On 20 February 1925 Ellen Mouat disappeared in Christchurch, sparking a controversial murder trial.

 

Ellen left her home in suburban St Martins - allegedly without a stitch of clothing - and her husband Fred disappeared the same day. After a manhunt he was found at a quarry overlooking his home and charged with his wife’s murder. Her body was never found and there was some evidence that she had simply left home to start a new life in Dunedin. Fred had tried to pawn some of her jewellery and the couple were known to have had financial problems but there were uncertainties with the case against him from the outset. He was tried twice before being convicted as his first jury could not agree on a verdict. The trials attracted some sensational reporting and when Fred was convicted of manslaughter he was sentenced to 17 years of hard labour.

 

True crime writer Scott Bainbridge wrote of the case in his 2010 book Shot in the Dark: Unsolved New Zealand Murders from the 1920s and 30s. In his view the Mouat case was one of the most controversial in New Zealand’s history, given that there was some compelling evidence Ellen was still alive. But this was not investigated and Fred remained in prison for 12 years.

 

Shown here is a studio portrait of the ill-fated Ellen and Fred Mouat which was published in the New Zealand Police Gazette in 1925.

 

Archives reference: AAZC W2542/50 199/133 (R22169283)

collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/?q=R22169283

Date: 1925

 

For more information email Research.Archives@dia.govt.nz

 

For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ

 

Material supplied by Archives New Zealand

 

Published on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 by TomDispatch.com

 

A Very American Coup: Coming Soon to a Hometown Near You

by William Astore

 

The wars in distant lands were always going to come home, but not this way.

 

It's September 2016, year 15 of America's "Long War" against terror. As weary troops return to the homeland, a bitter reality assails them: despite their sacrifices, America is losing.

 

Iraq is increasingly hostile to remaining occupation forces. Afghanistan is a riddle that remains unsolved: its army and police forces are untrustworthy, its government corrupt, and its tribal leaders unsympathetic to the vagaries of U.S. intervention. Since the Obama surge of 2010, a trillion more dollars have been devoted to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and other countries in the vast shatter zone that is central Asia, without measurable returns; nothing, that is, except the prolongation of America's Great Recession, now entering its tenth year without a sustained recovery in sight.

 

Disillusioned veterans are unable to find decent jobs in a crumbling economy. Scarred by the physical and psychological violence of war, fed up with the happy talk of duplicitous politicians who only speak of shared sacrifices, they begin to organize. Their motto: take America back.

 

Meanwhile, a lame duck presidency, choking on foreign policy failures, finds itself attacked even for its putative successes. Health-care reform is now seen to have combined the inefficiency and inconsistency of government with the naked greed and exploitative talents of corporations. Medical rationing is a fact of life confronting anyone on the high side of 50. Presidential rhetoric that offered hope and change has lost all resonance. Mainstream media outlets are discredited and disintegrating, resulting in new levels of information anarchy.

 

Protest, whether electronic or in the streets, has become more common -- and the protestors in those streets increasingly carry guns, though as yet armed violence is minimal. A panicked administration responds with overlapping executive orders and legislation that is widely perceived as an attack on basic freedoms.

 

Tapping the frustration of protesters -- including a renascent and mainstreamed "tea bag" movement -- the former captains and sergeants, the ex-CIA operatives and out-of-work private mercenaries of the War on Terror take action. Conflict and confrontation they seek; laws and orders they increasingly ignore. As riot police are deployed in the streets, they face a grim choice: where to point their guns? Not at veterans, they decide, not at America's erstwhile heroes.

 

A dwindling middle-class, still waving the flag and determined to keep its sliver-sized portion of the American dream, throws its support to the agitators. Wages shrinking, savings exhausted, bills rising, the sober middle can no longer hold. It vents its fear and rage by calling for a decisive leader and the overthrow of a can't-do Congress.

 

Savvy members of traditional Washington elites are only too happy to oblige. They too crave order and can-do decisiveness -- on their terms. Where better to find that than in the ranks of America's most respected institution: the military?

 

A retired senior officer who led America's heroes in central Asia is anointed. His creed: end public disorder, fight the War on Terror to a victorious finish, put America back on top. The United States, he says, is the land of winners, and winners accept no substitute for victory. Nominated on September 11, 2016, Patriot Day, he marches to an overwhelming victory that November, embraced in the streets by an American version of the post-World War I German Freikorps and the police who refuse to suppress them. A concerned minority is left to wonder (and tremble) at the de facto military coup that occurred so quickly, and yet so silently, in their midst.

 

It Can Happen Here, Unless We Act

 

Yes, it can happen here. In some ways, it's already happening. But the key question is: at this late date, how can it be stopped? Here are some vectors for a change in course, and in mindset as well, if we are to avoid our own stealth coup:

 

1. Somehow, we need to begin to reverse the ongoing militarization of this country, especially our ever-rising "defense" budgets. The most recent of these, we've just learned, is a staggering $708 billion for fiscal year 2011 -- and that doesn't even include the $33 billion President Obama has requested for his latest surge in Afghanistan. We also need to get rid of the idea that anyone who suggests even minor cuts in defense spending is either hopelessly naïve or a terrorist sympathizer. It's time as well to call a halt to the privatization of military activity and so halt the rise of security contractors like Xe (formerly Blackwater), thereby weakening the corporate profit motive that supports and underpins the American version of perpetual war. It's time to begin feeling chastened, not proud, that we're by far the number one country in the world in arms manufacturing and the global arms trade.

 

2. Let's downsize our global mission rather than endlessly expanding our military footprint. It's time to have a military capable of defending this country, not fighting endless wars in distant lands while garrisoning the globe.

 

3. Let's stop paying attention to major TV and cable networks that rely on retired senior military officers, most of whom have ties both to the Pentagon and military contractors, for "unbiased" commentary on our wars. If we insist on fighting our perpetual "frontier" wars, let's start insisting as well that they be covered in all their bitter reality: the death, the mayhem, the waste, the prisons, and the torture. Why is our war coverage invariably sanitized to "PG" or even "G," when we can go to the movies anytime and see "R" rated, pornographically violent films? And by the way, it's time to be more critical of the government's and the media's use of language and propaganda. Mindlessly parroting the Patriot Act doesn't make you patriotic.

 

4. It's time to elect a president who doesn't surround himself with senior "civilian" advisors and ambassadors who are actually retired military generals and admirals, one who won't accept a Nobel Peace Prize by defending war in theory and escalating it in practice.

 

5. Let's toughen up. Let's stop deferring to authority figures who promise to "protect" us while abridging our rights. Let's stop bowing down before men and women in uniform, before they start thinking that it's their right to be worshipped and act accordingly.

 

6. Let's act now to relieve the sort of desperation bred by joblessness and hopelessness that could lead many -- notably male workers suffering from the "He-Cession" -- to see a militarized solution in "the homeland" as a credible last resort. It's the economy, stupid, but with Main Street's health, not Wall Street's, in our focus.

 

7. Let's take Sarah Palin and her followers seriously. They're tapping into anger that's real and spreading. Don't let them become the voices of the angry working (and increasingly unemployed) classes.

 

8. Recognize that we face real enemies in our world, the most powerful of which aren't in distant Afghanistan or Yemen but here at home. The essence of our struggle to sustain our faltering democracy should not be against "terrorists," with their shoe and crotch bombs, but against various powerful, perfectly legal groups here whose interests lie in a Pentagon that only grows ever stronger.

 

9. Stop thinking the U.S. is uniquely privileged. Don't take it on faith that God is on our side. Forget about God blessing America. If you believe in God, get out there and start trying to earn His blessing through deeds.

 

10. And, most important of all, remember that fear is the mind-killer that makes militarism possible. Ramping up "terror" is an amazingly effective way of shredding our Constitution. Putting our "safety" above all else is asking for trouble. The only way we'll be completely safe from the big bad terrorists, after all, is when we're all living in a maximum security state. Think of walking down the street while always being subject to a "full-body scan."

 

That's my top 10 things we need to do. It's a daunting list and I'm sure you have a few ideas of your own. But have faith. Ultimately, it all boils down to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's words to a nation suffering through the Great Depression: the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. These words came to mind recently as I read the following missive from a friend and World War II veteran who's seen tough times:

 

"It's very hard for me to accept how soft the American people have become. In 1941, with the western world under assault by powerful and deadly forces, and a large armada of ships and planes attacking us directly, I never heard a word of fear as we faced three powerful nations as enemies. Sixteen million of us went into the military with the very real possibility of death and I never once heard of fear, except from those exposed to danger. Now, our people let [their leaders] terrify them into accepting the destruction of our economy, our image in the world, and our democracy... All this over a small group of religious fanatics [mostly] from Saudi Arabia whom we kowtow to so we can drive 8-cylinder SUV's. Pathetic!

 

"How many times have I stood in ‘security lines' at airports and when I complained of the indignity of taking off shoes and not having water and the manhandling of passengers, have well educated people smugly said to me, ‘Well, they're just keeping us safe.' I look at the airport bullshit as a training ground to turn Americans into docile sheep in a totalitarian state."

 

A public conditioned to act like sheep, to "support our troops" no matter what, to cower before the idea of terrorism, is a public ready to be herded. A military that's being used to fight unwinnable wars is a military prone to return home disaffected and with scores to settle.

 

Angry and desperate veterans and mercenaries already conditioned to violence, merging with "tea baggers" and other alienated groups, could one day form our own Freikorps units, rioting for violent solutions to national decline. Recall that the Nazi movement ultimately succeeded in the early 1930s because so many middle-class Germans were scared as they saw their wealth, standard of living, and status all threatened by the Great Depression.

 

If our Great Recession continues, if decent jobs remain scarce, if the mainstream media continue to foster fear and hatred, if returning troops are disaffected and their leaders blame politicians for "not being tough enough," if one or two more terrorist attacks succeed on U.S. soil, wouldn't this country be well primed for a coup by any other name?

 

Don't expect a "Seven Days in May" scenario. No American Caesar will return to Washington with his legions to decapitate governmental authority. Why not? Because he won't have to.

 

As long as we continue to live in perpetual fear in an increasingly militarized state, we establish the preconditions under which Americans will be nailed to, and crucified on, a cross of iron.

 

© 2010 William Astore

William J. Astore teaches History at the Pennsylvania College of Technology (wastore@pct.edu). A retired lieutenant colonel (USAF), he has also taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School. A TomDispatch regular, he is the author of Hindenburg: Icon of German Militarism.

 

What would you do if you saw your nation going fascist?

www.flickr.com/photos/artedelares/121808464

Universalis Cosmographia Secundum Ptholomaei Traditionem et Americi Vespucii Alioru[m]que Lustrationes, St. Dié, 1507

 

Recognizing and Naming America

 

Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map grew out of an ambitious project in St. Dié, near Strasbourg, France, during the first decade of the sixteenth century, to document and update new geographic knowledge derived from the discoveries of the late fifteenth and the first years of the sixteenth centuries. Waldseemüller’s large world map was the most exciting product of that research effort, and included data gathered during Amerigo Vespucci’s voyages of 1501-1502 to the New World. Waldseemüller christened the new lands “America” in recognition of Vespucci ’s understanding that a new continent had been uncovered as a result of the voyages of Columbus and other explorers in the late fifteenth century. This is the only known surviving copy of the first printed edition of the map, which, it is believed, consisted of 1,000 copies.

 

Waldseemüller’s map supported Vespucci’s revolutionary concept by portraying the New World as a separate continent, which until then was unknown to the Europeans. It was the first map, printed or manuscript, to depict clearly a separate Western Hemisphere, with the Pacific as a separate ocean. The map represented a huge leap forward in knowledge, recognizing the newly found American landmass and forever changing the European understanding of a world divided into only three parts—Europe, Asia, and Africa.

 

•Martin Waldseemüller (1470-1521)

•Universalis Cosmographia Secundum Ptholomaei Traditionem et Americi Vespucii Alioru[m]que Lustrationes, [St. Dié], 1507

•One map on 12 sheets, made from original woodcut

•Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress

  

Exploring the Early Americas

 

Waldseemüller Maps

 

For more than three hundred years the only surviving copies of what are arguably two of the most important maps in the history of cartography, the 1507 and 1516 World Maps by Martin Waldseemüller (ca. 1470-ca. 1522), sat unknown on the shelves of a library in the castle of a prince. The owner was Prince Johannes Waldburg-Wolfegg, of Württenberg, Germany. The maps were rediscovered there in 1901 by the Jesuit historian Josef Fischer (1858-1944), who found them bound into a single portfolio, now known as the “Schöner Sammelband,” by the Nuremburg globe-maker and mathematician Johannes Schöner (1477–1547).

 

1507 World Map: Recognizing and Naming a New Continent

 

Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map grew out of an ambitious project in St. Dié, France, during the first decade of the sixteenth century. The objective was to document and update new geographic knowledge derived from the discoveries of the late fifteenth and the first years of the sixteenth centuries. Waldseemüller’s large world map was the most exciting product of that research effort and included data gathered during Amerigo Vespucci’s voyages of 1501-1502 to the New World. Waldseemüller christened the new lands “America” in recognition of Vespucci’s understanding that a new continent had been uncovered as a result of the voyages of Columbus and other explorers in the late fifteenth century. This is the only known surviving copy of the 1,000 maps that are believed to have been printed.

 

Waldseemüller’s map represented a revolutionary new geography: it was the first map, printed or manuscript, to depict clearly a separate Western Hemisphere, separated from Asia, with the Pacific as a separate ocean. The map represented a huge leap forward in knowledge, recognizing the newly found American landmass and forever changing the European understanding of a world that was previously divided into only three parts—Europe, Asia, and Africa.

 

The existence of the Pacific Ocean and a western coastline for South America on the 1507 Waldseemüller map remains an unsolved mystery for scholars. In 1507 neither Balboa nor Magellan had reached the Pacific Ocean. How then did Waldseemüller know of the ocean’s existence and depict a continent whose coastline on the west borders the ocean?

  

The Impact

 

After the printing of the map it appears to have received little attention in cartographic circles even though it presented a radically new understanding of world geography based on the discoveries of Columbus and Vespucci. Waldseemüller himself recognized that the map was an important departure from previous cartographic views of the world and asked for the reader’s patience when looking at the map. In the large text block found in the lower right-hand corner of the map we find him saying: “This one request we have to make, that those who are inexperienced and unacquainted with cosmography shall not condemn all this before they have learned what will surely be clearer to them later on, when they have come to understand it.” Sadly, his radical new view of the world was noted by few references in contemporary geographic literature and, having been copied by only a few minor cartographers, it slipped into obscurity and disappeared.

 

Based on their reading of the Cosmographiae Introductio in the early and mid-nineteenth century, later scholars, such as Alexander von Humboldt and Marie d’Avezac-Macaya, speculated on the map’s existence, on its importance to the early history of the New World, and on its crucial role in the naming of America, all without ever having laid eyes on a copy of the map itself.

 

The map, which displays the name America for the first time on any map, also represents the continents of North and South America with a shape that is geometrically similar in form to the outlines of the continents as we recognize them today. The two aspects of the shape and the location of the New World on the map, separated as it is from Asia, are chronologically and chronometrically problematic in that in 1507, the map’s supposed creation date, neither Vasco Núñez de Balboa nor Ferdinand Magellan had reached the Pacific Ocean.

  

Waldseemüller Map

 

The Waldseemüller map or Universalis Cosmographia (“Universal Cosmography”) is a printed wall map of the world by German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, originally published in April 1507. It is known as the first map to use the name “America”. The name America is placed on what is now called South America on the main map. As explained in Cosmographiae Introductio, the name was bestowed in honor of the Italian Amerigo Vespucci.

 

The map is drafted on a modification of Ptolemy’s second projection, expanded to accommodate the Americas and the high latitudes. A single copy of the map survives, presently housed at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

 

Waldseemüller also created globe gores, printed maps designed to be cut out and pasted onto spheres to form globes of the Earth. The wall map, and his globe gores of the same date, depict the American continents in two pieces. These depictions differ from the small inset map in the top border of the wall map, which shows the two American continents joined by an isthmus.

 

Wall Map

 

Description

 

The wall map consists of twelve sections printed from woodcuts measuring 18 by 24.5 inches (46 cm × 62 cm). Each section is one of four horizontally and three vertically, when assembled. The map uses a modified Ptolemaic map projection with curved meridians to depict the entire surface of the Earth. In the upper-mid part of the main map there is inset another, miniature world map representing to some extent an alternative view of the world.

 

Longitudes, which were difficult to determine at the time, are given in terms of degrees east from the Fortunate Islands (considered by Claudius Ptolemy as the westernmost known land) which Waldseemüller locates at the Canary Islands. The longitudes of eastern Asian places are too great. Latitudes, which were easy to determine, are also quite far off. For example, “Serraleona” (Sierra Leone, true latitude about 9°N) is placed south of the equator, and the Cape of Good Hope (true latitude 35°S) is placed at 50°S.

 

The full title of the map is Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorumque lustrationes (The Universal Cosmography according to the Tradition of Ptolemy and the Discoveries of Amerigo Vespucci and others). One of the “others” was Christopher Columbus. The title signaled his intention to combine or harmonize in a unified cosmographic depiction the traditional Ptolemaic geography of Europe, Asia and Africa with the new geographical information provided by Amerigo Vespucci and his fellow discoverers of lands in the western hemisphere. He explained: “In designing the sheets of our world-map we have not followed Ptolemy in every respect, particularly as regards the new lands … We have therefore followed, on the flat map, Ptolemy, except for the new lands and some other things, but on the solid globe, which accompanies the flat map, the description of Amerigo that is appended hereto.”

 

Several earlier maps are believed to be sources, chiefly those based on the Geography (Ptolemy) and the Caveri planisphere and others similar to those of Henricus Martellus or Martin Behaim. The Caribbean and what appear to be Florida were depicted on two earlier charts, the Cantino map, smuggled from Portugal to Italy in 1502 showing details known in 1500, and the Caverio map, drawn circa 1503-1504 and showing the Gulf of Mexico.

 

While some maps after 1500 show, with ambiguity, an eastern coastline for Asia distinct from the Americas, the Waldseemüller map apparently indicates the existence of a new ocean between the trans-Atlantic regions of the Spanish discoveries and the Asia of Ptolemy and Marco Polo as exhibited on the 1492 Behaim globe. The first historical records of Europeans to set eyes on this ocean, the Pacific, are recorded as Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513. That is five to six years after Waldseemüller made his map. In addition, the map apparently predicts the width of South America at certain latitudes to within 70 miles. However, as pointed out by E.G. Ravenstein, this is an illusory effect of the cordiform projection used by Waldseemüller, for when the map is laid out on a more familiar equirectangular projection and compared with others of the period also set out on that same projection there is little difference between them: this is particularly evident when the comparison is made with Johannes Schöner’s 1515 globe.

 

Apparently among most map-makers until that time, it was still erroneously believed that the lands discovered by Christopher Columbus, Vespucci, and others formed part of the Indies of Asia. Thus, some believe that it is impossible that Waldseemüller could have known about the Pacific, which is depicted on his map. The historian Peter Whitfield has theorized that Waldseemüller incorporated the ocean into his map because Vespucci’s accounts of the Americas, with their so-called “savage” peoples, could not be reconciled with contemporary knowledge of India, China, and the islands of Indies. Thus, in the view of Whitfield, Waldseemüller reasoned that the newly discovered lands could not be part of Asia, but must be separate from it, a leap of intuition that was later proved uncannily precise. An alternative explanation is that of George E. Nunn (see below).

 

Mundus Novus, a book attributed to Vespucci (who had himself explored the extensive eastern coast of South America), was widely published throughout Europe after 1504, including by Waldseemüller’s group in 1507. It had first introduced to Europeans the idea that this was a new continent and not Asia. It is theorized that this led to Waldseemüller’s separating the Americas from Asia, depicting the Pacific Ocean, and the use of the first name of Vespucci on his map.

 

An explanatory text, the Cosmographiae Introductio, widely believed to have been written by Waldseemüller’s colleague Matthias Ringmann, accompanied the map. It was said in Chapter IX of that text that the earth was now known to be divided into four parts, of which Europe, Asia and Africa, being contiguous with each other, were continents, while the fourth part, America, was “an island, inasmuch as it is found to be surrounded on all sides by the seas”.

 

The inscription on the top left corner of the map proclaims that the discovery of America by Columbus and Vespucci fulfilled a prophecy of the Roman poet, Virgil, made in the Aeneid (VI. 795-797), of a land to be found in the southern hemisphere, to the south of the Tropic of Capricorn:

 

Many have thought to be an invention what the famous Poet said, that “a land lies beyond the stars, beyond the paths of the year and the sun, where Atlas the heaven-bearer turns on his shoulder the axis of the world set with blazing stars”; but now, at last, it proves clearly to have been true. It is, in fact, the land discovered by the King of Castile’s captain, Columbus, and by Americus Vesputius, men of great and excellent talent, of which the greater part lies under the path of the year and sun, and between the tropics but extending nonetheless to about nineteen degrees beyond Capricorn toward the Antarctic pole beyond the paths of the year and the sun. Wherein, indeed, a greater amount of gold is to be found than of any other metal.

 

The “path” referred to is the ecliptic, which marks the sun’s yearly movement along the constellations of the zodiac, so that to go beyond it meant crossing the southernmost extent of the ecliptic, the Tropic of Capricorn. 19° beyond Capricorn is latitude 42° South, the southernmost extent of America shown on Waldseemüller’s map. The map legend shows how Waldseemüller strove to reconcile the new geographic information with the knowledge inherited from antiquity.

 

The most southerly feature named on the coast of America on the Waldseemüller map is Rio decananorum, the “River of the Cananoreans”. This was taken from Vespucci, who in 1501 during his voyage along this coast reached the port which he called Cananor (now Cananéia). Cananor was the port of Kannur in southern India, the farthest port reached in India during the 1500-1501 voyage of the Portuguese Pedro Álvares Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil, two of whose ships were encountered returning from India by Vespucci. This may be an indication Waldseemüller thought that the “River of the Cananoreans” could have actually been in the territory of Cananor in India and that America was, therefore, part of India.

 

The name for the northern land mass, Parias, is derived from a passage in the Four Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci, in which, after several stops, the expedition arrives at a region that was “situated in the torrid zone directly under the parallel which describes the Tropic of Cancer. And this province is called by them [the inhabitants] Parias.” Parias was described by Waldseemüller’s follower, Johannes Schöner as: “The island of Parias, which is not a part or portion of the foregoing [America] but a large, special part of the fourth part of the world”, indicating uncertainty as to its situation.

 

PARIAS and AMERICA, corresponding to North and South America, are separated by a strait in the region of the present Panama on the main map but on the miniature map inset into the upper-mid part of the main map the isthmus joining the two is unbroken, apparently demonstrating Waldseemüller’s willingness to represent alternative solutions to a question yet unanswered.

 

The map shows the cities of Catigara (near longitude 180° and latitude 10°S) and Mallaqua (Malacca, near longitude 170° and latitude 20°S) on the western coast of the great peninsula that projects from the southeastern part of Asia, or INDIA MERIDIONALIS (Southern India) as Waldseemüller called it. This peninsula forms the eastern side of the SINUS MAGNUS (“Great Gulf”), the Gulf of Thailand. Amerigo Vespucci, writing of his 1499 voyage, said he had hoped to sail westward from Spain across the Western Ocean (the Atlantic) around the Cape of Cattigara mentioned by Ptolemy into the Sinus Magnus. Ptolemy understood Cattigara, or Kattigara, to be the most eastern port reached by shipping trading from the Graeco-Roman world to the lands of the Far East. Vespucci failed to find the Cape of Cattigara on his 1499 voyage: he sailed along the coast of Venezuela but not far enough to resolve the question of whether there was a sea passage beyond leading to Ptolemy’s Sinus Magnus. The object of his voyage of 1503-1504 was to reach the fabulous spice emporium of “Melaccha in India” (that is, Malacca, or Melaka, on the Malay Peninsula). He had learned of Malacca from one Guaspare (or Gaspard), a pilot with Pedro Álvares Cabral’s fleet on its voyage to India in 1500-1501, whom Vespucci had encountered in the Atlantic on his return from India in May 1501. Christopher Columbus, in his fourth and last voyage of 1502-1503, planned to follow the coast of Champa southward around the Cape of Cattigara and sail through the strait separating Cattigara from the New World, into the Sinus Magnus to Malacca. This was the route he understood Marco Polo to have gone from China to India in 1292 (although Malacca had not yet been founded in Polo’s time). Columbus anticipated that he would meet up with the expedition sent at the same time from Portugal to Malacca around the Cape of Good Hope under Vasco da Gama, and carried letters of credence from the Spanish monarchs to present to da Gama. The map therefore shows the two cities that were the initial destinations of Amerigo Vespucci and Christopher Columbus in their voyages that led to the unexpected discovery of a New World.

 

Just to the south of Mallaqua (Malacca) is the inscription: hic occisus est S. thomas (Here St. Thomas was killed), referring to the legend that Saint Thomas the Apostle went to India in 52 AD and was killed there in 72 AD. Waldseemüller had confused Malacca (Melaka) with Mylapore in India. The contemporary understanding of the nature of Columbus’ discoveries is demonstrated in the letter written to him by the Aragonese cosmographer and Royal counsellor, Jaume Ferrer, dated August 5, 1495, saying: “Divine and infallible Providence sent the great Thomas from the Occident into the Orient in order to declare in India our Holy and Catholic Law; and you, Sir, it has sent to this opposite part of the Orient by way of the Ponient [West] so that by the Divine Will you might arrive in the Orient, and in the farthest parts of India Superior in order that the descendants might hear that which their ancestors neglected concerning the teaching of Thomas … and very soon you will be by the Divine Grace in the Sinus Magnus, near which the glorious Thomas left his sacred body”.

 

History

 

At the time this wall map was drawn, Waldseemüller was working as part of the group of scholars of the Vosgean Gymnasium at Saint-Dié-des-Vosges in Lorraine, which in that time belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. The maps were accompanied by the book Cosmographiae Introductio produced by the Vosgean Gymnasium.

 

Of the one thousand copies that were printed, only one complete original copy is known to exist today. It was originally owned by Johannes Schöner (1477-1547), a Nuremberg astronomer, geographer, and cartographer. Its existence was unknown for a long time until its rediscovery in 1901 in the library of Prince Johannes zu Waldburg-Wolfegg in Schloss Wolfegg in Württemberg, Germany by the Jesuit historian and cartographer Joseph Fischer. It remained there until 2001 when the United States Library of Congress purchased it from Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee for ten million dollars.

 

Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Federal Republic of Germany symbolically turned over the Waldseemüller map on April 30, 2007, within the context of a formal ceremony at the Library of Congress, in Washington, DC. In her remarks, the chancellor stressed that the US contributions to the development of Germany in the postwar period tipped the scales in the decision to turn over the Waldseemüller map to the Library of Congress as a sign of transatlantic affinity and as an indication of the numerous German roots to the United States. Today another facsimile of the map is exhibited for the public by the House of Waldburg in their museum on Waldburg Castle in Upper Swabia.

 

Since 2007, to the celebration of the 500-year jubilee of the first edition, the original map has been permanently displayed in the Library of Congress, within a specially-designed microclimate case. An argon atmosphere fills the case to give an anoxic environment. Prior to display, the entire map was the subject of a scientific analysis project using hyperspectral imaging with an advanced LED camera and illumination system to address preservation storage and display issues.

 

In 2005 the Waldseemüller map was nominated by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington for inscription on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register and was inscribed on the register that same year.

 

Nunn’s Analysis

 

The geographers of Italy and Germany, like Martin Waldseemüller and his colleagues, were exponents of a theoretical geography, or cosmography. This means they appealed to theory where their knowledge of the American and Asiatic geography was lacking. That practice differed from the official Portuguese and Spanish cartographers, who omitted from their maps all unexplored coastlines.

 

The second century Alexandrian geographer Claudius Ptolemy had believed that the known world extended over 180 degrees of longitude from the prime meridian of the Fortunate Isles (possibly the Canary Islands) to the city of Cattigara in southeastern Asia. (In fact, the difference in longitude between the Canaries, at 16°W, and Cattigara, at 105°E, is just 121°.) He had also thought that the Indian Ocean was completely surrounded by land. Marco Polo demonstrated that an ocean lay east of Asia and was connected with the Indian Ocean. Hence, on the globe made by Martin Behaim in 1492, which combined the geography of Ptolemy with that of Marco Polo, the Indian Ocean was shown as merging with the Western Ocean to the east. Ptolemy’s lands to the east of the Indian Ocean, however, were retained in the form of a great promontory projecting far south from the southeastern corner of Asia—the peninsula of Upper India (India Superior) upon which the city of Cattigara was situated.

 

Another result of Marco Polo’s travels was also shown on Behaim’s globe—the addition of 60 degrees to the longitude of Asia. Columbus had not actually seen Behaim’s globe in 1492 (which apparently owed much to the ideas of Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli); but the globe, except for one important point, reflects the geographical theory on which he apparently based his plan for his first voyage. The exception is that Columbus shortened the length of the degree, thus reducing the distance from the Canaries to Zipangu (Japan), to about 62 degrees or only 775 leagues. Consequently, it seemed to Columbus a relatively simple matter to reach Asia by sailing west.

 

In the early 16th century, two theories prevailed with regard to America (the present South America). According to one theory, that continent was identified with the southeastern promontory of Asia that figures on Behaim’s globe, India Superior or the Cape of Cattigara. The other view was that America (South America) was a huge island wholly unconnected with Asia.

 

Balboa called the Pacific the Mar del Sur and referred to it as “la otra mar”, the other sea, by contrast with the Atlantic, evidently with Behaim’s concept of only two oceans in mind. The Mar del Sur, the South Sea, was the part of the Indian Ocean to the south of Asia: the Indian Ocean was the Oceanus Orientalis, the Eastern Ocean, as opposed to the Atlantic or Western Ocean, the Oceanus Occidentalis in Behaim’s two ocean world.

 

According to George E. Nunn, the key to Waldseemüller’s apparent new ocean is found on the three sketch maps made by Bartolomé Colon (that is, Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher’s brother) and Alessandro Zorzi in 1504 to demonstrate the geographical concepts of Christopher Columbus. One of the Columbus/Zorzi sketch maps bears an inscription saying that: “According to Marinus of Tyre and Columbus, from Cape St. Vincent to Cattigara is 225 degrees, which is 15 hours; according to Ptolemy as far as Cattigara 180 degrees, which is 12 hours”. This shows that Christopher Columbus overestimated the distance eastward between Portugal and Cattigara as being 225 degrees instead of Ptolemy’s estimate of 180 degrees, permitting him to believe the distance westward was only 135 degrees and therefore that the land he found was the East Indies. As noted by Nunn, in accordance with this calculation, the Colon/Zorzi maps employ the longitude estimate of Claudius Ptolemy from Cape St. Vincent eastward to Cattigara, but the longitude calculation of Marinus and Columbus is employed for the space between Cape St. Vincent westward to Cattigara.

 

Nunn pointed out that Martin Waldseemüller devised a scheme that showed both the Columbus and the Ptolemy-Behaim concept on the same map. On the right-hand side of the Waldseemüller 1507 map is shown the Ptolemy-Behaim concept with the Ptolemy longitudes: this shows the huge peninsula of India Superior extending to the south of the Tropic of Capricorn. On the left side of the Waldseemüller map the discoveries of Columbus, Vespucci and others are represented as a long strip of land extending from about latitude 50 degrees North to latitude 40 degrees South. The western coasts of these trans-Atlantic lands discovered under the Spanish crown are simply described by Waldseemüller as Terra Incognita (Unknown Land) or Terra Ulterior Incognita (Unknown Land Beyond), with a conjectural sea to the west, making these lands apparently a distinct continent. America’s (that is, South America’s) status as a separate island or a part of Asia, specifically, the peninsula of India Superior upon which Cattigara was situated, is left unresolved. As the question of which of the two alternative concepts was correct had not been resolved at the time, both were represented on the same map. Both extremities of the map represent the eastern extremity of Asia, according to the two alternative theories. As Nunn said, “This was a very plausible way of presenting a problem at the time insoluble.”

 

As noted by Nunn, the distance between the meridians on the map is different going eastward and westward from the prime meridian which passes through the Fortunate Isles (Canary Islands). This has the effect of representing the eastern coast of Asia twice: once in accordance with Ptolemy’s longitudes to show it as Martin Behaim had done on his 1492 globe; and again in accordance with Columbus’ calculation of longitudes to show his and the other Spanish navigators’ discoveries across the Western Ocean, which Columbus and his followers considered to be part of India Superior.

 

On his 1516 world map, the Carta Marina, Waldseemüller identified the land he had called Parias on his 1507 map as Terra de Cuba and said it was part of Asia (Asie partis), that is, he explicitly identified the land discovered by Columbus as the eastern part of Asia.

 

Globe Gores

 

Besides Universalis Cosmographia, Waldseemüller published a set of gores for constructing globes. The gores, also containing the inscription America, are believed to have been printed in the same year as the wall map, since Waldseemüller mentions them in the introduction to his Cosmographiæ Introductio. On the globe gores, the sea to the west of the notional American west coast is named the Occeanus Occidentalis, that is, the Western or Atlantic Ocean, and where it merges with the Oceanus Orientalis (the Eastern, or Indian Ocean) is hidden by the latitude staff. This appears to indicate uncertainty as to America’s location, whether it was an island continent in the Atlantic (Western Ocean) or in fact the great peninsula of India Superior shown on earlier maps, such as the 1489 map of the world by Martellus or the 1492 globe of Behaim.

 

Only few copies of the globe gores are extant. The first to be rediscovered was found in 1871 and is now in the James Ford Bell Library of the University of Minnesota. Another copy was found inside a Ptolemy atlas and had been in the Bavarian State Library in Munich since 1990. The Library recognized in February 2018, after reviewing its authenticity, that this map is not an original copy—it was printed in the 20th century. A third copy was discovered in 1992 bound into an edition of Aristotle in the Stadtbücherei Offenburg, a public library in Germany. A fourth copy came to light in 2003 when its European owner read a newspaper article about the Waldseemüller map. It was sold at auction to Charles Frodsham & Co. for $1,002,267, a world record price for a single sheet map. In July 2012, a statement was released from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich that a fifth copy of the gore had been found in the LMU Library’s collection which is somewhat different from the other copies, perhaps because of a later date of printing. LMU Library has made an electronic version of their copy of the map available online.

  

Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii alioru[m]que lustrationes.

 

Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorū que lustrationes

 

•Title: Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii alioru[m]que lustrationes.

•Other Title: Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorū que lustrationes

•Contributor Names: Waldseemüller, Martin, 1470-1519.

•Created/Published: [Strasbourg, France? : s.n., 1507]

•Subject Headings: Earth

•Genre: World maps; Early maps

•Notes:

oRelief shown pictorially.

oFirst document known to name America.

oRed ink grid on 2 sheets. Text applied over blank areas on 2 sheets. Manuscript annotations in the margin of 1 sheet.

oAll sheets bear a watermark of a triple pointed crown.

oTwo stamps on verso of upper left hand sheet: Fürstl. Waldburg Wolfegg’sches Kupferstichkabinett – Furstl. Waldbg. Wolf. Bibliothek.

oExhibited: Rivers, edens, empires: Lewis & Clark and the revealing of America, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., July 24-Nov. 29, 2003.

oAvailable also through the Library of Congress Web site as a raster image.

oIncludes text and ill.

oPrinted surrogate in vault available for reference.

oLC digital image is a composite map from the twelve separate sheets.

oOriginally bound with Waldseemüller’s 1516 Carta marina in the Schöner Sammelband.

•Medium: 1 map on 12 sheets; 128 × 233 cm., sheets 46 × 63 cm. or smaller.

•Call Number/Physical Location: G3200 1507 .W3

•Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA dcu

•Digital Id: hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3200.ct000725C; hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3200.ct000725

•Library of Congress Control Number: 2003626426

•Online Format: image

•LCCN Permalink: lccn.loc.gov/2003626426

•Additional Metadata Formats: MARCXML Record; MODS Record; Dublin Core Record

•Part of…

oDiscovery and Exploration (174)

oGeography and Map Division (15,333)

oAmerican Memory (504,438)

oLibrary of Congress Online Catalog (623,348)

•Format: Maps

•Contributors: Waldseemüller, Martin

•Dates: 1507

•Location: Earth

•Language: Latin

•Subjects: Early Maps; Earth; World Maps

•Articles and Essays with this item:

oEvaluation—Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507—Lesson Plan

oOverview—Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507—Lesson Plan

oPreparation—Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507—Lesson Plan

oProcedure—Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507—Lesson Plan

oMr. Dürer Comes to Washington

oExploring the Early Americas—2010—Past Events—News and Events

oSpanish Exploration in America—Primary Source Set

oIntroducing Primary Source Analysis to Students: Lessons from the Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institute

oLearning Activity—Secondary Level—Technology Integration, Spring 2009- Teaching with Primary Sources

oDocumenting New Knowledge—Exploring the Early Americas

oExhibitions and Presentations—Geography and Maps—Themed Resources

oPrologue - Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America

oExploration and Discovery—Zoom Into Maps—Classroom Presentation

•Credit Line: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

 

Cite This Item

 

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

 

Chicago citation style:

 

Waldseemüller, Martin. [Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorumque lustrationes]. [Strasbourg, France?: s.n, 1507] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2003626426/. (Accessed February 26, 2017.)

 

APA citation style:

 

Waldseemüller, M. (1507) [Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorumque lustrationes]. [Strasbourg, France?: s.n] [Map] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2003626426/.

 

MLA citation style:

 

Waldseemüller, Martin. [Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorumque lustrationes]. [Strasbourg, France?: s.n, 1507] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2003626426/.

  

The Map That Named America

 

Library Acquires 1507 Waldseemüller Map of the World

 

By JOHN R. HÉBERT

 

In late May 2003 the Library of Congress completed the purchase of the only surviving copy of the first image of the outline of the continents of the world as we know them today— Martin Waldseemüller’s monumental 1507 world map.

 

The map has been referred to in various circles as America’s birth certificate and for good reason; it is the first document on which the name “America” appears. It is also the first map to depict a separate and full Western Hemisphere and the first map to represent the Pacific Ocean as a separate body of water. The purchase of the map concluded a nearly century-long effort to secure for the Library of Congress that very special cartographic document which revealed new European thinking about the world nearly 500 years ago.

 

The Waldseemüller world map is currently on display in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building in the exhibition honoring the Lewis and Clark expedition, “Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America.” It will remain on display, either in the original or with an exact facsimile, until Nov. 29. A permanent site for the display of this historical treasure will be prepared in the Thomas Jefferson Building within the next year.

 

Martin Waldseemüller, the primary author of the 1507 world map, was a 16th-century scholar, humanist, cleric and cartographer who was part of the small intellectual circle, the Gymnasium Vosagense, in Saint-Dié, France. He was born near Freiburg, Germany, sometime in the 1470s and died in the canon house at Saint-Dié in 1522. During his lifetime he devoted much of his time to cartographic ventures, including, in the spring 1507, the famous world map, a set of globe gores (for a globe with a three-inch diameter), and the “Cosmographiae Introductio” (a book to accompany the map). He also prepared the 1513 edition of the Ptolemy “Geographiae”; the “Carta Marina,” a large world map, in 1516; and a smaller world map in the 1515 edition of “Margarita Philosophica Nova.”

 

Thus, in a remote part of northeast France, was born the famous 1507 world map, whose full title is “Universalis cosmographia secunda Ptholemei traditionem et Americi Vespucci aliorum que lustrationes” (“A drawing of the whole earth following the tradition of Ptolemy and the travels of Amerigo Vespucci and others”). That map, printed on 12 separate sheets, each 18-by-24-inches, from wood block plates, measured more than 4 feet by 8 feet in dimension when assembled.

 

The large map is an early 16th-century masterpiece, containing a full map of the world, two inset maps showing separately the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, illustrations of Ptolemy and Vespucci, images of the various winds, and extensive explanatory notes about selected regions of the world. Waldseemüller’s map represented a bold statement that rationalized the modern world in light of the exciting news arriving in Europe as a result of explorations across the Atlantic Ocean or down the African coast, which were sponsored by Spain, Portugal and others.

 

The map must have created quite a stir in Europe, since its findings departed considerably from the accepted knowledge of the world at that time, which was based on the second century A.D. work of the Greek geographer, Claudius Ptolemy. To today’s eye, the 1507 map appears remarkably accurate; but to the world of the early 16th century it must have represented a considerable departure from accepted views of the composition of the world. Its appearance undoubtedly ignited considerable debate in Europe regarding its conclusions that an unknown continent (unknown, at least, to Europeans and others in the Eastern Hemisphere) existed between two huge bodies of water, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and was separated from the classical world of Ptolemy, which had been confined to the continents of Europe, Africa and Asia.

 

While it has been suggested that Waldseemüller incorrectly dismissed Christopher Columbus’ great achievement in history by the selection of the name “America” for the Western Hemisphere, it is evident that the information that Waldseemüller and his colleagues had at their disposal recognized Columbus’ previous voyages of exploration and discovery. However, the group also had acquired a recent French translation of the important work “Mundus Novus,” Amerigo Vespucci’s letter detailing his purported four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean to America between 1497 and 1504. In that work, Vespucci concluded that the lands reached by Columbus in 1492 and explored by Columbus and others over the ensuing two decades were indeed a segment of the world, a new continent, unknown to Europe. Because of Vespucci’s recognition of that startling revelation, he was honored with the use of his name for the newly discovered continent.

 

It is remarkable that the entire Western Hemisphere was named for a living person; Vespucci did not die until 1512. With regard to Columbus’ exploits after 1492, i.e., his various explorations between 1492 and 1504, the 1507 map clearly denotes Columbus’ explorations in the West Indies as well as the Spanish monarchs’ sponsorship of those and subsequent voyages of exploration.

 

By 1513, when Waldseemüller and the Saint-Dié scholars published the new edition of Ptolemy’s “Geographiae,” and by 1516, when Waldseemüller’s famous “Carta Marina” was printed, he had removed the name “America” from his maps, perhaps suggesting that even he had second thoughts about honoring Vespucci exclusively for his understanding of the New World. Instead, in the 1513 atlas, the area named “America” on the 1507 map is now referred to as Terra Incognita (Unknown Land). In the1516 “Carta Marina,” South America is called Terra Nova (New World) and North America is named Cuba and is shown to be part of Asia. No reference in either work is made to the name “America.”

 

The only surviving copy of the 1507 world map by Martin Waldseemüller, purchased by the Library of Congress and now on display in its Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. The term “America” can be seen in continent on the lower leftmost panel. Vespuci is pictured on the top panel of the third column.

 

The only surviving copy of the 1507 world map by Martin Waldseemüller, purchased by the Library of Congress and now on display in its Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. The term “America” can be seen in continent on the lower leftmost panel. Vespuci is pictured on the top panel of the third column.

 

Cartographic contributions by Johannes Schöner in 1515 and by Peter Apian in 1520, however, adopted the name “America” for the Western Hemisphere, and that name then became part of accepted usage.

 

A reported 1,000 copies of the 1507 map were printed, which was a sizeable print run in those days. This single surviving copy of the map exists because it was kept in a portfolio by Schöner (1477-1547), a German globe maker, who probably had acquired a copy of the map for his own cartographic work . That portfolio contained not only the unique copy of the 1507 world map but also a unique copy of Waldseemüller’s 1516 large wall map (the “Carta Marina”) and copies of Schöner’s terrestrial (1515) and celestial (1517) globe gores.

 

At some later time, the family of Prince Waldburg-Wolfegg acquired and retained Schöner’s portfolio of maps in their castle in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where it remained unknown to scholars until the beginning of the 20th century when its extraordinary contents were revealed. The uncovering of the 1507 map in the Wolfegg Castle early last century is thought by many to have been one of the most extraordinary episodes in the history of cartographic scholarship.

 

The map sheets have been maintained separated—not joined, with each of the large maps composed of 12 separate sheets—and that is probably why they survived. The portfolio with its great treasure was uncovered and revealed to the world in 1901 by the Jesuit priest Josef Fischer, who was conducting research in the Waldburg collection.

 

The Library of Congress’ Geography and Map Division acquired the facsimiles of the 1507 and 1516 maps in 1903. Throughout the 20th century the Library continued to express interest in and a desire to acquire the 1507 map, if it were ever made available for sale. That time came in 1992 when Prince Johannes Waldberg-Wolfegg, the owner of the map, revealed to Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, the Associate Librarian for Library Services Winston Tabb, and the chief of the Geography and Map Division Ralph Ehrenberg in a conversation in Washington that he was willing to negotiate the sale of the map. Ehrenberg and Margrit Krewson, the Library’s German and Dutch area specialist, were encouraged to investigate the opportunity.

 

In 1999 Prince Waldburg-Wolfegg notified the Library that the German national government and the Baden-Württemberg state government had granted permission for a limited export license, which Krewson was instrumental in negotiating. Having obtained the license, which allowed this German national treasure to come to the Library of Congress, the Prince pursued an agreement to sell the 1507 map to the Library. In late June 2001 Prince Waldburg-Wolfegg and the Library of Congress reached a final agreement on the sale of the map for the price of $10 million. In late May 2003 the Library completed a successful campaign to raise the necessary funds to purchase Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map, after receiving substantial congressional and private support to achieve the terms of the contract. The Congress of the United States appropriated $5 million for the purchase of the map; Discovery Communications, Jerry Lenfest and David Koch provided substantial contributions; and other individuals (George Tobolowsky and Virginia Gray) gave matching funds for the purchase and additional support for its preservation, exhibition and study.

Through the combined efforts of Billington, Tabb and members of the Library’s staff over the past 11 years, the map was able to leave Germany and come to the Library of Congress.

 

The 1507 world map is now the centerpiece of the outstanding cartographic collections of the Geography and Map Division in the Library of Congress. The map serves as a departure point for the development of the division’s American cartographic collection in addition to its revered position in early modern cartographic history. The map provides a meaningful link between the Library’s treasured late medieval-early Renaissance cartographic collection (which includes one of the richest holdings of Ptolemy atlases in the world) and the modern cartographic age that unfolded as a result of the explorations of Columbus and other discoverers in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. It represents the point of departure from the geographical understanding of the world based on Ptolemy’s “Cosmographiae” and “Geographiae” (editions from 1475-) to that emerging in the minds of scholars and practical navigators as reports of the “new worlds” of America, southern Africa and other regions of Asia and Oceania reached Europe’s shores. Waldseemüller recognized the transition taking place, as the title of his map notes and as his prominent placement of images of Ptolemy and Vespucci next to their worlds at the top portion of the 1507 world map denotes.

 

The Waldseemüller map joins the rich cartographic holdings of the Library’s Geography and Map Division, which include some 4.8 million maps, 65,000 atlases, more than 500 globes and globe gores, and thousands of maps in digital form. And from that fragile first glimpse of the world, so adequately described by Waldseemüller in 1507, the Library of Congress’ cartographic resources provide the historical breadth and cartographic depth to fill in the geographic blanks left by those early cosmographers.

 

The Library’s acquisition of the Waldseemüller map represents an important moment to renew serious research into this exceptional map, to determine the sources which made possible its creation, and to investigate its contemporary impact and acceptance. The map’s well-announced acquisition provides scholars with an extraordinary opportunity to appreciate the earliest of early depictions of our modern world. Major portions of this 1507 world map have not received the same concentrated scrutiny as the American segments. The very detailed depiction of sub-Saharan Africa, the south coast of Asia, and even the areas surrounding the Black and Caspian seas merit further study and discussion in response to obvious questions regarding the cartographic and geographic sources that were available and used by the Saint-Dié scholars to reach the conclusions that they embodied in the 1507 world map.

 

Through agreement with Prince Waldburg-Wolfegg and the government of Germany, the 1507 Waldseemüller world map is to be placed on permanent display in the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building. A second floor gallery, the Pavilion of the Discoverers, has been chosen as an appropriate location to house the map, where it will be exhibited with supporting materials from the Library’s collections that will assist in describing the rich history surrounding the map and its relation to its creators and the sources used to prepare it in the 16th century.

 

The Library of Congress is extremely proud to have obtained this unique treasure and is hopeful that this great cartographic document will receive the public acclaim and the critical scholarly inspection that it so rightly merits.

 

John R. Hébert is the chief of the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress.

  

This View

 

Sheet 3.

 

In the middle section of this sheet, the name America is placed on the lower part of what is now South America. Waldseemüller describes this region in the text on the left that reads:

 

A general delineation of the various lands and islands, including some of which the ancients make no mention, discovered lately between 1497 and 1504 in four voyages over the seas, two commanded by Fernando of Castile, and two by Manuel of Portugal, most serene monarchs, with Amerigo Vespucci as one of the navigators and officers of the fleet; and especially a delineation of many places hitherto unknown. All this we have carefully drawn on the map, to furnish true and precise geographical knowledge.

