Lady Victoria Campbell (22 May 1854 – 6 July 1910) was a British philanthropist. She was born to two of the largest landowners in Scotland, being the third daughter of
George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll
George John Douglas Campbell, 8th and 1st Duke of Argyll (30 April 1823 – 24 April 1900; styled Marquess of Lorne until 1847), was a Scottish polymath and Liberal statesman. He made a significant geological discovery in the 1850s when his ten ...
and his wife
Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower. A childhood bout of
poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...
caused paralysis and required her to wear leg braces for the rest of her life.
In 1882, Lady Victoria experienced a "second
consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
" and dedicated the rest of her life to helping those who lived on the islands throughout
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
. She frequently visited the island of
Tiree
Tiree (; gd, Tiriodh, ) is the most westerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The low-lying island, southwest of Coll, has an area of and a population of around 650.
The land is highly fertile, and crofting, alongside tourism, and ...
, where she championed social and religious organisations, and moved there in 1891. She also anonymously promoted the island, sending details of the plight of islanders in regular letters to the British press. In 1911 Victoria's sister
Frances Balfour
Lady Frances Balfour (née Campbell; 22 February 1858 – 25 February 1931) was a British aristocrat and suffragist. She was one of the highest-ranking members of the British nobility, British aristocracy to assume a leadership role in the Women ...
published a posthumous biography of her.
Family and early life
Lady Victoria Campbell was born at
Carlton House
Carlton House was a mansion in Westminster, best known as the town residence of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV. It faced the south side of Pall Mall, London, Pall Mall, and its gardens abutted St James's Park in the St James' ...
, London on 22 May 1854, the third daughter and eighth child of
George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll
George John Douglas Campbell, 8th and 1st Duke of Argyll (30 April 1823 – 24 April 1900; styled Marquess of Lorne until 1847), was a Scottish polymath and Liberal statesman. He made a significant geological discovery in the 1850s when his ten ...
by his first wife
Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower. As such, the new baby was a member of the
Campbell Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
and
Leveson-Gower
Leveson-Gower ( ), also Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, is the name of a powerful British noble family. Over time, several members of the Leveson-Gower family were made knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the family include the duke ...
families, two of the largest landowners in Scotland. She was named after
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
, the reigning monarch at the time of her birth. Her maternal grandmother, the
Duchess of Sutherland
{{Unreferenced, date=June 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot)
The Duchess of Sutherland is the wife of the Duke of Sutherland, an extant title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which was created by William IV in 1833.
Duchesses of Sutherland
* Elizab ...
, had been the Queen's friend and
Mistress of the Robes
The mistress of the robes was the senior lady in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom.
Formerly responsible for the queen consort's/regnant's clothes and jewellery (as the name implies), the post had the responsibility for arranging the rota o ...
. She was the only one of the twelve Campbell siblings who never married. Her relatives by marriage included
Princess Louise, who was married to her eldest brother
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
.
At the age of five Lady Victoria contracted
poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...
, which caused paralysis and required her to wear leg braces for the remainder of her life. From 1859 to 1868, her health required her to spend most of the year in London and Brighton, near her orthopaedist Matthias Roth. Victoria was often separated from her immediate family during these periods, though she was looked after by her unmarried aunt Emily MacNeill and her lifelong servant and companion Elizabeth Knowles. Despite this separation, Victoria was particularly close to her sister
Frances Balfour
Lady Frances Balfour (née Campbell; 22 February 1858 – 25 February 1931) was a British aristocrat and suffragist. She was one of the highest-ranking members of the British nobility, British aristocracy to assume a leadership role in the Women ...
, who in 1868 described Victoria's bedroom as "the centre of the fun and mischief that was going on in the family circle".
Victoria underwent multiple treatments and surgeries to alleviate the paralysis in her legs, and after physical therapy she was eventually able to use crutches and walking sticks. Her sister Frances later observed that because Victoria's ailments occurred from an early age, it became "second nature" to cope and she rarely spoke of them. In 1868, at the age of 14 Victoria developed a
lung abscess
Lung abscess is a type of liquefactive necrosis of the lung tissue and formation of cavities (more than 2 cm) containing necrotic debris or fluid caused by microbial infection.
