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Beatrice - 6 Sections

Beatice 6 section
needle case
Needle Case


Patent

Design Details

Needle Case Type:

Accordion

Patent/Registered to:

James William Lewis, Die-sinker from Birmingham and George Archbold, Rouge Manufacturer from Handsworth

Patent/Design Representation #:

Mechanical Patent: #603

Patent/Design Registration Date:

March 4, 1867

Location of Patent/Design Registration:

British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre – London

Reference #:

1867-603

Dimensions:

2.6 x 4.6

Material:

Brass

Name Variations:

a) H. Milward & Sons - Redditch (the sole source of this information is Horowitz and Mann as no example of this needle case with this company name has been seen by the authors of this website)
b) Perry & Co - London (the sole source of this information is Horowitz and Mann as no example of this needle case with this company name has been seen by the authors of this website)
c) Unmarked

Interior Variations

a) Internal panels with acorn/pineapple pattern on both sides
b) Interior panels with long stem bouquets on both sides

Other Variations:

Beatrice - 4 Sections
Beatrice - Sharpe version
Gem - 4 Sections
Gem - 6 Sections

Additional Photographs

Name and patent detail

Interior panel with long stemmed bouquets and another interior panel with acorn/pineapple pattern (photo courtesty of Lynda Herrod)

Facts

Beatrice was the youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  She was born in 1857 and never really knew her father who died when she was only four years old.  Since her four sisters were much older, she became very close to her mother.  Beatrice lived for 87 years and experienced the Victorian and Edwardian periods as well as the Great War (WWI) and World War II.  Below: 1862 drawing of Queen Victoria holding Beatrice.

 facts

Early History

Beatrice was born in Buckingham Palace and her birth caused a bit of controversy as it was the first birth in which the Queen used chloroform to relieve delivery pain.  At the time it was considered quite dangerous.  Although the Queen was known to dislike babies in general, she developed a special fondness for Beatrice as did her father Prince Albert.  When Albert and the Queen’s mother both died in 1861, Beatrice and the Queen became even closer.  By 1871 all of Beatrice's sisters were married so she became Queen Victoria’s devoted companion for the remainder of the Queen’s life.

 history

Later Life

Beatrice fell in love with Prince Henry of Battenberg, Germany.  The Queen only consented to their marriage if Henry agreed to give up his German obligations and live in England with Beatrice and the Queen.  They were married in 1885 and had four children.  Unfortunately Beatrice’s’ life mirrored her mother’s in several ways as Henry died in 1896 and then the Queen died five years later in 1901.  Although Beatrice was devastated, her appearance at court diminished since she was not close to her brother, who became King Edward VII.  Beatrice focused most of her attention on her children and in transcribing and editing Queen Victoria’s journals.  As she aged she retired from public life.  During the Great War her surname was anglicized and her sons gave up their “Prince of Battenberg” titles and became Sir and Lord Mountbatten.  Beatrice died peacefully in 1944.

 misc