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Alexandra Feodorovna / Alexandra’s Anecdotes
« on: October 07, 2013, 07:50:52 PM »
I checked the pages of this subforum, and there is no thread dedicated solely for anecdotes about her.
So let’s start it with these stories after being engaged to her beloved Nicholas II ^^
From here:
Miss Shoesmith who was the Princess's bath attendant during the whole time she was at Harrogate, says she was far nicer to deal with than the generality of ladies who visit the Baths - so affable and unassuming, nothing stiff or formal about her, but still one could see that she had a good deal of character, and a strong will of her own.
At first it was her custom to go for her bath at twelve o'clock, but afterwards when crowds began to gather at that time she went at five o'clock. She generally came in a chair, and invariably went back in a cab, to prevent getting a chill. She never allowed anything to interfere with her baths. Even on the last day she was in Harrogate, although she left by the twelve a.m. train, she contrived to take her bath at eight o'clock rather than miss it. One day she had the Special Needle bath (invented by Mr. Burkinshaw), the next she had a Sulphur Bath. She had no ailment, except a little rheumatism or stiffness in her knees, for which she always had special applications.
The dressing room was made as comfortable as possible for her. The furniture was covered in dark green plush; Miss Shoesmith always managed to have a nice fresh bunch of flowers about, and Mr. Councillor Wilson very kindly sent a choice selection of toilet requisites, including the "Harrogate Bouquet" with all of which the Princess seemed much pleased. It seems the dressing rooms at the Victoria Baths are open a little at the top, so that it is possible to hear in one what is said in the next. As many ladies went to bathe purposely to see the Princess and quiz the attendants, Her Highness was often much amused by hearing a good deal said about herself. In one case, for instance, a broad spoken old Yorkshire lady occupied the adjoining dressing room.
Speaking very loudly, she said "they tell me t'Princess is here - is sher?" –
"Well, she does come here occasionally," said the attendant.
"They tell me she's varrv pretty - is sher now ?" –
"Oh yes, she's very nice."What's matter wi her - they say she's in a consumption, or else she's gotten t' eezema" –
"Oh," said the attendant (on pins and needles all the time), "that's perfect nonsense - she's very healthy - but see how dreadfully it is raining!"
All the time the Princess was laid upon the couch in the next dressing room, compelled to hear every word, and bursting with suppressed laughter.
Second from here:
Her Highness showed pretty plainly whilst at Harrogate that she was not a bigoted person, for she visited all sorts of places of worship, - Christ Church and the Baptist Church, St. Peter's and the Congregational, St. Mary's, the Presbyterian Church and Pannal Church. Coming back from the latter place she noticed a man leaning over the Bridge. In the course of conversation a day or two afterwards she learnt that he was a policeman in plain clothes, who had followed her all the way. "Why didn't he," she said, "come and help to push me up that hill," (remembering the bath chairman's tug up Homfray bank.)
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Isn’t she lovely? ~~~ (singing to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s song ^^)
So let’s start it with these stories after being engaged to her beloved Nicholas II ^^
From here:
Miss Shoesmith who was the Princess's bath attendant during the whole time she was at Harrogate, says she was far nicer to deal with than the generality of ladies who visit the Baths - so affable and unassuming, nothing stiff or formal about her, but still one could see that she had a good deal of character, and a strong will of her own.
At first it was her custom to go for her bath at twelve o'clock, but afterwards when crowds began to gather at that time she went at five o'clock. She generally came in a chair, and invariably went back in a cab, to prevent getting a chill. She never allowed anything to interfere with her baths. Even on the last day she was in Harrogate, although she left by the twelve a.m. train, she contrived to take her bath at eight o'clock rather than miss it. One day she had the Special Needle bath (invented by Mr. Burkinshaw), the next she had a Sulphur Bath. She had no ailment, except a little rheumatism or stiffness in her knees, for which she always had special applications.
The dressing room was made as comfortable as possible for her. The furniture was covered in dark green plush; Miss Shoesmith always managed to have a nice fresh bunch of flowers about, and Mr. Councillor Wilson very kindly sent a choice selection of toilet requisites, including the "Harrogate Bouquet" with all of which the Princess seemed much pleased. It seems the dressing rooms at the Victoria Baths are open a little at the top, so that it is possible to hear in one what is said in the next. As many ladies went to bathe purposely to see the Princess and quiz the attendants, Her Highness was often much amused by hearing a good deal said about herself. In one case, for instance, a broad spoken old Yorkshire lady occupied the adjoining dressing room.
Speaking very loudly, she said "they tell me t'Princess is here - is sher?" –
"Well, she does come here occasionally," said the attendant.
"They tell me she's varrv pretty - is sher now ?" –
"Oh yes, she's very nice."What's matter wi her - they say she's in a consumption, or else she's gotten t' eezema" –
"Oh," said the attendant (on pins and needles all the time), "that's perfect nonsense - she's very healthy - but see how dreadfully it is raining!"
All the time the Princess was laid upon the couch in the next dressing room, compelled to hear every word, and bursting with suppressed laughter.
Second from here:
Her Highness showed pretty plainly whilst at Harrogate that she was not a bigoted person, for she visited all sorts of places of worship, - Christ Church and the Baptist Church, St. Peter's and the Congregational, St. Mary's, the Presbyterian Church and Pannal Church. Coming back from the latter place she noticed a man leaning over the Bridge. In the course of conversation a day or two afterwards she learnt that he was a policeman in plain clothes, who had followed her all the way. "Why didn't he," she said, "come and help to push me up that hill," (remembering the bath chairman's tug up Homfray bank.)
---------------------
Isn’t she lovely? ~~~ (singing to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s song ^^)