Contributed by Carl Kaestner. Unknown person.

The Bey Mine, later called the Ore Chimney Mine, was located between Northbrook and Harlowe on the Harlowe Road (near the towlines crossing the Harlowe Road). It was the largest mining operation in the area with John Bey being accredited to the gold discovery.

 

The Ore Chimney Mining Company, capitalized for $600,000, own lots in the first concession of the township of Barrie, Frontenac County. The officers of the company are as follows:—A. E. Fletcher, president, 220 Potoraac Ave., Buffalo; Frank Misener, vice-president, Welland, Ont.; Chas. Narroway, secretary-treasurer, 335 Brisbane Building, Buffalo; Jas. Sullivan, mine manager, Northbrook, Ont.

 

The mine operated intermittently from 1909 to 1936 with the level of activity depending upon the price of gold. While the main shaft was excavated to a depth of 150 metres the mine also had shafts extending at four levels all approximately the same depth. Employing over 80 men at the peak of its production, the mine site contained a number of buildings including an office, bunk house, a mill with 20 stamping machines where were used to grind the ore (much of the above information is from 'The Mazinaw Experience' by John Campbell).

 

Note: Commercial use of this image is prohibited without CDHS permission. All CDHS Flickr content is available for personal use providing our Rights Statement is followed:

pioneer.mazinaw.on.ca/flickr_statement.php

Nice, comfortable and affordable. Especially w/ Best Available Rate/Advance Purchase Rate available via Warwickwa.com. When I finally got to sleep, slept very well. Couch and table was also very nice as well.

----------

This is a picture contributed to my TripAdvisor review of the Warwick Hotel. Below is the full text of that review:

 

After reading recent reviews including the problems w/ the security officer, I expected less. But I got a Deluxe room via "Best Rate Guaranteed" on the hotel website warwickwa.com and also felt I got the best value for money out of rooms available for Seafair 2011. I also asked for a view of the Space Needle. Also told the hotel I did not want but needed a non-smoking room due to allergies and that my bag I dropped off early in my day please be in my room. Got Room #1107 with the stuff in my room I needed, good work Warwick team!

 

Got to the hotel at about 5:30. Room was very clean, curtains & door to mini-balcony worked very well. View was just spectacular from the room.

 

However, important to note - the Warwick puts a $50 hold on your card for incidentials. I objected and got locked out of the TV, internet & minibar. Not that I care for the minibar and decided that a netbook was just too heavy to haul around versus a complimentary business center in the hotel to check e-mail, but would have been nice to check KING & KIRO when I got up to see the weather report for Seafair.

 

Did though appreciate the complimentary Wolfgang Puck coffee & AC outlet for my camera battery charger. You'll see that in one of the pictures I submitted to this review.

 

Also reserved through the hotel website and a few clicks a seat at breakfast at the hotel restaurant Brasserie Margaux. The country breakfast was great value for money and helped me power through a hot and happily loud Seafair Saturday.

 

Oh and a word about Seattle and transportation... I am disabled w/o enough income for taxis to chaffeur me around everywhere without some mass transit help. On that note: I walked about 3 blocks 4th & Pine for a great conduit at the Westlake Sound Transit light rail station to major attractions like King Street Station, the stadiums, SeaTac Airport, the Museum of Flight, & the next Seafair in 2012. You may need a taxi connection from the light rail conduit - I would recommend Yellow Cab of Seattle (Warwick has the #) or if you have street addresses instead of just destinations then Sitia may work out as well as a backup.

 

Overall, the hotel did very good. Especially the concierge, front desk & restaurant. I am already mentally planning the next trip with this as the hotel.

 

Room Tip: Get the best available rate from hotel website... & make sure to note NON-smoking preference

With Disney + officially launching, I felt I needed to contribute something to the Disney discussion,despite not having signed up for this fancy new service. Well, as luck would have it, one of my Vancouver purchases (technically my first - completed within 30 minutes of landing) will do the trick.

 

Presenting Revoltech Toy Story: Woody, Legacy of Revoltech edition, aka "Hentai Woody".

 

Woody is one of the main heroes of the Toy Story franchise, and is voiced by Tom Hanks. In the movie, he is a stuffed Old West sheriff with a draw string voice box, who advises his cohorts regarding best course of action so they can accomplish their goals. I suspect I don't really need to go much further, because lets face, who hasn't actually seen a Toy Story movie by now?

 

If you've been following along, you know what a Revoltech is. But, what is a "Legacy of Revoltech"? Well, from what I can gather, some Revoltech figures were very high in demand (circa 2006 - 2014), and as a result Kaiyodo reissued some of them in this Legacy of Revoltech subline. Sometimes, the sets would incorporate upgrade parts seen in releases of a character further down the road (i.e. Yoko from Gurren Laagan), but in most cases, it was a straight up reproduction with a different box. As far as I can tell, Woody is technically a reissue with alterations, though he is short one of those orange storage boxes and the Revoltech coin thing, but I guess there have been budget cuts since the original production run for 2010.

 

Why is he called "Hentai Woody"? Patience, grasshopper, I'll get to that.

 

Woody comes with the figure, an alternate face, four additional hands including for holding Lenny the binoculars, an optional hand for Buzz Lightyear to hold lenny, Lenny, a microphone, Woody's hat, a nameplate, and a tool for activating the eyes.

 

The base figure itself actually looks pretty sharp. Proportions are in line with what the CG model gave us, including his oddly shaped head. Unlike most of the other Revoltechs I've talked about up to this point, Woody doesn't have that "long body, tiny head" proportion going on. The sculptor, Matsumoto Eiichirou, did a fantastic job converting a 3D computer model into this small toy. The cuffs of his shirt, collar, vest, boots, buckles, spurs, drawstring - most, if not all, these little details, made it to the final figure. Sculpting on Lenny, who is admittedly much simpler than Woody, is bang on, and is a good size as compared to Woody himself. The only real gripe, if I can call it that, is that to me the eyes on the normal portrait are a bit small.

 

Speaking of eyes, as indicated above, there are stems on the eye balls and you can move them to best suit your pose, which is great, because...

 

.. to the surprise of nobody, articulation is a bit wonky on this guy. All the major points of articulation are there - ankles, knees, hips, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, head - all utilizing the often aggravating Revoltech joint system, which features pegs where balls are on regular figures, which is why getting the limbs in place can be a test of patience. Cuts on the limbs aren't as with the other "thin body" Revoltechs, meaning that while you'll get a decent range of motion, extreme posing is not a thing with Woody, though without a stand, you're kind of unable to do extreme poses anyway. The main articulation killer on this figure, however, is the head itself. Due to the costume and shape of Woody's head, while there are Revoltech joints inside his head and neck, motion is so restricted that at most, you can tilt the neck forward a bit, so as such, the eyeball articulation is a very welcome addition to the tool kit.

 

Paint work is fantastic on Woody, and helps to highlight the excellent work on the various parts. After a close inspection, I think there was one tiny paint mishap on his neckerchief - otherwise, the paintwork was fantastic. The glossy paint on his boots highlight some of the less than perfect sanding and assembly work there, but that's what happens when you use a glossy paint, I suppose. Nice touches include the "Andy" on the bottom of his right foot, just like in the movie (this was Toy Story, before he was taken in by the restoration guy in Toy Story 2 who covered up this signature). Truly the paint work is spectacular, and I would put it up there with some of the best I've seen at this size of figure.

 

Finish and build quality in general isn't bad. There are some surfaces (as indicated above) that aren't quite as showroom ready, but overall quite acceptable. There were no assembly gaps or major QC FUBARs to report, and the joint themselves are solid, and I have to admit, they've been as such across any Revoltech that I've touched over the past decade and a bit, barring the ones I know nothing about their play history.

 

Despite all these positive points, I normally wouldn't have batted an eye at Woody, and would have happily gone on with my life without ever owning one... this, folks, is where I talk about "Hentai Woody".

 

One of the more disappointing aspects of the Woody figure is that his normal portrait is quite vapid looking. If the eyes aren't point the right way, Woody looks like he isn't home.. kind of like some of the Black Widow figures I own. Yeah, you can have a bit of fun with the eyeballs, but he always has that pleasant smile on his face, like he hasn't a care in the world. Functional, but quite boring.

 

Well someone, somewhere, realized that his second portrait, officially named his "scheming" face, could be put to more uses other than coming up with a plan a rescue mission to Sid's - get the eyes JUST right, and he straight up looks either like a murderer or a lecherous cowboy. As a result, the name "Hentai Woody" was bestowed upon this figure, and after playing around with some pictures, I can see how effective this is.

 

I mean.. look at him! In what photo featuring this second face, do you not want to punch his lights out? Woody is clearly making friends with his new shelf mates... especially Nat. She.. has feelings for Woody, to say the least.

 

The only thing more comedic than the unintentional use of this second face is that Kaiyodo, when they reissued this guy, didn't do a thing to correct this, so a new generation of perverted Woody's was made available to the public. I suppose, however, this means that any Revoltech Woody figure still has street cred for being unbalance.

 

With that, my quick overview of "Hentai Woody" draws to its conclusion. While the base figure is pretty good, it's articulation and subject matter alone would have probably eliminated any chances he'd show up on my shelf unless I found him for like $10 or something. But, his ultimate form made the $35 CAD I paid for this (plus the 5 hours of flight time) well worth it. I suspect when I'm back to creating my usual insanity, he'll be popping up quite a bit. Until then, however, there's much to do as I came back with a pretty good haul this time around.

 

Till next time.

  

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

This is a photograph from the 4th Annual Meath Spring Half Marathon and 10KM Road Races hosted by Bohermeen AC on the 8th March 2015 at 12:00 at Bohermeen, Ardbraccan, Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland. A 10KM race was also held and started one hour before the half marathon. This event has grown quickly in popularity over the past few years with this year's entry of 1,168 with this being a record for both races. The half marathon had 843 entrants while the 10KM race had 325 entrants. This half marathon event is perfectly placed in the Irish running calendar as it provides runners of all levels and abilities an opportunity to test the half marathon distance in preparation for a Spring Marathon or as the first serious running goal in 2015. Bohermeen AC is steeped in Irish athletics history since 1927 and it is this experience and exceptional community spirit and volunteering which has made this event today so successful.

Want to use this photograph or share it? Please read/scroll down a little further to find out how - it's very easy!

 

The weather was very suitable for road racing with the exception of a strong headwind at certain parts of the course. However the cool, dry sunny conditions were suitable for fast times and PB performances from runners.

 

Our full set of photographs from today's event are available on Flickr at the following link https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157648897769373/. This set of photographs is mostly of the Half Marathon race but there are some from the 10KM event.

 

Don't forget to scroll down to see more information about the race and these photographs!

 

Event Management and Timing was provided by PRECISION TIMING. The results from today's events can be found on Precision Timing's website at this URL [www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=2457]. You can checkout their facebook page at www.facebook.com/davidprecisiontiming?fref=ts

 

The Satellite Navigation Coordinates to Bohermeen are [53.650882,-6.77989] and is accessible using the M3, N2 and N52

 

Some useful links to other web-resources related to this race

Bohermeen AC Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/bohermeen.ac?fref=ts

2015 Spring Half Marathon Route: www.runningmap.com/?id=641747

2015 Spring Half Marathon 10KM Race Option Route: www.runningmap.com/?id=641752

Google Streetview of the Race Start: goo.gl/maps/rtj1X

Google Streetview of the Race Finish and Race Headquarters: goo.gl/maps/qVttR

Internet Homepage for the Spring Half Marathon [www.meathspringhalfmarathon.com/]

 

Results from 2014 from Precision Timing: www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=1684

Results from 2013 from Precision Timing: www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=1115

 

Photographs from previous events

Our Flickr Photograph set from the 3rd Spring Marathon 2014: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157641717197563

Our Flickr Photograph set from the 2nd Spring Marathon 2013: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157632906920970/

Our Flickr set from the 1st Spring Marathon (2012) www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157629146137284/with...

Photographs from the 2013 event from our friend Paul Reilly [pjrphotography.zenfolio.com/p670974697]

 

USING OUR PHOTOGRAPHS - A QUICK GUIDE

Can I use these photographs directly from Flickr on my social media account(s)?

 

Yes - of course you can! Flickr provides several ways to share this and other photographs in this Flickr set. You can share to: email, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, LiveJournal, and Wordpress and Blogger blog sites. Your mobile, tablet, or desktop device will also offer you several different options for sharing this photo page on your social media outlets.

 

We take these photographs as a hobby and as a contribution to the running community in Ireland. Our only "cost" is our request that if you are using these images: (1) on social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter,LinkedIn, Google+, etc or (2) other websites, blogs, web multimedia, commercial/promotional material that you must provide a link back to our Flickr page to attribute us.

 

This also extends the use of these images for Facebook profile pictures. In these cases please make a separate wall or blog post with a link to our Flickr page. If you do not know how this should be done for Facebook or other social media please email us and we will be happy to help suggest how to link to us.

 

I want to download these pictures to my computer or device?

 

You can download the photographic image here direct to your computer or device. This version is the low resolution web-quality image. How to download will vary slight from device to device and from browser to browser. However - look for a symbol with three dots 'ooo' or the link to 'View/Download' all sizes. When you click on either of these you will be presented with the option to download the image. Remember just doing a right-click and "save target as" will not work on Flickr.

 

I want get full resolution, print-quality, copies of these photographs?

 

If you just need these photographs for online usage then they can be used directly once you respect their Creative Commons license and provide a link back to our Flickr set if you use them. For offline usage and printing all of the photographs posted here on this Flickr set are available free, at no cost, at full image resolution.

 

Please email petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com with the links to the photographs you would like to obtain a full resolution copy of. We also ask race organisers, media, etc to ask for permission before use of our images for flyers, posters, etc. We reserve the right to refuse a request.

 

In summary please remember when requesting photographs from us - If you are using the photographs online all we ask is for you to provide a link back to our Flickr set or Flickr pages. You will find the link above clearly outlined in the description text which accompanies this photograph. Taking these photographs and preparing them for online posting does take a significant effort and time. We are not posting photographs to Flickr for commercial reasons. If you really like what we do please spread the link around your social media, send us an email, leave a comment beside the photographs, send us a Flickr email, etc. If you are using the photographs in newspapers or magazines we ask that you mention where the original photograph came from.

 

I would like to contribute something for your photograph(s)?

Many people offer payment for our photographs. As stated above we do not charge for these photographs. We take these photographs as our contribution to the running community in Ireland. If you feel that the photograph(s) you request are good enough that you would consider paying for their purchase from other photographic providers or in other circumstances we would suggest that you can provide a donation to any of the great charities in Ireland who do work for Cancer Care or Cancer Research in Ireland.

 

We use Creative Commons Licensing for these photographs

We use the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License for all our photographs here in this photograph set. What does this mean in reality?

The explaination is very simple.

Attribution- anyone using our photographs gives us an appropriate credit for it. This ensures that people aren't taking our photographs and passing them off as their own. This usually just mean putting a link to our photographs somewhere on your website, blog, or Facebook where other people can see it.

ShareAlike – anyone can use these photographs, and make changes if they like, or incorporate them into a bigger project, but they must make those changes available back to the community under the same terms.

 

Creative Commons aims to encourage creative sharing. See some examples of Creative Commons photographs on Flickr: www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

 

I ran in the race - but my photograph doesn't appear here in your Flickr set! What gives?

 

As mentioned above we take these photographs as a hobby and as a voluntary contribution to the running community in Ireland. Very often we have actually ran in the same race and then switched to photographer mode after we finished the race. Consequently, we feel that we have no obligations to capture a photograph of every participant in the race. However, we do try our very best to capture as many participants as possible. But this is sometimes not possible for a variety of reasons:

 

     ►You were hidden behind another participant as you passed our camera

     ►Weather or lighting conditions meant that we had some photographs with blurry content which we did not upload to our Flickr set

     ►There were too many people - some races attract thousands of participants and as amateur photographs we cannot hope to capture photographs of everyone

     ►We simply missed you - sorry about that - we did our best!

  

You can email us petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com to enquire if we have a photograph of you which didn't make the final Flickr selection for the race. But we cannot promise that there will be photograph there. As alternatives we advise you to contact the race organisers to enquire if there were (1) other photographs taking photographs at the race event or if (2) there were professional commercial sports photographers taking photographs which might have some photographs of you available for purchase. You might find some links for further information above.

 

Don't like your photograph here?

That's OK! We understand!

 

If, for any reason, you are not happy or comfortable with your picture appearing here in this photoset on Flickr then please email us at petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com and we will remove it as soon as possible. We give careful consideration to each photograph before uploading.

 

I want to tell people about these great photographs!

Great! Thank you! The best link to spread the word around is probably http://www.flickr.com/peterm7/sets

 

Contributed by Halli Thiel

Fossil of the Day Award by Climate Action Network, December 9, Monday of the second week of COP25 in Madrid.

 

#FossiloftheDay - US-3 FOSSILS!

 

🇺🇸 US for blocking #lossanddamage finance and insisting on playing a role in posing hurdles through a seat in ExCom

 

🇺🇸🇦🇺US & Australia for not contributing to the GCF on finance day

 

🇺🇸🇨🇦US & Canada for continued fossil fuel extraction

 

🏆#RayoftheDay🏆

 

🇩🇰Denmark for being a real climate champion, issues progressive climate law that's binding in line with #1o5C with a section about global cooperation to play a leading role and engage actively to deliver commitments including #finance

 

==Official Award citations==

 

Today we have a special star for Fossil of the Day! The United States (US) managed to get its name on three fossil awards in one day! This country is really making its best effort to be the worst for future generations and vulnerable communities worldwide!

 

The US is doing great at getting its name down in history as the frontrunner in destroying planet earth. Is it possible that it is hiding a Planet B somewhere for us or is it just enjoying leading the world peeps to mass suicide?!

 

==Fossil one==

 

So today we award fossil number one to the US for insisting to stay in the process just to block money while refusing to pay its share for causing all the loss and damage painfully felt by poor and vulnerable people worldwide through droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, fires and other extreme weather events.

 

We’re here in the halls of power, and the table is set. Despite leaving the Paris Agreement, the US is inviting itself to have a seat at the table despite making it clear they have no intention of paying the bill. The US is trying to bully other countries into letting them stay on the board of the loss and damage Executive Committee, a core institution in the Paris Accord.

 

Meanwhile, Southern Africa faces its worst drought in 35 years. Eleven million people are facing climate induced starvation.

 

But what is the US even doing here at the table, it did boast about leaving the Paris Accord, didn't it? They have been leading a pack of blockers, part of the “rich boys club.” If these countries follow the US example, they’ll be forcing those hardest impacted to foot the bill. To that we say: “If you are going to leave, then you gotta get out of the way...."

 

==Fossil two:==

 

The second fossil of the day award goes to the US and Australia for withholding their pledges to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

 

Back in November, a handful of countries doubled their contributions to the GCF, but guess what? Most contributor countries were not up to the challenge. Two of them even forgot their responsibility to provide adequate and sufficient funding for poor countries: The US and Australia simply decided to turn their back and withhold their pledges, snubbing all the scientists and people in the streets sounding the alarm on the climate emergency.

 

Other countries including Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Ireland so far have not delivered double the dough and paid for the pollution they created!(we’re looking for countries to at least double their first GCF contribution, in line with their fairshare) So will ministers arrive to the party empty-handed tomorrow? What manners soiled with dirty fossil fuels! Or will they come with the goods, and top-up?

 

As a reminder, ambitious GCF contributions are key to support vulnerable communities adapting to climate change, and to create the right conditions for enhanced ambition in 2020.

 

==Fossil three:==

 

The third fossil of the day goes out to the US and Canada!

 

Hey Canada! What good is it showing off progressive positions and pushing for human and indigenous rights here in COP25 and violating these same rights back home?!

 

Yes you, fingers are pointed at you for recklessly approving fossil fuel infrastructure projects that are not in line with the Paris Agreement, such as the TMX pipeline.

 

US friends of course completely out of tune with science and are moving ahead with dirty projects such as fracking in the Permian Basin. No wonder you were called out as the worst countries in the Production Gap Report.

 

In the age of climate emergency, the US and Canada need to keep fossil fuels in the ground and respect Indigenous rights and sovereignty. This includes for Canada to reject the Teck Frontier Mine, the largest tar sands surface mine ever proposed.

 

==Ray of the Day==

 

Hey Danish parliament wow! Now that´s what we can call climate leadership. They agreed on a Climate Law that is binding for current and future governments and is in line with the 1.5C degrees temperature limit. Basically, Denmark turned science into law!

 

This law is really cool. It encourages global cooperation and enables Denmark to be a climate leader at the international level and deliver on commitments.

 

The story is not finished yet. Denmark set the target of reducing GHG emissions by 70% in 2030. Denmark agreed not to play the game of carbon trade to ensure complete environmental integrity.

 

Each sector is targeted with a strategy, including agriculture, transport and construction. These strategies are set annually in a “Climate Action Plan” based on an independent climate council, which will monitor that targets are being met through action. The Minister of climate has a duty to act on Climate Council recommendations.

 

Denmark thanks for setting a great example to follow!

 

About the fossils:

Every day at 18:00 local time you can watch the Fossil ceremony in Hall 4 during COP25.

 

The Fossil of the Day awards were first presented at the climate talks in 1999, in Bonn, initiated by the German NGO Forum. During United Nations climate change negotiations (www.unfccc.int), members of the Climate Action Network (CAN), vote for countries judged to have done their 'best' to block progress in the negotiations in the last days of talks.

 

About CAN: The Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 1,300 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in more than 120 countries working to promote government and individual action to limit human induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.

 

Attribution: John Englart/Climate Action Network

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

Shortly after the end of World War II, the South Korean Air Construction Association was founded on August 10, 1946, to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on May 5, 1948, under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern South Korean Ministry of National Defense. On September 13, 1949, the United States contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft to the South Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded in January 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded in October 1949.

 

The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainers and liaison aircraft, including 10 North American T-6 Texan advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. However, in the course of the war the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft from the USA which equipped three fighter squadrons and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received were North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots, as part of Bout One Project.

 

From the start of the Korean War, the Mustang proved useful. A "substantial number" of stored or in-service F-51Ds were shipped, via aircraft carriers, to the combat zone, and were used by the USAF, the South African Air Force, and the ROKAF. The F-51 was used for ground attack, fitted with rockets and bombs, and photo reconnaissance, rather than as interceptors or "pure" fighters. However, the losses of the rather fragile Mustang due to AA fire and even through small caliber weapons were high – especially the ventral radiator for the liquid-cooled engine turned out to be highly vulnerable.

After the first North Korean invasion, USAF units were forced to fly from bases in Japan and the F-51Ds, with their long range and endurance, could attack targets in Korea that short-ranged F-80 jets could not. Due to its lighter structure and a shortage of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea, and the F-47 Thunderbolt, which would have been better suited for most typical missions over the Korean peninsula, was not available in sufficient numbers to employ them overseas.

 

Nevertheless, the ROKAF participated with its F-51s in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. The only other suitable piston engine aircraft at hand and available in sufficient numbers was the Vought F4U Corsair. As ROKAF F-51 losses rose, a handful of F4U-4s were transferred in 1952 to fill these operational gaps. These were revamped USN and USMC aircraft from local field workshops that had been damaged and grounded through enemy fire or accidents, replaced in American service with new machines from overseas.

The F4U-4 was the last Corsair variant that had been introduced during WWII, but it only saw action during the final weeks of the conflict. At the outbreak of the Korean War, it was the USN and USMC’s most common carrier-borne aircraft. It had a 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine, and when the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 US gal (230 L) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The partly fabric-covered outer wings from the former Corsair versions were retained. To better cope with the additional power, the propeller was changed to a four-blade type. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 4,500 feet per minute (1,400 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 feet per minute (880 m/min) of the F4U-1A. Other detail improvements were introduced with the F4U-4, too: The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical distortion, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with the internal plate glass of the earlier Corsairs. The cockpit hood was furthermore without bracing and slightly bulged, similar to the P-51B/Cs’ Malcolm hood, to give the pilot a better field of view, esp. backwards.

 

The "4-Hog" retained the original armament of six 0.5” machine guns and had all the external load (i.e., drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. A major sub-type, the F4U-4B, was the same but featured an alternate gun armament of four 20 millimeters (0.79 in) AN/M3 cannon, 300 were built. The F4U-4P was a rare photo reconnaissance variant (only eleven were built) with an additional camera compartment in the rear fuselage, but fully combat-capable. The F4U-4 was the oldest active Corsair variant during the Korean War, and new post-WWII variants like the AU-1 for the USMC, optimized for ground attacks and low-level operations, or the F4U-5 and its F4U-5N night fighter sub-variant with onboard radar, were exclusively used by American forces.

 

The ROKAF Corsairs were constantly and heavily used. They operated primarily as fighter bombers because of the type’s ability to absorb a lot of damage and to carry up to 4,000 lb of ordnance on centerline and underwing pylon racks. The machines, all standard F4U-4s with six machine guns to maintain ammunition commonality with the F-51Ds, were allocated to ROKAF 1 Squadron. They equipped a dedicated attack wing within the unit and were flown by both South Korean and American pilots. To differentiate them from American machines, the first Korean F4U-4s were stripped off of their characteristic allover dark blue paint, received large ROKAF roundels on fuselage and wings and colorful ID-markings. These included a yellow band around the fuselage, a large “K” on the fin, and a red ring around the cowling as a unit identifier. Some machines featured additional individual highlights, like colored fin tips and tail sections, some had the canopy frame painted in individual colors, too, or had taglines (in Hangul writing) added on the flanks.

Major maintenance and repairs were, however, still carried out by American personnel at USMC workshops, so that transfer flights were common practice and limited the number of operational machines to only about half a dozen at a time. As battle damage and losses were frequent, repairs with cannibalized parts from American aircraft and full replacements with revamped or operational American F4U-4s were common – resulting in a large variety of liveries within the unit, as some machine retained the American all-blue paint scheme or received blue replacement parts to speed up repairs.

Due to this practice the exact number of ROKAF Corsairs until the end of hostilities in mid-1953 remains uncertain. However, less than 25 documented complete airframes were supplied in total, and no more than 15 machines were active at any time.

 

Together with Mustangs, the Corsairs continued flying with USAF, USN, USMC and other ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until July 1953, when the fighting ended and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. By then, most piston engine fighter bombers had been largely replaced by USAF F-84s and by United States Navy (USN) Grumman F9F Panthers. After the war, the ROKAF quickly switched to F-86 Sabre fighters and all ROKAF F4Us were scrapped by late 1953 as they were regarded as outdated and disposable.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: One

Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)

Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)

Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)

Wing area: 314 sq ft (29.17 m²)

Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,238 kg)

Gross weight: 14,670 lb (6,654 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 14,533 lb (6,592 kg)

 

Powerplant:

1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine with 2,100 hp (1,600 kW),

temporary 2,450 hp (1,830 kW) output when boosted with water/alcohol injection,

driving a 4-bladed propeller

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 446 mph (717 km/h, 385 kn) at sea level

Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level

Stall speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)

Range with internal fuel, clean: 1,005 mi (1,617 km, 873 nmi)

Combat range with max. ordnance: 328 mi (528 km, 285 nmi)

Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,600 m)

Rate of climb: 4,360 ft/min (22.1 m/s)

 

Armament:

6× 0.5 in (12,7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the outer wings, 400 RPG

11× hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for a total ordnance of 4,000 pounds,

including drop tanks, up to 8× 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets and/or bombs or

napalm tanks of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber

  

The kit and its assembly:

This what-if model was spawned from a leftover decal sheet from an Academy F-51D kit, which features markings for South Korean aircraft from the Korean War. This made me wonder if there could have been another type supplied to the South Korean forces beyond the Mustang? A fighter bomber would have made sense, and the P/F-47 was an immediate favorite. However, this was quickly discarded since maintenance and supplies for another type in the theatre would have been very complicated, and the potential, small number would also make no sense. So, I looked for alternatives and eventually settled upon the F4U from American sources. The F4U-4 was chosen because it was the oldest type in service at the time, and from there the model unspun almost naturally.

