Queen Victoria

Compiled by D. A. Sharpe

 

 

Alexandrina Victoria, born May 24, 1819, is the 8th cousin -5x removed of Edward Carlton (born about 1610, died November 29, 1678), the husband of Ellen Newton Carleton, stepdaughter of Danette Abney (born about 1712), my 6th great granduncle.

 

Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from May 1, 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901.  Her reign lasted sixty-three years and seven months, longer than that of any other British monarch up to contemporary times.  The closest challenge to the lengthily reign was Queen Elizabeth II, who surpassed that milestone on September 9, 2015.   As of 2007, Queen Elizabeth II became Britain's oldest-ever monarch, surpassing that record set by Queen Victoria. On August 22, 2015, Queen Elizabeth surpassed VictoriaÕs longest reigning record. 

 

The Victorian era was at the height of the Industrial Revolution, a period of significant social, economic, and technological change in the United Kingdom.  Victoria's reign was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire and during the period it reached its zenith, becoming the formidable Global Power of the time.

 

Victoria, who was almost entirely of German descent, was the last British monarch of the German House of Hanover; her son King Edward VII, belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

 

A more thorough report on Queen Victoria's life can be found at:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria

A sidelight of interest in a personal friend of Queen Victoria and her Consort, Prince Albert, was Mr. Henry Cole, a wealthy civil servant of great inventiveness.  He is sometimes credited with the design of the world's first postage stamp, the Penny Blank.  He also created the world's first commercial Christmas cards, printed in 1843.  This was a time saver for him to be able to reply to the many Christmas letters she received, which turned out to be a commercial success for him.  He had artist John Callcott Horsley to do the painting from which the card was printed in one of the early uses of four-color printing process.  Mr. Cole was the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

 

Queen Victoria died, following a lingering illness, on January 22, 1901.  Her funeral was conducted, under her written instructions, in St. GeorgeÕs Chapel in Windsor Castle.  After two days at lying in state, she was interred beside Prince Albert in Frogmore Mausoleum at Windsor Great Park.

 

 

Composed by:

 

Dwight Albert (D. A.) Sharpe

805 Derting Road East

Aurora, TX 76078-3712

 

817-504-6508

da@dasharpe.com

www.dasharpe.com

 

 

Mr. Sharpe shown here with his wife,

Suzanne Margaret Boggess Sharpe.