Queen Victoria (5 page)

In the summer of 1832 a somewhat lengthy tour was taken by the Duchess of Kent and the Princess, who thus had an opportunity of seeing a great extent of her future kingdom, and making the personal acquaintance of many of the nobility and gentry, and gaining an insight into the manufactures and employments of the people. Starting in the beginning of August and sleeping at Oxford, they passed through Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Shrewsbury to Powis Castle, the early home of the Duchess of Northumberland. Hence the journey was made by Wynnstay, over the Menai Bridge, to the “Bulkeley Arms” at Beaumaris, which had been taken for a month. At the National Eisteddfod held here the Princess delighted the winners by presenting to them the prizes gained in the various competitions. An outbreak of cholera curtailed the stay at Beaumaris, whence the Duchess with her daughter moved to Plas Newydd, which had been kindly placed at their disposal by the Marquess of Anglesey. The fine air and abundance of exercise had a most beneficial effect upon the Princess’s constitution.

Whilst staying at Plas Newydd, the Princess, on Saturday, October 13th, laid the first stone of a boys’ school. On the 15th, the royal party left Plas Newydd, and the Princess notes in her diary: “I looked out of the carriage window, that I might get a last look at the dear
Emerald
and her excellent crew.” On the route to Eaton Hall, Bangor and Conway were passed, and at Kenmel Park, the seat of Lord Dinorben, the royal party stopped to meet the Duke of Sussex at luncheon. Passing through Holywell, they arrived at Eaton, escorted by the Yeomanry, under Lord Grosvenor. Escorts on the first part of the journey had been furnished by the Denbighshire and Flintshire Yeomanry. On the 17th of October a visit was made to Chester, where the visitors were received with much cheering by the great crowds which assembled from all the country round. The new bridge over the Dee was formally opened, and received the name of “Victoria.” From Eaton, again escorted by Lord Grosvenor and Lord Robert Grosvenor, at the head of their Yeomanry, the journey lay through Buxton to Chatsworth, where they were received by the Duke of Devonshire. On the next day the Princess Victoria planted an oak, and the Duchess of Kent a chestnut, near the terrace. Excursions were made to Haddon and to Hardwicke, also through Matlock to Belper, where Mr. Strutt’s cotton mills were inspected with much interest. Leaving Chatsworth on the 24th, the party proceeded to Lord Lichfield’s house at Shugborough, lunching on the way at Alton Towers, the magnificent seat of Lord Shrewsbury. Here the Staffordshire Yeomanry was reviewed in the park. Next day Lichfield Cathedral was visited, and addresses received from the Mayor and Corporation. Passing through Stafford, which was gaily decorated with arches and flowers, the Duchess and the Princess, escorted by the Staffordshire Yeomanry, arrived at Pitchford, where they were to be the guests of Lord Liverpool. On one day during their visit there was a meet of the hounds, who ran into their fox under the carriage in which their Royal Highnesses were sitting; on another day Shewsbury and its old school were visited.

Leaving Pitchford, and passing through Church Stretton, a stay was made at Oakley Court, the seat of Mr. Clive. Thence the journey lay through Ludlow. Here the mechanics formed a procession, Lord Clive and Mr. Clive walking on foot at their head. At Tenbury the Worcestershire Yeomanry relieved the Shropshire Yeomanry as escort, and attended the carriage, Lord Plymouth riding by the side, to Newell Grange, his lordship’s seat. During the two days which were passed there, a visit was paid to Bromsgrove, where an address was presented to the Duchess, and the Princess received a present of a gold box full of small nails, as specimens of the manufacture of the town.

The next day the homeward journey was continued through Stratford-on-Avon, Shipstone-on-Stour, and Woodstock, to Wytham Abbey, the seat of the Earl of Abingdon. The Duchess and the Princess passed one day in Oxford, where an address was presented by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr. Rowley, in the Theatre, and another by the Mayor and Corporation in the Town Hall; they were then escorted by Dean Gaisford through Christ Church, the Cathedral, and Library, and on to the Bodleian, where amongst other curiosities Princess Victoria took great interest in Queen Elizabeth’s Latin exercise book, which she used when thirteen years old, the Princess’s own age. The royal visitors were entertained at luncheon by the Vice-Chancellor at his own College, University, and after visiting New College were conducted to the University Press, with which the Princess was greatly pleased; here a copy of the Bible was presented to her, with a memorial of her visit printed on white satin. On the following day, the 9th of November, the journey was resumed through High Wycombe and Uxbridge to Kensington Palace. It is noted in the Princess’s diary of the time, from which these particulars are taken by permission, that at all these visits the Princess dined at about seven o’clock with the Duchess of Kent and the guests.

