REID, SIR JAMES
Neg. No: 2677
Neg. Size: 15"x12"
Neg. Date: 06-05-1901

Sitter: Sir James Reid, 1st Bt. (1849-1923)

Sir James Reid, 1st Bt. (1849-1923) studied medicine in London and then Vienna, the world centre of medical learning of the time. He was Queen Victoria’s personal physican for the last twenty years of her life, keeping copious notes. The Queen trusted him completely and often turned to him for advice as he was the soul of discretion and when asked difficult questions the Queen was known to reply “ask Sir James”.

After the death of Queen Victoria, Reid was awarded a pension of £1000 (approximately 500,000 zl in current value) per year for life. As well as being present in the last hours of Queen Victoria’s life, he was also present at the new king’s last illness in 1910.

Sir James is seen here photographed on 6 May 1901 in Levee Dress, Full dress Household Uniform (3rd Class), with mourning band. He wears:

Biog: Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V; an Executor to Queen Victoria.

Date: 6 May 1901.

Occasion: -

Location: The Lafayette studio, 179 New Bond Street, London.

Descr: TQL standing.

Costume: Full Dress, H.M. Household Uniform (3rd Class), with mourning band.

Orders, Decorations & Medals: Star and badge of a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (civil division) [K.C.B. cr. 28 June 1895]; Star and badge of the Prussian Order of the Crown; Star, sash and badge of a Knight Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order [G.C.V.O. cr. 2 February 1901]; Queen Victoria Jubilee Medal 1887 with 1897 bar; Volunteer Officer's Decoration; badge, Order of the Red Eagle (Prussia); badge, Order of Ernestine (House Order of the Duchies of Saxony).

Furniture & Props: Painted backdrop.

Evidence of photographer at work: -

No of poses: 2.

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Biog: Burke's Peerage; Who's Who; G.H. Brown, Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of London 1826-1925, London, 1955; Michaela Read, Ask Sir James, London, 1987.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sir_James_Reid,_1st_Baronet

Occasion: -

Costume: H. Graham Bennet, ed, Dress Worn by Gentlemen at His Majesty's Court and on Occasions of Ceremony, London, 1903.

Orders, Decorations & Medals: (Order of the Bath) Burke's Peerage; (Prussian Order of the Crown, Order of the Red Eagle & Saxe-Ernestine Order) R. Werlich, Orders and Decorations of All Nations, Washington 1990; (Queen Victoria Jubilee Medal 1887) Howard N. Cole, Coronation and Royal Commemorative Medals 1887-1977, London, 1977; (Volunteer Officer's Decoration) A.R. Litherland & B.T. Simpkin, Spinks Standard Catalogue of British and Associated Orders, Decorations & Medals, London, 1990.

Reproduced: (Version) A.C. Fox-Davies, ed., Their Majesties' Court 1906, London, 1907, plate 390; Michaela Reid, Ask Sir James, London 1987, facing p 176.