Emma Eliza Keen

Notes:

Joan Hope's notes on Martha the mother
Her mother was allegedly the Duchess of Kent and her father, Sir John Conroy. It was an over-the-fence adoption by a family known as Keen and they came to the Cape.
Apparently Queen Victoria's mother had a well documented affair with Sir John Conroy, the comptroller of the household of the Duke of Kent, and grandma Philips was the child of this affair.
With regards to where Grandma Philps lived... I know that when she arrived in the Cape she was in Grahamstown for a short while (as she was married in the Cathedral there). She lived at "Mulberry Shade" 38 Bree St, Cradock for most of her life. Her 'mother' Martha Keen must have followed her, as she is also buried in Cradock in the family vault. (ex Joan Hope) and Bev Youngs musings:
Rumours about Victoria's parentage centred on a controversial Irish soldier and adventurer called John Conroy who was her mother's private secretary and the comptroller of her household. The Duchess of Kent was the same age as Conroy, whereas she was nineteen years younger than her husband; the court gossiped openly about their relationship. After the Duke's death Conroy assumed a parental role towards Victoria that she bitterly resented. This caused a near permanent rift between Victoria and her mother, as well as between the Duchess and her brother-in-law, William IV. Conroy expected that when Victoria became queen he would be made her private secretary, but instead one of her first acts as monarch was to dismiss him from her household.
The belief that the Duchess and Conroy were lovers was widespread. When asked by Charles Greville whether he believed they were lovers, the Duke of Wellington replied that he "supposed so". The Duke later recounted a story that when Victoria was young she had caught Conroy and the Duchess engaged in what were diplomatically called "some familiarities" (ex Beverly Young)
DEPOT Genealogical Society of SA
DESCRIPTION Keen, M - Gravestone.
STARTING 18001207
ENDING 18900316
REMARKS St. Peter's Church Cemetery, Cradock, Eastern Cape.
SUMMARY + Martha Keen. Born 07-12-1800. Died 16-03-1890. Mother of Emma Eliza(beth) Philps.

Family/Spouse: Frederick Stephen Philps. Frederick (son of James Philps and Elizabeth, - wife of James Philps) was born in 1819 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England; died on 15 May 1871 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Emma Elizabeth Martha Philps was born on 18 Nov 1847 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 19 Dec 1847 in St George's Cathedral, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 14 Sep 1924 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
2. Emily Hannah Philps was born about Jun 1849 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 13 Sep 1938 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
3. Eliza Susan Philps was born on 13 Nov 1850 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 15 Dec 1850 in St Peter Anglican Church, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died about 1909 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
4. Rosa Caroline Philps was born on 10 Feb 1852 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 13 Mar 1852 in St Peter Anglican Church, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 17 Mar 1908 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
5. Ida Sophia Philps was born on 30 May 1853 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 3 Sep 1933 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
6. Ellen Louisa Philps was born about 1855 in Craddock; died on 31 Jan 1879 in Little Fish River, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
7. Ada Mary Philps was born about 1862 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 19 Jun 1946 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
8. Victoria Philps was born about 1864; died about 1954.
9. Frederica Alexandra Agnes Philps was born about 1877 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 11 Feb 1914 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Robert + Martha, - wife of Robert Keen. Martha was born on 7 Dec 1800; died on 16 Mar 1890 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in St Peter's Church Cemetery, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]