Found a thousand or more flac and mp3 files hiding on my computer this evening that I'd either forgotten about or worse, never realized I had. They're all from ages ago--back in the "wild" days of music file acquisition (if you catch my drift) and for a guy who can't remember what he had for dinner last night, the discovery was quite a surprise. Guess I've been streaming so long I forgot about "physical" files? Some of the stuff is actually pretty good too. On the other hand, how the complete John Mellencamp discography got there is a mystery that's probably better left unsolved ;- 0

 

IMG_3691

Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM294496 Dept No.44

The murder of siblings Michael, Norah and Ellen Murphy near Gatton on Boxing Day 1898 sparked intense interest and speculation. All three were killed between 10pm and the early hours of the following morning on their way home from a dance that had been cancelled and the case remains unsolved to this day.

Contained within the QSA archived police files are pages of handwritten letters from across Queensland sent from members of the community convinced they could help solve the case using their spiritual gifts. Some are simply a few words on a scrap of paper, others take up many pages and go into lengthy detail about possible conspiracies. The police called the correspondence files ‘Astrologers, Dreamers, Theorists, etc’.

qwikLoadr™ Vimeo™ Videos...

Ryan Woodward | Thought of You Animation!

EastMountainSouth | Show Me The River I am Sam TNT Premiere!

 

Fox 25 News | Deanna Cremin Remembered...

www.myfoxboston.com/story/21835606/2013/03/30/loved-ones-...

 

blogger gwennie2006 | Doll Face...

gwennie2006.blogspot.com/2009/11/deanna-cremin-memorial-f...

blogger gwennie2006 | motherChild3...

gwennie2006.blogspot.com/2009/06/motherchild3-arch-of-ang...

 

Bob Ward at Fox25 has been so faithful through the years in trying to help Deanna's case get better exposure. Its so strange that her murder is listed in so many places as one of the top 20 unsolved murders of all time,yet no one has ever done a national story on it....

writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/cold-case-2...

#17 there. You'll notice that the Black Dahlia case is listed number one. Years and years ago I posted on the official Black Dahlia website about Deanna. Immediately, Pamela who runs the site, made it a sticky thread. I thought that was so kind of her too.

  As Deanna's family has done for so many years,they hope this will be the year that something happens with her case. They only need a very small amount of info too.

Roman and Roman provincial bronze coins from Spanish mints. Lusitania, Emerita, Augustus, Æ as, rev. P. CARISIVS LEG AVGVST (RIC 20). Baetica, Iulia Traducta, Augustus, Æ 23, rev. apex and simpulum (RPC 109). Hispania Tarraconensis, Acci, Augustus, Æ 29, rev. two aquilae between two standards (RPC 135); Bibilis, Augustus, Æ 30, rev. wreath (RPC 395); Calagurris Iulia, Augustus, Æ 29, rev. bull; Carthago Nova, Caligula, Æ 28, rev. head of Salus (RPC 185); Ilici, Tiberius, Æ 28, rev. altar (RPC 196); Lepida-Celsa, Octavian(?), Æ 30, rev. bull (RPC 269); Segobriga, Caligula, Æ 28, rev. inscription in wreath (RPC 476). cngcoins.com

 

If you are interested in Julio Claudian Iconography and portrait study you may enjoy these two links:

 

Julio Claudian Iconographic Association- Joe Geranio- Administrator at groups.yahoo.com/group/julioclaudian/

 

The Portraiture of Caligula- Joe Geranio- Administrator- at

portraitsofcaligula.com/

 

Both are non-profit sites and for educational use only.For more on Caligulan Numismatic Articles see: Coins courtesy cngoins.com

 

Related Articles of Caligula from American Numismatic Society Library Search

 

Library Catalog Search (Preliminary Version)

Full Record: Barrett, Anthony A. The invalidation of currency in the Roman Empire : the Claudian demonetization of Caligula's AES. (1999)

Full Record: Bost, Jean-Pierre. Routes, cits et ateliers montaires : quelques remarques sur les officines hispaniques entre les rgnes d'Auguste en de Caligula. (1999)

Full Record: Bibliothque Municipale d'Etude et d'Information de Grenoble. Grenoble : Bibliothque Municipale d'Etude et d'Information : catalogue des monnaies. II. Monnaies romaines. Monnaies impriales romaines. 2. Caligula - Neron . Index. / Bernard Rmy, Frdric Bontoux, Virginie Risler. (1998)

Full Record: Gainor, John R. The image of the Julio-Claudian dynasty from coins / by John R. Gainor.

Full Record: Martini, Rodolfo. Monete romane imperiali del Museo G. B. Adriani. Parte 3, Caius (37-41 d.C.) / Rodolfo Martini. (2001)

Full Record: ACCLA privy to presentation by Richard Baker on Caligula. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 1. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 2. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 3. (2002)

Full Record: Kemmers, Fleur. Caligula on the Lower Rhine : Coin finds from the Roman Fort of Albaniana (The Netherlands) / Fleur Kemmers. (2004)

Full Record: Estiot, Sylviane. Le trsor de Meussia (Jura) : 399 monnaies d'argent d'poques rpublicaine et julio-claudienne / Sylviane Estiot, Isabelle Aymar. (2002)

Full Record: Gocht, Hans. Namenstilgungen an Bronzemünzen des Caligula und Claudius / Hans Gocht. (2003)

Full Record: Gomis Justo, Marivi. Ercavica : La emision de Caligula. Estimacion del numero de cunos originales.

Full Record: Sayles, Wayne G. Fakes on the Internet. (2002)

Full Record: Kemmers, Fleur. The coin finds from the Roman fort Albaniana, the Netherlands / Fleur Kemmers . (2005)

Full Record: Lopez Snchez, Fernando. La afirmacion soberana de Caligula y de Claudio y el fin de las acunaciones ciudadanas en occidente / Fernando Lopez Snchez. (2000)

Full Record: Besombes, Paul-Andr. Les monnaies hispaniques de Claude Ier des dpôts de la Vilaine (Rennes) et de Saint-Lonard (Mayenne) : tmoins de quel type de contact entre l'Armorique et la pninsule ibrique ? / Paul-Andr Besombes. (2005)

Full Record: Catalli, Fiorenzo. Le thesaurus de Sora / Fiorenzo Catalli et John Scheid.

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Faux deniers de Caligula de la Renaissance.

Full Record: Vermeule, Cornelius. Faces of Empire (Julius Caesar to Justinian). Part II(B), More young faces : Caligula again and Nero reborn / Cornelius Vermeule. (2005)

Full Record: Geranio, Joe. Portraits of Caligula : the seated figure? / Joe Geranio. (2007)

Full Record: Aguilera Hernandez, Alberto. Acerca de un as de Caligula hallado en Zaragoza / Alberto Aguilera Hernandez. (2007)

Full Record: Butcher, K. E. T. Caligula : the evil emperor. (1985)

Full Record: Fuchs, Michaela. Frauen um Caligula und Claudius : Milonia Caesonia, Drusilla und Messalina. (1990)

Full Record: Faur, Jean-Claude. Moneda de Caligula de Museo Arqueologico Provincial de Tarragona. (1979)

Full Record: British Museum. Dept. of coins and medals. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British museum. Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius / by Harold Mattingly. (1976)

Full Record: Conrad, Edwin. A Caligula Isotope of Hadrian. (1968)

Full Record: Conrad, Edwin. The Metamorphosis of an Allegad 'As of Hadrian.' (1968)

Full Record: Bendall, Simon. A 'new' gold quinarius of Caligula. (1985)

Full Record: Cortellini, Nereo. Le monete di Caligola nel Cohen.

Full Record: Guey, Julien. Les "bains d'or" de Caligula "Immensi Avreorvm Acervi (Sutone, Cal., 42,3).

Full Record: Guey, J. Les "bains d'or" de Caligula : Sutone, Cal. 42, 3.

Full Record: Curry, Michael R. The Aes Quadrans of Caligula. (1968)

Full Record: Jonas, Elemr. L'emploi dar "damnatio memoriae" sur l'un des "dupondius" de Calgula. (1937)

Full Record: Julian, R. W. The coins of Caligula. (1994)

Full Record: Donciu, Ramiro. Cu privire la activitatea militara a lui Caius (Caligula) in anul 40 e.n. (1983)

Full Record: Hansen, Peter. A history of Caligula's Vesta. (1992)

Full Record: Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Augustus, Caligula oder Caludius? (1978)

Full Record: Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Die Organisation der Münzprgung Caligulas. (1987)

Full Record: Johansen, Flemming S. The sculpted portraits of Caligula. (1987)

Full Record: Carter, G. F. Chemical compositions of copper-based Roman coins. V : imitations of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero / G. F. Carter and others. (1978)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. L'atelier de Lyon sous Auguste : Tibre et Caligula. (1979)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Les missions d'or et d'argent de Caligula dans l'atelier de Lyon. (1976)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon des origines au rgne de Caligula (43 avant J.-C. - 41 aprs J.-C.). (1983)

Full Record: Nony, D. Quelques as d'imitation de Caligula trouves a Bordeaux (Gironde). (1981)

Full Record: Levy, Brooks Emmons. Caligula's radiate crown. (1988)

Full Record: Poulsen, Vagn. Un nouveau visage de Caligula. (1972)

Full Record: Price, Martin Jessop. Elephant in Crete? New light ona cistophorus of Caligula. (1973)

Full Record: MacInnis, H. Frank. Ego-driven emperor commits excesses. (1979)

Full Record: McKenna, Thomas P. The case of the curious coin of Caligula : a provincial bronze restruck with legend-only dies. (1994)

Full Record: Mowat, Robert. Bronzes remarquables de Tibre, de son fils, de ses petits-fils et de Caligula. (1911)

Full Record: Koenig, Franz E. Roma, monete dal Tevere : l'imperatore Gaio (Caligola). (1988)

Full Record: Kollgaard, Ron. Caligula's coins profile despot. (1993)

Full Record: Kollgaard, Ron. A numismatic mystery : "the Caligula quadrans." (1994)

Full Record: Martini, Rodolfo. Osservazioni su contromarche ed erosioni su assi de Caligula. (1980)

Full Record: Szaivert, Wolfgang. Moneta Imperii Romani. Band 2 und 3. Die Münzprgung der Kaiser Tiberius und Caius (Caligula) 14/41 / von Wolfgang Szaivert. (1984)

Full Record: Boschung, Dietrich. Die Bildnisse des Caligula. Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Jucker, Hans. Deutsches Archaologisches Institut. Das Romische Herrscherbild. 1. Abt., Bd. 4, Die Bildnisse des Caligula / Dietrich Boschung ; mit einem Beitrag von Hans-Markus von Kaenel ; auf Grund der Vorarbeiten und Marterialsammlungen von Hans Jucker. (1989)

Full Record: Rosborough, Ruskin R. An epigraphic commentary on Suetonius's life of Gaius Caligula. A thesis...for the...Doctor of Philosophy. (1920)

Full Record: Richard, Jean-Claude. A propos de l'aureus de Caligula dcouvert Saint-Colomban-des-Villards (Savoie). (1982)

Full Record: Richard, Jean-Claude. Un aureus de Caligula dcouvert Saint-Colomban-des-Villards (Savoie). (1982)

Full Record: Ritter, Hans-Werner. Adlocutio und Corona Civica unter Caligula und Tiberius. (1971)

Full Record: Kumpikevicius, Gordon C. A numismatic look at Gaius. (1979)

Full Record: Savio, Adriano. La coerenza di Caligola nella gestione della moneta / Adriano Savio. (1988)

Full Record: Savio, Adriano. Note su alcune monete di Gaio-Caligola. (1973)

Full Record: Stylow, Armin U. Die Quadranten des Caligula als Propaganda-münzen.münzen" aus der stdtischen sammlung zu Osnabrück. (1971)

Full Record: Schwartz, Jacques. Le Monnayage Snatorial entre 37 et 42 P.C. (1951)

Full Record: Rodolfo Martini, ed. Sylloge nummorum Romanorum. Italia. Milano, Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche Vol. 1 Giulio-Claudii / a cura di Rodolfo Martini. (1990)

Full Record: Szaivert, Wolfgang. Zur Julisch-Claudischen Münzprgung. (1979)

Full Record: Vedrianus. The Roman Imperial series. V. Gaius. (1963)

Full Record: Tietze, Christian M. Kaiser Cajus Caesar, genannt Caligula. (1979)

Full Record: Wood, Susan. Diva Drusilla Panthea and the sisters of Caligula / Susan Wood. (1995)

Full Record: Sutherland, Carol Humphrey Vivian. Coinage in Roman imperial policy 31 B.C.-A.D. 68. (1951)

Full Record: Sutherland, C. H. V. The mints of Lugdunum and Rome under Gaius : an unsolved problem. (1981)

Full Record: Trillmich, Walter. Familienpropaganda der Kaiser Caligula und Claudius : Agrippina Maior und Antonia Augusta auf Münzen. (1978)

Full Record: Voirol, August. Eine Warenumsatzsteuer im antiken Rom und der numismatische Beleg inher Aufhebung : Centesima rerum venalium. (1943)

Full Record: Trillmich, Walter. Zur Münzprgung des Caligula von Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza). (1973)

  

The most beautiful women in TV and Movie History now become Barbie Collector Dolls created by acclaimed re-paint Artist Donna Brinkley.

 

Jacquelyn (Jaclyn) Ellen Smith has been known as the world's Most Beautiful Woman, she was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Margaret Ellen and Jack Smith, a dentist. She attended Trinity University in San Antonio.

 

After college, Smith moved to New York City with hopes of dancing with the ballet. Her career aspirations shifted to modeling and acting as she found work in television commercials and print ads, including one for Listerene mouthwash. She landed a job as a Breck girl for Breck Shampoo in 1971, and a few years later joined another popular model/actress, Farrah Fawcett, as a spokesmodel for Wella Balsam shampoo.

Charlie's Angels

 

On March 21, 1976, Smith first played Kelly Garrett in Charlie's Angels; the show was aired as a movie of the week, starring Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett (billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors) as private investigators for Townsend Associates, a detective agency run by a reclusive multi-millionaire whom the women had never met. Voiced by John Forsythe, the Charles Townsend character presented cases and dispensed advice via a speakerphone to his core team of three female employees, to whom he referred as Angels. They were aided in the office and occasionally in the field by two male associates, played by character actors David Doyle and David Ogden Stiers. The program earned a huge Nielsen rating, causing the network to air it a second time and okay production for a series, with all of the principal characters save the one played by Stiers. The series formally debuted on September 22, 1976, and ran for five seasons. The show would become a smash success not only in the U.S. but, in successive years, in syndication around the world, spawning a cottage industry of peripheral products, particularly in the show's first three seasons, including several series of bubble gum cards, two sets of fashion dolls, numerous posters, puzzles, and school supplies, novelizations of episodes, toy vans, and a board game, all featuring Smith's likeness. The Angels also appeared on the covers of magazines around the world, from countless fan magazines to TV Guide (four times) to Time Magazine.

 

Fawcett departed at the end of the first season, and Cheryl Ladd was a successful addition to the cast, remaining until the end of the series. Jackson departed at the end of the third season, and proved harder to replace, as first Shelley Hack and then Tanya Roberts were brought in to try re-igniting the chemistry, media attention and ratings success enjoyed by the earlier teams. Smith played her role for all five seasons of Charlie's Angels until 1981, also portraying the Garrett character in a guest appearance in the 1977 pilot episode of The San Pedro Beach Bums, and in a cameo in the 2003 feature film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Christina Chambers portrayed Smith in the television film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels.

 

Smith's first acting venture outside the Angels mold was the CBS-TV movie of the week Escape from Bogen County (1977). Then came a leading role in Joyce Haber's The Users with Tony Curtis and John Forsythe in 1978. In 1980, Smith starred with Robert Mitchum in the suspense thriller Nightkill. She then starred in the title role of the television movie Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in 1981, receiving a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination for her performance but lost to Jane Seymour. In 1983, Smith starred as Jennifer Parker in the TV movie Rage of Angels, based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon. The film was the highest rated in the Nielsen ratings the week it aired. Smith reprised the role in the 1986 sequel, Rage of Angels: The Story Continues.

 

In 1988, she appeared with Robert Wagner in Windmills of the Gods. That same year she was offered the chance to star opposite Richard Chamberlain in the adaptation of Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity. Smith was Chamberlain's first choice as his leading lady but she had just wrapped up with the Windmills of the Gods shoot and declined the part. The role was offered to Lesley-Anne Down who wanted her husband to photograph the film. Producers refused and again offered the role to Smith, who then accepted.

 

In 1989, Smith starred in Settle the Score. This film again proved her Nielsen ratings clout. Other television movies and miniseries in which Smith appeared include George Washington, The Night They Saved Christmas, Florence Nightingale, Sentimental Journey, Lies Before Kisses, The Rape of Dr. Willis, In the Arms of a Killer, and several TV versions of Danielle Steel novels, including Kaleidoscope and Family Album. Smith starred in the 1985 feature film Deja Vu, which was directed by her then-husband Tony Richmond. In 1989, she played the title role in Christine Cromwell, a mystery television series based in San Francisco, but which only lasted one season. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

From 2002 to 2004, Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh in the TV series The District, which starred Craig T. Nelson. She reprised her role as Kelly Garrett for a short cameo in the 2003 Charlie's Angels feature film. Her appearance at the 2006 Emmy telecast led Bravo TV’s producers to cast Smith as the celebrity host of Bravo’s weekly competitive reality series, Shear Genius, which began airing in March 2007. Shear Genius (Season 2) began airing on June 25, 2008.

 

In March 2010, Smith returned to acting after a five year absence with a guest role on the NBC television drama Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. In February 2012, it was announced that Smith would be guest-starring on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as the mother of David Hodges (played by Wallace Langham).

 

In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. A season 15 episode of The Simpsons (The Fat and the Furries) lampooned Smith's many business successes, portraying her as having her own line of axe heads. In May 2009, Smith allowed a documentary crew to profile her home life, design philosophy and relationship with Kmart in an online video series sponsored by Kmart. Her foray into home furnishings was extended to Kmart stores in the fall of 2008, with the chain's introduction of its Jaclyn Smith Today product line of bedding and bath accessories.

 

Smith has been married four times. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Davis (1968–1975). She married Dennis Cole, an actor who had appeared on Charlie's Angels in 1977 and 1978. Cole appeared on the show two more times before the couple divorced in 1981. Cole's son from a previous marriage, Joe Cole, with whom Smith had maintained a relationship after her divorce from his father, was murdered in 1991 during a robbery; the case remains unsolved. Smith married filmmaker Tony Richmond in 1981, with whom she had two children, Gaston (born 1982) and Spencer Margaret (born 1985), before divorcing Richmond in 1989. Smith has been married to Houston cardiothoracic surgeon[12] Brad Allen since 1997.

 

Smith battled breast cancer in 2003. In 2010, Smith was featured in 1 a Minute, a documentary about breast cancer.

 

On September 22, 2009, TMZ.com picked up a Honduran newspaper's false online report that Smith had been hospitalized in a private medical center there; TMZ later retracted the story, reporting that Smith was well and at home in California. Smith posted on her Twitter page, denouncing the Honduran newspaper story as false— Jaclyn is safe and home with her family. She is not in Honduras. It is a lie.

 

* A number of style mavens and magazine polls have attested to Smith's popularity and declared her one of the most beautiful women in the world. The difficult-to-please Mr. Blackwell once named her "The World's Best Dressed Woman". In 1979, McCall's ran a poll of "Whose Face Most Women Would Like To Have"; Smith topped the list. Smith has had more #1 acting projects than any other actress in Hollywood, and she has often been called the "Queen of the miniseries".

 

* In 1985, McCall's named her as one of "America's 10 Best Bodies;. People named Smith twice in its annual list of the Most Beautiful People in the World In the April 1984 issue of People, Smith was voted as one of the Ten Great Faces of Our Time. In 1985, Ladies' Home Journal sampled 2,000 men and women in 100 different locations in the United States to determine America's Favorite Women; Smith came in the top of the list as the Most Beautiful Woman in America, with actress Linda Evans coming in second. TV Guide magazine readers voted Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman On Television in 1991.

 

* Comic strip artist Sy Barry modeled the luscious Diana Palmer, wife of The Phantom, after Smith.

 

* The French band Air was inspired by Smith's Charlie's Angels character Kelly Garrett to record the song Kelly Watch the Stars for their critically acclaimed 1998 album Moon Safari, and the track was released as a single.

 

In 2012 beauty critics around the world voted Jaclyn Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman of all time along side Grace Kelly.

An unsolved mystery: Why is this image so popular? It has over 200K views as of January 2022. I am not sure how to explain this.

The Hope Diamond

 

•Catalog Number: NMNH G3551-00

•Locality: India

•Weight: 45.52 ct

 

Gift of Harry Winston, Inc in 1958.

 

Over 100 million visitors have experienced the beauty of the Hope Diamond since Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. Learn more about this remarkable gem using the tiles below.

 

Timeline

 

The French Kings: 1668-1792

 

1668-1669: Tavernier’s Diamond

 

King Louis XIV was fond of beautiful and rare gems, especially diamonds. In December of 1668, the explorer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier met with the king to share a collection of diamonds collected on his recently completed trip to India. In February of 1669, King Louis XIV purchased the lot of diamonds, including a large blue diamond weighing 112 3⁄16 old French carats (approximately 115 modern metric carats) for 220,000 livres (Bapst 1889). In recognition of this transaction, the king honored Tavernier with the rank of nobleman (Morel 1988).

 

It is commonly assumed that Tavernier acquired the diamond on his last journey to India (1664-1668) and that it came from the Kollur Mine of the Golconda region. However, evidence for both source and timing is circumstantial, as Tavernier makes no mention of the acquisition of the diamond in the published accounts of his journeys. The Kollur Mine is considered a likely source because it was known for producing large and colored diamonds (Post and Farges 2014), but there were several diamond mines throughout India during the time of Tavernier’s voyages, and the diamond could have come from any one of them. The diamond must at least have originated in India, as India was the only commercial source of diamonds in Tavernier’s time.

 

1669-1672: Creating the French Blue

 

King Louis XIV ordered one of his court jewelers, Jean Pittan the Younger, to supervise the recutting of the 115-carat blue diamond. The king likely ordered the stone recut because of differences between Indian and European tastes in diamonds: Indian gems were cut to retain size and weight, while Europeans prized luster, symmetry and brilliance. It is not known who actually cut the diamond, but the job took about two years to complete. The result was an approximately 69-carat heart-shaped diamond referred to as “the great violet diamond of His Majesty” in the historic royal archives. At that time, “violet” meant a shade of blue. Today, the diamond is most commonly known as the “French Blue” (Post and Farges 2014).

 

An inventory of the French Crown Jewels from 1691 reveals that the French Blue was “set into gold and mounted on a stick.” In 2012, a computer simulation revealed that eight central facets on the pavilion of the French Blue were cut so as to be visible when one looked through the face of the gem (Farges et al. 2012). When the stone was set in gold, the effect would be the appearance of a gold sun in the center of the blue diamond. Post and Farges (2014) proposed that the stone was cut this way to show the colors of the French monarchy, blue and gold, symbolizing the divine standing and power of King Louis XIV, the Sun King. The diamond was not worn as a piece of jewelry or kept with the French Crown Jewels, but rather was stored in the King’s cabinet of curiosities at Versailles, where he could show it to special guests.

 

1749: The Order of the Golden Fleece

 

Louis XIV’s great-grandson, Louis XV, inherited the royal jewels when he ascended to the throne. Around 1749, King Louis XV tasked the Parisian jeweler Pierre-André Jacqumin with creating an emblem of knighthood of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The finished emblem featured a number of spectacular gems, including the French Blue Diamond, the 107-carat Côte de Bretagne spinel (carved into the shape of a dragon and originally thought to be a ruby), and several other diamonds. It was rarely worn, functioning instead as a symbol of the king’s power (Post and Farges 2014).

 

1791: The Capture of Louis XVI

 

Amidst the turmoil of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempted to escape France, but were apprehended and returned to Paris. The French Crown Jewels, including the French Blue Diamond in the Order of the Golden Fleece, were turned over to the revolutionary government and moved to the Garde-Meuble, the Royal Storehouse, where they were put on view for the public once a week until 1792. On visiting days, the doors of the armoires would be opened and a selection of mounted and unmounted jewels could be viewed in special display cases.

 

1792: The Theft of the French Crown Jewels

 

On the night of September 11th, 1792, a group of thieves climbed through the first-floor windows of the Garde-Meuble into the room where the French Crown Jewels were stored and escaped with some of the jewels. At the time, no one in the storehouse even realized that a theft had taken place: The seal on the door to the room had not been broken, and no guards were stationed inside of the room. The thieves returned over the following nights to steal more of the jewels. By the evening of September 17th, the group of thieves had grown to about fifty. Acting loudly and carelessly, they attracted the attention of the patrol, putting an end to one of the most curious thefts in history (Morel 1988).

 

By then, the Order of the Golden Fleece was gone. The French Blue Diamond has not been seen since.

 

From Europe to America: 1812-1958

 

1812: A Blue Diamond Appears in London

 

It is now clear that the French Blue resurfaced in London nearly 20 years later, although no one seems to have recognized it at the time. It had by then been recut to a smaller (though still spectacular) gem, which we know today as the Hope Diamond.

 

The first reference to this diamond is a sketch and description made in 1812 by the London jeweler John Francillon:

 

The above drawing is the exact size and shape of a very curious superfine deep blue Diamond. Brilliant cut, and equal to a fine deep blue Sapphire. It is beauty full and all perfection without specks or flaws, and the color even and perfect all over the Diamond. I traced it round the diamond with a pencil by leave of Mr. Daniel Eliason and it is as finely cut as I have ever seen in a Diamond. The color of the Drawing is as near the color of the Diamond as possible.

Francillon does not mention where the diamond came from or who had cut it, nor does he connect it to the French Blue.

 

Intriguingly, the Francillon Memo is dated just two days after the twenty-year statute of limitations for crimes committed during the French Revolution had passed. The diamond may have resurfaced at this time because the possibility of prosecution and of France reclaiming the diamond was eliminated, making the owner comfortable enough to share the diamond with others (Winters and White 1991).

 

1813-1823: Mr. Eliason’s Diamond

 

Several other British naturalists and gem experts made note of a large blue diamond in London in the years following Francillon’s memo. In the 1813 and 1815 editions of his book, A Treatise on Diamonds and Precious Stones, mineralogist and gem connoisseur John Mawe writes that “there is at this time a superlatively fine blue diamond, of above 44 carats, in possession of an individual in London, which may be considered as matchless, and of course of arbitrary value.” Similarly, James Sowerby, a naturalist known for his illustrations of minerals and other objects, wrote that “Daniel Eliason, Esq. has in London, a nearly perfect blue Brilliant, of 44½ carats, that is superior to any other coloured diamond known” (Sowerby 1817).

 

By 1823, the diamond was no longer in Eliason’s possession. Mawe returned to the subject of the blue diamond in the 1823 edition of his book, writing that:

 

“A superlatively fine blue diamond weighing 44 carats and valued at £30,000, formerly the property of Mr. Eliason, an eminent diamond merchant, is now said to be in the possession of our most gracious sovereign… The unrivaled gem is of a deep sapphire blue, and from its rarity and color, might have been estimated at a higher sum. It has found its most worthy destination in passing into the possession of a monarch, whose refined taste has ever been conspicuous in the highest degree” (Mawe 1823)

 

According to Mawe, then, Eliason had parted with the diamond and it had come into the possession of George IV, the King of England. However, no evidence linking the Hope Diamond to the king has been found in the British royal archives, and we do not know whether George IV ever possessed it as either owner or borrower (Post and Farges 2014).

 

1839: Henry Philip Hope’s Gem Collection

 

Henry Philip Hope (1774-1839) was a wealthy British banker with an affinity for fine art and precious gems. An 1839 catalogue of his gem collection mentions a large blue diamond weighing 45.5 carats. The diamond would take his name, becoming known as “Hope’s Diamond” or the “Hope Diamond.” The catalogue describes the diamond as “a most magnificent and rare brilliant, of a deep sapphire blue, of the greatest purity, and most beautifully cut” (Hertz 1839). It was set in a medallion with smaller, rose-cut, colorless diamonds surrounding it and a pearl that dropped from the bottom of the medallion as a pendant. Unfortunately, Hope does not record when or where he acquired the diamond in his 1839 catalogue.

 

Henry Philip Hope died in 1839, leaving his possessions to his three nephews: Henry Thomas, Adrian, and Alexander. In his will, Henry Philip Hope divided his money and property amongst the brothers, but did not leave instructions for the division of his gem collection. Given the immense value of his collection, the Hope brothers argued for years over who would inherit it. In 1849, after ten years of dispute, the brothers reached an agreement: the property went to Adrian, the Hope Pearl and around 700 precious gemstones went to Alexander, and the Hope Diamond and seven other gems went to Henry Thomas (Kurin 2006).

 

1851: The Great London Exhibition

 

Henry Thomas Hope loaned the Hope Diamond for display at the Crystal Palace during the Great London Exhibition. According to a catalogue from the exhibition, 28 diamonds from the Henry Philip Hope Collection were exhibited. This suggests that the brother of Henry Thomas, Alexander, must have contributed diamonds to the display effort since Henry Thomas had only inherited eight gems from his uncle and Alexander had inherited the rest (Kurin 2006).

 

1858: The French Blue Connection

 

Today, we are certain that the Hope Diamond is the recut French Blue. However, it took 46 years after Francillon described the modern Hope for someone to connect the two diamonds. The French gemologist Charles Barbot was first, speculating in his 1858 book, Traité Complet de Pierres Précieuses, that the Hope Diamond was cut from the French Blue (Post and Farges 2014).

 

Later authors continued in this track. In 1870, Charles W. King wrote about a likely connection between the two blue diamonds in his book, The Natural History of the Precious Stones and of the Precious Metals. On the subject of “Hope’s Blue Diamond” King writes “suspected to be that of the French Regalia (stolen in 1792), and then weighing 67 car., and afterwards re-cut as a brilliant to its present weight of 44½ carat.”

 

In 1882, Edwin Streeter wrote about the diamond’s provenance in his book, The Great Diamonds of the World: Their History and Romance:

 

The disappearance of Tavernier’s rough blue from the French regalia, followed by the unexplained appearance of a cut gem of precisely the same delicate blue tint, and answering in size to the original after due allowance made for loss in cutting, leaves little or no room for doubting the identity of the two stones… It thus appears that the rough un-cut Tavernier, the French “Blue,” lost in 1792, and the “Hope,” are one and the same stone. (Streeter 1882, p. 214).

 

1887: The Extravagant Life of Lord Francis Hope

 

Henry Thomas Hope left his possessions, including the Hope Diamond, to his wife Anne Adéle Hope when he passed away in 1862. Anne, in turn, decided to leave the family treasures not to her daughter, Henrietta (whose husband was careless with money and often on the verge of bankruptcy) but to her grandson, Francis Hope. In her 1876 will, Anne named Francis as heir to the family treasures, stipulating that the estates and heirlooms were to be used during his lifetime and then passed on to another Hope descendant. Anne passed away in 1884, and Francis Hope claimed his inheritance when he turned 21, three years later (Kurin 2006).

 

Lord Francis Hope was less prudent than his grandmother might have hoped. He lived extravagantly, quickly spending his inheritance on traveling, entertainment, and gambling and sinking into tremendous debt. In 1892, he met a showgirl in New York City named May Yohé, a glamorous and charming actress from Pennsylvania. Hope and Yohé married in 1894 and continued to live well beyond their means. To avoid bankruptcy, Hope appealed to his relatives for permission to sell a portion of the family art collection, claiming that he could no longer afford to care for the paintings. After years of litigation, the family finally agreed to allow Hope to sell a selection of the paintings, but the sale was not enough to save him from financial crisis. In 1901, after more litigation with his family, Lord Francis offered the Hope Diamond for sale (Patch 1999).

 

1901-1907: Crossing the Atlantic

 

In 1901, Lord Francis Hope sold the Hope Diamond to London diamond merchant Adolf Weil, who sold the diamond to Joseph Frankel’s Sons & Co. of New York shortly thereafter. Simon Frankel sailed to London from New York to finalize the purchase. One source reported that Frankel paid $250,000 (~6.7 million 2014 dollars) for the diamond (Patch 1999).

 

Frankel brought the Hope Diamond back to New York to try to sell it in America, but received no reasonable offers. By 1907, the market for diamonds had sharply declined due to a slow economy, and Frankel’s company faced the possibility of bankruptcy (Kurin 2006). The Hope Diamond sat locked away in a New York safe deposit box while Frankel tried to find a buyer.

 

1908-1909: Selim Habib and Rumors of a Curse

 

Joseph Frankel’s Sons & Co. finally found a buyer for the Hope Diamond in 1908: Selim Habib, a Turkish diamond collector and merchant who purchased the Hope Diamond for a reported $200,000 (~5 million 2014 dollars). According to the New York Times, Selim Habib soon had financial troubles, and in 1909, he sold his gem collection, including the Hope Diamond (Kurin, 2006). His financial difficulties and a later, incorrect report of his death at sea contributed to the growing myth of a curse on the Hope Diamond.

 

Habib’s collection was put up for auction at the Hotel Drouot in Paris, France on June 24, 1909. Jeweler and gem expert Louis Aucoc oversaw the auction, withdrawing the Hope Diamond from the sale before selling it to jeweler C. N. Rosenau for 400,000 francs (Kurin 2006).

 

1910: Cartier acquired the Hope Diamond

 

Cartier, a French jewelry house, purchased the Hope Diamond from jeweler C.N. Rosenau in 1910. The Hope Diamond arrived in the U.S. on November 23, 1910, where it was valued at $110,000 for customs plus the $10,000 duty for an unmounted gem (Patch 1999).

 

Pierre Cartier took on the responsibility of selling the Hope Diamond. Pierre was a talented salesman: Charming, smooth-talking, and sophisticated, he was experienced in the art of selling to wealthy customers, Americans in particular, having worked at Cartier’s New York office.

 

By this time, the art of developing colorful narratives for famous gems was already well established. Intriguing histories helped with gem sales, and in turn, gave the purchaser an interesting tale to tell admirers at various events. Cartier thus began to fabricate a fanciful story around the Hope Diamond that included a curse, which he would pitch to potential buyers (Kurin 2006).

 

1912: The McLeans buy the Hope Diamond

 

In 1912, Pierre Cartier sold the Hope Diamond to an American couple, Ned and Evalyn Walsh McLean. The sale was the result of two years of work.

 

Pierre identified the McLeans as potential buyers shortly after Cartier purchased the Hope Diamond. Both Evalyn and Ned were heirs to American fortunes, Evalyn’s from mining and Ned’s from newspapers. They were previous, big-spending clients of Cartier, having purchased the 94.8-carat Star of the East Diamond from Cartier in 1908 while they were on their honeymoon. Pierre arranged to meet with them in 1910 while they were on vacation in Paris. He presented his embellished tale of the Hope Diamond’s extraordinary provenance to the McLeans, including the curse that brought bad luck to all who owned it. Evalyn was fascinated with the story and told Pierre that she believed objects that brought bad luck to others would bring good luck to her. Despite her interest, she initially declined to purchase the blue diamond because she did not like its setting (McLean 1936).

 

Pierre, a persistent man, did not let an old-fashioned setting prevent him from securing the sale. He took the Hope Diamond to New York, where he had it reset into a contemporary mounting. In the new mounting (essentially the same mounting it is in today), the Hope was framed by 16 colorless diamonds and could be worn as part of a head ornament or a diamond necklace. Pierre returned to Washington and left the newly set Hope with Evalyn and Ned over a weekend.

 

Pierre’s strategy was successful—Evalyn adored the Hope Diamond, and several months later agreed to purchase it from Cartier, settling on a price of $180,000 (Patch 1999) plus the return of an emerald and pearl pendant with diamond necklace that she no longer wanted (McLean 1936). The Hope Diamond became Evalyn Walsh McLean’s signature in the high society of Washington, D.C. She wore it frequently, layered with her other important gems and jewelry, to events and the lavish parties she hosted. Evalyn would even let her Great Dane, Mike, wear the Hope Diamond on his collar.

 

1947-1949: Evalyn Walsh McLean Passes Away

 

Evalyn Walsh McLean died from pneumonia on April 26, 1947. She dictated in her will that all of her jewelry be held in trust until her youngest grandchild turned twenty-five, at which point her jewels were to be divided equally by all of her grandchildren. Two years after her death, however, the court ordered the sale of her jewelry collection to pay off debts and claims against her estate (Patch 1999). The Hope Diamond, the Star of the East Diamond, and the rest of her jewelry collection were purchased by jeweler Harry Winston of New York.

 

1949-1958: Winston and the Court of Jewels

 

In 1949, Harry Winston purchased the Hope Diamond along with the rest of the Evalyn Walsh McLean’s jewelry collection. Winston incoporated McLean’s jewelry into the Court of Jewels, a traveling exhibition of gems supplemented by a jewelry fashion show. Large and famous diamonds, including the Hope Diamond, the Star of the East Diamond, and the 127-carat Portuguese Diamond (now also part of the Smithsonian’s collection), were featured as part of the show. The exhibit travelled throughout America from 1949 to 1953 to teach the public about precious gems and raise money for civic and charitable organizations (Harry Winston, Inc.). Harry Winston once stated: “I want the public to know more about precious gems. With so much expensive junk jewelry around these days, people forget that a good diamond, ruby, or emerald, however small, is a possession to be prized for generations” (Tupper and Tupper 1947).

 

At the Smithsonian: 1958-Present

 

1958: The Hope Diamond comes to the Smithsonian

 

In 1958, Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution. On November 10th, the Hope arrived at the Smithsonian in a plain brown package shipped by registered mail (and insured for a sum of one million dollars). Mrs. Harry Winston presented the Hope Diamond to Dr. Leonard Carmichael, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and Dr. George S. Switzer, Curator of Mineralogy. The Hope Diamond was exhibited in the Gem Hall at the National Museum of Natural History and almost immediately became its premier attraction.

 

1962: A Visit to France

 

With the encouragement of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the Hope Diamond was loaned for a month to the Louvre Museum for the exhibition “Ten Centuries of French Jewels.” It was displayed with two famous diamonds, the Regent (a 140.50-carat brilliant cushion cut diamond) and the Sancy (a pale yellow 55.23-carat pear-shaped diamond). Also on display was the Côte de Bretagne, a red spinel carved in the shape of a dragon that, along with the French Blue Diamond, had been part of Louis XV’s elaborate emblem of the Order of the Golden Fleece. This exhibition marked the reunion of these two gems after 170 years. In return, the Louvre’s masterpiece, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, was loaned to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. from January 8 to February 3, 1963.

 

1965: At the Rand Easter Show in South Africa

 

The Hope Diamond was loaned to DeBeers and traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa for the Rand Easter Show, one of the largest consumer exhibitions in the world. The Hope Diamond was the main attraction in the jewel box in the Diamond Pavilion. Surrounded by a cluster of diamonds, it was exhibited on a finely woven spider’s web supported by the bare branches of a rose bush and illuminated from above.

 

1982: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

In November 1982, Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, hosted 1,200 guests in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Engelhard Court. (Kurin 2006) For the glittering gala, the Hope Diamond was reunited with the Star of the East (a 94.80-carat pear-shaped diamond previously owned by Evalyn Walsh McLean) and the Idol’s Eye (a 70.21-carat rounded pear-shape diamond exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in 1965).

 

1997: The New Harry Winston Gallery

 

The Hope Diamond was put on display in the Harry Winston Gallery of the newly completed Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals in the National Museum of Natural History. The diamond is mounted on a rotating pedestal so that it can be viewed from all four sides of the vault.

 

2009-2010: Celebrating 50 years at the Smithsonian

 

In September 2009, the Hope Diamond was removed from its setting and exhibited unmounted for the first time ever. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian, an online contest was used to select a commemorative necklace from one of three designs submitted by Harry Winston, Inc. The winning entry, “Embracing Hope”, was designed by Maurice Galli. This modern design consisted of three-dimensional ribbons set with baguette-cut diamonds wrapping the Hope Diamond in an exquisite embrace. The Hope Diamond was set in the Embracing Hope necklace and displayed for over a year before being returned to its original Cartier mounting.

 

2017: The Hope Diamond Today

 

Today, the Hope Diamond remains one of the most popular objects at the Smithsonian, attracting millions of visitors every year. Even now, the Hope retains much of its mystery, and Smithsonain scientists continue to study it to better understand its eventful history and rare beauty.

 

Grading the Hope

 

For many years, the weight of the Hope Diamond was not precisely known, with reports of its weight ranging from 44 carats to 45.5 carats. On November 13, 1975, the Hope Diamond was removed from its setting and found to weigh 45.52 carats.

 

Gemologists from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) visited the Smithsonian in 1988 to grade the Hope Diamond. They observed that the gem showed evidence of wear, that it had a remarkably strong phosphorescence, and that its clarity was slightly affected by a whitish graining that is common to blue diamonds. They described its color as fancy dark grayish-blue and its clarity as VS1 (Crowningshield 1989).

 

In 1996, the Hope Diamond necklace was sent to Harry Winston, Inc. for cleaning and minor restoration work. The diamond was removed from its setting and re-examined by the GIA. In this report, the Hope’s color was described as a a natural fancy deep grayish-blue (reflecting a change in GIA’s nomenclature for grading, not a change in the assessment of the diamond).

 

How much is the Hope Diamond worth?

 

We at the Smithsonian like to say that the Hope Diamond is priceless. Its size, color, and eventful history, as well as its long tenure at the heart of the Smithsonian’s gem collection, make it a true American treasure. In any case, it’s not for sale!

 

What can we say about the value of a gem like the Hope, if we’re not going to commit to a specific number? A large part of a gem’s value comes from its physical properties: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. But other, less tangible factors can also increase the value of a gem. For example, as Pierre Cartier recognized a hundred years ago, an eventful, well-documented history is important, as are the tastes and means of an individual buyer. The price of an individual stone reflects the confluence of these and other factors.

 

Blue diamonds like the Hope are very rare, and the money being spent to purchase them is enormous. Several large blue diamonds have fetched tens of millions of dollars at auction in recent years:

 

•The 9.75 carat, Fancy Vivid Blue Zoe sold at Sotheby’s in 2014 for $32.6 million

•The 13.22 carat, Fancy Vivid Blue Winston Blue sold at Christie’s in 2014 for $24.2 million

•The 35.56 carat, Fancy Deep Grayish Blue Wittelsbach-Graff sold at Christie’s in 2008 for $24.3 million

 

Less well-documented are private sales, where famous stones such as the Heart of Eternity and the Wittelsbach-Graff may have fetched even higher prices.

 

Computer Modeling

 

A computer modeling study of the Tavernier, French Blue and Hope diamonds was conducted. The results support the long-held theory that the diamonds are in fact the same stone, concluding that the Hope Diamond is likely the only surviving piece of the diamond originally sold to King Louis XIV–the rest having been ground away during the various recuttings. This research, conducted by Jeffrey Post, Smithsonian curator of the National Gem Collection, Steven Attaway, engineer and gem cutter, and Scott Sucher and Nancy Attaway, gem cutting experts, was featured on the Discovery Channel. The film, “Unsolved History: Hope Diamond,” premiered Feb 10, 2005.

 

In 2007, a lead cast of the French Blue diamond was discovered in the mineral collection of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, permitting additional refinements to the modeling study.

 

Boron in Blue Diamonds

 

The blue color in the Hope Diamond and others like it is caused by trace amounts of boron. The Hope Diamond was tested to measure its chemical composition and determine the concentration of boron. This study used various spectroscopic methods and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy to analyze for boron in natural type IIb blue diamonds, including the Hope Diamond and the Blue Heart Diamond (also a part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection). The study found that, on average, the Hope Diamond contains about 0.6 parts per million boron.

 

Phosphoresence of the Hope Diamond

 

Curator Dr. Jeffrey Post led a team from the Smithsonian and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to investigate the intense, red-orange phosphorescence exhibited by the Hope Diamond after exposure to ultra-violet light. They discovered that all type IIB blue diamonds exhibit similar phosphorescence behaviors and that the specific phosphorescence spectral properties might be unique to each individual blue diamond, enabling the researchers to essentially “fingerprint” each stone.

...nectaring on Goldenrod (Solidago), and same male as in preceding photo.

 

The Monarch is probably the most well-known and beloved of North American butterflies. Its wings when open feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 3.3 - 4.9 inches (8.5 - 12.5 cm) . The females have darker and thicker veins on their wings while the males have a spot in the center of each hindwing from which pheromones are released, and which also helps to easily distinguish them from a females.

 

In North America, the Monarch ranges from southern Canada to northern South America. It rarely strays to western Europe (sometimes as far as Greece) from being transported by U. S. ships or by flying there if weather and wind conditions are right. It has also been found in Bermuda, Hawaii, the Solomons, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, Ceylon, India, the Azores, and the Canary Islands.

 

Monarchs are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. In North America they make massive southward migrations starting in August until the first frost. A northward migration takes place in the spring. The Monarch is the only butterfly that migrates BOTH north and south as birds do on a regular basis. But no single individual makes the entire round trip. Female monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation to complete the journey during these migrations. How the offspring know where to go remains one of nature's unsolved mysteries.

 

In eastern North American the Monarch population begins the southward migration late summer - early autumn and can cover thousands of mile from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico. The western North American population, west of the Rocky Mountains, most often migrates to sites in California, but have been found overwintering in Mexico.

 

Besides Mexico and California, overwintering populations of Monarchs are also found along the Gulf Coast, year-round in Florida, and in Arizona where the habitat provides the specific conditions necessary for their survival. The overwintering habitat typically provides access to streams, plenty of sunlight (for body temperatures that allows flight), appropriate vegetation on which to roost, and is relatively free of predators. Overwintering, roosting butterflies have been seen on sumacs, locusts, basswood elm, oak, osage orange, mulberry, pecan, willow, cottonwood, and mesquite.

 

ISO800, aperture f/11, exposure .006 seconds (1/200) focal length 300mm

 

Buscot Park is a country house at Buscot near the town of Faringdon in Oxfordshire. It was built in an austere neoclassical style between 1780 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Townsend. It remained in the Loveden Townsend family until sold in 1859 to Robert Tertius Campbell, an Australian. Campbell's daughter Florence would later be famous as Mrs Charles Bravo, the central character in a Victorian murder case that remains unsolved to this day. On Campbell's death, in 1887, the house and its estate were sold to Alexander Henderson, a financier, later to be ennobled as Baron Faringdon.

 

Following the death of the 1st Baron in 1934, the house was considerably altered and restored to its 18th-century form by the architect Geddes Hyslop for his grandson and successor, the 2nd Lord Faringdon. During this era, the art collection founded by the 1st Baron was considerably enlarged, although many of the 1st Baron's 19th-century works of art were sold immediately following his death.

 

The house and estate was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1956. The contents (which include works of art by Rembrandt and Burne-Jones) are owned by the Faringdon Collection Trust. The house is occupied and managed by the present Lord Faringdon. The mansion and its extensive formal and informal gardens and grounds are open to the public each summer.

Tod Browning essentially remade his classic "London After Midnight" with Bela Lugosi and Lionel Barrymore sharing the chores that Lon Chaney did by himself in the original. Lugosi was the world's most famous vampire, so who better to recreate the classic performance? Many posters issued for this film did not depict Lugosi making this pressbook (with a cover that depicts the exact same art as the window card, though not pictured on the poster page) a "must" for Lugosi fans.