 

Another selling point for the F4U-4 was that I had a respective Hobby Boss kit in store without a proper plan yet. Since I did not want to change much about the aircraft to represent a former USN/USMC aircraft, I built the simple Hobby Boss kit almost OOB. Purists will certainly look down upon the toylike Hobby Boss offering – and you must not take a close look, esp. at the interior details. But when you only want a “canvas”, the kit is not too bad. You get fine recessed panels, a clear canopy (over a rudimentary cockpit without leg room but with separate gunsight!) in two pieces and a closed single-piece alternative, and the kit’s construction with good fit leaves almost no seam to sand or fill. The fabric-covered outer wing panels are there, but they are IMHO exaggerated and very deep, as if they had been made from corrugated sheet metal?

 

The weakest point is the kit’s HVAR armament: It comes with eight unguided missiles that are molded onto their launch rails (with separate tail fins, though), and the gap between the two small pylons that hold the rail under the wing in real life are molded into a single massive and deep piece. These pylons are to be mounted into 2mm wide and just as deep “slots” in the lower wing surface – a very crude and toylike solution. Even though I’d have liked to use the HVARs on the model (after all, it’s supposed to be a fighter bomber), I omitted them altogether and filled up the slots. To keep the attack profile visible, I cut the small pylons off from the OOB drop tanks and replaced them with American 750 lb (340 kg) M117 bombs from the spares bin – they look modern, but they were actually introduced during the Korea War.

  

Painting and markings:

Well, F4Us handed over from American to Korean units would certainly have left them in their typical all-blue paint scheme, with the “Stars and Bars” simply replaced by the South Korean “yin-yang” symbol and former tactical markings painted over. The ex-American F-51s were handled in a similar fashion, just that they came from overstock in bare metal finish.

To provide the ROKAF F4U with an individual touch I decided to strip the original Navy paint off and give it an NMF with colorful markings similar to the Mustangs. And for a weirdo touch the outer foldable wings would become blue donor parts from an American Corsair, together with a single rudder on the stabilizer.

 

The bare metal fuselage was painted with Revell 99 (Aluminum), post-shaded with Humbrol 27001 (Matt Aluminum MetalCote); the dark blue sections, including the landing gear, were painted with FS 35042 (Modelmaster 1718), the fabric-covered rudders on the tail with Humbrol 56 (Aluminum Dope). The landing gear wells and the cockpit were painted with Humbrol 80 (Grass Green) to simulate Zinc Chromate primer. To hide the lack of space inside of the cowling its interior walls were painted in a darker shade of green, with a dark grey engine block.

An olive drab anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, the red unit markings on cowling, fin and tail tip were painted with Humbrol 19. The yellow ID fuselage band was created with decal sheet.

The ROKAF roundels came from the aforementioned Academy Mustang kit – and, yes, some ROKAF machines had national markings in six places instead of the US-style four. The tagline on the cowling comes from the same sheet, and it might read “I fly with confidence!” (uncertain, though). The tactical codes were created with single USAF 45° numbers from Superscale aftermarket sheets.

 

Graphite was used to create soot stains around the gun and the exhaust areas, and Tamiya “Smoke” was used to mimic oil spills from the engine around the forward fuselage. Finally, the kit was sealed with acrylic varnish; the bare metal sections became semi-gloss, the blue areas and the fabric-covered tail sections a slightly more matt finish.

  

An interesting result – an F4U in NMF looks pretty odd, and with the red and blue sections the Corsair somehow looks like a Reno Racer or a Red Bull heritage aircraft? But the ROKAF Corsair appears pretty plausible in its role and in the Korean War’s time frame: a whif nicely shoehorned into a historic framework. The simple Hobby Boss kit is certainly not the best model of the Corsair, but for a simple “livery variant” it was an O.K. basis, and the result is quite presentable. Just do not look into the cockpit or the landing gear wells.

Oesterreichische Nationalbank

Logo of the Austrian National Bank

Headquarters Vienna, Austria

Central Bank of Austria

Currency€

To ISO 4217 EUR

website

www.oenb.at/

Previous Austro- Hungarian Bank

List of Central Banks

Oesterreichische Nationalbank, at Otto-Wagner -Platz No. 3, Vienna

The Austrian National Bank (OeNB), Austria's central bank as an integral part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and the Eurosystem. It is instrumental in the design of the economic development in Austria and in the euro area. Legally, the OeNB is a public limited company.. However, it is also subject to further enshrined in the National Bank Act regulations resulting from its separate position as a central bank. In the framework of the Eurosystem, the OeNB contributes to a stability-oriented monetary policy. At the national level, it cares about the preservation of financial stability and the money supply and manage foreign exchange reserves to hedge against the euro in times of crisis. The guideline values in terms of the tasks of the Austrian National Bank are "security, stability and trust".

Contents

1 History

1.1 1816 to 1818

1.2 1818 to 1878

1.3 1878 to 1922

1.4 1922 to 1938

1.5 1938 to 1945

1.6 1945 to 1998

1.7 From 1999

2 The OeNB as a modern central bank

3 Legal form and organs

3.1 Legal framework

3.2 organs

3.2.1 General

3.2.2 General

3.2.3 Board of Directors

4 Tasks

4.1 Monetary policy strategies and monetary policy decision-making process

4.1.1 Economic analysis

4.1.2 Production of statistical information

4.1.3 Contribute to international organizations

4.2 Implementation of monetary policy

4.2.1 use of monetary policy instruments

4.2.2 Reserve Management

4.2.3 Money Supply

4.3 Communication of monetary policy

4.4 ensure financial stability

4.4.1 Financial Stability

4.4.2 Payment System Stability and payments

5 The OeNB in the European System of National Banks

6 President / Governors

7 See also

8 Literature

9 links

10 Notes and references

History

1816-1818

As long as 50 years before the founding of the National Bank the Habsburgs carried out first experiments with securities in the form of paper money. Finally, in the 18th Century the issue of banknotes transferred to a state independent institution, while the issue of paper money called "Banco notes," founded in 1705 by the "Vienna City Bank" took place in 1762.

In wartime governance took back control of the money issue, so there was an inflation of Banco-Zettel 1796-1810. The state ordered the forced acceptance of paper money in private transport, which led to a fast-growing discount on bills in the market. 1799 was therefore one for 100 guilders paper money only 92 guilders in silver coins, and at the end of 1810 the value of the paper florin had fallen to 15 % of the nominal value of the Banco-Zettel. Later, the Habsburgs declared a devaluation of the Banco-Zettel in the ratio of 5:1. This act was considered by the business community as a sovereign default, which the paper money experienced a rapid devaluation.

At the end of the Napoleonic wars the Habsburg multinational state ( → Habsburg Monarchy) faced a new challenge: the restoration of a European balance. Church, the nobility, the army and the bureaucracy as elements in the Ancien Régime were not sufficient to solve this problem, a well -founded economic situation was needed. Moreover, one could not ignore readily the laws of supply and demand.

In this regard, were the first June 1816 by Emperor Francis I two patents issued (later to distinguish the "main patent" or "bank patent"), the "privileged Austrian National Bank", conceived as a public company, had to constitute itself as soon a possible, propose the emperor three of its directors for selection of the governor and take up their activity provisionally on 1 July 1816.

The National Bank had henceforth a monopoly on the issuance of paper money, which led to a slowdown in the Austrian monetary system and an increase in the value of paper money. The economy was again a solid source of money keeping constant the value of money regardless of the spending plans of the State. The equity of the Bank justified this by share issues.

Initially comprised the activities of the bank - under temporary management - the redemption of paper money and the issuance of shares. The full effectiveness attained the National Bank until after the issue of 1,000 shares and the associated possibility of shareholders to set the management themselves.

1818-1878

On 15 July 1817 recieved the National Bank as the "first Bankprivilegium" the exclusive right to unrestricted issue of banknotes and in this context a special position in terms of Rediskontgeschäfts (rediscount business). Beginning of 1818 the definitive bank management was ready. Part of it were among leading figures of Viennese society, including the banker Johann Heinrich von Geymüller and Bernard of Eskeles. From 1830 to 1837 the Office of the Governor was held by Adrian Nicholas Baron Barbier.

In the countries of the Habsburg Monarchy, which were characterized in large part by an agricultural oriented activity pattern, some regions showed a lively commercial-industrial growth. The goal now was to create a system of economic exchange between these areas. Successively established the National Bank branch network and thus guaranteed a uniform money and credit supply. From its headquarters in Vienna this network extended over early industrial areas and commercial centers in Eastern and Central Europe to the northern Mediterranean.

Trade bills and coins were preferred assets of the National Bank, less the supply of money to the state. With the exchange transactions, the National Bank supported the economic growth of the monarchy and secured at the same time the supply of silver coins in the event that the need for these increases in exchange for bank notes, contrary to expectations. 1818 was the National Bank, however, by increasing public debt, due to high spending in times of crisis, not spared to make an increase in the government debt positions on the asset side of its balance sheet.

The patent provisions of the founding of the National Bank not sufficiently secured against the autonomy of governance. At the center of the struggle for independence, this was the question of the extent to which the issue of banknotes must be made on the basis of government bonds. In 1841, a renewal of Bankprivilegiums got a weakening of the independence by pushing back the influence of the shareholders in favor of the state administration. During the revolution of 1848/49 followers of constitutional goals received great support from senior figures in the National Bank. For about a hundred years, the Austrian branch of the Rothschild bank (from which from 1855, the "Royal Privileged Austrian Credit-Institute for Commerce and Industry", the later Creditanstalt, was born) was playing a leading role in the banking center of Vienna. Salomon Mayer von Rothschild was involved during the pre-March in all major transactions of the National Bank for the rehabilitation of the state budget.

Special focus the National Bank was putting on the development of the premium that was payable at the exchange of banknotes into silver money in business dealings. The increase, which corresponded to a depreciation of the notes issued by the Bank should be prevented. From an overall state perspective, the increase of the silver premium means a deterioration in terms of the exchange ratio towards foreign countries, influencing the price competitiveness of the Austrian foreign trade adversely. The stabilization of the premium were set some limits. Although the height of the emission activitiy was depending on the Bank, but also the price of silver and the potential effects of increased government debt materially affected the silver premium. Especially the 1848 revolution and conflicts in the following years caused an increasement of the silver premium.

Mid-century, the private banking and wholesale houses were no longer able to cope with the rapidly growing financial intermediation of the Habsburg monarchy. New forms of capital formation were required. From an initiative of the House of Rothschild, the first by the government approved and private joint-stock bank was created. This formation was followed in 1863 and 1864 by two other joint-stock banks, whose major shareholders included important personalities of the aristocracy, who possessed large liquid funds. Overall, grew with these banks the money creation potential of the "financial center of Vienna".

The central bank faced another difficult task: with its limited resources it had to secure sufficient liquidity on the one hand and on the other hand prevent the inflationary expansion of the money supply. Through close contacts with the shareholders of Vienna was a financial center (informal) ballot, especially in times of crisis, easily dealt out. In contrast, it gave differences of opinion in the Fed Board, which required enforcement of decisions.

In 1861, Friedrich Schey Koromla became director of the National Bank. On 27 December 1862 experienced the Bankprivilegium another innovation. The independence of the National Bank of the State was restored and anchored. Furthermore, was introduced the direct allocation of banknotes in circulation by the system of "Peel'schen Bank Act", which states that the fixed budget of 200 million guilders exceeding circulation of banknotes must be covered by silver coins. In 1866, when the German war ended in defeat for Austria, the compliance of the system was no longer met. The state felt itself forced to pay compensation for breach of privilege. This balance was supported by a law of 1872, after the National Bank may issue notes up to a maximum of 200 million guilders and each additional payment must be fully backed by gold or silver.

1873 the economic boom of the Habsburg monarchy was represented in a long-lasting rise in the share price. A now to be expecting break could by the behavior of the Vienna Stock not be intercepted, so it came to the "Great Crash of 1873". The in 1872 fixed restrictions of the circulation of notes for a short time have been suspended. Contrary to expectations, the money supply in crisis peak but only outgrew by nearly 1% the prescribed limit in the bank acts. The banks and the industrial and commercial companies survived the crash without major losses, although the share prices significantly lay below the initial level.

The years with high growth were followed by a period of stagnation.

1878-1922

As part of the compensation negotiations between Austria and Hungary in 1867, the National Bank was able to exercise fully their Privilegialrechte, the Kingdom of Hungary but now had the certified right, every ten years exercisable, to found an own central bank (bank note). As resulted from the first 10 -year period that furthermore none of the two parts of the monarchy wanted to build an independent money-issuing bank (Zettelbank), was built on 28 June 1878, initially to 31 December 1887 limited, an Austro-Hungarian Bank, and equipped with the Fed privilege. The first privilege of the new bank was a compromise in which on the one hand, regulations on liability for national debts as well as regulations limiting the influence of the government on banking businesses were included. 1878 Gustav Leonhardt was Secretary of the Bank.

The General Assembly and the General Council formed the unit of the bank management. Two directorates and major institutions - in Vienna and Budapest - represented the dual nature of the bank. 1892-1900 followed a long discussion finally the currency conversion from guilders (silver currency) to the crown (gold standard) with "Gold Crown" said coins.

Since the new banknotes were very popular in the public, now many gold coins piled up in the vaults of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. This period was characterized by a balanced combination of price growth and damping, the "per capita national product" grew while prices remained mostly stable. Against this background, it was easy for the Fed to encourage a new wave of industrialization.

With a third privilege in 1899 conditions were established under which the bank could be put into the financial services of the two countries, on the other hand there have been important innovations that paved a good exchange policy. By 1914, the exchange ratio of the Austro-Hungarian currency was unchanged with only minor fluctuations. In contrast, was the by conflicts marked political development.

The expansive foreign policy quickly led to high costs from which had to be shouldered by the central bank a significant part. The stability of the currency was in danger. Shortly after the beginning of World War I in 1914, laid down the Military Command to indemnify any seized property with double the price. There was an increasing scarcity of goods, connected with an ongoing expansion of the money supply and finally the increase in the price level on the 16-fold.

The resulting cost of the war of the Dual Monarchy were covered to 40% on central bank loans and 60% through war bonds. Over the duration of the war, the power force built up in recent decades has been frozen at the end of the conflict in 1918, the real income of the workers had fallen to one-fifth of the last year of peace.

With the end of the war the end for the old order had come, too. The decay of Cisleithania and Transleithania caused in several successor states, despite the efforts of the central bank to maintain the order, a currency separation (see Crown Currency in the decay of the monarchy, successor states). First, a separate "Austrian management" of the bank was introduced. It was encouraged to shoulder the shortcomings of the state budget of the Republic of Austria founded in 1918.

The new South Slav state began in January 1919 stamping its crown banknotes. The newly founded Czechoslovak Republic retained the crown currency (to date), but their printed banknotes in circulation as of February 1919 with indications that now these ar Czechoslovak crowns. (The country could an inflation as experienced by Austria avoide.) In March 1919, German Austria began to stamp its crown banknotes.

The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of 10 September 1919, by Austria on 25 October 1919 ratified and which on 16 July 1920 came into force, determined the cancellation and replacement of all crown banknotes of all successor states of Austria-Hungary as well as the complete liquidation of the Austro-Hungarian Bank under the supervision of the war winners. The last meetings of the Bank took place mid 1921 and at the end of 1922.

After a period of overvaluation of the crown the dollar rate rose from 1919 again. 1921, had to be paid over 5,000 Austrian crowns per dollar. In addition to the significant drop in the external value existed in Austria rising inflation. End of 1922 was ultimately a rehabilitation program with foreign assistance - the "Geneva Protocol" - passed which slowed down the inflation.

1922-1938

With Federal Law of 24 July 1922 the Minister of Finance was commissioned to build a central bank, which had to take over the entire note circulation plus current liabilities of the Austrian management of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. With Federal Law of 14 November 1922, certain provisions of the law were amended and promulgated the statutes of the Austrian National Bank. By order of the Federal Government Seipel I 29 December 1922, the Board of the Austrian Austro-Hungarian Bank issued authorization for the central bank union activity with 1 January 1923 have been declared extinct and was made ​​known the commencement of operations of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank this day.

The statutes of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) secured the independence from the state, the independence of the Bank under exclusion of external influences and the corresponding equity. First, the stabilization of the Austrian currency was at the forefront. With the Schilling Act of 20 December 1924 was the schilling currency (First Republic) with 1 Introduced in March 1925, it replaced the crown currency. For 10,000 crowns now you got a shilling.

As an important personality in terms of the order of the state budget, Dr. Victor Kienböck has to be mentioned. He was in the time from 1922 to 1924 and from 1926 to 1929 finance minister of the First Republic and from 1932 to 1938 President of the Austrian National Bank. Through his work remained the Austrian Schilling, also beyound the global economy crisis, stable. Under this condition, the Fed was able to cope with the large number of bank failures of the past.

1938-1945

According to the on 13th March issued Anschlussgesetz (annexation law) , the Reichsmark with order of the Fuehrer and Chancellor of 17 was March 1938 introduced in the country Austria and determines the course: A Reichsmark is equal to one shilling fifty pence. On the same day, the Chancellor ordered that the management of the to be liquidated National Bank was transferred to the Reichsbank.

With regulation of three ministers of the German Reich of 23 April 1938, the National Bank was established as a property of the Reichsbank and its banknotes the quality as legal tender by 25 April 1938 withdrawn; public funds had Schilling banknotes until 15th of may in 1938 to accept. All the gold and foreign exchange reserves were transferred to Berlin.

The Second World War weakened the Austrian economy to a great extent, the production force after the war corresponded to only 40% of that of 1937 (see also air raids on Austria). To finance the war, the Reichsbank brought to a high degree banknotes in circulation, which only a great victory of the kingdom (Reich) actual values ​​would have been opposable. Since prices were strictly regulated, inflation virtually could be "banned" during the war.

1945-1998

In occupied postwar Austria about 10 billion shillings by Allied military occupying powers were initially printed, which contributed to significant price increases.

With the re-establishment of the Republic of Austria by the Austrian declaration of independence of 27 April 1945, it came to the resumption of activities of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. By the "Fed Transition Act" of July 1945 preliminary legal regulations for the operations of the Bank have been established. The restoration of the Austrian currency was their first big job. The goal was the summary of all currencies, which at the time were in circulation, and their secondment to a new Austrian currency. The "Schilling Act" of November 1945, the basis for the re-introduction of the Schilling (Second Republic) as legal tender in Austria. The next step was to reduce excess liquidity to make necessary funds for new business investment available and to make the external value of the shilling for the development of the economy competitive. First, however, less changed the inflationary situation and also the shilling was still significantly undervalued in relation to other currencies.

The "Currency Protection Act" of 1947 brought a significant change in the monetary overhang. Some deposits have been deleted without replacement, others converted into claims against the Federal Treasury. The following exchange operations also significantly reduced the amount of cash: banknotes from 1945 were canceled and exchanged for new schilling notes in the ratio 1:3. Only 150 shillings per person could go 1-1.

To control inflation, the social partners came to the foreground. The associations of employers and employees set in 1947 prices for supplies, wages were also raised. This was the first of the five "wage-price agreements" of the social partners. In 1952, inflation was held back by limiting the use of monetary policy instruments by the National Bank. Also, the external sector slowly relaxed after the end of the Korean War.

In 1955, the Austrian National Bank was re-established by the new National Bank Act as a corporation and the by the National Bank Transition of Authorities Act (Nationalbank-Überleitungsgesetz) established provisional arragement abolished. The National Bank Act stipulated that each half of the capital should be situated at the federal government and private shareholders. In addition to the independence of bank loans of the state, the new National Bank Act also contained an order that the central bank must watch within their monetary and credit policies on the economic policies of the federal government. From now on also included within the instruments of the National Bank were the areas open market and minimum reserve policy.

The Austrian economy increasingly stabilized, through good fiscal and monetary policy a high growth could be attained, with low inflation and long-term maintenance of external equilibrium.

1960, Austria joined the European Free Trade Association and participated in the European integration.

In the sixties came the international monetary system based on gold-dollar convertibility into currency fluctuations and political reforms were necessary. First, the loosening of exchange rate adjustments between several states was an option. However, U.S. balance of payments problems brought with it restrictions on capital movements, and then the Euro-Dollar market was born. In 1971, the convertibility of the U.S. dollar was lifted.

1975 interrupted a recession increasing growth time. International unbalanced ayments caused very extensive foreign exchange movements, whereby the intervention force of Austrian monetary policy has been strongly challenged. Their task now was to control the effect of foreign exchange on domestic economic activities to stabilize the shilling in the context of constantly shifting exchange rates and to control the price rise appropriately. Since the inflow of foreign funds reached to high proportions, so that the economic stability has been compromised, the policy went the way of the independent course design in a pool of selected European currencies.

The collapse of the economy forced the policy makers to a new course with active mutual credit control, subdued wage growth, financial impulses in supply and demand, and interest rates are kept low. This system of regulation, however, kept back the need for structural change, so it had to be given up in 1979. In the same year a fire destroyed large parts of the main building of the Austrian National Bank in Vienna. The repairs lasted until 1985.

Target in the eighties was to strengthen the economic performance using a competitive power comparison. The findings from the seventies stimulated the Austrian monetary policy to align the Schilling course at the Deutsche Mark to ensure price stability in the country. In addition, the structural change was initiated by inclusion in a large area. Stable, if not necessarily comfortable environment of monetary policy was a prerequisite, to secure the companies long-term productivity gains and thus safeguard their position in the economy.

Initially, this development stood a high level of unemployment in the way. Growth until the second half of the decade increased, at the same time increased the competitiveness and current accounts could be kept in balance.

In the nineties, the annexation of Austria took place in the European Community. 1995 Austria became a member of the European Union (EU) and joined the exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System. In 1998, the Central Banks (ESCB) have established the independence of institutions or bodies of the European Community and the governments of the EU Member States through an amendment to the National Bank Act of the Austrian National Bank to implement the goals and tasks of the European System. Thus, the legal basis for the participation of Austria in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was created in 1999.

As of 1999

The Austrian National Bank, and other national central banks including the European Central Bank ( ECB), belongs to the European System of Central Banks.

On 1 January 1999 was introduced in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union in Austria and ten other EU Member States, the euro as a common currency. The European Central Bank is henceforth responsible for monetary and currency policy, decisions in this regard will be taken in accordance with the Council of the European Central Bank.

Since May 2010, the OeNB is in full possession of the Republic of Austria, after originally lobbies, banks and insurance companies were involved with 50 % of the share capital in it. In 2011, the National Bank Act was adapted by an amendment (Federal Law Gazette I No. 50 /2011) in this circumstance, a renewed privatization is thus excluded by law.

The OeNB as a modern central bank

With the withdrawal from the retail business in the sixties as well as the first major internationalization and implementation of a strategic management in the seventies, the OeNB went on the way to a future-oriented central bank. Another major reform of banking began at the end of the eighties.

In terms of global development, the OeNB established in 1988 as a service company and expanded its guiding values ​​- "security, stability and trust" - to the principles of " fficiency" and "cost-consciousness". The business center was optimized and strategic business experienced through targeted improvements a reinforcement. Be mentioned as examples are intensifying domestic cooperation in the area of ​​payments by encouraging the creation of the Society for the Study co-payments (STUZZA), the liberalization of capital movements, the professional management of foreign exchange reserves, the improvement of the supply of money through the construction of the money center and the internationalization of business activities through the establishment of representative offices in Brussels (European Union), Paris (OECD) and the financial center of New York.

After Austria's accession to the EU in 1995, the OeNB participated in the European Monetary System (EMS ) and its Exchange Rate Mechanism. The integration in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was the next step towards further development of policy stability. Since the conclusion of the Maastricht Treaty, the Austrian National Bank has very fully considered its role in the ESCB and created a basis for inclusion in the community. The profound economic and monetary policy of Austria was also a reference that qualified the OeNB to actively participate in the monetary future of Europe, a greater harmonization of the statistical framework and monetary policy instruments with a view to the euro system, the preparation of the issue of European banknotes, and the establishment of operational processes and organizational integration of business processes within the ESCB being specific objectives of the OeNB.

In the following, it came, inter alia, to the establishement of an economic study department, of an education or training initiative and to strengthen the position of payment transactions through the TARGET system.

A in 1996 created "OeNB master plan" provided important points for the upcoming transition to the euro.

In May 1998, a new pension system came into force, by which new employees were incorporated into a two-pillar model.

1999, Austria's participation in the third stage of EMU was manifest. The Austrian National Bank - as part of the ESCB - became the owner of the European Central Bank and received new powers in this context in the sense of participation in the monetary policy decision-making at the level of the European Community. With the introduction of the euro, monetary policy functions of the General Council have been transferred to the Governing Council. However, the implementation remains the responsibility of national central banks.

Activities of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank were or are, for example, the further professionalization of asset management, the expansion of the network of representative offices by opening a representative office in the financial center of London, preparation of the smooth introduction of euro cash in 2002 and the participation of the OeNB on the creation of the "A-SIT" (Center for secure Information Technology Center - Austria) and the "A-Trust" (society of electronic security systems in traffic GmbH ) in order to promote security in information technology.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oesterreichische_Nationalbank

In 1699 the keelmen of Newcastle decided to build the Keelmen's Hospital, a charitable foundation for sick and aged keelmen and their families. The keelmen agreed to contribute one penny a tide from the wages of each keel's crew and Newcastle Corporation made land available in Sandgate. The hospital was completed in 1701 at a cost of £2,000. It consisted of fifty chambers giving onto a cloister enclosing a grass court. One matter of contention relating to the hospital was that the funds for its maintenance were kept in the control of the Hostmen, lest they be used as a strike fund by the keelmen. The hospital building still remains in City Road, Newcastle, and was used for student accommodation until recently. The building is now on the Heritage at Risk register. It has stood vacant since the closure of the student accommodation, and was added to the register in 2009.

 

The Keelmen of Tyne and Wear were a group of men who worked on the keels, large boats that carried the coal from the banks of both rivers to the waiting collier ships. Because of the shallowness of both rivers, it was difficult for ships of any significant draught to move up river and load with coal from the place where the coal reached the riverside. Thus the need for shallow-draught keels to transport the coal to the waiting ships. The keelmen formed a close-knit and colourful community on both rivers until their eventual demise late in the nineteenth century.

 

Keelmen loaded coal into the keel's hold from a "spout" or riverside chute. The keel would then be taken down river on the ebb tide using oars, or sail if the wind was favourable, and taken alongside the waiting collier where the crew would shovel the coal into the collier, working even after darkness. This could be arduous due to the difference in height between the keel's gunwale and the collier's deck. When keelmen struck in 1819 one of their demands was an extra shilling per keel per foot that the side of the collier exceeded five feet. After a time colliers were constructed in such a manner as to make it easier to load coal into them. After loading the keelmen would return for another load if there was daytime left and tides allowed. They were paid by the "tide"; i.e. by each trip between the ship and the staith, irrespective of distance. By the mid 19th century the usual fee was one guinea, including loading, which the keel's owner would split amongst the three crew in nearly equal shares, retaining only around 8d. per tide over and above the other shares. Before the railways began to harm the trade, a keel owner would expect to make around ten "tides" a week.

 

Keelmen were traditionally bound to employment for a year, the binding day normally being Christmas Day but employment tended to be seasonal with hardly any work in winter. The availability of work was often affected by the weather, if ships were unable to come into the river, and also by the supply of coal from the pits. Strikes might affect output and wily pit owners would sometimes curtail production to keep prices high. As a result, keelmen could spend long periods without work, during which they would have to live on credit or find employment in clearing wrecks and sand banks from the river. The Tyneside keelmen formed an independent society in 1556 but were never incorporated, probably because the Newcastle Hostmen feared their becoming too powerful. The Wearside keelmen were finally incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1792.

