Royal Connections
We just love a good bit of gossip - uh, we mean, research. This year marks Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee - 70 years on the throne. She is the first monarch to achieve this mark, and celebrations are planned in Britain in June.
While searching through our in-house archives, we came across an article that - well - honestly, we just copied off because it mentioned J.W. Kelly, but maybe we didn’t actually read it until today. We discovered a connection between Elizabeth’s great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, and J.W. Kelly.
Our Kelly historian adores royal history, so this little nugget may actually be framed up for her wall. ;)
“Queen Victoria surpassed her grandfather King George III as the longest-reigning British monarch on 23 September 1896, an event that she marked privately at Balmoral Castle. She wrote in her journal, “People wished to make all sorts of demonstrations, which I asked them not to do until I had completed the sixty years next June.” The Diamond Jubilee was therefore an opportunity to celebrate Victoria’s status as longest-reigning monarch, in addition to marking 60 years on the throne.[1] On 20 June 1897, the sixtieth anniversary of her accession, Victoria wrote in her journal:[2]
This eventful day, 1897 has opened, and I pray God to help and protect me as He has hitherto done these sixty long eventful years! I feel sad at the new losses I have sustained, especially the last one of our beloved Liko! God will surely help me on! How well I remember this day sixty years ago when I was called from my bed by dear Mama to receive the news of my accession!
The sixtieth anniversary of her accession was celebrated on 20 June 1897 with a thanksgiving service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.[1]”
This was the big news of the summer in 1897, and here in Chattanooga several people had comments quoted in local newspapers about the event, or the Queen, or the royal family. One of those people was Mrs. J. W. Kelly.
Chattanooga Daily Times, June 23, 1897.
Mrs. Kelly had one brother, George G. Short, and a sister who’s identified in Kelly’s will as Mrs. John A. Longmire. It is Mrs. Longmire that Lizzie references within this article.
(We’re fairly certain the Princess of Wales that Mrs. Kelly referred to here was Queen Alexandra.)