 

Starring Bela Lugosi, Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, and Michael Visaroff. Directed by Tod Browning.

youtu.be/irNxN9PmE58 Trailer

synopsis

Mark of the Vampire is Tod Browning's remake of his own 1927 thriller London After Midnight, which unfortunately no longer exists. The sudden appearance of ghostly vampires in a remote mittel-European community is seemingly tied in with an old, unsolved murder case. Police inspector Neumann (Lionel Atwill) and occult expert Prof. Zelen (Lionel Barrymore) investigate, with the full cooperation of leading citizen Baron Otto (Jean Hersholt). For awhile, it looks as though the vampires -- Count Mora (Bela Lugosi) and his chalky-faced daughter Luna (Carroll Borland) -- will continue to hold the community in thrall, but the truth behind their mysterious activities is revealed midway through the film, whereupon the story concentrates on identifying the well-concealed murderer. In the original London After Midnight, Lon Chaney played both Count Mora and Prof. Zelen, which should provide a clue as to the film's incredible outcome.

review

 

Director Tod Browning's 1935 murder mystery Mark of the Vampire is essentially a lesser remake of two of his earlier films: 1927's Lon Chaney silent London After Midnight and 1931's Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Originally titled The Vampires of Prague, the film is most notable for its stunning conclusion, which reveals that the various murders being blamed on the supernatural have been committed by a more natural source. The bloodsucker father and daughter, played by Lugosi and Carol Borland, are given minimal screen time, but provide the film's best chills and appear to be the inspiration for Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space. This picture originally insinuated that Lugosi's vampire had an incestuous affair with Borland that resulted in a murder-suicide, leaving them both undead. This explains the mysterious bullet wound on the side of Lugosi's head throughout the film. However, MGM was wary after Browning's Freaks spawned great controversy, so cuts were made to ensure that Mark of the Vampire was safe for public consumption. The barely feature-length production looks rather stagey and the special effects are typical of the time (bats on strings, fake rats, etc.), but Browning's atmospheric style and the great cast, including Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, and Lionel Atwill, makes this good entertainment. Cinematographer James Wong Howe shot test footage of Rita Hayworth for Borland's part.

 

Sandy Cove is a place of solemn beauty. Extending into the Bay of Fundy the little cove is subject to the huge tidal differences of the area and if you get there on any time other than low tide you will wonder where the beach got it's name from. During low tide though a large sandy beach extends into the water and almost invites you to jump into the chilly sea. Almost.

 

Sandy Cove is also the place where one of Nova Scotia's greatest mysteries started and whey you get to the beach for the first time you cannot help but wonder if that is the only unsolved puzzle connected to this place.

 

Depicted here is a fishery, built similarly to the ones Native Americans had erected here since centuries. The only modern gadget is the fisher boat: every few minutes the boat automagically fires off three shots that are supposed to scare away the cormorants that sit alongside the nets to get their share of the vast amounts of fish that are lost inside the trap. The birds however don't really care.

  

By Randy Boswell, Canwest News Service

October 24, 2009

 

They disappear from small towns and big cities, from native reserves in the north and affluent suburbs in the south. They drift away and they abruptly vanish. And they leave, in their wake, broken-hearted families, confounded investigators and gaping holes in the communities where they grew up, forged friendships, held jobs, raised children.

 

At this moment in Canada, there are 1,559 missing women on file with the Canadian Police Information Centre, a national case-tracking database maintained at the RCMP's Ottawa headquarters.

 

The number sheds only a partial light on this dark story. It doesn't include the lost or stolen girls under the age of 18 who may have lived to become missing women. It doesn't account, anymore, for those who were once missing but have since been proven dead.

 

It doesn't embrace women who are gone but not reported missing.

 

Yet great depths of misery and mystery underlie even this imperfect figure. The stories of Canada's lost women — enough to equal the population of a small town, or the entire staff of a large urban hospital — would fill many mournful volumes.

 

The stories include some particularly shocking narratives in which a multitude of the missing disappear from a single area — such as B.C.'s "Highway of Tears," a lonely stretch of road between Prince Rupert and Prince George where five of those women were last seen and 13 others are known to have been murdered.

 

A high-profile search in late August for the remains of Nicole Hoar — one of Hwy. 16's 18 unsolved cases — sparked extensive news coverage and prompted some nationwide soul-searching, at least briefly, about Canada's missing women.

 

Then, within days, came an overdue pledge by Manitoba RCMP and Winnipeg city police to more closely collaborate in probing a series of disappearances and deaths of aboriginal women in that province.

 

Similar concentrations of missing or murdered women in Alberta and Saskatchewan were noted, too, along with the single most horrific chapter in the whole sorrowful saga: the dozens of vanished women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside linked to the predatory B.C. pig farmer Robert Pickton.

 

But there are tears staining village streets, rural sideroads and inner-city avenues across the country. No province or territory is beyond the scope of a tragedy that encompasses every corner of Canada and which — for all of the individual instances of anguish — is made especially plain with a single, breathtaking number: 1,559.

 

There are thousands of missing men in the country — more than 5,000, in fact, are listed at CPIC — but the spotlight has turned to Canada's lost women because of the clusters of disappearances throughout the West and the sense that predatory men lurk behind the grim statistics.

 

Even 1,559 strikes Gladys Radek as a low estimate.

 

A member of the Gitksan Nation of northern B.C. who now lives in Vancouver, Radek has emerged as a leading voice for the lost. It's an angry voice, and the word "racism" rolls easily from her tongue as she discusses the pain of her own family's loss and the disproportionate toll among aboriginal communities like hers.

 

But the 59-year-old activist, now studying aboriginal law at a Vancouver native college, has called for governments, police agencies and the public to devote more attention to all of Canada's missing women — "red, black, white and yellow," as she puts it — with greater investigative resources to solve existing cases and strengthened social services to prevent new ones.

 

"It pissed me off that these women were going missing without anybody saying or doing anything about it," says Radek, recalling her gathering awareness of the crisis in the wake of her own niece's unexplained disappearance in September 2005 along the Highway of Tears.

 

Tamara Chipman — 22 at the time, and the mother of a two-year-old boy — was hitchhiking outside Prince Rupert when she vanished.

 

"She was just beginning her life," says Radek. "Tamara was a beautiful, spunky girl."

 

The tragedy sparked a vision. Radek imagined a cross-Canada pilgrimage linking families and communities across the country struggling to cope with missing and murdered women.

 

Last year, with a Vancouver-to-Ottawa trek she called Walk4Justice, Radek's vision was realized, drawing widespread media coverage and galvanizing public awareness of Canada's lost women.

 

The number 4 in the name "covers all the races, and all four directions," says Radek. "Before we did that walk, there wasn't really that much attention paid to the missing and murdered women. That's when the families started coming together more and more.

 

"It was a pretty powerful journey."

 

Earlier this year, Radek organized a second Walk4Justice between Vancouver and Prince Rupert to spotlight the suffering of families — including her own — who've lost loved ones along the Highway of Tears.

 

She isn't convinced police in B.C. or elsewhere are doing enough to probe the hundreds of unsolved cases, or that governments are sufficiently seized by the need to invest more in vulnerable communities and demographic groups — native and non-native — to prevent numbers like 1,559 from growing larger.

 

"We need better services so women don't get caught in such desperate situations," she argues. "We're pushing for a lot more shelters, even in the smallest communities. There's often nowhere for women to go when they're running from violent situations."

 

RCMP Staff Sgt. Wayne Clary defends the efforts of police in B.C. and across the country in probing missing-women cases. In his experience, he says, police agencies "bend over backwards" to co-operate across jurisdictional boundaries, comparing notes and sharing clues to try to solve what are often the toughest cases in police work to crack.

 

But he does agree with Radek about one thing when it comes to the CPIC total of 1,559 missing women in Canada.

 

"I thought it would be higher," he says.

 

Perhaps it's a worldview shaped by his immersion in scores of missing-women cases — most notably the Pickton-linked disappearances of up to 60 sex-trade workers and other high-risk targets in Vancouver — during a 29-year career as one of B.C.'s leading investigators.

 

The province has emerged as the country's main stage in this long-running tragedy, and Clary wonders aloud if Vancouver's history as a key Pacific port — a magnet not just for tourists and immigrants who've brought prosperity to B.C., but also for criminals — has contributed to the crisis.

 

Resources, he notes, are not boundless when it comes to investigating missing women, or any crime for that matter. But as a key player in the high-profile and well-funded Project Evenhanded investigation that ultimately unraveled Pickton's crimes, Clary says he sympathizes with isolated investigators across the country, who inevitably have a multitude of other open files on their desks in addition to time-consuming missing-person cases.

 

"If you have a crime scene and no body — no person — that's easy. You just roll it out like it's a homicide. It's when you don't have a crime scene, it's harder. Because obviously you're adjusting resources and files just never stop coming in," he says.

 

"I've been on a project here, so we just deal with the one issue — which is easier to handle because there's dedicated resources. But when you're investigating with a detachment or a municipal PD, there's stuff coming your way every day. And, of course, it never ends."

 

The principal strategy for probing the case of a missing woman is simple enough, he says.

 

"You identify who their associates are, where they work, and you just start asking questions. Generally, that will lead you somewhere. But there's many cases where you just don't know, and where do you go next?"

 

Bank accounts, credit cards and cellphones are probed because they're likely to record a person's movements, says Clary.

 

"You can see them existing in society, and then all of a sudden everything stops," he says. "Whether it's the methadone clinic, or their doctor, or their welfare cheque — it just stops. And you have to ask yourself, why did that happen?"

 

In so many cases, he says, it's what you can't do for desperate families — the anguished ones seeking closure years or decades after a sister or daughter has vanished — that haunts him and other officers assigned to search for the missing.

 

Too often, he says bluntly, "you can never give it to them. It's difficult to convey to them that there's nothing more you can do."

 

And the sad reality, he says, is that the disappeared — in many or even most of the cases on file — are dead.

 

But without evidence to prove that a missing woman was murdered or otherwise lost her life, families are naturally reluctant to turn the page. The word "missing," for all of its horrifying connotations, preserves at least a shred of hope.

 

One weekend in September, in the remote woods near Thunder Bay, an Ontario family and a team of volunteer searchers were clinging to such hope.

 

They scoured the forests of Rainbow Falls Provincial Park looking for clues that might point to the whereabouts of Christina Calayca, a vivacious, 20-year-old childcare worker from Toronto who disappeared — literally "without a trace," a police spokesperson says — after setting off for a morning jog from a campsite on Aug. 6, 2007.

 

Was the young Filipina-Canadian woman snatched by an unknown assailant or human trafficker? Did she intentionally vanish to create a new life and identity? Or did she simply lose her way in the trees, slip into a stream, fall from a rock ledge?

 

Police do not have evidence pointing to foul play, says Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Shelley Garr, but they just don't know.

 

"There are a number of possibilities," she says, "but we don't speak to hypotheticals."

 

There's a website, www.findchristinacalayca.com, that details a 2008 fundraising gala, holds a cache of news stories, promotes a CD — "Missing You" — that's dedicated to Calayca.

 

The site exudes affection for the lost woman.

 

"Each day since her disappearance months ago, Christina's loved ones have hoped and prayed that she would return to us safely," a message states. "If hope alone were enough, she would already be home; but she unfortunately is not."

 

There have now been six searches — three led by the OPP, three organized by Calayca's family, including one with sniffer dogs supplied by a benevolent search-and-rescue specialist from the U.S.

 

"She went missing and there's been nothing since," Garr said in a recent interview. "Christina's mother was up again this past weekend. They are still actively searching for answers. But it must be frustrating for them."

 

The best chance for discovery, she adds, might have been during the initial 17-day search in August 2007, a full-scale operation involving aerial crews and extensive grid-pattern sweeps by emergency personnel on the ground.

 

"But then we got into fall," says Garr, "and fall turns into winter."

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

 

The Vancouver Sun

www.vancouversun.com/news/Part+national+tragedy/2124544/s...

Jewel Thief (Cruise ships, mansions, apartments, hotel suites) is forced into working for British intelligence in post WWII Britain.

 

Synopsis

 

It's 1947, and London, having toughed out the War, is being half-crippled by the Peace. It's the coldest winter in living memory, everything from bread to soap to underwear is rationed, and even beer, by official order, is watered down. No wonder the Black Market is thriving. But Jethro doesn't bother complaining much. As a jewel thief, he needs all his wits about him when engaged in redistributing the wealth of the upper classes. And the demands on Jethro's wits only increase when his thieving skills attract some unwelcome interest, first from London's thuggish crime-lords and then from His Majesty's Secret Service, which wants him to pull a little job on the Soviet Embassy. You wouldn't believe what an honest Cockney cat burglar has to do to survive sometimes.

 

********************************************* *************

PRAISE

 

This knockout first novel carries the reader deep into the labyrinthine streets of London immediately after World War II. Broadbent's hero, cat burglar Jethro, fits perfectly into this post-Blitz zeitgeist. A witty and jaunty opportunist, Jethro serves as combination narrator and tour guide through his own adventures and craft. The first four chapters (arguably one of the most exquisitely suspenseful openings in crime fiction) offer Jethro's take on a "creep" (slang for a cat burglary) he conducts in the Soviet Embassy... Remarkable history-mystery with fascinating background.

—Booklist (starred review)

 

First of a series: with lovable, larcenous Jethro a good bet to steal hearts on both sides of the Atlantic.

—Kirkus (starred review)

 

An evocative and witty style distinguishes Broadbent's first novel, set in austere 1947 London. This strong debut marks Broadbent as definitely an author to watch.

—Publishers Weekly

 

The best stories take the reader into new worlds and experiences. Tony Broadbent provides that with wonderful skill in The Smoke. More than a page-turner or a caper novel, it's about a time and place uniquely and expertly captured by this new writer. I was enthralled with it.

—Michael Connelly

 

The Smoke takes its time concentrating on its main suspense story; after all, there are so many dark alleys and byways in London to explore (the great crumbling theaters, fry shops like The Victory Cafe, where customers can still get "a good nosh") that the novel is easily diverted from its spy-vs.-spy machinations. Not a problem. Jethro's illicit adventures are entertaining, but this is one of those mysteries whose distinctive sense of place lingers long after plot details have faded.

—The Washington Post

 

What a wonderful setting and what brilliant writing. I strongly suggest that you hurry out to your friendly independent book dealer and secure a copy. Hopefully, there may be another book in the series in the near future.

—Bill Gottfried, Left Coast Crime

********************************************* **********

 

From the Book:

 

Because the honest truth is, there's a little bit of larcenous villainy in each and every one of us. But none of us ever need be ashamed of it, all it takes is the worst of circumstances to bring it out into the open. Then you just watch as polite society starts to crumble around you.

 

Take me. When I was a kid we had nothing. No money. No property of our own. Nothing. Not even a good name, to keep up, only the tradition of surviving. And any silver spoons we had in our house had all been nicked from somewhere else, and even then, they always ended up down the pawnshop. So very early on, like everyone else round our way, I had to learn how to survive. And I did. But even I had to be a bit nimble to get me and my own through those grim austerity years that followed the War. And just like everyone else I bent the rules. Only I bent them until they broke and then kept on going. But I reckon that'd be just about par for the course, for a hard-working London cat burglar. Wouldn't you?

 

**********************

Every room has its own special interpretation of darkness, and the daughters bedroom was no exception, but even in those first moments as me eyes readjusted , I sensed it was as unique a place of entrapment as anything I had ever seen. It was like something out of a Hollywood film; a palace of silks and satins and lace that enveloped you like a perfume with its promise of delights yet to be revealed.

 

But I had a decision to make, and I had to make it quickly. I could stiffen my resolve and wait for the two of them to ride themselves on into contented sleep. Or I could grasp the moment and go about my business while they were still happily going about theirs. The door into his bedroom wasn’t completely closed, so I knew that whatever I did then I had o be very careful about how I moved. In the end, temptation beckoned her little diamond-encrusted finger at me, and as if in a trance of my own, I moved deeper into the room and became one with the rhythmic sounds of the lovemaking, which had me caught somewhere between a waltz and a tango.

 

Salome had nothing on this one. Her clothes trailed enticelingly across the floor; her satin evening gown and gloves, silk stockings and black underwear all lying in seductive, overlapping curves like the discarded skins of some exotic creature of the night. There was enough lace there to keep the London Palladium’s entire chorus line happy and vry, very grateful for the show’s entire run. It’s all right for some, I thought. It was too, for that’s when I saw her jewellery lying carelessly abandoned on top of her dressing table. The lovely girl had been so impatient for the pleasures yet to come , she hadn’t even bothered to kiss them good night and tuck them all up safely in bed.

 

They curled round my turtles like a lover’s embrace, a beautifully matched set of diamond earrings, necklace, and bracelet, and this time all of it most definitely by Boucheron of Paris. They were classic brilliants, simple and elegant, and even though they flashed a haughty disdain at my unabashed lust for them, they slithered and slid obediently into the empty pockets of my chamois leather bag like so many silk stockings released from their overly stretched suspenders. I smiled, a satisfied smile, and continued on in time with the sound of the movements from the bedroom …………

 

The Newry Highwayman

 

In Newry Town I was bred and born

In Steven's Green now I'll die in scorn.

I served my time to the saddling trade

but I turned out to be, I turned out to be a roving blade.

 

At seventeen I took a wife

I loved her dearly as I love life

And for to keep both fine and gay

I took to robbing, I took to robbing on the King's highway.

 

I never robbed any poor man yet

Nor any tradesman has cause to fret

I rob the lords and their ladies bright

I take their jewels, I take their jewels to my heart's delight.

 

To Covent Garden I make my way

With my dear wife for to see the play

Lord Fielding's corps they did me pursue

And I was taken, I was taken by that cursed crew.

 

My father cried, "Oh, my darling son"

My wife she wept and said, "I'm undone"

My mother tore her white locks and cried,

"'Twas in the cradle, 'twas in the cradle that he should have died."

 

And when I'm dead and in my grave

A flashy funeral pray let me have

With six bold highwaymen to carry me

Give them good broadswords, good broadswords and liberty.

 

Six pretty maidens to bear my pall

Give them white ribbons and garlands all

For when I'm dead, aye they'll speak the truth

He was a wild and a wicked youth.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

DISCLAIMER

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

 

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment and/or educational purposes only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

 

********************************************************************************

 

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

  

***************************

 

(the clock obviously not real brass but it is what I want done in real brass, gives you the idea of what I want to do to the front of this when I make it into a working lamp) JOHN S. DWIGHT, Lighter, 'QUEEN OF THE BOOTLEG FLEET'

Hear Her haunted crys of "THE ROARING TWENTIES: PROHIBITION, RUMRUNNING, POLITICIAN SCANDALS, MURDER, COVER-UPS, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES!"

 

info compiled Through news & news clippings:

"NEWSPAPER MEN ARE DOWN HERE AS THICK AS BEES IN A HIVE!"

"WE'VE GOT TO GET THEM OUT OF HERE AND STOP THIS PUBLICITY!"

"GET THE BODIES AWAY, EVEN IF U HAVE 2 IDENTIFY THEM FALSELY!"

 

That was just one of the countless mysterious phone calls from someone on the island to someone "High up" on the mainland after the mysterious destruction, sinking, and brutal murders of the John Dwight and her beloved crew of atleast eight. Someone did in fact within hours of this call, arranged and made sure that all 7 bodies were supposedly identified and shipped them off the island to be given proper burials, but were they really identified properly and put in their proper graves? One thing is clear, someone important wanted the truth of someone's involvement in either what the John Dwight was actually illegally doing and or the actual involvement into the horrific murders of the John Dwight crew hushed!

  

The lighter John S. Dwight, was 1 of 3 Lighters to Rum Run and she was the "QUEEN OF THE BOOTLEG FLEET". Her history stems way back to.... She was a ship of great honor whom served her country well! During prohibition, It was not uncommon for some ships to take on extra money by running a few favors with or with no questions asked as it has always been in maritime history..

 

When Captain John F. King, of 124 Jefferson ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., told his wife and daughter that his son, Harry F. King, and he would be only going to Newport, R.I. to bring back a ship to Brooklyn, N.Y. by april 4, 1923, thursday, little did he know, that they would not return and that he would leave behind such a scandalous, haunting mystery of a ship, her crew, political involvement, rum-running, destruction, haunting murders, and multiple cover-ups!

 

What is actually fact and what was "reported" as fact is definately in question.

1) Reported: on APRIL 3, 1923,TUE., or APRIL 4,wed. early morning, JOHN DWIGHT sailed from NEWPORT, R.I.with a destination of "unknown".

2) On board were Navigating Cptn. John F. King, managing Cptn. Malcom John Carmichael of Jersey City, N.J, and 8-13 other crew members. Not even the exact amount of crew was actually known, so they claim...

3) On April 5, thurs afternoon, Cptn. Walter Loveridge on a mailboat from New Bedford to Cuttyhunk saw the John Dwight anchored 1 mile NO. of quick's hole in Buzzard's Bay. He pulled aside the lighter and saw men sunning acting suspicious say little engine trouble but ok

5) on april 5, fri. am. Daniel Vincent, @ Menomisha Creek, 10 miles bland the sound from Cuttyhunk & something islands heard distress signal.

6) same hour, the pilot of the merchant M..liner Dorcherster, Boston-bound was in the sound saw john dwight ropes loose & noone aboard

7)almost @ same time he saw a boat with 5 men in it, 3 were rowing, two with heads just showing coming from john dwight which was about a mile from the southern shore of Nashawons & some 8 miles from GaY head, going to the "high land of Cuttyhunk"-reffering to the hill that rises in the center of the island

8) at 7:20 a.m., or shortly after the DORCHESTER HAD PASSED thru the sound, FELIX PLOUFFE, the lookout at CUTTYHUNK COASTGUARD STATION, reported ship sinkin a mile or two out,call rest of guard.

9) at 7:30 a.m. GayHead Coastguard lookout spot her sinking fast by stern

10)Both CG crew head 4 her but Gayhead had engine trouble with their motor lifeboat & wiht 6 or 7 miles to go reached spot later aft. cuttyhunk savers. neither saw life or bodies.

11) what both saw was wreckage, icebox, ship furniture,barrels of bottled ale labeled "Frontenac Imported Stock Ale". ship gone down into 100 feet h2o.

12)Woods Hole, New Bedford, & Martha's Vineyard ports FISHERMAN swarm around spot soon & rumored that they grab the ale. Noone saw any bodies, or boat...

13) GAYHEAD CG LIFEBOAT return to beach No. of the head with 11 barrels of ale, 10 the CG CPTN ruthlessly ordered thrown off the cliffs after 1 had been stolen. Barrells & bottles smashed as cliffs were high.

14) next day sat june 7, fishing craft on the no. shore of martha's vineyard, between the "brickyards" & "Cedar Tree neck" folly 10 miles from where john dwight sunk found 7 BODIES. bODIES all recovered within space of 1 mile with life preservers strapped bout their waists. Another body, the 8th,Later identified as Harry F. King, son of Cptn. King, was found in a dinghy boat, sprawled face down, with head under the aft seat & one leg over & the other leg under the rowing seat, in unnatural position with no life preserver on him but a preserver had been tied to a rowlock seat. To the socket on the other side to the 10 ft. boat was tied a peice of rope. The victim had apparently tried to improvise 2 rowing locks & to use a couple of sla?? as rowing oars.

12)INVESTIGATION-STRANGE! 6 bodies viewed at Menemaha..Creek in gay head & 2 at gayhead cG station by MEDICAL EXAMINER= EDWARD P. WORTH OF EDGARTOWN. then they taken to MORGUE @ VINEYARD HAVEN

13)found 16'ft. somewhat battered,steel boat without roars or oarlocks was reportetd picked up on Nashawen Ilsand & brought into Meshaha..

14) sunday after news bodies were found many telephone calls bet. Marthas vine..& mainland. 2 strangers came 2 vineyard & veiw bodies, believed to be survivors comin to see who died.

15)mon fro mainland came Martin R. Craven came in as aka: "MARTIN R CRONAN" with 2 other men & identified 1 body as his brother James A. Craven as aka: JAMES A CRONAN (b. 1856N.J. Parents b.NJ. (sailor? can't read it) 139 Broad St. Mattanau Borrough, Mammatts, New Jersey CRAVEN, JAMES 1920 Census NJ MONMOUTH MATAWAN BORO wife: Aurelia b1874Pennsylvania son-Russellb.1901Pennsylvania ref: 1920 Census) & ordered him shipped to 282 masssacusetts ave, cambridge so they turn it over to THOMAS F KEOUGH, A CAMBRIDGE UNDERTAKER.

16) MARTIN R CRONAN (b. 1876N.Y. (laborer~print works) 152 Upper Wall St.West Haverstrau, Rockland, N.Y. 1920CensusNY ROCKLAND HAVERSTRAW ref: 1920 Census with sister Delia b.1873Ireland)presumambly under his right name, MARTIN CRAVEN,went to official & confess body was wrongly identified purposely because he wanted to keep the news from an aged mother & to protect another brother THOMAS CRAVEN (b. 1870Ireland imm-1872 152 Upper Wall St.West Haverstrau, Rockland, N.Y. (laborer~print works) ref: 1920 Census ) WHO WAS A WEALTHY NY POLITICIAN. he asked 4 a death certificate for JAMES A CRAVEN OF RUTHERFORD, NJ Whose widow he said wanted to give a christian burial. the examiner refused to give another certificate & it was reffered to district atty HALL OF TAUNTON.

17)inquiry: led to THOMAS CRAVEN 1920CensusNY ROCKLAND HAVERSTRAWA NY WEALTHY POLITICIAN, ARRAIGNED & held on bail in NY WITH 7 OTHERS MARCH 20 ON CHARGES OF HAVING been engaged in a gigantic conspiracty to smuggle millions of dollars worth of rum across the canadian border. craven & his alleged associates were indicted last mo. by a federal grand jury in NY. the inquiry also found that the dead brother not only had lived in rutherford but had $0000 house there

18) The mysterious,countless TELEPHONE Calls, to and from the Island to the mainland continue:

"NEWSPAPER MEN ARE DOWN HERE AS THICK AS BEES IN A HIVE!"

"WE'VE GOT TO GET THEM OUT OF HERE AND STOP THIS PUBLICITY!"

"GET THE BODIES AWAY, EVEN IF U HAVE 2 IDENTIFY THEM FALSELY!"

This particular call came from the island to someone "higher up" on the mainland. It is most interesting to note that within hours of this phone call, all 7 bodies were identified and removed from the island!!!

19) Two weeks after the Dwight sank, the state police became involved. Why would it take two weeks for them to get involved? They chartered a schooner, HERMAN L. ROGERS, with CPTN. ? FRED TILTON, and for 4 days they dragged and dove..

 

20) To bring more to the mystery, The medical examiner said all the victims died by drowning, yet atleast half had absolutely no water in their lungs and the other half had very little if any. What comes to mind even more so, is that if it were believable that they drowned, then how did a drowned body climb into a dinghy in the most perculiar position? What happened to make them leave the ship? What happened to the men after they were reportedly seen in a row boat rowing! yet later they were found with improvised oars & oar holes? This Famous & Historic light fixture is FOR SALE. I would like to get atleast $150,000. if not more for it. I need to fix my house. Will trade for decent house with land in Connecticut, Rhode Island or Massachusetts.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

"NOTE: SEE MY NEWS ARTICLES ON "JOHN DWIGHT, QUEEN OF THE RUM RUNNERS". I HAVE 5 SETS OF ARTICLES LISTED BELOW 1-5. JUST COPY THE ONE YOU WANT TO VIEW & PUT IN MY SEARCH ENGINE- IT WILL BRING YOU RIGHT TO IT.

 

"THE ROARING 20'S, PROHIBITION, RUM RUNNING, MURDER MYSTERY!"

JOHN DWIGHT, "QUEEN OF THE RUM RUNNERS", CREW OF 8 PLUS, MURDER MYSTERY": Articles:

 

1) Theory Of Pirates In Wreck Mystery Grows, by John J Donovan, Boston Daily Globe 1923: Proquest Historical Newspapers Boston Globe (1872-1923) (Pg. 1 & con't pg. 10 )

2) Think 8 On Rum Ship Were Slain Fight, Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1857-current file); April 9, 1923; PmQuest Historical Newspapters, The New York Times (1851-2003) (Pg. 6)

3) Rum Runners' LifeBoat is Found by John J. Donovan, Boston Daily Globe (1923-1960); April 9, 1923; Proquest Historical Newspapers Boston Globe (1872-1923) (pg. 19)

4) Fear Grows Two Ships Were Lost by John J. Donovan, Boston Globe (1923-1960); April 8, 1923; Proquest Historical Newspapers, Boston Globe (1872-1923) (Pg. 1 & Pg. 5)

5) Rum Runner Sunk-8 Lives Lost, Boston Daily Globe (1923-1960); April 7, 1923; Proquest Historical Newspapers, Boston Globe (1872-1923) (Pg. 19 & Rum Runner Sunk-Nine Lives Lost -con't Pg. 8)

 

IDENTIFICATION OF 8 MEN ON FAMOUS JOHN DWIGHT:

 

OWNER (NEVER ONBOARD-NOT MISSING): CPTN. LEWIS N. BLIX of Brooklyn, NY. won't know the # or names of crew til he visits his business tomorrow-9 april

Note: 3 strange men come to identify: from boston & N.J.- nervous- his wife believe her brother on a rumrunner. 1 brag he escape.

8 BODIES FOUND WITH NUMEROUS CUTS, REPORTED KNIFE WOUNDS, BULLET WOUNDS, SMASHED SKULL ETC.. (MYTH: THEY DROWNED- NO WATER FOUND IN LUNGS WHAT SO EVER!)

 

1) CAPT. JOHN F. KING- 1 of the Cptns on the Dwight. 121 or 124 Jefferson Av. Brooklyn, NY. (has a wife, dau, & Married son)

2) HARRY KING- married son of Cptn. John F. King, found in smaller boat (1 of 2 boats) face down a man with the back of his skull crushed in. No oars or Oarlocks were in boat. He had taken his lifepreserver off & had made an oarlock of the straps. He was the only man found without a life perserver. No names on life preservers except one "Marion Ft." found on a man believed to be an engineer.

3) CAPT. JOHN CARMICHAEL of Jersey City (had actual charge tho he signed on as a seaman)

No bodies at the Haven answering to description of either man of either Cptn. found yet.

4) identified by CPTN. ROBERT PEABODY MOON, skipper of the tug T.J. Hooper & his mate PAT MCMURRAY from brooklyn, NY were on route to Boston spot wreck: IDENTIFIED ONE OF THE BODIES with a protuding chin, curly hair is "MCKENZIE from NY" & also he identify 3 men from brooklyn tho he not know who they were.

family members of known crew will be here tom. to identify.

 

8 CREW DESCRIPTIONS:

-------------"all have severe cuts & bruises never seen before"

#1= 25 ca. years, 5'8", 150 LB, blue eyes, several missing teeth, large scar on back of neck

#2- 45 ca. yrs., 5'11", 195 LB, Dark hair, heavy lashes, teeth good, several gold crowns, emblem of crucifix tattooed on Right forearm. Gold watch stop at 10:30, propeller fob?, gold ring with brown stone.

#3- 25 ca yr, 5' 5 3/4", 165 LB, light brown hair, smooth face.

#4- 55 yrs., 5' 3", 180 Lb, gray hair, part bald, cropped mustache, emblems tattooed on both arms, cards bearing name JAMES H. NELSON, the Republican Club of Kings Co., New York. In pocket & Marine Engineers' Benefit Ass., Atlantic & Gulf Coast council- #F1184, assessment #1318. Address on card: 209? Patchen Ave, BROOKLYN, NY. (HE WAS ONLY ONE WHO DIED W/O STRUGGLE).

#5- 25-30 YR., 5'5", 150 Lb., smooth shaven, good teeth, nails short, circular emblem tatooed on outer right forearm- "HARRIET". In clothes: letters bear "JAMES CRAIG, care of T. WILSON, Kennedy's Towline, 32 so. St., NY. & James Craig, 40 Front St., NY. Had kid gloves & Jewelry. Letter: "Your brother- C. CRAIG, 71 Ann st. DUNDEE, SCOTLAND.

#6- (age ?, 200 Lb Ca., 5' 9", dark brown hair, somewhat bald, brown eyes, good teeth, vaccination mark on calf- right leg. paper found: "M. NOLAN, 231 Eckford st., Brooklyn, NY. coat found on beach correspond #6 clothes that had address JOHN H. PADDOCK, 156 Wrentham st., Brooklyn Heights, NY, Rm. 208. or JOHN T. PADDEN, 158 Remsen St. BROOKLYN, NY room 208 (NOTED:) MICHAEL NOLAN was believed to be on board but he is in NY. his name & address was found on slip of paper in coat of 1 of men found near Menemsha Creek. He gave that memorandum to Harry King, the son of Cptn. John F. King.

#7- 25-30 yr, ca. 190-200 Lb, thick dark brown hair, brown eyes, teeth good repair, semi- circular scar 4 in long on right chest, silver ring made from a frane on finger.

#8- 50-55 yr, 180 lb ca. Roman nose, gray & white hair cut pompadour fashion, brown eyes, good teeth, handkerchief intial "B".

 

(SEARCH WORDS:)

"Rum Runner Sunk-8 Lives Lost Boston Daily Globe 07 April 1923 pg. 19 (page 1 of 2)", "Rum Runner Sunk-Nine Lives Lost Boston Daily Globe 07 April 1923 PG. 8 (page 2 of 2)", "Cptn. Lewis N. Blix of Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Jersey City, N.J.", "Boston, Massachusetts", "Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Martha's Vineyard", "Edgartown", "Haven", "Newport, R.I.", "Cptn. John F. King 121 Jefferson Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Harry King Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Marion Ft.", "Cptn. John Carmichael of Jersey City, N.J.", "Cptn. Robert Peabody Moon skipper of the tug T.J. Hooper of Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Mate Pat McMurray Brooklyn, N.Y.", "McKenzie of N.Y.", "James H. Nelson 209? Patchen Ave Brooklyn, N.Y.", "Republican Club of Kings Co., N.Y.", "Marines Engineers' Benefit Ass.", "Atlantic Gulf Coast Council", "harriet", "James Craig 40 Front St., N.Y.", "T. Wilson, Kennedy's Towline, 32 So. St., N.Y.", "C. Craig 71 Ann St., Dundee, Scotland", "Michael Nolan 231 Eckford St., Brooklyn, N.Y.", "John H. Paddock 156 Wrentham St., Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.", "John T. Padden 158 Remsen St., Brooklyn, N.Y.", "News", "Newspaper", "Article", "John Dwight", "Roaring 20's", "Prohibition", "Rum Runner", "Rum Running", "Mystery", "Murder Mystery", "Pirates", "Famous, Historical, John Dwight, Queen of the Rum Runners", "Famous Historical John Dwight", "Queen of The Rum Runners Murder Mystery Runner Light Fixture for sale", "Murder", "Murder Mystery", "Historical", "Famous", "Theory Of Pirates In Wreck Mystery Grows, by John J. Donovan, Boston Daily Globe April 1923, (Pg. 1 & Pg. 10)", "Think 8 On Rum Ship Were Slain In Fight, Special to The New York Times, New York Times 09 April 1923, (Pg. 6)", "Rum Runners' LifeBoat Is Found, by John J. Donovan, Boston Daily Globe 09 April 1923, (Pg. 19)", "Fear Grows Two Ships Were Lost, by John J. Donovan, Boston Globe 08 April 1923, (Pg. 1 & Pg. 5)", "Rum Runner Sunk-8 Lives Lost, Boston Daily Globe 07 April 1923, (Pg. 19 & Pg. 8)", "Rum Runner Sunk-Nine Lives Lost, Boston Daily Globe 07 April 1923, (Pg. 19 & Pg. 8)",

Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM294496 Dept No.44

The murder of siblings Michael, Norah and Ellen Murphy near Gatton on Boxing Day 1898 sparked intense interest and speculation. All three were killed between 10pm and the early hours of the following morning on their way home from a dance that had been cancelled and the case remains unsolved to this day.

Contained within the QSA archived police files are pages of handwritten letters from across Queensland sent from members of the community convinced they could help solve the case using their spiritual gifts. Some are simply a few words on a scrap of paper, others take up many pages and go into lengthy detail about possible conspiracies. The police called the correspondence files ‘Astrologers, Dreamers, Theorists, etc’.

The Postcard

 

A Carbo Colour Series postcard published by Valentine and Sons Ltd. of Dundee and London. They did not produce many Carbo Colour postcards which is hardly surprising, as the print quality and depth of colour is awful.

 

The card was posted in Prestatin, Flintshire on Tuesday the 23rd. June 1964 to:

 

Mr. & Mrs. Dawes,

54, Mossley Avenue,

Parkstone,

Poole,

Dorset.

 

The message on the divided back was as follows:

 

"Spending a holiday

touring N. Wales.

Wrote to you on the

22nd. March, have

not heard from you.

We hope all is well.

Weather very sunny

but the winds are

cold.

Did you visit IOM for

the TT races this year?

Love from

Betty & Charlie".

 

Prestatyn

 

Prestatyn is a seaside town in Denbighshire, Wales. It is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. At the 2001 Census, Prestatyn had a population of 18,496, which increased slightly to 18,849 at the 2011 census.

 

History of Prestatyn

 

-- Prehistory

 

The current town location has been occupied since prehistoric times. Prehistoric tools found in the caves of Graig Fawr, in the nearby village of Meliden, have revealed the existence of early human habitation in the area.

 

-- Roman Prestatyn

 

The Roman bathhouse is believed to be part of a fort on the road from Chester to Caernarfon. However, much of "Roman Prestatyn" has been destroyed, as houses have been built over unexcavated land.

 

-- Medieval Prestatyn

 

The name Prestatyn derives from the Old English Prēosta (Priests), and Tūn (Town), and was recorded in the Domesday Book as Prestetone. Although the Domesday Book only extended to demesnes in England, Prestatyn was included since it was at that time under English control.

 

An earth mound, visible in fields to the east of the railway station, beyond Nant Hall, marks the site of the early wooden Prestatyn Castle, probably built by the Norman Robert de Banastre about 1157.

 

The castle was destroyed by the Welsh under Owain Gwynedd in 1167. The Banastre family then moved to Bank Hall in Lancashire.

 

The town appears to have been primarily a fishing village for hundreds of years.

 

The beginning and end of Prestatyn High Street mark the location of two 'maenolau' (or manor houses) called Pendre (translated as "End of" or "Top of Town") and Penisadre ("Lower End of Town").

 

Prestatyn From the 19th. Century to Present

 

The town's population remained at less than 1,000 until the arrival of the railways and the holidaymakers in the 19th. and 20th. centuries.

 

"Sunny Prestatyn" became famous for its beach, clean seas and promenade entertainers, and visiting for a bathe was considered very healthy by city-dwelling Victorians.

 

During the Second World War the holiday camps were used as billets for British soldiers, many of whom were also sent to live with locals.

 

Prestatyn was the home of the first UK Kwik Save supermarket in 1965; the town was also home to the firm's business headquarters. The Kwik Save store was renamed Somerfield following a takeover in 2007, and was finally demolished in 2008 when surrounding land was bought by Tesco.

 

The North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm was opened in 2003. Situated in Liverpool Bay, 5 miles (8 km) off the coast of Prestatyn, it was the UK's first major offshore wind farm. It has 30 wind turbines with a combined maximum capacity of 60 megawatts - enough to power 40,000 homes.

 

Facilities and Attractions

 

Although Prestatyn remains a resort town and tourist destination, the town is diversifying in response to the decline of the British seaside holiday.

 

The town is at the northern end of the Offa's Dyke Path, although not on Offa's Dyke itself. It also marks the eastern end of the North Wales Path, a long-distance coastal route to Bangor, and the western end of the Clwydian Way.

 

Other attractions include the remains of Roman baths, and the nearby Neolithic mound, the Gop.

 

Many qualification rounds in snooker were once held at Pontin's Holiday Camp in Prestatyn; this included all the major snooker tournaments, and the World Championship. The qualification rounds have since moved to the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.

 

Nova

 

Previously named the Lido, this leisure and entertainment complex was established in 1923 with an outdoor seawater swimming pool and ballroom. A £4.4 million pound investment in 2015 has seen the re-development of this complex to include a new façade, entrance and reception area as well as a new bar/restaurant, 60-station fitness suite and children's soft play area.

 

The Hillside Garden Shelter

 

When Hillside garden shelter was built in 1929, this was the highest point on the Prestatyn to Gwaenysgor road readily reached by motor transport, and provided a fine view over Prestatyn and the north Welsh coast.

 

Taking full advantage of this viewpoint the shelter was constructed at the expense of a local benefactor, J F King of Stoneby, and presented to the town of Prestatyn on the 6th of December 1929.

 

The structure is an innovative early use of concrete, probably combining pre-cast and cast in-situ elements. The contractors were Whiteley Brothers of Wrexham.

 

Tree-planting work in the vicinity had already commenced in 1924, though most of the work to convert the surrounding quarry-land into a terraced garden took place in the 1930's as unemployment relief.

 

There is a viewing platform in the form of two terraces, the larger upper one concave at the front and the lower one convex. The upper terrace projects to provide a sheltered area to the rear of the lower one for use in inclement weather.

 

The shelter is in five bays between concrete pillars and with large steel windows at each side.

 

Both terraces have at the front a balustrade consisting of square concrete balusters, with a broad concrete rail at top, and divided into bays by concrete piers. For a view of the Garden Shelter, please search for the tag 34PHG79

 

Annual Events Held at Prestatyn

 

-- The Flower Show

 

Prestatyn Flower Show is an annual event held in Prestatyn town centre on the last Friday and Saturday of July.

 

The flower show has traditionally been held within the grounds of Cerrig Llwydion in Prestatyn High Street, which was formerly a vicarage. The event also includes a small display of classic cars and vintage motorcycles on the Saturday.

 

-- The Carnival

 

Prestatyn Carnival is an annual summer event in the town, and features field events, competitions and a procession. Each year, thousands take part in the festivities. The carnival celebrated its diamond jubilee in 2011.

 

The traditional Carnival Parade takes place on the Saturday, and is followed by a Carnival Baby Competition later in the day.

 

In 2008 the carnival became a two-day event, with the Sunday designated "Fun on the Field" day, with many events including a talent show and a dance competition. In 2011 the event reverted to its original one-day format.

 

In 2008, Prestatyn Carnival Association revived the 'Miss Prestatyn' title.

 

-- The Classic Car Show

 

The largest free classic car show in North Wales with over 400 vehicles taking part in 2019. The show is an annual event taking place on the last Bank Holiday Monday in May since 2000.

 

It usually takes place on Ty Nant car park in Prestatyn town centre, but expanded in 2019 to include the majority of the High Street. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a virtual show.

 

Cultural References to Prestatyn

 

Philip Larkin wrote a poem entitled 'Sunny Prestatyn'. In it he describes a poster advertising the resort that is progressively defaced by vulgar graffiti.

 

Pontin's Holiday Centre was the location for a 1973 film of the popular British TV series, On the Buses.

 

Roddy Frame and Jeremy Stacey wrote most of Aztec Camera's 1995 album Frestonia during a three-week retreat at the Sands Hotel in Prestatyn. Frame later blamed the overcast and grim weather conditions there for the album's melancholy and gloomy tone.

 

The town also appears in The Royle Family 2009 Christmas special "The Golden Egg Cup", in which the family visits Prestatyn to celebrate Jim and Barb's fiftieth wedding anniversary.

 

Jack the Stripper

 

So what else happened on the day that Betty and Charlie posted the card?

 

Well, on the 23rd. June 1964, Kenneth Archibald was found not guilty of murder in the case of the West London Nude Murders.

 

The Hammersmith nude murders were a series of six murders in West London between 1964 and 1965. The victims, all prostitutes, were found undressed in or near the River Thames, leading the press to nickname the killer 'Jack the Stripper'. Two earlier murders, committed in West London in 1959 and 1963, have also been linked to the same perpetrator.

 

Despite intense media interest and one of the biggest manhunts in Scotland Yard's history, the case is unsolved. All forensic evidence gathered at the time is believed to have been destroyed or lost.

 

The Murder Victims

 

(a) Elizabeth Figg

 

Elizabeth Figg was born on the 24th. March 1938 in Bebington, Cheshire. She died at the age of 21.

 

Elizabeth was found dead at 5:10 am on the 17th. June 1959 by police officers on routine patrol in Duke's Meadows, Chiswick, on the north bank of the River Thames. The park had a reputation as a lovers' lane, and prostitutes were known to take their clients there.

 

Her body was lying in scrubland between Dan Mason Drive and the river's towpath, approximately 200 yards (180 m) west of Barnes Bridge. Her dress was torn at the waist, and opened to reveal her breasts.

 

Figg's underwear and shoes were missing, and no identification or personal possessions were found. A pathologist concluded that death had occurred between midnight and 2:00 a.m. on the 17th. June.

 

Marks around her neck were consistent with strangulation, and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation due to manual strangulation.

 

A post-mortem photograph of Figg's face was distributed to the press, and was independently recognised by her roommate and her mother.

 

Extensive searches of the area – including the river bed – failed to find Figg's underwear, black stiletto shoes, or white handbag. A police official theorised that she had been murdered by a client in his car, after removing her shoes and underwear, and that these and her handbag had then remained in the car after the body was disposed of.

 

The proprietor of a pub on the opposite side of the river to where Figg was found said that on the night of the murder, he and his wife had seen a car's headlights as it parked in that area at 12:05 a.m. Shortly after the lights were switched off, they heard a woman's scream.

 

(b) Gwynneth Rees

 

Gwynneth Rees was born in Barry, Wales on the 6th. August 1941. Gwynneth disappeared on the 29th. September 1963.

 

The body of Gwynneth Rees was found on the 8th. November 1963 at the Barnes household refuse disposal site on Townmead Road, Mortlake. She was 22 when she died.

 

The dump was situated 40 yards (37 m) from the Thames towpath, and approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from Duke's Meadows.

 

Rees was naked except for a single stocking on her right leg, extending no further up than the ankle. She had been decapitated by a shovel which workmen had been using to level the refuse.

 

(c) Hannah Tailford

 

Hannah Tailford was born in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland on the 19th. August 1933.

 

Hannah was found dead at the age of 30 on the 2nd. February 1964 on the Thames foreshore below Linden House – the clubhouse of the London Corinthian Sailing Club – west of Hammersmith Bridge. She had been strangled, several of her teeth were missing, and her underwear had been stuffed into her mouth.

 

(d) Irene Lockwood

 

Irene Charlotte Lockwood was born on the 29th. September 1938 in Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire.

 

Lockwood was found dead at the age of 25 on the 8th. April 1964 on the foreshore of the Thames at Corney Reach, Chiswick, not far from where Tailford had been found.

 

With the discovery of this third victim, police realised that a serial murderer was at large. Lockwood was pregnant at the time of her death.

 

(e) Helen Barthelemy

 

Helen Catherine Barthelemy was born on the 9th. June 1941 in Ormiston, East Lothian, Scotland.

 

Helen was found dead on the 24th. April 1964 in an alleyway at the rear of 199 Boston Manor Road, Brentford. Her death was due to asphyxiation by strangulation.

 

Helen's death gave investigators their first solid piece of evidence in the case: flecks of paint used in car manufacturing.

 

Police felt that the paint had probably come from the killer's workplace; they therefore focused on tracing it to a business nearby.

 

(f) Mary Fleming

 

Mary Fleming was born on the 16th. September 1933 in

Clydebank, Scotland. She disappeared on the 11th. July 1964.

 

Mary's body was found on the 14th. July 1964 outside 48 Berrymede Road, Chiswick. Her death at the age of 30 was due to asphyxiation by strangulation. Once again, paint spots were found on the body; many neighbours had also heard a car reversing down the street just before the body was discovered.

 

(g) Frances Brown

 

Frances Brown was born on the 3rd. January 1943 in Glasgow, Scotland. She died aged 21 of asphyxiation by strangulation.

 

Brown was last seen alive on the 23rd. October 1964 by a colleague who saw her get into a client's car; on the 25th. November her body was found in a car park on Hornton Street, Kensington.

 

The colleague was able to provide police with an identikit picture and a description of the car, thought to be a grey Ford Zephyr.

 

Frances Brown had testified as a witness for the defence, along with Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies, at the trial of Stephen Ward in July 1963.

 

(h) Bridget O'Hara

 

Bridget 'Bridie' O'Hara was born on the 2nd. March 1937 in Dublin, Ireland. Bridie disappeared on the 11th. January 1965.

 

She was found dead on the 16th. February 1965 near a storage shed behind the Heron Trading Estate, Acton. She had been asphyxiated, and was 27 at the time of her death.

 

Once again, O'Hara's body turned up flecks of industrial paint which were traced to an electrical transformer near where she was discovered. Her body also showed signs of having been stored in a warm environment. The transformer was a good fit for both the paint and the heating.

 

The Police Investigation

 

Chief Superintendent John Du Rose of Scotland Yard, the detective put in charge of the case, had almost 7,000 suspects interviewed.

 

In the spring of 1965, the investigation into the murders encountered a major breakthrough when a sample of paint which perfectly matched that recovered from several victims' bodies was found beneath a concealed transformer at the rear of a building on the Heron Factory Estate in Acton. This factory estate faced a paint spraying shop.

 

Shortly thereafter, Du Rose held a news conference in which he falsely announced that the police had narrowed the suspect pool down to twenty men and that, by a process of elimination, these suspects were being dropped from the investigation one by one.

 

There were no further known Stripper killings following the initial news conference.

 

After a short time, Du Rose announced that the suspect pool contained only ten members, and then three.

