Winn, Ellen – Housemaid was a favourite of royalty

Ellen Winn (1859-1894)

MISS Ellen Whaley Winn was only 34 when she died, at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight, Queen Victoria’s favourite home.

She was highly thought of among the aristocracy for whom she worked,  including Sir William Welby-Gregory (Denton Manor), Earl Manvers (Thoresby Hall), her Majesty Queen Victoria (Windsor Castle), Pincess Leiningen and Princess Henry of Battenberg (Osborne House).

She was such a general favourite with all her employers, that implicit trust was placed in her.

She had worked principally in Princess Beatrice’s apartments at Osborne House for about seven years, where she was head housemaid.

Ellen died following an attack of influenza, despite the untiring efforts of Her Majesty’s surgeon at Osborne (Sir W. C. Hoffmeister), pneumonia set in.

She was the eldest daughter of builder John Winn of Nottingham Road, Bottesford.

Mr Winn later became a partner to Mr Streather, and as Streather & Winn became monumental masons in Grantham.

Mr and Mrs Winn and her son, John Winn, went Osborne to arrange for the removal of the body.

The Queen, on hearing of their arrival, sought an interview with them, and finally issued orders for a special funeral service to be held in the private Chapel at Osborne.

Princess Beatrice, and others of the Royal Household attended the service.

At the conclusion of the service, Her Majesty’s attendant brought a splendid wreath, which the Queen placed on the coffin, and sympathetically shook hands with the mourners ere she left the Chapel.

She was later buried at Bottesford.