Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    Is this Queen Victoria's funeral procession?


    Recommended Posts

    Alex - your blow-ups are very good - you must have a special programme. I think this is the first time I have seen the crowd in this set of photos.

    Stuart - The 'fat' figure in the middle is King Edward - The Duke of Connaught was the Queen's Uncle, but probably not senior enough for the first rank. Probably the two Emperors - Russia and Germany - both were sons-in-law to Queen Victoria. The hundreds of other 'minor' Royalty are probably the mob in the background. Interesting, it looks as if Generals and Admirals are flanking the catafalque.

    I mentioned the double line parade of Police - with the blow-up I can see (I think ?) ball tops to the men on the right. Does it mean they were drawn from Forces around the Country ?

    A single photo - and yet it represents just so much history.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Kaiser Wilhelm is on the white horse, Edward in the middle and unknown (Duke of Connaught?) making up the three. See blow-up below.

    As I said earlier the Duke of Connaught is specifically mentioned with the other two in the clip of the funeral that Simon found - "King Edward VII, Duke of Connaught and the Kaiser follow the coffin on horseback."

    So far I have not established that Tzar Nicholas II was even at the funeral which I find hard to believe. Must check harder.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Michael,

    since Queen Victoria died on 22nd January 1901 and the funeral was held on 2nd February 1901 I doubt that there would have been enough time to organise Canadian Militia troops to attend the funeral.

    Unless, of course, they had previously sailed to England prior to embarking for South Africa. But that seems a very round-about way of getting into the Boer War.

    Stuart

    Edited by Stuart Bates
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Alex,

    what did you use to get the splendid enlargements from the original photo?

    I took it into PhotoShop but it pixellated so quickly as to be useless.

    Stuart

    Hi Stuart

    A simple process - I scanned the original with my Canon MP210, transferring it on to Picasa (a excellent free download off the internet which I use for all my photos), then cropped each section using Picasa, before using 'Paint' to reduce it down to under 150k. No great technology used - just a cheap printer/scanner and Picasa!!

    Alex

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Stuart - if it is the Duke of Connaught he must have had precedence as the Queen's Uncle. However, Royal protocal being what it is, I would have thought one of Her other sons - or, even Edwards son the Prince of Wales - would have been ahead ? Thinking about the Czar - I don't remember him being in attendance -- he would certainly have been with the King.

    I wonder what else we can turn-up just from this photo ? I have seen an order of service - probably one in the Museum of London - if anyone has a chance to call on them ?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    • 8 months later...

    I turned up another photo of Queen Victoria's funeral the other day, to go along with the one that started this post, so I'll post it on here in case it is of further interest to anyone, along with some close ups. I wonder which hotel it is in the background?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Having just looked through this thread again the one thing that struck me was that all the military participents are wearing greatcoat order except for the immediate Pall Bearers escorting the carriage.

    Any thoughts on the reason? I have seen greatcoats worn by Pall Bearers so I can't believe it's a pracital reason but then I don't believe that it would have just been to show off the 'Home service uniforms?

    Best regards Simon

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Simon,

    would not the fact that it was Winter be the reason for the greatcoats? It was the 2nd of February - was that a particularly cold/rainy day?

    The London Weather says of February "Most of the month was dry, rather cloudy and fairly cold" and I have read that snow began to fall after Queen Victoria was placed in the Frogmore Mausoleum.

    Stuart

    Edited by Stuart Bates
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Simon,

    I had wondered where you had got to so welcome back.

    Post #23 is also interesting in that the first 4 sergeants would appear to be Grenadiers whereas the last seems to be a Coldstreamer, can't make out the plume though.

    Just had another look and maybe the last two are Coldstreamers?

    Stuart

    Edited by Stuart Bates
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Stuart

    The strange Foot Guards rank system! Lance Corporals have two chevrons in white tape, Lance Sergeants (Corporals) Three chevrons in white tape, Sergeant, three chevrons in gold lace and a sash etc etc and so it goes on I'm afraid. Don't even ask about the Household Cavalry!!! :speechless:

    Simon

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    GOOGLE - ' Queen Victoria's Funeral - order of procession'. Lots of good info. and pictures - incl. at no. 4 our thread !

    I found separately the list of VIP's in the Procession - although not their exact places. However - these can be judged from the order of precedence. The Duke of Connaught was in the first row with King Edward and the Kaiser. He was the senior Royal Duke and the Uncle of the Queen.

    Sovereigns present : King Edward 7th.; Kaiser Wilhelm 2nd.; King George of the Hellenes (Greece); King Carlos of Portugal ; King Leopold

    of the Belgians.

    The Crown Princes of : Germany ; Rumania; Greece; Denmark; Norway; Sweden; Siam (Thailand).

    + The Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand (Austria Hungarian Empire); Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch (Russia); Duke of Aosta (Italy).

    This should help a little - unfortunately, they all look the same - arrogant and pompous and overdressed !

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.