 

According to the writer Anthony Summers, Hannah Tailford and Frances Brown, the Stripper's third and seventh victims, were peripherally connected to the 1963 Profumo affair.

 

Some victims were also known to engage in the underground party scene in addition to appearing in pornographic movies. Several writers have postulated that the victims may have known each other, and that the killer may have been connected to this scene as well.

 

The Murder Suspects

 

(i) Kenneth Archibald

 

On the 27th. April 1964, Kenneth Archibald, a 57-year-old caretaker at the Holland Park Lawn Tennis Club, walked into Notting Hill Police Station and voluntarily confessed to the killing of Irene Lockwood. Archibald was charged with the murder, and stood trial at the Old Bailey in June 1964.

 

When asked to plead, he retracted his confession and pleaded not guilty. There was no other evidence to link him to the crime, and so on 23 June 1964, as noted above, he was found not guilty by a jury and acquitted by the judge.

 

(ii) Mungo Ireland

 

For Chief Superintendent Du Rose, the most likely suspect was a Scottish man called Mungo Ireland, whom Du Rose first identified in a BBC television interview in 1970 as a respectable married man in his forties whom he code-named 'Big John'.

 

Ireland had apparently been identified as a suspect shortly after Bridget O'Hara's murder, when flecks of industrial paint were traced to the Heron Trading Estate, where he had worked as a security guard.

 

Shortly after this connection was made, Ireland committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, leaving a note for his wife that read:

 

'I can't stick it any longer.

To save you and the police

looking for me I'll be in the

garage'.

 

Whilst seen by many as a strong suspect in the killings, recent research suggests that Ireland was in Scotland when O'Hara was murdered, and therefore could not have been the Stripper.

 

(iii) The Boxer Freddie Mills

 

In 2001, reformed gangster Jimmy Tippett Jr. said that, during research for his book about London's gangland, he had uncovered information suggesting that British light heavyweight boxing champion Freddie Mills was responsible for the murders. Tippett said:

 

"I have spoken to famous figures in

the underworld and senior police

officers in Scotland Yard, and I am

convinced Freddie Mills was the killer.

Contrary to his public image, Mills was

a sexually warped sadist who enjoyed

inflicting pain".

 

According to Tippett, Kray-era gangsters, including Charlie Richardson and Frankie Fraser, had long suspected Mills of being the murderer.

 

Mills had previously been linked with the murders by Peter Neale, a freelance journalist from Balham, south London, who told police in July 1972 that he had received information, in confidence, from a serving chief inspector that Mills "killed the nude prostitutes".

 

He also said that:

 

"This was common knowledge in the

West End. Many people would say:

'Oh, Freddie did them in...'"

 

Mills was found shot dead in his car, apparently by suicide, in July 1965.

 

The suggestion that Mills was the Hammersmith nudes murderer originated with gangster Frankie Fraser, who told it to policeman Bob Berry, who told The Sun crime reporter Michael Litchfield.

 

Fraser claimed that the story was confessed by Mills to John Du Rose, and told by Du Rose to him; but when Du Rose published his autobiography which touched on the 'Hammersmith Nude Murders', there was no mention of Freddie Mills with regard to this case. Peter McInnes put the allegations to the investigating officer, who stated that Mills had never been a suspect during the investigation.

 

(iv) A Metropolitan Police Officer

 

David Seabrook, in his book 'Jack of Jumps' (2006), wrote that a former Metropolitan Police detective was a suspect in the opinion of several senior detectives investigating the case.

 

Owen Summers, a journalist for The Sun newspaper, had previously raised suspicion about the unnamed officer's involvement in a series of articles published by the newspaper in 1972, and Daily Mirror journalist Brian McConnell followed a similar line of inquiry in his book 'Found Naked and Dead' in 1974.

 

He was also considered by Dick Kirby, a former Metropolitan Police detective, in his book 'Laid Bare: The Nude Murders and the Hunt for Jack the Stripper' (2016), in which Kirby referred to him only as "the Cop".

 

(v) Tommy Butler

 

In their book 'The Survivor' (2002), Jimmy Evans and Martin Short allege that the culprit was Superintendent Tommy Butler of the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad. Butler died in 1970.

 

(vi) Harold Jones

 

The Crime & Investigation channel's 'Fred Dinenage: Murder Casebook' put forward the theory that the killer could have been Harold Jones, a convicted murderer from Wales.

 

Jones killed two girls in 1921 in the Welsh town of Abertillery. Because he was 15 at the time, he was not liable for the death penalty, and he received instead a life sentence. He was released 20 years later for exemplary behaviour.

 

In 1941, at the age of 35, after being released from Wandsworth prison, he is believed to have returned to Abertillery, and visited the graves of his early victims.

 

By 1947, Jones was living in Fulham, London. All the Stripper murders had similar features to his early murders: no sexual assault, but extreme violence was inflicted on the victims. Due to poor record-keeping, he was never considered as a possible suspect by the police.

 

The writer Neil Milkins, in 'Who was Jack the Stripper?' (2011), also concluded that Jones was the perpetrator. While researching Jones for his book 'Every Mother's Nightmare', Milkins had traced the murderer's movements:

 

"He turned up in Fulham in the

late 1940's calling himself Harry

Stevens, and stayed at that address

in Hestercombe Avenue until 1962,

at which point he disappeared again.

I came across the Jack the Stripper

case on the internet, and realised

that in the same three years Jones'

whereabouts remained unknown -

1962 to 1965 - a number of prostitutes

had been murdered in the same west

London area."

 

Jones died in Hammersmith in 1971.

 

The Murders in Fiction

 

The crime novel 'Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square' (1969), written by Arthur La Bern, is loosely based on the case. The book was adapted for the Alfred Hitchcock movie 'Frenzy' (1972).

 

The case also inspired 'The Fiend' (1972), in which a misogynistic serial killer leaves his naked victims across London.

 

The crime novel 'Bad Penny Blues' (2009) by Cathi Unsworth is closely based on the case.

The most beautiful women in TV and Movie History now become Barbie Collector Dolls created by acclaimed re-paint Artist Donna Brinkley.

 

Jacquelyn (Jaclyn) Ellen Smith has been known as the world's Most Beautiful Woman, she was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Margaret Ellen and Jack Smith, a dentist. She attended Trinity University in San Antonio.

 

After college, Smith moved to New York City with hopes of dancing with the ballet. Her career aspirations shifted to modeling and acting as she found work in television commercials and print ads, including one for Listerene mouthwash. She landed a job as a Breck girl for Breck Shampoo in 1971, and a few years later joined another popular model/actress, Farrah Fawcett, as a spokesmodel for Wella Balsam shampoo.

Charlie's Angels

 

On March 21, 1976, Smith first played Kelly Garrett in Charlie's Angels; the show was aired as a movie of the week, starring Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett (billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors) as private investigators for Townsend Associates, a detective agency run by a reclusive multi-millionaire whom the women had never met. Voiced by John Forsythe, the Charles Townsend character presented cases and dispensed advice via a speakerphone to his core team of three female employees, to whom he referred as Angels. They were aided in the office and occasionally in the field by two male associates, played by character actors David Doyle and David Ogden Stiers. The program earned a huge Nielsen rating, causing the network to air it a second time and okay production for a series, with all of the principal characters save the one played by Stiers. The series formally debuted on September 22, 1976, and ran for five seasons. The show would become a smash success not only in the U.S. but, in successive years, in syndication around the world, spawning a cottage industry of peripheral products, particularly in the show's first three seasons, including several series of bubble gum cards, two sets of fashion dolls, numerous posters, puzzles, and school supplies, novelizations of episodes, toy vans, and a board game, all featuring Smith's likeness. The Angels also appeared on the covers of magazines around the world, from countless fan magazines to TV Guide (four times) to Time Magazine.

 

Fawcett departed at the end of the first season, and Cheryl Ladd was a successful addition to the cast, remaining until the end of the series. Jackson departed at the end of the third season, and proved harder to replace, as first Shelley Hack and then Tanya Roberts were brought in to try re-igniting the chemistry, media attention and ratings success enjoyed by the earlier teams. Smith played her role for all five seasons of Charlie's Angels until 1981, also portraying the Garrett character in a guest appearance in the 1977 pilot episode of The San Pedro Beach Bums, and in a cameo in the 2003 feature film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Christina Chambers portrayed Smith in the television film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels.

 

Smith's first acting venture outside the Angels mold was the CBS-TV movie of the week Escape from Bogen County (1977). Then came a leading role in Joyce Haber's The Users with Tony Curtis and John Forsythe in 1978. In 1980, Smith starred with Robert Mitchum in the suspense thriller Nightkill. She then starred in the title role of the television movie Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in 1981, receiving a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination for her performance but lost to Jane Seymour. In 1983, Smith starred as Jennifer Parker in the TV movie Rage of Angels, based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon. The film was the highest rated in the Nielsen ratings the week it aired. Smith reprised the role in the 1986 sequel, Rage of Angels: The Story Continues.

 

In 1988, she appeared with Robert Wagner in Windmills of the Gods. That same year she was offered the chance to star opposite Richard Chamberlain in the adaptation of Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity. Smith was Chamberlain's first choice as his leading lady but she had just wrapped up with the Windmills of the Gods shoot and declined the part. The role was offered to Lesley-Anne Down who wanted her husband to photograph the film. Producers refused and again offered the role to Smith, who then accepted.

 

In 1989, Smith starred in Settle the Score. This film again proved her Nielsen ratings clout. Other television movies and miniseries in which Smith appeared include George Washington, The Night They Saved Christmas, Florence Nightingale, Sentimental Journey, Lies Before Kisses, The Rape of Dr. Willis, In the Arms of a Killer, and several TV versions of Danielle Steel novels, including Kaleidoscope and Family Album. Smith starred in the 1985 feature film Deja Vu, which was directed by her then-husband Tony Richmond. In 1989, she played the title role in Christine Cromwell, a mystery television series based in San Francisco, but which only lasted one season. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

From 2002 to 2004, Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh in the TV series The District, which starred Craig T. Nelson. She reprised her role as Kelly Garrett for a short cameo in the 2003 Charlie's Angels feature film. Her appearance at the 2006 Emmy telecast led Bravo TV’s producers to cast Smith as the celebrity host of Bravo’s weekly competitive reality series, Shear Genius, which began airing in March 2007. Shear Genius (Season 2) began airing on June 25, 2008.

 

In March 2010, Smith returned to acting after a five year absence with a guest role on the NBC television drama Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. In February 2012, it was announced that Smith would be guest-starring on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as the mother of David Hodges (played by Wallace Langham).

 

In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. A season 15 episode of The Simpsons (The Fat and the Furries) lampooned Smith's many business successes, portraying her as having her own line of axe heads. In May 2009, Smith allowed a documentary crew to profile her home life, design philosophy and relationship with Kmart in an online video series sponsored by Kmart. Her foray into home furnishings was extended to Kmart stores in the fall of 2008, with the chain's introduction of its Jaclyn Smith Today product line of bedding and bath accessories.

 

Smith has been married four times. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Davis (1968–1975). She married Dennis Cole, an actor who had appeared on Charlie's Angels in 1977 and 1978. Cole appeared on the show two more times before the couple divorced in 1981. Cole's son from a previous marriage, Joe Cole, with whom Smith had maintained a relationship after her divorce from his father, was murdered in 1991 during a robbery; the case remains unsolved. Smith married filmmaker Tony Richmond in 1981, with whom she had two children, Gaston (born 1982) and Spencer Margaret (born 1985), before divorcing Richmond in 1989. Smith has been married to Houston cardiothoracic surgeon[12] Brad Allen since 1997.

 

Smith battled breast cancer in 2003. In 2010, Smith was featured in 1 a Minute, a documentary about breast cancer.

 

On September 22, 2009, TMZ.com picked up a Honduran newspaper's false online report that Smith had been hospitalized in a private medical center there; TMZ later retracted the story, reporting that Smith was well and at home in California. Smith posted on her Twitter page, denouncing the Honduran newspaper story as false— Jaclyn is safe and home with her family. She is not in Honduras. It is a lie.

 

* A number of style mavens and magazine polls have attested to Smith's popularity and declared her one of the most beautiful women in the world. The difficult-to-please Mr. Blackwell once named her "The World's Best Dressed Woman". In 1979, McCall's ran a poll of "Whose Face Most Women Would Like To Have"; Smith topped the list. Smith has had more #1 acting projects than any other actress in Hollywood, and she has often been called the "Queen of the miniseries".

 

* In 1985, McCall's named her as one of "America's 10 Best Bodies;. People named Smith twice in its annual list of the Most Beautiful People in the World In the April 1984 issue of People, Smith was voted as one of the Ten Great Faces of Our Time. In 1985, Ladies' Home Journal sampled 2,000 men and women in 100 different locations in the United States to determine America's Favorite Women; Smith came in the top of the list as the Most Beautiful Woman in America, with actress Linda Evans coming in second. TV Guide magazine readers voted Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman On Television in 1991.

 

* Comic strip artist Sy Barry modeled the luscious Diana Palmer, wife of The Phantom, after Smith.

 

* The French band Air was inspired by Smith's Charlie's Angels character Kelly Garrett to record the song Kelly Watch the Stars for their critically acclaimed 1998 album Moon Safari, and the track was released as a single.

 

In 2012 beauty critics around the world voted Jaclyn Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman of all time along side Grace Kelly.

The KOM League

Flash Report

For

April 5, 2019

  

This report is on the Flickr site at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/46811691244/

 

In this edition you will find all sides of the spectrum of human nature, even murder. If you don’t open the URLs cited in this report you might as well delete it at this juncture.

 

The cream can story continues

 

In putting the final touches on last week’s report I was struck by the name of one of the two fellows, in the photo, who were gathered around the cream can that was used as the drinking source. However, the photo was only used to relate the tale of that same cream can and my dealing with it in 1951.

 

Looking at that photo I wondered if I could make a story out of the two fellows depicted. Well, I got as far as the left-hander on the left. Anyone would figure out he was a lefty by casual observation, upon first glance. Another thing that struck me was his last name. I haven’t come across it that many times in my life…Heitholt

 

Back in the late 1990’s a fellow by that name called me, from the Columbia, Mo. Tribune, and said he was writing an article about minor league baseball and remarked that he had heard I might have some insights into it. In the course of our conversation he mentioned that he had an uncle who played minor league baseball back in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. At the time I didn’t pursue who the uncle was for the caller had told me his uncle played Class C baseball. He did mention that he would be in touch with me from time to time if he had any questions along the lines of my field of interest.

 

Well, that time never arrived. In the wee hours of Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2001 the sports writer who had called me was finishing another long night at the office when tragedy befell him. The incident captured media attention around this country and the outgrowth of that event made it into many crime documentaries such as “48-Hours.” This is briefly a link to what happened that made it impossible for Kent Heitholt to remain in contact with me and others. krcgtv.com/sports/content/remembering-murder-victim-kent-...

 

MEMORIAL

www.findagrave.com/memorial/13389092/kent-william-heitholt

 

From 1996 until his death Kent Heitholt was the sports editor for the Tribune newspaper in Columbia, MO. Prior to working there he had been sports editor for nine years at The Times in Shreveport, Louisiana. He had worked for about two years at the Nashville Banner (now defunct) prior to Shreveport.

 

On the night of Oct 31-Nov 1, 2001 Kent had worked at the Columbia paper late, into the wee hours. Upon logging off his computer and going to the parking lot, he was attacked, robbed, bludgeoned and strangled with his own belt by the attackers. Two janitors in the newspaper building saw two men near Kent's car but could not identify them. The murder was unsolved until March 10, 2004 when a tip was phoned to Columbia police that someone had been talking about having murdered Heitholt. Police quickly brought in the suspect for questioning and got a confession, albeit a somewhat bizarre and incoherent one. The suspect indicated that it had been a friend and accomplice of his who had actually thought of the idea of finding someone to rob and kill and that it was this accomplice who had actually strangled Kent. The accused accomplice was arrested and charged with the murder.

 

The first of the two boys, Chuck Erickson, got a 25 year prison sentence for testifying against the second, Ryan Ferguson, who went to trial in October 2005 and was found guilty of 2nd degree murder and robbery. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison but has appealed, continuing to deny his involvement. The case has been featured on 48 Hours Mystery and there remain many unanswered questions.

 

Kent Heitholt graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia in 1975. He married Deborah Evangelista in Springhill, TN on Dec. 21, 1981; they had 2 children, a son Vincent and daughter Kali Rose.

 

Kent was a kind man, a friend to all who knew him, and an animal lover known for keeping cat food in his car to feed a stray cat that lived around the newspaper offices. He touched many lives during his life and career and is missed by many.

 

Ed note: This story has been in the limelight since 2001 and the ramifications of the trial and appeals have continued to this day. There is no way to tell this story in a short space such as this report. What remains a fact is that Kent Heitholt was murdered. Various theories exist as to “Who dunnit.”

 

Starting the research on the Heitholt name.

 

Upon identifying the man at the cream can, in 1950, at Carthage, I had a feeling he was the uncle of the sportswriter who was proud to have told me about his career. The first obstacle to overcome was to put Kent’s birthplace in perspective. The obituary stated he was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1953. From that point a search began for a Heitholt adult from that town. Quickly, I found an Arthur William Heitholt who was born in Falls Creek, Illinois in 1933 and was by that time a student at the University of Kansas.

 

With the information that Arthur William was from Illinois a search began to see if any of the Illinois Heitholt’s were still around. After a brief search I discovered the obituary of Robert Heitholt who died in Georgia and his obituary mentioned he had a nephew, Kent, who last lived in Columbia, Missouri. The next step was to see if Robert had any brothers other than Arthur William. As I suspected he had an older brother by the name of Charles Richard who was born in Fall Creek in 1927. Here are the brothers Heitholt around 1934 with their dog, “Forty.” www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/33658668368/

 

At that moment I knew that I had identified the young man in the Flickr photo for last week’s Flash Report. Within a few minutes I knew that the former Sioux Falls, SD Canary first baseman was still with us and living in Yorkville, Illinois. Also I knew his telephone number and pondered whether I should bother a man about a photo taken 69 years earlier.

 

For the hundreds of old ball players I’ve “bothered” over the years it didn’t take long to make the decision to bother another one. When the party answered it was Dick’s wife of 72 years, Karen. I inquired if he was home and she put him on the phone. All I did was state my name and ask “Do you know where you were 69 years ago today?” Without hesitation Dick replied “Well, it’s the first of April so I must have been in Carthage, Mo.” With that brief bit of chatter Dick said “My Gosh, how nice of you to call.”

 

For most of the next hour we covered about every subject in the sports realm from that era that you can imagine. Some of us think we go a long way back in listening to St. Louis Cardinal baseball with the likes of Harry Caray and Gabby Street. However, Dick goes back to France Laux who was the pioneer voice of the Cardinals. www.stlmediahistory.com/index.php/Radio/RadioHOFDetail/la...

  

I’m not going to jail, or pay a fine for copyright infringement, but I can direct the readers to a link where a dapper France Laux is in the dugout flanked by Lou Gehrig on his right and Babe Ruth on the left. You may have to click through a half dozen photos to see the one of the first St. Louis Cardinal announcer.

www.google.com/search?q=France+Laux&safe=active&t...:

  

One topic I steered clear of talking about with Dick was that of his nephew, Kent. I did know his dad was a student at Kansas University from 1950-54 but didn’t know he was the same Bill Heitholt who spent four seasons on the Jayhawk basketball team, three of which he was a teammate of the legendary, Clyde Lovellette.

www.nytimes.com/2016/03/11/sports/basketball/clyde-lovell...

 

At this time of year I guess it is appropriate to talk about the NCAA basketball tournament. In 1952 the Kansas Jayhawks won that title and Bill was, of course, a member of that squad. The following link has some footage of that championship game between KU and St. John’s and other photos that show reunion photos of that 1952 team with Heitholt in them. You KU fans can revel in this link, since 2018-19 was not a year you could do so. Keep in mind in that era athletes went to college and graduated unlike the “One and Done” characters of this era. www.nytimes.com/2016/03/11/sports/basketball/clyde-lovell...

 

With the Olympics being held in Helsinki, Finland the U. S. Olympic committee took, primarily, the best players from the national champion college team, Kansas, and the top players from the AAU championship team, the Peoria Caterpillars. That squad was finally composed of seven players from the University of Kansas, five from the Peoria Caterpillars and two from the Bartlesville, Okla. Phillips 66 Oilers. In that era the best basketball players were playing for teams like the Peoria Caterpillars, Bartlesville Oilers, Akron Flyers, and Denver Truckers etc. The National Basketball Association was playing second fiddle to those industrial teams.

 

As our far flung conversation progressed the topic of spring training for 1950 continued. Heitholt recalled making a road trip to Miami, Oklahoma for two exhibition games. In reading about those encounters it would better have been called “Batting practice.” Sioux Falls won both games by wide margins. The first was 17-1 and the second was 20-0. The Sioux Falls Argus noted that playing in Springfield was difficult due to the field conditions. Without bringing up that subject to Heitholt he stated that the infield at the Springfield facility was nothing but small rocks.

 

When Sioux Falls broke camp, at Carthage, and headed home, they had made their decision Heitholt would play first base, once more, as he had done in 1949. Bob Speake and Heitholt fought it out for the first base job in 1949 but the “fight” lasted 18 days and Speake was sent to Carthage to play first base. There he doubled the number of home runs Mickey Mantle hit for Independence that year.

 

Heitholt reminded me he got the nod for the Sioux Falls first base job for two years explaining that “I hit enough homers to keep them (the Cubs) interested.” He admitted that he knew he wasn’t going past Class C and his mind turned toward an education.

 

When speaking with someone it is nice to know the community in which they grew up and later worked and even later lived during retirement. Some of the fellows with Quincy, Ill. connections were; Jim Finigan, Tommy Gott, and the Tappe twins; Elvin and Melvin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_United_States_men%27s_Olympic_...

 

Some of those names appear in this report as Heitholt was recalling them in his e-mails shared this week. Rather than give the back and forth between Heitholt and myself an attempt is being made to share mostly his comments. I will say that I’m enjoying communicating with a newly-found old baseball player. He played basketball and baseball at Quincy College and is in their Hall of Fame. He later attended the University of Illinois where he earned his Master’s Degree.

  

1.

 

Dick Fern Heitholt

Sun, Mar 31, 10:51

 

Hi John, I was overwhelmed to have the nice phone conversation today and will look forward to more contacts. I refereed a couple games at Hannibal LaGrange when Cotton (Fitzsimmons) and Ray (Schumann) played. I also knew Cotton’s brother, Orlen, who coached at Clopton High School (Clarksville). I am surprised to know that Mickey Mantle attended games at Moberly and that his brother was there. (Note: Larry “Butch” Mantle played for Cotton Fitzsimmons basketball team at Moberly, Mo. in the 1960’s)

 

I started coaching and teaching in 1950 at West Pike (across river from Hannibal). I became Principal of my alma mater, Quincy Senior High School, in 1967 for 18 years.

 

While I was there Tom Gott was dean at Junior High and later was District Business Manager. He married a Quincy girl he had met while playing with Quincy Gems. So we have had plenty of time together.

 

Jim Finigan was a year behind me in school. He attended Notre Dame High School. I played many games with him and his brother, Jack. Jim was good at all sports. Many don’t know what a great softball pitcher he was, but, of course, he limited that when baseball offers loomed.

 

I am fortunate that my wife is still at my side (married 72 years in June). We were married at 20 and 19. We live in our daughter’s home (she was at Sioux Falls as a baby). We have our own two rooms and bath.

 

One of my lifelong friends from Sioux Falls team was Bob Hoerner of Dubuque, IA. His brother, Joe, pitched for Cardinals in the Brock, Gibson, Torre, Cepeda era of 60s so we met many Cardinals. Joe, who suffered diabetes, was killed near Herman, Mo when he had an attack while driving tractor. Looking forward to future contact, John. I certainly appreciate your effort to locate me. I look forward to the cream can water picture.

  

2.

 

Thanks for info. on Boyers. I remember that Cletis Boyer hit a homer off Joe (Hoerner) in World Series. Joe Hoerner always brought some of the Cardinals pheasant hunting in Iowa and I was usually invited. (Steve) Carlton, (Mike) Shannon, and two brothers, pitchers, (name escapes me) were regulars. I don’t know how Shannon keeps from swear words on broadcasts. I like his announcing better than the TV announcers. (Ed note: I believe the pitching brothers who went on those hunting trips were Larry and Don Jaster.)

 

I grew up listening to France Laux announce Cardinals when the lineup was Medwick, Moore and Rothrock in outfield, Kurowski, Marion, Pepper Martin and Johnny Mize, infield. Mickey Owen catching. Pitchers were Dean Brothers, Wild Bill Hallahan, Fiddler Bill McGee and later, Howard Pollett, Murray Dickson, Harvey Haddix and Harry Brecheen. Musial came on the scene when I was in high school.

 

It is great to have you remember me when at Carthage. I look forward to future contact.

 

I played basketball and baseball with the Tappe twins in my class. El caught some with Cubs and was a favorite of (P.K.) Wrigley. Both El and Mel died early with pancreatic cancer. They had a Sporting Goods store in Quincy. Dick Heitholt

 

3.

 

Did you know Carl Hubbell? Noted he was from Carthage

 

Ed note: I answered this question by pointing out Hubbell left Southwest Missouri in 1903 and shared with Dick the columns I’ve written about how Hubbell was not a Carthaginian although I wish he had have been.

 

4.

 

Pure delight to read your great stories. You may be surprised that I replaced Bob Speake at Sioux Falls in 1949. He wasn’t off to a good start there. You mentioned Harry Bright who was our 3B until he was called up during mid-season. I learned not to be his partner in pinochle as he was a wild bidder. (Note: Harry Bright was “called out west” after 18 games at Sioux Falls. He went to Clovis, NM where he led the league in hitting, in 1950 with a .413 mark. Due to his time at Sioux Falls his total batting average for 1950 was a “mere” .397).

 

Other players on ‘50 team: Howie Bowles (he was sure he would win a watch for first home run, but, luckily, I hit one in first game); Bollinger and Handley in OF; Ted Sterger, Dick Loyd and I, infield; with Eilbracht sharing catching with Rube Walker (who was one of Cub’s managers when they spread the job around. (I) Already mentioned El Tappe one of them. Best pitcher was Bob Hartig.

 

Do you recall names, Jim Belz and Ralph Lageman? They went to AAA with Cards and played with me at Quincy College. I also wonder if you heard of Ray DeGreef, my college coach (baseball and basketball). Great career at St. Francis Borgia in Washington, Mo.

 

Ed note: I informed Heitholt that I didn’t recall the names of Belz, Lageman and DeGreef. I did some research on DeGreef to satisfy my curiosity and found that he coached here in Columbia, Mo. for a local high school. That precipitated the following comment in #5.

 

5.

 

I thought I knew all about DeGreef, but didn’t know he was at Columbia Hickman. He went to Culver- Stockton and was a disciple of Bill Harrington, basketball coach. We ran set plays. DeGreef best baseball manager I ran into.

 

Do you live in Columbia? Joe Hoerner’s daughter lives there.

 

That concludes this week’s edition of the “cream can at Carthage.” I had intended to include some material regarding Lee Eilbracht who was the other guy in the “cream can” photo. However, his life story is pretty amazing in its own right and will have to await a future edition to be told.

______________________________________________________________________________

An Episode from 9 years ago comes to conclusion

 

Hello John --I had contacted you a number of years ago regarding my father, Don Dagenais. You were extremely kind in researching newspaper articles for him. I just wanted to let you know that my father passed away on Tuesday, April 2nd. Thank you again for researching those articles for him - he really enjoyed reading them, and I know it brought back a lot of memories for him.

 

Regards, Glenn Dagenais—in Illinois

 

This is the original contact with the Dagenais family. “On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 12:18 PM, Glenn Dagenais wrote: “ John - My name is Glenn Dagenais and I am the son of Don Dagenais. Last month you sent newspaper articles to a friend of my dad, Ray Nemec. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to do so - my dad has thoroughly enjoyed reading the articles from back in his playing days.

 

I have a question for you. I do genealogy work and am wondering if you could tell me the exact name of the newspaper(s) that these articles came from. You had previously sent some articles from 1947, and the most recent articles you sent were from 1948. Please let me know also if

both years of articles were from the same newspaper.

 

On Mon, 12/27/10, John Hall wrote:

 

It is now called the Reflector-Chronicle but I'm sure that wasn't its title in 1948. I thought a search of the Internet would provide that name but it didn't. I think on the top of one or two of those sheets I sent your dad is the title of the newspaper.

 

Those were from the Abilene, Kansas newspaper. I believe in 1947-48 era it was called the Register. To get a real glimpse of the league in which your dad played the Junction

City, Clay Center, Manhattan, Belleville and Concordia newspapers would give the information on games they played with Abilene.

 

There were quite a number of guys on those teams who played in the major leagues and many more who played professional baseball after leaving that league. Those guys came from around the country to play there in the summer. A lot of college players from Kansas, Kansas

State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma A & M, now Okla. State Univ. played there. There were many boys out of Chicago on those teams. I think most of them were later signed by the Cubs. I know one real well who fit that mold. Paul Hoffmeister lives in Arlington Heights and after two years at Concordia he wound up in my hometown pitching for the Class D Chicago Cub affiliate. He later played as high up as the Pacific Coast league. He's still in Arlington

Heights and is a CPA.

 

Tell your dad I'm glad he enjoyed those old clippings. I've attended the funeral of three of his Abilene teammates who later wound up in the KOM league. Those three fellows were Ed Wilson, Harland Coffman and Earl Hays.

 

Ed note: Many gallons of water have rolled beneath the bridge in the past nine years and Paul Hoffmeister is no longer with us. The research for the Dagenais family was in regard to Don Dagenais playing for the Abilene, Kansas Ikes in the North Central Kansas Amateur Baseball League of America in the mid-1940s.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Musial video went well

 

The link to a Stan Musial video went over well. At least six people opened it and I heard from them. Also, heard from Stan’s daughter, Janet, who thanked me for sharing it and for admitting to be prejudiced about believing her father was the greatest of them all. It takes more than being able to hit a round object with a round war club but when that can be accomplished as well as being a wonderful person, then that is true greatness.

 

Then, from someone who has known me about as long as I’ve been exhaling carbon dioxide came this note. “Johnny: Thank you. I got the Vecsey book for my birthday and enjoyed it enormously. Especially your contribution. We had a great hero, Johnny, when we were kids. Thanks, again. -- Corky Simpson—Tucson, Arizona.

 

Ed comment:

 

My name appears on the cover of three books as the author and on thousands of pages of other material. However, I consider being the co- subject of Chapter 6 of the George Vecsey book, on Stan Musial, as being at the top of the batting order. The book’s title is “Stan Musial An American Life.”

  

Former All For One Dollar store, site of 1996 double homicide (still unsolved)

Artist Todd Matthews works on a sketch of Sarah de Vries. Matthew's group Project EDAN has sketched 27 original pictures of Robert Pickton's alleged victims.

RYCK KALONICK/SPECIAL TO THE VANCOUVER SUN

 

Sketches express softer side of missing women.

 

A group of artists has created images of Willy Pickton's alleged victims that reveal real women behind their grim mug shots

 

Lori Culbert

Vancouver Sun

 

Saturday, December 17, 2005

 

It was the sad faces, the dishevelled hair, and the startled eyes of the women missing from the Downtown Eastside that bothered Tennessee artist Todd Matthews.

 

Those grim police mug shots were the only photographs the public have seen of many of the 27 women Port Coquitlam pig farmer Robert (Willy) Pickton is accused of murdering.

 

In them, the women look tired, scared and worn-down -- a reflection, most likely, of difficult lifestyles that often involved drug addiction and prostitution.

 

The pictures were not, Matthews thought, a true reflection of the women's inner spirits: they didn't reveal that these women were mothers, sisters and aunts, with families, friends and unfulfilled dreams.

 

The mug shots sent a message that the women were photographed by police for doing something wrong, and Matthews believed it was important for them to be viewed in a more positive light.

 

"I think people were seeing a criminal rather than a victim," he said in an interview from his home near Nashville. "I think they were discounted. If they had been 20-something soccer moms, what [public reaction] do you think would have happened?"

 

Matthews is the founder of Project EDAN (Everybody Deserves A Name), a U.S. group of certified forensic sketch artists who donate their time to make facial reconstructions of unidentified victims for small- and medium-sized police agencies without budgets to hire artists.

 

Matthews, who has a passion for unsolved crimes and was instrumental in helping police solve the 30-year-old Kentucky "tent girl" murder case, is also media director for the Doe Network, which has volunteers worldwide and profiles hundreds of missing people and unidentified bodies on its Internet site.

 

On an online cold cases chat group, Matthews met former Vancouver resident Wayne Leng, who was a friend of Sarah de Vries, one of the city's missing women. Leng, who now lives in California, has established a website dedicated to the more than 60 women who have disappeared from Vancouver's gritty Downtown Eastside since the late 1970s, including Pickton's alleged victims.

 

Matthews saw the pictures displayed on Leng's website, and put out a request to the members of Project EDAN to volunteer their time to create drawings of the women.

 

He wanted their hair styled nicely and a "Mona Lisa" smile on their lips -- to reflect a happier time.

 

"I wanted them to have a little touch of pleasantry, because the images -- the mug shots -- it was obviously a very bad point in their lives," Matthews said.

 

"I just thought it was so sad to leave it like that."

 

To his surprise, six artists, in addition to himself, were quick to volunteer their time.

 

The vast majority of the Project EDAN members do not work in law enforcement -- the sketches they do for the police are done on a volunteer basis in their space time.

 

But Wesley Neville, a lieutenant with the Florence County sheriff's office in South Carolina, is a unique member of the group.

 

He works full-time for a police agency, doing composite drawings, facial reconstruction with clay, and age-progression sketches of missing children.

 

He said his volunteer work for Project EDAN -- including drawing 11 of Vancouver's missing women -- allows him to use his artistic talent to give back to society.

 

"It feels good inside, especially on a project like this," Neville said in a telephone interview.

 

He based his sketches on the police mug shots, as well as other photos of the women he found posted on Web sites by media outlets, relatives or friends.

 

Neville's technique was to imagine how the women would have looked when they were happy, healthy and safe.

 

"I saw through the damage that had been done physically to them. It's obvious their diets were bad, and drugs had taken their toll on some of them. I pretty much take that out -- it's like an age-regression," he said.

 

"I wanted to try to make them look as lifelike as possible, in a more innocent time."

 

The sketches by the Project EDAN volunteers are being unveiled for the first time in today's Vancouver Sun. They include drawings of 25 of the 27 alleged Pickton victims. (One victim is unidentified, so she could not be sketched, and the other is not included because her mother requested the picture not be published.)

 

The drawings in today's newspaper also include sketches of two women, Dawn Crey and Yvonne Boen, whose DNA was found on the Pickton farm, but police say there was not enough evidence to lay murder charges in those cases.

 

The men championing this project, Matthews and Leng, spoke to a couple of the victims' families about the sketches, but they didn't seek permission to do them -- arguing they were created for the women themselves.

 

"When Todd first came to me with the idea, I thought, 'Wow, this is fantastic,'" Leng said in a telephone interview.

 

"[The sketches] takes them away from that mug shot . . . . A lot of people do only see them as an addict and a prostitute. They don't see that this is a real human being. They just look at the ruggedness of what's happened to them on the Downtown Eastside."

 

Leng said he is sorry one mother didn't like her daughter's sketch, but said he hopes others will be moved by the artists' efforts.

 

"These sketches are for these women," Leng said. "I think they present [the women] in a beautiful light, as to the way they really were."

 

The drawings will be posted on his website (www.missingpeople.net), and he hopes they'll eventually be used at a permanent memorial in Vancouver as the city prepares for Pickton's lengthy murder trial, expected to start next year.

 

Leng searched doggedly for his friend, de Vries, before police announced her DNA had been found on Pickton's farm. He speaks frequently to her mother, Pat de Vries, but hadn't mentioned the sketches to her.

 

However, in a phone interview from her home in Guelph, Ont., Pat de Vries said the drawings could only be an improvement over the mug shots often published in newspapers.

 

"I think it's a really nice idea. Those photos were really ugly of some of those women -- unnecessarily so," de Vries said.

 

Leng had mentioned the sketches to Jack Cummer, the grandfather of Andrea Joesbury. He hasn't seen his granddaughter's sketch when contacted last week by the Sun, but believes the intention behind them is good.

 

"I thought it was fantastic, if they were painting the inner-picture rather than the picture of the one that was on the [police missing person] poster," Cummer said from his home in Nanaimo.

 

"They weren't drug-addicted hookers. They were warm individuals and they were somebody's darling."

 

Cummer said Joesbury, one of the first women Pickton was charged with murdering after his arrest in February 2002, often had a Mona Lisa smile on her face.

 

Of the seven Project EDAN volunteers who drew the sketches, only one is Canadian: Charlaine Michaelis from Sudbury, Ont.

 

"This particular group of women were so underexposed in the media, in my opinion. It was just such a joy for me to do it," said Michaelis, who has been a graphic artist for 25 years and recently did artwork for the new Disney movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

 

She scanned the pictures of the women sent to her by Matthews, and chose to sketch Georgina Papin -- "her face jumped out at me" -- but had only the police mug shot to work from.

 

Her technique, Michaelis said, was based partly on science and partly on intuition.

 

"I spent a lot of time examining the photo, looking at the underlying muscle structure to see how the face falls, and then I try to imagine how it would look if that action were reversed -- if she were smiling," she said.

 

Then, Michaelis watched herself in the mirror, analyzing how her face changed from a frown to a smile.

 

"Once I had that idea of how the muscles were working, I translated that onto her features," she recalled.

 

Michaelis said she was solely motivated to provide Papin with a better picture of herself, but added she hopes the woman's family will get some peace from the sketch.

 

"I would hope they'll think, 'Yeah that's the girl we remember before she got into her situation.'"

 

Matthews agrees.

 

"It's sort of like a Christmas gift for the families," he said.

 

lculbert@png.canwest.com

 

www.missingpeople.net/sketches_express_softer_side_of.htm

 

Project EDAN

www.projectedan.us/

 

The Doenetwork

www.doenetwork.org/

....._._...__....._._...___...._

 

over

 

February 21, 2017,

Suffolk Superior Courthouse

Pemberton Square, Boston, Massachusetts

 

The bicycle showed up on February 5, 2017, morning of Superbowl Sunday. It stayed until March 7, 2017, FBI, the light thing, too, camera?

 

qwikLoadr™ Videos...

Julio | World of Wheels gwennie2006 • YouTube™

Julio Trilogy | Pieces of [8] gwennie2006! • YouTube™

Gareth Emery | Concrete Angel Christina Novelli • Vimeo™

 

Blogger GrfxDziner | Purple Reign Go Amber!! [Breathe Holly!]...

GrfxDziner.blogspot.com/2017/02/purple-reign-go-amber-bre...

Blogger HiltonFan | Captain America Black Dahlia [Thanks Molly!]...

HiltonFan-GrfxDziner.blogspot.com/2017/02/captain-america...

 

Deanna Cemin Murder Investigation [unsolved] | Somerville, MA...

www.flickr.com/groups/somervillema/discuss/72157602047189...

 

Tenuous Link: window with flashing > camera with flash

  

NOTE: Bicycle was at my work for over a month. I left at noon for delivery every day, and errands too. When I left at night I went across the street to the Garden of Peace. Some one else also has a recording of my journey, apparently.

 

.

When we were kids

    at the edge of a river

    in the waves of the ocean

    in the bath

    at the end of a family meal

    

  we were

              playing

    with water

    

trying to catch it

    trying to hold it in our hands

  feeling it flowing

                                between our fingers

    

pouring it from one glass

      into another

    again

        and again

      endlessly

    

This is how we

            learned water

    

      how it it feels

  how it moves

what it does

    what it can't do

        

And the more

          we played with water

    the more we learned

                                  about it

    

Now

          all grown up

      we can

                predict

    how it feel

    how it moves

    what it does ...

this seems so natural

      so easy

  so obvious

        

However

    to reach this point

      this ease

      this fuildity

                          of movements

it took

        an enormous number

  of experiments

  many of them

      building on the previous ones

    to explore new things

    to confirm what we imagined

      

And

      most importantly

  among these experiments

it took

        many spilled glasses

            many broken ones

    many impossible targets

                and many missed ones

      many surprises

            and many unsolved puzzles

  it took

      many failures

  

    

We wouldn't have learned many things of value

      about water

          how it feels

          how it moves

          what it does

          what it can't do

    we wouldn't even be able to pour a glass of water

                                                                                    from that pitcher

if we didn't fail

                so many times

          when we were playing

          

and we wouldn't have learned much from all these failures

  if we are too afraid of making them

  if we remained inside ourselves

                                          fearing making them

          without pushing that glass

          to see what it would do

  if we ran away and hid

                each time failures happened

  if we refused to observe them

            and look through them

    

We failed

    and we failed again

  and we succeeded

and we failed some more

    and we had a good look at it all

    and it became easier

        and easier

  

  and today

        we can pour all the glasses of fresh water

                we want

            for our friends

        sitting with us at dinner

    without thinking much about it

        

It seems like it was child's play

And we may

                today

  have forgotten

all these experiments

                        we made

  forgotten

      all these hours feeling the water flowing on our skin

      all this water spilled

                    outside the bathtub

      all these glasses

                              which fell on the tablecloth

      all these bowls

                      overflowing

        all these wondrous failures

        

May be ...

  may be

      we should remember them

      though

  each time we see

      someone else perform an action

            something we don't know how to do

    so precisely

  and so elegantly

      and so effectively

that

    we think he was born with the ability to do it

      or with such a strong predisposition to it

and

    we think we can't do it like this

    we think we will never be able to do it like this

    

May be

        then

  we should remember about the years

                                                          of practice

      it took us to learn something as obvious as water

maybe we should

      consider the amount of time

          of practice

            and the enormous amount of

                                                            failures

          it took

                  for that other person

              to now be able

      to do this

            or that

          with such ease

                  and elegance

    

Or would we rather

        discount it with a mindless

                    "oh well ... he was born with it"

      ?

  

    

If you came to Earth

          from a planet

          where water did not exist

  how long would it take you

        to learn it ?

How many experiments ?

    

Could you really learn it

      without spilling some ?

Could you really learn it

    if you were afraid to fail an experiment ?

            

Play !

      Spill !

  Learn !

  And then play !

 

If you want OUT - Exit here!

 

Seen at Professor Cline's Haunted Monster Museum & Dark Maze, Natural Bridge, Virginia. June 9, 2011

 

April of 2021, fire would consume the entire property.

 

goo.gl/maps/zLb89TYBjRNCNfqR8

 

Located off Route 130 on Bell Tower Road where BTR dead ends in the woods

 

Burning roadside: Can Mark Cline rise again from the ashes?

By Hawes Spencer | hawesinsky@gmail.com

Published online 6:07am Wednesday May 23rd, 2012

and in print issue #1121 dated Thursday May 24th, 2012

 

A mid-April blaze demolished the Victorian-era mansion that served as the Haunted Monster Museum as well as the centerpiece of a bizzaro place called Dinosaur World where dinos would gobble Union soldiers and where brave visitors could also hunt Bigfoot with a "redneck." But the fire means no attractions this summer from Mark "Professor" Cline.

 

"We're gonna take a break this year," says Cline. "I just need more time to regroup."

Although the fiberglass dinos in the woods outside were saved, the Monster Museum was incinerated. The mechanical rats, the "Elvis-stein" monster, and the mighty fiberglass python that seemed to slither in and out of the second-story gable windows all went up in flames late on the afternoon of April 16.

During a next-day visit, the ruins are still smoldering when a State Police investigator shoos a reporter from the scene.

 

"This is Natural Bridge property," barks the officer, as Cline ushers the visitor away from the charred house.

 

"He was my dragon," laughs Cline, recalling the era when the future officer was a teenager piloting not a Crown Victoria but a lawn tractor and sporting a character costume at Cline's last attraction, the Enchanted Castle. In a still-unsolved 2001 fire, a blaze whose investigation (or lack thereof, as he alleges) still makes Cline bristle with anger, the Enchanted Castle went up in flames.

 

"I'd much rather have Barney Fife and Inspector Clousseau out here," says Cline, recalling how State Police investigators conducted interviews hinting that Cline himself had torched the Enchanted Castle, despite the fact that the Castle was uninsured, and that he lost his office, his studio, and all the irreplaceable 8-millimeter films he made as a boy.

 

"We've done a pile of work on that case," says George "Stick" Austin, the State Police captain overseeing that investigation, noting that it's standard procedure to interview owners. "It is still considered an active investigation."

 

As for the recent fire, it was an otherwise uneventful spring afternoon when Cline says he was on the grounds of his studio, where– with a small crew– he manufactures fiberglass figures for America's roadside playgrounds.

 

"I got a call at about 5:45 from the assistant general manager of Natural Bridge," says Cline. "I dropped everything and ran outside."

Cline pauses, looking mournfully down the highway in the direction of the smoldering ruins.

 

"I looked up and saw a plume of thick black smoke," he says, "and I knew immediately it was gone."

By the time Cline could speed the three miles south on Lee Highway, what may have started as a minor blaze on a stage at one end of the structure had become an engulfing inferno. Cline snapped a few photographs as the mansion cooked.

 

At the time of a reporter's visit 24 hours later, all that's left are a trio of chimneys and the front wall, executed in a rusticated gray limestone.

To 64-year-old Kilmarnock resident Ann Gill, whose grandparents owned and operated the structure as a hotel/antique shop called "Stonewall Lodge," it's a crushing blow.

 

"It was a romantic old home," says Gill. "My mother was married there."

In the years after Gill's family sold the structure in the 1950s, the Natural Bridge company eventually let the place go to seed, and by the 1980s the expansive front lawn had reverted to forest.

 

Cline says the abandoned house seemed creepy when, a decade ago, he approached the owner, Natural Bridge LLC, with his plan to haunt it. In 2002, he unveiled his Haunted Monster Museum there. Two years later, as an April Fool's prank, he built a full-size replica of Stonehenge called Foamhenge about a mile away.

 

The past two decades have been a tough time on traditional road-trip destinations. While Natural Bridge keeps attendance figures under wraps, educational places like Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg reveal numbers that have fallen from their peaks in the pre-Internet, pre-water-park era.

 

The venerable Homestead Resort just announced plans to put in a water park. Massanutten installed its water park in 2005.

As some may recall, there was a proposal in Charlottesville 20 years ago to give land to a steam train operator. But that was at least five hotels ago, before the Downtown Mall and myriad wineries erupted with enough critical mass to fill all the new lodgings.

 

Despite having what's been billed as the Seventh Wonder of the natural world, Natural Bridge has had no such luck. The town's newest hotel appears at least 50 years old. A pair of zoos, a cave, a wax museum, an Indian village, and a new indoor butterfly garden helped draw families off the Interstate, but it was Cline's humor/horror compound that drew national attention from roadside enthusiasts.

 

"It was a nice addition to our attractions and particularly popular with kids," says Natural Bridge general manager Debbie Land. "It's a total loss as they say in the insurance world."

It's a great loss to Kay Lera. A retiree from the San Francisco Bay Area who for nine years ran a B&B in her new hometown of Lexington, Lera notes how one man can make a difference.

"Natural Bridge has the beauty of the bridge and the caverns," says Lera, "but having some wacky humor incorporated into the scenario does make it a family destination."

 

So strong is the pull of Professor Cline that when an unassuming adult walks into the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke to ask what the Museum has to offer, the first words out of the front desk lady's mouth are these: "Well, Professor Cline is gone…"

 

We didn't even ask about Professor Cline, whose exhibition there had closed a couple of weeks earlier. But when a man hangs a fiberglass King Kong on the side of your museum and breaks attendance records with such twisted figures as the "Franken-chicken," people take notice.

 

Like the rest of us, Cline says he's now trying to face the prospect of a summer without his Monster Museum. He's seen an uptick in contract work, like the 13 men's room sinks he recently built for the Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.

A couple of reality show producers have made inquiries about following him around.

Cline veers between "pissed off" anger at an unknown arsonist and the peace of knowing that nobody was killed or injured in the fire.

 

"We made a lot of magic there," says Cline, mulling the impermanence of his creations. "Even one day the great Pyramids of Egypt will be just dust in the wind. This might just be one of those messages from the universe saying it's time to move on."

