Madam, – I was delighted to read the letter (April 25th) from former Dean of St Patrick’s, Very Rev Victor G Griffin regarding the visit of Queen Victoria to Dublin in 1900. It reminded me to look again at the memoirs of my late father – Dean Joseph Jackson. He retired as Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral Tuam in 1966.
He had been a choir boy in Christ Church Cathedral in 1900 and has recorded in those memoirs being invited to attend at the Viceregal Lodge to sing before Queen Victoria, along with five other choir boys and three gentlemen of the choir.
He recalls having seen Queen Victoria escorted by two tall Indian princes, wearing rows of medals with decorations of various kinds on them.
On the queen’s return to London, my dad, along with his fellow choir boys each were sent a pair of silver cuff-links with the crown and V.R.I. inscribed on them. They were enclosed in a red Moroccan leather case. I still have those links (in that case), which I treasure very much. – Yours, etc,