 

The Tyneside keelmen lived in the Sandgate area, outside the city walls, one of the poorest and most overcrowded parts of the city, made up of many narrow alleys. John Baillie, writing in the late 18th century, said that they "lived almost entirely upon flesh-meat and flour, of the best kinds, which their strong exertions in their employment require." They were known by some as a close-knit group of aggressive, hard-drinking men: John Wesley, after visiting Newcastle, described them as much given to drunkenness and swearing. Baillie said that this reputation was entirely undeserved: the keelmen had a "rough" way of expressing themselves, and were loud and vociferous "from the practice of hailing one another on the river, especially in the night tides", but "they scorn to show what they think incivility or rudeness to any person". Despite this, in the mid 19th century they were described as "a proverbially unintelligent, ignorant and intemperate set of men. One keelman, it used to be said, could drink out three pitmen".

 

For their Sunday best clothing the keelmen often wore a distinctive blue coat or short blue jacket: this was accompanied by a flat-brimmed black hat, yellow waistcoat and white shirt, and legwear described as either slate-grey trousers or blue stockings and flannel breeches. In the 18th century keelmen were identifiable by the blue bonnet many of them wore at work, later replaced by a sou'wester. In the 1840s they were described as wearing "a peculiar costume, consisting of a large jacket, or rather doublet, with loose breeches, made very wide at the knee, and not descending further". The trade of keelmen tended to be passed on from father to son, the son working as an apprentice on a keel until considered old enough and strong enough to be a crewman. Most men were unfit to continue the physically very demanding work into their forties. By 1700 there were 1,600 keelmen working on the Tyne in 400 keels. Not all were local: there was a significant number of Scottish keelmen who returned home in the winter when trade was slack.

Public School Foundation Theresianische Academy

Founded in 1746

♁ coordinates 48 ° 11 ' 35.2 " N, 16 ° 22' 15.5" OKoordinaten : 48 ° 11 ' 35.2 " N, 16 ° 22' 15.5 " E | |

831 students status: 2013

Teachers about 130

www.theresianum.ac.at site

The Theresianum called state facility with buildings dating back several centuries in Vienna, 4th district, Favoritenstrasse 15, serves as the seat of the public high school of the Foundation Theresianische Academy, as the building for short Theresianum, and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Both institutions have a tradition spanning centuries. Since 2011, the Foundation also offers a kindergarten and an elementary school.

The New Favorita seen from the favorite street, it houses today the Theresianum

View to the pediment with the coat of arms of the Empire of Austria under Francis I

The Theresianum, seen from the park

The school park

Nazi era: Library stamp of "NPEA Vienna Theresianumgasse"

(National Political Institutes of Education (German: Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalten; officially abbreviated NPEA, commonly abbreviated Napola for Nationalpolitische Lehranstalt meaning National Political Institution of Teaching) were secondary boarding schools in Nazi Germany. They were founded as "community education sites" after the National Socialist seizure of power in 1933.), Wikipedia

History

1288 an estate was detectable in this area. 1614 the estate with fields, meadows and vineyards was acquired by the Habsburg monarchy, was first described as a Favoritenhof 1623 and served as the widow's home for the Empresses Anna of Austria-Tyrol, Eleonora Gonzaga and Eleonora Magdalena Gonzaga of Mantua-Nevers. For this, the estate was remodeled in 1642 according to plans of Giovanni Battista Carlone to pleasure palace with pleasure garden called Favorita.

The emperors Leopold I, Joseph I and Charles VI. served the Favorita as a preferred summer residence. During this time, extensions were built, the in the second Turkish siege in 1683 originated ravages repaired and sold some of the fields.

Charles' VI. daughter, Maria Theresa, heiress to the throne in the Austrian dominions, in the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Hungary and since 1745, when her husband became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, as Empress was dubbed, preferred as summer residence the Schönbrunn Palace and had it expanded. To this decision may have contributed that the Favorita, concerning location and architecture, with Belvedere Castle could not compete, which the for Habsburg victorious commander Eugene of Savoy, of Charles VI. richly endowed, had built about 800 meters to the east form here using a prominent hillside.

The baroque Favorita (it was by now called New Favorita, the Old Favorita had been in the Augarten) in the suburb of Wieden handed Maria Theresia to the Jesuits - with the condition in it to establish an educational institution, a knight's academy for the benefit of the universal essence, but especially the noble youth. Main task should be the raising of educated and loyal government officials and diplomats. In the 18th and 19th Century followed various extensions and increases in the building.

1783 dissolved the reformer Joseph II in the Austrian hereditary lands all knights academies, as well as the Theresianum. In 1797 Emperor Franz II as sovereign approved the reopening under the management of the Piarists. The facade was rebuilt in the classical style. After the revolution of 1848, Emperor Franz Joseph I. disposed the admission of sons of the middle class as students.

The Oriental Academy, founded by Maria Theresa in 1754, was since the 19th Century in the Theresianum. In 1900 renamed, moved the Consular Academy in 1904 in its newly constructed own building (9, Boltzmanngasse 16, since 1947 Embassy of the United States). It was in 1938 by the Nazi regime canceled. Its role was in 1964 by the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (see below) resumed.

After the "Anschluss" of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, the Nazis dissolved the Theresianische Academy and established on 13 March 1939, exactly one year after the "Anschluss", in the buildings a National Political Education Institute (Napola). 1944/1945, the plant was badly damaged by bombs and grenades. 1945, the buildings in the occupied postwar Austria were by the Soviet occupying power monopolised, in the four-sector city of Vienna the 4th district controlling. It handed the Theresianum over to the USIA, the administration of Soviet Property in Austria.

After the State Treaty of 1955, the Austrian State resp. the Foundation Theresianum got the property on 20 September 1955 refunded, and in September 1957, the school system of the private school with public status could be resumed. The re-establishment of the in the war damaged buildings was carried out by the State from 1956 to 1964. In 1964 in a part of the buildings the by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established Diplomatic Academy of Vienna started operations, with which the Viennese educational establishement for this topic after 60 years returned into the Theresianum .

Since 1989, in the high school female students are accepted, too.

The gymnasium in the presence

In addition to general education, the focus of the school is placed on language education - the compulsory subjects include other than German, English, French, Latin, Russian and mathematics - and in the education to internationality. Special emphasis is placed on politeness and good appearance. An additional service is available in the areas of sport, art, creativity, information and communication technology and music, and economic projects. The school is run as half-and full boarding.

The school campus is 50,000 square meters and includes a soccer field, and a fun court, two other soccer fields, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a running track, two beach volleyball courts, a basketball court, a large, divisible gymnasium and a smaller, older hall, in both of the are climbing walls as well as other sporting items available.

Currently nearly 800 students attend the Theresianische Academy. Many come from more distant states or from abroad and have the opportunity to live in a boarding school in this case.

The selection of professors is made by the respective school management in cooperation with the Vienna Board of Education. The boarding school, as well as some activities are shared with the Lycée Français de Vienne.

Known graduates

Josef Franz de Paula Hieronymus von Colloredo-Waldsee- Mels, 1732-1812, Bishop of Gurk and Prince Archbishop of Salzburg

Vincent Joseph of Schrattenbach, 1744-1816, Prince-Bishop of Lavant and Bishop of Brno

Wilhelm Florentin von Salm-Salm, 1745-1810, Bishop of Tournai and Archbishop of Prague

Johann Prokop Schaffgotsch, 1748-1813, Auxiliary Bishop of Prague and Bishop of Budweis

Franz Xaver II Altgraf of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim, 1749-1822, Prince-Bishop of Gurk, Cardinal and organizer of the first ascent of the Grossglockner

Franz von Spaun, 1753-1826, Austrian jurist, mathematician, and nonconformist writer

Ferenc Széchenyi, 1754-1820, Hungarian scholar and founder of the Hungarian National Library

Josef Wenzel Radetzky von Radetz, 1766-1858, Austrian field marshal, knight of the Golden Fleece

Ignaz Edler von Mitis, 1771-1842, Austrian engineer and chemist, inventor of the Schweinfurt green

Ignacy Hilary Count Ledochowski, 1789-1870, Austrian and Polish general

Joseph Jelacic of Bužim, 1801-1859, k.k. officer

Moritz Freiherr Ebner von Eschenbach, 1815-1898, Austrian engineer, inventor and writer, husband and supporter of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Tivadar Puskás, 1844-1893, Hungarian engineer and inventor

Karl Lueger, politician and mayor of Vienna, graduation year of 1862

Olivier Marquis de Bacquehem, Minister of Trade and Minister of the Interior 1847-1917

Ernest von Koerber, 1850-1919, bourgeois-liberal politician of Austria-Hungary

Wilhelm Carl Gustav Ritter von Doderer 1854-1932, Austrian architect, engineer and contractor

Alfonso XII., 1857-1885, King of Spain

Konstantin Jirecek, Swedish politician, diplomat, historian and Slawist

Peter Altenberg, letters, graduation year of 1876

Wladimir Ledochowski, General of the Society of Jesus, graduation year of 1884

Count István Bethlen von Bethlen, 1874-1946 (?), Hungarian politician and Prime Minister

Clemens Peter Freiherr von Pirquet, pediatrician, bacteriologist and immunologist, graduation year of 1892

Baron Franz Nopcsa of Felsöszilvás, founder of palaeophysiology and Albania researcher, graduation year of 1892

Friedrich Hasenohrl, physicists, graduation year of 1892

Fritz von Herzmanovsky-Orlando, writer and artist, graduation year of 1896

Edgar Leon Calle Ernst, 1879-1955, Austrian composer and pianist

Rudolf Sieczynski, 1879-1952, Austrian Viennese song-composer, writer and official

Ernst August von Hoffmansthal, 1829-1915, German Wiener Song Composer

Joseph Schumpeter, 1883-1950, economist

Odo Neustädter-Stürmer, politician, graduation year of 1905

Richard Nikolaus Graf Coudenhove-Kalergi, writer, politician and founder of the Pan-movement

Teddy Kern, 1900-1949, actor

Egon Brunswik, 1903-1955, American psychologist

Godfrey Edward Arnold, 1914-1989, physician, phoniatrist, explorer of speech defects and disorders of the vocal cords

Ertuğrul Osman, 1912-2009, head of the House Osman

Hans Jaray, actor, writer and director

Ernst Gombrich, an art historian, graduation year of 1927

Max Ferdinand Perutz, chemist and Nobel Prize winner in 1962, year of graduation 1932

Herbert Hinterleithner, poet and painter, graduation year of 1934

Rolf Olsen, actor, director and screenwriter, 1919-1998

Hans Hass, biologist, underwater pioneer and documentary filmmaker, graduation year of 1937

Peter Zinner, editor and Oscar winner, graduation year of 1937

Kurt Schubert, Judaic scholar, graduation year of 1941

Werner Fasslabend, politician and jurist, graduation year of 1963

Hans Winkler, Austrian diplomat and Secretary of State, graduation year of 1963

Alexander Wächter, actor, director and theater manager, graduation year of 1966

Thomas Angyan, director of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna, graduation year of 1971

Rudolf Striedinger, Officer, graduation year of 1979

Dimitris Droutsas, Greek politician, graduation year of 1986

Nicholas Scherak, Member of Parliament, Matura group 2004

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96ffentliches_Gymnasium_der_Sti...

BERTHON, GEORGE THEODORE, painter; b. 3 May 1806 in Vienna, son of René-Théodore Berthon and Frances-Desirée Maugenet; m. first 1840, probably in France, Marie-Zélie Boisseau (d. 18 July 1847 in Toronto), and they had one daughter; m. secondly 14 Aug. 1850 Clare Elizabeth de La Haye in Toronto, and they had six sons and five daughters; d. there 18 Jan. 1892.

 

George Theodore Berthon was born at the “royal palace” in Vienna, where his father, René, court painter to Napoleon and a former student of Jacques-Louis David’s, was executing a commission for the emperor. The Berthon family returned to Paris that year, René resuming his activity as peintre ordinaire at the French court.

 

The younger Berthon is thought to have received his formal art training from his father. As a resident of Paris, he also had the opportunity to study the work of the old masters and the best contemporary French artists. At age 21 he immigrated to England, possibly to study medicine. He is believed to have lived initially in the home of the Tory politician and art collector Robert Peel, where he taught Peel’s elder daughter drawing and French in exchange for English lessons. Although his supposed medical studies remain only conjecture, it is known that Berthon was active as a painter, exhibiting portraits at the Royal Academy of Arts (1835–37) and the British Institution (1837–38). During this period he would also have been exposed to the work of the foremost exponents of the British portrait tradition, such as Romney, Lawrence, and Reynolds.

 

The last record of Berthon in England is his participation in the 1838 exhibition of the British Institution. Details of his subsequent whereabouts are sketchy until he advertised his services as a portraitist “from London” in Toronto’s British Colonist on 1 Jan. 1845 and later in other local newspapers, notices that indicate he had settled there. (Secondary accounts which date his arrival as early as 1840 or state that he had painted “in Canada” from 1837 to 1841 before returning to England and then settling in Toronto cannot be verified.) Berthon’s move might have been suggested by Peel or perhaps by the German-British painter Hoppner Francis Meyer, who had been active in Toronto and Quebec at various times throughout the 1830s and early 1840s and who was later based in London. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his decision, Berthon was evidently ready to accept the challenge of a new environment. According to tradition, he promoted himself and gained access to Toronto’s tory-dominated social circles on the basis of letters of introduction from Peel. Indeed, by April his wife was conducting a salon for young ladies in the couple’s William (Simcoe) Street home. This enterprise was patronized by the wives of several prominent members of the “family compact,” including Eliza Boulton, wife of Henry John*, and Emma Robinson, wife of John Beverley*.

 

Berthon’s sophisticated European training quickly attracted the attention of local art patrons, most of them with tory affiliations, and important portrait commissions were soon acquired. His earliest pictures included likenesses painted in 1845 of such noted Torontonians as Bishop John Strachan* and Chief Justice John Beverley Robinson. He also executed a variety of productions for the Boulton and Robinson families, the best known being two works now in the Art Gallery of Ontario: the full-length portrait done in 1846 of William Henry Boulton* and the elegant and stylish Three Robinson sisters (Augusta Anne, Louisa Matilda, and Emily Mary). The latter painting, a gift to Emma Robinson, their mother, was commissioned in secret by Augusta’s husband, James McGill Strachan*, and by George William Allan and John Henry Lefroy*, who were soon to marry Louisa and Emily. It was presented on 16 April 1846 after Mrs Robinson’s return home from the wedding. The Boulton portrait, one of the foremost examples of the grand manner tradition in Canadian portraiture, is characterized, as are Berthon’s smaller bust and half-length likenesses, by tight brushwork, crisp delineation of forms, and fresh, clear colour – hallmarks of French neo-classicism exemplified in the work of such artists as David, with whose style Berthon would certainly have been familiar.

 

In 1847 Berthon submitted three portraits to the first exhibition of the Toronto Society of Arts [see John George Howard*], the second attempt on the part of local artists and architects to promote the visual arts by means of annual exhibitions. A series of lengthy commentaries on the event appeared in the British Colonist; its critic, however, made no mention of Berthon’s contributions, preferring instead to tout the merits of such “native Canadians” as Peter March and Paul Kane*. Berthon’s nationality caused a similar problem in 1848 when a controversy arose over a prospective commission to paint the “official” portrait of the former speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Sir Allan Napier MacNab*. While George Anthony Barber*, editor of the Toronto Herald, came out in support of Berthon, describing him as a “most accomplished artist,” the British Colonist, a reform paper owned by Hugh Scobie*, took a firm nationalist stance, stating that the commission, highly coveted, should go to the Canadian-born March. The portrait was eventually painted by the French Canadian artist Théophile Hamel*. Despite these initial obstacles Berthon continued to be patronized steadily by the local élite, who were by now even more aware of his evident professionalism. In 1848, for example, he completed a group portrait of the chief justices of Upper Canada for the Legislative Council. He received this commission on the basis of a recommendation from Robinson, who stated that he did not “suppose that a person could be found in Canada so likely to give satisfaction.” Berthon did not, however, participate in the second, and final, exhibition of the Toronto Society of Arts, held in 1848, possibly because of the MacNab controversy and because Berthon’s rival, Peter March, was the society’s secretary for that year.

 

Berthon is known to have visited the United States in 1852. Returning to Toronto the same year, he resumed his portrait work. During this decade, and for the remainder of his career, Berthon’s clientele expanded beyond the confines of the tory establishment to include all groups in the community, most notably the growing numbers of prosperous merchants and bankers. In 1856 the Law Society of Upper Canada commissioned a portrait of one of its chief justices, marking the beginning of what would develop into a lengthy term of patronage on the part of this group. Later subjects painted for the society included William Henry Draper* and John Douglas Armour.

 

Throughout his career Berthon’s participation in public exhibitions was minimal, the writer of his obituary being moved to note that his was “a name well known to artists, although to the public he was little known.” Indeed, his official, academy-inspired art would have seemed incongruous at the Upper Canada Provincial Exhibition, a venue better suited to the smaller landscapes and genre pieces by such artists as Paul Kane, Daniel Fowler, and Robert Whale*. He might also have been discouraged by the lukewarm reception of the paintings he had put on display in 1847. Perhaps the most likely reason for his absence from the public arena was the fact that he had a regular clientele and thus never felt the need to promote his work too vigorously.

 

Berthon did contribute portraits to the annual exhibitions of the Ontario Society of Artists [see John Arthur Fraser] in 1875 and 1877 and he was made a life member in 1891; however, in competition as he was against the prevailing taste for landscape, he continued to encounter critical disparagement of his pictures for both their size and their formal nature. Recognition on an international level occurred in 1876, when Berthon’s An early visitor received a gold medal at the Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition, obviously a more challenging forum for a French-trained artist. (The painting’s current location is unknown.)

 

Although Berthon’s renown was such that he was named a charter member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts [see John Douglas Sutherland Campbell*] in 1880, his failure ultimately to submit the required diploma picture, perhaps because his creative energies were then being diverted in another, more lucrative direction, caused his nomination to expire. That year he had been invited by John Beverley Robinson to execute a series of portraits of former lieutenant governors to hang in the recently completed Government House. Working from sources such as engravings, photographs, miniatures, oils, and water-colours, Berthon produced over twenty posthumous portraits of noted figures in Canadian history, including Sir Francis Bond Head*, Sir Isaac Brock*, and Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson. The entire project, rooted in the tradition of “halls of fame” and “portrait galleries,” was later extended to include portraits by Berthon of the governors general of the Province of Canada.

 

Berthon continued to paint until just a few days before his death, from a bronchial infection, at his Toronto home. On 30 March 1892 his private collection of paintings, which included a portrait of Napoleon by his father, an original Watteau, and various copies after old masters, was offered for sale.

 

Berthon is known to have painted the occasional landscape and genre subject, usually at the request of a client, and appears to have supplemented his income by teaching privately now and again. He is also thought to have designed the iron gates in the fence at Osgoode Hall, intended to prevent cattle from straying onto the property. His reputation, however, rests solely on his work as a portraitist. For most of his career his style was based on such neo-classical precepts as strong draftsmanship, controlled brushwork, and clarity of local colour, combined with an evident commitment to realism. Towards the end of his life, like most Canadian artists who had become acquainted with pleinairisme and Impressionism, he adopted a looser, more fluid brushstroke and a softer palette. By this time there were other artists active in the field of establishment portraiture in Toronto, including Robert Harris*, John Wycliffe Lowes Forster*, and Edmund Wyly Grier*.

 

As Toronto’s foremost exponent of the portrait tradition during the Victorian era, Berthon produced a body of work that serves as an important historical record and as a prime example of the grand-manner style in Canadian portraiture. His long and prolific career reflects the continuing growth and prosperity of Ontario, the rise of Toronto as an influential urban centre – politically, economically, and culturally – and the significance of public and private patronage in the promotion of the visual arts.

Varanasi, also known as Benares, or Kashi is an Indian city on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres south-east of the state capital, Lucknow. It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism, and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Varanasi is also known as the favourite city of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva as it has been mentioned in the Rigveda that this city in older times was known as Kashi or "Shiv ki Nagri".

 

The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi, and an essential part of all religious celebrations. The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the Ganges. The city has been a cultural centre of North India for several thousand years, and has a history that is older than most of the major world religions. The Benares Gharana form of Hindustani classical music was developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians live or have lived in Varanasi. Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, located near Varanasi.

 

Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India. It is often referred to as "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of Shiva", and "the city of learning". Scholarly books have been written in the city, including the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas. Today, there is a temple of his namesake in the city, the Tulsi Manas Mandir. The current temples and religious institutions in the city are dated to the 18th century. One of the largest residential universities of Asia, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), is located here.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name Varanasi possibly originates from the names of the two rivers: Varuna, still flowing in Varanasi, and Asi, a small stream near Assi Ghat. The old city does lie on the north shores of Ganges River bounded by its two tributaries Varuna and Asi. Another speculation is that the city derives its name from the river Varuna, which was called Varanasi in olden times.[11] This is generally disregarded by historians. Through the ages, Varanasi has been known by many names including Kāśī or Kashi (used by pilgrims dating from Buddha's days), Kāśikā (the shining one), Avimukta ("never forsaken" by Shiva), Ānandavana (the forest of bliss), and Rudravāsa (the place where Rudra/Śiva resides).

 

In the Rigveda, the city is referred to as Kāśī or Kashi, the luminous city as an eminent seat of learning. The name Kāśī is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana. In one verse, Shiva says, "The three worlds form one city of mine, and Kāśī is my royal palace therein." The name Kashi may be translated as "City of Light".

 

HISTORY

According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the God Shiva. The Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata are also stated to have visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sins of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya that they had committed during the climactic Kurukshetra war. It is regarded as one of seven holy cities which can provide Moksha:

 

The earliest known archaeological evidence suggests that settlement around Varanasi in the Ganga valley (the seat of Vedic religion and philosophy) began in the 11th or 12th century BC, placing it among the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. These archaeological remains suggest that the Varanasi area was populated by Vedic people. However, the Atharvaveda (the oldest known text referencing the city), which dates to approximately the same period, suggests that the area was populated by indigenous tribes. It is possible that archaeological evidence of these previous inhabitants has yet to be discovered. Recent excavations at Aktha and Ramnagar, two sites very near to Varanasi, show them to be from 1800 BC, suggesting Varanasi started to be inhabited by that time too. Varanasi was also home to Parshva, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara and the earliest Tirthankara accepted as a historical figure in the 8th century BC.

 

Varanasi grew as an important industrial centre, famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BC), Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. Buddha is believed to have founded Buddhism here around 528 BC when he gave his first sermon, "Turning the Wheel of Law", at nearby Sarnath. The celebrated Chinese traveller Xuanzang, who visited the city around 635 AD, attested that the city was a centre of religious and artistic activities, and that it extended for about 5 kilometres along the western bank of the Ganges. When Xuanzang, also known as Hiuen Tsiang, visited Varanasi in the 7th century, he named it "Polonisse" and wrote that the city had some 30 temples with about 30 monks. The city's religious importance continued to grow in the 8th century, when Adi Shankara established the worship of Shiva as an official sect of Varanasi.

 

In ancient times, Varanasi was connected by a road starting from Taxila and ending at Pataliputra during the Mauryan Empire. In 1194, the city succumbed to Turkish Muslim rule under Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who ordered the destruction of some one thousand temples in the city. The city went into decline over some three centuries of Muslim occupation, although new temples were erected in the 13th century after the Afghan invasion. Feroz Shah ordered further destruction of Hindu temples in the Varanasi area in 1376. The Afghan ruler Sikander Lodi continued the suppression of Hinduism in the city and destroyed most of the remaining older temples in 1496. Despite the Muslim rule, Varanasi remained the centre of activity for intellectuals and theologians during the Middle Ages, which further contributed to its reputation as a cultural centre of religion and education. Several major figures of the Bhakti movement were born in Varanasi, including Kabir who was born here in 1389 and hailed as "the most outstanding of the saint-poets of Bhakti cult (devotion) and mysticism of 15th-Century India"; and Ravidas, a 15th-century socio-religious reformer, mystic, poet, traveller, and spiritual figure, who was born and lived in the city and employed in the tannery industry. Similarly, numerous eminent scholars and preachers visited the city from across India and south Asia. Guru Nanak Dev visited Varanasi for Shivratri in 1507, a trip that played a large role in the founding of Sikhism.

 

In the 16th century, Varanasi experienced a cultural revival under the Muslim Mughal emperor Akbar who invested in the city, and built two large temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The Raja of Poona established the Annapurnamandir and the 200 metres Akbari Bridge was also completed during this period. The earliest tourists began arriving in the city during the 16th century. In 1665, the French traveller Jean Baptiste Tavernier described the architectural beauty of the Vindu Madhava temple on the side of the Ganges. The road infrastructure was also improved during this period and extended from Kolkata to Peshawar by Emperor Sher Shah Suri; later during the British Raj it came to be known as the famous Grand Trunk Road. In 1656, emperor Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of many temples and the building of mosques, causing the city to experience a temporary setback. However, after Aurangazeb's death, most of India was ruled by a confederacy of pro-Hindu kings. Much of modern Varanasi was built during this time by the Rajput and Maratha kings, especially during the 18th century, and most of the important buildings in the city today date to this period. The kings continued to be important through much of the British rule (1775–1947 AD), including the Maharaja of Benares, or Kashi Naresh. The kingdom of Benares was given official status by the Mughals in 1737, and continued as a dynasty-governed area until Indian independence in 1947, during the reign of Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh. In the 18th century, Muhammad Shah ordered the construction of an observatory on the Ganges, attached to Man Mandir Ghat, designed to discover imperfections in the calendar in order to revise existing astronomical tables. Tourism in the city began to flourish in the 18th century. In 1791, under the rule of the British Governor-General Warren Hastings, Jonathan Duncan founded a Sanskrit College in Varanasi. In 1867, the establishment of the Varanasi Municipal Board led to significant improvements in the city.

 

In 1897, Mark Twain, the renowned Indophile, said of Varanasi, "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together." In 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state, with Ramanagar as its headquarters but with no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi itself. Kashi Naresh still resides in the Ramnagar Fort which is situated to the east of Varanasi, across the Ganges. Ramnagar Fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Varanasi. Since the 18th century, the fort has been the home of Kashi Naresh, deeply revered by the local people. He is the religious head and some devout inhabitants consider him to be the incarnation of Shiva. He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations.

 

A massacre by British troops, of the Indian troops stationed here and of the population of the city, took place during the early stages of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Annie Besant worked in Varanasi to promote theosophy and founded the Central Hindu College which later became a foundation for the creation of Banaras Hindu University as a secular university in 1916. Her purpose in founding the Central Hindu College in Varanasi was that she "wanted to bring men of all religions together under the ideal of brotherhood in order to promote Indian cultural values and to remove ill-will among different sections of the Indian population."

 

Varanasi was ceded to the Union of India on 15 October 1948. After the death of Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh in 2000, his son Anant Narayan Singh became the figurehead king, responsible for upholding the traditional duties of a Kashi Naresh.

 

MAIN SIGHTS

Varanasi's "Old City", the quarter near the banks of the Ganga river, has crowded narrow winding lanes flanked by road-side shops and scores of Hindu temples. As atmospheric as it is confusing, Varanasi's labyrinthine Old City has a rich culture, attracting many travellers and tourists. The main residential areas of Varanasi (especially for the middle and upper classes) are situated in regions far from the ghats; they are more spacious and less polluted.

 

Museums in and around Varanasi include Jantar Mantar, Sarnath Museum, Bharat Kala Bhawan and Ramnagar Fort.

 

JANTAR MANTAR

The Jantar Mantar observatory (1737) is located above the ghats on the Ganges, much above the high water level in the Ganges next to the Manmandir Ghat, near to Dasaswamedh Ghat and adjoining the palace of Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur. Compared to the observatories at Jaipur and Delhi, it is less well equipped but has a unique equatorial sundial which is functional and allows measurements to be monitored and recorded by one person.