 

Bergen, historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. As of 2022, its population was roughly 289,330. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway after national capital Oslo. The municipality covers 465 square kilometres (180 sq mi) and is located on the peninsula of Bergenshalvøyen. The city centre and northern neighbourhoods are on Byfjorden, 'the city fjord'. The city is surrounded by mountains, causing Bergen to be called the "city of seven mountains". Many of the extra-municipal suburbs are on islands. Bergen is the administrative centre of Vestland county. The city consists of eight boroughs: Arna, Bergenhus, Fana, Fyllingsdalen, Laksevåg, Ytrebygda, Årstad, and Åsane.

 

Trading in Bergen may have started as early as the 1020s. According to tradition, the city was founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre and was named Bjørgvin, 'the green meadow among the mountains'. It served as Norway's capital in the 13th century, and from the end of the 13th century became a bureau city of the Hanseatic League. Until 1789, Bergen enjoyed exclusive rights to mediate trade between Northern Norway and abroad, and it was the largest city in Norway until the 1830s when it was overtaken by the capital, Christiania (now known as Oslo). What remains of the quays, Bryggen, is a World Heritage Site. The city was hit by numerous fires over the years. The Bergen School of Meteorology was developed at the Geophysical Institute starting in 1917, the Norwegian School of Economics was founded in 1936, and the University of Bergen in 1946. From 1831 to 1972, Bergen was its own county. In 1972 the municipality absorbed four surrounding municipalities and became a part of Hordaland county.

 

The city is an international centre for aquaculture, shipping, the offshore petroleum industry and subsea technology, and a national centre for higher education, media, tourism and finance. Bergen Port is Norway's busiest in terms of both freight and passengers, with over 300 cruise ship calls a year bringing nearly a half a million passengers to Bergen, a number that has doubled in 10 years. Almost half of the passengers are German or British. The city's main football team is SK Brann and a unique tradition of the city is the buekorps, which are traditional marching neighbourhood youth organisations. Natives speak a distinct dialect, known as Bergensk. The city features Bergen Airport, Flesland and Bergen Light Rail, and is the terminus of the Bergen Line. Four large bridges connect Bergen to its suburban municipalities.

 

Bergen has a mild winter climate, though with significant precipitation. From December to March, Bergen can, in rare cases, be up to 20 °C warmer than Oslo, even though both cities are at about 60° North. In summer however, Bergen is several degrees cooler than Oslo due to the same maritime effects. The Gulf Stream keeps the sea relatively warm, considering the latitude, and the mountains protect the city from cold winds from the north, north-east and east.

 

History

Hieronymus Scholeus's impression of Bergen. The drawing was made in about 1580 and was published in an atlas with drawings of many different cities (Civitaes orbis terrarum).

The city of Bergen was traditionally thought to have been founded by king Olav Kyrre, son of Harald Hardråde in 1070 AD, four years after the Viking Age in England ended with the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Modern research has, however, discovered that a trading settlement had already been established in the 1020s or 1030s.

 

Bergen gradually assumed the function of capital of Norway in the early 13th century, as the first city where a rudimentary central administration was established. The city's cathedral was the site of the first royal coronation in Norway in the 1150s, and continued to host royal coronations throughout the 13th century. Bergenhus fortress dates from the 1240s and guards the entrance to the harbour in Bergen. The functions of the capital city were lost to Oslo during the reign of King Haakon V (1299–1319).

 

In the middle of the 14th century, North German merchants, who had already been present in substantial numbers since the 13th century, founded one of the four Kontore of the Hanseatic League at Bryggen in Bergen. The principal export traded from Bergen was dried cod from the northern Norwegian coast, which started around 1100. The city was granted a monopoly for trade from the north of Norway by King Håkon Håkonsson (1217–1263). Stockfish was the main reason that the city became one of North Europe's largest centres for trade.[11] By the late 14th century, Bergen had established itself as the centre of the trade in Norway. The Hanseatic merchants lived in their own separate quarter of the town, where Middle Low German was used, enjoying exclusive rights to trade with the northern fishermen who each summer sailed to Bergen. The Hansa community resented Scottish merchants who settled in Bergen, and on 9 November 1523 several Scottish households were targeted by German residents. Today, Bergen's old quayside, Bryggen, is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

 

In 1349, the Black Death was brought to Norway by an English ship arriving in Bergen. Later outbreaks occurred in 1618, 1629 and 1637, on each occasion taking about 3,000 lives. In the 15th century, the city was attacked several times by the Victual Brothers, and in 1429 they succeeded in burning the royal castle and much of the city. In 1665, the city's harbour was the site of the Battle of Vågen, when an English naval flotilla attacked a Dutch merchant and treasure fleet supported by the city's garrison. Accidental fires sometimes got out of control, and one in 1702 reduced most of the town to ashes.

 

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Bergen remained one of the largest cities in Scandinavia, and it was Norway's biggest city until the 1830s, being overtaken by the capital city of Oslo. From around 1600, the Hanseatic dominance of the city's trade gradually declined in favour of Norwegian merchants (often of Hanseatic ancestry), and in the 1750s, the Kontor, or major trading post of the Hanseatic League, finally closed. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Bergen was involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Bergen-based slave trader Jørgen Thormøhlen, the largest shipowner in Norway, was the main owner of the slave ship Cornelia, which made two slave-trading voyages in 1673 and 1674 respectively; he also developed the city's industrial sector, particularly in the neighbourhood of Møhlenpris, which is named after him. Bergen retained its monopoly of trade with northern Norway until 1789. The Bergen stock exchange, the Bergen børs, was established in 1813.

 

Modern history

Bergen was separated from Hordaland as a county of its own in 1831. It was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Bergen landdistrikt was merged with Bergen on 1 January 1877. The rural municipality of Årstad was merged with Bergen on 1 July 1915.

 

During World War II, Bergen was occupied on the first day of the German invasion on 9 April 1940, after a brief fight between German ships and the Norwegian coastal artillery. The Norwegian resistance movement groups in Bergen were Saborg, Milorg, "Theta-gruppen", Sivorg, Stein-organisasjonen and the Communist Party. On 20 April 1944, during the German occupation, the Dutch cargo ship Voorbode anchored off the Bergenhus Fortress, loaded with over 120 tons of explosives, and blew up, killing at least 150 people and damaging historic buildings. The city was subject to some Allied bombing raids, aimed at German naval installations in the harbour. Some of these caused Norwegian civilian casualties numbering about 100.

 

Bergen is also well known in Norway for the Isdal Woman (Norwegian: Isdalskvinnen), an unidentified person who was found dead at Isdalen ("Ice Valley") on 29 November 1970. The unsolved case encouraged international speculation over the years and it remains one of the most profound mysteries in recent Norwegian history.

 

The rural municipalities of Arna, Fana, Laksevåg, and Åsane were merged with Bergen on 1 January 1972. The city lost its status as a separate county on the same date, and Bergen is now a municipality, in the county of Vestland.

 

Fires

The city's history is marked by numerous great fires. In 1198, the Bagler faction set fire to the city in connection with a battle against the Birkebeiner faction during the civil war. In 1248, Holmen and Sverresborg burned, and 11 churches were destroyed. In 1413 another fire struck the city, and 14 churches were destroyed. In 1428 the city was plundered by the Victual Brothers, and in 1455, Hanseatic merchants were responsible for burning down Munkeliv Abbey. In 1476, Bryggen burned down in a fire started by a drunk trader. In 1582, another fire hit the city centre and Strandsiden. In 1675, 105 buildings burned down in Øvregaten. In 1686 another great fire hit Strandsiden, destroying 231 city blocks and 218 boathouses. The greatest fire in history was in 1702, when 90% of the city was burned to ashes. In 1751, there was a great fire at Vågsbunnen. In 1756, yet another fire at Strandsiden burned down 1,500 buildings, and further great fires hit Strandsiden in 1771 and 1901. In 1916, 300 buildings burned down in the city centre including the Swan pharmacy, the oldest pharmacy in Norway, and in 1955 parts of Bryggen burned down.

 

Toponymy

Bergen is pronounced in English /ˈbɜːrɡən/ or /ˈbɛərɡən/ and in Norwegian [ˈbæ̀rɡn̩] (in the local dialect [ˈbæ̂ʁɡɛn]). The Old Norse forms of the name were Bergvin [ˈberɡˌwin] and Bjǫrgvin [ˈbjɔrɡˌwin] (and in Icelandic and Faroese the city is still called Björgvin). The first element is berg (n.) or bjǫrg (n.), which translates as 'mountain(s)'. The last element is vin (f.), which means a new settlement where there used to be a pasture or meadow. The full meaning is then "the meadow among the mountains". This is a suitable name: Bergen is often called "the city among the seven mountains". It was the playwright Ludvig Holberg who felt so inspired by the seven hills of Rome, that he decided that his home town must be blessed with a corresponding seven mountains – and locals still argue which seven they are.

 

In 1918, there was a campaign to reintroduce the Norse form Bjørgvin as the name of the city. This was turned down – but as a compromise, the name of the diocese was changed to Bjørgvin bispedømme.

 

Bergen occupies most of the peninsula of Bergenshalvøyen in the district of Midthordland in mid-western Hordaland. The municipality covers an area of 465 square kilometres (180 square miles). Most of the urban area is on or close to a fjord or bay, although the urban area has several mountains. The city centre is surrounded by the Seven Mountains, although there is disagreement as to which of the nine mountains constitute these. Ulriken, Fløyen, Løvstakken and Damsgårdsfjellet are always included as well as three of Lyderhorn, Sandviksfjellet, Blåmanen, Rundemanen and Kolbeinsvarden. Gullfjellet is Bergen's highest mountain, at 987 metres (3,238 ft) above mean sea level. Bergen is far enough north that during clear nights at the solstice, there is borderline civil daylight in spite of the sun having set.

 

Bergen is sheltered from the North Sea by the islands Askøy, Holsnøy (the municipality of Meland) and Sotra (the municipalities of Fjell and Sund). Bergen borders the municipalities Alver and Osterøy to the north, Vaksdal and Samnanger to the east, Os (Bjørnafjorden) and Austevoll to the south, and Øygarden and Askøy to the west.

 

The city centre of Bergen lies in the west of the municipality, facing the fjord of Byfjorden. It is among a group of mountains known as the Seven Mountains, although the number is a matter of definition. From here, the urban area of Bergen extends to the north, west and south, and to its east is a large mountain massif. Outside the city centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods (i.e. Årstad, inner Laksevåg and Sandviken), the majority of the population lives in relatively sparsely populated residential areas built after 1950. While some are dominated by apartment buildings and modern terraced houses (e.g. Fyllingsdalen), others are dominated by single-family homes.

 

The oldest part of Bergen is the area around the bay of Vågen in the city centre. Originally centred on the bay's eastern side, Bergen eventually expanded west and southwards. Few buildings from the oldest period remain, the most significant being St Mary's Church from the 12th century. For several hundred years, the extent of the city remained almost constant. The population was stagnant, and the city limits were narrow. In 1702, seven-eighths of the city burned. Most of the old buildings of Bergen, including Bryggen (which was rebuilt in a mediaeval style), were built after the fire. The fire marked a transition from tar covered houses, as well as the remaining log houses, to painted and some brick-covered wooden buildings.

 

The last half of the 19th century saw a period of rapid expansion and modernisation. The fire of 1855 west of Torgallmenningen led to the development of regularly sized city blocks in this area of the city centre. The city limits were expanded in 1876, and Nygård, Møhlenpris and Sandviken were urbanized with large-scale construction of city blocks housing both the poor and the wealthy. Their architecture is influenced by a variety of styles; historicism, classicism and Art Nouveau. The wealthy built villas between Møhlenpris and Nygård, and on the side of Mount Fløyen; these areas were also added to Bergen in 1876. Simultaneously, an urbanization process was taking place in Solheimsviken in Årstad, at that time outside the Bergen municipality, centred on the large industrial activity in the area. The workers' homes in this area were poorly built, and little remains after large-scale redevelopment in the 1960s–1980s.

 

After Årstad became a part of Bergen in 1916, a development plan was applied to the new area. Few city blocks akin to those in Nygård and Møhlenpris were planned. Many of the worker class built their own homes, and many small, detached apartment buildings were built. After World War II, Bergen had again run short of land to build on, and, contrary to the original plans, many large apartment buildings were built in Landås in the 1950s and 1960s. Bergen acquired Fyllingsdalen from Fana municipality in 1955. Like similar areas in Oslo (e.g. Lambertseter), Fyllingsdalen was developed into a modern suburb with large apartment buildings, mid-rises, and some single-family homes, in the 1960s and 1970s. Similar developments took place beyond Bergen's city limits, for example in Loddefjord.

 

At the same time as planned city expansion took place inside Bergen, its extra-municipal suburbs also grew rapidly. Wealthy citizens of Bergen had been living in Fana since the 19th century, but as the city expanded it became more convenient to settle in the municipality. Similar processes took place in Åsane and Laksevåg. Most of the homes in these areas are detached row houses,[clarification needed] single family homes or small apartment buildings. After the surrounding municipalities were merged with Bergen in 1972, expansion has continued in largely the same manner, although the municipality encourages condensing near commercial centres, future Bergen Light Rail stations, and elsewhere.

 

As part of the modernisation wave of the 1950s and 1960s, and due to damage caused by World War II, the city government ambitiously planned redevelopment of many areas in central Bergen. The plans involved demolition of several neighbourhoods of wooden houses, namely Nordnes, Marken, and Stølen. None of the plans was carried out in its original form; the Marken and Stølen redevelopment plans were discarded and that of Nordnes only carried out in the area that had been most damaged by war. The city council of Bergen had in 1964 voted to demolish the entirety of Marken, however, the decision proved to be highly controversial and the decision was reversed in 1974. Bryggen was under threat of being wholly or partly demolished after the fire of 1955, when a large number of the buildings burned to the ground. Instead of being demolished, the remaining buildings were restored and accompanied by reconstructions of some of the burned buildings.

 

Demolition of old buildings and occasionally whole city blocks is still taking place, the most recent major example being the 2007 razing of Jonsvollskvartalet at Nøstet.

 

Billboards are banned in the city.

 

Culture and sports

Bergens Tidende (BT) and Bergensavisen (BA) are the largest newspapers, with circulations of 87,076 and 30,719 in 2006, BT is a regional newspaper covering all of Vestland, while BA focuses on metropolitan Bergen. Other newspapers published in Bergen include the Christian national Dagen, with a circulation of 8.936, and TradeWinds, an international shipping newspaper. Local newspapers are Fanaposten for Fana, Sydvesten for Laksevåg and Fyllingsdalen and Bygdanytt for Arna and the neighbouring municipality Osterøy. TV 2, Norway's largest private television company, is based in Bergen.

 

The 1,500-seat Grieg Hall is the city's main cultural venue, and home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1765, and the Bergen Woodwind Quintet. The city also features Carte Blanche, the Norwegian national company of contemporary dance. The annual Bergen International Festival is the main cultural festival, which is supplemented by the Bergen International Film Festival. Two internationally renowned composers from Bergen are Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull. Grieg's home, Troldhaugen, has been converted to a museum. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Bergen produced a series of successful pop, rock and black metal artists, collectively known as the Bergen Wave.

 

Den Nationale Scene is Bergen's main theatre. Founded in 1850, it had Henrik Ibsen as one of its first in-house playwrights and art directors. Bergen's contemporary art scene is centred on BIT Teatergarasjen, Bergen Kunsthall, United Sardines Factory (USF) and Bergen Center for Electronic Arts (BEK). Bergen was a European Capital of Culture in 2000. Buekorps is a unique feature of Bergen culture, consisting of boys aged from 7 to 21 parading with imitation weapons and snare drums. The city's Hanseatic heritage is documented in the Hanseatic Museum located at Bryggen.

 

SK Brann is Bergen's premier football team; founded in 1908, they have played in the (men's) Norwegian Premier League for all but seven years since 1963 and consecutively, except one season after relegation in 2014, since 1987. The team were the football champions in 1961–1962, 1963, and 2007,[155] and reached the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1996–1997. Brann play their home games at the 17,824-seat Brann Stadion. FK Fyllingsdalen is the city's second-best team, playing in the Second Division at Varden Amfi. Its predecessor, Fyllingen, played in the Norwegian Premier League in 1990, 1991 and 1993. Arna-Bjørnar and Sandviken play in the Women's Premier League.

 

Bergen IK is the premier men's ice hockey team, playing at Bergenshallen in the First Division. Tertnes play in the Women's Premier Handball League, and Fyllingen in the Men's Premier Handball League. In athletics, the city is dominated by IL Norna-Salhus, IL Gular and FIK BFG Fana, formerly also Norrøna IL and TIF Viking. The Bergen Storm are an American football team that plays matches at Varden Kunstgress and plays in the second division of the Norwegian league.

 

Bergensk is the native dialect of Bergen. It was strongly influenced by Low German-speaking merchants from the mid-14th to mid-18th centuries. During the Dano-Norwegian period from 1536 to 1814, Bergen was more influenced by Danish than other areas of Norway. The Danish influence removed the female grammatical gender in the 16th century, making Bergensk one of very few Norwegian dialects with only two instead of three grammatical genders. The Rs are uvular trills, as in French, which probably spread to Bergen some time in the 18th century, overtaking the alveolar trill in the time span of two to three generations. Owing to an improved literacy rate, Bergensk was influenced by riksmål and bokmål in the 19th and 20th centuries. This led to large parts of the German-inspired vocabulary disappearing and pronunciations shifting slightly towards East Norwegian.

 

The 1986 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Bergen. Bergen was the host city for the 2017 UCI Road World Championships. The city is also a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of gastronomy since 2015.

 

Street art

Bergen is considered to be the street art capital of Norway. Famed artist Banksy visited the city in 2000 and inspired many to start creating street art. Soon after, the city brought up the most famous street artist in Norway: Dolk. His art can still be seen in several places in the city, and in 2009 the city council choose to preserve Dolk's work "Spray" with protective glass. In 2011, Bergen council launched a plan of action for street art in Bergen from 2011 to 2015 to ensure that "Bergen will lead the fashion for street art as an expression both in Norway and Scandinavia".

 

The Madam Felle (1831–1908) monument in Sandviken, is in honour of a Norwegian woman of German origin, who in the mid-19th century managed, against the will of the council, to maintain a counter of beer. A well-known restaurant of the same name is now situated at another location in Bergen. The monument was erected in 1990 by sculptor Kari Rolfsen, supported by an anonymous donor. Madam Felle, civil name Oline Fell, was remembered after her death in a popular song, possibly originally a folksong, "Kjenner Dokker Madam Felle?" by Lothar Lindtner and Rolf Berntzen on an album in 1977.

 

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a Nordic , European country and an independent state in the west of the Scandinavian Peninsula . Geographically speaking, the country is long and narrow, and on the elongated coast towards the North Atlantic are Norway's well-known fjords . The Kingdom of Norway includes the main country (the mainland with adjacent islands within the baseline ), Jan Mayen and Svalbard . With these two Arctic areas, Norway covers a land area of ​​385,000 km² and has a population of approximately 5.5 million (2023). Mainland Norway borders Sweden in the east , Finland and Russia in the northeast .

 

Norway is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy , where Harald V has been king and head of state since 1991 , and Jonas Gahr Støre ( Ap ) has been prime minister since 2021 . Norway is a unitary state , with two administrative levels below the state: counties and municipalities . The Sami part of the population has, through the Sami Parliament and the Finnmark Act , to a certain extent self-government and influence over traditionally Sami areas. Although Norway has rejected membership of the European Union through two referendums , through the EEA Agreement Norway has close ties with the Union, and through NATO with the United States . Norway is a significant contributor to the United Nations (UN), and has participated with soldiers in several foreign operations mandated by the UN. Norway is among the states that have participated from the founding of the UN , NATO , the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the Nordic Council , and in addition to these is a member of the EEA , the World Trade Organization , the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and is part of the Schengen area .

 

Norway is rich in many natural resources such as oil , gas , minerals , timber , seafood , fresh water and hydropower . Since the beginning of the 20th century, these natural conditions have given the country the opportunity for an increase in wealth that few other countries can now enjoy, and Norwegians have the second highest average income in the world, measured in GDP per capita, as of 2022. The petroleum industry accounts for around 14% of Norway's gross domestic product as of 2018. Norway is the world's largest producer of oil and gas per capita outside the Middle East. However, the number of employees linked to this industry fell from approx. 232,000 in 2013 to 207,000 in 2015.

 

In Norway, these natural resources have been managed for socially beneficial purposes. The country maintains a welfare model in line with the other Nordic countries. Important service areas such as health and higher education are state-funded, and the country has an extensive welfare system for its citizens. Public expenditure in 2018 is approx. 50% of GDP, and the majority of these expenses are related to education, healthcare, social security and welfare. Since 2001 and until 2021, when the country took second place, the UN has ranked Norway as the world's best country to live in . From 2010, Norway is also ranked at the top of the EIU's democracy index . Norway ranks third on the UN's World Happiness Report for the years 2016–2018, behind Finland and Denmark , a report published in March 2019.

 

The majority of the population is Nordic. In the last couple of years, immigration has accounted for more than half of population growth. The five largest minority groups are Norwegian-Poles , Lithuanians , Norwegian-Swedes , Norwegian-Syrians including Syrian Kurds and Norwegian-Pakistani .

 

Norway's national day is 17 May, on this day in 1814 the Norwegian Constitution was dated and signed by the presidency of the National Assembly at Eidsvoll . It is stipulated in the law of 26 April 1947 that 17 May are national public holidays. The Sami national day is 6 February. "Yes, we love this country" is Norway's national anthem, the song was written in 1859 by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832–1910).

 

Norway's history of human settlement goes back at least 10,000 years, to the Late Paleolithic , the first period of the Stone Age . Archaeological finds of settlements along the entire Norwegian coast have so far been dated back to 10,400 before present (BP), the oldest find is today considered to be a settlement at Pauler in Brunlanes , Vestfold .

For a period these settlements were considered to be the remains of settlers from Doggerland , an area which today lies beneath the North Sea , but which was once a land bridge connecting today's British Isles with Danish Jutland . But the archaeologists who study the initial phase of the settlement in what is today Norway reckon that the first people who came here followed the coast along what is today Bohuslân. That they arrived in some form of boat is absolutely certain, and there is much evidence that they could easily move over large distances.

 

Since the last Ice Age, there has been continuous settlement in Norway. It cannot be ruled out that people lived in Norway during the interglacial period , but no trace of such a population or settlement has been found.

 

The Stone Age lasted a long time; half of the time that our country has been populated. There are no written accounts of what life was like back then. The knowledge we have has been painstakingly collected through investigations of places where people have stayed and left behind objects that we can understand have been processed by human hands. This field of knowledge is called archaeology . The archaeologists interpret their findings and the history of the surrounding landscape. In our country, the uplift after the Ice Age is fundamental. The history of the settlements at Pauler is no more than fifteen years old.

 

The Fosna culture settled parts of Norway sometime between 10,000–8,000 BC. (see Stone Age in Norway ). The dating of rock carvings is set to Neolithic times (in Norway between 4000 BC to 1700 BC) and show activities typical of hunters and gatherers .

 

Agriculture with livestock and arable farming was introduced in the Neolithic. Swad farming where the farmers move when the field does not produce the expected yield.

 

More permanent and persistent farm settlements developed in the Bronze Age (1700 BC to 500 BC) and the Iron Age . The earliest runes have been found on an arrowhead dated to around 200 BC. Many more inscriptions are dated to around 800, and a number of petty kingdoms developed during these centuries. In prehistoric times, there were no fixed national borders in the Nordic countries and Norway did not exist as a state. The population in Norway probably fell to year 0.

 

Events in this time period, the centuries before the year 1000, are glimpsed in written sources. Although the sagas were written down in the 13th century, many hundreds of years later, they provide a glimpse into what was already a distant past. The story of the fimbul winter gives us a historical picture of something that happened and which in our time, with the help of dendrochronology , can be interpreted as a natural disaster in the year 536, created by a volcanic eruption in El Salvador .

 

In the period between 800 and 1066 there was a significant expansion and it is referred to as the Viking Age . During this period, Norwegians, as Swedes and Danes also did, traveled abroad in longships with sails as explorers, traders, settlers and as Vikings (raiders and pirates ). By the middle of the 11th century, the Norwegian kingship had been firmly established, building its right as descendants of Harald Hårfagre and then as heirs of Olav the Holy . The Norwegian kings, and their subjects, now professed Christianity . In the time around Håkon Håkonsson , in the time after the civil war , there was a small renaissance in Norway with extensive literary activity and diplomatic activity with Europe. The black dew came to Norway in 1349 and killed around half of the population. The entire state apparatus and Norway then entered a period of decline.

 

Between 1396 and 1536, Norway was part of the Kalmar Union , and from 1536 until 1814 Norway had been reduced to a tributary part of Denmark , named as the Personal Union of Denmark-Norway . This staff union entered into an alliance with Napoléon Bonaparte with a war that brought bad times and famine in 1812 . In 1814, Denmark-Norway lost the Anglophone Wars , part of the Napoleonic Wars , and the Danish king was forced to cede Norway to the king of Sweden in the Treaty of Kiel on 14 January of that year. After a Norwegian attempt at independence, Norway was forced into a loose union with Sweden, but where Norway was allowed to create its own constitution, the Constitution of 1814 . In this period, Norwegian, romantic national feeling flourished, and the Norwegians tried to develop and establish their own national self-worth. The union with Sweden was broken in 1905 after it had been threatened with war, and Norway became an independent kingdom with its own monarch, Haakon VII .

 

Norway remained neutral during the First World War , and at the outbreak of the Second World War, Norway again declared itself neutral, but was invaded by National Socialist Germany on 9 April 1940 .

 

Norway became a member of the Western defense alliance NATO in 1949 . Two attempts to join the EU were voted down in referendums by small margins in 1972 and 1994 . Norway has been a close ally of the United States in the post-war period. Large discoveries of oil and natural gas in the North Sea at the end of the 1960s led to tremendous economic growth in the country, which is still ongoing. Traditional industries such as fishing are also part of Norway's economy.

 

Stone Age (before 1700 BC)

When most of the ice disappeared, vegetation spread over the landscape and due to a warm climate around 2000-3000 BC. the forest grew much taller than in modern times. Land uplift after the ice age led to a number of fjords becoming lakes and dry land. The first people probably came from the south along the coast of the Kattegat and overland into Finnmark from the east. The first people probably lived by gathering, hunting and trapping. A good number of Stone Age settlements have been found which show that such hunting and trapping people stayed for a long time in the same place or returned to the same place regularly. Large amounts of gnawed bones show that they lived on, among other things, reindeer, elk, small game and fish.

 

Flintstone was imported from Denmark and apart from small natural deposits along the southern coast, all flintstone in Norway is transported by people. At Espevær, greenstone was quarried for tools in the Stone Age, and greenstone tools from Espevær have been found over large parts of Western Norway. Around 2000-3000 BC the usual farm animals such as cows and sheep were introduced to Norway. Livestock probably meant a fundamental change in society in that part of the people had to be permanent residents or live a semi-nomadic life. Livestock farming may also have led to conflict with hunters.

 

The oldest traces of people in what is today Norway have been found at Pauler , a farm in Brunlanes in Larvik municipality in Vestfold . In 2007 and 2008, the farm has given its name to a number of Stone Age settlements that have been excavated and examined by archaeologists from the Cultural History Museum at UiO. The investigations have been carried out in connection with the new route for the E18 motorway west of Farris. The oldest settlement, located more than 127 m above sea level, is dated to be about 10,400 years old (uncalibrated, more than 11,000 years in real calendar years). From here, the ice sheet was perhaps visible when people settled here. This locality has been named Pauler I, and is today considered to be the oldest confirmed human traces in Norway to date. The place is in the mountains above the Pauler tunnel on the E18 between Larvik and Porsgrunn . The pioneer settlement is a term archaeologists have adopted for the oldest settlement. The archaeologists have speculated about where they came from, the first people in what is today Norway. It has been suggested that they could come by boat or perhaps across the ice from Doggerland or the North Sea, but there is now a large consensus that they came north along what is today the Bohuslän coast. The Fosna culture , the Komsa culture and the Nøstvet culture are the traditional terms for hunting cultures from the Stone Age. One thing is certain - getting to the water was something they mastered, the first people in our country. Therefore, within a short time they were able to use our entire long coast.

 

In the New Stone Age (4000 BC–1700 BC) there is a theory that a new people immigrated to the country, the so-called Stone Ax People . Rock carvings from this period show motifs from hunting and fishing , which were still important industries. From this period, a megalithic tomb has been found in Østfold .

It is uncertain whether there were organized societies or state-like associations in the Stone Age in Norway. Findings from settlements indicate that many lived together and that this was probably more than one family so that it was a slightly larger, organized herd.

 

Finnmark

In prehistoric times, animal husbandry and agriculture were of little economic importance in Finnmark. Livelihoods in Finnmark were mainly based on fish, gathering, hunting and trapping, and eventually domestic reindeer herding became widespread in the Middle Ages. Archaeological finds from the Stone Age have been referred to as the Komsa culture and comprise around 5,000 years of settlement. Finnmark probably got its first settlement around 8000 BC. It is believed that the coastal areas became ice-free 11,000 years BC and the fjord areas around 9,000 years BC. after which willows, grass, heather, birch and pine came into being. Finnmarksvidda was covered by pine forest around 6000 BC. After the Ice Age, the land rose around 80 meters in the inner fjord areas (Alta, Tana, Varanger). Due to ice melting in the polar region, the sea rose in the period 6400–3800 BC. and in areas with little land elevation, some settlements from the first part of the Stone Age were flooded. On Sørøya, the net sea level rise was 12 to 14 meters and many residential areas were flooded.

 

According to Bjørnar Olsen , there are many indications of a connection between the oldest settlement in Western Norway (the " Fosnakulturen ") and that in Finnmark, but it is uncertain in which direction the settlement took place. In the earliest part of the Stone Age, settlement in Finnmark was probably concentrated in the coastal areas, and these only reflected a lifestyle with great mobility and no permanent dwellings. The inner regions, such as Pasvik, were probably used seasonally. The archaeologically proven settlements from the Stone Age in inner Finnmark and Troms are linked to lakes and large watercourses. The oldest petroglyphs in Alta are usually dated to 4200 BC, that is, the Neolithic . Bjørnar Olsen believes that the oldest can be up to 2,000 years older than this.

 

From around 4000 BC a slow deforestation of Finnmark began and around 1800 BC the vegetation distribution was roughly the same as in modern times. The change in vegetation may have increased the distance between the reindeer's summer and winter grazing. The uplift continued slowly from around 4000 BC. at the same time as sea level rise stopped.

 

According to Gutorm Gjessing, the settlement in Finnmark and large parts of northern Norway in the Neolithic was semi-nomadic with movement between four seasonal settlements (following the pattern of life in Sami siida in historical times): On the outer coast in summer (fishing and seal catching) and inland in winter (hunting for reindeer, elk and bear). Povl Simonsen believed instead that the winter residence was in the inner fjord area in a village-like sod house settlement. Bjørnar Olsen believes that at the end of the Stone Age there was a relatively settled population along the coast, while inland there was less settlement and a more mobile lifestyle.

 

Bronze Age (1700 BC–500 BC)

Bronze was used for tools in Norway from around 1500 BC. Bronze is a mixture of tin and copper , and these metals were introduced because they were not mined in the country at the time. Bronze is believed to have been a relatively expensive material. The Bronze Age in Norway can be divided into two phases:

 

Early Bronze Age (1700–1100 BC)

Younger Bronze Age (1100–500 BC)

For the prehistoric (unwritten) era, there is limited knowledge about social conditions and possible state formations. From the Bronze Age, there are large burial mounds of stone piles along the coast of Vestfold and Agder, among others. It is likely that only chieftains or other great men could erect such grave monuments and there was probably some form of organized society linked to these. In the Bronze Age, society was more organized and stratified than in the Stone Age. Then a rich class of chieftains emerged who had close connections with southern Scandinavia. The settlements became more permanent and people adopted horses and ard . They acquired bronze status symbols, lived in longhouses and people were buried in large burial mounds . Petroglyphs from the Bronze Age indicate that humans practiced solar cultivation.

 

Finnmark

In the last millennium BC the climate became cooler and the pine forest disappears from the coast; pine forests, for example, were only found in the innermost part of the Altafjord, while the outer coast was almost treeless. Around the year 0, the limit for birch forest was south of Kirkenes. Animals with forest habitats (elk, bear and beaver) disappeared and the reindeer probably established their annual migration routes sometime at that time. In the period 1800–900 BC there were significantly more settlements in and utilization of the hinterland was particularly noticeable on Finnmarksvidda. From around 1800 BC until year 0 there was a significant increase in contact between Finnmark and areas in the east including Karelia (where metals were produced including copper) and central and eastern Russia. The youngest petroglyphs in Alta show far more boats than the earlier phases and the boats are reminiscent of types depicted in petroglyphs in southern Scandinavia. It is unclear what influence southern Scandinavian societies had as far north as Alta before the year 0. Many of the cultural features that are considered typical Sami in modern times were created or consolidated in the last millennium BC, this applies, among other things, to the custom of burying in brick chambers in stone urns. The Mortensnes burial ground may have been used for 2000 years until around 1600 AD.

 

Iron Age (c. 500 BC–c. 1050 AD)

 

The Einangsteinen is one of the oldest Norwegian runestones; it is from the 4th century

 

Simultaneous production of Vikings

Around 500 years BC the researchers reckon that the Bronze Age will be replaced by the Iron Age as iron takes over as the most important material for weapons and tools. Bronze, wood and stone were still used. Iron was cheaper than bronze, easier to work than flint , and could be used for many purposes; iron probably became common property. Iron could, among other things, be used to make solid and sharp axes which made it much easier to fell trees. In the Iron Age, gold and silver were also used partly for decoration and partly as means of payment. It is unknown which language was used in Norway before our era. From around the year 0 until around the year 800, everyone in Scandinavia (except the Sami) spoke Old Norse , a North Germanic language. Subsequently, several different languages ​​developed in this area that were only partially mutually intelligible. The Iron Age is divided into several periods:

 

Early Iron Age

Pre-Roman Iron Age (c. 500 BC–c. 0)

Roman Iron Age (c. 0–c. AD 400)

Migration period (approx. 400–600). In the migration period (approx. 400–600), new peoples came to Norway, and ruins of fortress buildings etc. are interpreted as signs that there has been talk of a violent invasion.

Younger Iron Age

Merovingian period (500–800)

 

The Viking Age (793–1066)

Norwegian Vikings go on plundering expeditions and trade voyages around the coastal countries of Western Europe . Large groups of Norwegians emigrate to the British Isles , Iceland and Greenland . Harald Hårfagre starts a unification process of Norway late in the 8th century , which was completed by Harald Hardråde in the 1060s . The country was Christianized under the kings Olav Tryggvason , fell in the battle of Svolder ( 1000 ) and Olav Haraldsson (the saint), fell in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030 .

 

Sources of prehistoric times

Shrinking glaciers in the high mountains, including in Jotunheimen and Breheimen , have from around the year 2000 uncovered objects from the Viking Age and earlier. These are objects of organic material that have been preserved by the ice and that elsewhere in nature are broken down in a few months. The finds are getting older as the melting makes the archaeologists go deeper into the ice. About half of all archaeological discoveries on glaciers in the world are made in Oppland . In 2013, a 3,400-year-old shoe and a robe from the year 300 were found. Finds at Lomseggen in Lom published in 2020 revealed, among other things, well-preserved horseshoes used on a mountain pass. Many hundreds of items include preserved clothing, knives, whisks, mittens, leather shoes, wooden chests and horse equipment. A piece of cloth dated to the year 1000 has preserved its original colour. In 2014, a wooden ski from around the year 700 was found in Reinheimen . The ski is 172 cm long and 14 cm wide, with preserved binding of leather and wicker.

 

Pytheas from Massalia is the oldest known account of what was probably the coast of Norway, perhaps somewhere on the coast of Møre. Pytheas visited Britannia around 325 BC. and traveled further north to a country by the "Ice Sea". Pytheas described the short summer night and the midnight sun farther north. He wrote, among other things, that people there made a drink from grain and honey. Caesar wrote in his work about the Gallic campaign about the Germanic tribe Haruders. Other Roman sources around the year 0 mention the land of the Cimbri (Jutland) and the Cimbri headlands ( Skagen ) and that the sources stated that Cimbri and Charyds lived in this area. Some of these peoples may have immigrated to Norway and there become known as hordes (as in Hordaland). Sources from the Mediterranean area referred to the islands of Scandia, Scandinavia and Thule ("the outermost of all islands"). The Roman historian Tacitus wrote around the year 100 a work about Germania and mentioned the people of Scandia, the Sviones. Ptolemy wrote around the year 150 that the Kharudes (Hordes) lived further north than all the Cimbri, in the north lived the Finnoi (Finns or Sami) and in the south the Gutai (Goths). The Nordic countries and Norway were outside the Roman Empire , which dominated Europe at the time. The Gothic-born historian Jordanes wrote in the 5th century about 13 tribes or people groups in Norway, including raumaricii (probably Romerike ), ragnaricii ( Ranrike ) and finni or skretefinni (skrid finner or ski finner, i.e. Sami) as well as a number of unclear groups. Prokopios wrote at the same time about Thule north of the land of the Danes and Slavs, Thule was ten times as big as Britannia and the largest of all the islands. In Thule, the sun was up 40 days straight in the summer. After the migration period , southern Europeans' accounts of northern Europe became fuller and more reliable.

 

Settlement in prehistoric times

Norway has around 50,000 farms with their own names. Farm names have persisted for a long time, over 1000 years, perhaps as much as 2000 years. The name researchers have arranged different types of farm names chronologically, which provides a basis for determining when the place was used by people or received a permanent settlement. Uncompounded landscape names such as Haug, Eid, Vik and Berg are believed to be the oldest. Archaeological traces indicate that some areas have been inhabited earlier than assumed from the farm name. Burial mounds also indicate permanent settlement. For example, the burial ground at Svartelva in Løten was used from around the year 0 to the year 1000 when Christianity took over. The first farmers probably used large areas for inland and outland, and new farms were probably established based on some "mother farms". Names such as By (or Bø) show that it is an old place of residence. From the older Iron Age, names with -heim (a common Germanic word meaning place of residence) and -stad tell of settlement, while -vin and -land tell of the use of the place. Farm names in -heim are often found as -um , -eim or -em as in Lerum and Seim, there are often large farms in the center of the village. New farm names with -city and -country were also established in the Viking Age . The first farmers probably used the best areas. The largest burial grounds, the oldest archaeological finds and the oldest farm names are found where the arable land is richest and most spacious.

 

It is unclear whether the settlement expansion in Roman times, migrations and the Iron Age is due to immigration or internal development and population growth. Among other things, it is difficult to demonstrate where in Europe the immigrants have come from. The permanent residents had both fields (where grain was grown) and livestock that grazed in the open fields, but it is uncertain which of these was more important. Population growth from around the year 200 led to more utilization of open land, for example in the form of settlements in the mountains. During the migration period, it also seems that in parts of the country it became common to have cluster gardens or a form of village settlement.

 

Norwegian expansion northwards

From around the year 200, there was a certain migration by sea from Rogaland and Hordaland to Nordland and Sør-Troms. Those who moved settled down as a settled Iron Age population and became dominant over the original population which may have been Sami . The immigrant Norwegians, Bumen , farmed with livestock that were fed inside in the winter as well as some grain cultivation and fishing. The northern border of the Norwegians' settlement was originally at the Toppsundet near Harstad and around the year 500 there was a Norwegian settlement to Malangsgapet. That was as far north as it was possible to grow grain at the time. Malangen was considered the border between Hålogaland and Finnmork until around 1400 . Further into the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, there was immigration and settlement of Norwegian speakers along the coast north of Malangen. Around the year 800, Norwegians lived along the entire outer coast to Vannøy . The Norwegians partly copied Sami livelihoods such as whaling, fur hunting and reindeer husbandry. It was probably this area between Malangen and Vannøy that was Ottar from the Hålogaland area. In the Viking Age, there were also some Norwegian settlements further north and east. East of the North Cape are the scattered archaeological finds of Norwegian settlement in the Viking Age. There are Norwegian names for fjords and islands from the Viking Age, including fjord names with "-anger". Around the year 1050, there were Norwegian settlements on the outer coast of Western Finnmark. Traders and tax collectors traveled even further.

 

North of Malangen there were Norse farming settlements in the Iron Age. Malangen was considered Finnmark's western border until 1300. There are some archaeological traces of Norse activity around the coast from Tromsø to Kirkenes in the Viking Age. Around Tromsø, the research indicates a Norse/Sami mixed culture on the coast.

 

From the year 1100 and the next 200–300 years, there are no traces of Norwegian settlement north and east of Tromsø. It is uncertain whether this is due to depopulation, whether it is because the Norwegians further north were not Christianized or because there were no churches north of Lenvik or Tromsø . Norwegian settlement in the far north appears from sources from the 14th century. In the Hanseatic period , the settlement was developed into large areas specialized in commercial fishing, while earlier (in the Viking Age) there had been farms with a combination of fishing and agriculture. In 1307 , a fortress and the first church east of Tromsø were built in Vardø . Vardø became a small Norwegian town, while Vadsø remained Sami. Norwegian settlements and churches appeared along the outermost coast in the Middle Ages. After the Reformation, perhaps as a result of a decline in fish stocks or fish prices, there were Norwegian settlements in the inner fjord areas such as Lebesby in Laksefjord. Some fishing villages at the far end of the coast were abandoned for good. In the interior of Finnmark, there was no national border for a long time and Kautokeino and Karasjok were joint Norwegian-Swedish areas with strong Swedish influence. The border with Finland was established in 1751 and with Russia in 1826.

 

On a Swedish map from 1626, Norway's border is indicated at Malangen, while Sweden with this map showed a desire to control the Sami area which had been a common area.

 

The term Northern Norway only came into use at the end of the 19th century and administratively the area was referred to as Tromsø Diocese when Tromsø became a bishopric in 1840. There had been different designations previously: Hålogaland originally included only Helgeland and when Norse settlement spread north in the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, Hålogaland was used for the area north approximately to Malangen , while Finnmark or "Finnmarken", "the land of the Sami", lay outside. The term Northern Norway was coined at a cafe table in Kristiania in 1884 by members of the Nordlændingernes Forening and was first commonly used in the interwar period as it eventually supplanted "Hålogaland".

 

State formation

The battle in Hafrsfjord in the year 872 has long been regarded as the day when Norway became a kingdom. The year of the battle is uncertain (may have been 10-20 years later). The whole of Norway was not united in that battle: the process had begun earlier and continued a couple of hundred years later. This means that the geographical area became subject to a political authority and became a political unit. The geographical area was perceived as an area as it is known, among other things, from Ottar from Hålogaland's account for King Alfred of Wessex around the year 880. Ottar described "the land of the Norwegians" as very long and narrow, and it was narrowest in the far north. East of the wasteland in the south lay Sveoland and in the north lay Kvenaland in the east. When Ottar sailed south along the land from his home ( Malangen ) to Skiringssal, he always had Norway ("Nordveg") on his port side and the British Isles on his starboard side. The journey took a good month. Ottar perceived "Nordveg" as a geographical unit, but did not imply that it was a political unit. Ottar separated Norwegians from Swedes and Danes. It is unclear why Ottar perceived the population spread over such a large area as a whole. It is unclear whether Norway as a geographical term or Norwegians as the name of a ethnic group is the oldest. The Norwegians had a common language which in the centuries before Ottar did not differ much from the language of Denmark and Sweden.

 

According to Sverre Steen, it is unlikely that Harald Hårfagre was able to control this entire area as one kingdom. The saga of Harald was written 300 years later and at his death Norway was several smaller kingdoms. Harald probably controlled a larger area than anyone before him and at most Harald's kingdom probably included the coast from Trøndelag to Agder and Vestfold as well as parts of Viken . There were probably several smaller kingdoms of varying extent before Harald and some of these are reflected in traditional landscape names such as Ranrike and Ringerike . Landscape names of "-land" (Rogaland) and "-mark" (Hedmark) as well as names such as Agder and Sogn may have been political units before Harald.

 

According to Sverre Steen, the national assembly was completed at the earliest at the battle of Stiklestad in 1030 and the introduction of Christianity was probably a significant factor in the establishment of Norway as a state. Håkon I the good Adalsteinsfostre introduced the leasehold system where the "coastal land" (as far as the salmon went up the rivers) was divided into ship raiders who were to provide a longship with soldiers and supplies. The leidange was probably introduced as a defense against the Danes. The border with the Danes was traditionally at the Göta älv and several times before and after Harald Hårfagre the Danes had control over central parts of Norway.

 

Christianity was known and existed in Norway before Olav Haraldson's time. The spread occurred both from the south (today's Denmark and northern Germany) and from the west (England and Ireland). Ansgar of Bremen , called the "Apostle of the North", worked in Sweden, but he was never in Norway and probably had little influence in the country. Viking expeditions brought the Norwegians of that time into contact with Christian countries and some were baptized in England, Ireland and northern France. Olav Tryggvason and Olav Haraldson were Vikings who returned home. The first Christians in Norway were also linked to pre-Christian local religion, among other things, by mixing Christian symbols with symbols of Odin and other figures from Norse religion.

 

According to Sverre Steen, the introduction of Christianity in Norway should not be perceived as a nationwide revival. At Mostratinget, Christian law was introduced as law in the country and later incorporated into the laws of the individual jurisdictions. Christianity primarily involved new forms in social life, among other things exposure and images of gods were prohibited, it was forbidden to "put out" unwanted infants (to let them die), and it was forbidden to have multiple wives. The church became a nationwide institution with a special group of officials tasked with protecting the church and consolidating the new religion. According to Sverre Steen, Christianity and the church in the Middle Ages should therefore be considered together, and these became a new unifying factor in the country. The church and Christianity linked Norway to Roman Catholic Europe with Church Latin as the common language, the same time reckoning as the rest of Europe and the church in Norway was arranged much like the churches in Denmark, Sweden and England. Norway received papal approval in 1070 and became its own church province in 1152 with Archbishop Nidaros .

 

With Christianity, the country got three social powers: the peasants (organized through the things), the king with his officials and the church with the clergy. The things are the oldest institution: At allthings all armed men had the right to attend (in part an obligation to attend) and at lagthings met emissaries from an area (that is, the lagthings were representative assemblies). The Thing both ruled in conflicts and established laws. The laws were memorized by the participants and written down around the year 1000 or later in the Gulationsloven , Frostatingsloven , Eidsivatingsloven and Borgartingsloven . The person who had been successful at the hearing had to see to the implementation of the judgment themselves.

 

Early Middle Ages (1050s–1184)

The early Middle Ages is considered in Norwegian history to be the period between the end of the Viking Age around 1050 and the coronation of King Sverre in 1184 . The beginning of the period can be dated differently, from around the year 1000 when the Christianization of the country took place and up to 1100 when the Viking Age was over from an archaeological point of view. From 1035 to 1130 it was a time of (relative) internal peace in Norway, even several of the kings attempted campaigns abroad, including in 1066 and 1103 .

 

During this period, the church's organization was built up. This led to a gradual change in religious customs. Religion went from being a domestic matter to being regulated by common European Christian law and the royal power gained increased power and influence. Slavery (" servitude ") was gradually abolished. The population grew rapidly during this period, as the thousands of farm names ending in -rud show.

 

The urbanization of Norway is a historical process that has slowly but surely changed Norway from the early Viking Age to today, from a country based on agriculture and sea salvage, to increasingly trade and industry. As early as the ninth century, the country got its first urban community, and in the eleventh century we got the first permanent cities.

 

In the 1130s, civil war broke out . This was due to a power struggle and that anyone who claimed to be the king's son could claim the right to the throne. The disputes escalated into extensive year-round warfare when Sverre Sigurdsson started a rebellion against the church's and the landmen's candidate for the throne , Magnus Erlingsson .

 

Emergence of cities

The oldest Norwegian cities probably emerged from the end of the 9th century. Oslo, Bergen and Nidaros became episcopal seats, which stimulated urban development there, and the king built churches in Borg , Konghelle and Tønsberg. Hamar and Stavanger became new episcopal seats and are referred to in the late 12th century as towns together with the trading places Veøy in Romsdal and Kaupanger in Sogn. In the late Middle Ages, Borgund (on Sunnmøre), Veøy (in Romsdalsfjorden) and Vågan (in Lofoten) were referred to as small trading places. Urbanization in Norway occurred in few places compared to the neighboring countries, only 14 places appear as cities before 1350. Stavanger became a bishopric around 1120–1130, but it is unclear whether the place was already a city then. The fertile Jæren and outer Ryfylke were probably relatively densely populated at that time. A particularly large concentration of Irish artefacts from the Viking Age has been found in Stavanger and Nord-Jæren.