This pus-filled cavity is often caused by aspiration, which may ...
which almost caused her death; she continued to have chest infections for the rest of her life. That same year, the Duchess had a stroke which led to ten years of being nursed by her third daughter. After the Duchess's death in 1878, the strain of the many years of nursing may have been the cause of Victoria's
nervous breakdown
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
in 1878–79. Victoria then oversaw the management of her father's households until his remarriage in 1881.
Philanthropy
![Abbey on the Isle of Iona - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Abbey_on_the_Isle_of_Iona_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1459438.jpg)
Despite her limited ability to walk, Victoria frequently visited poverty-stricken families on the island of
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
. During a visit to
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey is an abbey located on the island of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland.
It is one of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianit ...
in 1882, Victoria experienced a "second
consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
" and thereafter dedicated herself to helping those who lived on the islands throughout
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
. A plaque was later installed in the abbey that reads, "In this church and by this window Victoria, daughter of George, eighth Duke of Argyll, dedicated her life to the glory of
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
in the service of the people of these islands."
In 1885 she began taking lessons in Gaelic, which was spoken on all of the islands; she sometimes taught Bible classes in the language. She also supported the creation of art and crafts that were inspired by Celtic culture, and participated in a resurgence of interest in
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity ( kw, Kristoneth; cy, Cristnogaeth; gd, Crìosdaidheachd; gv, Credjue Creestee/Creestiaght; ga, Críostaíocht/Críostúlacht; br, Kristeniezh; gl, Cristianismo celta) is a form of Christianity that was common, or held ...
in Argyll; the Celtic craft entrepreneurs
Alexander and Euphemia Ritchie
Alexander Ritchie (1856–1941) and Euphemia Ritchie (1862–1941) were Celtic art, Celtic craft entrepreneurs from Iona, Scotland.
Artistry
Alexander Ritchie (1856–1941) and Euphemia Ritchie (1862–1941) met at the Glasgow School of Art, marry ...
of Iona were two of her pupils.
Tiree
Lady Victoria first viewed the island of
Tiree
Tiree (; gd, Tiriodh, ) is the most westerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The low-lying island, southwest of Coll, has an area of and a population of around 650.
The land is highly fertile, and crofting, alongside tourism, and ...
in 1878, when travelling on her father's yacht. In 1886, she learned of a dispute between her father and the residents of Tiree, who had suffered recent economic hardship. The islanders wished for a farm to be converted into
crofts, but the duke instead leased it to someone else. Local citizens prevented the new tenant from taking up the farm, causing at least eight men to be arrested. The historian Joan B. Huffman describes this event as "life-altering" for Victoria, as she increased her visits to the island and later moved there in 1891.
On Tiree, Victoria championed social and religious organisations such as the
YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries.
The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...
, and organised soup kitchens. She also oversaw training for both men and women; the former learned crafts such as woodcarving while female residents were trained in needlework and lace-making. Lady Victoria promoted Tiree under the pseudonym 'Hebridean', sending details on the plight of islanders in regular letters to the British press. She was held in high esteem by residents, who admired her determination to reach the island even when bad weather made the journey dangerous.
Near the end of her life, Victoria was instrumental in securing the construction of a new
pier
image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...
for Tiree. Travel to the island could be difficult and dangerous, as there was no adequate pier to gain access. Residents had repeatedly petitioned her father for help, only to be met with refusal; the duke decided he would not be the one to solely fund its construction, despite the danger travelling to Tiree meant for his daughter. A new pier was only built after his death; Victoria ultimately worked for twenty years to secure its construction, which occurred shortly after her death. She died on 6 July 1910 of influenza and pneumonia in Edinburgh, and was buried in
Liberton Churchyard. In 1911 her sister Frances published a posthumous biography of Victoria.
Ancestors
References
;Works cited
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Lady Victoria
1854 births
1910 deaths
British philanthropists
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
Women of the Victorian era
British people with disabilities
Daughters of British dukes
19th-century Scottish landowners
19th-century Scottish businesspeople