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From: "Tony Cheal" <>
Subject: [Harrogate] Princess Alix of Hesse and the ALLEN Family of Cathcart House - 1894 (Part 2 and final)
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 09:01:54 +0100


Doubtless many happy memories of these novel rides through the bonny Yorkshire lanes and moors around Harrogate, in merry May and leafy June, will often flit across her mind when she is settled in the stately homes of the Romanoffs, in icy Russia.

The Princess very rarely went out at the front door during the whole month, and never attended any entertainment, although she regularly watched the performing dogs, Punch, the niggers, &c., and enjoyed a stroll upon the stray, until people found her out, and lamentable displays of vulgar curiosity led her to seclude herself a good deal more than she liked. Towards the end of her stay, a good deal of manoeuvring was necessary to get the Princess out without the knowledge of the crowd. There was generally a little crowd in the neighbourhood of Cathcart House. So determined were some people that they brought a luncheon basket, and sat upon the Stray until they were satisfied with a sight of her Ducal Highness. Crowds, too, gathered near the baths, every morning in a regrettable way. The Police did all they could - Indeed the Princess was very much pleased with the efforts of Inspector Butterworth and she sent him a nice letter before she left Harrogate.
Dr. Oliver was Her Highness's medical attendant, one of the Court physicians coming once or twice. By their advice she had sulphur and other baths every day at the Victoria Baths, drinking the water, too, occasionally at her lodgings. Early in the month she was joined by her sister, the Princess Louise of Battenburg, and subsequently by the latter's little daughter, the Princess Alice. They all patronised the cycle chairs frequently. - Indeed they were rarely seen in any other vehicle, so that in future seasons these chairs are sure to be in great demand.

The Princess Alix of Hesse did a fair amount of reading in the house, always conning the local papers, illustrated magazines, &c., and being much amused by the paragraphs appearing from day to day, about her visit to Harrogate.
Armstrong's Harrogate Handbook, Mr. Allen says, was very well read by her Royal Highness ; therefore, a special copy bound in red Morocco, with extra photographs and a sketch of a bit of Birk Crag, in water-colours, (by the late R. L. Armstrong) was specially prepared for her.
Her Highness showed pretty plainly whilst at Harrogate that she was not a bigoted person, for she visited all sorts of places of worship, - Christ Church and the Baptist Church, St. Peter's and the Congregational, St. Mary's, the Presbyterian Church and Pannal Church. Coming back from the latter place she noticed a man leaning over the Bridge. In the course of conversation a day or two afterwards she learnt that he was a policeman in plain clothes, who had followed her all the way. "Why didn't he," she said, "come and help to push me up that hill," (remembering the bath chairman's tug up Homfray bank.)
The Princess's birthday was a busy time at Cathcart house, telegrams, presents or letters coming from the principal crowned heads of Europe, and a host of minor personages. The Czarewiteh sent a large picture of himself, and a bulky billet-doux. Here we may remark that from certain things which transpired at Cathcart House, there is reason to think that this is not merely a marriage of policy, but a genuine love match.

To Mr. and Mrs. Allen's surprise and delight, Her Grand Ducal Highness signified her desire to stand as Godmother for the twins, and therefore, arrangements were made for the ceremony of Baptism to be performed at St. Peter's Church, on Wednesday, June 17th. The greatest possible secrecy was observed, but her Highness and the baptismal party had barely entered, when a crowd gathered sufficient to fill the church. The gates were closed, however, and the people were shut out. But they waited patiently opposite the main entrance, with the vain hope of seeing Her Highness when she came out. In the meantime the ceremony was proceeding inside. The Baroness Fabrice attended as second godmother; the Mayor, C. Fortune, Esq., J.P., and Mr. John Robinson, butcher, Market Place, as godfathers ; the solemn ordinance being administered by the Rev. A. Cope, curate (the Vicar, the Rev. L. E. W. Foote being abroad). Her Highness, Princess Alix presented the boy, who was named Nicholas Charle!
s Bernard Hesse; and the Baroness Fabrice presented the girl, who was named Alix Beatrice Emma. It was a strange never-to-be-forgotten scene. - The future Empress of the mighty Empire of Russia, standing as surety before God for a Plumber's baby, along with the Mayor of Harrogate, and a local butcher. Surely never knelt such a diverse party before in that church, or any other church. Surely no lady ever lived so high and stooped so low. In a word, it was a crowning act of condescension on the part of Her Grand Ducal Highness, Princess Alix of Hesse. When the ceremony was over it was found that the certificates were locked up, and nobody present had the missing key. In this dilemma, the necessary documents were hastily borrowed from St. Mary's Church.
Everything having been duly signed, Her Highness shook hands all round, and departing unobserved by a side door through St. Peter's School Yard, marched demurely down Cambridge Street and Chapel Street to the Baths, accompanied by the Baroness Fabrice and Princess Alice of Battenburg, leaving the outwitted crowd looking anxiously for their exit by the front door.
The presents included a pair of gold sleeve links, to bear the Princess's crest, for the boy, and a small gold enamelled heart-shaped necklet, with pearl in centre, for the girl, from Her Grand Ducal Highness. The Baroness Fabrice gave a fine gold chain to wear with the necklet. The Mayor gave a silver rattle to each of the babies, whilst Mr. John Robinson presented a silver jug and spoon. Mr. and Mrs. Allen (grandfather and grandmother) presented each child with a silver napkin ring. Most of these presents were supplied by Miss Anderson, the Arcade. Mr. Baxter, of Northallerton presented the boy with a gold watch.
Before leaving Harrogate, the Princess sent. for C. Fortune, Esq., the Mayor, as chief magistrate and representative of the town, and thanked him for all that had been done for her comfort and pleasure. During the interview she said she had derived much pleasure and benefit from her visit to Harrogate, and was delighted with the place and its surroundings. She also expressed herself as grateful to the local Police.
The Princess gave Mr. and Mrs. Allen photographs of herself and of the Czarewitch, and asked that they should be kept until the children grew up, so that they might see after whom they were named. She also very kindly ordered the Baroness Fabrice to write them the following letter.