 

It has been difficult to estimate the population in the Norwegian medieval cities, but it is considered certain that the cities grew rapidly in the Middle Ages. Oscar Albert Johnsen estimated the city's population before the Black Death at 20,000, of which 7,000 in Bergen, 3,000 in Nidaros, 2,000 in Oslo and 1,500 in Tunsberg. Based on archaeological research, Lunden estimates that Oslo had around 1,500 inhabitants in 250 households in the year 1300. Bergen was built up more densely and, with the concentration of exports there, became Norway's largest city in a special position for several hundred years. Knut Helle suggests a city population of 20,000 at most in the High Middle Ages, of which almost half in Bergen.

 

The Bjarkøyretten regulated the conditions in cities (especially Bergen and Nidaros) and in trading places, and for Nidaros had many of the same provisions as the Frostating Act . Magnus Lagabøte's city law replaced the bjarkøretten and from 1276 regulated the settlement in Bergen and with corresponding laws also drawn up for Oslo, Nidaros and Tunsberg. The city law applied within the city's roof area . The City Act determined that the city's public streets consisted of wide commons (perpendicular to the shoreline) and ran parallel to the shoreline, similarly in Nidaros and Oslo. The roads were small streets of up to 3 cubits (1.4 metres) and linked to the individual property. From the Middle Ages, the Norwegian cities were usually surrounded by wooden fences. The urban development largely consisted of low wooden houses which stood in contrast to the relatively numerous and dominant churches and monasteries built in stone.

 

The City Act and supplementary provisions often determined where in the city different goods could be traded, in Bergen, for example, cattle and sheep could only be traded on the Square, and fish only on the Square or directly from the boats at the quayside. In Nidaros, the blacksmiths were required to stay away from the densely populated areas due to the risk of fire, while the tanners had to stay away from the settlements due to the strong smell. The City Act also attempted to regulate the influx of people into the city (among other things to prevent begging in the streets) and had provisions on fire protection. In Oslo, from the 13th century or earlier, it was common to have apartment buildings consisting of single buildings on a couple of floors around a courtyard with access from the street through a gate room. Oslo's medieval apartment buildings were home to one to four households. In the urban farms, livestock could be kept, including pigs and cows, while pastures and fields were found in the city's rooftops . In the apartment buildings there could be several outbuildings such as warehouses, barns and stables. Archaeological excavations show that much of the buildings in medieval Oslo, Trondheim and Tønsberg resembled the oblong farms that have been preserved at Bryggen in Bergen . The land boundaries in Oslo appear to have persisted for many hundreds of years, in Bergen right from the Middle Ages to modern times.

 

High Middle Ages (1184–1319)

After civil wars in the 12th century, the country had a relative heyday in the 13th century. Iceland and Greenland came under the royal authority in 1262 , and the Norwegian Empire reached its greatest extent under Håkon IV Håkonsson . The last king of Haraldsätten, Håkon V Magnusson , died sonless in 1319 . Until the 17th century, Norway stretched all the way down to the mouth of Göta älv , which was then Norway's border with Sweden and Denmark.

 

Just before the Black Death around 1350, there were between 65,000 and 85,000 farms in the country, and there had been a strong growth in the number of farms from 1050, especially in Eastern Norway. In the High Middle Ages, the church or ecclesiastical institutions controlled 40% of the land in Norway, while the aristocracy owned around 20% and the king owned 7%. The church and monasteries received land through gifts from the king and nobles, or through inheritance and gifts from ordinary farmers.

 

Settlement and demography in the Middle Ages

Before the Black Death, there were more and more farms in Norway due to farm division and clearing. The settlement spread to more marginal agricultural areas higher inland and further north. Eastern Norway had the largest areas to take off and had the most population growth towards the High Middle Ages. Along the coast north of Stad, settlement probably increased in line with the extent of fishing. The Icelandic Rimbegla tells around the year 1200 that the border between Finnmark (the land of the Sami) and resident Norwegians in the interior was at Malangen , while the border all the way out on the

Me n' Kent with the Coke Polar Bear! I am certain it was remote controlled, like animatronics, and Kent is certain there was a real person in the suit. The mystery remains unsolved. :)

This is the last of a series of newspaper reports that I took photos of recently.

 

Here was a spy murder mystery in real life, dating back to 1977 (or 1974 for some of those directly affected) that included spies, espionage, a sex scandal, mistaken identity, BOTH the CIA AND KGB, and Middle East conflicts in which the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Israel, Egypt, the U.S.A. and Soviet Union were involved.

 

Obviously most of you didn't, and wouldn't be able to read the whole report. Here is a brief summary:

 

One evening in September 1974, Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) journalist David HALTON arrived in Cairo. On his way to the baggage claim area, two Middle Eastern men greeted Mr. Halton and said they would take him to his hotel. Odd, as Mr. Halton's itinerary was not known to the authorities, and he didn't plan anyone to pick him up at the airport. The two local men ushered Mr. Halton into a private car and drove off.

 

During the ride, small talks between the two men and Mr. Halton led to the realization that the two men were looking for Mr. David HOLDEN, chief foreign correspondent of London's Sunday Times, not CBC's David Halton. The two Egyptian men looked shocked in disbelief, no more conversation was exchanged. They dropped Mr. HALTON at his hotel and sped off. That was in 1974.

 

Then on the 6th December, 1977, The Sunday Times' David HOLDEN arrived in Cairo on assignment. Like David HALTON's experience three years earlier, Hr. Holden was intercepted by someone and ushered into a mysterious car. Several hours later, a body was discovered. Missing any ID, it was only on the 10th December, 1977, that the body was identified to belong to Mr. HOLDEN. He had been shot from behind.

 

After years of investigation by The Sunday Times' journalists, it was discovered that Mr. HOLDEN was likely a double-agent, as he had some sort of relationship with the CIA. Meanwhile, it was discovered that Mr. Holden was gay and had a lover named Leo Silberman, who turned out to be a KGB agent.

 

Not only that, and even more intriguing to the whole spy story, The Sunday Times' foreign editor between 1945 and 1959 was Ian Fleming. Yes, that "creator of James Bond" Ian Fleming, who was a real-life spy during World War II as Britain's intelligence chief, who recruited his wartime colleagues to work as newspaper associates while doubling as spies.

 

The murder of David Holden remains unsolved almost 50 years on. There has been a number of conspiracy or credible theories though.

The most beautiful women in TV and Movie History now become Barbie Collector Dolls created by acclaimed re-paint Artist Donna Brinkley.

 

Jacquelyn (Jaclyn) Ellen Smith has been known as the world's Most Beautiful Woman, she was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Margaret Ellen and Jack Smith, a dentist. She attended Trinity University in San Antonio.

 

After college, Smith moved to New York City with hopes of dancing with the ballet. Her career aspirations shifted to modeling and acting as she found work in television commercials and print ads, including one for Listerene mouthwash. She landed a job as a Breck girl for Breck Shampoo in 1971, and a few years later joined another popular model/actress, Farrah Fawcett, as a spokesmodel for Wella Balsam shampoo.

Charlie's Angels

 

On March 21, 1976, Smith first played Kelly Garrett in Charlie's Angels; the show was aired as a movie of the week, starring Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett (billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors) as private investigators for Townsend Associates, a detective agency run by a reclusive multi-millionaire whom the women had never met. Voiced by John Forsythe, the Charles Townsend character presented cases and dispensed advice via a speakerphone to his core team of three female employees, to whom he referred as Angels. They were aided in the office and occasionally in the field by two male associates, played by character actors David Doyle and David Ogden Stiers. The program earned a huge Nielsen rating, causing the network to air it a second time and okay production for a series, with all of the principal characters save the one played by Stiers. The series formally debuted on September 22, 1976, and ran for five seasons. The show would become a smash success not only in the U.S. but, in successive years, in syndication around the world, spawning a cottage industry of peripheral products, particularly in the show's first three seasons, including several series of bubble gum cards, two sets of fashion dolls, numerous posters, puzzles, and school supplies, novelizations of episodes, toy vans, and a board game, all featuring Smith's likeness. The Angels also appeared on the covers of magazines around the world, from countless fan magazines to TV Guide (four times) to Time Magazine.

 

Fawcett departed at the end of the first season, and Cheryl Ladd was a successful addition to the cast, remaining until the end of the series. Jackson departed at the end of the third season, and proved harder to replace, as first Shelley Hack and then Tanya Roberts were brought in to try re-igniting the chemistry, media attention and ratings success enjoyed by the earlier teams. Smith played her role for all five seasons of Charlie's Angels until 1981, also portraying the Garrett character in a guest appearance in the 1977 pilot episode of The San Pedro Beach Bums, and in a cameo in the 2003 feature film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Christina Chambers portrayed Smith in the television film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels.

 

Smith's first acting venture outside the Angels mold was the CBS-TV movie of the week Escape from Bogen County (1977). Then came a leading role in Joyce Haber's The Users with Tony Curtis and John Forsythe in 1978. In 1980, Smith starred with Robert Mitchum in the suspense thriller Nightkill. She then starred in the title role of the television movie Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in 1981, receiving a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination for her performance but lost to Jane Seymour. In 1983, Smith starred as Jennifer Parker in the TV movie Rage of Angels, based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon. The film was the highest rated in the Nielsen ratings the week it aired. Smith reprised the role in the 1986 sequel, Rage of Angels: The Story Continues.

 

In 1988, she appeared with Robert Wagner in Windmills of the Gods. That same year she was offered the chance to star opposite Richard Chamberlain in the adaptation of Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity. Smith was Chamberlain's first choice as his leading lady but she had just wrapped up with the Windmills of the Gods shoot and declined the part. The role was offered to Lesley-Anne Down who wanted her husband to photograph the film. Producers refused and again offered the role to Smith, who then accepted.

 

In 1989, Smith starred in Settle the Score. This film again proved her Nielsen ratings clout. Other television movies and miniseries in which Smith appeared include George Washington, The Night They Saved Christmas, Florence Nightingale, Sentimental Journey, Lies Before Kisses, The Rape of Dr. Willis, In the Arms of a Killer, and several TV versions of Danielle Steel novels, including Kaleidoscope and Family Album. Smith starred in the 1985 feature film Deja Vu, which was directed by her then-husband Tony Richmond. In 1989, she played the title role in Christine Cromwell, a mystery television series based in San Francisco, but which only lasted one season. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

From 2002 to 2004, Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh in the TV series The District, which starred Craig T. Nelson. She reprised her role as Kelly Garrett for a short cameo in the 2003 Charlie's Angels feature film. Her appearance at the 2006 Emmy telecast led Bravo TV’s producers to cast Smith as the celebrity host of Bravo’s weekly competitive reality series, Shear Genius, which began airing in March 2007. Shear Genius (Season 2) began airing on June 25, 2008.

 

In March 2010, Smith returned to acting after a five year absence with a guest role on the NBC television drama Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. In February 2012, it was announced that Smith would be guest-starring on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as the mother of David Hodges (played by Wallace Langham).

 

In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. A season 15 episode of The Simpsons (The Fat and the Furries) lampooned Smith's many business successes, portraying her as having her own line of axe heads. In May 2009, Smith allowed a documentary crew to profile her home life, design philosophy and relationship with Kmart in an online video series sponsored by Kmart. Her foray into home furnishings was extended to Kmart stores in the fall of 2008, with the chain's introduction of its Jaclyn Smith Today product line of bedding and bath accessories.

 

Smith has been married four times. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Davis (1968–1975). She married Dennis Cole, an actor who had appeared on Charlie's Angels in 1977 and 1978. Cole appeared on the show two more times before the couple divorced in 1981. Cole's son from a previous marriage, Joe Cole, with whom Smith had maintained a relationship after her divorce from his father, was murdered in 1991 during a robbery; the case remains unsolved. Smith married filmmaker Tony Richmond in 1981, with whom she had two children, Gaston (born 1982) and Spencer Margaret (born 1985), before divorcing Richmond in 1989. Smith has been married to Houston cardiothoracic surgeon[12] Brad Allen since 1997.

 

Smith battled breast cancer in 2003. In 2010, Smith was featured in 1 a Minute, a documentary about breast cancer.

 

On September 22, 2009, TMZ.com picked up a Honduran newspaper's false online report that Smith had been hospitalized in a private medical center there; TMZ later retracted the story, reporting that Smith was well and at home in California. Smith posted on her Twitter page, denouncing the Honduran newspaper story as false— Jaclyn is safe and home with her family. She is not in Honduras. It is a lie.

 

* A number of style mavens and magazine polls have attested to Smith's popularity and declared her one of the most beautiful women in the world. The difficult-to-please Mr. Blackwell once named her "The World's Best Dressed Woman". In 1979, McCall's ran a poll of "Whose Face Most Women Would Like To Have"; Smith topped the list. Smith has had more #1 acting projects than any other actress in Hollywood, and she has often been called the "Queen of the miniseries".

 

* In 1985, McCall's named her as one of "America's 10 Best Bodies;. People named Smith twice in its annual list of the Most Beautiful People in the World In the April 1984 issue of People, Smith was voted as one of the Ten Great Faces of Our Time. In 1985, Ladies' Home Journal sampled 2,000 men and women in 100 different locations in the United States to determine America's Favorite Women; Smith came in the top of the list as the Most Beautiful Woman in America, with actress Linda Evans coming in second. TV Guide magazine readers voted Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman On Television in 1991.

 

* Comic strip artist Sy Barry modeled the luscious Diana Palmer, wife of The Phantom, after Smith.

 

* The French band Air was inspired by Smith's Charlie's Angels character Kelly Garrett to record the song Kelly Watch the Stars for their critically acclaimed 1998 album Moon Safari, and the track was released as a single.

 

In 2012 beauty critics around the world voted Jaclyn Smith as the Most Beautiful Woman of all time along side Grace Kelly.

The Hope Diamond

 

•Catalog Number: NMNH G3551-00

•Locality: India

•Weight: 45.52 ct

 

Gift of Harry Winston, Inc in 1958.

 

Over 100 million visitors have experienced the beauty of the Hope Diamond since Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. Learn more about this remarkable gem using the tiles below.

 

Timeline

 

The French Kings: 1668-1792

 

1668-1669: Tavernier’s Diamond

 

King Louis XIV was fond of beautiful and rare gems, especially diamonds. In December of 1668, the explorer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier met with the king to share a collection of diamonds collected on his recently completed trip to India. In February of 1669, King Louis XIV purchased the lot of diamonds, including a large blue diamond weighing 112 3⁄16 old French carats (approximately 115 modern metric carats) for 220,000 livres (Bapst 1889). In recognition of this transaction, the king honored Tavernier with the rank of nobleman (Morel 1988).

 

It is commonly assumed that Tavernier acquired the diamond on his last journey to India (1664-1668) and that it came from the Kollur Mine of the Golconda region. However, evidence for both source and timing is circumstantial, as Tavernier makes no mention of the acquisition of the diamond in the published accounts of his journeys. The Kollur Mine is considered a likely source because it was known for producing large and colored diamonds (Post and Farges 2014), but there were several diamond mines throughout India during the time of Tavernier’s voyages, and the diamond could have come from any one of them. The diamond must at least have originated in India, as India was the only commercial source of diamonds in Tavernier’s time.

 

1669-1672: Creating the French Blue

 

King Louis XIV ordered one of his court jewelers, Jean Pittan the Younger, to supervise the recutting of the 115-carat blue diamond. The king likely ordered the stone recut because of differences between Indian and European tastes in diamonds: Indian gems were cut to retain size and weight, while Europeans prized luster, symmetry and brilliance. It is not known who actually cut the diamond, but the job took about two years to complete. The result was an approximately 69-carat heart-shaped diamond referred to as “the great violet diamond of His Majesty” in the historic royal archives. At that time, “violet” meant a shade of blue. Today, the diamond is most commonly known as the “French Blue” (Post and Farges 2014).

 

An inventory of the French Crown Jewels from 1691 reveals that the French Blue was “set into gold and mounted on a stick.” In 2012, a computer simulation revealed that eight central facets on the pavilion of the French Blue were cut so as to be visible when one looked through the face of the gem (Farges et al. 2012). When the stone was set in gold, the effect would be the appearance of a gold sun in the center of the blue diamond. Post and Farges (2014) proposed that the stone was cut this way to show the colors of the French monarchy, blue and gold, symbolizing the divine standing and power of King Louis XIV, the Sun King. The diamond was not worn as a piece of jewelry or kept with the French Crown Jewels, but rather was stored in the King’s cabinet of curiosities at Versailles, where he could show it to special guests.

 

1749: The Order of the Golden Fleece

 

Louis XIV’s great-grandson, Louis XV, inherited the royal jewels when he ascended to the throne. Around 1749, King Louis XV tasked the Parisian jeweler Pierre-André Jacqumin with creating an emblem of knighthood of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The finished emblem featured a number of spectacular gems, including the French Blue Diamond, the 107-carat Côte de Bretagne spinel (carved into the shape of a dragon and originally thought to be a ruby), and several other diamonds. It was rarely worn, functioning instead as a symbol of the king’s power (Post and Farges 2014).

 

1791: The Capture of Louis XVI

 

Amidst the turmoil of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempted to escape France, but were apprehended and returned to Paris. The French Crown Jewels, including the French Blue Diamond in the Order of the Golden Fleece, were turned over to the revolutionary government and moved to the Garde-Meuble, the Royal Storehouse, where they were put on view for the public once a week until 1792. On visiting days, the doors of the armoires would be opened and a selection of mounted and unmounted jewels could be viewed in special display cases.

 

1792: The Theft of the French Crown Jewels

 

On the night of September 11th, 1792, a group of thieves climbed through the first-floor windows of the Garde-Meuble into the room where the French Crown Jewels were stored and escaped with some of the jewels. At the time, no one in the storehouse even realized that a theft had taken place: The seal on the door to the room had not been broken, and no guards were stationed inside of the room. The thieves returned over the following nights to steal more of the jewels. By the evening of September 17th, the group of thieves had grown to about fifty. Acting loudly and carelessly, they attracted the attention of the patrol, putting an end to one of the most curious thefts in history (Morel 1988).

 

By then, the Order of the Golden Fleece was gone. The French Blue Diamond has not been seen since.

 

From Europe to America: 1812-1958

 

1812: A Blue Diamond Appears in London

 

It is now clear that the French Blue resurfaced in London nearly 20 years later, although no one seems to have recognized it at the time. It had by then been recut to a smaller (though still spectacular) gem, which we know today as the Hope Diamond.

 

The first reference to this diamond is a sketch and description made in 1812 by the London jeweler John Francillon:

 

The above drawing is the exact size and shape of a very curious superfine deep blue Diamond. Brilliant cut, and equal to a fine deep blue Sapphire. It is beauty full and all perfection without specks or flaws, and the color even and perfect all over the Diamond. I traced it round the diamond with a pencil by leave of Mr. Daniel Eliason and it is as finely cut as I have ever seen in a Diamond. The color of the Drawing is as near the color of the Diamond as possible.

Francillon does not mention where the diamond came from or who had cut it, nor does he connect it to the French Blue.

 

Intriguingly, the Francillon Memo is dated just two days after the twenty-year statute of limitations for crimes committed during the French Revolution had passed. The diamond may have resurfaced at this time because the possibility of prosecution and of France reclaiming the diamond was eliminated, making the owner comfortable enough to share the diamond with others (Winters and White 1991).

 

1813-1823: Mr. Eliason’s Diamond

 

Several other British naturalists and gem experts made note of a large blue diamond in London in the years following Francillon’s memo. In the 1813 and 1815 editions of his book, A Treatise on Diamonds and Precious Stones, mineralogist and gem connoisseur John Mawe writes that “there is at this time a superlatively fine blue diamond, of above 44 carats, in possession of an individual in London, which may be considered as matchless, and of course of arbitrary value.” Similarly, James Sowerby, a naturalist known for his illustrations of minerals and other objects, wrote that “Daniel Eliason, Esq. has in London, a nearly perfect blue Brilliant, of 44½ carats, that is superior to any other coloured diamond known” (Sowerby 1817).

 

By 1823, the diamond was no longer in Eliason’s possession. Mawe returned to the subject of the blue diamond in the 1823 edition of his book, writing that:

 

“A superlatively fine blue diamond weighing 44 carats and valued at £30,000, formerly the property of Mr. Eliason, an eminent diamond merchant, is now said to be in the possession of our most gracious sovereign… The unrivaled gem is of a deep sapphire blue, and from its rarity and color, might have been estimated at a higher sum. It has found its most worthy destination in passing into the possession of a monarch, whose refined taste has ever been conspicuous in the highest degree” (Mawe 1823)

 

According to Mawe, then, Eliason had parted with the diamond and it had come into the possession of George IV, the King of England. However, no evidence linking the Hope Diamond to the king has been found in the British royal archives, and we do not know whether George IV ever possessed it as either owner or borrower (Post and Farges 2014).

 

1839: Henry Philip Hope’s Gem Collection

 

Henry Philip Hope (1774-1839) was a wealthy British banker with an affinity for fine art and precious gems. An 1839 catalogue of his gem collection mentions a large blue diamond weighing 45.5 carats. The diamond would take his name, becoming known as “Hope’s Diamond” or the “Hope Diamond.” The catalogue describes the diamond as “a most magnificent and rare brilliant, of a deep sapphire blue, of the greatest purity, and most beautifully cut” (Hertz 1839). It was set in a medallion with smaller, rose-cut, colorless diamonds surrounding it and a pearl that dropped from the bottom of the medallion as a pendant. Unfortunately, Hope does not record when or where he acquired the diamond in his 1839 catalogue.

 

Henry Philip Hope died in 1839, leaving his possessions to his three nephews: Henry Thomas, Adrian, and Alexander. In his will, Henry Philip Hope divided his money and property amongst the brothers, but did not leave instructions for the division of his gem collection. Given the immense value of his collection, the Hope brothers argued for years over who would inherit it. In 1849, after ten years of dispute, the brothers reached an agreement: the property went to Adrian, the Hope Pearl and around 700 precious gemstones went to Alexander, and the Hope Diamond and seven other gems went to Henry Thomas (Kurin 2006).

 

1851: The Great London Exhibition

 

Henry Thomas Hope loaned the Hope Diamond for display at the Crystal Palace during the Great London Exhibition. According to a catalogue from the exhibition, 28 diamonds from the Henry Philip Hope Collection were exhibited. This suggests that the brother of Henry Thomas, Alexander, must have contributed diamonds to the display effort since Henry Thomas had only inherited eight gems from his uncle and Alexander had inherited the rest (Kurin 2006).

 

1858: The French Blue Connection

 

Today, we are certain that the Hope Diamond is the recut French Blue. However, it took 46 years after Francillon described the modern Hope for someone to connect the two diamonds. The French gemologist Charles Barbot was first, speculating in his 1858 book, Traité Complet de Pierres Précieuses, that the Hope Diamond was cut from the French Blue (Post and Farges 2014).

 

Later authors continued in this track. In 1870, Charles W. King wrote about a likely connection between the two blue diamonds in his book, The Natural History of the Precious Stones and of the Precious Metals. On the subject of “Hope’s Blue Diamond” King writes “suspected to be that of the French Regalia (stolen in 1792), and then weighing 67 car., and afterwards re-cut as a brilliant to its present weight of 44½ carat.”

 

In 1882, Edwin Streeter wrote about the diamond’s provenance in his book, The Great Diamonds of the World: Their History and Romance:

 

The disappearance of Tavernier’s rough blue from the French regalia, followed by the unexplained appearance of a cut gem of precisely the same delicate blue tint, and answering in size to the original after due allowance made for loss in cutting, leaves little or no room for doubting the identity of the two stones… It thus appears that the rough un-cut Tavernier, the French “Blue,” lost in 1792, and the “Hope,” are one and the same stone. (Streeter 1882, p. 214).

 

1887: The Extravagant Life of Lord Francis Hope

 

Henry Thomas Hope left his possessions, including the Hope Diamond, to his wife Anne Adéle Hope when he passed away in 1862. Anne, in turn, decided to leave the family treasures not to her daughter, Henrietta (whose husband was careless with money and often on the verge of bankruptcy) but to her grandson, Francis Hope. In her 1876 will, Anne named Francis as heir to the family treasures, stipulating that the estates and heirlooms were to be used during his lifetime and then passed on to another Hope descendant. Anne passed away in 1884, and Francis Hope claimed his inheritance when he turned 21, three years later (Kurin 2006).

 

Lord Francis Hope was less prudent than his grandmother might have hoped. He lived extravagantly, quickly spending his inheritance on traveling, entertainment, and gambling and sinking into tremendous debt. In 1892, he met a showgirl in New York City named May Yohé, a glamorous and charming actress from Pennsylvania. Hope and Yohé married in 1894 and continued to live well beyond their means. To avoid bankruptcy, Hope appealed to his relatives for permission to sell a portion of the family art collection, claiming that he could no longer afford to care for the paintings. After years of litigation, the family finally agreed to allow Hope to sell a selection of the paintings, but the sale was not enough to save him from financial crisis. In 1901, after more litigation with his family, Lord Francis offered the Hope Diamond for sale (Patch 1999).

 

1901-1907: Crossing the Atlantic

 

In 1901, Lord Francis Hope sold the Hope Diamond to London diamond merchant Adolf Weil, who sold the diamond to Joseph Frankel’s Sons & Co. of New York shortly thereafter. Simon Frankel sailed to London from New York to finalize the purchase. One source reported that Frankel paid $250,000 (~6.7 million 2014 dollars) for the diamond (Patch 1999).

 

Frankel brought the Hope Diamond back to New York to try to sell it in America, but received no reasonable offers. By 1907, the market for diamonds had sharply declined due to a slow economy, and Frankel’s company faced the possibility of bankruptcy (Kurin 2006). The Hope Diamond sat locked away in a New York safe deposit box while Frankel tried to find a buyer.

 

1908-1909: Selim Habib and Rumors of a Curse

 

Joseph Frankel’s Sons & Co. finally found a buyer for the Hope Diamond in 1908: Selim Habib, a Turkish diamond collector and merchant who purchased the Hope Diamond for a reported $200,000 (~5 million 2014 dollars). According to the New York Times, Selim Habib soon had financial troubles, and in 1909, he sold his gem collection, including the Hope Diamond (Kurin, 2006). His financial difficulties and a later, incorrect report of his death at sea contributed to the growing myth of a curse on the Hope Diamond.

 

Habib’s collection was put up for auction at the Hotel Drouot in Paris, France on June 24, 1909. Jeweler and gem expert Louis Aucoc oversaw the auction, withdrawing the Hope Diamond from the sale before selling it to jeweler C. N. Rosenau for 400,000 francs (Kurin 2006).

 

1910: Cartier acquired the Hope Diamond

 

Cartier, a French jewelry house, purchased the Hope Diamond from jeweler C.N. Rosenau in 1910. The Hope Diamond arrived in the U.S. on November 23, 1910, where it was valued at $110,000 for customs plus the $10,000 duty for an unmounted gem (Patch 1999).

 

Pierre Cartier took on the responsibility of selling the Hope Diamond. Pierre was a talented salesman: Charming, smooth-talking, and sophisticated, he was experienced in the art of selling to wealthy customers, Americans in particular, having worked at Cartier’s New York office.

 

By this time, the art of developing colorful narratives for famous gems was already well established. Intriguing histories helped with gem sales, and in turn, gave the purchaser an interesting tale to tell admirers at various events. Cartier thus began to fabricate a fanciful story around the Hope Diamond that included a curse, which he would pitch to potential buyers (Kurin 2006).

 

1912: The McLeans buy the Hope Diamond

 

In 1912, Pierre Cartier sold the Hope Diamond to an American couple, Ned and Evalyn Walsh McLean. The sale was the result of two years of work.

 

Pierre identified the McLeans as potential buyers shortly after Cartier purchased the Hope Diamond. Both Evalyn and Ned were heirs to American fortunes, Evalyn’s from mining and Ned’s from newspapers. They were previous, big-spending clients of Cartier, having purchased the 94.8-carat Star of the East Diamond from Cartier in 1908 while they were on their honeymoon. Pierre arranged to meet with them in 1910 while they were on vacation in Paris. He presented his embellished tale of the Hope Diamond’s extraordinary provenance to the McLeans, including the curse that brought bad luck to all who owned it. Evalyn was fascinated with the story and told Pierre that she believed objects that brought bad luck to others would bring good luck to her. Despite her interest, she initially declined to purchase the blue diamond because she did not like its setting (McLean 1936).

 

Pierre, a persistent man, did not let an old-fashioned setting prevent him from securing the sale. He took the Hope Diamond to New York, where he had it reset into a contemporary mounting. In the new mounting (essentially the same mounting it is in today), the Hope was framed by 16 colorless diamonds and could be worn as part of a head ornament or a diamond necklace. Pierre returned to Washington and left the newly set Hope with Evalyn and Ned over a weekend.

 

Pierre’s strategy was successful—Evalyn adored the Hope Diamond, and several months later agreed to purchase it from Cartier, settling on a price of $180,000 (Patch 1999) plus the return of an emerald and pearl pendant with diamond necklace that she no longer wanted (McLean 1936). The Hope Diamond became Evalyn Walsh McLean’s signature in the high society of Washington, D.C. She wore it frequently, layered with her other important gems and jewelry, to events and the lavish parties she hosted. Evalyn would even let her Great Dane, Mike, wear the Hope Diamond on his collar.

 

1947-1949: Evalyn Walsh McLean Passes Away

 

Evalyn Walsh McLean died from pneumonia on April 26, 1947. She dictated in her will that all of her jewelry be held in trust until her youngest grandchild turned twenty-five, at which point her jewels were to be divided equally by all of her grandchildren. Two years after her death, however, the court ordered the sale of her jewelry collection to pay off debts and claims against her estate (Patch 1999). The Hope Diamond, the Star of the East Diamond, and the rest of her jewelry collection were purchased by jeweler Harry Winston of New York.

 

1949-1958: Winston and the Court of Jewels

 

In 1949, Harry Winston purchased the Hope Diamond along with the rest of the Evalyn Walsh McLean’s jewelry collection. Winston incoporated McLean’s jewelry into the Court of Jewels, a traveling exhibition of gems supplemented by a jewelry fashion show. Large and famous diamonds, including the Hope Diamond, the Star of the East Diamond, and the 127-carat Portuguese Diamond (now also part of the Smithsonian’s collection), were featured as part of the show. The exhibit travelled throughout America from 1949 to 1953 to teach the public about precious gems and raise money for civic and charitable organizations (Harry Winston, Inc.). Harry Winston once stated: “I want the public to know more about precious gems. With so much expensive junk jewelry around these days, people forget that a good diamond, ruby, or emerald, however small, is a possession to be prized for generations” (Tupper and Tupper 1947).

 

At the Smithsonian: 1958-Present

 

1958: The Hope Diamond comes to the Smithsonian

 

In 1958, Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution. On November 10th, the Hope arrived at the Smithsonian in a plain brown package shipped by registered mail (and insured for a sum of one million dollars). Mrs. Harry Winston presented the Hope Diamond to Dr. Leonard Carmichael, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and Dr. George S. Switzer, Curator of Mineralogy. The Hope Diamond was exhibited in the Gem Hall at the National Museum of Natural History and almost immediately became its premier attraction.

 

1962: A Visit to France

 

With the encouragement of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the Hope Diamond was loaned for a month to the Louvre Museum for the exhibition “Ten Centuries of French Jewels.” It was displayed with two famous diamonds, the Regent (a 140.50-carat brilliant cushion cut diamond) and the Sancy (a pale yellow 55.23-carat pear-shaped diamond). Also on display was the Côte de Bretagne, a red spinel carved in the shape of a dragon that, along with the French Blue Diamond, had been part of Louis XV’s elaborate emblem of the Order of the Golden Fleece. This exhibition marked the reunion of these two gems after 170 years. In return, the Louvre’s masterpiece, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, was loaned to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. from January 8 to February 3, 1963.

 

1965: At the Rand Easter Show in South Africa

 

The Hope Diamond was loaned to DeBeers and traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa for the Rand Easter Show, one of the largest consumer exhibitions in the world. The Hope Diamond was the main attraction in the jewel box in the Diamond Pavilion. Surrounded by a cluster of diamonds, it was exhibited on a finely woven spider’s web supported by the bare branches of a rose bush and illuminated from above.

 

1982: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

In November 1982, Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, hosted 1,200 guests in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Engelhard Court. (Kurin 2006) For the glittering gala, the Hope Diamond was reunited with the Star of the East (a 94.80-carat pear-shaped diamond previously owned by Evalyn Walsh McLean) and the Idol’s Eye (a 70.21-carat rounded pear-shape diamond exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in 1965).

 

1997: The New Harry Winston Gallery

 

The Hope Diamond was put on display in the Harry Winston Gallery of the newly completed Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals in the National Museum of Natural History. The diamond is mounted on a rotating pedestal so that it can be viewed from all four sides of the vault.

 

2009-2010: Celebrating 50 years at the Smithsonian

 

In September 2009, the Hope Diamond was removed from its setting and exhibited unmounted for the first time ever. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian, an online contest was used to select a commemorative necklace from one of three designs submitted by Harry Winston, Inc. The winning entry, “Embracing Hope”, was designed by Maurice Galli. This modern design consisted of three-dimensional ribbons set with baguette-cut diamonds wrapping the Hope Diamond in an exquisite embrace. The Hope Diamond was set in the Embracing Hope necklace and displayed for over a year before being returned to its original Cartier mounting.

 

2017: The Hope Diamond Today

 

Today, the Hope Diamond remains one of the most popular objects at the Smithsonian, attracting millions of visitors every year. Even now, the Hope retains much of its mystery, and Smithsonain scientists continue to study it to better understand its eventful history and rare beauty.

 

Grading the Hope

 

For many years, the weight of the Hope Diamond was not precisely known, with reports of its weight ranging from 44 carats to 45.5 carats. On November 13, 1975, the Hope Diamond was removed from its setting and found to weigh 45.52 carats.

 

Gemologists from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) visited the Smithsonian in 1988 to grade the Hope Diamond. They observed that the gem showed evidence of wear, that it had a remarkably strong phosphorescence, and that its clarity was slightly affected by a whitish graining that is common to blue diamonds. They described its color as fancy dark grayish-blue and its clarity as VS1 (Crowningshield 1989).

 

In 1996, the Hope Diamond necklace was sent to Harry Winston, Inc. for cleaning and minor restoration work. The diamond was removed from its setting and re-examined by the GIA. In this report, the Hope’s color was described as a a natural fancy deep grayish-blue (reflecting a change in GIA’s nomenclature for grading, not a change in the assessment of the diamond).

 

How much is the Hope Diamond worth?

 

We at the Smithsonian like to say that the Hope Diamond is priceless. Its size, color, and eventful history, as well as its long tenure at the heart of the Smithsonian’s gem collection, make it a true American treasure. In any case, it’s not for sale!

 

What can we say about the value of a gem like the Hope, if we’re not going to commit to a specific number? A large part of a gem’s value comes from its physical properties: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. But other, less tangible factors can also increase the value of a gem. For example, as Pierre Cartier recognized a hundred years ago, an eventful, well-documented history is important, as are the tastes and means of an individual buyer. The price of an individual stone reflects the confluence of these and other factors.

 

Blue diamonds like the Hope are very rare, and the money being spent to purchase them is enormous. Several large blue diamonds have fetched tens of millions of dollars at auction in recent years:

 

•The 9.75 carat, Fancy Vivid Blue Zoe sold at Sotheby’s in 2014 for $32.6 million

•The 13.22 carat, Fancy Vivid Blue Winston Blue sold at Christie’s in 2014 for $24.2 million

•The 35.56 carat, Fancy Deep Grayish Blue Wittelsbach-Graff sold at Christie’s in 2008 for $24.3 million

 

Less well-documented are private sales, where famous stones such as the Heart of Eternity and the Wittelsbach-Graff may have fetched even higher prices.

 

Computer Modeling

 

A computer modeling study of the Tavernier, French Blue and Hope diamonds was conducted. The results support the long-held theory that the diamonds are in fact the same stone, concluding that the Hope Diamond is likely the only surviving piece of the diamond originally sold to King Louis XIV–the rest having been ground away during the various recuttings. This research, conducted by Jeffrey Post, Smithsonian curator of the National Gem Collection, Steven Attaway, engineer and gem cutter, and Scott Sucher and Nancy Attaway, gem cutting experts, was featured on the Discovery Channel. The film, “Unsolved History: Hope Diamond,” premiered Feb 10, 2005.

 

In 2007, a lead cast of the French Blue diamond was discovered in the mineral collection of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, permitting additional refinements to the modeling study.

 

Boron in Blue Diamonds

 

The blue color in the Hope Diamond and others like it is caused by trace amounts of boron. The Hope Diamond was tested to measure its chemical composition and determine the concentration of boron. This study used various spectroscopic methods and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy to analyze for boron in natural type IIb blue diamonds, including the Hope Diamond and the Blue Heart Diamond (also a part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection). The study found that, on average, the Hope Diamond contains about 0.6 parts per million boron.

 

Phosphoresence of the Hope Diamond

 

Curator Dr. Jeffrey Post led a team from the Smithsonian and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to investigate the intense, red-orange phosphorescence exhibited by the Hope Diamond after exposure to ultra-violet light. They discovered that all type IIB blue diamonds exhibit similar phosphorescence behaviors and that the specific phosphorescence spectral properties might be unique to each individual blue diamond, enabling the researchers to essentially “fingerprint” each stone.

Set: Unsolved cases + Shoes (Helsinki, Finland)

Awesome and hysterical.

 

..."Don't call it a comeback!" - LL Cool J

----------------------------------------------------

What we have here is one of the great comeback stories in the history of competitive punctuation

Robert Fulford, National Post · Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010

 

When punctuation geeks assembled earlier this month at Punctuacon, our annual convention, we spent the usual two or three hours whining about the pathetic size of our gathering, compared to Comic-Con International in San Diego, Dragon*Con in Atlanta or any of those tiresome Star Trek conventions that draw multitudes to worship at the shrine of William Shatner.

 

We have no heroes like Shatner, just ourselves and our proud tradition of judging and promoting the images and ideograms of language -- and our totally imaginary convention.

 

That should be enough, but a love for punctuation, signage and graphic symbols remains a lonely passion. It's hard not to be bitter.

 

Why can't the rest of the world understand that a well-designed semicolon or an expertly made STOP sign is every bit as enthralling as a mint Batman first edition, an early sketch of the Jedi, or a photograph signed by Margot Kidder herself? Why can't they care about the tragically missing apostrophe on the logo of a certain coffee-shop chain?

 

Still, Punctuacon was happier this year than usual, mostly because we could forget about what had become at previous conventions the most melancholy issue on the agenda: Who will save the octothorpe?

 

The Big O is a sign with deep historical and cultural roots, part of our heritage. It didn't deserve the neglect it suffered in recent times. It's lived under many names: the hash, the crunch, the hex (that's in Singapore), the flash, the grid. In some circles it's called tic-tactoe, in others pig-pen. From a distance it looks like the sharp sign on a musical score. Whether you call it a pound sign or a number sign or anything else, it retains its identity. It's so majestically simple that it always looks good, even if drawn by someone utterly without graphic talent. Good old #. It can't go wrong.

 

Even so, it was in decline for years. After generations of vigorous life everywhere in the retailing world where numbers were written, it lost out to computerized invoices and receipts that simply ignored its value. In literature, after centuries showing printers where to put spaces, it was abolished by computers that do the same job with the touch of a keyboard.

 

It lost its proud place alongside the & and the @, on a shelf higher than both the © and the ®. After a while # appeared mostly in a cameo role on touch-tone phones, a serious comedown.

 

But lately the pendulum has swung again. On Twitter, the home of microbloggers, the octothorpe has a new career, reborn as the "hashtag." Tweeters use hashtags to catalogue their tweets. Someone writing about Miles Davis, for instance, will tag his name #Miles. Anyone coming after will be able to find all the tweets dealing with Miles. (You don't have to wade through phrases like "miles to go before I sleep" or "I'd go a million miles for one of your smiles.")

 

Tech for Luddites, a valuable online resource ( "Providing tips, tricks, and techniques for navigating the digital world") says hashtags allow tweeters to build interest-based communities. It's heartening that this function has been created spontaneously, unplanned by the Twitter hierarchy -- just as, long ago, copyist monks in monasteries invented their own working language.

 

This year GQ magazine, a major arbiter of the cool, has anointed # "symbol of the year." GQ explains: "Hashtags have changed the way we think, communicate, process information. # is everywhere." What we have here is one of the great comeback stories in the history of competitive punctuation. Today, &, © and ® have been left in the dust (of course@retains its status in email).

 

And what about the name, octothorpe? It's been replaced, obviously, but there's no reason to be upset. Change is the law of usage. That term now becomes, at least for the immediate future, a historical artifact. Its own history will be the subject of discussion for generations to come, whenever punctuation geeks gather.

 

It was born somewhere in the Bell system in the 1970s, when touchtone became established. The first half of the name was easy, though rich in cultural reference. Since the # has eight points the name fell within the order of eight, where an eight-sided figure is an octagon, a sea creature with eight suckered arms is an octopus, eight notes are an octave and octopush (an underwater game played by two teams of scuba divers pushing a lead puck on the bottom of a swimming pool) originally had eight players a side.

 

And where did "thorpe" come from? The American Heritage Dictionary says it honours James Edward Oglethorpe, the 18th-century British general who helped found the colony of Georgia in 1732. A more popular story has an engineer at Bell Labs deciding to honour Jim Thorpe, an Indian athlete who won the pentathlon and decathlon for the U.S. at the 1912 Olympics; he had his gold medals taken from him when his background as a professional athlete was disclosed, a decision that was reversed three decades after his death.

 

A third explanation was endorsed in 1996 by the New Scientist, an excellent journal in Britain. On ancient maps you can sometimes find the # used to indicate the presence of a village; it looks like a primitive

 

plan of eight fields of identical size, with a village square in the middle. It's possible that octothorpe derives from the Old Norse word for village, which survives today in some British town names, such as Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire.

 

The fourth story, backed by evidence as strong as the sources for the other three, emerged in 2006, a year after an earlier column I wrote on the octothorpe. It blames a weird form of anonymous malice perpetrated by Bell Labs engineers (people named Schaak, Uthlaut, Asplund and Eby) who devised a sound that speakers of various languages would find difficult to pronounce. Probably this etymological mystery will go unsolved and we'll never know the truth.

 

Through all these troubled times, we octothorpe supporters remained loyal, like hockey fans who wear Maple Leafs sweaters despite all the years of pain. Even though Punctuacon is a fictional organization (though metaphorically vibrant), you can understand why the members of our little band were pleased to raise a glass to the hash mark in its new life on Twitter.

 

www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/What+have+here+gr...

Nordiska Museet. Gustav Vasa (1496-1560) was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death.

 

P8260312

 

GUSTAV VASA, THE FATHER OF SWEDEN

 

Chapter from Hero Tales of the Far North, by Jacob A. Riis (1920, public domain)

 

A great and wise woman had, after ages of war and bloodshed, united the crowns of the three Scandinavian kingdoms upon one head. In the strong city of Kalmar, around which the tide of battle had ever raged hottest, the union was declared in the closing days of the Thirteenth Century. Norwegian, Swede, and Dane were thenceforth to stand together, to the end of time; so they resolved. It was all a vain dream. Queen Margaret was not cold in her grave before the kingdoms fell apart. Norway clung to Denmark, but Sweden went her own way. In the wars of two generations the Danish kings won back the Swedish crown and lost it, again and again, until in 1520 King Christian II clutched it for the last time, at the head of a conquering army. He celebrated his victory with a general amnesty, and bade the Swedish nobles to a great feast, held at the capital in November.

Christian is one of the unsolved riddles of history. Ablest but unhappiest of all his house, he was an instinctive democrat, sincerely solicitous for the welfare of the plain people, but incredibly cruel and faithless when the dark mood seized him. The coronation feast ended with the wholesale butchery of the unsuspecting nobles. Hundreds were beheaded in the public square; for days it was filled with the slain. It is small comfort that the wicked priest who egged the King on to the dreadful deed was himself burned at the stake by the master he had betrayed. The Stockholm Massacre drowned the Kalmar Union in its torrents of blood. Retribution came swiftly. Above the peal of the Christmas bells rose the clash and clangor of armed hosts pouring forth from the mountain fastnesses to avenge the foul treachery. They were led by Gustav1 Eriksson Vasa, a young noble upon whose head Christian had set a price.

The Vasas were among the oldest and best of the great Swedish families. It was said of them that they ever loved a friend, hated a foe, and never forgot. Gustav was born in the castle of Lindholmen, when the news that the world had grown suddenly big by the discovery of lands beyond the unknown seas was still ringing through Europe, on May 12, 1496. He was brought up in the home of his kinsman, the Swedish patriot Sten Sture, and early showed the fruits of his training. "See what I will do," he boasted in school when he was thirteen, "I will go to Dalecarlia, rouse the people, and give the Jutes (Danes) a black eye." Master Ivar, his Danish teacher, gave him a whaling for that. White with anger, the boy drove his dirk through the book, nailing it to the desk, and stalked out of the room. Master Ivar's eyes followed the slim figure in the scarlet cloak, and he sighed wearily "nobilium nati nolunt aliquid pati,—the children of the great will put up with nothing."

Hardly yet of age, he served under the banner of Sten Sture against King Christian, and was one of six hostages sent to the King when he asked an interview of the Swedish leader. But Christian stayed away from the meeting and carried the hostages off to Denmark against his plighted faith. There Gustav was held prisoner a year. All that winter rumors of great armaments against Sweden filled the land. He heard the young bloods from the court prate about bending the stiff necks in the country across the Sound, and watched them throw dice for Swedish castles and Swedish women,—part of the loot when his fatherland should be laid under the yoke. Ready to burst with anger and grief, he sat silent at their boasts. In the spring he escaped, disguised as a cattle-herder, and made his way to Lübeck, where he found refuge in the house of the wealthy merchant Kort König.

They soon heard in Denmark where he was, and the King sent letters demanding his surrender; but the burghers of the Hanse town hated Christian with cause, and would not give him up. Then came Gustav's warder who had gone bail for him in sixteen hundred gulden, and pleaded for his prisoner.

"I am not a prisoner," was Gustav's retort, "I am a hostage, for whom the Danish king pledged his oath and faith. If any one can prove that I was taken captive in a fight or for just cause, let him stand forth. Ambushed was I, and betrayed." The Lübeck men thought of the plots King Christian was forever hatching against them. Now, if he succeeded in getting Sweden under his heel, their turn would come next. Better, they said, send this Gustav home to his own country, perchance he might keep the King busy there; by which they showed their good sense. His ex-keeper was packed off back home, and Gustav reached Sweden, sole passenger on a little coast-trader, on May 31, 1520. A stone marks the spot where he landed, near Kalmar; for then struck the hour of Sweden's freedom.

But not yet for many weary months did the people hear its summons. Swedish manhood was at its lowest ebb. Stockholm was held by the widow of Sten Sture with a half-famished garrison. In Kalmar another woman, Anna Bjelke, commanded, but her men murmured, and the fall of the fortress was imminent. When Gustav Vasa, who had slipped in unseen, exhorted them to stand fast, they would have mobbed him. He left as he had come, the day before the surrender. Travelling by night, he made his way inland, finding everywhere fear and distrust. The King had promised that if they would obey him "they should never want for herring and salt," so they told Gustav, and when he tried to put heart into them and rouse their patriotism, they took up bows and arrows and bade him be gone. Indeed, there were not wanting those who shot at him. Like a hunted deer he fled from hamlet to hamlet. Such friends as he had left advised him to throw himself upon the King's mercy; told him of the amnesty proclaimed. But Gustav's thoughts dwelt grimly among the Northern mountaineers whom as a boy he had bragged he would set against the tyrant. Insensibly he shaped his course toward their country.

He was with his brother-in-law, Joachim Brahe, when the King's message bidding him to the coronation came. Gustav begged him not to go, but Brahe's wife and children were within Christian's reach, and he did not dare stay away. When he left, the fugitive hid in his ancestral home at Räfsnäs on lake Mälar. There one of Brahe's men brought him news of the massacre in which his master and Gustav's father had perished. His mother, grandmother, and sisters were dragged away to perish in Danish dungeons. On Gustav's head the King had set a price, and spies were even then on his track.