Soon after their return home an interesting interview took place with Captain Back, who was preparing to start early in the following year, on his chivalrous enterprise to the Polar regions in search of Captain Ross. The Princess took extreme interest in the proposed route, which was explained by maps, and expressed much anxiety for the success of the expedition, and this interest in Polar exploration and its dangers has ever since been maintained.

The early part of the year 1833 was passed at Kensington. There the course of study was kept up as before, but the Princess now went out more into society and was seen more in public; twice during January she sat for her picture - to Wilkin and to Hay ter. On the 25th of February, the birthday of Queen Adelaide, the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria went to the Queen’s Drawing Room. On this occasion they were attended by the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Charlotte St. Maur, Lady Catherine Jenkinson, Lady Cust, Sir John and Lady Conroy, Baroness Lehzen, Sir Frederick Wetherall and Sir George Anson. On Easter Sunday their Royal Highnesses went as usual to the Chapel Royal at St. James’s; on other days service was attended at Kensington Palace. On the 24th of April the Duchess of Kent gave a dinner to the King; the Queen was not well enough to be present. The Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester were among the guests, who numbered about thirty. Princess Victoria, on this as on other similar occasions, did not dine, but went into the drawing-room before dinner, and again after dinner till the guests left.

On the 24th of May, the Princess’s fourteenth birthday, she received a large number of presents, and in the evening with the Duchess of Kent, and attended by the Duchess of Northumberland and other members of her suite, went to a juvenile ball given at St. James’s Palace by the King and Queen in honour of the day. The King led Her Royal Highness into the ballroom, and again to supper, when the Princess sat between the King and Queen and her health was drunk by the company. On the 28th the Princess again attended the Queen’s Drawing Room, and records the impression made upon her by the beauty of Lady Seymour, Mrs. Norton, Lady Clanricarde and others. In June the Duchess and Princess, with the Princes Alexander and Ernest of Wurtemberg and Prince Leiningen (all three staying on a visit at Kensington Palace), attended by the Duchess of Northumberland and others, drove to Woolwich, where they visited the Arsenal, Barracks, and Storehouse, where was preserved the carriage which had conveyed Napoleon to his tomb. They witnessed also the firing of several pieces of artillery.

At home the Princess’s amusements were her pets, and her walks and drives, and during the spring and summer she much enjoyed riding. Another great enjoyment was the frequency of her visits to the opera, where she greatly enjoyed the performances of Duvernay and Taglioni, and listened with delight to Pasta, Malibran, Grisi, Tamburini, Rubini, and other celebrated singers, as well as to Paganini’s playing on the violin.

During the summer visits were paid both to Sion and Claremont, and on the 1st of July the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria, accompanied by the Princes of Wurtemberg and Prince Leiningen and attended by Sir John and Lady Conroy and Baroness Lehzen, left Kensington
en
route
for the Isle of Wight, passing by Esher, Guildford, and Petersfield to Portsmouth. The streets of the town were lined with troops, and Sir Colin Campbell rode beside the royal carriage. The Admiral, Sir Thomas Williams, took the royal party in his barge to the yacht
Emerald
, which was then towed by a steamer to Cowes, whence the party proceeded to Norris Castle, which was to be for the second time their abode. Sir John Conroy with his family lived at Osborne Lodge, an old thatched cottage which afterwards came into the possession of the Queen and stood on the present site of Osborne Cottage. From Norris Castle the Duchess with the Princess made many excursions to Southampton, Ryde, and the back of the Island; they attended divine service at the church at Whippingham, and were present at the consecration of the new church at East Cowes. On the 18th of July they went on board the
Emerald
and were towed by the
Messenger
steamboat to Portsmouth. Here in the Admiral’s barge they visited his flagship the
Victory
, and saw the spot on the deck where Nelson fell and the cockpit where he died. “The whole ship,” notes Princess Victoria, “is remarkable for its neatness and order.” A contemporary account states that the Duchess and the Princess tasted some of the men’s dinner at one of their mess-tables, and much liked the fare.

