a large family there. However, there is no relative living who can shed any further light on this. “My aunt told me to take the blanket as she didn't want it and had no idea why she had it. It is only now, as I am going through my own loft, that I’ve decided to seek a new home for it. It seems a shame to have it hidden away. “My aunt is now well looked after in a care home in Wimbledon. Her ex-neighbour visits her regularly and has asked her many times about different things in the past, the blanket being one of them. However, she received the same response I had.” Notty said: “Items like this become family heirlooms but as the decades and people pass information about how things are acquired is sometimes lost. It’s likely this baby blanket was won by a member of the Brassett family, perhaps through the Islington mum and baby clinic. “Whatever the circumstances, the find demonstrates Queen Mary’s caring nature and her desire to reach out to ordinary British people. During the First World War she instituted an austerity drive at the palace, where she rationed food, and visited wounded and dying servicemen in hospital. This had a major impact on her. She wanted to help others. “Interestingly, Queen Mary was a great collector of royal memorabilia, a hobby shared by people all over the world today. Let’s hope royal cot blanket will go to someone who will treasure it for decades to come.” Where: Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom When: 23 Sep 2024 Credit: Kylah Ward/Hansons/Cover Images **EDITORIAL USE ONLY. MATERIALS ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDITORIAL STORY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MATERIAL COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH STATED SUPPLIER.**