Gustav's mind was made up. What was there now to wait for? Clad as a peasant, he started for Dalecarlia with a single servant to keep him company, but before he reached the mines the man stole all his money and ran away. He had to work now to live, and hired out to Anders Persson, the farmer of Rankhyttan. He had not been there many days when one of the women saw an embroidered sleeve stick out under his coat and told her master that the new hand was not what he pretended to be. The farmer called him aside, and Gustav told him frankly who he was. Anders Persson kept his secret, but advised him not to stay long in any one place lest his enemies get wind of him. He slipped away as soon as it was dark, nearly lost his life by breaking through the ice, but reached Ornäs on the other side of Lake Runn, half dead with cold and exposure. He knew that another Persson who had been with him in the war lived there, and found his house. Arendt Persson was a rascal. He received him kindly, but when he slept harnessed his horse and went to Måns Nilsson, a neighbor, with the news: the King's reward would make them both rich, if he would help him seize the outlawed man.

Måns Nilsson held with the Danes, but he was no traitor, and he showed the fellow the door. He went next to the King's sheriff; he would be bound to help. To be sure, he would claim the lion's share of the blood-money, but something was better than nothing. The sheriff came soon enough with a score of armed men. But Arendt Persson had not reckoned with his honest wife. She guessed his errand and let Gustav down from the window to the rear gate, where she had a sleigh and team in waiting. When the sheriff's posse surrounded the house, Gustav was well on his way to Master Jon, the parson of Svärdsjö, who was his friend. Tradition has it that while Christian was King, the brave little woman never dared show her face in the house again.

Master Jon was all right, but news of the man-hunt had run through the country, and when the parson's housekeeper one day saw him hold the wash-bowl for his guest she wanted to know why he was so polite to a common clod. Master Jon told her that it was none of her business, but that night he piloted his friend across the lake to Isala, where Sven Elfsson lived, a gamekeeper who knew the country and could be trusted. The good parson was hardly out of sight on his way back when the sheriff's men came looking for Gustav. It did not occur to them that the yokel who stood warming himself by the stove might be the man they were after. But the gamekeeper's wife was quick to see his peril. She was baking bread and had just put the loaves into the oven with a long-handled spade. "Here, you lummox!" she cried, and whacked him soundly over the back with it, "what are ye standing there gaping at? Did ye never see folks afore? Get back to your work in the barn." And Gustav, taking the hint, slunk out of the room.

For three days after that he lay hidden under a fallen tree in the snow and bitter cold; but even there he was not safe, and the gamekeeper took him deeper into the forest, where a big spruce grew on a hill in the middle of a frozen swamp. There no one would seek him till he could make a shift to get him out of the country. The hill is still there; the people call it the King's Hill, and not after King Christian, either. But in those long nights when Gustav Vasa listened to the hungry wolves howling in the woods and nosing about his retreat, it was hardly kingly conceits his mind brooded over. His father and kinsmen were murdered; his mother and sister in the pitiless grasp of the tyrant who was hunting him to his death; he, the last of his race, alone and forsaken by his own. Bitter sorrow filled his soul at the plight of his country that had fallen so low. But the hope of the young years came to the rescue: all was not lost yet. And in the morning came Sven, the gamekeeper, with a load of straw, at the bottom of which he hid him. So no one would be the wiser.

It was well he did it, for half-way to the next town some prowling soldiers overtook them, and just to make sure that there was nothing in the straw, prodded the load with their spears. Nothing stirred, and they went on their way. But a spear had gashed Gustav's leg, and presently blood began to drip in the snow. Sven had his wits about him. He got down, and cut the fetlock of one of the beasts with his jack-knife so that it bled and no one need ask questions. When they got to Marnäs, Gustav was weak from the loss of blood, but a friendly surgeon was found to bind up his wounds.

Farther and farther north he fled, keeping to the deep woods in the day, until he reached Rättwik. Feeling safer there, he spoke to the people coming from church one Sunday and implored them to shake off the Danish yoke. But they only shook their heads. He was a stranger among them, and they would talk it over with their neighbors. Not yet were his wanderings over. To Mora he went next, where Parson Jakob hid him in a lonely farm-house. Evil chance led the spies direct to his hiding-place, and once more it was the housewife whose quick wit saved him. Dame Margit was brewing the Yule beer when she saw them coming. In a trice she had Gustav in the cellar and rolled the brewing vat over the trap-door. Then they might search as they saw fit; there was nothing there. The first blood was spilled for Gustav Vasa while he was at Mora, and it was a Dane who did it. He was the kind that liked to see fair play; when an under-sheriff came looking for the hunted man there, the Dane waylaid and killed him.

Christmas morning, when Master Jakob had preached his sermon in the church, Gustav spoke to the congregation out in the snow-covered churchyard. A gravestone was his pulpit. Eloquent always, his sorrows and wrongs and the memory of the hard months lent wings to his words. His speech lives yet in Dalecarlia, for now he was among its mountains.

"It is good to see this great meeting," he said, "but when I think of our fatherland I am filled with grief. At what peril I am here with you, you know who see me hounded as a wild beast day by day, hour by hour. But our beloved country is more to me than life. How long must we be thralls, we who were born to freedom? Those of you who are old remember what persecution Swedish men and women have suffered from the Danish kings. The young have heard the story of it and have learned from they were little children to hate and resist such rule. These tyrants have laid waste our land and sucked its marrow, until nothing remains for us but empty houses and lean fields. Our very lives are not safe." He called upon them to rise and drive the invaders out. If they wanted a leader, he was ready.

His words stirred the mountaineers deeply. Cries of anger were heard in the crowd; it was not the first time they had taken up arms in the cause of freedom. But when they talked it over, the older heads prevailed; there had not been time enough to hear both sides. They told him that they would not desert the King; he must expect nothing of them.

Broken-hearted and desperate, Gustav Vasa turned toward the Norwegian frontier. He would leave the country for which there was no hope. While the table in the poorest home groaned with Yuletide cheer, Sweden's coming king hid under an old bridge, outcast and starving, till it was safe to leave. Then he took up his weary journey alone. The winter cold had grown harder as the days grew shorter. Famished wolves dogged his steps, but he outran them on his snow-shoes. By night he slept in some wayside shelter, such as they build for travellers in that desolate country, or in the brush. The snow grew deeper, and the landscape wilder, as he went. For days he had gone without food, when he saw the sun set behind the lofty range that was to bar him out of home and hope forever. Even there was no abiding place for him. What thoughts of his vanished dream, perchance of the distant lands across the seas where the tyrant's hand could not reach him, were in his mind, who knows, as he bent his strength to the last and hardest stage of his journey? He was almost there, when he heard shouts behind him and turned to sell his life dear. Two men on skis were calling to him. They were unarmed, and he waited to let them come up.

Their story was soon told. They had come to call him back. After he left, an old soldier whom they knew in Mora had come from the south and told them worse things than even Gustav knew. It was all true about the Stockholm murder; worse, the King was having gallows set up in every county to hang all those on who said him nay; a heavy tax was laid upon the peasants, and whoever did not pay was to have a hand or foot cut off; they could still follow the plow. And now they had sent away the one man who could lead against the Danes, with the forests full of outlawed men who would have enlisted under him as soon as ever the cry was raised! While the men of Dalecarlia were debating the news among themselves orders came from the bailiff at Westerås that the tax was to be paid forthwith. That night runners were sent on the trail of Gustav to tell him to come back; they were ready.

When he came, it was as if a mighty storm swept through the mountains. The people rose in a body. Every day whole parishes threw off their allegiance to King Christian. Sunday after Sunday Gustav spoke to the people at their meeting-houses, and they raised their spears and swore to follow him to death. Two months after the murder in Stockholm an army of thousands that swelled like an avalanche was marching south, and province after province joined in the rebellion. King Christian's host met them at Brunbäck in April. One of its leaders asked the country folk what kind of men the Dalecarlians were, and when he was told that they drank water and ate bread made of bark, he cried out, "Such a people the devil himself couldn't whip; let us get out." But his advice was not taken and the Danish army was wiped out. Gustav halted long enough to drill his men and give them time to temper their arrows and spears, then he fell upon Westerås and beat the Danes there. The peasant mob scattered too soon to loot the town, and the King's men came back with a sudden rush. Only Gustav's valor and presence of mind saved the day that had been won once from being lost again.

When it was seen that the Danes were not invincible, the whole country rose, took the scattered castles, and put their defenders to the sword. Gustav bore the rising on his shoulders from first to last. He was everywhere, ordering and leading. His fiery eloquence won over the timorous; his irresistible advance swept every obstacle aside. In May he took Upsala; by midsummer he was besieging Stockholm itself. Most of the other cities were in his hands. The Hanse towns had found out what this Gustav could do at home. They sang his praise, but as for backing him with their purse, that was another matter. They refused to lend Gustav two siege-guns when he lay before Stockholm, though he offered to pledge a castle for each. He had no money. Happily his enemy, Christian, was even worse off. Neither pledges nor promises could get him the money he needed. His chief men were fighting among themselves and made peace only to turn upon him. Within a year after the Swedish people had chosen Gustav Vasa to be Regent at the Diet of Vadstena, Christian went into exile and, when he tried to get his kingdom back, into prison, where he languished the rest of his life. He fully deserved his fate. Yet he meant well and had done some good things in his day. Had he been able to rule himself, he might have ruled others with better success. Schoolboys remember with gratitude that he forbade teachers to "spank their pupils overmuch and without judgment, as was their wont."

At the Diet of Vadstena the people had offered Gustav the crown, but he put it from him. Scarce eight months had passed since he hid under the bridge, hunted and starving. When Stockholm had fallen after a siege of two years and all Sweden was free, the people met (1523) and made him King, whether or no. He still objected, but gave in at last and was crowned.

Popular favor is fickle. Hard times came that were not made easier by Gustav's determination to fill the royal coffers, and the very Dalecarlians who had put him in the high seat rose against him and served notice that if things did not mend they would have none of him. Gustav made sure that they had no backing elsewhere, then went up and persuaded them to be good by cutting off the heads of their leaders, who both happened to be priests: one was even a bishop. He had been taught in a school that always found an axe ready to hand. Let those who lament the savagery of modern warfare consider what happened then to a Danish fleet that tried to bring relief to hard-pressed Stockholm. It was beaten in a fight in which six hundred men were taken prisoners. They were all, say the accounts, "tied hand and foot and flung overboard amid the beating of drums and blowing of trumpets to drown their cries." The clergy fared little better than the laymen in that age, but then it was their own fault. In plotting and scrapping they were abreast of the worst and took the consequences.

They were the days of the Reformation, and Gustav would not have been human had he failed to see a way out of his money troubles by confiscating church property. He had pawned the country's trade to the merchants of Lübeck and there was nothing else left. Naturally the church opposed him. The King took the bull by the horns. He called a meeting and told the people that he was sick of it all. He had encouraged the Reformation for their good; now, if they did not stand by him, they might choose between him and his enemies. The oldest priest arose at that and said that the church's property was sacred. The King asked if the rest of them thought the same way. Only one voice was raised, and to say yes.

"Then," said Gustav, "I don't want to be your King any more. If it does not rain, you blame me; if the sun does not shine, you do the same. It is always so. All of you want to be masters. After all my trouble and labor for you, you would as lief see my head split with an axe, though none of you dare lay hold of the handle. Give me back what I have spent in your service and I will go away and never come back." And go he did, to his castle, with half a dozen of his nearest friends.

They sat and looked at one another when he was gone, and then priests and nobles fell to arguing among themselves, all talking at once. The plain people, the burghers and the peasants, listened awhile, but when they got no farther, let them know that if they couldn't settle it, they, the people, would, and in a way that would give them little joy. The upshot of it all was that messengers were sent to bring the King back. He made them go three times, and when he came at last, it was as absolute master. In the ordering of the kingdom that was made there, he became the head of the church as well as of the state. Gustav's pen was as sharp as his tongue. When Hans Brask, the oldest prelate in the land, who had stood stoutly by the old régime, left the country and refused to come back, he wrote to him: "As long as you might milk and shear your sheep, you staid by them. When God spake and said you were to feed them, not to shear and slaughter them, you ran away. Every honest man can judge if you have done well." Hard words to a good old man; but there were plenty of others who deserved them. That was the end of the hierarchy in Sweden.

But not of the unruly peasants who had tasted the joys of king-making. How kindly they took to the Reformation at the outset one can judge from the demand of some of them that the King should "burn or otherwise kill such as ate meat on Friday." They rose again and again, and would listen only to the argument of force. When the Lübeckers pressed hard for the payment of old debts, and the treasury was empty as usual, King Gustav hit upon a new kind of revenue. He demanded of every church in the land that it give up its biggest bell to the funds. It was the last straw. The Dalecarlians rose against what they deemed sacrilege, under the leadership of Måns Nilsson and Anders Persson of Rankhyttan, the very men who had befriended Gustav in his need, and the insurrection spread. The "War of the Bells" was settled with the sword, and the peasants gave in. But Gustav came of a stock that "never forgot." Two years later, when his hands were free at home, he suddenly invaded Dalecarlia with a powerful army, determined to "pull those weeds up by the roots." He summoned the peasants to Thing, made a ring around them of armed men, and gave them their choice:

"Submit now for good and all," he said, "or I will spoil the land so that cock shall not crow nor hound bark in it again forever!"

The frightened peasants fell on their knees and begged for mercy. He made them give up their leaders, including his former friends, and they were all put to the sword. After that there was peace in Dalecarlia.

Gustav Vasa's long reign ended in 1560. Like his enemy, Christian II, he was a strange mixture of contradictions. He was brave in battle, wise in council, pious, if not a saint, clean, and merciful when mercy fitted into his plans. His enemies called him a greedy, suspicious despot. Greedy he was. More than eleven thousand farms were confiscated by the crown during his reign, and he left four thousand farms and a great fortune to his children as his personal share. But historians have called him "the great housekeeper" who found waste and loss and left an ordered household. He gave all for Sweden, and all he had was at her call. It was share and share alike, in his view. Despotic he could be, too. L'état c'est moi might have been said by him. But he did not exploit the state; he built it. He fashioned Sweden out of a bunch of quarrelsome provincial governments into a hereditary monarchy, as the best way—indeed, the only way then—of giving it strength and stability. He was suspicious because everybody had betrayed him, or had tried to. With all that, his steady purpose was to raise and enlighten his people and make them keep the peace, if he had to adopt the Irishman's plan of keeping it himself with an axe. He was the father of a line of great warriors. Gustav Adolf was his grandson.

Bent under the burden of years, he bade his people good-by at the Diet of Stockholm, a few weeks before his death. His old eloquence rings unimpaired in the farewell. He thanked God, who had chosen him as His tool to set Sweden free from thralldom. Almost might he liken himself to King David, whom God from a shepherd had made the leader of his people. No such hope was in his heart when, forty years before, he hid in the woods from a bloodthirsty enemy. For what he had done wrong as king, he asked the people's pardon; it was not done on purpose. He knew well that many thought him a hard ruler, but the time would come when they would gladly dig him up from his grave if they only could. And with that he went out, bowing deeply to the Diet, the tears streaming down his face.

They saw him no more; but on his tomb the Swedish people, forgetting all else, have written that he was the "Father of his Country."

  

1 The older spelling of this name is followed here in preference to the more modern Gustaf. Gustav Vasa himself wrote his name so.

Murphys' funeral, Gatton Cemetery, 28 December 1898

 

Image pertains to the Gatton murders

 

Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 21870

 

Truth (Brisbane, Qld. : 1900 - 1954) Sun 27 Jun 1926

 

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE HIDEOUS GATTON MURDERS.

 

Terrible Secret That Has Been Well Kept.

 

The twentieth century was yet unborn, the Australian Commonwealth still was only a dream, Queensland sugar-planters still had hordes of their, dearly beloved kanakas and plural voters were determined to die in the last dug-out in defence of an undemocratic franchise, the 1898 Christmas Holidays still lingered when, not merely the politically isolated colony of Queensland; but the whole of Australasia was shocked to an unparalleled degree by the telegraphed announcement that a brother and two sisters, representing a third or the offspring of a decent old Irish couple, living on their farm at Tent Hill, near the town of Gatton, in Southern Queensland, had been murdered under circumstances seemingly as treacherous as abominable.

 

Day by day as the mystery deepened the excitement grew. So many armed police were sent to the scene that Gatton and the surrounding district took, on the appearance of a country under military operations. But the secret behind the murder was never revealed.

 

As well as the Chief inspector of Queensland police, many plain clothes detectives and all the mounted police available the Police commissioner (Mr. Parry Okeden) frequently appeared at Gatton, and engaged in many conferences with the police officials next in command. The most notable black trackers and a special contingent of aborigines from Fraser Island by the Protector of Aboriginals were among the campers and constant searchers.

 

Every hollow log and tree was examined, every water-hole pumped and its mud sifted; even the loose sand of barren areas was intensely sieved in the long search for a weapon or other trace of the slayer's handicraft. Special reporters from Sydney as well as from Brisbane lingered for many weeks in and round about Gatton.

 

More than a thousand letters were received at police headquarters from professional and amateur astrologers, clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, crystal-readers and other avowed diviners, each making revelations or offering advice in relation to the murder and the murderers.

A reward of £1000 was offered, with the usual proviso of a free pardon for any informer who was not an actual perpetrator. But all in vain.

 

Such clues as were followed to a conclusion proved to be entirely false and though many tried to earn the reward and some indeed claimed to have done so, the guilty were never brought to trial and the reward still reposes in the Treasury, or has passed into that limbo which receives Its volume from the effluxion of time as well as from the decay of recollection.

 

An ex-sergeant of police, who was so dissatisfied with many things in police administration that he retired from the force early in the century used to lose his composure whenever the unsolved Gatton murders mystery was mentioned. "It was solved, but no action was taken. That along with other blunders which unjustly reflected discredit on the police as a body, supplied my reason for leaving the force," he would say. Although he became a successful man of business, the oath which he made as newly fledged policeman still bound him, but he would declare that all the time that dozens of men were under instructions were scouring the country and making house to house inquiries, the slayer or possibly the slayer and his assistant, could have been apprehended close at hand.

 

"I thought at the time that, the heads were too gingerly or too gentlemanly in their treatment of some of the suspects. They waited for absolute proof whereas if they had acted, that might very shortly have been forthcoming in the form of confession."

 

"The Murphys themselves, chose, as Mr. Shand, the Police Magistrate, who held the inquiry, said, to have adopted. 'Kismet' (It is Fate) as their motto." "One of them, Dan, a very fine young fellow who had lately joined up as a mounted police trooper, resigned when ordered to assist in the hunt.

 

On the contrary their brother-in-law, William McNeill, the man who first reported the murders appeared to be as anxious as he was active in the scouring of the district and the brushing of Moran's paddock where the bodies were found."

 

There was at the time that Michael Nora and Ellen Murphy, of Tent Hill, near Gatton, were done to death by mysterious slayers a very popular song entitled "After the Ball." It sometimes was sung In chorus at the lively bush town hops, such as Michael Murphy and his sisters had proposed attending at Gatton on the evening of Boxing Day, in the year 1898.

 

They had left their prettily situated and comfortably appointed home, a farmstead Tent Hill, about six miles from Gatton, at 8 p.m. certainly a late start in consideration of the distance which they had to go. It was 9 10 p.m. before they reached the dance hall and found the lights out and one of the men who had made the arrangements closing the doors.

 

It is not recorded that Michael Murphy and his sisters lingered in Gatton after their disappointment. All that is known is that they ultimately turned their faces towards home and never reached there, because they were slain, not on the way, but in a lonely paddock close beside the way. Staying with the Murphy family, at thelr home, with the anticipation of spending the whole of the Christmas holidays with them, was William Mc-Neill, butcher of Westbrook, near Toowoomba, who was the husband of the eldest daughter of the family.

 

Mrs. McNeill, who had for many months been ill of partial paralysis following on the birth of her youngest child, had been staying with her parents for some time with her three children and it was her husband's habit to pay fortnightly visits to them there, generally staying over the weekend. All the Murphys were very kind to Mrs. McNeill and her children and Nora, the eldest unmarried daughter, specially devoted to the baby, always sleeping with the child, so that she could give it necessary attention, such as the mother in her semi-paralysed state would have been unable to accomplish.

 

McNeill had driven his wife to the Mount Sylvia races on Boxing Day. Michael and Ellen Murphy also had attended the equestrian contests at that sylvan spot, but Nora, faithful to her trust, had stayed at home to mind the baby. It was Nora's non-participation in the festivities of Boxing Day, which was assigned as Michael Murphy's reason for desiring her company to the proposed dance at Gatton on Boxing Night. McNeill helped Michael to harness up and the trio drove away in McNeill's dog-cart, which had one wobbly wheel and consequently made a crooked and easily recognisable track.

 

The story as told by the Murphys and McNeilI, was that the Murphys were as usual early astir for the morning milking and that when seven o'clock had arrived without the return of the pleasure-seekers, Mrs. Murphy became anxious and asked McNeill, who was the only one at the farm who had nothing special to do, to go in search of them. McNeill caught a horse and cantered away.

As told In his evidence, he had got four miles on the road, when he noticed the track of his wobbly wheeled gig turning into a paddock. He was, so ran his evidence, unfamiliar with that paddock, the sliprails of which were up. He lowered them and followed the fence till he came to a barren ridge: his idea being to see if there was any dwelling in the paddock. Seeing none he returned by another direction, this time going towards where he supposed that the track of the dog-cart would be.

 

He saw what he at first thought were three bundles of clothes, but going closer he saw that they were the dead bodies of the three Murphys, whom he had last seen when they were setting out to the dance. Gatton was only two miles away and without waiting to investigate he galloped to the Brian Boru Hotel in that town and informed the landlord, Mr. George Gilbert and other persons of the tragedy. Next having been told where the police station was he went there and told the Acting-sergeant Arrel, who rode with him to the scene. Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Wiggins, a Justice of the Peace, also going with them.

 

The news flew like wildfire. Within a few minutes after McNeill had told his tale as many of the 600 inhabitants of the town as could possibly do so had rushed to the scene. The sergeant, who was at the time without an assistant constable, ordered the crowd not to approach the bodies, but neglected to order them out of the paddock. He left several men in charge of the bodies and directed them to keep the crowd back, but he had no sooner departed than his orders were disregarded and the closely surrounding area was so trampled upon that all hope of definite tracking in the vicinity was lost.

 

The bodies were removed to the Brian Boru hotel and where and when Dr. Von Lossberg, Government Medical Officer, arrived from Ipswich, he made his autopsy and granted the death certificates required by the law and the undertakers.

 

Whether or not Von Lossberg had a habit of making hurried autopsies is not now discoverable, but undoubtedly he came to rapid conclusions concerning, the murdered Murphys. It was obvious to the simplest understanding that Nora and Ellen Murphy had been so belaboured about their heads that, not only had their skulls been smashed, but almost pulverised also. Dr. Von Lossberg could not go wrong in making a report to that effect, though there were and still are sceptics who threw some doubt on his declaration that the girls had been forcibly and criminally assaulted immediately prior to death.

 

Michael Murphy's head also had been, brutally battered, but it is singular that in making his report to the authorities Dr. Von Lossberg made no mention of the fact that his death had been caused by a bullet wound. It remained for a civilian named O'Brien, who had closely examined, the dead man's head before the doctor saw it to report that plainly discernible in it was the track of a bullet. The old deaf and nearly blind farm buggy-horse, which had drawn the dog-cart, also had, died by way of a bullet and had fallen lifeless while still in the shafts.

 

Small wonder that the police chief ordered the exhumation of the bodies, which several days previously had been buried in the presence of fully 1000 persons from near and far. On the occasion of this second and much more gruesome examination of the bodies Dr. Wray, Medical Officer from Brisbane, who afterwards died of bubonic plague, was with Dr. Von Lossberg. The bullet wound was probed and the bullet recovered. At the coronial inquiry Dr. Von Lossberg professed to have known about the bullet all the time but said he did not, probe for it, because already his handling of the bodies had brought to him a slight attack of blood poisoning.

 

The bodies of the girls were too decomposed to admit of Dr. Wray's agreement with or divergence from Von Lossberg's statement concerning criminal ill-usage. The inquiry did not begin till more than two weeks after the murders.

 

Meanwhile Archie Meston, Protector of Aboriginals and his Fraser Island blacks, a host of mounted policemen, official and amateur detectives from Brisbane and Ipswich, Paddy Perklns and Colquhan, both famous black trackers and others less famous, were riding, walking, running, searching, swimming, diving, jumping and climbing in every conceivable and inconceivable place without achieving anything but mental and physical fatigue.

 

A man named Burgess, who had a cynical tongue a predilection for short cuts when 'humping bluey' and a more or less extensive acquaintance with the rules and regulations of "durance vile" was arrested near Dalby, charged with having stolen a saddle and lengthily detained in the lock-up at Toowoomba, actually, though not candidly, with a view to proving that he had some association with the murders. Burgess, who, as he said was never out of trouble of some kind or other, took the situation coolly and cynically. Shortly he was able to show that he had been more than 50 miles from Gatton on the night of the 26th and by the aid of reliable witnesses proved an entirely satisfactory alibi.

 

On the Murphy farm at Tent Hill, which had many sympathetic visitors. Mrs. McNeiIl continued to mourn for her dead brother and sisters and Mrs. Murphy prayed aloud for both murdered and murderers. Old Mr. Murphy who for years had been almost fanatically devout, spent hours daily in prayer. It was shown during the course of the inquiry that at the time of McNeill's marriage to their daughter Mary, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy had been angry, because McNeill, who was a Protestant, had induced their daughter to be married in a Protestant church, but McNeill had proved a good husband and father and had apparently been on friendly terms with all the members of his wife's family for two years before the murders occurred.

 

After the murders he very indignantly resented insults which were awarded to him by outsiders and Mrs. Murphy also complained of the injustice of such treatment towards one who had done everything possible to help the family in their trouble. But who had committed the triple and horrible deed?

 

The coronial Inquiry opened at Gatton on January 24 1899. Mr. A. H. Warner Shand was the magistrate. Inspector Urquhart conducted the case for the police and Mr. Charles Morris, of Morris and Fletcher Brisbane, appeared for the Murphy family. Mr. Parry Okeden also was present. Preliminary evidence revealed that the bodies had been discovered In Moran's paddock, at the foot of a barren spur below which was a chain of waterholes. The body of Nora Murphy, aged 27 was lying on a rug. Her hands, also those of Ellen, aged 18, were tied behind their backs with their own pocket handkerchiefs. The brains of both were protruding and a hemes had been drawn tightly round Nora's neck.

 

The clothing of both was torn and disarranged and that of Ellen was blood-stained. Michael's hands were not tied and In one hand he held an empty purse.

 

For days previously to the opening of the Inquiry the feeling had gained ground among the police that it might possibly be a one-man crime, the man having the advantage of being armed and that the bodies of the deceased girls had deliberately been so arranged as to suggest another crime which really had not been committed. It was believed, too, that the party had gone into the paddock on their own initiative and had not been either tricked or forced into doing so.

McNeill, who was the first witness called said that when he left the farm to look for the party at Mrs. Murphy's suggestion, three of the sons. Jerry, John and William were at home. He had an idea that perhaps the trap had broken down. He had previously taken it to three blacksmiths, none of whom were able to fix the wobbly wheel. When he had taken Acting-sergeant Arrell the scene of the murder, he returned to Murphy's and informed the family.

 

Two girls living near the scene of the crime, gave, evidence as to hearing shots and screams. Dr. Von Lossberg swore that from the first he had known that the damage to Michael Murphy's skull caused by a blunt instrument, had been done after death. He had seen the bullet hole, but had kept his knowledge to himself.

 

The police camp was broken up on March 6 and the inquiry began on March 7. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy were summoned to attend, but failed to do so and the summonses were repeated. In response to such stern demand they appeared on the following day. The father's evidence had little in it that was material. It related mainly to his long prayers on the night of December 26 and the early morning of the succeeding day. He said that he never went to sleep on any night till after 12. As usual that happened on Boxing Night. The only one up when he went to bed was his wife.

 

He had heard McNeill's child cry in the night, but had not heard anyone leave the house and had not heard the dogs bark. McNeill and all the family were very good friends. Mrs. Murphy when called, was in an extreme state of nervousness. She did not revive till after she had been removed to the open air. Next day still looking very unwell. Mrs. Murphy continued her evidence. She told in which rooms the family had slept on Boxing Night. Cross-examined in regard to Michael's sweethearts, she said that he had not any to her knowledge. She did know a girl named Ryan, who had died, but she did not know what she had died of.

 

Her daughter Nora was the only girl in the family who had ever visited Brisbane. When Mrs. McNeill's name was called a doctor's certificate was tendered. It stated that she was not well enough to attend. William Murphy deposed that when McNeill returned, in a great state of excitement on the morning of the 27th he (witness) went down the paddock and told his father of the murders. His father immediately said he was glad they had all attended Mass on Christmas Day.

 

The evidence of this witness consisted mainly of "I do not know." He admitted that their father had not urged them to assist the police and that though they had 20 horses on the place, they had not lent the police any of them. John Murphy, who also was a difficult witness, said he had an old gun at home, but it was of no use. Jeremiah Murphy, under cross-examination, said that neither he nor any of his brothers had gone out of the house after hearing of the murders.

 

Though he was a member of the Mounted Infantry, the thought had not struck him to go to his comrades to enlist their help to search for the murderers who could not then have been far away.

 

Dan Murphy, the younger, who had been a police constable, gave his evidence willingly and intelligently. He stated had resigned from the police so that he could remain at home with his parents. Daniel Murphy, the elder, recalled, said there was an old stallion in the stable on the night of the murder. A pony also was kept in the house paddock for running up the cows in the morning. The pony was hard to catch. He did not think that McNeill could have left the house in the night without him having heard him.

 

The Court adjourned to Toowoomba on March 21. McNeill had removed his wife to Toowoomba some weeks previously. She was carried into court by her husband who was refused permission to remain beside her. She said that her husband had slept with his clothes on the night of the murders. But even under pressure she declared her inability to say whether or not he had left the house during the night.

 

McNeill, recalled said he had slept in his clothes on the night in question. He did so because he thought the child would be restless. He was now wearing the clothes he had worn then. There had been so much talk with a view to connecting him with the murders that he wanted everyone to have a good look at them.

 

After a talk with young Dan Murphy, who was the only collected member of the Murphy family, in the interval succeeding the murders, he had paid the funeral expenses, but the money since had been refunded. Mrs. Murphy also was recalled and sworn.

 

Inspector Urquhart: Did you kiss the Book?

Mrs. Murphy: yes, what else would I do?

Urquhart: Did you?

Witness: Yes.

 

On Boxing Night the door of the room occupied by McNeill and his wife was half open. Both the doors and the windows of the house were kept open in summer, but that night they were closed. Her husband had got up and shut them.

 

Urquhart: Why did you not tell me that when you were in the box before? You did not say that he had risen at all that night.

 

The Magistrate (to Mrs. Murphy): You do not try to assist the inspector in any way.

 

Mrs. Murphy: He tries to crush me, as if I was not crushed enough already.

 

Urquhart: Mrs. Murphy came in an unwilling humor this morning.

 

At this the poor old lady was seized with a violent fit of trembling. She became deathly pale, and could not sign the depositions. She was told to sit down and rest for a while, but even after resting was unable to make her signature. After considerable delay she managed to make a cross and still trembling and almost insensible, was lifted out of court.

 

Daniel Murphy, the younger, recalled, said he remembered having expressed the opinion at Roma street that whoever committed the murders must have gone out of their minds. His actual words were, "Someone at home has gone out of their mind."

 

As the inspector had no further evidence to offer, the inquiry was closed, after Shand had congratulated the inspector on his patience and assiduousness and had remarked on the extreme apathy shown by the relatives of the deceased, except by young Dan.

 

With the exception of Dan and Mrs. McNeill, they had given their evidence both reluctantly and contradictorily, their one desire seeming to be to bury the whole matter. Such conduct, he said was without precedent. As far as legal records can show, the mystery never has been solved.

 

Old Mr. and Mrs. Murphy now are both dead. Two of the sons, William and Dan, still farm expertly at Tent Hill and are highly respected. The McNeill family also have a good record and the esteem of their contemporaries. It was often remarked during 1899 that no one who had been associated with the tragedy seemed to suffer so severely as good Father Walsh. He appeared almost to break down under the strain and had to seek rest and recuperation far beyond the boundaries of his parish.

 

The secret of the murders has been well kept.

 

Considered to be one of Rex Stout’s best Nero Wolf Mysteries.

 

The Red Box is the fourth Nero Wolfe detective novel by Rex Stout. Prior to its first publication in 1937 by Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., the novel was serialized in five issues of The American Magazine (December 1936–April 1937). Together with The League of Frightened Men, it was collected in The Nero Wolfe Omnibus (1944) by the World Publishing Company of Cleveland, Ohio.

 

The Synopsis:

In the midst of a murder investigation, one of the suspects visits Wolfe and begs Wolfe to handle his estate and especially the contents of a certain red box. Wolfe is at first concerned about a possible conflict of interest, but feels unable to refuse when the man dies in his office before telling Wolfe where to find the red box. The police naturally think that he told Wolfe somewhat more before dying.

 

The Case:

“I never knew a plaguier case. We have all the knowledge we need, and not a shred of presentable evidence. Unless the red box is found — are we actually going to be forced to send Saul to Scotland or Spain or both? Good heavens! Are we so inept that we must half encircle the globe to demonstrate the motive and the technique of a murder that happened in our own office in front of our eyes? Pfui!”

— Nero Wolfe in The Red Box, chapter 14

 

The Murder:

The business was high fashion - but some low dealings brought sudden death to a lovely model.

And then the murderer had the nerve to knock off his next victim under the eyes of . . . Nero Wolfe!

That was his mistake - because now he had one-seventh of a ton of fire-breathing detective on his trail with one mission: seek out, pursue, and destroy!

 

The Author:

 

Rex Todhunter Stout (December 1, 1886 – October 27, 1975) was an American crime writer, best known as the creator of the larger-than-life fictional detective Nero Wolfe, described by reviewer Will Cuppy as "that Falstaff of detectives." Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin recorded the cases of the detective genius from 1934 (Fer-de-Lance) to 1975 (A Family Affair).

 

The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon 2000, the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.

 

Rex Stout's

Description of Archie

 

Height 6 ft. Weight 180 lbs. Age 32.

Hair is light rather than dark, but just barely decided not to be red; he gets it cut every two weeks, rather short, and brushes it straight back, but it keeps standing up. He shaves four times a week and grasps at every excuse to make it only three times. His features are all regular, well-modeled and well-proportioned, except the nose. He escapes the curse of being the movie actor type only through the nose. It is not a true pug and is by no means a deformity, but it is a little short and the ridge is broad, and the tip has continued on its own, beyond the cartilage, giving the impression of startling and quite independent initiative. The eyes are grey, and are inquisitive and quick to move. He is muscular both in appearance and in movement, and upright in posture, but his shoulders stoop a little in unconscious reaction to Wolfe's repeated criticism that he is too self-assertive…

 

****************************************

Early life

 

Stout was born in Noblesville, Indiana, but shortly after that his Quaker parents, John Wallace Stout and Lucetta Elizabeth Todhunter Stout, moved their family (nine children in all) to Kansas.

 

His father was a teacher who encouraged his son to read, and Rex had read the entire Bible twice by the time he was four years old. He was the state spelling bee champion at age 13. Stout attended Topeka High School, Kansas, and the University of Kansas, Lawrence. His sister, Ruth Stout, also authored several books on no-work gardening and some social commentaries.

 

He served from 1906 to 1908 in the U.S. Navy (as a yeoman on President Teddy Roosevelt's official yacht) and then spent about the next four years working at about thirty different jobs (in six states), including cigar store clerk, while he sold poems, stories, and articles to various magazines.

 

It was not his writing but his invention of a school banking system in about 1916 that gave him enough money to travel in Europe extensively. About 400 U.S. schools adopted his system for keeping track of the money school children saved in accounts at school, and he was paid royalties.

 

In 1916, Stout married Fay Kennedy of Topeka, Kansas. They divorced in 1932 and Stout married in the same year Pola Weinbach Hoffmann, a designer who had studied with Josef Hoffmann in Vienna, Austria.[3]

   

Rex Stout began his literary career in the 1910s writing for the pulps, publishing romance, adventure, and some borderline detective stories. His first stories appeared among others in All-Story Magazine. He sold articles and stories to a variety of magazines, and became a full-time writer in 1927. Stout lost the money he had made as a businessman in 1929.

 

In Paris in 1929 he wrote his first book, How Like a God, an unusual psychological story written in the second person. During the course of his early writing career Stout tackled a variety of literary forms, including the short story, the novel, and science fiction, among them a pioneering political thriller, The President Vanishes (1934).

 

After he returned to the U.S. Stout turned to writing detective fiction. The first work was Fer-de-Lance, which introduced Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin. The novel was published by Farrar & Rinehart in October 1934, and in abridged form as "Point of Death" in The American Magazine (November 1934). In 1937, Stout created Dol Bonner, a female private detective who would reappear in his Nero Wolfe stories and who is an early and significant example of the woman PI as fictional protagonist, in a novel called The Hand in the Glove. After 1938 Stout focused solely on the mystery field. Stout continued writing the Nero Wolfe series for the rest of his life, publishing at least one adventure per year through 1966 (with the exception of 1943, when he was busy with activities related to World War II). Though Stout's rate of production declined somewhat after 1966, he still published four further Nero Wolfe novels and a cookbook prior to his death in 1975, aged 88.

 

During WWII Stout cut back on his detective writing, joined the Fight for Freedom organization, and wrote propaganda. He hosted three weekly radio shows, and coordinated the volunteer services of American writers to help the war effort. After the war Stout returned to writing Nero Wolfe novels, and took up the role of gentleman farmer on his estate at High Meadow in Brewster, north of New York City. He served as president of the Authors Guild and of the Mystery Writers of America, which in 1959 presented Stout with the Grand Master Award—the pinnacle of achievement in the mystery field.

 

Stout was a longtime friend of the British humorist P. G. Wodehouse, writer of the Jeeves novels and short stories. Each was a fan of the other's work, and there are evident parallels between their characters and techniques. Wodehouse contributed the foreword to Rex Stout: A Biography, John McAleer's Edgar Award-winning 1977 biography of the author (reissued in 2002 as Rex Stout: A Majesty's Life).

 

Courtesy of Chatwick University Theartre and Art Departments

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All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

 

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment and/or educational purposes only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

 

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The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

  

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this is a shot i took at a car wash for the funeral of a young man that was murdered in west phoenix. he was followed by three men with weapons to his friend's home and surrounded, murdered by cowards. his vehicle was taken and found a few blocks down the street. this stuff happens in phoenix. the case is unsolved with no suspects.

c/n 150723.

On display in the main display hangar at the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego

Krakow, Poland.

23-08-2013

 

The following info is taken from the museum website:-

 

"The L-60 Brigadyr was designed for the competition announced by the Czechoslovak Defence Ministry for the replacement of the German Fieseler 156 Storch, utilised by Czechoslovak aviation since the end of the hostilities. By 1953, a team led by Ondrej Nemec carried out work for the first prototype at the Praha Aero manufacturers, its maiden flight as the XL-60 was made in the same year.

 

The third test aircraft (being the standard for serial production), however, appeared as the work of Zdenek Rublic. It was an all-metal, high-wing (with struts), multipurpose, four seater aircraft. After tests it was introduced into production at the Orlican works in Choclnia. The production between 1953–1956 closed with almost 250 aircraft.

 

The Aero L-60 were exported to the German Democratic Republic, the Soviet Union, New Zealand and Argentina and were delivered as executive, ambulance and agricultural versions. Also, tests (which were later suspended) were carried out on the military L-160 version (now displayed at the Praha-Kbely museum). The aircraft's big and unsolved problem was a troubled and disappointing engine.

 

In Poland, three L-60's were used as ambulances. The 150723, SP-FXA L-60 Brigadyr on display at the museum was bought in 1957 and flew with Ambulance Aviation until 1974. It was handed over by the Ambulance Aviation Team in Krakow on 6th January 1974."

The Ghost Tree of 17-Mile Drive - Now merely a shadow of its former self, the Ghost Tree, is a tourist attraction and point of interest on the 17 Mile Drive map visitors are provided when they pay to enter the gated community of Pebble Beach. Offering one of the most scenic car drives in the United States, you'll stop at the map's designated location to view and photograph a bleached white Monterey Cypress that appears statuesque, but greatly diminished in size. Lighting to photograph is best in the late afternoon. But look around and notice a forest of bleached white trees along the cliffs. And if you stick around on a foggy night, perhaps you'll catch a glimpse of the Lady in Lace ghost.

 

If the name "Ghost Tree" causes your curiosity to peak, you're not crazy. Perhaps you sense a spirit that some report seeing wandering along this stretch of highway, described as the Lady in Lace. This region of California does like its lady ghosts and and describes them with clothing attributes. In Moss Beach at the Moss Beach Distillery north of Monterey in San Mateo County, The Blue Lady (who always wears blue clothes) is a ghost featured on Unsolved Mysteries television show. Lady in Lace supposedly wears a white dress as she wanders along the road near the Ghost Tree at night, looking sad, then disappearing into emptiness. Some have hypothesized that this is the ghost of Dona Maria del Carmen Barreto who once owned a vast region of Pebble Beach. Others speculate the ghost could be a bride or young lady who lost a loved one, perhaps taken by the sea either in a shipwreck drowning at this location. Because of the rocky points offshore and dense fog, this region of California was one of the most treacherous for explorers who came by ship to chart California's vast lands. Often on dark, foggy nights along Pescadero Point and the Ghost Tree location, the Lady in Lace has reportedly alarmed motorists who have swerved to miss her.

 

While ghost lore exists around a stark, sun-bleached tree, a very real ghost offshore is the subject of a recent film. Ghost Tree is the title of the finale to a new surf docudrama "Down the Line." Ghost Tree segment was filmed near the actual Ghost Tree, capturing world class surfing on monster waves that break dangerously close to shore, injuring those who make even a slight mistake. So dangerous is Ghost Tree surfing, it can easily take the life of a novice not capable of handling such extreme conditions. Filmmakers who have chased and documented the biggest waves in the world have included Ghost Tree along 17 Mile Drive. A local ordinance was enacted recently to prohibit small powercraft from towing surfers into position for these once-in-a-lifetime rides in this neck of the woods. Mavericks and other famous surf contests with monster waves in San Mateo County (where the other lady ghost exists) have only been possible via a towing process. So the legendary, monster Ghost Tree waves epitomize the long-standing Ghost Tree onshore. Wave sets have been measured at well over 40-feet and when they boom and thunder, surfers say that Ghost Tree is awake.

_MG_1703_695_696_697_698_699_701t

Grave of Ernest Willis Brown at Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C., in the United States.

 

Brown was born on August 26, 1873, newar Auburn, New York, and educated in the New York City public schools. He attended the Business College of New York before moving to Washington, D.C., in 1890 to take a job as a clerk at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was a whopping 6'1" tall at a time when most people were 5'8" in height, and he weighed more than 225 pounds. One day, someone took him aside and said, "You should be a cop."

 

Brown asked his father for permission to become a policeman, and he gave his consent. Brown joined the Metropolitan Police Department on January 10, 1896, as a private. His first beat was the Georgetown and Foggy Bottom waterfronts, then crime-infested nest of industrial plants, wharves, and brothels. He recalled that his first arrest was of a drunk woman, whom he took to jail. (He let her sleep it off, and released her.)

 

Brown married Ella R. Jones (a clerk in the Treasury Department) on December 5, 1900, in Philadelphia. He kept the married a secret, and they lived apart for ten years. He allegedly asked her for a divorce in 1910, and at first she agreed. She traveled to Philadelphia, where she could file for divorce on grounds of desertion (she had no grounds for divorce in D.C.). She changed her mind, and sued him for support on September 6. The couple remained married until her death on January 13, 1935.

 

He was widely admired as the "one honest cop", and received numerous civic, social, and religious awards for his policework and for his service to the community. He was transferred to the White House beat and for three years helped guard President William McKinley. He promoted to segeant in 1905 lieutenant in 1917, and captain in 1920.

 

As Captain, he supervised the training school, worked as a plainclothes detective, and then commanded the Third Precinct.

 

He was promoted to Inspector and named head of the newly created Traffic Division in 1925, and oversaw the city's chaotic conversion from horse-and-buggy to automobile. It was there where the city's first traffic laws and regulations were formed. He was promoted to Assistant Superintendent in charge of the Traffic Division.

 

On October 22, 1932, the Board of Police Commissioners promoted Brown to Major (the department's highest rank) and named him Superintendent of Police. Brown believed youth should like and respect the police, not fear them. Juvenile delinquency was a major concern at the time, and in 1934 Brown founded the Metropolitan Police Department Boys Club as a means of providing safe, nuturing, organized athletic and educational opportunities for city youth. He also created Youth Safety Patrols as a means of involving young men in keeping their neighborhoods clean and safe.

 

Brown married 51-year-old Olga Krumke on February 16, 1935. They had no children.

 

Brown remained Superintendent until 1941. During this time, he continued to bolster the Traffic Division, and was the first Superintendent to put police officers in automobiles, created the first mounted police unit, installed public police call boxes, and moved officers from desk duty to foot patrols.

 

In April 1934, Brown was also appointed D.C. Boxing Commissioner. On June 17, 1940, Brown sanctioned the first racially integrated boxing match in D.C. history when Kid Cocoa (Herbert Lewis Hardwick, an African American from Puerto Rico) bested "Wild" Bill McDowell (a white from Dallas, Texas) 7-to-5 in a ten-round match. There wasn't a peep of protest, despite concerns that the city wasn't ready for an integrated sport.

 

In 1940, press reports claimed that the MPD was being mismanaged under Brown. The department was accused of failing to close over 90 percent of the most serious cases such as rape, assault, and murder. A crime commission created which found that although Brown had largely suppressed illegal gambling and solved several high-profile murder cases, the detective bureau was not well-managed and many murder cases went unsolved.

 

One of the commission's reccommendations was that superintendents have a mandatory retirement age of 65. The rule would not apply to the 68-year-old Brown, but he was disenchanted by the crime commission's criticisms and retired on October 15, 1941. Camp Brown, the MPD's boys' summer camp on Maryland's eastern shore, was named after him.

 

Brown was a deeply religious man who for decades worshipped at the Congress Street Methodist Church in Georgetown. He remained active in the MPD Boys Clubs, the D.C. Youth Council, and the board of directors of Casualty Hospital. He suffered a heart attack while attending a hospital board meeting on May 20, 1966, and died later that day.

Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह IAST: Narasiṁha, lit. man-lion), Narasingh, Narsingh and Narasingha in derivative languages is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium.

 

Narasiṁha is often visualised as having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. This image is widely worshipped in deity form by a significant number of Vaiṣṇava groups. Vishnu assumed this form on top of Himvat mountain(Harivamsa). He is known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically defends and protects his devotees in times of need. Vishnu is believed to have taken the avatar to destroy the demon king Hiranyakashipu.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The word Narasimha means 'lion-man' which usually means 'half man and half lion'. His other names are-

 

Agnilochana (अग्निलोचन) - the one who has fiery eyes

Bhairavadambara (भैरवडम्बर) - the one who causes terror by roaring

Karala (कराल) - the one who has a wide mouth and projecting teeth

Hiranyakashipudvamsa (हिरण्यकशिपुध्वंस) - the one who killed Hiranyakashipu

Nakhastra (नखास्त्र) - the one for whom nails are his weapons

Sinhavadana (सिंहवदन) - the whose face is of lion

Mrigendra (मृगेन्द्र) - king of animals or lion

 

SCRIPTURAL SOURCES

There are references to Narasiṁha in a variety of Purāṇas, with 17 different versions of the main narrative. The Bhagavata Purāṇa (Canto 7), Agni Purāṇa (4.2-3), Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa(2.5.3-29), Vayu Purāṇa (67.61-66), Harivaṁśa (41 & 3.41-47), Brahma-Purāṇa (213.44-79), Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa(1.54), Kūrma Purāṇa (1.15.18-72), Matsya Purāṇa(161-163), Padma Purāṇa(Uttara-khaṇḍa 5.42), Śiva Purāṇa (2.5.43 & 3.10-12), Liṅga Purāṇa (1.95-96), Skanda Purāṇa 7 (2.18.60-130) and Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.16-20) all contain depictions of the Narasiṁha Avatāra. There is also a short reference in the Mahābhārata (3.272.56-60) and a Gopāla Tapani Upaniṣad (Narasiṁha tapani Upaniṣad), earliest of Vaiṣṇava Upaniṣads named in reference to him.

 

REFERENCES FROM VEDAS

The Ṛg Veda contains an epithet that has been attributed to Narasiṁha. The half-man, half-lion avatāra is described as:

 

like some wild beast, dread, prowling, mountain-roaming.

 

Source: (RV.I 154.2a).

 

There is an allusion to a Namuci story in RV.VIII 14.13:

 

With waters' foam you tore off, Indra, the head of Namuci, subduing all contending hosts.

