Leo Frank Schuster

Leo Frank Schuster (1852 – December 1927), was a patron of the arts in the United Kingdom, normally known to his friends as "Frankie". His home at 22 Old Queen Street, London, [http://apollo-magazine.com/archive/features/27665/a-new-home-rich-in-history.thtml] became a meeting-place for artists, writers and musicians, including Siegfried Sassoon, John Singer Sargent, Walter Sickert, Sir Edward Elgar and Sir Adrian Boult.

Schuster was of German origin. He was educated at Eton College, and was homosexual, as were many of his friends. Like Sassoon, Schuster was Jewish. In 1924, knowing that Sassoon was suffering from depression, Schuster made him the gift of his first car. He also allowed Sassoon to use his country retreat, the Hut, at Bray-on-Thames, but the two were never lovers.

Schuster also had many heterosexual friends. He was a close friend and travelling companion of composer Edward Elgar, and helped foster Elgar's popularity in the years leading up to World War I. Adrian Boult and Edward Elgar first met at Schuster's house in 1905.

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