Transcript

of

Mrs Flora Jordan [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol.  51, (1917), pp. 42-43.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The Obituary was read at the Association’s July 1919 Tiverton meeting. A short introduction to the English branch of the House of Grimaldi is provided at YourPhotoCard. A connection between the House of Windsor and the House of Grimaldi commenced in the 19th century when Albert I, Prince of Monaco, married a Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton whose father was the 11th Duke of Hamilton and whose mother was a German princess, Marie of Baden. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Mrs. Jordan was the second daughter of Charles Beaufort Grimaldi by his marriage with Flora Langley, and was born on Sunday, 23rd July, 1882, and from five years of age until her marriage with W. F. C. Jordan on 17th June, 1908, she resided with her aunt, the late Miss Louisa Beaufort Grimaldi, first at Eastry in Kent and subsequently at Newton Abbot.
The Grimaldi family is very ancient, and the late Mrs. Jordan traced direct desqent from Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco, A.D. 920, who was descended in the male line from Pharamond, King of the Francks, A.D. 425. Thus the family traces its descent both from the line of Saxon kings and from the Emperor Charlemagne. The Iibro d'Oro, or Golden Book of Genoa, being a register of the Nobles of the Republic, contains all the entries of the Grimaldi Family. The first of the Grimaldis to settle in England was Alexander, Marquis Grimaldi of Genoa, born 1659, who quitted Genoa after its bombardment and destruction by Louis XIV in 1684. In 1705, he married Dorcas, one of the granddaughters and co-heiresses of Sir Francis Anderson, Knight, of Bradley Hall, Durham, M.P. for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a loyal Cavalier. The grandson of this Alexander Grimaldi was William Grimaldi (Flora Jordan's great grandfather); he became celebrated as a miniature and enamel painter and was appointed as such to several members of the Royal Family and in 1800 was received by the King (George III) and Queen at a private audience.
In spite of congenital delicacy of constitution, Flora Jordan was endowed with exceptional energy of mind and bodily activity; she was possessed of considerable business capacity and quick intuition. Her unwavering faith in eternal verities augmented rather than diminished the keen interest she took in passing events; it emphasised the artistic taste she inherited and her love for the beautiful in nature, and it quickened the goodness of heart, sincerity, and affectionate disposition with which she was gifted.
From its inception in 1914, she was deeply interested in the Belgian Refugees' Relief Movement and did considerable work as a local secretary. She won the regard of many of the Refugees, and her work was not merely appreciated by the Devon and Cornwall War Refugees' Committee, but she was presented by the King of the Belgians with the Belgian Medaille de la Reine Elisabeth, 1914-1918, with an accompanying letter of thanks.
Mrs. Jordan was elected a Member of the Council of the Association (which she had joined the same year) in 1913, and read a paper on "Dawlish Parish Church" at the Meeting at Buckfastleigh in 1913.
She passed away very suddenly on 11th December last.