Jubilee history uncovered at County
Museum
Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury
Castle have made an exciting discovery this week. When cutting back
the undergrowth in preparation for a Jubilee picnic, a Diamond
Jubilee plaque dedicated to Queen Victoria was uncovered upon a
water fountain.
Everyone at the Museum has been shocked by the
discovery – Steve Smith, Worcestershire County Council's
Museum Technician said "This is a fascinating discovery,
and to find it just before another Diamond Jubilee makes it all the
more remarkable. No one here even knew the water fountain existed,
let alone the plaque to Queen Victoria.
The discovery was made by a contracted
gardener whilst clearing undergrowth. This follows the
uncovering of a poster at a local church which showed a gathering
at Hartlebury Castle to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, an
event at which the Bishop and his family were present. The poster
suggests that the men were invited to have tea in the tent while
ladies and children only got tea and buns. There were races and
games and all the fun of the fair and cannon were fired in the
evening. It is not clear whether the fountain was installed to
commemorate the Jubilee or whether the plaque was placed on an
existing fountain.
The plaque is written in Latin and it
translates in modern day English to:
"In honour of our Queen
and Empress Victoria who has fortunately ruled with health and
wisdom through sixty years, John James Stewart, Bishop of
Worcester, has confined these waters in a fountain.
In the year of salvation
1897."
Victoria and our current Queen are the only
two monarchs in British history to have reigned for 60 years.
