OSTEND IS A VERY FUNNY COUNTRY GEORGE V (1865-1936, King of Great Britain)

Exceptional Autograph Letter Signed "your affectionate pupil, George" to his tutor the Rev. J. N. DALTON (John Neale, 1839-1931, Church of England clergyman, Chaplain to Queen Victoria and tutor to Princes George and Albert Victor) hoping that "you are quite well and that you are enjoying yourself very much. Yesterday we arrived at Ostend, it was not at all rough crossing, I was not a bit sick; it is a very funny country and there are some very funny people, yesterday I saw in the market place a great carriage with three horses and some people dressed in very funny costumes, playing a band on the top and a woman dressed like a Princess in older days and she drives about the market place like this every day and she makes a speech to the crowd and takes one of them and pulls out some of his teeth. Dear Eddy is better I am glad to say, but I am afraid to say it will be some time before he is well again. With very much love ...", 3 sides 8vo., Royal Yacht Osborne headed paper, 15th August 1877, together with an original photograph of Dalton by E. H. Harrell, Clevedon, showing him three quarters length, seated with his arm on the carved arm of the chair, 6" x 4¼", no place, no date, the letter

George was only 17 months younger than Albert Victor, ('Eddy') and the two princes were educated together. John Neale Dalton was appointed as their tutor in 1871. As their father thought that the navy was "the very best possible training for any boy", when George was 12 years old in September 1877, both brothers joined the cadet training ship HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, Devon. This letter from the Royal Yacht is just a few weeks before they went to their training ship. They began their studies there two months behind the other cadets as Albert Victor had contracted typhoid fever, for which he was treated by Sir William Gull. Dalton accompanied them as chaplain to the ship.

Item Date:  1877

Stock No:  39236      £1075

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