Albert Victor Road
Road
Name: Albert Victor Road named after
Road Location: Near K.R. Market
Famous
for/ Contributions to society:
Summary:
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward), was the eldest son of Albert
Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), and the grandson of the
reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria. From the time of his birth, he was
second in the line of succession to the British throne, but never became king:
he died before his father and his grandmother, the Queen. Some authors have argued
that he was the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, but contemporary documents
show that Albert Victor could not have been in London at the time of the murders,
and the claim is widely dismissed.
Detailed
Description:
Early Life - Albert Victor was born
two months prematurely on 8 January 1864 at Frogmore House, Berkshire. He was the
first child of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Alexandra, Princess of
Wales. Following his grandmother Queen Victoria's wishes, he was named Albert
Victor, after herself and her late husband Albert. As a grandchild of the
reigning British monarch in the male line, he was formally styled His Royal
Highness Prince Albert Victor of Wales from birth. He was christened Albert
Victor Christian Edward in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 10 March
1864 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Longley, but was known informally
as "Eddy".
Education - When Albert Victor was
about seventeen months old, his brother, Prince George, was born. Given the
closeness in age of the two brothers, they were educated together. In 1871, the
Queen appointed John Neale Dalton as their tutor. The two princes were given a
strict programme of study, which included games and military drills as well as
academic subjects. Dalton complained that Victor's mind was "abnormally dormant".
His progress in languages and subjects was slow. Victor never excelled intellectually.
Possible physical explanations for his inattention in class include absence seizures
or his premature birth, which can be associated with learning difficulties. The
brothers were parted in 1883; George enrolled in the navy and Albert Victor
attended Trinity College, Cambridge. At Bachelor's Cottage, Albert Victor was
expected to cram before arriving at university in the company of Dalton and a
newly chosen tutor James Kenneth Stephen. Stephen was initially optimistic
about tutoring the prince, but by the time the party were to move to Cambridge
had concluded, "I do not think he can possibly derive much benefit from
attending lectures at Cambridge ... He hardly knows the meaning of the words to
read".
Tour of
India
- The foreign press suggested that Albert Victor was sent on a seven month tour
of British India from October 1889.Travelling via Athens, Port Said, Cairo and
Aden, Albert Victor arrived in Bombay on 9 November 1889. He spent Christmas at
Mandalay and the New Year at Calcutta. In the style of the time, a great many
animals were shot for sport. On his return from India, Albert Victor was
created Duke of Clarence and Avondale in May 1890.
Contributions - During his tour, the
royal party also visited Bangalore. The Prince laid the foundation-stone of a
permanent building for horticultural shows in Lalbagh gardens. The Glass House
at Lalbagh was built to commemorate Victor's visit to Bangalore. He was given a
reception by Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar.
In his honour, the road from the present K R Circle up to the Hardinge
Circle was named as ‘Albert Victor Road’. Also, a road in Chamarajapet was
christened in his name. The Prince also laid
the foundation stone for the Maharaja’s College building in the Gordon Park.
Contributed by: Anirudh T
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