John Kräusslach
John Kräusslach (1820–1876), too, married in England, in 1846. In the 1851 census he is listed as Head Groom with wife Sophia (27), son John (4), daughter Sophia (3), daughter Magret (1), and the maid Hariet Boult (15). They lived in 8 Royal Mews in Pimlico. More children must have been born after 1851, because the 1881 census of Berkshire, the county in which Windsor Castle is situated, testifies that Sophia Kräusslach (57), at that time already widowed, lived with her daughter Clara (26) and her son Francis (17) in 14 Royal Mews in New Windsor. The mother, Sophia, is recorded as a pensioner, Clara as draper assistant, and Francis as a printer. John and Sophia must have had at least one more son, because the correspondence with the Royal House after the death of the mother was conducted by an Albert C. Kraeusslach.
It was particularly difficult to find information on the Kräusslach family because of the different spellings of the surname. Many variations were found, from Prince Albert’s own spelling: ‘Greusslach’ to ‘Kraeusslach’ or the most common spellings, ‘Kraeuslach’, ‘Kräuslach’, ‘Kräslach’, ‘Kreusslach’, ‘Krausslach’, or indeed mutilations like ‘Krarufslael’. The spelling used by the Royal Collection is ‘Kreuzlach’ (see photo caption).
In any case, John Kräusslach served as groom for the Royal family even after Prince Albert’s death and stayed in England until his own death. In 1873 he was awarded the Victoria Faithful Service Medal after 33 years of loyal service. When he died unexpectedly after a short illness on 7th February 1876, Queen Victoria informed her eldest two children of his death. An obituary of the court circular of Windsor Castle on 12th February 1876 shows that John Kräusslach was popular amongst his colleagues and also a great favourite of the Royal family. He had often accompanied Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their rides when they were young.
John Kräusslach was buried in the Brompton Cemetery in London. Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Beatrice were present when the funeral procession left the Royal Mews in Windsor in the morning of the funeral. Kräusslach’s wife Sophia continued to receive a pension from Queen Victoria (£20 a year). She died on 29th July 1891.
