Memoirs of Emily Loch -- NEW BOOK on Alexandra Feodorovna

[ChristineM]

After two rather fraught days on the Forum, I did some late night shopping in Borders bookshop - best form of relaxation - and getting rid of money - I know.

The book is a private publication and quite extraordinarily the lady who has authored the book lives right beside where I used to live.

The title is -

                                                                                The Memoirs of

                                                                                 EMILY LOCH

                                                                             Discretion in Waiting


A synopsis -

'Emily Loch knew Alix, Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, the last Tsasrina of Russia, from her early years.   Emily was associated with the family of Helena, Princess Christian, Queen Victoria's fifth child and was lady-in-waiting to Princess Christian from 1883 until the Princess' death in 1923.

'During these years Emily kept a diary recording daily events, both important and trivial, which together build up a picture of life in and around the courts of England and Germany during the end of the Victorian era.

'Emily Loch's friendship with the future Tsarina grew through visits to the Hesse family in Germany and when they visited their grandmother, Queen Victoria in England and Scotland.   During the winter months of 1897 - 1898 Emily accompanied Princess Helena (Thora), Princess Christian's eldest daughter on a visit to Tsar Nicholas and the Tsarina in Russia.   Her friendship with the Imperial Family is reflected in the many leters, cards and gifts which they exchanged until early 1917.

'The author, wife of Emily's great, great nephew, has masterfully edited her diaries to give us a unique insight into the close family relationship and life at court during this important period of our history.'

I've had a brief look inside.   In the inserted pages of photographs their are illustrations, cards and text written and sent by the Empress which I have never seen  before.   I cannot wait to begin, but after these two rather dark days, wished, first of all to pass on a little glimpse of what promises to be something rather special.

ChristineM

[AGRBear]

Thanks for the info.

Just what I need, another Romanov book   .



AGRBear

[Belochka]

Thank you ChristineM for providing this exciting information.

When you finish reading the book, your impressions will be appreciated.

Margarita

[NAAOTMA]

I ordered my copy today---thank you, Christine for bringing this treasure to our attention. Melissa K.

[Keith]

I have this book, but haven't read it yet. I actually bought it as I'm hoping it sheds more light on Helena and her family. Due to the amount of books I have waiting to be read, it will be a while before I get to this one. I'll be interested to hear if it's more about Alexandra or the Chrisitians.

[ChristineM]

What I think this book will do, Keith (are you in Scotland - you bear a proud Scottish name?), is slot these various family members and their interaction together.   Thora features strongly since Emily appears to have travelled widely with her.

This is not the appropriate place to relate Emily's impressions of Pavlovsk, but to give a little flavour of the quality of the writing, I will give you a flavour of the interpretation of  Emily's account of her journey from Pavlovsk back to her temporary 'home' at the Alexander Palace -

'With the day drawing in and darkness falling, the two ladies were driven back to the Alexander Palace through the edge of the forest of Pavlovsk.   Workmen were trudging homeward in the dusk.   They passed the barracks as they reached Tsarskoe Selo.   Soldiers going about their evening duties were silhouetted in the lamp-lit rooms and there was the sound of hooves on cobbles and the steamy smell of the horses being bedded down for the night.   In the darkness the warm glow from the villas and houses lined their way before they reached the comfort of 'our Palace.'

I really must stop 'dipping' and settle down to absorb the book in its entirety.

ChristineM

PS:  For those interested, copies can be ordered via the internet at -

                                                                                        www.lilbrario.com

or from -

Brough House,
Milton Brodie,
KINLOSS             (Ella - Bob will have heard of RAF Kinloss - these is where we were 'stationed')
Moray
IV36 2UA

Tel/Fax: + ( 0) 1343-850-178

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

There is an article in Majesty Magazine this month by Coryne Hall on Emily Loch and this book.  Most interesting!!

Larry

[Alixz]

Christine - Thank you  for the information.  It sounds like a different but wonderful perspective on those whom we all study.

When I fist saw the sub-title "Discretion in Waiting", I thought perhaps it was a reference to the two day debacle on other threads!   ;-)

I must be inference challenged, Helen, a I saw Joan  D'Arc, but did not put two and Simon together.  No offence Simon  :-)

Christine - that link won't work for me.  Is that the full address?

Thanks

[ChristineM]

Alixz - thanks for your post.   That wasn't a link.   It is their internet address.   Just type it in to the address bar and you'll be home and dry.

Christine

[Alixz]

Thanks - I think you just raised their sales by a good amount.

I just ordered the book, but its a good thing I don't live in the UK.  Everything looks inexpensive until I do the currency conversion.  The USD is in the proverbial "tank" as it were.

For anyone interested here is the link   http://www.librario.com/librario/onlineshop.

[Eddie_uk]

Thank you Christine! Sounds wonderful and right up my street. Please let us know what you think of it when it arrives!

I might see if it's available in Hatchards!

[Keith]

Thanks Christine. I look forward to your impressions, and hopefully soon getting to read it myself.

I'm in the USA, not Scotland. Hopefully one day I'll get to visiit.

[Teddy]

Its a lovely book. You can buy this book trough Van Hoogstraten ( www.hoogstraten.nl ).
Its a nice read, with a few nice photo's of the Schleswig-Holsteins.

[Alixz]

Just a note to any one outside of the UK who does chose to buy the book.

While Librario is a very nice site and very speedy in sending out items, they never notified me of the true price or the shipping and handling.  The book arrived the same day that my order confirmation showed up by email and then it was too late to say no to the $50 plus USD price tag.

When I did the conversion it was about $34 USD, so I don't know what the rest of the price was for.  I emailed them and asked them to explain and in the future to notify me of the total price and its conversion amount so that I can make a better decision.

So far, I have not received a reply.

[Helen]

The book is also available through www.amazon.co.uk for  £19.97  plus the relevant standard shipping and handling rate published on the Amazon web site.