 

RAMNAGAR FORT

The Ramnagar Fort located near the Ganges River on its eastern bank, opposite to the Tulsi Ghat, was built in the 18th century by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar sandstone. It is in a typically Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and scenic pavilions. At present the fort is not in good repair. The fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares. It has been the home of the Kashi Naresh since the 18th century. The current king and the resident of the fort is Anant Narayan Singh who is also known as the Maharaja of Varanasi even though this royal title has been abolished since 1971. Labeled "an eccentric museum", it has a rare collection of American vintage cars, sedan chairs (bejeweled), an impressive weaponry hall and a rare astrological clock. In addition, manuscripts, especially religious writings, are housed in the Saraswati Bhawan. Also included is a precious handwritten manuscript by Goswami Tulsidas. Many books illustrated in the Mughal miniature style, with beautifully designed covers are also part of the collections. Because of its scenic location on the banks of the Ganges, it is frequently used as an outdoor shooting location for films. The film titled Banaras is one of the popular movies shot here. However, only a part of the fort is open for public viewing as the rest of the area is the residence of the Kashi Naresh and his family. It is 14 kilometres from Varanasi.

 

GHATS

Ghats are embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. Ghats in Varanasi are an integral complement to the concept of divinity represented in physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. All the ghats are locations on "the divine cosmic road", indicative of "its manifest transcendental dimension" Varanasi has at least 84 ghats. Steps in the ghats lead to the banks of River Ganges, including the Dashashwamedh Ghat, the Manikarnika Ghat, the Panchganga Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat (where Hindus cremate their dead). Many ghats are associated with legends and several are now privately owned.

 

Many of the ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwas stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Most of the ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. A morning boat ride on the Ganges across the ghats is a popular visitor attraction. The extensive stretches of ghats enhance the river front with a multitude of shrines, temples and palaces built "tier on tier above the water’s edge".

 

The Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main and probably the oldest ghat of Varansi located on the Ganges, close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. It is believed that Brahma created it to welcome Shiva and sacrificed ten horses during the Dasa -Ashwamedha yajna performed here. Above the ghat and close to it, there are also temples dedicated to Sulatankesvara, Brahmesvara, Varahesvara, Abhaya Vinayaka, Ganga (the Ganges), and Bandi Devi which are part of important pilgrimage journeys. A group of priests perform "Agni Pooja" (Worship to Fire) daily in the evening at this ghat as a dedication to Shiva, Ganga, Surya (Sun), Agni (Fire), and the whole universe. Special aartis are held on Tuesdays and on religious festivals.

 

The Manikarnika Ghat is the Mahasmasana (meaning: "great cremation ground") and is the primary site for Hindu cremation in the city. Adjoining the ghat, there are raised platforms that are used for death anniversary rituals. It is said that an ear-ring (Manikarnika) of Shiva or his wife Sati fell here. According to a myth related to the Tarakesvara Temple, a Shiva temple at the ghat, Shiva whispers the Taraka mantra ("Prayer of the crossing") in the ear of the dead. Fourth-century Gupta period inscriptions mention this ghat. However, the current ghat as a permanent riverside embankment was built in 1302 and has been renovated at least three times.

 

TEMPLES

Among the estimated 23000 temples in Varanasi, the most worshiped are: the Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva; the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple; and the Durga Temple known for the band of monkeys that reside in the large trees nearby.

 

Located on the outskirts of the Ganges, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple – dedicated to Varanasi's presiding deity Shiva (Vishwanath – "Lord of the world") – is an important Hindu temple and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Shiva temples. It is believed that a single view of Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is worth more than that of other jyotirlingas. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The Gyanvapi Mosque, which is adjacent to the temple, is the original site of the temple. The temple, as it exists now, also called Golden Temple, was built in 1780 by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. The two pinnacles of the temple are covered in gold, donated in 1839 by Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Punjab and the remaining dome is also planned to be gold plated by the Ministry of Culture & Religious Affairs of Uttar Pradesh. On 28 January 1983, the temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust with then Kashi Naresh, Vibhuti Narayan Singh, as president and an executive committee with a Divisional Commissioner as chairman. Numerous rituals, prayers and aratis are held daily, starting from 2:30 am till 11:00 pm.

 

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is one of the sacred temples of the Hindu god Hanuman situated by the Assi River, on the way to the Durga and New Vishwanath temples within the Banaras Hindu University campus. The present temple structure was built in early 1900s by the educationist and freedom fighter, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University. It is believed the temple was built on the very spot where the medieval Hindu saint Tulsidas had a vision of Hanuman. Thousands flock to the temple on Tuesdays and Saturdays, weekdays associated with Hanuman. On 7 March 2006, in a terrorist attack one of the three explosions hit the temple while the Aarti was in progress when numerous devotees and people attending a wedding were present and many were injured. However, normal worship was resumed the next day with devotees visiting the temple and reciting hymns of Hanuman Chalisa (authored by Tulidas) and Sundarkand (a booklet of these hymns is provided free of charge in the temple). After the terrorist incident, a permanent police post was set up inside the temple.

 

There are two temples named "Durga" in Varanasi, Durga Mandir (built about 500 years ago), and Durga Kund (built in the 18th century). Thousands of Hindu devotees visit Durga Kund during Navratri to worship the goddess Durga. The temple, built in Nagara architectural style, has multi-tiered spires[96] and is stained red with ochre, representing the red colour of Durga. The building has a rectangular tank of water called the Durga Kund ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool). Every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, the act of depicting the god Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha is recreated in the Kund.

 

While the Annapurna Temple, located close to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, is dedicated to Annapurna, the goddess of food, the Sankatha Temple close to the Sindhia Ghat is dedicated to Sankatha, the goddess of remedy. The Sankatha temple has a large sculpture of a lion and a nine temple cluster dedicated to the nine planets.

 

Kalabhairav Temple, an ancient temple located near the Head Post Office at Visheshar Ganj, is dedicated to Kala-Bhairava, the guardian (Kotwal) of Varanasi. The Mrithyunjay Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is situated on the way to Daranagar to Kalbhairav temple. A well near the temple has some religious significance as its water source is believed to be fed from several underground streams, having curative powers.

 

The New Vishwanath Temple located in the campus of Banaras Hindu University is a modern temple which was planned by Pandit Malviya and built by the Birlas. The Tulsi Manas Temple, nearby the Durga Temple, is a modern temple dedicated to the god Rama. It is built at the place where Tulsidas authored the Ramcharitmanas, which narrates the life of Rama. Many verses from this epic are inscribed on the temple walls.

 

The Bharat Mata Temple, dedicated to the national personification of India, was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. It has relief maps of India carved in marble. Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Durga Prasad Khatri, leading numismatists, antiquarians and nationalist leaders, donated funds for its construction.

 

RELIGION

HINDUISM

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities and centres of pilgrimage for Hindus of all denominations. It is one of the seven Hindu holiest cities (Sapta Puri), considered the giver of salvation (moksha). Over 50,000 Brahmins live in Varanasi, providing religious services to the masses. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Thus, many Hindus arrive here for dying.

 

As the home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Jyotirlinga, it is very sacred for Shaivism. Varanasi is also a Shakti Peetha, where the temple to goddess Vishalakshi stands, believed to be the spot where the goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard the River Ganges itself to be the Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival.

 

In 2001, Hindus made up approximately 84% of the population of Varanasi District.

 

ISLAM

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities and centres of pilgrimage for Hindus of all denominations. It is one of the seven Hindu holiest cities (Sapta Puri), considered the giver of salvation (moksha). Over 50,000 Brahmins live in Varanasi, providing religious services to the masses. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Thus, many Hindus arrive here for dying.

 

As the home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Jyotirlinga, it is very sacred for Shaivism. Varanasi is also a Shakti Peetha, where the temple to goddess Vishalakshi stands, believed to be the spot where the goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard the River Ganges itself to be the Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival.

 

In 2001, Hindus made up approximately 84% of the population of Varanasi District.

 

OTHERS

At the 2001 census, persons of other religions or no religion made up 0.4% of the population of Varanasi District.

 

Varanasi is a pilgrimage site for Jains along with Hindus and Buddhists. It is believed to be the birthplace of Suparshvanath, Shreyansanath, and Parshva, who are respectively the seventh, eleventh, and twenty-third Jain Tirthankars and as such Varanasi is a holy city for Jains. Shree Parshvanath Digambar Jain Tirth Kshetra (Digambar Jain Temple) is situated in Bhelupur, Varanasi. This temple is of great religious importance to the Jain Religion.

 

Sarnath, a suburb of Varanasi, is a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. It is the site of the deer park where Siddhartha Gautama of Nepal is said to have given his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. The Dhamek Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas still in existence, though only its foundation remains. Also remaining is the Chaukhandi Stupa commemorating the spot where Buddha met his first disciples in the 5th century. An octagonal tower was built later there.

 

Guru Nanak Dev visited Varanasi for Shivratri in 1507 and had an encounter which with other events forms the basis for the story of the founding of Sikhism. Varanasi also hosts the Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi, and has an insignificant Jewish expatriate community. Varanasi is home to numerous tribal faiths which are not easily classified.

 

Dalits are 13% of population Of Varanasi city. Most dalits are followers of Guru Ravidass. So Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan is important place of pilgrimage for Ravidasis from all around India.

 

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

On Mahashivaratri (February) – which is dedicated to Shiva – a procession of Shiva proceeds from the Mahamrityunjaya Temple to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

 

Dhrupad Mela is a five-day musical festival devoted to dhrupad style held at Tulsi Ghat in February–March.

 

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple celebrates Hanuman Jayanti (March–April), the birthday of Hanuman with great fervour. A special puja, aarti, and a public procession is organized. Starting in 1923, the temple organizes a five-day classical music and dance concert festival titled Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh in this period, when iconic artists from all parts of India are invited to perform.

 

The Ramlila of Ramnagar is a dramatic enactment of Rama's legend, as told in Ramacharitamanasa. The plays, sponsored by Kashi Naresh, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days. On the last day, the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana. Kashi Naresh Udit Narayan Singh started this tradition around 1830.

 

Bharat Milap celebrates the meeting of Rama and his younger brother Bharata after the return of the former after 14 years of exile. It is celebrated during October–November, a day after the festival of Vijayadashami. Kashi Naresh attends this festival in his regal attire resplendent in regal finery. The festival attracts a large number of devotees.

 

Nag Nathaiya, celebrated on the fourth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik (October–November), that commemorates the victory of the god Krishna over the serpent Kaliya. On this occasion, a large Kadamba tree (Neolamarckia cadamba) branch is planted on the banks of the Ganges so that a boy acting the role of Krishna can jump into the river on to the effigy representing Kaliya. He stands over the effigy in a dancing pose playing the flute; the effigy and the boy standing on it is given a swirl in front of the audience. People watch the display standing on the banks of the river or from boats.

 

Ganga Mahotsav is a five-day music festival organized by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, held in November–December culminating a day before Kartik Poornima (Dev Deepawali). On Kartik Poornima also called the Ganges festival, the Ganges is venerated by arti offered by thousands of pilgrims who release lighted lamps to float in the river from the ghats.

 

Annually Jashne-Eid Miladunnabi is celebrated on the day of Barawafat in huge numbers by Muslims in a huge rally coming from all the parts of the city and meeting up at Beniya Bagh.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Contributed by Inge Frye

With Disney + officially launching, I felt I needed to contribute something to the Disney discussion,despite not having signed up for this fancy new service. Well, as luck would have it, one of my Vancouver purchases (technically my first - completed within 30 minutes of landing) will do the trick.

 

Presenting Revoltech Toy Story: Woody, Legacy of Revoltech edition, aka "Hentai Woody".

 

Woody is one of the main heroes of the Toy Story franchise, and is voiced by Tom Hanks. In the movie, he is a stuffed Old West sheriff with a draw string voice box, who advises his cohorts regarding best course of action so they can accomplish their goals. I suspect I don't really need to go much further, because lets face, who hasn't actually seen a Toy Story movie by now?

 

If you've been following along, you know what a Revoltech is. But, what is a "Legacy of Revoltech"? Well, from what I can gather, some Revoltech figures were very high in demand (circa 2006 - 2014), and as a result Kaiyodo reissued some of them in this Legacy of Revoltech subline. Sometimes, the sets would incorporate upgrade parts seen in releases of a character further down the road (i.e. Yoko from Gurren Laagan), but in most cases, it was a straight up reproduction with a different box. As far as I can tell, Woody is technically a reissue with alterations, though he is short one of those orange storage boxes and the Revoltech coin thing, but I guess there have been budget cuts since the original production run for 2010.

 

Why is he called "Hentai Woody"? Patience, grasshopper, I'll get to that.

 

Woody comes with the figure, an alternate face, four additional hands including for holding Lenny the binoculars, an optional hand for Buzz Lightyear to hold lenny, Lenny, a microphone, Woody's hat, a nameplate, and a tool for activating the eyes.

 

The base figure itself actually looks pretty sharp. Proportions are in line with what the CG model gave us, including his oddly shaped head. Unlike most of the other Revoltechs I've talked about up to this point, Woody doesn't have that "long body, tiny head" proportion going on. The sculptor, Matsumoto Eiichirou, did a fantastic job converting a 3D computer model into this small toy. The cuffs of his shirt, collar, vest, boots, buckles, spurs, drawstring - most, if not all, these little details, made it to the final figure. Sculpting on Lenny, who is admittedly much simpler than Woody, is bang on, and is a good size as compared to Woody himself. The only real gripe, if I can call it that, is that to me the eyes on the normal portrait are a bit small.

 

Speaking of eyes, as indicated above, there are stems on the eye balls and you can move them to best suit your pose, which is great, because...

 

.. to the surprise of nobody, articulation is a bit wonky on this guy. All the major points of articulation are there - ankles, knees, hips, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, head - all utilizing the often aggravating Revoltech joint system, which features pegs where balls are on regular figures, which is why getting the limbs in place can be a test of patience. Cuts on the limbs aren't as with the other "thin body" Revoltechs, meaning that while you'll get a decent range of motion, extreme posing is not a thing with Woody, though without a stand, you're kind of unable to do extreme poses anyway. The main articulation killer on this figure, however, is the head itself. Due to the costume and shape of Woody's head, while there are Revoltech joints inside his head and neck, motion is so restricted that at most, you can tilt the neck forward a bit, so as such, the eyeball articulation is a very welcome addition to the tool kit.

 

Paint work is fantastic on Woody, and helps to highlight the excellent work on the various parts. After a close inspection, I think there was one tiny paint mishap on his neckerchief - otherwise, the paintwork was fantastic. The glossy paint on his boots highlight some of the less than perfect sanding and assembly work there, but that's what happens when you use a glossy paint, I suppose. Nice touches include the "Andy" on the bottom of his right foot, just like in the movie (this was Toy Story, before he was taken in by the restoration guy in Toy Story 2 who covered up this signature). Truly the paint work is spectacular, and I would put it up there with some of the best I've seen at this size of figure.

 

Finish and build quality in general isn't bad. There are some surfaces (as indicated above) that aren't quite as showroom ready, but overall quite acceptable. There were no assembly gaps or major QC FUBARs to report, and the joint themselves are solid, and I have to admit, they've been as such across any Revoltech that I've touched over the past decade and a bit, barring the ones I know nothing about their play history.

 

Despite all these positive points, I normally wouldn't have batted an eye at Woody, and would have happily gone on with my life without ever owning one... this, folks, is where I talk about "Hentai Woody".

 

One of the more disappointing aspects of the Woody figure is that his normal portrait is quite vapid looking. If the eyes aren't point the right way, Woody looks like he isn't home.. kind of like some of the Black Widow figures I own. Yeah, you can have a bit of fun with the eyeballs, but he always has that pleasant smile on his face, like he hasn't a care in the world. Functional, but quite boring.

 

Well someone, somewhere, realized that his second portrait, officially named his "scheming" face, could be put to more uses other than coming up with a plan a rescue mission to Sid's - get the eyes JUST right, and he straight up looks either like a murderer or a lecherous cowboy. As a result, the name "Hentai Woody" was bestowed upon this figure, and after playing around with some pictures, I can see how effective this is.

 

I mean.. look at him! In what photo featuring this second face, do you not want to punch his lights out? Woody is clearly making friends with his new shelf mates... especially Nat. She.. has feelings for Woody, to say the least.

 

The only thing more comedic than the unintentional use of this second face is that Kaiyodo, when they reissued this guy, didn't do a thing to correct this, so a new generation of perverted Woody's was made available to the public. I suppose, however, this means that any Revoltech Woody figure still has street cred for being unbalance.

 

With that, my quick overview of "Hentai Woody" draws to its conclusion. While the base figure is pretty good, it's articulation and subject matter alone would have probably eliminated any chances he'd show up on my shelf unless I found him for like $10 or something. But, his ultimate form made the $35 CAD I paid for this (plus the 5 hours of flight time) well worth it. I suspect when I'm back to creating my usual insanity, he'll be popping up quite a bit. Until then, however, there's much to do as I came back with a pretty good haul this time around.

 

Till next time.

  

Cross-posted from Erudite Expressions on 08/23/2010.

----

 

We are inundated with advice on where to travel to, but we hear little of why and how we should go, even though the art of travel seems naturally to sustain a number of questions neither so simple nor so trivial, and whose study might in modest ways contribute to an understanding of what the Greek philosophers beautifully termed eudaimonia, or 'human flourishing'.

 

The above quote appears near the beginning of Alain de Botton's excellent book, The Art of Travel. I finished reading the book earlier this year, and I've been meaning to share some words of wisdom for quite a while here on Erudite Expressions.

 

After I read that paragraph, I scribbled a note in the margin of the book (I purchase all of my books exactly for this reason: to be able to make notes): is this the thesis of the book? Because this notion is quite compelling, and requires a bit of introspection.

 

When people ask me to recommend where they should travel, I may be quick to blurt out a response, but the explanatory factor may take a bit more time to ponder. For me, I think walking around with my SLR and photographing the scenes around me is the single most effective method of remembering. I organize my photos by dates in my Lightroom catalog because I remembers dates easily. The photo above I captured on July 15, 2009 in Zürich, Switzerland. The actual date isn't important; it's just my method of organizing my travels in my head...

 

I am posting an image of Zürich for two reasons. First, it is the birthplace of the author Alain de Botton. But it was also my destination and departure point last year: I flew into Zürich from Atlanta, and flew from Zürich to New York City twenty-one days later. What I remember flying into the airport is picking up my luggage, taking an escalator down to the train ticket booth, and redeeming my Eurail pass. The cashier spoke flawless English, but I forgot to ask him which way I should head to catch my train to Vienna, Austria. So I came back around, stood in line the second time, to ask him another question...

 

I remember taking a short train ride to get to the central train station in Zürich. I actually arrived early and had the chance to catch the earlier train (departing around 11AM) to Vienna. But I had already made plans (not reservations) to catch the 2PM train, so I ended up walking around the train station, buying a super expensive bottle of Coca-Cola (it cost more than $3 after I converted Swiss Francs to dollars), going into a downstairs mall (to purchase a SIM card for my phone, which I couldn't get to work), and finally finding some alone time on a bench where I paid to get some internet coverage so I could send out an email to friends/relatives that I was safe and sound in Europe.

 

I mention these seeming trivialities because of this passage in The Art of Travel:

 

A travel book may tell us, for example, that the narrator journey through the afternoon to reach the hill town of X and after a night in its medieval monastery awoke to a misty dawn. But we never simply 'journey through an afternoon'. We sit in a train. Lunch digests awkwardly within us. The seat cloth is grey. We look out the window at a field. We look back inside. A drum of anxieties revolves in our consciousness. We notice a luggage label affixed to a suitcase in a rack above the seats opposite. We tap a finger on the window ledge. A broken nail on an index finger catches a thread. It starts to rain...We wonder where our ticket might be. We look back out at the field. It continues to rain. At last the train starts to move. It passes an iron bridge, after which it inexplicably stops. A fly lands on the window. And still we may have reached the end only of the first minute of a comprehensive account of the events lurking within the deceptive sentence 'He journey through the afternoon'.Quite lovely, no? I didn't expect all of that to have happened in one minute, but this was a noteworthy inclusion in the text.

 

Are you the kind of person that tends to be gloomier or sulkier at home compared to when you're on vacation? I wonder if this is the universal truth:We are sad at home and blame the weather and the ugliness of the buildings, but on the tropical island we learn (after an argument in a raffia bungalow under an azure sky) that the state of the skies and the appearance of our dwellings can never on their own either underwrite our joy or condemn us to misery. If you've ever traveled, did you notice how you can (or were) drawn to the mundane, the ordinary? Alain de Botton writes:If we find poetry in the service station and the motel, if we are drawn to the airport or the train carriage, it is perhaps because, despite their architectural compromises and discomforts, despite their garish colours and harsh lighting, we implicity feel that these isolated places offer us a material setting for an alternative to the selfish ease, the habits and confinement of the ordinary, rooted world.I wouldn't disagree.

 

If you've been following Erudite Expressions, you will know that I love to post detail shots. Perhaps I am walking on a street and a sign catches my fancy. Or I see a peculiar street sign. Or a brick on a cobblestone road which has loosened. While these things may be inconsequential on their own, I believe that collectively they can enamor us. Alain de Botton begins one of my favorite paragraphs in the book:Why be seduced by something as small as a front door in another country? It is here that I pause for a moment and mention that I read The Art of Travel in 2010, long after I photographed the Doors of Prague. If you haven't seen that photo essay, please do so: I think it represents some of my best work.

 

Moving on, de Botton continues:Why fall in love with a place because it has trams and its people seldom have curtains in their homes? However absurd the intense reactions provoked by such small (and mute) foreign elements may seem, the pattern is at least familiar from our personal lives. There, too, we may find ourselves anchoring emotions of love on the way a person butters his or her bread, or recoiling at his or her taste in shoes. To condemn ourselves for these minute concerns is to ignore how rich in meaning details may be.Wonderful perspective, with which I agree whole-heartedly.

 

What do you think? Have you ever thought of why you travel (or why you would recommend a certain place to someone)? How about your attention to the mundane? And the details? All of these things, as I read the book, resonated with me and what I photograph...

 

In my next post, I will profile the second half of the book, in which I explore Alain de Botton's take on photography (and this is where I have a dissenting opinion).

 

###

Mentioned in this post:

 

1) Alain de Botton's The Art of Travel

 

2) My Doors of Prague photo essay

 

3) My posts from Switzerland, Austria, and Czech Republic.

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

Evil vs. Good

 

On exhibit: October 2 – November 14, 2015

 

We invited all South Florida artists to contribute a piece that showed some sort of dark and light conflict.

Support the South Florida local art scene!

 

Featuring artwork by: Abby Jame; Adam Forero; Alex Gerstenkorn; Alex Merly; Alice Acedia; Allan Pierce; Amy Koenig; Ana Garcia; Ananda Yeshua; Andrea Jones; Andrew Lechuga; Andy Farinas; Angelica Busk; Aysha Marie Zouain; Barbarasaurus; Beyssa Buil; Bobby Neal Furedi; Bpresil; Brian Reedy; Carlos Garcia; Cassandra Gonzalez; Catherine Shapiro; Chantal Gabriel; Chibi Hippo; Christine Schongar; Chun Lo; Copper Sphinx; Cortez Valencia; Cristina Larcada; Cruz Valencia; Cynthia Goodman; Davey Graham; Debbie Rao; Diana E. Perez; Dibbie Jane; Diego Rua; Edurne Uribe; Emily Wenzel; Endian Escott; Erin Cavanaugh; Erin O’Dea; Ex McGruder Prescott Harrison III; Felicita Devin; Flor Brito; Frackoon; Genevra Collier; Gianna DiBartolomeo; Grace Chesnut; Hayley Angus; Heather Wood; I Heart NailArt; Ian M. Santos; IdeaStorm Media; Irene Contramaestre; JAB; JeffMadeIt; Jenna Beahn; John Paul Tanner; Jon Gonzalez Abellan; Jonathan C. Diaz; Jonathan Cocks; Jonathan Reid; Jorge Ballester; Julie Camino Photography; Karl Johnsen; Kat Manderfield; Kay Chimel; Kerry Sisselman; Kerry Tichenor; Kimberly Vaughan; Kreisten Suskey; Krysten Deidrick; Lailee Goodman; Laura Garcia; Letisia Cruz; Love Love Goose; Mad God Kaos; Manda Micro; Mandi Sorren; Maranesi; Melly Pereda; Michael Anthony Reiter; Michael Hernandez; Michael Slabaugh; Mikey Quesada; Miniver Patrice; MissMachineArt; Moxie Nox; Natasha Clark; Nigetsue; Nir Vinograd; No, this is David.; Olivia Escott; Patricia Glassman; PeeWee; pKeane; Purificación; Rachel Galvin; Randohf Vidaurreta; Rebecca Baranet; RemiJin; Rey Acevedo; Rikki Wright; Robert Korttonen; Rolando Guillama; Rosemary Jane; Salomon O. Carrasco; Sandra Diaz; Sarah Uriarte; Shane Weaver; Shawn Escott; Sommer Wood; Steven C. Imas; Steven Kurtz; Stibi Art; Summer December; T-Ray; Tanya Lopez; Tasha Milano; TattoosByTK; Tatyana Correa; Tiffany Binns; Tim Murphy; Ursalina Aguilar; Veronica Christiansen; Victoria Alvarez; Violeta Caloor; Wajima Alvarado; Walter Gee; Wen-Ju Chien; William Fushark Muniz; Willo Segersbol; Yessica Lepe; Zac Ensign; Zafy and more!

Bowen Bridge and its approaches comprise Brisbane’s first overpass of a railway level crossing, demonstrating the impact of population growth and increasing motorised transport on major approaches to the CBD. The battered porphyry approach walls are finely crafted and contribute to the visual amenity of the surrounding areas.

 

Bowen Bridge Road was carried over the Exhibition Branch Railway line in 1941, and bears the distinction of being the first level-crossing elimination in Greater Brisbane. It was considered that the works would greatly improve the approach to the city, and on completion would provide an excellent approach as the northern entrance to the City.

 

In 1935 signals had been installed at the busy Bowen Road level crossing, where electric trams far outnumbered trains. Co-incident with this work was the widening of Bowen Bridge road, between Gregory Terrace and the new Women’s Hospital during 1939-40.

 

The Queensland Government’s Coordinator General of Public Works arranged for the construction of the Bowen Bridge road viaduct and the project was well advanced by the close of 1940. A reinforced concrete bridge and embankment to carry all road traffic (including trams) was constructed over the former exhibition railway level-crossing. The relocation of services, including water and electricity, accounted for half the total cost of the Bowen Bridge scheme. Savings were made by reclaiming rock removed from the wall at the hospital frontage and utilising it on the Breakfast Creek Canalisation Works.

 

On 5 November 1940, Council called for tenders to dress and finish the stone wall at Bowen Bridge Road on the General Hospital frontage, together with an access road to the hospital and extension of drainage from Campbell Street to O’Connell Terrace. During this period, the widening of Bowen Bridge Road from Herston Road to Butterfield Street also commenced. Both works were well advanced at 30 June 1941, and the entire project was completed in December of that year.

 

Since then, the intersection of Bowen Bridge Road and Herston Road has been modified on several occasions. In December 1999, the Brisbane City Council awarded Leighton Contractors a contract to design, construct and maintain the Inner City Bypass. The tunnel below the Bowen Bridge area is part of Stage 1 of the Bypass that extends from Hale Street in Milton to O’Connell Terrace. This part was opened in November 2001.

 

heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage-places/874#:~:text=....

 

IID 1973143 Transport and Main Roads Department IM0486 Compilation of Digitised Images N Series Dept No.1091N

With Disney + officially launching, I felt I needed to contribute something to the Disney discussion,despite not having signed up for this fancy new service. Well, as luck would have it, one of my Vancouver purchases (technically my first - completed within 30 minutes of landing) will do the trick.

