The thatched summer house in the grounds of Osborne, at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, is in the part of the gardens set aside for the royal children to cultivate. The two eldest boys, Bertie (the Prince of Wales, and future Edward VII) and Alfie (Prince Alfred) helped to lay the floor.
The children were given plots of land in this area and encouraged to plant and grow produce, whether flowers or vegetables, and sell them to their father at their market value (see Turner 30). This was part of Prince Albert's scheme for a practical education for his children. The little summer house was used as a tool-shed for their child-sized implements and wheelbarrows.
Text and photographs by Jacqueline Banerjee. Special thanks to English Heritage for permitting photography at Osborne, and for allowing the photographs to be shared on a non-commercial basis. You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL or cite it in a print document. [Click on all the images to enlarge them.]
Related Material
- Osborne, Isle of Wight: Exterior
- Osborne: Terraces and Grounds
- The Swiss Cottage at Osborne
- The royal children's museum at Osborne
- The royal children's Victoria Fort and Albert Barracks at Osborne
Bibliography
Turner, Michael. Osborne. Rev. reprint. London: English Heritage, 2016.
Created 16 September 2017