The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-10-20
RECENT GIFT OF
KING EDWARD
OSBORNE HOUSE HISTORY-LET-
TIERS FROM QUEEN VICTORIA
DESCRIBING MANY CHARMS.

DESCRIBING MANY CHARMS.
Osborne House, which the king has
given to the nation, lies one mile to the
southeast of Cowes, between the River
Medinaeand the Solent. The present
editice was erected after designs by
Mr.. T. Cubitt, and is in the domestic
Italian style. A striking feature is the
square tower, 107 feet high, and there
is also a clock tower which rises to a
height of 80 feet. The late queens
apartments are situated in advance of
the flag tower, and are filled with sta
tuary and pictures mainly the works
of modern artists. The estate, after
coming into her majestys possession,
was repeatedly enlarged. and now COM
prises about 5000 acres, reaching far
towards RYde by the seashOre, and to
the vicinity of Newport Island. 1t in
cludes terrace gardens and grounds of
surprising beauty. has a private pier
on the shore for the use of the royal
household, and on the outskirts are a
number of excellent cottages occupied
by the work people on the estate. Bar
ton Manor House, a picturesque CAB
led mansion was rebuilt by Queen Vic
tOria with careful retention of it's old
features, as a residence for her prin-
cipal steward.
The estate was purchased by her
majesty from Lady Isabella Blanch
ford in 1915, and the mansion house
which then stood upon tia plain and
unpretentious building of modern date
was soon after taken down to make
room for the existing palatial struc-
ture. For a long period the manor was
held by the Bowermans, an Old Isle of
Wight family not yet extinct, and 1t
hplnnUpl n
Tustace Mann, passing by marriage of
his granddaughter to the Blanchford
family Originally the name was Aus
terbourne or OysterbOurne, which has
been regarded by some as equivalent
to Est Borne, by others as derived
from adjacent oyster beds. Barton
manor, one of the additions made to
the estate, has a long, historic record.
AS early as 1882 an oratory for six
chaplains and clerk had been found
ed there. 1t passed to the bishops of
Winchester in 1893, and was given by
Bishop Waynflete to Winchester col
lege from which is was purchased by
the late queen.
1t was in the open-alr life of Os-
borne that the prince consort of ten
sought renewed health and strength,
and, in earlier days, superintendent the
works in progress. There is an inter-
esting letter, written in May, 1850, and
recorded in the life of the prince, in
which he expresses himself thus to the
dowager duchess of Coburg: In our
island home we are wholly given up to
the enjoyment of the warm summer
weather. The children catch butter
flies, the queen sits under the trees,
and I drink the Fissingen water, Ra-
gotsky. Today mamma, aunt (the
duchess of KENT, and Charles (Prlnce
Leiningen) are to come to stay fort
night with us; then we go to town to
compress the (so-called pleasures OF
the season into four weeks
Sir Robert Peers death occurred
shortly after. and we find the queen
writing to King Leopold in the follow
ing terms: ALBERT who had been so
fresh and we'll when he came back
Cfrom Osborne) looks so pale and rag
ged again. He has felt and feels Sir
Roberts loss dreadfully.' 1t was dur
ing her stay at Osborne in the same
month that her late majesty found the
necessity of placing on record in
memorandum which has become histo-
rical her views as to the transaction
of business between the crown and the
secretary of state for foreign affairs.
On the princes birthday, Aug 26, the
same year, tidings were received OF the
death of King Louis Philippe. Writ
ing again to the dowager duchess OF
! Coburg. the prince says I'VE cele-
brated the day quietly and peacefully
at Osborne with the children. 1t was,
however unhappily, a day of mourn
ing. lust before dinner came news of
tbe death that morning of poor old
King Louis Philippe BY starting at
in the morning we managed yesterday
to pay a flying visit to the afflicted
family"
None of Queen Victoria's letters
breathe such a spirit of happiness in
! her home life as those written at Os-
| borne in these earlier days of married
life. Sir Theodore Martin quotes LETT
ter addressed in 1852 to King Leopold,
the court having proceeded to the Isle
of Wight for the queens birthday:
I'VE spent yesterday very happily and
peacefully. / only feel that 1 can new
/ er be half grateful enough for so much
| love, devotion and happiness. BY be-
loved Albert was, if possible, more
than usually kind and good, showerlng
gifts which he knew / wished for on
me. Mamma was most kind, too, and
| the children, in particular Vicky, did
everything they can to please me-"
1t was to Osborne that the prince
consort referred, to make last quota
ton, in the following few lines, writ
ten to his stepmother in 1851: 1--WE
made our escape two days ago to this
place, which is meant for a haven Of
rest but is now selected by all sorts of
exalted personages as the place to pay
| us visits-a total bouleversement of it's
! original purpose"
| 1t need hardly be recalled that 1t was
at Osborne that the late revered queen
breathed her last, land the nearness of
her memory will only serve to endear
the gift the more to the subjects of
King Edward.-London Telegraph.