 

Presenting Revoltech Toy Story: Woody, Legacy of Revoltech edition, aka "Hentai Woody".

 

Woody is one of the main heroes of the Toy Story franchise, and is voiced by Tom Hanks. In the movie, he is a stuffed Old West sheriff with a draw string voice box, who advises his cohorts regarding best course of action so they can accomplish their goals. I suspect I don't really need to go much further, because lets face, who hasn't actually seen a Toy Story movie by now?

 

If you've been following along, you know what a Revoltech is. But, what is a "Legacy of Revoltech"? Well, from what I can gather, some Revoltech figures were very high in demand (circa 2006 - 2014), and as a result Kaiyodo reissued some of them in this Legacy of Revoltech subline. Sometimes, the sets would incorporate upgrade parts seen in releases of a character further down the road (i.e. Yoko from Gurren Laagan), but in most cases, it was a straight up reproduction with a different box. As far as I can tell, Woody is technically a reissue with alterations, though he is short one of those orange storage boxes and the Revoltech coin thing, but I guess there have been budget cuts since the original production run for 2010.

 

Why is he called "Hentai Woody"? Patience, grasshopper, I'll get to that.

 

Woody comes with the figure, an alternate face, four additional hands including for holding Lenny the binoculars, an optional hand for Buzz Lightyear to hold lenny, Lenny, a microphone, Woody's hat, a nameplate, and a tool for activating the eyes.

 

The base figure itself actually looks pretty sharp. Proportions are in line with what the CG model gave us, including his oddly shaped head. Unlike most of the other Revoltechs I've talked about up to this point, Woody doesn't have that "long body, tiny head" proportion going on. The sculptor, Matsumoto Eiichirou, did a fantastic job converting a 3D computer model into this small toy. The cuffs of his shirt, collar, vest, boots, buckles, spurs, drawstring - most, if not all, these little details, made it to the final figure. Sculpting on Lenny, who is admittedly much simpler than Woody, is bang on, and is a good size as compared to Woody himself. The only real gripe, if I can call it that, is that to me the eyes on the normal portrait are a bit small.

 

Speaking of eyes, as indicated above, there are stems on the eye balls and you can move them to best suit your pose, which is great, because...

 

.. to the surprise of nobody, articulation is a bit wonky on this guy. All the major points of articulation are there - ankles, knees, hips, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, head - all utilizing the often aggravating Revoltech joint system, which features pegs where balls are on regular figures, which is why getting the limbs in place can be a test of patience. Cuts on the limbs aren't as with the other "thin body" Revoltechs, meaning that while you'll get a decent range of motion, extreme posing is not a thing with Woody, though without a stand, you're kind of unable to do extreme poses anyway. The main articulation killer on this figure, however, is the head itself. Due to the costume and shape of Woody's head, while there are Revoltech joints inside his head and neck, motion is so restricted that at most, you can tilt the neck forward a bit, so as such, the eyeball articulation is a very welcome addition to the tool kit.

 

Paint work is fantastic on Woody, and helps to highlight the excellent work on the various parts. After a close inspection, I think there was one tiny paint mishap on his neckerchief - otherwise, the paintwork was fantastic. The glossy paint on his boots highlight some of the less than perfect sanding and assembly work there, but that's what happens when you use a glossy paint, I suppose. Nice touches include the "Andy" on the bottom of his right foot, just like in the movie (this was Toy Story, before he was taken in by the restoration guy in Toy Story 2 who covered up this signature). Truly the paint work is spectacular, and I would put it up there with some of the best I've seen at this size of figure.

 

Finish and build quality in general isn't bad. There are some surfaces (as indicated above) that aren't quite as showroom ready, but overall quite acceptable. There were no assembly gaps or major QC FUBARs to report, and the joint themselves are solid, and I have to admit, they've been as such across any Revoltech that I've touched over the past decade and a bit, barring the ones I know nothing about their play history.

 

Despite all these positive points, I normally wouldn't have batted an eye at Woody, and would have happily gone on with my life without ever owning one... this, folks, is where I talk about "Hentai Woody".

 

One of the more disappointing aspects of the Woody figure is that his normal portrait is quite vapid looking. If the eyes aren't point the right way, Woody looks like he isn't home.. kind of like some of the Black Widow figures I own. Yeah, you can have a bit of fun with the eyeballs, but he always has that pleasant smile on his face, like he hasn't a care in the world. Functional, but quite boring.

 

Well someone, somewhere, realized that his second portrait, officially named his "scheming" face, could be put to more uses other than coming up with a plan a rescue mission to Sid's - get the eyes JUST right, and he straight up looks either like a murderer or a lecherous cowboy. As a result, the name "Hentai Woody" was bestowed upon this figure, and after playing around with some pictures, I can see how effective this is.

 

I mean.. look at him! In what photo featuring this second face, do you not want to punch his lights out? Woody is clearly making friends with his new shelf mates... especially Nat. She.. has feelings for Woody, to say the least.

 

The only thing more comedic than the unintentional use of this second face is that Kaiyodo, when they reissued this guy, didn't do a thing to correct this, so a new generation of perverted Woody's was made available to the public. I suppose, however, this means that any Revoltech Woody figure still has street cred for being unbalance.

 

With that, my quick overview of "Hentai Woody" draws to its conclusion. While the base figure is pretty good, it's articulation and subject matter alone would have probably eliminated any chances he'd show up on my shelf unless I found him for like $10 or something. But, his ultimate form made the $35 CAD I paid for this (plus the 5 hours of flight time) well worth it. I suspect when I'm back to creating my usual insanity, he'll be popping up quite a bit. Until then, however, there's much to do as I came back with a pretty good haul this time around.

 

Till next time.

  

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Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

(for further pictures please go to the link at the end of page!)

Krems an der Donau (Stein)

Community Krems at the Danube

www.krems.gv.at

History

Stein, copper engraving, Georg Matthäus Vischer, 1672

© IMAREAL, Austrian Academy of Sciences

The twin city of Krems-Stein in 1995 celebrating the 1000 year jubilee, is one of the oldest cities in Austria. The terrace formation, the favorable climate and location at the crossroads of the Danube trade route with the north-south connections from the Waldviertel (Wood district) and the wine district (Weinviertel) favored for thousands of years the colonization of the area and contributed essentially to the development as a center in the Danube region.

For a far into the early days reaching settlement tradition speak finds from the Paleolithic (Hundssteig, Wachtberg, 30000-25000 BC), from the Neolithic period (ceramic cultures), but also the special role of the region in the Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture (1800-1500 BC) as well as traces of the urn field culture of the late Bronze Age and the Hallstatt culture (800-400 BC). In the La Tène period settled here probably celticized groups, in the Roman period the area belonged since the beginning of the second Century to the sphere of influence of the Germanic Marcomanni. According to the biography of Saint Severin ("Vita Severini") the center of the Germanic Rugians in the second half of the 5th Century probably lay in the area of Krems-Stein, for the next century the cemetery in Unter-Rohrendorf proves the presence of the Lombards.

First time mentioned by name Krems is in a charter of Emperor Otto III of 9th August 995 as orientalis urbs que dicitur Chremisa - as a fortified place in the East which is named the Chremisa. The settlement then lay on the eastern border of the small Mark Ostarrîchi in close proximity to Moravia, but soon it grew beyond the castle district and developed in the 11th Century to a market settlement around the High market (Hoher Markt). Since 1014 Krems was due to a Royal donation (Königsschenkung) parish. The sister city of Stein is only in the second half of the 11th century (1072) named. Its center was the to parish Krems belonging Michael Church. Stone primarily was a toll and loading berth for salt, wine and grain. From skipper settlement arose a market and in the 12th Century a town settlement (since 1144). The character as a city of Krems is yet a little earlier for the year 1136 proven.

The position at the Danube the two cities had assigned their complementary functions: Stein lay directly at the stream and became toll and landing place for ships, had but due to the rising hillsides little space for large commercial and market places and construction activity. Krems, however, was cut by tributaries and floodplains from the main stream, but offered plenty of space for colonization and markets as well as the protection of a mighty castle.

Around 1150 Krems was the most important commercial center in the country. In the tower of the town castle of Krems at the steep slope of the High market between 1130-190 the first Babenberg coin, the Kremser penny, was minted. On the world map of the Arab scholar Idrisi Krems is named before Vienna, which only in subsequent time should surpass Krems. The city's growth ​​probably already in the first half of the 12th Century the relocation of the parish of St. Stephen's Church on woman mountain (Frauenberg - now Piaristenkirche) to the foot of the mountain made necessary where the new Vitus church became parish. End of the 12th Century Krems was surrounded by a city wall, 1196 the first city judge is testified. The city has been expanded several times and extended in the late Middle Ages from the Steiner Tor in the west to the Krems river in the east. The Dominican monastery, founded in 1236 was initially outside the city.

Stein evolved from the high terrace in the direction of Nicholas church, which in 1283 was elevated into the status of a parish. In the late Middle Ages, the area between Landstraße and the Danube was built-up and the city in the area of the in 1223/1224 founded Minorits monastery (consecration of the church in 1264) and between Reisperbach and Linzertor extended.

Both cities since the beginning of the 12th Century were princely and complemented each other as land and Danube trading venues. Their close relationship has led to a unique construction as a twin city. Both cities had a civic community with its own military and financial sovereignty, but had a common municipal law (1305) and a common municipal judge and later mayor (since 1416). 1463 Emperor Frederick III the two cities conferred a common coat of arms, the imperial double-headed eagle in gold on a black background. In addition to Krems-Stein only Wiener Neustadt and Vienna had the privilege to lead the double eagle. The union of the cities existed until 1849, after 90 years of independence of Stein, in 1939 took place the recent merger.

The economic boom in the late Middle Ages was based on the viticulture and trade with wine, salt and iron. In Stein shipping formed a significant economic factor. 1463 Stein received by the Emperor Frederick III the privilege to build a fixed bridge, the second oldest after Vienna in the area of the Austrian course of the Danube river.

From the richness and self-conciousness of the citizenship testifies the in 1265 built "Gozzoburg" of the mighty city judge Gozzo of Krems, a castle-like town house with loggia. The appearance of both cities is characterised of the numerous houses from the 15th and 16th century, which are designed with bay windows, sgraffito and paintings and as well as arcade courtyards inside. A characteristic of both cities are the since the High Middle Ages profable "vintage courtyards" of monasteries and bishoprics, which were used to store wine and served for the administration of the monastic possessions, such as the Passau courtyards, the Kremsmünstererhof or the Göttweigerhof. The Göttweigerhofkapelle (chapel) is equipped with valuable frescoes from the early 14th Century. About 1500 Krems through the work of the Augsburg artist Jörg Breu became a center of the Danube School.

Since the second half of the 16th Century Krems was mostly Protestant. The resistance of the citizens against the recatholicization in 1593 led to the loss of all privileges. It was not until 1615 as Emperor Matthias cancelled the harsh verdict and restored the independence of the city. A big part in the Catholic restoration played the in 1616 settled Jesuits who ran the school and by their theater performances became famous. In addition to the Jesuit college emerged in the time of the Counter-Reformation the Capuchin Monastery Und (1614) and the early Baroque new building of the Kremser parish church, in which renowned Italian artists took part.

The 17th Century due to the shift of international trade routes and the decline of the importance of the Danube trade brought an economic downturn. Severe damages the city suffered in 1645 by the Swedes, who besieged Krems, conquered and extended it to the main fortress, and by the reconquest a year later. It was only after 1700 as a upswing set in again, which found its expression in the Baroque style of the city. Employers for the resident artists or handicrafts were the big monasteries of the country. One of the most important painters of this period was Martin Johann Schmidt, the Kremser Schmidt, until his death (1801) in Stein maintaining a painting workshop.

In the second half of the 18th Century changed the ecclesiastical structures of the city. The since 1616 the Jesuits transmitted Frauenberg church was taken over by the Piarists in 1776 after the abolition of the Order (1773). 1783 the Dominican Monastery, 1796 the Minorit's monastery and the Capuchin monastery was abolished and profaned.

The biggest change of the cityscape since the Middle Ages took place in the 19th Century by the removal of the ramparts and the city gates. Remained except for remnants of the wall only the Steinertor (gate), which became the symbol of the city. Of the in the course of industrialization established factories of importance were the leather factory in Rehberg, the factory for the manufacturing of mats and rugs made ​​of coconut fibres in Stein and the first quartz millstone factory of Austria. Great reputation also enjoyed the organ builders Zachistal, Capek and Hradetzky and the Kremser bell founders, including Matthias Prininger, Ferdinand Vötterlechner and Johann Gottlieb Jenichen. In the last third of the century followed the connection to the railway network, 1909, the Donauuferbahn (railway line along the Danube) was opened.

After the Second World War - on 2nd April 1945, there was heavy bombing - succeeded the city to preserve the architectural heritage largely in its original state and to connect it with modernity. The successful revitalization already received international recognition, Krems in 1975, 1979 and 2009 was Europa Nostra award winner. The city with the "Art Mile" in Stein (Kunsthalle, Museum of Caricature and Artothek), the Danube Festival and numerous cultural events developed to one of the most important cultural centers in Lower Austria .

The art treasures of the city as well as tradition and the history of wine-growing presents the "museumkrems" in the former Dominican church. Which the in 1994 founded and in 1995 opened "Danube University", Krems became 13th Austrian university town and is since 2002 the seat of a University of Applied Sciences (International Management Center). With the since 1998 annually realized Wachau Marathon Krems itself also could established as a "sports city".

In the 1970s, the city once again experienced a major expansion. In 1972 joined the community of Hollenburg Krems. The once separating Danube became the connecting element between the urban north and the "orchard" in the south. Meanwhile, the "Southtown" became integral part of the city, but could maintain its rural character.

Krems has partnerships with cities in Denmark, Germany, France, Czech Republic and the USA.

geschichte.landesmuseum.net/index.asp?contenturl=http://g...

Probably the best German tank design of World War 2.

The basic design of the Panther can be traced back to drawings produced in 1941 although it is similar in shape, particularly in the use of sloped armour, to the Russian T-34. The first prototype was produced by M.A.N. of Nuernburg in September 1942 and production began in January 1943.

 

The Panther was not as thickly armoured, nor as heavily armed, as tanks such as the Tiger but was probably a much more balanced design. It was one of the fastest German tanks, highly manoeuvrable and equipped with an accurate gun. Its worst defect was a propensity to catch fire if the engine backfired.

 

The Model G was the last main production variant of Panther and our exhibit was one of a group built, under British control, at the end of the war. These were tested in Britain and Germany and may have contributed to the design of the British Centurion.

 

This Panther was found partly completed on the production lines after the German surrender and was finished by REME troops. It has features characteristic of the Ausf G, including increased armour, a one-piece side plate and hinged hatches in the hull.

 

The camouflage scheme issimilar to that used on Panthers leaving the factory in the last months of the war. A basic undercoat of red with other colours rapidly applied. It was seen on Panthers of 5th Battalion, 25th Panzer Grenadier Division on the Eastern Front in February 1945.

 

Precise Name: Panzerkampfwagen V Aus G

  

Other Name: SdKfz 171, VK3002, Panther I, Pz Kpfw Panther (Aus G)

 

DESCRIPTION

 

The Panzerkampfwagen V or Panther was the best German tank of World War II and possibly the best medium tank fielded by any of the combatants in World War II. The other contender for the accolade of best tank is the Soviet T34, earlier versions of which inspired some aspects of the design of the Panther.

 

The Soviet T34/76 and KV tanks were a complete surprise to the Germans when they encountered them in July 1941 during the invasion of the Soviet Union. They were superior to any tanks that the Germans had in service and the German troops were soon demanding a new tank to counter them.

 

A special Panzer Commission was sent to the eastern front in November 1941 to gather information. After the Commission reported Daimler Benz and MAN were asked to design a new medium tank. MAN eventually won the design competition and the first prototype appeared in September 1942. Hitler decreed that the new tank, named Panther, had to be ready for service by the end of May 1943 so that it could participate in the offensive against the Soviet Army planned for the summer of 1943, Operation Zitadelle. As a result its’ development was rushed and the first production version, the Ausfuhrung D, suffered from many teething problems. These included failures of the wheel rims, problems with the transmission and a tendency for the engine to catch fire.

 

The Panther Aus D made its’ combat debut at the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, the largest tank battle in history. Many early model Panthers were lost because of mechanical failure rather than by enemy action.

 

The Panther hull was welded and had sloping, thick, armour. The upper part of the hull front was 6cms thick, the turret front 8cms thick. This armour was capable of resisting the projectiles fired by most allied tank guns when it entered service. The hull was carried on eight pairs of large road wheels on each side, attached to torsion bars and riding on broad tracks like the T34. The transmission and drive sprockets were at the front of the hull and the Maybach petrol engine was in the rear.

 

The Panther mounted a long, high velocity, accurate 7.5cm gun, the KwK42. This gun was 70 calibres long and had a muzzle velocity of 1,120 metres/sec. It could penetrate 14.9cm of armour plate sloping at 30 degrees at a range of 1,000 metres. The front armour of the principle United States tank of this period, the Sherman, (see E1955. 32) was just over 5cms thick; the Soviet T34/76 had 4.5cms on the hull front and 6.5cms on the turret front (see E1952.44). The gun was complemented by excellent optics.

 

Eight hundred and fifty Panther Aus D were produced before an improved tank, confusingly called the Aus A, superseded it in September 1943! The Aus A had an extensively modified turret with a cast commander’s cupola, a ball mount for the bow machine gun in place of a letter box flap and many changes to improve reliability. The Aus A became the main combat tank of the Wehrmacht and 2,000 were built between August 1943 and May 1944. They served on the Eastern front, in Italy and in Normandy following the Anglo American invasion in June 1944.

 

The Panther Aus A was in turn replaced by the Panther Aus G in the spring of 1944, (the Aus F was a projected model that never entered production). The Aus G had further changes to improve reliability, thicker armour, a simplified hull structure and a modified gun mantlet that was intended to eliminate a shot trap. It was the last production variant and 3,126 were made by MAN, Daimler Benz and MNH between March 1944 and April 1945, bringing total production of Panther gun tanks to 5,976 vehicles. The Panther Aus G was the first tank to use infrared night vision aids in combat, albeit on a small scale. The commander’s cupola was fitted with an infrared sight while illumination was provided by an infrared search light mounted on a special version of the SdKfz 251 half track, called the Uhu (Owl).

 

The Panther Aus B and C were ‘paper’ projects that were never built, while only prototypes were made of the Aus F.

 

The Tank Museum’s Panther is a rather unusual Aus G; unusual because it is one of a small batch completed in the MNH factory by British REME troops for the British Army immediately after the end of the war in Europe. These were extensively tested in Britain and Germany. The results of the trials may have influenced the development of the British Centurion tank.

 

Panthers were modified as command tanks and artillery observation vehicles. The chassis was used as the basis of an armoured recovery vehicle, the Bergepanther, a tank destroyer, the Jagdpanther, armed with a lethal 8.8cm gun (see E1951.24) and a prototype anti-aircraft tank, the Flakpanzer Coelian. Finally a greatly improved tank, the Panther II, was under development at the end of the war. The only surviving prototype is now in the Patton Museum Fort Knox in the U.S.A.

 

The 4th Battalion, The Coldstream Guards, captured an intact Panther Aus G in Holland in the autumn of 1944. Painted with large white Allied recognition stars and named ‘Cuckoo’ the tank was used in action against its’ former owners. The Coldstreams were especially impressed with the hitting power and accuracy of the 7.5cm gun and with the quality of the Panther’s optics, thought to be far superior to any found in a British or American tank.

 

The Panther was not as heavily armed or armoured as the Tiger I and II. It was a better balanced design, highly manoeuvrable, fast, well armoured and equipped with a powerful gun. Its’ main defects were a tendency for the engine to catch fire and a degree of unreliability, necessitating frequent and skilled maintenance and careful driving. It should be noted that the first British tank to compare favourably with the Panther was the Centurion (see E1951.34), which entered service in 1946, three years later than the Panther!

 

Summary text by Mike Garth V1.0

 

VEHICLES Features

  

Full Tracked

 

Tracks/Wheels

  

Gun - 75 mm Gun KwK42 L/70

 

Armament - Main Weapon Type

  

2* MG34 7.92 mm Machine Guns

 

Armament - Secondary Weapon Type

  

Maybach HL230P30, water cooled

 

Engine

  

7 Forward, 1 Reverse

 

Transmission

  

Torsion bar

 

Suspension

  

Vehicle Statistics

  

5

 

Number (Crew)

  

45.5tons

 

Weight (Overall)

  

46kph

 

Maximum (Speed - Road)

  

Petrol

 

Type (Fuel)

  

80mm

 

Maximum (Armour Thickness - Hull)

  

75mm

 

Calibre (Main Gun)

  

700bhp

 

Power (Engine Output)

  

Volume (Fuel)

  

200km

 

Radius (Range)

  

81rounds

 

Number (Projectile)

  

8.86m

 

Length (Overall)

  

3.4m

 

Width (Overall)

  

2.98m

 

Height (Overall)

Public School Foundation Theresianische Academy

Founded in 1746

♁ coordinates 48 ° 11 ' 35.2 " N, 16 ° 22' 15.5" OKoordinaten : 48 ° 11 ' 35.2 " N, 16 ° 22' 15.5 " E | |

831 students status: 2013

Teachers about 130

www.theresianum.ac.at site

The Theresianum called state facility with buildings dating back several centuries in Vienna, 4th district, Favoritenstrasse 15, serves as the seat of the public high school of the Foundation Theresianische Academy, as the building for short Theresianum, and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Both institutions have a tradition spanning centuries. Since 2011, the Foundation also offers a kindergarten and an elementary school.

The New Favorita seen from the favorite street, it houses today the Theresianum

View to the pediment with the coat of arms of the Empire of Austria under Francis I

The Theresianum, seen from the park

The school park

Nazi era: Library stamp of "NPEA Vienna Theresianumgasse"

(National Political Institutes of Education (German: Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalten; officially abbreviated NPEA, commonly abbreviated Napola for Nationalpolitische Lehranstalt meaning National Political Institution of Teaching) were secondary boarding schools in Nazi Germany. They were founded as "community education sites" after the National Socialist seizure of power in 1933.), Wikipedia

History

1288 an estate was detectable in this area. 1614 the estate with fields, meadows and vineyards was acquired by the Habsburg monarchy, was first described as a Favoritenhof 1623 and served as the widow's home for the Empresses Anna of Austria-Tyrol, Eleonora Gonzaga and Eleonora Magdalena Gonzaga of Mantua-Nevers. For this, the estate was remodeled in 1642 according to plans of Giovanni Battista Carlone to pleasure palace with pleasure garden called Favorita.

The emperors Leopold I, Joseph I and Charles VI. served the Favorita as a preferred summer residence. During this time, extensions were built, the in the second Turkish siege in 1683 originated ravages repaired and sold some of the fields.

Charles' VI. daughter, Maria Theresa, heiress to the throne in the Austrian dominions, in the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Hungary and since 1745, when her husband became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, as Empress was dubbed, preferred as summer residence the Schönbrunn Palace and had it expanded. To this decision may have contributed that the Favorita, concerning location and architecture, with Belvedere Castle could not compete, which the for Habsburg victorious commander Eugene of Savoy, of Charles VI. richly endowed, had built about 800 meters to the east form here using a prominent hillside.

The baroque Favorita (it was by now called New Favorita, the Old Favorita had been in the Augarten) in the suburb of Wieden handed Maria Theresia to the Jesuits - with the condition in it to establish an educational institution, a knight's academy for the benefit of the universal essence, but especially the noble youth. Main task should be the raising of educated and loyal government officials and diplomats. In the 18th and 19th Century followed various extensions and increases in the building.

1783 dissolved the reformer Joseph II in the Austrian hereditary lands all knights academies, as well as the Theresianum. In 1797 Emperor Franz II as sovereign approved the reopening under the management of the Piarists. The facade was rebuilt in the classical style. After the revolution of 1848, Emperor Franz Joseph I. disposed the admission of sons of the middle class as students.

The Oriental Academy, founded by Maria Theresa in 1754, was since the 19th Century in the Theresianum. In 1900 renamed, moved the Consular Academy in 1904 in its newly constructed own building (9, Boltzmanngasse 16, since 1947 Embassy of the United States). It was in 1938 by the Nazi regime canceled. Its role was in 1964 by the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (see below) resumed.

After the "Anschluss" of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, the Nazis dissolved the Theresianische Academy and established on 13 March 1939, exactly one year after the "Anschluss", in the buildings a National Political Education Institute (Napola). 1944/1945, the plant was badly damaged by bombs and grenades. 1945, the buildings in the occupied postwar Austria were by the Soviet occupying power monopolised, in the four-sector city of Vienna the 4th district controlling. It handed the Theresianum over to the USIA, the administration of Soviet Property in Austria.

After the State Treaty of 1955, the Austrian State resp. the Foundation Theresianum got the property on 20 September 1955 refunded, and in September 1957, the school system of the private school with public status could be resumed. The re-establishment of the in the war damaged buildings was carried out by the State from 1956 to 1964. In 1964 in a part of the buildings the by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established Diplomatic Academy of Vienna started operations, with which the Viennese educational establishement for this topic after 60 years returned into the Theresianum .

Since 1989, in the high school female students are accepted, too.

The gymnasium in the presence

In addition to general education, the focus of the school is placed on language education - the compulsory subjects include other than German, English, French, Latin, Russian and mathematics - and in the education to internationality. Special emphasis is placed on politeness and good appearance. An additional service is available in the areas of sport, art, creativity, information and communication technology and music, and economic projects. The school is run as half-and full boarding.

The school campus is 50,000 square meters and includes a soccer field, and a fun court, two other soccer fields, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a running track, two beach volleyball courts, a basketball court, a large, divisible gymnasium and a smaller, older hall, in both of the are climbing walls as well as other sporting items available.

Currently nearly 800 students attend the Theresianische Academy. Many come from more distant states or from abroad and have the opportunity to live in a boarding school in this case.

The selection of professors is made by the respective school management in cooperation with the Vienna Board of Education. The boarding school, as well as some activities are shared with the Lycée Français de Vienne.

