Johanna Campbell, my great great grandmother's sister and housekeeper to Queen Victoria at Glas-allt-Shiel

My great great grandmother Jane Clark Campbell died at the age of 22, having had a son with one Alexander Calder. We've seen plenty about one of her brothers, Sandy Campbell; now it's the turn of one of her sisters.

Thanks to Don Fox and his blog, I can tell you about Johanna Campbell. (According to the article in The Sphere I blogged about earlier this year, Jane, Sandy and Johanna's father - my great great great grandfather - was a keeper rather than a labourer.)

Johanna Campbell was born at Khantore, Crathie in 1852, the daughter of a labourer. She was initially employed as a housemaid and was eventually appointed to the Queen’s service as housekeeper at Glasalltshiel, the Queen’s retreat on the shores of Loch Muick. There she developed a reputation for being welcoming to both visitors and passers-by. Her brother, Sandy, was also in royal employment as a keeper and was well-known for his trout fishing acumen.  

In December 1898, Johanna Campbell became ill and was referred to Professor Alex Ogston in Aberdeen. After examining Miss Campbell, he wrote to James Forbes, the new commissioner on the Balmoral estate and successor to Alexander Profeit (RA VIC/ADDQ/7/65) to inform him of his opinion.  

“My Dear Sir, I was favoured with your letter about Miss Campbell and saw her when she called today.  She has cancer of the left breast which requires to be removed forthwith.  And I have arranged that she will come into the Infirmary on Thursday at 12.30, when I shall be pleased to do all in my power to cure her".  

Sadly, the referral was too late, as was often the case in those days, and Johanna Campbell died in January 1900, the cause of death being given as “carcinoma of the breasts and secondary thoracic and abdominal deposits of 4 months’ standing”, as certified by Alexander Hendry, at the time a general practitioner in Ballater.  

In her final days, Johanna Campbell was cared for in the Balmoral estate sanatorium.  She too was buried in the Crathie churchyard.

And the Fishing Gazette for 27 January 1900 reported:

Miss Johanna Campbell, the Queen's housekeeper at Glassalt Shiel, Deeside, died last week, after a painful illness. Miss Campbell was of an extremely kind and obliging disposition, sod many a tourist and angler will long remember her with gratitude for the welcome cup of tea which was ever ready in her own room to whoever came her way. No introduction was required, and to all she dispensed a queenly hospitality as became a prime favourite and representative of the Queen. 

Her brother, Mr. Alexander Campbell (Sandy), is one of Her Majesty's keepers, and as a trout angler in these part cannot be excelled. He is guide, philosopher, and friend to the princesses and Court party when they go a-trouting on Loch Muick, and at other times supplies the Queen's table with trout.

I shall merely add that if Queen Victoria and John Brown were lovers, then Johanna, as housekeeper at Glas-allt-Shiel, would surely have known.

The illustration shows the monument that Sandy Campbell erected to his parents, and those of his brothers and sisters who already died, in the old kirkyard at Crathie. Johanna is remembered on it, but my photo of her side of he monument did not come out well. So my great great grandmother Jane Clark Campbell features here.

Don Fox's blog post is about Professor Sir Alex Ogston, a remarkable man, and you can read more about his role in the first world war (he was 70 when it broke out) on the University of Aberdeen site.