On the 29th the
Messenger
again took the
Emerald
in tow for Weymouth, where the night was passed on shore at the Hotel. Addresses were presented and the town was illuminated in honour of the royal visitors, who next day left by road, escorted by the Dorsetshire Yeomanry, for Melbury, the seat of Lord Ilchester. where a stay was made of two nights; leaving again by road, and, passing Beaminster and Bridport, they embarked on board the
Emerald
at Lyme Regis for Torquay, where they slept. During this journey the Duchess and Princess always slept on shore, as the accommodation on board was very scanty. On the afternoon of the 2nd, as the yacht was approaching Plymouth, the Admiral, Sir William Hargood, who had served under Nelson, and under the King, came on board. When entering the harbour, the little
Emerald
ran foul of the
Active
hulk, and those on board were in considerable danger. The mast was broken in two places by the collision, but did not fall, though many stories were current at the time of falling spars and rigging. No one was hurt, though everyone was greatly frightened. The repair of the mast caused a delay of a couple of days. On the 3rd an address was presented by the Mayor and Corporation of Plymouth, and afterwards Their Royal Highnesses and suite were present at a review of the 89th, 22nd, and 84th Regiments. The Duchess of Kent made a speech, in which she referred to her residence in the Isle of Wight, which enabled her. in pursuance of her system of education for her daughter, to visit the great ports and arsenals so intimately associated with the naval power and glories of the country. The Princess Victoria then presented new colours to the 89th Regiment, giving them into the hands of Ensigns Miles and Egerton. After the troops had marched past, and luncheon had been served at the Admiral's house, a visit was paid to the
San
Josef
, the flagship, which had been taken by Nelson from the Spaniards at St. Vincent, a fine vessel of 120 guns, after which the
Caledonia
, 120, and the
Revenge
, 74, were inspected. On Sunday the Duchess and Princess attended morning service in the Dockyard Chapel, and in the afternoon rowed across to Mount Edgecumbe. Next day, on board the
Forte
frigate, Commander Pell, they sailed to the Eddystone Lighthouse. After lunch on board the sailors danced a hornpipe, and the royal party danced a quadrille and a country dance. The Princess danced first with Lieutenant Baker, and afterwards with Captain Thiringham. They afterwards landed on the Breakwater, whence they rowed to Mount Wise, and drove home. On Tuesday, the 6th, they re-embarked on the
Emerald
, the repairs to which had been completed, and, accompanied as far as the Sound by the Admiral and his captains, were again towed as far as Dartmouth, where they landed and drove to Torquay in the carriage of Mrs. Seale, as there were no post-horses to be had. They were expected to arrive by sea, and the change of plan caused some disappointment; however, a procession was formed of young girls with flowers, a little girl in the middle, the daughter of a sailor named Pepperill, carrying a crown. Leaving Torquay early next morning, and passing through Teign-mouth and Dawlish, Exeter was reached, where the usual addresses were presented; thence through Honiton, Axminster, Bridport, Dorchester, and Wareham, Swanage was at last reached after a journey of 105 miles in thirteen and a half hours. Next morning the ladies of Swanage presented Princess Victoria with a straw bonnet, “the growth, make, and trade of the place,” and later in the day, after returning on board the
Emerald
, the Duchess and Princess returned to Norris.

In the early part of the year 1834 there was less gaiety. The principal State ceremony of the year was when in June the Princess went with the King and Queen and the Duchess of Kent to the first performance of the Royal Musical Festival at Westminster Abbey. The performance began with Handel’s Coronation Anthem, and lasted for more than three hours. The Princess was everywhere greeted with enthusiasm. Later, a house was taken at Tunbridge Wells for two months, and while there visits were paid to Lord Delaware at Buckhurst, and to Lord Camden at Bayham Abbey. Afterwards, a move was made to St. Leonards-on-Sea, where two very enjoyable months were passed.

The early part of 1835 was spent as usual at Kensington Palace. This year the Princess was present for the first time at Ascot Races, where she accompanied the King and Queen in the State Procession. A description of the scene has been given by Mr. N. P. Willis: “In one of the intervals I walked under the King’s Stand and I saw Her Majesty the Queen and the young Princess Victoria very distinctly. They were leaning over a railing listening to a ballad singer, and seeming as much interested and amused as any simple country folk could be.