Known graduates

Josef Franz de Paula Hieronymus von Colloredo-Waldsee- Mels, 1732-1812, Bishop of Gurk and Prince Archbishop of Salzburg

Vincent Joseph of Schrattenbach, 1744-1816, Prince-Bishop of Lavant and Bishop of Brno

Wilhelm Florentin von Salm-Salm, 1745-1810, Bishop of Tournai and Archbishop of Prague

Johann Prokop Schaffgotsch, 1748-1813, Auxiliary Bishop of Prague and Bishop of Budweis

Franz Xaver II Altgraf of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim, 1749-1822, Prince-Bishop of Gurk, Cardinal and organizer of the first ascent of the Grossglockner

Franz von Spaun, 1753-1826, Austrian jurist, mathematician, and nonconformist writer

Ferenc Széchenyi, 1754-1820, Hungarian scholar and founder of the Hungarian National Library

Josef Wenzel Radetzky von Radetz, 1766-1858, Austrian field marshal, knight of the Golden Fleece

Ignaz Edler von Mitis, 1771-1842, Austrian engineer and chemist, inventor of the Schweinfurt green

Ignacy Hilary Count Ledochowski, 1789-1870, Austrian and Polish general

Joseph Jelacic of Bužim, 1801-1859, k.k. officer

Moritz Freiherr Ebner von Eschenbach, 1815-1898, Austrian engineer, inventor and writer, husband and supporter of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Tivadar Puskás, 1844-1893, Hungarian engineer and inventor

Karl Lueger, politician and mayor of Vienna, graduation year of 1862

Olivier Marquis de Bacquehem, Minister of Trade and Minister of the Interior 1847-1917

Ernest von Koerber, 1850-1919, bourgeois-liberal politician of Austria-Hungary

Wilhelm Carl Gustav Ritter von Doderer 1854-1932, Austrian architect, engineer and contractor

Alfonso XII., 1857-1885, King of Spain

Konstantin Jirecek, Swedish politician, diplomat, historian and Slawist

Peter Altenberg, letters, graduation year of 1876

Wladimir Ledochowski, General of the Society of Jesus, graduation year of 1884

Count István Bethlen von Bethlen, 1874-1946 (?), Hungarian politician and Prime Minister

Clemens Peter Freiherr von Pirquet, pediatrician, bacteriologist and immunologist, graduation year of 1892

Baron Franz Nopcsa of Felsöszilvás, founder of palaeophysiology and Albania researcher, graduation year of 1892

Friedrich Hasenohrl, physicists, graduation year of 1892

Fritz von Herzmanovsky-Orlando, writer and artist, graduation year of 1896

Edgar Leon Calle Ernst, 1879-1955, Austrian composer and pianist

Rudolf Sieczynski, 1879-1952, Austrian Viennese song-composer, writer and official

Ernst August von Hoffmansthal, 1829-1915, German Wiener Song Composer

Joseph Schumpeter, 1883-1950, economist

Odo Neustädter-Stürmer, politician, graduation year of 1905

Richard Nikolaus Graf Coudenhove-Kalergi, writer, politician and founder of the Pan-movement

Teddy Kern, 1900-1949, actor

Egon Brunswik, 1903-1955, American psychologist

Godfrey Edward Arnold, 1914-1989, physician, phoniatrist, explorer of speech defects and disorders of the vocal cords

Ertuğrul Osman, 1912-2009, head of the House Osman

Hans Jaray, actor, writer and director

Ernst Gombrich, an art historian, graduation year of 1927

Max Ferdinand Perutz, chemist and Nobel Prize winner in 1962, year of graduation 1932

Herbert Hinterleithner, poet and painter, graduation year of 1934

Rolf Olsen, actor, director and screenwriter, 1919-1998

Hans Hass, biologist, underwater pioneer and documentary filmmaker, graduation year of 1937

Peter Zinner, editor and Oscar winner, graduation year of 1937

Kurt Schubert, Judaic scholar, graduation year of 1941

Werner Fasslabend, politician and jurist, graduation year of 1963

Hans Winkler, Austrian diplomat and Secretary of State, graduation year of 1963

Alexander Wächter, actor, director and theater manager, graduation year of 1966

Thomas Angyan, director of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna, graduation year of 1971

Rudolf Striedinger, Officer, graduation year of 1979

Dimitris Droutsas, Greek politician, graduation year of 1986

Nicholas Scherak, Member of Parliament, Matura group 2004

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96ffentliches_Gymnasium_der_Sti...

Honored to contribute art to this new collection by Bard Constantine.

 

© Mark V. Krajnak | JerseyStyle Photography | All Rights Reserved 2018

Portfolio | Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

 

From the soldier who contributed this photo:

 

“We went out today and I had a chance to take two dolls. I have to wait for the perfect moment to hand them out. I don’t think the boys want them so I looked for a girl of the right age. I also avoid handing things out when other kids are around. They tend to mass on you and its hard to tell if they are stealing your gear. They also will fight the other kids for stuff they want.

 

Anyway, I was leaning on a wall and a little girl and her brother were walking down the path on the other side. I took the bear out and handed it to her. She looked like she was so surprised and happy she didnt know what to do. She ran over to a friend of mine and just stared at the bear. Then she turned around and quickly ran home with her prize. I tried to get her photo but she was too quick. i got one shot and its far off.”

 

Submitted by Michael Miller of the United States of America.

Prior to World War II and the invention of radar, acoustic mirrors were built as early warning devices around the coasts of Great Britain, with the aim of detecting incoming enemy aircraft by the sound of their engines. The most famous of these devices still stand at Denge on the Dungeness peninsula and at Hythe in Kent. Other examples exist in other parts of Britain (including Sunderland, Redcar, Boulby, Kilnsea) and Selsey Bill, and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Malta. The Maltese sound mirror is known locally as "the ear" (il-Widna) and appears to be the only sound mirror built outside Great Britain.

   

Acoustic mirrors at Denge

The Dungeness mirrors, known colloquially as the "listening ears", consist of three large concrete reflectors built in the 1920s–1930s. Their experimental nature can be discerned by the different shapes of each of the three reflectors: one is a long, curved wall about 5 m high by 70 m long, while the other two are dish-shaped constructions approximately 4–5 m in diameter. Microphones placed at the foci of the reflectors enabled a listener to detect the sound of aircraft far out over the English Channel. The reflectors are not parabolic, but are actually spherical mirrors.[1] Spherical mirrors may be used for direction finding by moving the sensor rather than the mirror; another unusual example is the Arecibo Observatory.

 

Acoustic mirrors had a limited effectiveness, and the increasing speed of aircraft in the 1930s meant that they would already be too close to deal with by the time they had been detected. The development of radar put an end to further experimentation with the technique. Nevertheless, there were long-lasting benefits. The acoustic mirror programme, led by Dr William Sansome Tucker, had given Britain the methodology to use interconnected stations to pin point the position of an enemy in the sky. The system they developed for linking the stations and plotting aircraft movements was given to the early radar team and contributed to their success in World War II; although the British radar was less sophisticated than the German system, the British system was used more successfully.

 

There are three acoustic mirrors in the complex, each consisting of a single concrete hemispherical reflector.

 

The 200 foot mirror is a near vertical, curved wall, 200 feet (60m) long. It is one of only two similar acoustic mirrors in the world, the other being in Magħtab, Malta.

 

The 20 foot mirror is similar to the 30 foot mirror, with a smaller, shallower dish 6 m (20 ft) across. The design is close to that of an acoustic mirror in Kilnsea, East Riding of Yorkshire.

 

Acoustic mirrors did work, and could effectively be used to detect slow moving enemy aircraft before they came into sight. They worked by concentrating sound waves towards a central point, where a microphone would have been located. However, their use was limited as aircraft became faster. Operators also found it difficult to distinguish between aircraft and seagoing vessels. In any case, they quickly became obsolete due to the invention of radar in 1932. The experiment was abandoned, and the mirrors left to decay. The gravel extraction works caused some undermining of at least one of the structures.

    

Contributed by Nina Mettler

Elvet Bridge is a medieval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear in the city of Durham, in County Durham, England. It links the peninsula in central Durham and the Elvet area of the city, and is a Grade I listed building.

 

Building

Building of the bridge began in AD 1160 in the time of Bishop Hugh de Puiset (1153–95) De Puiset, also known as "Bishop Pudsey" was a powerful Prince Bishop who instigated a significant amount of building work in northern England. A key reason for building the bridge was the urban development taking place in what was the then Elvet borough. The bridge took many years to complete: in 1225 and 1228 indulgences were still being granted to people who contributed to "the building of the new bridge at Elvet". Of the current arches only one is late 12th century; the remainder are 13th century.

 

Elvet bridge was not Durham's first bridge over the Wear. The Foedarium of Durham Cathedral Priory, compiled early in the 15th century, records:

 

Bishop Hugo built the bridge of Elvit, called the New Bridge to distinguish it from the other bridge, already built, which is called the Old Bridge.

 

The bridge has 10 visible arches, but there is some dispute over how many arches exist in total. The early 16th-century antiquary John Leland believed there were 14 arches,[5] but this has never been proven. The river flows through four full arches – the remaining are dry or partly so. The early 19th-century antiquary Robert Surtees wrote that there were 10 arches,[5] and this number has been verified. Others may be hidden beneath the street on the Elvet side or beneath Souter Peth.

 

Subsequent history

The bridge was repaired extensively in the time of Bishop Foxe between 1495 and 1501, and again in 1601. A flood in 1771 badly damaged the bridge and the three central arches were renewed. The bridge was 15 feet (4.6 m) wide until 1804–05, when it was widened by 18 feet (5.5 m) on its upstream (northern) side.

 

In the Middle Ages Elvet Bridge was guarded by a gate and towers, and there was a number of buildings on the bridge. They included a chapel at either end: St James' at the western end and St Andrew's on a pier at the eastern end. St Andrew's may have been the larger of the two, as an inventory compiled in 1549 in the Edwardine Reformation measured the lead on their roofs as 36 square yards (30 m2) at St James' but 88 square yards (74 m2) at St Andrew's. St James' chapel was replaced with a House of Correction (prison) in 1632. In the 18th century the House of Correction and many buildings at the north end of the bridge were demolished.

 

The chapel on the eastern, Elvet, side of the bridge has partially survived and is particularly visible from the riverbanks to the south. A number of buildings incorporate part of the bridge, and 18 Elvet Bridge is also Grade I listed as a result.

 

The bridge is reputed to be the narrowest row-through bridge in Europe.

 

Durham is a cathedral city and civil parish in the county of Durham, England. It is the county town and contains the headquarters of Durham County Council, the unitary authority which governs the district of County Durham. It had a population of 48,069 at the 2011 Census.

 

The city was built on a meander of the River Wear, which surrounds the centre on three sides and creates a narrow neck on the fourth. The surrounding land is hilly, except along the Wear's floodplain to the north and southeast.

 

Durham was founded in 995 by Anglo-Saxon monks seeking a place safe from Viking raids to house the relics of St Cuthbert. The church the monks built lasted only a century, as it was replaced by the present Durham Cathedral after the Norman Conquest; together with Durham Castle it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 1070s until 1836 the city was part of the County Palatine of Durham, a semi-independent jurisdiction ruled by the prince bishops of Durham which acted as a geopolitical buffer between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. In 1346, the Battle of Neville's Cross was fought half a mile west of the city, resulting in an English victory. In 1650, the cathedral was used to house Scottish prisoners after their defeat at the Battle of Dunbar. During the Industrial Revolution, the Durham coalfield was heavily exploited, with dozens of collieries operating around the city and in nearby villages. Although these coal pits have now closed, the annual Durham Miners' Gala continues and is a major event for the city and region. Historically, Durham was also known for the manufacture of hosiery, carpets, and mustard.

 

The city is the home of Durham University, which was founded in 1832 and therefore has a claim to be the third-oldest university in England. The university is a significant employer in the region, alongside the local council and national government at the land registry and passport office. The University Hospital of North Durham and HM Prison Durham are also located close to the city centre. The city also has significant tourism and hospitality sectors.

 

Toponymy

The name "Durham" comes from the Brythonic element dun, signifying a hill fort and related to -ton, and the Old Norse holme, which translates to island. The Lord Bishop of Durham takes a Latin variation of the city's name in his official signature, which is signed "N. Dunelm". Some attribute the city's name to the legend of the Dun Cow and the milkmaid who in legend guided the monks of Lindisfarne carrying the body of Saint Cuthbert to the site of the present city in 995 AD. Dun Cow Lane is said to be one of the first streets in Durham, being directly to the east of Durham Cathedral and taking its name from a depiction of the city's founding etched in masonry on the south side of the cathedral. The city has been known by a number of names throughout history. The original Nordic Dun Holm was changed to Duresme by the Normans and was known in Latin as Dunelm. The modern form Durham came into use later in the city's history. The north-eastern historian Robert Surtees chronicled the name changes in his History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham but states that it is an "impossibility" to tell when the city's modern name came into being.

 

Durham is likely to be Gaer Weir in Armes Prydein, derived from Brittonic cajr meaning "an enclosed, defensible site" (cf. Carlisle; Welsh caer) and the river-name Wear.

 

History

Early history

Archeological evidence suggests a history of settlement in the area since roughly 2000 BC. The present city can clearly be traced back to AD 995, when a group of monks from Lindisfarne chose the strategic high peninsula as a place to settle with the body of Saint Cuthbert, that had previously lain in Chester-le-Street, founding a church there.

 

City origins, the Dun Cow story

Local legend states that the city was founded in A.D. 995 by divine intervention. The 12th-century chronicler Symeon of Durham recounts that after wandering in the north, Saint Cuthbert's bier miraculously came to a halt at the hill of Warden Law and, despite the effort of the congregation, would not move. Aldhun, Bishop of Chester-le-Street and leader of the order, decreed a holy fast of three days, accompanied by prayers to the saint. During the fast, Saint Cuthbert appeared to a certain monk named Eadmer, with instructions that the coffin should be taken to Dun Holm. After Eadmer's revelation, Aldhun found that he was able to move the bier, but did not know where Dun Holm was.

 

The legend of the Dun Cow, which is first documented in The Rites of Durham, an anonymous account about Durham Cathedral, published in 1593, builds on Symeon's account. According to this legend, by chance later that day, the monks came across a milkmaid at Mount Joy (southeast of present-day Durham). She stated that she was seeking her lost dun cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm. The monks, realising that this was a sign from the saint, followed her. They settled at a wooded "hill-island" – a high wooded rock surrounded on three sides by the River Wear. There they erected a shelter for the relics, on the spot where Durham Cathedral would later stand. Symeon states that a modest wooden building erected there shortly thereafter was the first building in the city. Bishop Aldhun subsequently had a stone church built, which was dedicated in September 998. This no longer remains, having been supplanted by the Norman structure.

 

The legend is interpreted by a Victorian relief stone carving on the north face of the cathedral and, more recently, by the bronze sculpture 'Durham Cow' (1997, Andrew Burton), which reclines by the River Wear in view of the cathedral.

 

Medieval era

During the medieval period the city gained spiritual prominence as the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable. The shrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind the High Altar of Durham Cathedral, was the most important religious site in England until the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170.

 

Saint Cuthbert became famous for two reasons. Firstly, the miraculous healing powers he had displayed in life continued after his death, with many stories of those visiting the saint's shrine being cured of all manner of diseases. This led to him being known as the "wonder worker of England". Secondly, after the first translation of his relics in 698 AD, his body was found to be incorruptible. Apart from a brief translation back to Holy Island during the Norman Invasion the saint's relics have remained enshrined to the present day. Saint Bede's bones are also entombed in the cathedral, and these also drew medieval pilgrims to the city.

 

Durham's geographical position has always given it an important place in the defence of England against the Scots. The city played an important part in the defence of the north, and Durham Castle is the only Norman castle keep never to have suffered a breach. In 1314, the Bishopric of Durham paid the Scots a 'large sum of money' not to burn Durham. The Battle of Neville's Cross took place around half a mile west of the city on 17 October 1346 between the English and Scots and was a disastrous loss for the Scots.

 

The city suffered from plague outbreaks in 1544, 1589 and 1598.

 

Bishops of Durham

Owing to the divine providence evidenced in the city's legendary founding, the Bishop of Durham has always enjoyed the formal title "Bishop by Divine Providence" as opposed to other bishops, who are "Bishop by Divine Permission". However, as the north-east of England lay so far from Westminster, the bishops of Durham enjoyed extraordinary powers such as the ability to hold their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices, administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issue charters, salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins. So far-reaching were the bishop's powers that the steward of Bishop Antony Bek commented in 1299 AD: "There are two kings in England, namely the Lord King of England, wearing a crown in sign of his regality and the Lord Bishop of Durham wearing a mitre in place of a crown, in sign of his regality in the diocese of Durham". All this activity was administered from the castle and buildings surrounding the Palace Green. Many of the original buildings associated with these functions of the county palatine survive on the peninsula that constitutes the ancient city.

 

From 1071 to 1836 the bishops of Durham ruled the county palatine of Durham. Although the term "prince bishop" has been used as a helpful tool in the understanding the functions of the bishops of Durham in this era, it is not a title they would have recognised. The last bishop to rule the palatinate, Bishop William Van Mildert, is credited with the foundation of Durham University in 1832. Henry VIII curtailed some of the bishop's powers and, in 1538, ordered the destruction of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert.

 

A UNESCO site describes the role of the bishops in the "buffer state between England and Scotland":

 

From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.

 

Legal system

The bishops had their own court system, including most notably the Court of Chancery of the County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge. The county also had its own attorney general, whose authority to bring an indictment for criminal matters was tested by central government in the case of R v Mary Ann Cotton (1873). Certain courts and judicial posts for the county were abolished by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873. Section 2 of the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and section 41 of the Courts Act 1971 abolished others.

 

Civil War and Cromwell (1640 to 1660)

The city remained loyal to King Charles I in the English Civil War – from 1642 to the execution of the king in 1649. Charles I came to Durham three times during his reign of 1625–1649. Firstly, he came in 1633 to the cathedral for a majestic service in which he was entertained by the Chapter and Bishop at great expense. He returned during preparations for the First Bishops' War (1639). His final visit to the city came towards the end of the civil war; he escaped from the city as Oliver Cromwell's forces got closer. Local legend stated that he escaped down the Bailey and through Old Elvet. Another local legend has it that Cromwell stayed in a room in the present Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet during the civil war. The room is reputed to be haunted by his ghost. Durham suffered greatly during the civil war (1642–1651) and Commonwealth (1649–1660). This was not due to direct assault by Cromwell or his allies, but to the abolition of the Church of England and the closure of religious institutions pertaining to it. The city has always relied upon the Dean and Chapter and cathedral as an economic force.

 

The castle suffered considerable damage and dilapidation during the Commonwealth due to the abolition of the office of bishop (whose residence it was). Cromwell confiscated the castle and sold it to the Lord Mayor of London shortly after taking it from the bishop. A similar fate befell the cathedral, it being closed in 1650 and used to incarcerate 3,000 Scottish prisoners, who were marched south after the Battle of Dunbar. Graffiti left by them can still be seen today etched into the interior stone.

 

At the Restoration in 1660, John Cosin (a former canon) was appointed bishop (in office: 1660–1672) and set about a major restoration project. This included the commissioning of the famous elaborate woodwork in the cathedral choir, the font cover and the Black Staircase in the castle. Bishop Cosin's successor Bishop Lord Nathaniel Crewe (in office: 1674–1721) carried out other renovations both to the city and to the cathedral.

 

18th century

In the 18th century a plan to turn Durham into a seaport through the digging of a canal north to join the River Team, a tributary of the River Tyne near Gateshead, was proposed by John Smeaton. Nothing came of the plan, but the statue of Neptune in the Market Place was a constant reminder of Durham's maritime possibilities.

 

The thought of ships docking at the Sands or Millburngate remained fresh in the minds of Durham merchants. In 1758, a new proposal hoped to make the Wear navigable from Durham to Sunderland by altering the river's course, but the increasing size of ships made this impractical. Moreover, Sunderland had grown as the north east's main port and centre for shipping.

 

In 1787 Durham infirmary was founded.

 

The 18th century also saw the rise of the trade-union movement in the city.

 

19th century

The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 gave governing power of the town to an elected body. All other aspects of the Bishop's temporal powers were abolished by the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and returned to the Crown.

 

The Representation of the People Act 2000 and is regarded as the second most senior bishop and fourth most senior clergyman in the Church of England. The Court of Claims of 1953 granted the traditional right of the bishop to accompany the sovereign at the coronation, reflecting his seniority.

 

The first census, conducted in 1801, states that Durham City had a population of 7,100. The Industrial Revolution mostly passed the city by. However, the city was well known for carpet making and weaving. Although most of the mediaeval weavers who thrived in the city had left by the 19th century, the city was the home of Hugh MacKay Carpets’ factory, which produced the famous brands of axminster and tufted carpets until the factory went into administration in April 2005. Other important industries were the manufacture of mustard and coal extraction.

 

The Industrial Revolution also placed the city at the heart of the coalfields, the county's main industry until the 1970s. Practically every village around the city had a coal mine and, although these have since disappeared as part of the regional decline in heavy industry, the traditions, heritage and community spirit are still evident.

 

The 19th century also saw the founding of Durham University thanks to the benevolence of Bishop William Van Mildert and the Chapter in 1832. Durham Castle became the first college (University College, Durham) and the bishop moved to Auckland Castle as his only residence in the county. Bishop Hatfield's Hall (later Hatfield College, Durham) was added in 1846 specifically for the sons of poorer families, the Principal inaugurating a system new to English university life of advance fees to cover accommodation and communal dining.

 

The first Durham Miners' Gala was attended by 5,000 miners in 1871 in Wharton Park, and remains the largest socialist trade union event in the world.

 

20th century

Early in the 20th century coal became depleted, with a particularly important seam worked out in 1927, and in the following Great Depression Durham was among those towns that suffered exceptionally severe hardship. However, the university expanded greatly. St John's College and St Cuthbert's Society were founded on the Bailey, completing the series of colleges in that area of the city. From the early 1950s to early 1970s the university expanded to the south of the city centre. Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Collingwood, and Grey colleges were established, and new buildings for St Aidan's and St Mary's colleges for women, formerly housed on the Bailey, were created. The final 20th century collegiate addition came from the merger of the independent nineteenth-century colleges of the Venerable Bede and St Hild, which joined the university in 1979 as the College of St Hild and St Bede. The 1960s and 70s also saw building on New Elvet. Dunelm House for the use of the students' union was built first, followed by Elvet Riverside, containing lecture theatres and staff offices. To the southeast of the city centre sports facilities were built at Maiden Castle, adjacent to the Iron Age fort of the same name, and the Mountjoy site was developed, starting in 1924, eventually containing the university library, administrative buildings, and facilities for the Faculty of Science.

 

Durham was not bombed during World War II, though one raid on the night of 30 May 1942 did give rise to the local legend of 'St Cuthbert's Mist'. This states that the Luftwaffe attempted to target Durham, but was thwarted when Cuthbert created a mist that covered both the castle and cathedral, sparing them from bombing. The exact events of the night are disputed by contemporary eyewitnesses. The event continues to be referenced within the city, including inspiring the artwork 'Fogscape #03238' at Durham Lumiere 2015.

 

'Durham Castle and Cathedral' was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Among the reasons given for the decision were 'Durham Cathedral [being] the largest and most perfect monument of "Norman" style architecture in England', and the cathedral's vaulting being an early and experimental model of the gothic style. Other important UNESCO sites near Durham include Auckland Castle, North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum.

 

Historical

The historic city centre of Durham has changed little over 200 years. It is made up of the peninsula containing the cathedral, palace green, former administrative buildings for the palatine and Durham Castle. This was a strategic defensive decision by the city's founders and gives the cathedral a striking position. So much so that Symeon of Durham stated:

 

To see Durham is to see the English Sion and by doing so one may save oneself a trip to Jerusalem.

 

Sir Walter Scott was so inspired by the view of the cathedral from South Street that he wrote "Harold the Dauntless", a poem about Saxons and Vikings set in County Durham and published on 30 January 1817. The following lines from the poem are carved into a stone tablet on Prebends Bridge:

 

Grey towers of Durham

Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles

Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot

And long to roam those venerable aisles

With records stored of deeds long since forgot.

 

The old commercial section of the city encompasses the peninsula on three sides, following the River Wear. The peninsula was historically surrounded by the castle wall extending from the castle keep and broken by two gatehouses to the north and west of the enclosure. After extensive remodelling and "much beautification" by the Victorians the walls were removed with the exception of the gatehouse which is still standing on the Bailey.

 

The medieval city was made up of the cathedral, castle and administrative buildings on the peninsula. The outlying areas were known as the townships and owned by the bishop, the most famous of these being Gilesgate (which still contains the mediaeval St Giles Church), Claypath and Elvet.

 

The outlying commercial section of the city, especially around the North Road area, saw much change in the 1960s during a redevelopment spearheaded by Durham City Council; however, much of the original mediaeval street plan remains intact in the area close to the cathedral and market place. Most of the mediaeval buildings in the commercial area of the city have disappeared apart from the House of Correction and the Chapel of Saint Andrew, both under Elvet Bridge. Georgian buildings can still be found on the Bailey and Old Elvet most of which make up the colleges of Durham University.

The Embassy of Sierra Leone located at 1701 19th Street, N.W., in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Built in 1917 to the designs of noted architect Jules Henri de Sibour, the 21-room, Beaux-Arts style former private residence is designated as a contributing property to the Dupont Circle Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Former occupants include Senator, Secretary of State, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Frank B. Kellogg, Assistant Secretary of State Joseph P. Cotton, philanthropist and diplomat Myron C. Taylor, and the United Nations Club.

 

Note: This is one of my older photos I originally uploaded to Wikimedia Commons.

The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Car Shops was built between 1890 and 1916, The building in the photograph was Building No. 5, the Paint and Tin Shop. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad closed the Car Shops in 1957. The former Car Shops complex is in the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Car Shops Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Building No. 5, Paint and Tin Shop is a contributing property.

Detail of one of the third pair of nave windows, more colourful than the rest and designed by Geoffrey Clarke. The multicoloured windows symbolise the soul's struggles in mid-life..

 

Coventry's Cathedral is a unique synthesis of old a new, born of wartime suffering and forged in the spirit of postwar optimism, famous for it's history and for being the most radically modern of Anglican cathedrals. Two cathedral's stand side by side, the ruins of the medieval building, destroyed by incendiary bombs in 1940 and the bold new building designed by Basil Spence and opened in 1962.

 

It is a common misconception that Coventry lost it's first cathedral in the wartime blitz, but the bombs actually destroyed it's second; the original medieval cathedral was the monastic St Mary's, a large cruciform building believed to have been similar in appearance to Lichfield Cathedral (whose diocese it shared). Tragically it became the only English cathedral to be destroyed during the Reformation, after which it was quickly quarried away, leaving only scant fragments, but enough evidence survives to indicate it's rich decoration (some pieces were displayed nearby in the Priory Visitors Centre, sadly since closed). Foundations of it's apse were found during the building of the new cathedral in the 1950s, thus technically three cathedrals share the same site.

 

The mainly 15th century St Michael's parish church became the seat of the new diocese of Coventry in 1918, and being one of the largest parish churches in the country it was upgraded to cathedral status without structural changes (unlike most 'parish church' cathedrals created in the early 20th century). It lasted in this role a mere 22 years before being burned to the ground in the 1940 Coventry Blitz, leaving only the outer walls and the magnificent tapering tower and spire (the extensive arcades and clerestoreys collapsed completely in the fire, precipitated by the roof reinforcement girders, installed in the Victorian restoration, that buckled in the intense heat).

 

The determination to rebuild the cathedral in some form was born on the day of the bombing, however it wasn't until the mid 1950s that a competition was held and Sir Basil Spence's design was chosen. Spence had been so moved by experiencing the ruined church he resolved to retain it entirely to serve as a forecourt to the new church. He envisaged the two being linked by a glass screen wall so that the old church would be visible from within the new.

 

Built between 1957-62 at a right-angle to the ruins, the new cathedral attracted controversy for it's modern form, and yet some modernists argued that it didn't go far enough, after all there are echoes of the Gothic style in the great stone-mullioned windows of the nave and the net vaulting (actually a free-standing canopy) within. What is exceptional is the way art has been used as such an integral part of the building, a watershed moment, revolutionising the concept of religious art in Britain.

 

Spence employed some of the biggest names in contemporary art to contribute their vision to his; the exterior is adorned with Jacob Epstein's triumphant bronze figures of Archangel Michael (patron of the cathedral) vanquishing the Devil. At the entrance is the remarkable glass wall, engraved by John Hutton with strikingly stylised figures of saints and angels, and allowing the interior of the new to communicate with the ruin. Inside, the great tapestry of Christ in majesty surrounded by the evangelistic creatures, draws the eye beyond the high altar; it was designed by Graham Sutherland and was the largest tapestry ever made.

 

However one of the greatest features of Coventry is it's wealth of modern stained glass, something Spence resolved to include having witnessed the bleakness of Chartres Cathedral in wartime, all it's stained glass having been removed. The first window encountered on entering is the enormous 'chess-board' baptistry window filled with stunning abstract glass by John Piper & Patrick Reyntiens, a symphony of glowing colour. The staggered nave walls are illuminated by ten narrow floor to ceiling windows filled with semi-abstract symbolic designs arranged in pairs of dominant colours (green, red, multi-coloured, purple/blue and gold) representing the souls journey to maturity, and revealed gradually as one approaches the altar. This amazing project was the work of three designers lead by master glass artist Lawrence Lee of the Royal College of Art along with Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke (each artist designed three of the windows individually and all collaborated on the last).

