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England's Kensington
By: Sara Phang
March 2001
Queen Victoria's Childhood
Princess Victoria, born in 1819, was raised very strictly
by her mother in what was known as the "Kensington System."
It was designed to separate her from court politics.
Residing in Kensington Palace, she was never allowed to
be alone, and her mother even slept in the same room with her. Her visitors
were restricted; boys older than 6 were not permitted to visit her.
According to her diary, her best friends were the palace's numerous
"black beetles."
She only learned that she was to be queen when, at the
age of 18, she was awakened from sleep to learn of the death of her
uncle King William IV. Queen Victoria ruled from 1837 to 1901 and epitomized
the "Victorian" age.
The Great Exhibition of 1851
Kensington became famous for the Great Exhibition of 1851,
a world-scale trade fair displaying Victorian Britain's scientific,
commercial, and cultural achievements. It was sponsored by Prince Albert,
Queen Victoria's husband.
The Exhibition was housed in the Crystal Palace, the first
major prefabricated building ever created, which enclosed 33 million
cubic feet of space. The Crystal Palace, true to its name, was built
from glass panels fastened to a cast iron framework. Over 6 million
people attended the Exhibition.
The Albert Memorial
When Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, died of
typhoid fever in 1861, Victoria commissioned a monument in his honor,
designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and erected in 1872.
The memorial is surmounted by a gilded statue of Prince
Albert holding the catalogue of the Great Exhibition. The memorial is
also decorated with 169 life-size figures of great poets, musicians,
painters, architects, and sculptors.
The Albert Memorial's baroque Victorian decoration was
admired at the time, but was disliked by many twentieth-century viewers
as tastes changed. Recently refurbished, the Albert Memorial remains
one of Kensington's major landmarks.
Harrods
Another major landmark of Kensington, Harrods is the most
famous department store in the world. Founded by tea merchant Henry
Charles Harrod in 1849, the present store was built in 1900.
Its selection (over 200 departments) and service are famous
for British "posh," but every year after Christmas it is invaded
by everyday Londoners in search of post-Christmas sale bargains.
The olive-green Harrods shopping bag is a favorite souvenir
of visitors to London.
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