Details
cover 1879-80 range of letters (4) and envelopes (2), one addressed to Lieutenant Colonel King, Royal Artillery, Woolwich, the others to Major Ward Ashton, with:-
a) 1879 (13 Jul.) from Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Frederick Pickard, V.C., C.B., Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen, on paper headed "Windsor Castle".
Extract:
I have thought a good deal about you during these sad last two or three days, and how much you must have felt everything that went on in connection with the poor Prince Imperial's funeral.
You must be glad that the worst is now all over. It may be melancholy satisfaction to you to know how admirably well everything is said to have been managed at Woolwich and Chislehurst except the premature arrival of the Enchantress with which of course the gunners had nothing to do.
I was unable to go to Camden House and can only repeat what I have heard said by everyone here who was there - the Queen, the Duke of Connaught, Sir H. Ponsonby and Col. Pemberton both who dined with the Queen tonight - all say the same thing: that the arrangements were quite perfect, the turn-out of the men, horses, guncarriage - all perfect. No hesitation, everyone knew what they had to do and did it - no delay, no fuss or excitement.
b) 1879 (24 June) from Baron Corvisart.
c) 1879 (22 July) from a secretary at Chiselhurst.
d) 1880 (1 Mar.) from the Duc de Bassano at Chiselhurst.
A scarce assembly, accompanied by two modern photographs showing the site of the Prince Imperial's death and the stone cross monument, also two postcards showing monuments to him in England.
a) 1879 (13 Jul.) from Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Frederick Pickard, V.C., C.B., Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen, on paper headed "Windsor Castle".
Extract:
I have thought a good deal about you during these sad last two or three days, and how much you must have felt everything that went on in connection with the poor Prince Imperial's funeral.
You must be glad that the worst is now all over. It may be melancholy satisfaction to you to know how admirably well everything is said to have been managed at Woolwich and Chislehurst except the premature arrival of the Enchantress with which of course the gunners had nothing to do.
I was unable to go to Camden House and can only repeat what I have heard said by everyone here who was there - the Queen, the Duke of Connaught, Sir H. Ponsonby and Col. Pemberton both who dined with the Queen tonight - all say the same thing: that the arrangements were quite perfect, the turn-out of the men, horses, guncarriage - all perfect. No hesitation, everyone knew what they had to do and did it - no delay, no fuss or excitement.
b) 1879 (24 June) from Baron Corvisart.
c) 1879 (22 July) from a secretary at Chiselhurst.
d) 1880 (1 Mar.) from the Duc de Bassano at Chiselhurst.
A scarce assembly, accompanied by two modern photographs showing the site of the Prince Imperial's death and the stone cross monument, also two postcards showing monuments to him in England.
Further details
Note:
Pickard was a Major, Royal Artillery and had won the Victoria Cross in New Zealand in 1863.
The Prince Imperial was buried at Chiselhurst alongside his father who had died in 1873. The gun carriage and funeral party from Woolwich were provided by the Royal Artillery under Major Ward Ashton's command.
Pickard was a Major, Royal Artillery and had won the Victoria Cross in New Zealand in 1863.
The Prince Imperial was buried at Chiselhurst alongside his father who had died in 1873. The gun carriage and funeral party from Woolwich were provided by the Royal Artillery under Major Ward Ashton's command.