 

The cathedral still dazzles the visitor with the boldness of it's vision, but alas, half a century on, it was not a vision to be repeated and few of the churches and cathedrals built since can claim to have embraced the synthesis of art and architecture in the way Basil Spence did at Coventry.

 

The cathedral is generally open to visitors most days. For more see below:-

www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/

The fifth person to receive the Freedom of the County Borough of Middlesbrough was Sir Lowthian Bell Bart who was awarded freedom on 2 November 1894. A portrait of Sir Lowthian Bell Bart FRS 1826-1904 is hung in the Civic Suite in the Town Hall. It was painted by Henry Tamworth Wells RA and was presented in 1894 by Joseph Whitwell Pease MP on Tuesday 13 November in the Council Chamber at 3.00pm. Joseph Pease was Chairman of the Sir Lowthian Bell presentation committee.

It was presented to the Corporation of Middlesbrough by friends in Great Britain, Europe and America as a record of their high esteem and to commemorate his many public services and those researches in physical science by which he has contributed to the development of the staple industries of his own country and the world.

 

ISAAC LOWTHIAN BELL - from "Pioneers of The Cleveland Irontrade" by J. S. Jeans

 

THE name of Mr. Isaac Lowthian Bell is familiar as a " household word " throughout the whole North of England. As a man of science he is known more or less wherever the manufacture of iron is carried on. It is to metallurgical chemistry that his attention has been chiefly directed; but so far from confining his researches and attainments to this department alone, he has made incursions into other domains of practical and applied chemistry. No man has done more to stimulate the growth of the iron trade of the North of England. Baron Liebig has defined civilisation as economy of power, and viewed in this light civilisation is under deep obligations to Mr. Bell for the invaluable aid he has rendered in expounding the natural laws that are called into operation in the smelting process. The immense power now wielded by the ironmasters of the North of England is greatly due to their study and application of the most economical conditions under which the manufacture of iron can be carried on. But for their achievements in this direction, they could not have made headway so readily against rival manufacturers in Wales, Scotland, and South Staffordshire, who enjoyed a well-established reputation. But Mr. Bell and his colleagues felt that they must do something to compensate for the advantages possessed by the older iron- producing districts, and as we shall have occasion to show, were fully equal to the emergency, Mr. Isaac Lowthian Bell is a son of the late Mr. Thomas Bell, of the well-known firm of Messrs. Losh, Wilson, and Bell, who owned the Walker Ironworks, near Newcastle. His mother was a daughter of Mr. Isaac Lowthian, of Newbiggen, near Carlisle. He had the benefit of a good education, concluded at the Edinburgh University, and at the University of Sorbonne, in Paris. From an early age he exhibited an aptitude for the study of science. Having completed his studies, and travelled a good deal on the Continent, in order to acquire the necessary experience, he was introduced to the works at Walker, in which his father was a partner. He continued there until the year 1850, when he retired in favour of his brother, Mr. Thomas Bell. In the course of the same year, he joined his father-in-law, Mr. Pattinson, and Mr. R. B. Bowman, in the establishment of Chemical Works, at Washington. This venture was eminently successful. Subsequently it was joined by Mr. W. Swan, and on the death of Mr. Pattinson by Mr. R. S. Newall. The works at Washington, designed by Mr. Bell, are among the most extensive of their kind in the North of England, and have a wide reputation. During 1872 his connection with this undertaking terminated by his retirement from the firm. Besides the chemical establishment at Washington, Mr. Bell commenced, with his brothers, the manufacture of aluminium at the same place this being, if we are rightly informed, the first attempt to establish works of that kind in England. But what we have more particularly to deal with here is the establishment, in 1852, of the Clarence Ironworks, by Mr. I. L. Bell and his two brothers, Thomas and John. This was within two years of the discovery by Mr. Vaughan, of the main seam of the Cleveland ironstone. Port Clarence is situated on the north bank of the river Tees, and the site fixed upon for the new works was immediately opposite the Middlesbrough works of Messrs. Bolckow and Vaughan. There were then no works of the kind erected on that side of the river, and Port Clarence was literally a " waste howling wilderness." The ground on which the Clarence works are built where flooded with water, which stretched away as far as Billingham on the one hand, and Seaton Carew on the other. Thirty years ago, the old channel of the Tees flowed over the exact spot on which the Clarence furnaces are now built. To one of less penetration than Mr. Bell, the site selected would have seemed anything but congenial for such an enterprise. But the new firm were alive to advantages that did not altogether appear on the surface. They concluded negotiations with the West Hartlepool Railway Company, to whom the estate belonged, for the purchase of about thirty acres of ground, upon which they commenced to erect four blast furnaces of the size and shape then common in Cleveland. From this beginning they have gradually enlarged the works until the site now extends to 200 acres of land (a great deal of which is submerged, although it may easily be reclaimed), and there are eight furnaces regularly in blast. With such an extensive site, the firm will be able to command an unlimited "tip" for their slag, and extend the capacity of the works at pleasure. At the present time, Messrs.. Bell Brothers are building three new furnaces. The furnace lifts are worked by Sir William Armstrong's hydraulic accumulator, and the general plan of the works is carried out on the most modern and economical principles. As soon as they observed that higher furnaces, with a greater cubical capacity, were a source of economy, Messrs. Bell Brothers lost no time in reconstructing their old furnaces, which were only 50 feet in height ; and they were among the first in Cleveland to adopt the Welsh plan of utilising the waste furnace gases, by which another great economy is effected. With a considerable frontage to the Tees, and a connection joining the Clarence branch of the North-Eastern Railway, Messrs. Bell Brothers possess ample facilities of transit. They raise all their own ironstone and coal, having mines at Saltburn, Normanby, and Skelton, and collieries in South Durham. A chemical laboratory is maintained in connection with their Clarence Works, and the results thereby obtained are regarded in the trade as of standard and unimpeachable exactitude. Mr. I. L. Bell owns, conjointly with his two brothers, the iron -works at Washington. At these and the Clarence Works the firms produce about 3,000 tons of pig iron weekly. They raise from 500,000 to 600,000 tons of coal per annum, the greater portion of which is converted into coke. Their output of ironstone is so extensive that they not only supply about 10,000 tons a- week to their own furnaces, but they are under contract to supply large quantities to other works on Tees-side. Besides this, their Quarries near Stanhope will produce about 100,000 tons of limestone, applicable as a flux at the iron works. Last year, Mr. Bell informed the Coal Commission that his firm paid 100,000 a year in railway dues. Upwards of 5,000 workmen are in the employment of the firm at their different works and mines. But there is another, and perhaps a more important sense than any yet indicated, in which Mr. Bell is entitled to claim a prominent place among the " Pioneers of the Cleveland Iron Trade." Mr. Joseph Bewick says, in his geological treatise on the Cleveland district, that " to Bell Brothers, more than to any other firm, is due the merit of having fully and effectually developed at this period (1843) the ironstone fields of Cleveland. It was no doubt owing to the examinations and surveys which a younger member of that firm (Mr. John Bell) caused to be made in different localities of the district, that the extent and position of the ironstone beds became better known to the public." Of late years the subject of this sketch has come to be regarded as one of the greatest living authorities on the statistical and scientific aspects of the Cleveland ironstone and the North of England iron trade as a whole. With the Northumberland and Durham coal fields he is scarcely less familiar, and in dealing with these and cognate matters he has earned for himself no small fame as a historiographer. Leoni Levi himself could not discourse with more facility on the possible extent and duration of our coal supplies. When the British Association visited Newcastle in 1863, Mr. Bell read a deeply interesting paper " On the Manufacture of Iron in connection with the Northumberland and Durham Coal Field," in which he conveyed a great deal of valuable information. According to Bewick, he said the area of the main bed of Cleveland ironstone was 420 miles, and estimating the yield of ironstone as 20,000 tons per acre, it resulted that close on 5,000,000,000 tons are contained in the main seam. Mr. Bell added that he had calculated the quantity of coal in the Northern coal field at 6,000,000,000 tons, so that there was just about enough fuel in the one district, reserving it for that purpose exclusively, to smelt the ironstone contained in the main seam of the other. When the Yorkshire Union of Mechanics' Institutes visited Darlington in the spring of 1872, they spent a day in Cleveland under the ciceroneship of Mr. Bell, who read a paper, which he might have entitled "The Romance of Trade," on the rise and progress of Cleveland in relation to her iron manufactures; and before the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club, when they visited Saltburn in 1866, he read another paper dealing with the geological features of the Cleveland district. Although not strictly germane to our subject, we may add here that when, in 1870, the Social Science Congress visited Newcastle, Mr. Bell took an active and intelligent part in the proceedings, and read a lengthy paper, bristling with facts and figures, on the sanitary condition of the town. Owing to his varied scientific knowledge, Mr. Bell has been selected to give evidence on several important Parliamentary Committees, including that appointed to inquire into the probable extent and duration of the coal-fields of the United Kingdom. The report of this Commission is now before us, and Mr. Bell's evidence shows most conclusively the vast amount of practical knowledge that he has accumulated, not only as to the phenomena of mineralogy and metallurgy in Great Britain, but also in foreign countries. Mr. Bell was again required to give evidence before the Parliamentary Committee appointed in 1873, to inquire into the causes of the scarcity and dearness of coal. In July, 1854, Mr. Bell was elected a member of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. He was a member of the Council of the Institute from 1865 to 1866, when he was elected one of the vice-presidents. He is a vice-president of the Society of Mechanical Engineers, and last year was an associate member of the Council of Civil Engineers. He is also a fellow of the Chemical Society of London. To most of these societies he has contributed papers on matters connected with the manufacture of iron. When a Commission was appointed by Parliament to inquire into the constitution and management of Durham University, the institute presented a memorial to the Home Secretary, praying that a practical Mining College might be incorporated with the University, and Mr. Bell, Mr. G. Elliot, and Mr. Woodhouse, were appointed to give evidence in support of the memorial. He was one of the most important witnesses at the inquest held in connection with the disastrous explosion at Hetton Colliery in 1860, when twenty-one miners, nine horses, and fifty-six ponies were killed; and in 1867 he was a witness for the institute before the Parliamentary Committee appointed to inquire into the subject of technical education, his evidence, from his familiarity with the state of science on the Continent, being esteemed of importance. Some years ago, Mr. Bell brought under the notice of the Mining Institute an aluminium safety lamp. He pointed out that the specific heat of aluminum was very high, so that it might be long exposed to the action of fire before becoming red-hot, while it did not abstract the rays of light so readily as iron, which had a tendency to become black much sooner. Mr. Bell was during the course of last year elected an honorary member of a learned Society in the United States, his being only the second instance in which this distinction had been accorded. Upon that occasion, Mr. Abram Hewitt, the United States Commissioner to the Exhibition of 1862, remarked that Mr. Bell had by his researches made the iron makers of two continents his debtors. Mr Bell is one of the founders of the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain, and has all along taken a prominent part in its deliberations. No other technical society, whether at home or abroad, has so rapidly taken a position of marked and confirmed practical usefulness. The proposal to form such an institute was first made at a meeting of the North of England Iron Trade, held in Newcastle, in September, 1868, and Mr. Bell was elected one of the first vice-presidents, and a member of the council. At the end of the year 1869 the Institute had 292 members; at the end of 1870 the number had increased to 348; and in August 1872, there were over 500 names on the roll of membership. These figures are surely a sufficient attestation of its utility. Mr. Bell's paper " On the development of heat, and its appropriation in blast furnaces of different dimensions," is considered the most valuable contribution yet made through the medium of the Iron and Steel Institute to the science and practice of iron metallurgy. Since it was submitted to the Middlesbrough meeting of the Institute in 1869, this paper has been widely discussed by scientific and practical men at home and abroad, and the author has from time to time added new matter, until it has now swollen into a volume embracing between 400 and 500 pages, and bearing the title of the " Chemical Phenomena of Iron Smelting." As a proof of the high scientific value placed upon this work, we may mention that many portions have been translated into German by Professor Tunner, who is, perhaps, the most distinguished scientific metallurgist on the Continent of Europe. The same distinction has been conferred upon Mr. Bell's work by Professor Gruner, of the School of Mines in Paris, who has communicated its contents to the French iron trade, and by M. Akerman, of Stockholm, who has performed the same office for the benefit of the manufacturers of iron in Sweden. The first president of the Iron and Steel Institute was the Duke of Devonshire, the second Mr. H. Bessemer, and for the two years commencing 1873, Mr. Bell has enjoyed the highest honour the iron trade of the British empire can confer. As president of the Iron and Steel Institute, Mr. Bell presided over the deliberations of that body on their visit to Belgium in the autumn of 1873. The reception accorded to the Institute by their Belgian rivals and friends was of the most hearty and enthusiastic description. The event, indeed, was regarded as one of international importance, and every opportunity, both public and private, was taken by our Belgian neighbours to honour England in the persons of those who formed her foremost scientific society. Mr. Bell delivered in the French language, a presidential address of singular ability, directed mainly to an exposition of the relative industrial conditions and prospects of the two greatest iron producing countries in Europe. As president of the Institute, Mr. Bell had to discharge the duty of presenting to the King of the Belgians, at a reception held by His Majesty at the Royal Palace in Brussels, all the members who had taken a part in the Belgium meeting, and the occasion will long be remembered as one of the most interesting and pleasant in the experience of those who were privileged to be present. We will only deal with one more of Mr. Bell's relations to the iron trade. He was, we need scarcely say, one of the chief promoters of what is now known as the North of England Ironmasters' Association, and he has always been in the front of the deliberations and movements of that body. Before a meeting of this Association, held in 1867, he read a paper on the " Foreign Relations of the Iron Trade," in the course of which he showed that the attainments of foreign iron manufacturers in physical science were frequently much greater than our own, and deprecated the tendency of English artizans to obstruct the introduction of new inventions and processes. He has displayed an eager anxiety in the testing and elucidation of new discoveries, and no amount of labour or cost was grudged that seemed likely, in his view, to lead to mechanical improvements. He has investigated for himself every new appliance or process that claimed to possess advantages over those already in use, and he has thus rendered yeoman service to the interest of science, by discriminating between the chaff and the wheat. For a period nearly approaching twenty- four years, Mr. Bell has been a member of the Newcastle Town Council, and one of the most prominent citizens of the town. Upon this phase of his career it is not our business to dwell at any length, but we cannot refrain from adding, that he has twice filled the chief magistrate's chair, that he served the statutory period as Sheriff of the town, that he is a director of the North-Eastern Railway, and that he was the first president of the Newcastle Chemical Society. In the general election of 1868, Mr. Bell came forward as a candidate for the Northern Division of the county of Durham, in opposition to Mr. George Elliot, but the personal influence of the latter was too much for him, and he sustained a defeat. In the general election of 1874, Mr. Bell again stood for North Durham, in conjunction with Mr. C. M. Palmer, of Jarrow. Mr. Elliott again contested the Division in the Conservative interest. After a hard struggle, Mr. Bell was returned at the head of the poll. Shortly after the General Election, Mr. Elliott received a baronetcy from Mr, Disraeli. A short time only had elapsed, however, when the Liberal members were unseated on petition, because of general intimidation at Hetton-le-Hole, Seaham, and other places no blame being, however, attributed to the two members and the result of afresh election in June following was the placing of Mr. Bell at the bottom of the poll, although he was only a short distance behind his Conservative opponent Sir George Elliott."

 

"Isaac Lowthian Bell, 1st Baronet FRS (1816-1904), of Bell Brothers, was a Victorian ironmaster and Liberal Party politician from Washington, Co. Durham.

1816 February 15th. Born the son of Thomas Bell and his wife Katherine Lowthian.

Attended the Academy run by John Bruce in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh University and the Sorbonne.

Practical experience in alkali manufacture at Marseilles.

1835 Joined the Walker Ironworks; studied the the operation of the blast furnaces and rolling mills.

A desire to master thoroughly the technology of any manufacturing process was to be one of the hallmarks of Bell's career.

1842 Married Margaret Elizabeth Pattinson

In 1844 Lowthian Bell and his brothers Thomas Bell and John Bell formed a new company, Bell Brothers, to operate the Wylam ironworks. These works, based at Port Clarence on the Tees, began pig-iron production with three blast furnaces in 1854 and became one of the leading plants in the north-east iron industry. The firm's output had reached 200,000 tons by 1878 and the firm employed about 6,000 men.

1850 Bell started his own chemical factory at Washington in Gateshead, established a process for the manufacture of an oxychloride of lead, and operated the new French Deville patent, used in the manufacture of aluminium. Bell expanded these chemical interests in the mid-1860s, when he developed with his brother John a large salt working near the ironworks.

In 1854 he built Washington Hall, now called Dame Margaret's Hall.

He was twice Lord Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Member of Parliament for North Durham from February to June 1874, and for Hartlepool from 1875 to 1880.

1884 President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

In 1895 he was awarded the Albert Medal of the Royal Society of Arts, 'in recognition of the services he has rendered to Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, by his metallurgical researches and the resulting development of the iron and steel industries'.

A founder of the Iron and Steel Institute, he was its president from 1873 to 1875, and in 1874 became the first recipient of the gold medal instituted by Sir Henry Bessemer. He was president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1884.

1842 He married Margaret Pattison. Their children were Mary Katherine Bell, who married Edward Stanley, 4th Baron Stanley of Alderley and Sir Thomas Hugh Bell, 2nd Baronet.

1904 December 20th. Lowthian Bell died at his home, Rounton Grange, Rounton, Northallerton, North Riding of Yorkshire

1904 Obituary [1]

  

"Sir ISAAC LOWTHIAN BELL, Bart., was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 15th February 1816, being the son of Mr. Thomas Bell, an alderman of the town, and partner in the firm of Messrs. Losh, Wilson and Bell, of Walker Iron Works, near Newcastle; his mother was the daughter of Mr. Isaac Lowthian, of Newbiggin, Northumberland.

After studying at Edinburgh University, he went to the Sorbonne, Paris, and there laid the foundation of the chemical and metallurgical knowledge which he applied so extensively in later years.

He travelled extensively, and in the years 1839-40 he covered a distance of over 12,000 miles, examining the most important seats of iron manufacture on the Continent. He studied practical iron-making at his father's works, where lie remained until 1850, when he joined in establishing chemical works at Washington, eight miles from Newcastle. Here it was also that his subsequent firm of Messrs. Bell Brothers started the first works in England for the manufacture of aluminium.

In 1852, in conjunction with his brothers Thomas and John, he founded the Clarence Iron Works, near the mouth of the Tees, opposite Middlesbrough. The three blast-furnaces erected there in 1853 were at that time the largest in the kingdom, each being 47.5 feet high, with a capacity of 6,012 cubic feet; the escaping gases were utilized for heating the blast. In 1873 the capacity of these furnaces was much increased.

In the next year the firm sank a bore-hole to the rock salt, which had been discovered some years earlier by Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Co. in boring for water. The discovery remained in abeyance till 1882, when they began making salt, being the pioneers of the salt industry in that district. They were also among the largest colliery proprietors in South Durham, and owned extensive ironstone mines in Cleveland, and limestone quarries in Weardale.

His literary career may be said to have begun in 1863, when, during his second mayoralty, the British Association visited Newcastle, on which occasion he presented a report on the manufacture of iron in connection with the Northumberland and Durham coal-fields. At the same visit he read two papers on " The Manufacture of Aluminium," and on "Thallium." The majority of his Papers were read before the Iron and Steel Institute, of which Society he was one of the founders; and several were translated into French and German.

On the occasion of the first Meeting of this Institution at Middlesbrough in 1871, he read a Paper on Blast-Furnace Materials, and also one on the "Tyne as Connected with the History of Engineering," at the Newcastle Meeting in 1881. For his Presidential Address delivered at the Cardiff Meeting in 1884, he dealt with the subject of "Iron."

He joined this Institution in 1858, and was elected a Member of Council in 1870. In 1872 he became a Vice-President, and retained that position until his election as President in 1884. Although the Papers he contributed were not numerous, he frequently took part in the discussions on Papers connected with the Iron Industry and kindred subjects.

He was a member of a number of other learned societies — The Royal Society, The Institution of Civil Engineers, the Iron and Steel Institute, of which he was President from 1873 to 1875, the Society of Chemical Industry, the Royal Society of Sweden, and the Institution of Mining Engineers, of which he was elected President in 1904.

He had also received honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh, the Durham College of Science, and the University of Leeds. In 1885 a baronetcy was conferred upon him in recognition of his distinguished services to science and industry. In 1876 he served as a Commissioner to tile International Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, where he occupied the position of president of the metallurgical judges, and presented to the Government in 1877 a report upon the iron manufacture of the United States. In 1878 he undertook similar duties at the Paris Exhibition.

He was Mayor of Newcastle in 1854-55, and again in 1862-3. In 1874 he was elected Member of Parliament for Durham, but was unseated; he sat for the Hartlepools from 1875 to 1880, and then retired from parliamentary life. For the County of Durham he was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant, and High Sheriff in 1884. For many years he was a director of the North Eastern Railway, and Chairman of the Locomotive Committee.

His death took place at his residence, Rounton Grange, Northallerton, on 20th December 1904, in his eighty-ninth year.

1904 Obituary [2]

SIR LOWTHIAN BELL, Bart., Past-President, died on December 21, 1904, at his residence, Rounton Grange, Northallerton, in his eighty-ninth year. In his person the Iron and Steel Institute has to deplore the loss of its most distinguished and most valuable member. From the time when the Institute was founded as the outcome of an informal meeting at his house, until his death, he was a most active member, and regularly attended the general meetings, the meetings of Council, and the meetings of the various committees on which he served.

Sir Lowthian Bell was the son of Mr. Thomas Bell (of Messrs. Losh, Wilson, & Bell, iron manufacturers, Walker-on-Tyne), and of Catherine, daughter of Mr. Isaac Lowthian, of Newbiggin, near Carlisle. He was born in Newcastle on February 15, 1816, and educated, first at Bruce's Academy, in Newcastle, and afterwards in Germany, in Denmark, at Edinburgh University, and at the Sorbonne, Paris. His mother's family had been tenants of a well-known Cumberland family, the Loshes of Woodside, near Carlisle, one of whom, in association with Lord Dundonald, was one of the first persons in this country to engage in the manufacture of soda by the Leblanc process. In this business Sir Lowthian's father became a partner on Tyneside. Mr. Bell had the insight to perceive that physical science, and especially chemistry, was bound to play a great part in the future of industry, and this lesson• he impressed upon his ions. The consequence was that they devoted their time largely to chemical studies.

On the completion of his studies, Lowthian Bell joined his father at the Walker Iron Works. Mr. John Vaughan, who was with the firm, left about the year 1840, and in conjunction with Mr. Bolckow began their great iron manufacturing enterprise at Middlesbrough. Mr. Bell then became manager at Walker, and blast-furnaces were erected under his direction. He became greatly interested in the ironstone district of Cleveland, and as early as 1843 made experiments with the ironstone. He met with discouragements at first, but was rewarded with success later, and to Messrs. Bell Brothers largely belongs the credit of developing the ironstone field of Cleveland. Mr. Bell's father died in 1845, and the son became managing partner. In 1852, two years after the discovery of the Cleveland ironstone, the firm acquired ironstone royalties first at Normanby and then at Skelton in Cleveland, and started the Clarence Iron Works, opposite Middlesbrough. The three blast-furnaces here erected in 1853 were at that time the largest in the kingdom, each being 47.5 feet high, with a capacity of 6012 cubic feet. Later furnaces were successively increased up to a height of. 80 feet in 1873, with 17 feet to 25 feet in diameter at the bosh, 8 feet at the hearth, and about 25,500 cubic feet capacity. On the discovery of a bed of rock salt at 1127 feet depth at Middlesbrough, the method of salt manufacture in vogue in Germany was introduced at the instance of Mr. Thomas Bell, and the firm of Bell Brothers had thus the distinction of being pioneers in this important industry in the district. They were also among the largest colliery proprietors in South Durham, and owned likewise extensive ironstone mines in Cleveland, and limestone quarries in Weardale. At the same time Mr. Bell was connected with the Washington Aluminium Works, the Wear blast-furnaces, and the Felling blast-furnaces.

Although Sir Lowthian Bell was an earnest municipal reformer and member of Parliament, he will best be remembered as a man of science. He was mayor of Newcastle in 1863, when the British Association visited that town, and the success of the gathering was largely due to his arrangements. As one of the vice-presidents of the chemical section, he contributed papers upon thallium and the manufacture of aluminium; and, jointly with the late Lord Armstrong, edited the souvenir volume entitled " The Industrial Resources of the Tyne, Wear, and Tees." In 1873, when the Iron and Steel Institute visited Belgium, Mr. Bell presided, and delivered in French an address on the relative industrial conditions of Great Britain and Belgium. Presiding at the Institute's meeting in Vienna in 1882, he delivered his address partly in English and partly in German, and expressed the hope that the ties between England and Austria should be drawn more closely.

On taking up his residence permanently at Rounton Grange, near Northallerton, Sir Lowthian made a present to the city council, on which he had formerly served for so many years, of Washington Hall and grounds, and the place is now used as a home for the waifs and strays of the city. It is known as Dame Margaret's Home, in memory of Lady Bell, who died in 1886. This lady, to whom he was married in 1842, was a daughter of Mr. Hugh Lee Pattinson, F.R.S., the eminent chemist and metallurgist.

Sir Lowthian earned great repute as an author. He was a prolific writer on both technical and commercial questions relating to the iron and steel industries. His first important book was published in 1872, and was entitled " Chemical Phenomena of Iron Smelting : An Experimental :and Practical Examination of the Circumstances which Determine the Capacity of the Blast-Furnace, the Temperature of the Air, and the Proper Condition of the Materials to be Operated upon." This book, which contained nearly 500 pages, with many diagrams, was the direct outcome of a controversy with the late Mr. Charles Cochrane, and gave details of nearly 900 experiments carried out over a series of years with a view to finding out the laws which regulate the process of iron smelting, and the nature of the reactions which take place among the substances dealt with in the manufacture of pig iron. The behaviour of furnaces under varying conditions was detailed. The book was a monument of patient research, which all practical men could appreciate. His other large work—covering 750 pages—was entitled " The Principles of the Manufacture of Iron and Steel." It was issued in 1884, and in it the author compared the resources existing in different localities in Europe and America as iron-making centres. His further investigations into the manufacture of pig iron were detailed, as well as those relating to the manufacture of finished iron and steel.

In 1886, at the instance of the British Iron Trade Association, of which he was then President, he prepared and published a book entitled " The Iron Trade of the United Kingdom compared with other Chief Ironmaking Nations." Besides these books and numerous papers contributed to scientific societies, Sir Lowthian wrote more than one pamphlet relating to the history and development of the industries of Cleveland.

In 1876 Sir Lowthian was appointed a Royal Commissioner to the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, and wrote the official report relating to the iron and steel industries. -This was issued in the form of a bulky Blue-book.

As a director of the North-Eastern Railway Company Si Lowthian prepared an important volume of statistics for the use of his colleagues, and conducted exhaustive investigations into the life of a steel rail.

