Bidspirit 拍卖 | Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, 1897

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, 1897 – Official Letter from William Macbean, Provost of Inverness, to Colonel Alexander Macdonald, Commanding the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders – “Traditional Highland Hospitality” – Heraldic Letter & Envelope - An attractive and historically interesting official letter connected with Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, written from Town House, Inverness, on 26 November 1897, by William Macbean, Provost of Inverness, to Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Macdonald, commanding officer of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. William Macbean served as Provost of Inverness from 1895 to 1901. Written on impressive official Town House, Inverness stationery bearing the coloured civic arms, the letter is accompanied by its matching original envelope, whose flap bears the same heraldic device. The letter opens: “Dear Colonel Macdonald, ” and continues: “I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter regarding the refreshments served to the Volunteers on Jubilee Day.” The correspondence therefore concerns refreshments provided to Volunteer soldiers in connection with Queen Victoria’s 1897 Jubilee celebrations. “Traditional Highland Hospitality”: At the heart of the letter is an unusual dispute concerning responsibility for the cost of the refreshments. Macbean refers to Macdonald’s argument concerning: “traditional Highland Hospitality” and makes clear that, in his view, this should not render the Council responsible for the cost of the supplies or refreshments. The letter thus provides a particularly engaging glimpse into late-Victorian Highland civic and social life: the Provost of Inverness and a senior Volunteer officer debating who should bear the expense of hospitality extended to Highland soldiers during a royal Jubilee celebration. Colonel Alexander Macdonald and the Cameron Highlanders The recipient can be identified as Alexander Macdonald, V.D., who assumed command of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders on 22 July 1896, remaining in command until December 1899. The Volunteer Battalion formed part of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders organization associated with Inverness-shire; the county’s Rifle Volunteers had been incorporated into the regimental structure following the 1881 reforms. Thus, the “Volunteers” mentioned in the manuscript were military members of the Volunteer Force rather than civilian volunteers. William Macbean – Provost of Inverness The writer, William Macbean, served as Provost of Inverness from 1895 until 1901, making the present document an official communication from the civic head of Inverness. Interestingly, 1897 also saw the presentation to Inverness Town House of a bust of Major-General William Macbean, V.C., distinguished veteran of the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny. Highland Council records confirm that the bust was presented to the town by the family of his brother in that year. Diamond Jubilee and Postal History The “Jubilee Day” referred to in the letter belongs to the celebrations surrounding Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897, marking sixty years of her reign. The original envelope is addressed: Colonel A. Macdonald Portree Skye and bears a Queen Victoria One Penny stamp cancelled: INVERNESS / 26 NO / 97 with a Portree receiving mark dated 27 November 1897 on the reverse. The complete postal route is therefore preserved: Inverness, 26 November 1897 → Portree, Isle of Skye, 27 November 1897. Both the letterhead and the envelope flap bear the same attractive coloured Inverness civic arms, creating a particularly appealing matching set. An unusual Scottish historical document combining Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the Provost of Inverness, the commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders Volunteer Battalion, Highland hospitality, military and civic history, and Isle of Skye postal history, preserved with its matching heraldic envelope. Dimensions: Each individual letter page measures approx. 12.7 × 20.5 cm. The matching original envelope measures approx. 13.4 × 10.7 cm.