Take a princess with a passion for helping others and a social reformer determined to make life better for millions and you get a Victorian story that has disappeared into royal history despite featuring the founder of one of the most famous organisations in the world. Now, the strange link between these two women has been brought to light again – in the form of a brand new rose.
The National Trust Beauty rose was launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show by award winning author, Joanne Harris. The flower celebrates Octavia Hill, who founded the Trust. She was also the inspiration for the Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust on display at the show which went on two win three awards – a Silver Gilt Medal, the People’s Choice Award and the first ever Children’s Choice Award. And, like the show itself, Octavia’s reputation and work was given a boost by members of Queen Victoria’s family.
(Photo by Lydia Starbuck)
Octavia Hill began working for social reform from an early age. She would help found the National Trust to ensure that places of historic interest and natural beauty remained open to as many people as possible, tying in with her beliefs of opportunity for all. That would attract royal interest of its own. However, one of her first focuses was social housing and it was this that first brought her to the attention of royalty.
As Octavia Hill worked towards ensuring better living conditions for the very poor, she attracted the attention of Princess Alice, the third of Queen Victoria’s children. By then, Alice was married to Prince Louis of Hesse but she remained a frequent visitor to England. And on some of those trips, she asked to see Octavia Hill’s work in action.
In a biography of Octavia Hill, written by E. Moberly Bell in 1942, the princess’ interest is described in great detail. She had asked to see a housing project and Octavia Hill’s niece accompanied them, later recalling that ”she made aunt Octavia walk in front of her everywhere, as she was anxious to be entirely incog…..”
That desire to remain undercover was further seen as she spoke to those being helped, with the niece recalling that ”in one house, she discovered that the eldest child’s name was Victoria and told the mother ”I have a little Victoria too” and found they were almost exactly the same age.”
(Public Domain, Wiki Commons)
Alice’s daughter, Victoria, became Marchioness of Milford Haven and was mother of Lord Mountbatten and Queen Louise of Sweden as well as grandmother to Prince Philip.
Princess Alice went on to have a translation of Octavia Hill’s book on social housing, Homes of the London Poor, translated into German to further the reach of the reformer’s ideas.
The princess died at the age of 35 in 1878. Octavia Hill died in 1912, aged 73.
Their stories aren’t often told together but this new rose, from Blue Diamond, puts a new spotlight on the connections that changed the world in Victorian England.
