LOOK BACK IN TIME: 22nd Jan 1901

By Press Release Sep 20, 2022

Queen Victoria died at Osborne House on 22nd January 1901. The Isle of Wight Observer of January 26th, included extensive coverage, including the extract below. Although Queen Victoria had nine children, it sounds as though it was rather crowded around her deathbed.

THE CLOSING SCENES
A restless night had been succeeded by twelve hours of alternating hope and fear, at half-past three in the afternoon hope was banished, and it was admitted that the end had come. All the members of the Royal Family were summoned, and entered the death chamber. The Bishop of Winchester was already kneeling at the bedside of his Royal mistress, and the attendants had withdrawn to a corner of the apartment. The Prince of Wales and the German Emperor walked side by side, and were followed by the Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, the Duke of York, Princess Henry of Battenberg, the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg, Princess Christian, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Hesse, and the Duchess of Argyll.

During the three hours of intense emotion that followed Her Majesty had occasional and short returns to consciousness. It was evident that she recognised her children and grandchildren, though the recognition was not so clear as in the morning. Thus only was the Queen able to manifest her pleasure at the presence of her sons and daughters, and to indicate her especial gratification at the filial devotion of her grandson, the Emperor William, whose presence will ever be held in grateful memory by the Anglo-Saxon race.

As the day passed, and the grey, cold light of winter faded into darkness, other members of the family joined the group in the chamber of the dying monarch. The Duchess of York, the children of the Duke of Connaught, the Duke of Argyll, and Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg came in time to take a last leave. The Lord Chamberlain, whose presence on these mournful occasions is a necessity of State, was also in attendance…

The people of Cowes were conscious that their Sovereign and neighbour was dying. Many of them walked up the broad avenue to the gates of Osborne House, and stood for hours in silence. To them the announcement was made by Mr Fraser, Chief of the Queen’s Police… He came to the gate of the Lodge, and said, “Gentlemen, I am sorry to say that the Queen passed away at half-past six o’clock.”