"Her Grand Ducal Highness. Princess Alix of Hesse, desires Baroness Fabrice to say that she has been greatly pleased with her stay at Mrs Allen's house, finding the rooms very comfortable, and the cooking excellent. Her Highness thanks Mr. and Mrs. Allen for their various kind services during these weeks." June 18th, 18894.

To Miss Shoesmith, who attended to her at the Baths, the Princess presented her photograph, with her autograph and some coin of the realm. She did not even forget her humble Chairmen, Messrs. Ratchford [ This is an error - It should be Thomas Rochford ], Proctor and Parker, but presented her photograph to each of these, as a memento of her visit to Sulphurland.
Finally the Princess and suite left Harrogate by the 12 o'clock a.m. Church Fenton train, on Friday, June 19th.

According to Modern Society, the late Czar, himself the best of husbands, as even his worst enemies acknowledge, (indeed, it is a cynical joke in St. Petersburg that Alexander III. was the only Russian husband who was faithful to his wife) believed firmly in domestic virtue, and had the greatest personal admiration for the Queen of England, and especially for the way she had brought up her children ; the late Grand Duchess Alice of Hesse being, in the estimation of the Czar, the very type of all that a devoted Christian daughter, mother, and wife ought to be.
A copy of her letters to her brother, a book which made quite a sensation when published many years ago, laid on the table of his study at Gatschina, and he read it frequently. Small wonder then that as his son had to marry, the Czar should like him to marry Princess Alix of Hesse.
Alexander III felt very certain that his son could not have a better partner than this young lady ; and the Czarina was delighted also, for - her particular friend in the Imperial family is Elizabeth, Princess of Hesse, her sister-in law, and the sister of Princess Alix (so that the young Czar will be brother-in-law to his aunt), who is at once one of the most amiable and unhappy ladies in all Russia, being the wife of the most indifferent of the Czar's brothers - the Grand Duke Sergius.
Still the Czarewitch was not to be hurried into marriage, as though the succession to the Imperial throne had got mixed somehow, and nobody could feel easy until it had got disentangled.
Nor was our Princess Alix one whit more anxious, apparently, for the performance of the nuptial ceremony. - Indeed, more than once it seemed likely that it would never take place at all. The hitch seemed to arise mainly through the monstrous demands made by the heads of the Greek church. It was obviously necessary the Princess should join that church as the church of her husband, and this she was of course prepared to do; but she was required to declare the church of her fathers accursed, and state that the Greek church was the only true one. This she bravely refused to do, whatever the consequences, and all Englishmen admire her ten times the more for taking such a noble stand. Eventually the Synod had to abate its demands.
Towards the middle of October circumstances arose which seemed to indicate that the marriage would take place with all speed. News arrived that the Czar was sinking fast from an incurable disease. On the 18th October His Majesty signified that he expressly desired to see the Princess Alix. Therefore, the whole of the Grand Ducal family of the house of Hesse, with Princess Alix, left Darmstadt for Livadia. Subsequently the Prince and Princes of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Russian Royal Family were all summoned to the death-bed of the Czar. As all the world knows too well, His Majesty expired on the 31st October, the Czarewitch became Emperor, and ere long Princess Alix will share his throne, if she does not do so when these lines are published.

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