Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 5.djvu/302

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[12 8. V. Nov., 1919.

COORG STATE: STRANGE TALE OF A PRINCESS.

(12 S. v. 264.)

THE history of this princess is very interesting and well authenticated. The account quoted by the querist is incorrect in many important details, and the only mystery in the case was the fate of Col. C.

Princess Gouramma, daughter of the ex-Rajah of Coorg, who was born in 1841, had been adopted, in accordance with her father's earnest wishes, by Queen Victoria and placed by her under the charge of Mrs. Drummond, who, however, in a few years' time found she did not like the responsibility and begged to be relieved-

Sir Charles Phipps, Queen Victoria's Comptroller of the Household, then applied to my mother, the late Lady Arthur Lennox, to know whether she would undertake to replace her, and in August and September of the year 1852 the Rajah came to see her several times in Hans Place, first of all with a Mr. Ramsay and afterwards with his interpreter, and he also brought the little princess to see us. I have a distinct recol lection of her ; we were all charmed with her and thought her very pretty. Her mother was of Circassian descent and she had in- herited her looks. She was in Indian dress and had on many jewels, chiefly pearls,- and a bracelet given by Queen Victoria. I have a little picture of her in full dress.

My mother wisely thought the responsi bility too great as she had a young family o1 her own and refused the offer, greatly to the disappointment of myself and sisters.

Lady Login, one of the old Scotch family the Campbells of Kinloch and wife of the well-known Sir John Login of Indian fame then undertook the charge, greatly to Queen Victoria's satisfaction, and to the happiness and welfare of the little princess Queen Victoria always took the greatesl interest in her and was anxious that she should marry the late Dhuleep Singh ; but although this did not meet with his ideas, he helped to promote her marriage with his friend Col. Campbell, Lady Login's brother, which marriage took place in 1860. Col. Campbell was a handsome man, and very popular and the union was quite the reverse of " unhappy," the only drawback being the princess's health ; she was always delicate

>nd her short-term of happiness ended in, 1864, when she died of consumption at the age of 23. Their daughter never " dis- appeared " and was not " secretly mur- dered." In obedience to her dying mother's^ ast request, which met with the full approval' of Queen Victoria, she was brought up by Lady Login, and in 1882, when she was 21, she married Capt. H. G. Yardley. I know nothing further about her and have of tea wished that I did.

The mystery about Col. Campbell was as 'ollows : Less than three years after his wife's death he left his lodging in JermyEi Street one day, carrying a small hand-bag,, and from that day to this no trace of him was said to have been found. Unfortunately, Lady Login, who had seen him three days before, did not hear that he was missing for some time and, I believe, it was nearly three months before the case was put into the hands of the police, who had no doubt that it was foul play for plunder. His wife's jewels disappeared at the same time and it seemed probable that they were in the hand-bag that he was carrying.

Amongst the published letters of Queen Victoria is one to Lord Dalhousie alluding to the proposed marriage of the Princess of Coorg, and Her Majesty writes : " Though still childish for her age (she is nearly 14), she is pretty, lively, intelligent, and going on satisfactorily in her education." This was written in 1854. CONSTANCE RUSSEKL. Swallowfield, Reading.

The marriage of Princess Victoria Gour- amma of Coorg is referred to in ' Sir John Login and Duleep Singh,' by Lady Login, The princess married Col. John Campbell, Madras Army, brother of Lady Login, and died in 1864, aged 23. It should not be difficult to find an account of Col. C.'s dis- appearance perhaps ' The Times Indexes subsequent to 1864 will help. It is news tc me that the child also disappeared. Appar ently she was left in Lady Login's care.

A. J. ABBUTHNOT.

8 Albert Court, Kensington, S. W.7.

The strange tale is told also in the 'En cyclopaedia Britannica,' s.v. ' Coorg.' Ii The Gentleman's Magazine for May, 1864, is recorded the death on Mar. 30, at the house o her husband, Col. John Campbell, in Georg< Street, Port man Square, of Her Highnesi the Princess Victoria Gouramma of Coorg god-daughter of the Queen, and an accoun of her life from The Morning Post is appended JOHN B. WAINEWBIGHT.