A touching story of a Nigerian woman, Sarah Bonetta who was treated as an object by her African/Benin republic king but ended up a princess in England.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4R3_Y0Rb1g

I saw a caption on Drum Magazine back in the 80's or 90's inquiring if Queen Victoria had an adopted black daughter. I looked up the information about this girl on google and one article says she was infact the adopted daughter of Queen Victoria. Interesting.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1081580/pdf/medhist00118-0071.pdf

I read about her biography back in high school, she is Yoruba of royal blood. There is even a biography about her.

Sarah Forbes Bonneta


Her biography
[img]http://4.bp..com/-LmmMqKhbrm8/ToZyoz8XrrI/AAAAAAAAAPY/VUArsM8Lygg/s320/SarahBonetta2.jpg[/img]
http://www.naijatreks.com/2011/11/nt-sarah-bonneta/
http://www.ladysarahforbesbonetta..com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75275680@N00/2299096825/

Wow. Wholly intriguing. These are events that I never knew was quite possible most especially given the period.

a Nigerian woman, Sarah Bonetta who was treated as an object by her African/Benin republic king but ended up a princess in England.

so? we should canonize victoria or what?
BTW, why is it on the front page?

Alright, because I like learning everyday and I am so impressed by the topic. I am adding this from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Forbes_Bonetta

interesting

Sara Forbes Bonetta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Sara Forbes Bonetta photographed by Camille Silvy in 1862
Sara Forbes Bonetta was a West African Egbado Omoba who was orphaned in inter-tribal warfare at the age of eight. Intended to be a human sacrifice, she was rescued by Captain Frederick E. Forbes of the Royal Navy, who convinced King Ghezo of Dahomey to give her to Queen Victoria, "She would be a present from the King of the blacks to the Queen of the Whites," Forbes wrote later. He named her Sara Forbes Bonetta.
Victoria was impressed by the young princess' exceptional intelligence, and had Sara raised as her goddaughter in the British middle class. In 1851 she gained a long lasting cough that was caused by the climate transferring from Africa to Great Britain. She was sent to school in Africa and later then returned to England when she became 20. Sara was sanctioned by Victoria to marry Captain James Davies at Nicholas Church in Brighton in August, 1862. Davies was a Yoruba businessman of considerable wealth for the period, and the couple moved back to their native Africa after their wedding. Sara was baptised at a church in the town of Badagry, a former slave port.
She died at the age of 37 in 1880 of tuberculosis. Her husband James had previously been concerned about Sara because she appeared to have had a cough that would not go away; she was eventually diagnosed with the consumption.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Forbes_Bonetta

It also turns-out that Sarah Bonetta had a daughter called Victoria. I am sure some of her descendants are here on Nairaland, so come-on out and take some of the shine of your illustrous ancestor  .

Amongst the things I love about this story are:

1. History (I love history).

2. I like Victorian England (Many of the cultural practices then were not far from Islamic beliefs which fundamentally don't change). If Queen Victoria could see present-day England, she would be very much embarrased- I am sure   .

3. The fact that we have historical records we can refer to like photos, actual locations and documents.

4. Business Opportunity  

You can add your own to the list.

Sara Forbes Bonetta's daughter, Victoria.

And wetin come hapun after?

kings112:

And wetin come hapun after?

All d pikin wey Sara forbes bonetta daughter born come dey claim British royalty so tey even d one wey dem born today don become Countess of Lagosia and I dey currently get mind to marry one of im older cousins wey be Duchess of Aberrokurra .

@Maclatunji, Do you know who Victoria's descendants are? ( Sarah's grand and great grand children)

Did Victoria stayed in Lagos or went to Madiera with her mum?

obo_man:

@Maclatunji, Do you know who Victoria's descendants are? ( Sarah's grand and great grand children)

Did Victoria stayed in Lagos or went to Madiera with her mum?

As for her descendants:
I am not quite sure, although my preliminary research indicates that some may be in Nigeria and some almost inevitably are in the UK. I have also come across the comments of some bloke claiming that Sara forbes Bonetta's (hereafter tagged SFB by moi to save me poor fingers) widower later married another woman whose grandchildren have some of Queen Victoria's Silverware in their family house!

Wait-a-second, I have just come across a lady claiming to be the great, great grand daughter of SFB! I am sure this topic did not make it to Nairaland by accident, a very proud descendant might have a hand in it.

(Preliminarily) for Victoria, her story seems to have been lost after the death of her mother, probably due to her father marrying another woman. (Sighs!)

Note: No more free detective services. I have to be commissioned to carry-out any further research you may require on the matter. That entails cost of the whole agege bread and my professional feez .

Her descendants are the Randle family in lagos. I am proud to be one of them.

yanka:

Her descendants are the Randle family in lagos. I am proud to be one of them.

You see warra mean. it didn't take long for you folks to start showing-up.

Yeah! Your ancestor has class written all over her. By the way, you mean part of her descendants are the Randle family of Lagos. I am sure I can count like 20 families linked to her if I wanted.

^^^^Do you have any proof that her descendants are the present day randle family?

Idealkocep:

^^^^Do you have any proof that her descendants are the present day randle family?

No, if you want me to have proof you have to pay for it. Otherwise, talk to the claimant himself.

@maclatunji, Must you be paid for everything? @yanka,Please give us proof.

http://www.jeffreygreen.co.uk/sarah-forbes-bonetta-around-1851

Victoria davies married John Randle. John Randle "AKA" J K Randle is my great grand father.

careytommy:

so? we should canonize victoria or what?
BTW, why is it on the front page?

Good thought Mr caretyommy.

I was interested in the thread when I read the subject on the frontpage. I wanted to hear of landmark achievements brought to her descendants through her transcendency to the royal position in UK. Has she ever looked back seeking to influence her origin? I am quite sure, she won't ever accept being a Nigerian ever again. However, the history is worth reckoning.

that's a rich historical lesson
how come the name is never mentioned all these years
i never came across her name until today

yanka:

http://www.jeffreygreen.co.uk/sarah-forbes-bonetta-around-1851

Victoria davies married John Randle. John Randle "AKA" J K Randle is my great grand father.

Excellent, so you are actually SFB's Great, great grandson! Then I do not need to be scurrying all over the place. Tell me, do you have a cousin named Suzan?

Idealkocep:

@maclatunji, Must you be paid for everything? @yanka,Please give us proof.

Like you paid me for something yesterday. Seriously, one has to do research if you are not a direct descendant of the said party and it would have cost money to do so now. Go and ask for the R& budget of any self-respecting company in the world and come-back to talk to me about payment.

Very Interesting.

And we will be keeping an eye on you too.

I DONT want to be seen as the matyr of truth for no0w, but seriously she dint help we NIGERIANS in the past and I dont see her now cousins doing so, anywaiz what her acheivements other than being trained by victoria, and just like tinie tempah mite b who I doubt he has come to terms that he is a NIGERIAN, all these british nigerian blood to de form rubbish, wetin be dat one name again, taio cruz. i bet the day u cnfront him with the fact that he is from here. u will sleep with interpol for a long time to come.

Bullshit

atleast she married from her own tribe and was not forced to marry whiteman as them european usually did.

Abi ooo

Why are you guys being racist? I will not be surprised if SFB had a crush on some white guy but had to kill it to maintain her dignity and went to marry Mr. Davies. She does not exactly look like the happiest woman in the world in their photograph together.