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‘The Missing Princess of
Thebes’
Florence Averil Birch
(1875-1912)
The only evidence that Florence Averil Birch ever existed is her baptism certificate,
which is to be found amongst the record of the British India, Ecclesiastical Returns,
held by the British Library. According to it she was baptized at Cherat on the 20
th
June 1875, having been born on the 22 of April 1875 at Nowshera, British India,
nd
the daughter of Capt. Henry Holwell Birch and Sara Henrietta Mawson 17.1
Major Henry Holwell Birch (1837-1878)
What became of her and of her life following her birth; and how she survived the
same illness which killed her elder sister, the previous year, has now been revealed
to you my readers – but not everything! Now we will tell all that has not been told.
We will begin by relating the events which immediately followed the death of her
beloved Tommy. Her fate and that of the Old Luxor Hotel are inexorably linked. Her
life once lost to history is now found again, in the pages of this book.”
© A. A. Aziz 2019 340