 

This short reference is believed to have culminated in the full puranic story of Narasiṁha.

 

LORD NARASIMHA AND PRAHLADA

Bhagavata Purāṇa describes that in his previous avatar as Varāha, Viṣṇu killed the asura Hiraṇayakṣa. The younger brother of Hirṇayakṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted revenge on Viṣṇu and his followers. He undertook many years of austere penance to take revenge on Viṣṇu: Brahma thus offers the demon a boon and Hiraṇyakaśipu asks for immortality. Brahma tells him this is not possible, but that he could bind the death of Hiraṇyakaśipu with conditions. Hiraṇyakaśipu agreed:

 

O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you.

 

Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought about by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving created by you. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.

 

Brahma said,

Tathāstu (so be it)

 

and vanished. Hiraṇyakaśipu was happy thinking that he had won over death.

 

One day while Hiraṇyakaśipu performed austerities at Mandarācala Mountain, his home was attacked by Indra and the other devatās. At this point the Devarṣi (divine sage) Nārada intervenes to protect Kayādu, whom he describes as sinless. Following this event, Nārada takes Kayādu into his care and while under the guidance of Nārada, her unborn child (Hiraṇyakaśipu's son) Prahālada, becomes affected by the transcendental instructions of the sage even at such a young stage of development. Thus, Prahlāda later begins to show symptoms of this earlier training by Nārada, gradually becoming recognised as a devoted follower of Viṣṇu, much to his father's disappointment.

 

Hiraṇyakaśipu furious at the devotion of his son to Viṣṇu, as the god had killed his brother. Finally, he decides to commit filicide. but each time he attempts to kill the boy, Prahlāda is protected by Viṣṇu's mystical power. When asked, Prahlāda refuses to acknowledge his father as the supreme lord of the universe and claims that Viṣṇu is all-pervading and omnipresent.

 

Hiraṇyakaśipu points to a nearby pillar and asks if 'his Viṣṇu' is in it and says to his son Prahlāda:

O most unfortunate Prahlāda, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?

 

Prahlāda then answers,

He was, He is and He will be.

 

In an alternate version of the story, Prahlāda answers,

He is in pillars, and he is in the smallest twig.

 

Hiraṇyakaśipu, unable to control his anger, smashes the pillar with his mace, and following a tumultuous sound, Viṣṇu in the form of Narasiṁha appears from it and moves to attack Hiraṇyakaśipu. in defence of Prahlāda. In order to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu and not upset the boon given by Brahma, the form of Narasiṁha is chosen. Hiraṇyakaśipu can not be killed by human, deva or animal. Narasiṁha is neither one of these as he is a form of Viṣṇu incarnate as a part-human, part-animal. He comes upon Hiraṇyakaśipu at twilight (when it is neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor out), and puts the demon on his thighs (neither earth nor space). Using his sharp fingernails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon.

 

Kūrma Purāṇa describes the preceding battle between the Puruṣa and demonic forces in which he escapes a powerful weapon called Paśupāta and it describes how Prahlāda's brothers headed by Anuhrāda and thousands of other demons were led to the valley of death (yamalayam) by the lion produced from the body of man-lion avatar. The same episode occurs in the Matsya Purāṇa 179, several chapters after its version of the Narasiṁha advent.

 

It is said that even after killing Hiraṇyakaśipu, none of the present demigods are able to calm Narasiṁha's wrath.So the demigods requested Prahlada to calm down the Lord,and Narasimha,who had assumed the all-powerful form of Gandaberunda returned to more benevolent form after that. In other stories,all the gods and goddesses call his consort, Lakṣmī, who assumes the form of Pratyangira and pacifies the Lord. According to a few scriptures, at the request of Brahma, Shiva took the form of Sharabha and successfully pacified him. Before parting, Narasiṁha rewards the wise Prahlāda by crowning him as the king.

 

NARASIMHA AND ADI SANKARA

Narasiṁha is also a protector of his devotees in times of danger. Near Śrī Śailaṁ, there is a forest called Hatakeśvanam, that no man enters. Śaṅkarācārya entered this place and did penance for many days. During this time, a Kāpālika, by name Kirakashan appeared before him.

 

He told Śrī Śaṅkara that he should give his body as a human-sacrifice to Kālī. Śaṅkara happily agreed. His disciples were shocked to hear this and pleaded with Śaṅkara to change his mind, but he refused to do so saying that it was an honor to give up his body as a sacrifice for Kālī and one must not lament such things. The Kāpālika arranged a fire for the sacrifice and Śaṅkara sat beside it. Just as he lifted his axe to severe the head of Śaṅkara, Viṣṇu as Narasiṁha entered the body of the disciple of Śaṅkarācārya and Narasiṁha devotee, Padmapada. He then fought the Kāpālika, slayed him and freed the forest of Kapalikas. Ādi Śaṅkara composed the powerful Lakṣmī-Narasiṁha Karāvalambaṁ Stotram at the very spot in front of Lord Narasiṁha.

 

MODE OF WORSHIP

Due to the nature of Narasiṁha's form (divine anger), it is essential that worship be given with a very high level of attention compared to other deities. In many temples only lifelong celibates (Brahmācārya) will be able to have the chance to serve as priests to perform the daily puja. Forms where Narasiṁha appears sitting in a yogic posture, or with the goddess Lakṣmī are the exception to this rule, as Narasiṁha is taken as being more relaxed in both of these instances compared to his form when first emerging from the pillar to protect Prahlāda.

 

PRAYERS

A number of prayers have been written in dedication to Narasiṁha avatāra. These include:

 

The Narasiṁha Mahā-Mantra

Narasiṁha Praṇāma Prayer

Daśāvatāra Stotra by Jayadeva

Kāmaśikha Aṣṭakam by Vedānta Deśika

Divya Prabandham 2954

Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram by Sri Adi Sankara

 

THE NARASIMHA MAHA-MANTRA

oṁ hrīṁ kṣauṁ

ugraṁ viraṁ mahāviṣṇuṁ

jvalantaṁ sarvatomukham ।

nṛsiṁhaṁ bhīṣaṇaṁ bhadraṁ

mṛtyormṛtyuṁ namāmyaham ॥

 

O' Angry and brave Mahā-Viṣṇu, your heat and fire permeate everywhere. O Lord Narasiṁha, you are everywhere. You are the death of death and I surrender to You.

 

NARASIMHA PRANAMA PRAYER

namaste narasiṁhāya,

prahlādahlāda-dāyine,

hiraṇyakaśipor vakṣaḥ,

śilā-ṭaṅka nakhālaye

 

I offer my obeisances to Lord Narasiṁha, who gives joy to Prahlāda Mahārāja and whose nails are like chisels on the stone like chest of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.

 

ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho,

yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ,

bahir nṛsiṁho hṛdaye nṛsiṁho,

nṛsiṁhaṁ ādiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

 

Lord Nṛsiṁha is here and also there. Wherever I go Lord Narasiṁha is there. He is in the heart and is outside as well. I surrender to Lord Narasiṁha, the origin of all things and the supreme refuge.

 

DASAVATARA STOTRA BY JAYADEVA

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śrṅgaṁ,

dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam,

keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadiśa hare

 

O Keśava! O Lord of the universe. O Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp-like demon Hiraṇyakaśipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on your beautiful lotus hands. (from the Daśāvatāra-stotra composed by Jayadeva)

 

KAMASIKHA ASTAKAM BY VEDANTA DESIKA

tvayi rakṣati rakṣakaiḥ kimanyaiḥ,

tvayi cārakṣāti rakṣākaiḥ kimanyaiḥ ।

iti niścita dhīḥ śrayāmi nityaṁ,

nṛhare vegavatī taṭāśrayaṁ tvam ॥8॥

 

O Kāmaśikhā Narasiṁha! you are sarva śakthan. When you are resolved to protect some one, where is the need to seek the protection of anyone else? When you are resolved not to protect some one, which other person is capable of protecting us?. There is no one. Knowing this fundamental truth, I have resolved to offer my śaraṇāgatī at your lotus feet alone that rest at the banks of Vegavatī river.

 

DIVYA PRABANDHAM 2954

āḍi āḍi agam karaindhu isai

pāḍip pāḍik kaṇṇīr malgi engum

nāḍi nāḍi narasingā endru,

vāḍi vāḍum ivvāl nuthale!

 

I will dance and melt for you, within my heart, to see you, I will sing in praise of you with tears in joy, I will search for Narasiṁha and I am a householder who still searches to reach you (to attain Salvation).

 

SYMBOLISM

Narasiṁha indicates God's omnipresence and the lesson is that God is everywhere. For more information, see Vaishnav Theology.

 

Narasiṁha demonstrates God's willingness and ability to come to the aid of His devotees, no matter how difficult or impossible the circumstances may appear to be.

 

Prahlāda's devotion indicates that pure devotion is not one of birthright but of character. Prahlāda, although born an asura, demonstrated the greatest bhakti to God, and endured much, without losing faith.

 

Narasiṁha is known by the epithet Mṛga-Śarīra in Sanskrit which translates to Animal-Man. From a philosophical perspective. Narasiṁha is the very icon of Vaiṣṇavism, where jñāna (knowledge) and Bhakti are important as opposed to Advaita, which has no room for Bhakti, as the object to be worshipped and the worshipper do not exist. As according to Advaita or Māyāvāda, the jīva is Paramātma.

 

SIGNIFICANCE

In South Indian art – sculptures, bronzes and paintings – Viṣṇu's incarnation as Narasiṁha is one of the most chosen themes and amongst [[Avatar]|Avatāra]]s perhaps next only to Rāma and Kṛṣṇa in popularity.

 

Lord Narasiṁha also appears as one of Hanuman's 5 faces, who is a significant character in the Rāmāyaṇa as Lord (Rāma's) devotee.

  

FORMS OF NARASIMHA

There are several forms of Narasiṁha, but 9 main ones collectively known as Nava-narasiṁha:

 

Ugra-narasiṁha

Kroddha-narasiṁha

Vīra-narasiṁha

Vilamba-narasiṁha

Kopa-narasiṁha

Yoga-narasiṁha

Aghora-narasiṁha

Sudarśana-narasiṁha

Lakṣmī-narasiṁha

 

In Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh, the nine forms are as follows:

Chātra-vata-narasiṁha (seated under a banyan tree)

Yogānanda-narasiṁha (who blessed Lord Brahma)

Karañja-narasiṁha

Uha-narasiṁha

Ugra-narasiṁha

Krodha-narasiṁha

Malola-narasiṁha (With Lakṣmī on His lap)

Jvālā-narasiṁha (an eight armed form rushing out of the pillar)

Pavana-narasiṁha (who blessed the sage Bharadvaja)

 

Forms from Prahlad story:

 

Stambha-narasiṁha (coming out of the pillar)

Svayam-narasiṁha (manifesting on His own)

Grahaṇa-narasiṁha (catching hold of the demon)

Vidāraṇa-narasiṁha (ripping open of the belly of the demon)

Saṁhāra-narasiṁha (killing the demon)

 

The following three refer to His ferocious aspect:

 

Ghora-narasiṁha

Ugra-narasiṁha

Candā-narasiṁha

 

OTHERS

Pañcamukha-Hanumān-narasiṁha, (appears as one of Śrī Hanuman's five faces.)

Pṛthvī-narasiṁha, Vayu-narasiṁha, Ākāśa-narasiṁha, Jvalana-narasiṁha, and

Amṛta-narasiṁha, (representing the five elements)

Jvālā-narasiṁha (with a flame-like mane)

Lakṣmī-narasiṁha (where Lakṣmī pacifies Him)

Prasāda/Prahlāda-varadā-narasiṁha (His benign aspect of protecting Prahlad)

Chatrā-narasiṁha (seated under a parasol of a five-hooded serpent)

Yoga-narasiṁha or Yogeśvara-narasiṁha (in meditation)

Āveśa-narasiṁha (a frenzied form)

Aṭṭahasa-narasiṁha (a form that roars horribly and majestically strides across to destroy evil)

Cakra-narasiṁha, (with only a discus in hand)

Viṣṇu-narasiṁha, Brahma-narasiṁha and Rudra-narasiṁha

Puṣṭi narasiṁha, (worshipped for overcoming evil influences)

 

EARLY IMAGES

In Andhra Pradesh, a panel dating to third-fourth century AD shows a full theriomorphic squatting lion with two extra human arms behind his shoulders holding Vaiṣṇava emblems. This lion, flanked by five heroes (vīra), often has been identified as an early depiction of Narasiṁha. Standing cult images of Narasiṁha from the early Gupta period, survive from temples at Tigowa and Eran. These sculptures are two-armed, long maned, frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-figure of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Images representing the narrative of Narasiṁha slaying the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu survive from slightly later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a temple-doorway now set into the Kūrma-maṭha at Nachna, both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century A.D.

 

An image of Narasiṁha supposedly dating to second-third century AD sculpted at Mathura was acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1987. It was described by Stella Kramrisch, the former Philadelphia Museum of Art's Indian curator, as "perhaps the earliest image of Narasiṁha as yet known". This figure depicts a furled brow, fangs, and lolling tongue similar to later images of Narasiṁha, but the idol's robe, simplicity, and stance set it apart. On Narasiṁha's chest under his upper garment appears the suggestion of an amulet, which Stella Kramrisch associated with Visnu's cognizance, the Kauṣtubha jewel. This upper garment flows over both shoulders; but below Hiranyakasipu, the demon-figure placed horizontally across Narasiṁha's body, a twisted waist-band suggests a separate garment covering the legs. The demon's hair streams behind him, cushioning his head against the man-lion's right knee. He wears a simple single strand of beads. His body seems relaxed, even pliant. His face is calm, with a slight suggestion of a smile. His eyes stare adoringly up at the face of Viṣṇu. There is little tension in this figure's legs or feet, even as Narasiṁha gently disembowels him. His innards spill along his right side. As the Matsya purana describes it, Narasiṁha ripped "apart the mighty Daitya chief as a plaiter of straw mats shreds his reeds". Based on the Gandhara-style of robe worn by the idol, Michael Meiste altered the date of the image to fourth century AD.

 

Deborah Soifer, a scholar who worked on texts in relation to Narasiṁha, believes that "the traits basic to Viṣṇu in the Veda remain central to Viṣṇu in his avataras" and points out, however, that:

 

we have virtually no precursors in the Vedic material for the figure of a man-lion, and only one phrase that simply does not rule out the possibility of a violent side to the benign Viṣṇu.

 

Soifer speaks of the enigma of Viṣṇu's Narasiṁha avatāra and comments that how the myth arrived at its rudimentary form [first recorded in the Mahābhārata], and where the figure of the man-lion came from remain unsolved mysteries.

 

An image of Narasiṁha, dating to the 9th century, was found on the northern slope of Mount Ijo, at Prambanan, Indonesia. Images of Trivikrama and Varāha avatāras were also found at Prambanan, Indonesia. Viṣṇu and His avatāra images follow iconographic peculiarities characteristic of the art of central Java. This includes physiognomy of central Java, an exaggerated volume of garment, and some elaboration of the jewelry. This decorative scheme once formulated became, with very little modification, an accepted norm for sculptures throughout the Central Javanese period (circa 730–930 A.D.). Despite the iconographic peculiarities, the stylistic antecedents of the Java sculptures can be traced back to Indian carvings as the Chalukya and Pallava images of the 6th–7th centuries AD.

 

CULTURAL TRADITION OF PROCESSION (SRI NRSIMHA YATRA)

In Rājopadhyāya Brahmins of Nepal, there is a tradition of celebrating the procession ceremony of the deity Narasiṁha avatar, in Lalitpur district of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The Lunar fifth day of the waning phase of the moon, in the holy Soli-lunar Śrāvaṇa month i.e. on Śrāvaṇa Kṛṣṇa Pañcamī of the Hindu Lunar Calendar is marked as auspicious day for the religious procession, Nṛsiṁha Yātrā. This tradition of the holy procession has been held for more than a hundred years. This is one of the typical traditions of the Rājopadhyāya Bramhins, the Hindu Bramhans of the locality.

 

In this Nṛsiṁha Yātrā, each year one male member of the Rājopadhyāya community gets the chance to be the organizer each year in that particular day. He gets his turn according to the sequence in their record, where the names of Rājopadhyāya bramhins are registered when a brahmāṇa lad is eligible to be called as a Bramhan.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Bryggen i Bergen , also known as Tyskebryggen and Hansabryggen , comprises the old wooden buildings and fire-proof stone cellars in the historic city center of Bergen . The wharf was built around 1070, and from 1360 to 1754 was the seat of the German office in the city and the central hub for the Hanseatic trade in Norway. The Hansa company was also the Nordics' first trading company. The pier consists of approx. 13 acres with 61 listed buildings, and is on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites . Bryggen is the third most visited tourist attraction in Norway .

 

Streoket Bryggen

The area borders Bergenhus fortress in the north and along Øvregaten to Vetrlidsallmenningen in the south, down this and back along Bryggen's quay front on the east side of Vågen . The area north of the historic commercial farms is called Dreggen . Here is Bradbenken , which is the base for the school ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl , and the Dreggsallmenningen with St. Mary's Church from the 12th century, Bryggens Museum and Gustav Vigeland's statue by Snorre Sturlason . In the area there are also old clusters of wooden houses and more modern blocks of flats with hotels and commercial buildings, as well as the athletics hall Vikinghallen . South of the Dreggsallmenningen are the old Hanseatic wooden trading houses and the Schøtstuene, and south of the Nikolaikirkealmenningen brick apartment buildings in the same style. Farthest to the south is the Hanseatic Museum and the Meat Bazaar . The local archery corps is called Dræggens Buekorps . From Bryggen, Beffen runs a shuttle across Vågen to Munkebryggen on the Strandsiden .

 

The district is comprised of the basic districts Dreggen, Bryggen and Vetrlidsalmenningen, which had a total of 1,164 inhabitants on 1 January 2014 and an area of ​​0.16 km², but this includes smaller areas belonging to the districts Stølen and Fjellet east of Øvregaten and Lille Øvregaten , and smaller areas belonging to the Vågsbunnen area south of the Vetrlidsalmenningen.

 

Name

The name Bryggen or Bryggene can be traced back to the age of sagas . Late in the Middle Ages , in connection with the wharf's emergence as a Hanseatic trading post, the name form Tyskebryggen appears, in the same way that St. Mary's Church was referred to as the "German Church" because services were held in German there until 1868 . In the 17th and 18th centuries, the popular name form Garpebryggen was also common. In Norse, "garp" meant a core vessel, but applied to the German merchants, the term may have been intended ironically. Later, the form Tyskebryggen became dominant. On 25 May 1945, Bergen city council decided that the name should henceforth be Bryggen. The use of the name has been a source of controversy, and several have argued that Tyskebryggen is the most historically correct, and that the city council wishes to reverse the name decision. Lasse Bjørkhaug, former director of Stiftelsen Bryggen, has stated that he has noticed that "more and more people are now using the name Tyskebryggen again". In 2011, Venstre proposed in the city council that the official municipal name should be changed to Tyskebryggen. Hans-Carl Tveit from Venstre justified it by saying that "this is about taking history back. In 2016, Bergen will host the Hansadagen, and it would have been great to get the old name back before then." However, the proposal only received support from the Liberal Party and the independent representative Siv Gørbitz.

 

The commercial farms at Bryggen functioned as warehouses for goods for export and import. Grain from Central Europe was imported and dried fish from Northern Norway was exported. During the spring and autumn convention, the stalls were full of dried fish to be exported. Dried fish was an important commodity for the Catholic countries, which made use of the dried fish during Lent .

 

The front buildings at Bryggen were fitted out as seahouses. As a rule, these searooms were divided into packing sheds and farm sheds on the ground floor and outer living room, living room, inner living room and packing room on the second floor. The rooms on the third floor usually consisted of the master's room, the journeyman's room, the boy's room, sitting rooms and storerooms.

 

When the dried fish from the north reached Bryggen in Bergen, it was first unloaded and then collected in the warehouses for storage. The fish were not made ready for export until the spring or autumn gathering was over, as these were very busy periods. It was the farm boys who were responsible for preparing the fish for sale in the form of cutting the necks and spurs (tails) at each workstation. The dried fish wrecking, the quality determination and sorting of the dried fish, was left to the merchant's second-in-command, the journeyman or wrecker , with responsibility for assessing the value of the fish according to size and quality.

 

The trading community at Bryggen was strictly stratified, both in the Hanseatic period and later. Young men entered the community as room boys ( Stabenjungen ) with tasks related to daily life in the living rooms, after 3-4 years they advanced to schute boys ( Schutenjungen ) who had tasks, among other things, related to unloading and loading the Nordland jets . After a few more years, they were able to advance to journeyman , after passing an exam in trade theory, knowledge of goods and arithmetic. The office also had its own jurisdiction , as well as a separate school system where boys were apprenticed. There were strict living conditions, where it was forbidden for the members to associate with the inhabitants of Bergen. Hanseaters were also supposed to live in celibacy so that they did not have children who could lay claim to values ​​such as their paternal inheritance. The ban was not complied with, and in Lübeck's archives there are wills in which repatriated Hanseatics name the frill they had in Bergen, and any children in the relationship.

 

Originally, the Germans were only allowed to "sit" (i.e. shop) in Bergen in the time between the cross mass in the spring (3 May) and the cross mass in the autumn (14 September); but gradually they became "winter sitters". Around 1259, several of them wintered in Bergen as tenants with Norwegian farm owners at Bryggen, and one German soon became a landlord himself. The winter sitting enabled advantageous acquisitions in the winter and early shipping in the spring. Nevertheless, the Germans refused to pay tithes in Bergen, so King Håkon decreed that foreigners who rented houses in the city for 12 months had to be considered permanent residents and were obliged to pay tithes and other things on an equal basis with Norwegians. In 1250, a peace and trade agreement was concluded between King Håkon and Lübeck as a guarantee for mutual free trade between Norwegians and Lübeckers, mutual help against raiders and conditions in Norway that had previously existed. However, the Germans were not satisfied with the legal certainty they experienced. The Norwegian Wreck Court exposed the Hanseatic League to regular looting when their ships were wrecked along the Norwegian coast. In addition, merchants from Hamburg thought they were exposed to a false accusation of murder in Bergen. This Magnus Lagabøte acquitted them for later.

 

The City Act of 1276 assumed that there were also foreigners among the residents of Norwegian housing estates, and specifies that they must share public burdens such as wheat patrol and wire tax , as well as "skipdrått" (i.e. towing ships ashore in the city). In the summer of 1278, German envoys negotiated several exemptions with Magnus Lagabøte in Tønsberg . A royal letter secured them exemption from ship's draught, which the city law otherwise imposed on all merchants who stayed three nights or more in Bergen, as well as the right to buy hides and butter in smaller lots on wharves and in vessels during the summer months. (Otherwise it was required by law that trade took place in houses or in squares.) Changes were also made to Norwegian stranding law, so that the Hanseatic League could keep all the goods they salvaged by their own efforts after a shipwreck. No one was allowed to remove wreckage that they had not declared.

 

Eric of Pomerania's dispute with the counts in Holstein became noticeable in Norway when the Hanseatic League decided to close the office at Bryggen. In the spring of 1427 they left Bergen, and did not return until six years later. In the meantime, Bergen had been subjected to two terrible attacks by the Vitalie brothers , who were also known for plundering Hanseatic property.

 

In 1440, complaints were received that German merchants who set up Dutch stalls on the Strand , chased the Dutch away and threw their goods into the mud. More than a hundred armed Hanseatic League were also said to have entered Bergen's council chamber on the Tuesday after St. Peter's Day (February 23), and chased the councilors with axes and machetes . The conflicts peaked with Olav Nilsson as chief of staff at Bergenhus . He maintained an intransigent line against the Hanseatic League and was deposed in 1453; but as late as 1455 he was back after pressuring Eric of Pomerania to reinstate himself. In the meantime he had operated as a privateer and plundered Hanseatic ships. Well, Nilsson could point out that the Hanseatic League only reluctantly submitted to Norwegian law; but they could not tolerate a former pirate as captain. In 1455, the town witnessed armed Hanseatic troops chasing Nilsson, the bishop and their entourage towards Nordnes where they sought refuge in Munkeliv monastery . While Nilsson climbed the tower, the Hanseatic set fire to the monastery. They paid for the reconstruction, but they refused to pay the fine to Nilsson's survivors. Of course, there was a legally binding judgment on such a fine, but King Christian I did not pursue the case as he had taken out large loans from the Hanseatic League for his warfare.

 

Bergen's power center

Bryggen used to be the center of the city's worldly power. Maria Gildeskåle is first mentioned in Magnus Lagabøte's town law of 1276, and was then the meeting place for the town council. The building was located next to Mariakirkegården and served as the city's first "town hall", the place where the city administration and the city meeting were supposed to gather according to the city law. The building is today a ruin, located between Bryggens Museum and St Mary's Church. Originally, the building was located as a rear or northern part of the Gullskoen wharf .

 

The new council chamber was built around 1300-15. It was located in the middle of Bryggen, by the Nikolaikirkealmenningen, where the square was also located. The council chamber was in use until the 1560s. Christoffer Valkendorf was sheriff of Bergenhus from 1556 to 1560 . After Valkendorf arrived in Bergen, several unsolved murders were committed in some of the city's many brothels . Valkendorf had a number of the brothels demolished, and to a large extent abolished the privileges and monopoly of the Hanseatic League in Bergen. The German craftsmen were forced to comply with Norwegian law and were given the choice between swearing allegiance to the king or leaving. In 1559, 59 German craftsmen had to leave. In the 1560s, Bergen's center of power was gradually moved from Tyskebryggen to its current location, at Christoffer Valkendorf's former private residence at Rådstuplass, what is today called the old town hall .

 

The brewery today

The historic wooden buildings from 1702 received cladding in the 19th century. The preserved buildings at Bryggen today consist of the following rows of farms, counted from the south: South and north Holmedalsgård , Bellgården , Jacobsfjorden (Hjortegården), Svensgården (double farm), Enhjørningen , south and north Bredsgård and Bugården (Bergen) .

 

Svensgården's head with three faces

Above the entrance to Svensgården hangs a carved head with three faces in wood, a copy of an original in marble . Conservator Jan Hendrich Lexow has argued in the yearbook for Stavanger museum in 1957 that the original was a gift to King Håkon Håkonsson from the German-Roman Emperor Frederick II. Lexow believed that the head was made by a sculptor in southern Italy as a symbol of the triune God . Frederick II held court in Palermo . He and King Håkon exchanged gifts, and Lexow believed that the head may have been just such a gift from the period 1230-40. Furthermore, he assumed that the head was given a central place in Store Kristkirke, which was located north of Håkonshallen and was the coronation church. When Store Kristkirke was demolished on orders from Eske Bille in 1531, Lexow believed that the Hanseatic League took care of the head and used it as a mark for Svensgården, which at the time was being rebuilt after a fire. Such marking of the farms was important at a time when many could neither read nor write. The head at Svensgården has few parallels in European art, and the design of the nose, mouth and beard points, in Lexow's opinion, to antiquity , when the Christian image of God was still influenced by portraits of Zeus .

 

Preservation and destruction

Throughout history, Bergen has experienced many fires, since the building mass mostly consisted of wood. The building structure has nevertheless been preserved, despite many fires and subsequent reconstructions. Awareness of Bryggen's cultural-historical value was awakened already when the traditional business at Bryggen came to an end. In 1900, the wooden buildings on both sides of Vågen were largely intact.

 

Research and documentation

Johan Wilhelm Olsen (also known as Johan Wiberg Olsen; 1829-98), who had run Nordic trade in Finnegården, established the Hanseatic Museum as early as 1872, and reckons July 26 as the opening day when King Oscar II visited the town and the museum. His son Christian Koren Wiberg continued the work and sold the museum to Bergen municipality in 1916. In 1899 he published Det tische Kontor i Bergen , a description of the old Hanseatic buildings with a number of illustrations.

 

In 1908, Koren Wiberg received support from the municipality and the Ancient Heritage Association to carry out excavations in the plot below the newly constructed Rosenkrantzgaten. Findings from the excavation were reproduced, among other things, in Contribution to Bergen's Cultural History . The excavations uncovered the so-called wine cellar , which in the Middle Ages was also the town hall. Koren Wiberg had found documents (from 1651) in Lübeck showing the location of the wine cellar, which he was able to confirm during the excavation. This town plan with a town hall/wine cellar located between the market square and the church was typical of North German (Hanseatic) trading towns.

 

During the excavations in the southern part of the Bryggen, Christian Koren Wiberg found deep foundations of rough logs laid together. The lafting formed "vessels" over 2 meters high, and about 1 meter wide and 2 meters long. The vessels were assembled and lowered into the water between piles, and then filled with gravel and stone. The logs were made of pine and in good condition when Koren Wiberg made his excavations. The foundations could be dated to the fires in 1413 and 1476 or earlier. According to Koren Wiberg, the first sea houses at Vågen were low and made of coarse, lath timber. They had pointed gables and corridors around the entire building. According to Koren Wiberg, Bryggen's facade was already painted from the 16th century. From 1550 it became common to build stone cellars in Bergen, probably to store goods in a fire-proof place, according to Koren Wiberg. Hans Nagel's bakery, mentioned in 1441, Koren Wiberg located at the modern Øvregaten 17 , where a bakery was also run in Koren Wiberg's time.

 

Murbryggen

Until 1901, the entire area between Dreggsallmenningen in the north and Kjøttbazaren in the south was a continuous series of wooden trading houses that had been rebuilt after the town fire in 1702 . The commercial farms south of the Nikolaikirkeallmenningen were then demolished and replaced with brick apartment buildings in the same style, designed by Jens Zetlitz Monrad Kielland , with the exception of the southernmost Finnegården , a museum that also includes the old Schøtstuene which was rebuilt in 1937–38 with partially original and partially reconstructed parts, in the area south of St. Mary's Church .

 

Conservation

After the first act on building conservation was passed in 1920, the conservation list from Bergen was adopted in 1927. The conservation covered all the buildings on Bryggen, so that the overall cultural environment was safeguarded.

 

The explosion at Vågen

The explosion accident on 20 April 1944 accelerated the plans to demolish the Bryggen, and Terboven received the support of all professionals in Bergen municipality in his desire to raze the area to the ground. Seen through Terboven's eyes, the labyrinthine system of farms was ideal for hiding resistance fighters, such as the Theta group and their radio transmitter . Strong forces in the local population nevertheless succeeded in obtaining support, not least from Professor Hermann Phleps of the Technical College in Danzig ( Gdańsk ), who made a thorough inspection of the destroyed buildings, and concluded that the "German quarter" could be saved with simple means. The real rescue was the emergency product "Domus plates", which got soaked in the rain and easily broke. But they were still useful, as they temporarily covered 8,000 square meters of roof space. The demolished roofs were not the only problem. The explosion had also lifted Bryggen into the air, and let it fall back down onto the ground, so that a jack had to be used to get the houses more or less at an angle again. But the safeguarding had been carried out, not least to the delight of architect Halvor Vreim from the Riksantikvaren , who had already written off the Bryggen.

 

The fire of 1955

A major fire on 4 July 1955 destroyed the northern half of the remaining old wooden trading yards. The fire was the start of Asbjørn Herteig's excavations of the area. In the spring of 1962, the excavations entered their seventh season, made possible by the use of civilian workers in the summer. One year, spring came so late that the civil workers had to chip away 13 inches of ice to get started.

 

The facades of the burned-down part were rebuilt as copies in 1980 , and form part of the SAS hotel located in the area. The Bryggens Museum is also located on the fire site with remains from the oldest times uncovered by the archaeological excavations, which added enormous source material to the research.

 

Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Bryggen in Bergen was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 according to cultural criterion III , which refers to a place that "bears a unique, or at least rare, testimony of a cultural tradition or of a living or extinct civilization". In this connection, UNESCO points out that Bryggen bears witness to social organization and illustrates how the Hanseatic merchants in the 14th century utilized the space in their part of the city, and that it is a type of northern fondaco (combined trading depot, housing and ghetto for foreign merchants) which cannot be found anywhere else in the world, where the buildings have remained part of the urban landscape and preserve the memory of one of the oldest trading posts in Northern Europe.

 

Ownership and management

Most of the buildings on Bryggen are privately owned. "Stiftelsen Bryggen" currently owns 36 of the 61 buildings that are part of the world heritage. "Stiftelsen Bryggen" and "Friends of Bryggen" were formed in 1962. The purpose of the foundation is to preserve Bryggen in consultation with antiquarian authorities. The foundation is engaged in both rental of premises and security, maintenance and restoration work. Stiftelsen Bryggen has its own staff of carpenters with special expertise in traditional crafts . "Bryggen private farm owners' association" is an association of several private owners who together own 24 buildings. Bergen municipality owns Finnegården , the building that houses the Hanseatic Museum. All the buildings in private ownership can be renovated with up to 90% funding through a grant scheme administered by Vestland county municipality (formerly Hordaland). The listed buildings at Bryggen are managed as cultural monuments by the cultural heritage section of Vestland county municipality. The archaeological cultural monuments in the medieval grounds are managed by the Swedish National Archives . All archaeological work is 100% publicly funded and the necessary excavations are carried out by NIKU .

 

Other buildings in the area

Bryggen's museum is built where there were wharf yards until the big fire on 4 July 1955.

The Hanseatic Museum is located on the Bryggen, by the Fisketorget, and tells the story of Bergen and the Hanseatic League.

The meat market is the city's bazaar for foodstuffs, built in 1874 – 76 in the neo-Romanesque style .

Mariakirken in Bergen dates from the 12th century, and between 1408 and 1766 was the church of the Hanseatic League. Services were held in German here until 1868.

The Schøtstuene were the assembly houses for the residents of the commercial farms, used for meals and as party halls, court and meeting rooms, rebuilt in 1937 – 38 .

 

Streets in the district

Bradbench (Bergen)

Castle Street (Bergen)

Bryggen (Street in Bergen)

Sandbrogaten (Bergen)

The hook (Bergen)

Dreggsallmenningen (Bergen)

Upper Dreggsallmenningen (Bergen)

Øvregaten (Bergen)

Rosenkrantzgaten (Bergen)

Nikolaikircheallmenningen (Bergen)

Lodin Lepps street

Finnegårdsgaten (Bergen)

Vetrlids general

 

Bergen is a city and municipality in Vestland and a former county (until 1972) on Norway's west coast, surrounded by " De syv fjell ", and referred to as " Westland's capital". According to tradition, Bergen was founded by Olav Kyrre in 1070 with the name Bjørgvin , which means "the green meadow between the mountains".

 

Bergen is a trading and maritime city, and was Norway's capital in the country's heyday, later referred to as the Norgesveldet . Bergen became the seat of the Gulatinget from the year 1300. From approx. In 1360, the Hanseatic League had one of its head offices in Bergen, a trading activity that continued at Bryggen until 1899. Bergen was the seat of Bergenhus county and later Bergen stiftamt . The city of Bergen became its own county (county) in 1831 and was incorporated into Hordaland county in 1972. Bergen was the largest city in the Nordic countries until the 17th century and Norway's largest city until the 1830s, and has since been Norway's second largest city .

 

Bergen municipality had 291,940 inhabitants on 31 December 2023. Bergen township had 259,958 inhabitants per 6 October 2020. This was an increase of 2,871 inhabitants since 2019. [4] In 2023, the metropolitan region of Bergen and surrounding areas had 414,863 inhabitants.

 

Bergen is a city of residence for a number of important actors and institutions in culture, finance, health, research and education. The city is the seat of Vestland County Municipality , Gulating County Council and Bjørgvin Bishopric . Of the national government agencies , the Directorate of Fisheries , the Institute of Marine Research , the Norwegian Competition Authority , the Ship Registers and the Norwegian Navy's main base are located in Bergen.

 

Bergen is the center for marine, maritime and petroleum-related research environments and business clusters that are among the most complete and advanced in the world. Bergen has a strong and versatile business community, especially in banking and insurance, construction, trade and services, high technology, mass media, the food industry, tourism and transport. Bergen has one of the Nordic countries' busiest airports and one of Europe's largest and busiest ports [5] , and is the starting point for Hurtigruten and the Bergen Railway .

 

Bryggen in Bergen is listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List and reminds of the city's historical connection to the Hanseatic League . Bergen's city coat of arms with a silver three-towered castle standing on seven gold mountains is based on the city's old seal , which is considered Norway's oldest. Bergen's city song is called "Views from Ulrikken" .

Took a late walk with the dog and was struck by the beauty of the lights & fog flowing through the tree. I decided to have a little fun with the 30 second shutter....

McCarthy’s Rents

26 Dorset Street #13, Miller’s Court

 

an art installation by Dave Allen

 

showing at Domy Books, Austin, TX

 

recreation of Jack the Ripper's final victim from the crime scene photos.

 

copyright Rebecca Sikes

rsikesphotography 2009

He was said to brag that most of the “better” jewels sold by London jewelers were supplied by him.

 

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Robert Augustus Delaney (first cat burglar)

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Story

 

The Cutpurse themed series of Photos are based upon remarks credited to British Cat Burglar, Robert Augustus Delaney.

 

This dapper scoundrel would gain attendance to upper-class parties primarily to observe the jewels worn by the ladies in attendance. He would than discreetly obtain information on the Ladies and the Jewels he favored, they were displaying. Originally he would than, still dressed in coat and tails, break into their rooms in the wee hours of the morning and take the jewels for his own while the particular lady was still sleeping. Once, so he claimed, he was able to liberate a necklace, earrings and finger rings from a lady who had fallen asleep reading in her chambers.

 

Later he had others do his dirty work. He would arrange for an associate to be invited as a house guest at the large manors where he knew the jewels of the wife , daughters or guest would be. He would instruct these “associates” to steal a certain item for him, allowing them to keep anything else they could nick for their payment. This also including those who were travelling by carriage to the manors functions; arranging for the coach roads to be watched with the intent of waylaying and robbing the selected passengers who had been watched.

 

By having others do the dirty work, he was able to keep his name above suspension.

He was said to brag that most of the “better” jewels sold by London jewelers were made from the stones(rocks) of the ladies jewels he pilfered

 

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DISCLAIMER

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

 

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment and/or educational purposes only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

 

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All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

  

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Caligula AE sestertius. C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left / AGRIPPINA DRVSILLA IVLIA, the sisters of Caligula standing, bearing the attributes of various goddesses, SC in ex. Cohen 4. For more on Caligulan Numismatic Articles see: Coins courtesy cngoins.com

 

Related Articles of Caligula from American Numismatic Society Library Search

 

Library Catalog Search (Preliminary Version)

Full Record: Barrett, Anthony A. The invalidation of currency in the Roman Empire : the Claudian demonetization of Caligula's AES. (1999)

Full Record: Bost, Jean-Pierre. Routes, cits et ateliers montaires : quelques remarques sur les officines hispaniques entre les rgnes d'Auguste en de Caligula. (1999)

Full Record: Bibliothque Municipale d'Etude et d'Information de Grenoble. Grenoble : Bibliothque Municipale d'Etude et d'Information : catalogue des monnaies. II. Monnaies romaines. Monnaies impriales romaines. 2. Caligula - Neron . Index. / Bernard Rmy, Frdric Bontoux, Virginie Risler. (1998)

Full Record: Gainor, John R. The image of the Julio-Claudian dynasty from coins / by John R. Gainor.

Full Record: Martini, Rodolfo. Monete romane imperiali del Museo G. B. Adriani. Parte 3, Caius (37-41 d.C.) / Rodolfo Martini. (2001)

Full Record: ACCLA privy to presentation by Richard Baker on Caligula. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 1. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 2. (2002)

Full Record: Wend, David A. Caligula, the emperor as autocrat. Part 3. (2002)

Full Record: Kemmers, Fleur. Caligula on the Lower Rhine : Coin finds from the Roman Fort of Albaniana (The Netherlands) / Fleur Kemmers. (2004)

Full Record: Estiot, Sylviane. Le trsor de Meussia (Jura) : 399 monnaies d'argent d'poques rpublicaine et julio-claudienne / Sylviane Estiot, Isabelle Aymar. (2002)

Full Record: Gocht, Hans. Namenstilgungen an Bronzemünzen des Caligula und Claudius / Hans Gocht. (2003)

Full Record: Gomis Justo, Marivi. Ercavica : La emision de Caligula. Estimacion del numero de cunos originales.

Full Record: Sayles, Wayne G. Fakes on the Internet. (2002)

Full Record: Kemmers, Fleur. The coin finds from the Roman fort Albaniana, the Netherlands / Fleur Kemmers . (2005)

Full Record: Lopez Snchez, Fernando. La afirmacion soberana de Caligula y de Claudio y el fin de las acunaciones ciudadanas en occidente / Fernando Lopez Snchez. (2000)

Full Record: Besombes, Paul-Andr. Les monnaies hispaniques de Claude Ier des dpôts de la Vilaine (Rennes) et de Saint-Lonard (Mayenne) : tmoins de quel type de contact entre l'Armorique et la pninsule ibrique ? / Paul-Andr Besombes. (2005)

Full Record: Catalli, Fiorenzo. Le thesaurus de Sora / Fiorenzo Catalli et John Scheid.

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Faux deniers de Caligula de la Renaissance.

Full Record: Vermeule, Cornelius. Faces of Empire (Julius Caesar to Justinian). Part II(B), More young faces : Caligula again and Nero reborn / Cornelius Vermeule. (2005)

Full Record: Geranio, Joe. Portraits of Caligula : the seated figure? / Joe Geranio. (2007)

Full Record: Aguilera Hernandez, Alberto. Acerca de un as de Caligula hallado en Zaragoza / Alberto Aguilera Hernandez. (2007)

Full Record: Butcher, K. E. T. Caligula : the evil emperor. (1985)

Full Record: Fuchs, Michaela. Frauen um Caligula und Claudius : Milonia Caesonia, Drusilla und Messalina. (1990)

Full Record: Faur, Jean-Claude. Moneda de Caligula de Museo Arqueologico Provincial de Tarragona. (1979)

Full Record: British Museum. Dept. of coins and medals. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British museum. Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius / by Harold Mattingly. (1976)

Full Record: Conrad, Edwin. A Caligula Isotope of Hadrian. (1968)

Full Record: Conrad, Edwin. The Metamorphosis of an Allegad 'As of Hadrian.' (1968)

Full Record: Bendall, Simon. A 'new' gold quinarius of Caligula. (1985)

Full Record: Cortellini, Nereo. Le monete di Caligola nel Cohen.

Full Record: Guey, Julien. Les "bains d'or" de Caligula "Immensi Avreorvm Acervi (Sutone, Cal., 42,3).

Full Record: Guey, J. Les "bains d'or" de Caligula : Sutone, Cal. 42, 3.

Full Record: Curry, Michael R. The Aes Quadrans of Caligula. (1968)

Full Record: Jonas, Elemr. L'emploi dar "damnatio memoriae" sur l'un des "dupondius" de Calgula. (1937)

Full Record: Julian, R. W. The coins of Caligula. (1994)

Full Record: Donciu, Ramiro. Cu privire la activitatea militara a lui Caius (Caligula) in anul 40 e.n. (1983)

Full Record: Hansen, Peter. A history of Caligula's Vesta. (1992)

Full Record: Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Augustus, Caligula oder Caludius? (1978)

Full Record: Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Die Organisation der Münzprgung Caligulas. (1987)

Full Record: Johansen, Flemming S. The sculpted portraits of Caligula. (1987)

Full Record: Carter, G. F. Chemical compositions of copper-based Roman coins. V : imitations of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero / G. F. Carter and others. (1978)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. L'atelier de Lyon sous Auguste : Tibre et Caligula. (1979)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Les missions d'or et d'argent de Caligula dans l'atelier de Lyon. (1976)

Full Record: Giard, Jean-Baptiste. Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon des origines au rgne de Caligula (43 avant J.-C. - 41 aprs J.-C.). (1983)

Full Record: Nony, D. Quelques as d'imitation de Caligula trouves a Bordeaux (Gironde). (1981)

Full Record: Levy, Brooks Emmons. Caligula's radiate crown. (1988)

Full Record: Poulsen, Vagn. Un nouveau visage de Caligula. (1972)

Full Record: Price, Martin Jessop. Elephant in Crete? New light ona cistophorus of Caligula. (1973)

Full Record: MacInnis, H. Frank. Ego-driven emperor commits excesses. (1979)

Full Record: McKenna, Thomas P. The case of the curious coin of Caligula : a provincial bronze restruck with legend-only dies. (1994)

Full Record: Mowat, Robert. Bronzes remarquables de Tibre, de son fils, de ses petits-fils et de Caligula. (1911)

Full Record: Koenig, Franz E. Roma, monete dal Tevere : l'imperatore Gaio (Caligola). (1988)

Full Record: Kollgaard, Ron. Caligula's coins profile despot. (1993)

Full Record: Kollgaard, Ron. A numismatic mystery : "the Caligula quadrans." (1994)

Full Record: Martini, Rodolfo. Osservazioni su contromarche ed erosioni su assi de Caligula. (1980)

Full Record: Szaivert, Wolfgang. Moneta Imperii Romani. Band 2 und 3. Die Münzprgung der Kaiser Tiberius und Caius (Caligula) 14/41 / von Wolfgang Szaivert. (1984)

Full Record: Boschung, Dietrich. Die Bildnisse des Caligula. Kaenel, Hans-Markus von. Jucker, Hans. Deutsches Archaologisches Institut. Das Romische Herrscherbild. 1. Abt., Bd. 4, Die Bildnisse des Caligula / Dietrich Boschung ; mit einem Beitrag von Hans-Markus von Kaenel ; auf Grund der Vorarbeiten und Marterialsammlungen von Hans Jucker. (1989)

Full Record: Rosborough, Ruskin R. An epigraphic commentary on Suetonius's life of Gaius Caligula. A thesis...for the...Doctor of Philosophy. (1920)

Full Record: Richard, Jean-Claude. A propos de l'aureus de Caligula dcouvert Saint-Colomban-des-Villards (Savoie). (1982)

Full Record: Richard, Jean-Claude. Un aureus de Caligula dcouvert Saint-Colomban-des-Villards (Savoie). (1982)

Full Record: Ritter, Hans-Werner. Adlocutio und Corona Civica unter Caligula und Tiberius. (1971)

Full Record: Kumpikevicius, Gordon C. A numismatic look at Gaius. (1979)

Full Record: Savio, Adriano. La coerenza di Caligola nella gestione della moneta / Adriano Savio. (1988)

Full Record: Savio, Adriano. Note su alcune monete di Gaio-Caligola. (1973)

Full Record: Stylow, Armin U. Die Quadranten des Caligula als Propaganda-münzen.münzen" aus der stdtischen sammlung zu Osnabrück. (1971)

Full Record: Schwartz, Jacques. Le Monnayage Snatorial entre 37 et 42 P.C. (1951)

Full Record: Rodolfo Martini, ed. Sylloge nummorum Romanorum. Italia. Milano, Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche Vol. 1 Giulio-Claudii / a cura di Rodolfo Martini. (1990)

Full Record: Szaivert, Wolfgang. Zur Julisch-Claudischen Münzprgung. (1979)

Full Record: Vedrianus. The Roman Imperial series. V. Gaius. (1963)

Full Record: Tietze, Christian M. Kaiser Cajus Caesar, genannt Caligula. (1979)

Full Record: Wood, Susan. Diva Drusilla Panthea and the sisters of Caligula / Susan Wood. (1995)

Full Record: Sutherland, Carol Humphrey Vivian. Coinage in Roman imperial policy 31 B.C.-A.D. 68. (1951)

Full Record: Sutherland, C. H. V. The mints of Lugdunum and Rome under Gaius : an unsolved problem. (1981)

Full Record: Trillmich, Walter. Familienpropaganda der Kaiser Caligula und Claudius : Agrippina Maior und Antonia Augusta auf Münzen. (1978)

Full Record: Voirol, August. Eine Warenumsatzsteuer im antiken Rom und der numismatische Beleg inher Aufhebung : Centesima rerum venalium. (1943)

Full Record: Trillmich, Walter. Zur Münzprgung des Caligula von Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza). (1973)

   

Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM294496 Dept No.44

The murder of siblings Michael, Norah and Ellen Murphy near Gatton on Boxing Day 1898 sparked intense interest and speculation. All three were killed between 10pm and the early hours of the following morning on their way home from a dance that had been cancelled and the case remains unsolved to this day.

Contained within the QSA archived police files are pages of handwritten letters from across Queensland sent from members of the community convinced they could help solve the case using their spiritual gifts. Some are simply a few words on a scrap of paper, others take up many pages and go into lengthy detail about possible conspiracies. The police called the correspondence files ‘Astrologers, Dreamers, Theorists, etc’.