The majority of his papers were read before the Iron and Steel Institute, but of those contributed to other societies the following may be mentioned :— Report and two papers to the second Newcastle meeting of the British Association in 1863, already mentioned. " Notes on the Manufacture of Iron in the Austrian Empire," 1865. " Present State of the Manufacture of Iron in Great Britain," 1867. " Method of Recovering Sulphur and Oxide of Manganese, as Practised at Dieuze, near Nancy," 1867. " Our Foreign Competitors in the Iron Trade," 1868; this was promptly translated into French by Mr. G. Rocour, and published in Liege. " Chemistry of the Blast-Furnace," 1869. " Preliminary Treatment of the Materials Used in the Manufacture of Pig Iron in the Cleveland District" (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1871). " Conditions which Favour, and those which Limit, the Economy of Fuel in the Blast-Furnace for Smelting Iron " (Institution of Civil Engineers, 1872). "Some supposed Changes Basaltic Veins have Suffered during their Passage through and Contact with Stratified Rocks, and the Manner in which these Rocks have been Affected by the Heated Basalt " : a communication to the Royal Society on May 27, 1875. " Report to Government on the Iron Manufacture of the United States of America, and a Comparison of it with that of Great Britain," 1877. "British Industrial Supremacy," 1878. " Notes on the Progress of the Iron Trade of Cleveland," 1878. " Expansion of Iron," 1880. " The Tyne as connected with the History of Engineering " (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1881). " Occlusion of Gaseous Matter by Fused Silicates and its possible connection with Volcanic Agency : " a paper to the third York meeting of the British Association, in, 1881, but printed in the Journal of the Iron and Steel• Institute. Presidential Address on Iron (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1884). " Principles of the Manufacture of Iron and Steel, with Notes on the Economic Conditions of their Production," 1884. " Iron Trade of the United Kingdom," 1886. " Manufacture of Salt near Middlesbrough" (Institution of Civil Engineers, 1887). " Smelting of Iron Ores Chemically Considered," 1890. " Development of the Manufacture and Use of Rails in Great Britain " (Institution of Civil Engineers, 1900). Presidential Address to the Institution of Junior Engineers, 1900.

To him came in due course honours of all kinds. When the Bessemer Gold Medal was instituted in 1874, Sir Lowthian was the first recipient. In 1895 he received at the hands of the King, then. Prince of Wales, the Albert Medal of the Society of Arts, in recognition of the services he had rendered to arts, manufactures, and commerce by his metallurgical researches. From the French government he received the cross of the Legion of Honour. From the Institution of Civil Engineers he received the George Stephenson Medal, in 1900, and, in 1891, the Howard Quinquennial Prize which is awarded periodically to the author of a treatise on Iron.

For his scientific work Sir Lowthian was honoured by many of the learned societies of Europe and America. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1875. He was an Hon. D.C.L. of Durham University; an LL.D. of the Universities of Edinburgh and Dublin; and a D.Sc. of Leeds University. He was one of the most active promoters of the Durham College of Science by speech as well as by purse; his last contribution was made only a short time ago, and was £3000, for the purpose of building a tower. He had. held the presidency of the North of England Institution of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, and was the first president of the Newcastle Chemical Society.

Sir Lowthian was a director of the North-Eastern Railway Company since 1865. For a number of years he was vice-chairman, and at the time of his death was the oldest railway director in the kingdom. In 1874 he was elected M.P. for the Borough of the Hartlepools, and continued to represent the borough till 1880. In 1885, on the advice of Mr. Gladstone, a baronetcy was conferred upon him in recognition of his great services to the State. Among other labours he served on the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trade, and formed one of the Commission which proceeded to Vienna to negotiate Free Trade in Austria-Hungary in 1866. For the County of Durham he was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant, and High Sheriff in 1884. He was also a Justice of the Peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire and for the city of Newcastle. He served as Royal Commissioner at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876, and at the Paris Exhibition of 1878. He also served as Juror at the Inventions Exhibition in London, in 1885, and at several other great British and foreign Exhibitions.

Of the Society of Arts he was a member from 1859. He joined the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1867, and the Chemical Society in 1863. He was a past-president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and of the Society of Chemical Industry; and at the date of his death he was president of the Institution of Mining Engineers. He was an honorary member of the American Philosophical Institution, of the Liege Association of Engineers, and of other foreign societies. In 1882 he was made an honorary member of the Leoben School of Mines.

In the Iron and Steel Institute he took special interest. One of its original founders in 1869, he filled the office of president from 1873 to 1875, and was, as already noted, the first recipient of the gold medal instituted by Sir Henry Bessemer. He contributed the following papers to the Journal of the Institute in addition to Presidential Addresses in 1873 and 1874: (1) " The Development of Heat, and its Appropriation in Blast-furnaces of Different Dimensions" (1869). (2) " Chemical Phenomena of Iron Smelting : an experimental and practical examination of the circumstances which determine the capacity of the blast-furnace, the temperature of the air, and the proper conditions of the materials to be operated upon " (No. I. 1871; No. II. 1871; No. I. 1872). (3) " Ferrie's Covered Self-coking Furnace" (1871). (4) "Notes on a Visit to Coal and Iron Mines and Ironworks in the United States " (1875). (5) " Price's Patent Retort Furnace " (1875). (6) " The Sum of Heat utilised in Smelting Cleveland Ironstone" (1875). (7) "The Use of Caustic Lime in the Blast-furnace" (1875). (8) "The Separation of Carbon, Silicon, Sulphur, and Phosphorus in the Refining and Puddling Furnace, and in the Bessemer Converter " (1877). (9) " The Separation of Carbon, Silicon, Sulphur, and Phosphorus in the Refining and Puddling Furnaces, in the Bessemer Converter, with some Remarks on the Manufacture and Durability of Railway Bars" (Part II. 1877). (10) " The Separation of Phosphorus from Pig Iron" (1878). (11) " The Occlusion or Absorption of Gaseous Matter by fused Silicates at High Temperatures, and its possible Connection with Volcanic Agency" (1881). (12) " On Comparative Blast-furnace Practice" (1882). (13) "On the Value of Successive Additions to the Temperature of the Air used in Smelting Iron " (1883). (14) "On the Use of Raw Coal in the Blast-furnace" (1884). (15) "On the Blast-furnace value of Coke, from which the Products of Distillation from the Coal, used in its Manufacture, have been Collected" (1885). (16) "Notes on the Reduction of Iron Ore in the Blast-furnace" (1887). (17) "On Gaseous Fuel" (1889). (18) " On. the Probable Future of the Manufacture of Iron " (Pittsburg International Meeting, 1890). (19) " On the American Iron Trade and its Progress during Sixteen Years" (Special American Volume, 1890). (20) " On the Manufacture of Iron in its Relations with Agriculture " (1892). (21) " On the Waste of Heat, Past, Present, and Future, in Smelting Ores of Iron " (1893). (22) " On the Use of Caustic Lime in the Blast-furnace" (1894).

Sir Lowthian Bell took part in the first meeting of the Institute in 1869, and was present at nearly all the meetings up to May last, when he took part in the discussion on pyrometers, and on the synthesis of Bessemer steel. The state of his health would not, however, permit him to attend the American meeting, and he wrote to Sir James Kitson, Bart., Past-President, a letter expressing his regret. The letter, which was read at the dinner given by Mr. Burden to the Council in New York, was as follows :— ROUNTON GRANGE, NORTHALLERTON, 12th October 1904.

MY DEAR SIR JAMES KITSON,-Four days ago I was under the knife of an occulist for the removal of a cataract on my right eye. Of course, at my advanced age, in deference to the convenience of others, as well as my own, I never entertained a hope of being able to accompany the members of the Iron and Steel Institute in their approaching visit to the United States.

You who knew the regard, indeed, I may, without any exaggeration, say the affection I entertain for my friends on the other side of the Atlantic, will fully appreciate the nature of my regrets in being compelled to abstain from enjoying an opportunity of once more greeting them.

Their number, alas, has been sadly curtailed since I first met them about thirty years ago, but this curtailment has only rendered me the more anxious again to press the hands of the few who still remain.

Reference to the records of the Iron and Steel Institute will show that I was one of its earliest promoters, and in that capacity I was anxious to extend its labours, and consequently its usefulness, to every part of the world where iron was made or even used; with this view, the Council of that body have always taken care to have members on the Board of Management from other nations, whenever they could secure their services. Necessarily the claims upon the time of the gentlemen filling the office of President are too urgent to hope of its being filled by any one not a resident in the United Kingdom. Fortunately, we have a gentleman, himself a born subject of the United Kingdom, who spends enough of his time in the land of his birth to undertake the duties of the position of Chief Officer of the Institute.

It is quite unnecessary for me to dwell at any length upon the admirable way in which Mr. Andrew Carnegie has up to this time discharged the duties of his office, and I think I may take upon me to declare in the name of the Institute that the prosperity of the body runs no chance of suffering by his tenure of the Office of President.— Yours faithfully, (Signed) LOWTHIAN BELL.

The funeral of Sir Lowthian Bell took place on December 23, at Rounton, in the presence of the members of his family, and of Sir James Kitson, Bart., M.P., past-president, and Sir David Dale, Bart., past-president. A memorial service was held simultaneously at the Parish Church, Middlesbrough, and was attended by large numbers from the North of England. A dense fog prevailed, but this did not prevent all classes from being represented. The Iron and Steel Institute was represented by Mr. W. Whitwell, past-president, Mr. J Riley, vice-president, Mr. A. Cooper and Mr. Illtyd Williams, members of council, Mr. H. Bauerman, hon. member, and the Secretary. The Dean of Durham delivered an address, in which he said that Sir Lowthian's life had been one of the strenuous exertion of great powers, full of bright activity, and he enjoyed such blessings as go with faithful, loyal work and intelligent grappling with difficult problems. From his birth at Newcastle, in 1816, to the present day, the world of labour, industry, and mechanical skill had been in constant flow and change. Never before had there been such a marvellous succession of advances, and in keeping pace with these changes Sir Lowthian might be described as the best scientific ironmaster in the world. He gave a lifelong denial to the statement that Englishmen can always " muddle through," for he based all his action and success on clearly ascertained knowledge.

The King conveyed to the family of the late Sir Lowthian Bell the expression of his sincere sympathy on the great loss which they have sustained. His Majesty was pleased to say that he had a great respect for Sir Lowthian Bell, and always looked upon him as a very distinguished man.

Immediately before the funeral an extraordinary meeting of council was held at the offices of Bell Brothers, Limited, Middlesbrough, when the following resolution was unanimously adopted :— " The council of the Iron and Steel Institute desire to place on record their appreciation of the loss which the Institute has sustained by the death of Sir Lowthian Bell, Bart., a past-president and one of the founders of the Institute. The council feel that it would be difficult to overrate the services that Sir Lowthian rendered to the Institute in the promotion of the objects for which it was formed, and his constant readiness to devote his time and energies to the advancement of these objects. His colleagues on the council also desire to assure his family of their most sincere sympathy in the loss that has befallen them." Find a Grave.

  

Isaac Lowthian Bell was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on the 16th of February 1816. He was the son of Thomas Bell, a member of the firm of Losh, Wilson and Bell Ironworks at Walker. Bell was educated at Dr Bruce’s Academy (Newcastle upon Tyne), Edinburgh University, and the University of the Sorbonne (Paris).

 

In 1850 Bell was appointed manager of Walker Ironworks. In the same year he established a chemical works at Washington with Mr Hugh Lee Pattinson and Mr R. B. Bowman (the partnership was severed in 1872). In 1852 Bell set up Clarence Ironworks at Port Clarence, Middlesbrough, with his brothers Thomas and John which produced basic steel rails for the North Eastern Railway (From 1865 to 1904, Bell was a director of North Eastern Railway Company). They opened ironstone mines at Saltburn by the Sea (Normanby) and Skelton (Cleveland). Bell Brothers employed around 6,000 workmen. They employed up to the minute practises (for example, utilizing waste gases which escaped from the furnaces) and were always keen to trial improvements in the manufacture of iron. In 1882 Bell Brothers had a boring made at Port Clarence to the north of the Tees and found a stratum of salt, which was then worked. This was sold to Salt Union Ltd in 1888.

 

Bell’s professional expertise was used after an explosion at Hetton Colliery in 1860. He ascertained that the cause of the explosion was due to the presence of underground boilers.

 

In 1861 Bell was appointed to give evidence to the Commission to incorporate a Mining College within Durham University. Durham College of Science was set up 1871 in Newcastle with Bell as a Governor. He donated £4,500 for the building of Bell Tower. Large collection of books were donated from his library by his son to the College.

 

Bell served on the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trade. He was a Justice of Peace for County of Durham, Newcastle and North Riding of Yorkshire, and was Deputy-lieutenant and High Sheriff for Durham in 1884. In 1879 Bell accepted arbitration in the difficulty with the miners during the General Strike of County Durham miners

 

Between 1850 and 1880 Bell sat on the Town Council of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1851 he became sheriff, was elected mayor in 1854, and Alderman in 1859. In 1874 Bell was the Liberal Member of Parliament for North Durham, but was unseated on the ground of general intimidation by agents. Between 1875 and 1880 he was the Member of Parliament for the Hartlepools.

 

Bell was an authority on mineralogy and metallurgy. In 1863 at the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held in Newcastle, he read a paper ‘On the Manufacture of Iron in connection with the Northumberland and Durham Coalfield’ (Report of the 33rd meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Newcastle upon Tyne, 1863, p730).

 

In 1871 Bell read a paper at a meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute, Middlesbrough on ‘Chemical Phenomena of Iron smelting’. (The Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute, 1871 Vol I pp85-277, Vol II pp67-277, and 1872 Vol I p1). This was published with additions as a book which became an established text in the iron trade. He also contributed to ‘The Industrial Resources of the Tyne, Wear and Tees (1863)’.

 

In 1854 Bell became a member of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers and was elected president in 1886. Bell devoted much time to the welfare and success of the Institute in its early days.

 

During his life Bell was a founder member of the Iron and Steel Institute (elected President in 1874); a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Chemical Society of London; a member of the Society of Arts, a member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science; a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers; President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers; President of the Society of Chemical Industry; and a founder member of the Institution of Mining Engineers (elected President in 1904)

 

Bell was the recipient of Bessemer Gold Medal, from Iron and Steel Institute in 1874 and in 1885 recieved a baronetcy for services to the State. In 1890 he received the George Stephenson Medal from The Institute of Civil Engineers and in 1895 received the Albert Medal of the Society of Arts for services through his metallurgical researches.

 

Bell was a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) of Durham University, a Doctor of Laws (LLD) of Edinburgh University and Dublin University, and a Doctor of Science (DSc) of Leeds University.

 

Bell married the daughter of Hugh Lee Pattinson in 1842 and together they had two sons and three daughters. The family resided in Newcastle upon Tyne, Washington Hall, and Rounton Grange near Northallerton.

 

Lowthian Bell died on the 21st of December 1904. The Council of The Institution of Mining Engineers passed the following resolution:

“The Council have received with the deepest regret intimation of the death of their esteemed President and colleague, Sir Lowthian Bell, Bart, on of the founders of the Institution, who presided at the initial meeting held in London on June 6 th 1888, and they have conveyed to Sir Hugh Bell, Bart, and the family of Sir Lowthian Bell an expression of sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. It is impossible to estimate the value of the services that Sir Lowthian Bell rendered to the Institution of Mining Engineers in promoting its objects, and in devoting his time and energies to the advancement of the Institution.”

 

Information taken from: - Institute of Mining Engineers, Transactions, Vol XXXIII 1906-07

  

Contributed by Kristine Cornejo, M.D., University of Massachusetts Medical Center.

 

A 60 year-old male presented with a left testicular mass. A left orchiectomy was performed revealing a 2.7 cm mass.

The Wikle Drugstore building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located in the Downtown Anniston Historic District and is a contributing property. It is a significant architecturally as the city of Anniston's best extant example of a late 19th-century Victorian Neo-classical Commercial building. Unfortunately, I did not photograph the façade of the building.

 

Built in 1886-1887, this Richardsonian Romanesque Revival-style mansion was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson for John J. Glessner, a machinery manufacturing industrialist, and his family, whom owned the Warder, Bushnell & Glessner Company, which later became the International Harvester Company. The house was owned and occupied by the Glessner family until 1936, during which time it witnessed the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood from a desirable and wealthy residential enclave full of some of Chicago’s wealthiest families into an industrialized district full of new factories and warehouses sprouting up among the decaying, subdivided, and crumbling victorian mansions, now home to a much less affluent population, a radical change from the state of the neighborhood when the house was constructed. After the death of Glessner in 1936, the mansion was deeded to the American Institute of Architects, whom refused the offer to care for the large and aging house. The house was then donated in 1937 to the Armour Institute, now the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). In 1945, the university rented the house to the Lithographic Technical Foundation, which installed large printing presses inside the house, and occupied the structure for over two decades. In 1963, the house was vacated by the Lithographic Technical Foundation, which moved its operations to Pittsburgh, and was narrowly saved from demolition when it was purchased from the Illinois Institute of Technology by a group of historic preservation advocates known as the Chicago Architecture Foundation in 1966. The house was subsequently restored and reopened as a museum in 1971.

 

The house was the last and most significant residential commission of Richardson’s career, with Richardson dying during the house’s construction at the age of 48. The house is notable for its solid and largely opaque facades facing the surrounding streets, creating a fortress-like quality, which contrasts with its translucent and more open facades facing the central courtyard. The precedent for this arrangement can be found in ancient Roman villas and Chinese Siheyuan houses, which often featured opaque facades towards the public rights-of-way next to them with small, minimal openings, with most of the spatial connection to exterior space being found in the central courtyards of these dwellings, with rooms being far more open to the courtyards than to the exterior, quite a departure from traditional European-American architecture. The exteiror of the house also takes precedent from Medieval architecture, especially the Romanesque movement of the early-to-mid-middle ages, which featured heavy masonry walls that required small window openings by necessity, though by the time the Glessner house and other Richardsonian Romanesque Revival-style buildings were designed with more modern structural methods, the utility of small window openings for structural support was no longer a requirement, instead, being utilized to create a sense of privacy and substantiality for a building.

 

The house features a rusticated sandstone exterior and wraps around a courtyard in the center that is open to the south side of the house, with the exterior facade facing the courtyard being clad in red brick with rusticated stone trim. The house features a side-gable roof with gable parapets, which is clad in red slate, with hipped dormers, multiple stone and brick chimneys, box gutters with copper downspouts, and conical roofs atop the towers. The exterior facade features small window openings with one-over-one double-hung windows, many of which on the second floor feature stone pillars with decorative capitals between the individual windows when arranged in groups, and some of which are so narrow as to be more readily classified as arrow slit openings, rather than as full-width window openings. The front door is demarcated by an arched transom beneath large voussoirs, and is flanked by ground-floor windows with a grid of nine openings on the exterior, which screen the wider and taller window bays behind them, with a carriageway on the south side of the Prairie Avenue facade that features a garage door. On the 18th Street facade, there is a recessed entry porch with a door turned perpendicular to the street, which opens to the street through a large archway beneath several large voussoirs, above which is a balcony with a small rectilinear opening, to the west of which is an attached rear carriage house with a double wooden carriage door, a small entrance door, and a rooftop cupola. The facades facing the courtyard feature larger window openings with stone sills and lintels, three semi-circular towers with conical roofs, with the courtyard feautring a large grassy lawn and paved walkways, which is enclosed on the south side by a brick wall that originally comprised the side facade of an adjacent house. Inside, the house features original woodwork, coffered ceilings, wooden floors, doors, fireplaces, wooden paneling, staircases, balustrades, plaster, and tile. The house has been furnished with period-appropriate items, as well as wallpaper, drapes, carpets and rugs, and were meticulously restored in the late 20th Century. Many antiques and works of art, significant items in their own right, were donated to the museum by the descendants of John J. Glessner to be returned to their original places within the house.

 

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a Chicago Landmark in 1970, and is a contributing structure in the Prairie Avenue District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 1976, the house was listed as a National Historic Landmark, owing to its major historical and architectural significance. In 1994, the nonprofit Glessner House Museum was established as an independent organization to serve as stewards of the house and manage the operations of the museum. The fully restored house today serves as a historic house museum, allowing visitors to experience one of the most significant surviving 19th Century mansions not only in Chicago or Illinois, but in the United States.

This is a photograph from the Tullamore Harriers AC "Quinlan Cup" Half Marathon was held on Saturday 30th August 2014 in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland at 12:00. This is the second year of the event. Last year, 2013, the event commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the formation of Tullamore Harriers AC which today is one of Ireland's best known athletics clubs. The race was perfectly organised. There were stewarts all along the route, 3 drink stations with bottled water, superb facilities, and great after-race refreshments. The stewards along the route provided great encouragement to all of the runners. Tullamore Harriers and the local community really worked together to make this is a wonderful event. There was also a relay option where teams of two can run approximately 10.5km each. In total 568 participants completed the race which is almost 150 more than the 2013 event.

 

Reading on a Smartphone or tablet? Don't forget to scroll down further to read more about this race and see important Internet links to other information about the race! You can also find out how to access and download these photographs.

  

Timing and event management was provided by Precision Timing. Results are available on their website at www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=2100 with additional material available on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/davidprecisiontiming?fref=ts) See their promotional video on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-7_TUVwJ6Q

 

This photograph is one of a set of photographs from the Tullamore Harriers Half Marathon 2014. The permanent link to the full set of photographs is [https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157646587496250/]. This set of photographs includes photographs of the start and then photographs of the finish up to the 2 HOUR finishing time.

 

As mentioned above last year this race marathon race celebrated the 60th Anniversary (a Diamond Anniversary) of the foundation of Tullamore Harriers AC. The club was formed in the town in November 1953. However, it was almost 1979 before facilities close to what we see today open in the present day site. Over 50 provincial and national athletics meetings are held at Tullamore Harriers every year. The facilities available combined with it's central geographical location joining routes from North, South, East, and West make it a very attractive venue. The half marathon today firmly brings competitive national road racing back to "The Harriers". In the past there was the famous Quinnlan Cup

Festival of Races (see a link below for some nostalgia) which was one of Ireland's Blue Ribband events with some very famous names of the past lining out for that four mile race. Today, the facilities at Tullamore Harriers are the envy of many athletics clubs in Ireland. The facilities provided by Tullamore make it one of the premier venues for local and national level athletics in Ireland. There is an Olympic standard tartan track, a fully equipped gym, changing facilities, press and media facilities, meeting room spaces, etc. The club also provides a social center and niteclub which makes "The Harriers" a very well known on the local social scene. Esssentially, the town of Tullamore would be a different place if it weren't for the presence of Tullamore Harriers AC.

 

Overall Race Summary

Participants: There was 568 participants of runners, joggers, and walkers.

Weather: The midday start seen warm pleasant conditions for running. The layout of the course meant that there was a stiff breeze into the face of competitors for the first few miles up to mile 6. When the race turned around to return to Tullamore the wind was somewhat more favourable to runners.

Course: The race starts on the Charleville Road just outside the entrance to Tullamore Harriers. The race proceeds south along the R421 and onto the N52 before taking a route onto local back roads. The race then completes a large rural road route before it joins to the R421 again and the final 1.5 miles are the same as the first mile of the race. The runners enter tullamore stadium and complete one lap of the tartan track before the finish line. The course is challenging in places with some undulations along the route. But overall it is fair course.

Location Map: Start/finish and registration and race HQ was all at Tullamore Harriers AC Club Grounds: goo.gl/maps/xZ4GM (Google Streetview)

Refreshments: There was a very impressive selection of refreshments including sandwiches, cakes, home-made breads, etc in the Harriers clubhouse afterwards. People were able to enjoy their post race refreshments outside in the warm pleasant sunshine.

  

Some Useful Links related to the race

Our photographs from the 2013 Quinlan Cup Half Marathon: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157635307620452/

Youtube PhotoVideo from 2013 race: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjbiHE5Eb5I

Another YouTube PhotoVideo from the 2013 race: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgCljXrl0BM

A long youtube video showing footage of the race in 2013 and the after-race ceremony: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Qg1gqRT9Y

2014 Race Results are available from PRECISION TIMING: www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=2136

2013 Race Results are available from PRECISION TIMING: www.precisiontiming.net/result.aspx?v=1448

Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/547723028583924/

The Tullamore Harriers AC Website: www.tullamoreharriers.com/

The Tullamore Harriers Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tullamore.harriers (Facebook logon required)

Quinlan Cup EVENT PAGE on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Tullamore-Half-Marathon-Quinlan-Cu...

The Tullamore Harriers Half Marathon ROUTE on MapMyRun: www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/217165415

The Boards.ie Athletics Discussion Thread on the 2014 Race: www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057254069&p...

The Boards.ie Athletics Discussion Thread on the 2013 Race: www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056942637

Read about Tullamore Town on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullamore

Quinlan Cup 1997: ireland.iol.ie/~ar5meade/quinlan97.htm

The Entrace to Tullamore Harriers AC Club Grounds: goo.gl/maps/xZ4GM (Google Streetview)

An Aerial Image of the Facilities of Tullamore Harriers AC: binged.it/12UPZ9N (Bing Aerial BirdsEye )

Can I use these photographs directly from Flickr on my social media account(s)?

  

Can I use these photographs directly from Flickr on my social media account(s)?

 

Yes - of course you can! Flickr provides several ways to share this and other photographs in this Flickr set. You can share to: email, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, LiveJournal, and Wordpress and Blogger blog sites. Your mobile, tablet, or desktop device will also offer you several different options for sharing this photo page on your social media outlets.

 

We take these photographs as a hobby and as a contribution to the running community in Ireland. Our only "cost" is our request that if you are using these images: (1) on social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter,LinkedIn, Google+, etc or (2) other websites, blogs, web multimedia, commercial/promotional material that you must provide a link back to our Flickr page to attribute us.

 

This also extends the use of these images for Facebook profile pictures. In these cases please make a separate wall or blog post with a link to our Flickr page. If you do not know how this should be done for Facebook or other social media please email us and we will be happy to help suggest how to link to us.

 

I want to download these pictures to my computer or device?

 

You can download the photographic image here direct to your computer or device. This version is the low resolution web-quality image. How to download will vary slight from device to device and from browser to browser. However - look for a symbol with three dots 'ooo' or the link to 'View/Download' all sizes. When you click on either of these you will be presented with the option to download the image. Remember just doing a right-click and "save target as" will not work on Flickr.

 

I want get full resolution, print-quality, copies of these photographs?

 

If you just need these photographs for online usage then they can be used directly once you respect their Creative Commons license and provide a link back to our Flickr set if you use them. For offline usage and printing all of the photographs posted here on this Flickr set are available free, at no cost, at full image resolution.

 

Please email petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com with the links to the photographs you would like to obtain a full resolution copy of. We also ask race organisers, media, etc to ask for permission before use of our images for flyers, posters, etc. We reserve the right to refuse a request.

 

In summary please remember when requesting photographs from us - If you are using the photographs online all we ask is for you to provide a link back to our Flickr set or Flickr pages. You will find the link above clearly outlined in the description text which accompanies this photograph. Taking these photographs and preparing them for online posting does take a significant effort and time. We are not posting photographs to Flickr for commercial reasons. If you really like what we do please spread the link around your social media, send us an email, leave a comment beside the photographs, send us a Flickr email, etc. If you are using the photographs in newspapers or magazines we ask that you mention where the original photograph came from.

 

I would like to contribute something for your photograph(s)?

Many people offer payment for our photographs. As stated above we do not charge for these photographs. We take these photographs as our contribution to the running community in Ireland. If you feel that the photograph(s) you request are good enough that you would consider paying for their purchase from other photographic providers or in other circumstances we would suggest that you can provide a donation to any of the great charities in Ireland who do work for Cancer Care or Cancer Research in Ireland.

 

We use Creative Commons Licensing for these photographs

We use the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License for all our photographs here in this photograph set. What does this mean in reality?

The explaination is very simple.

Attribution- anyone using our photographs gives us an appropriate credit for it. This ensures that people aren't taking our photographs and passing them off as their own. This usually just mean putting a link to our photographs somewhere on your website, blog, or Facebook where other people can see it.

ShareAlike – anyone can use these photographs, and make changes if they like, or incorporate them into a bigger project, but they must make those changes available back to the community under the same terms.

 

Creative Commons aims to encourage creative sharing. See some examples of Creative Commons photographs on Flickr: www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

 

I ran in the race - but my photograph doesn't appear here in your Flickr set! What gives?

 

As mentioned above we take these photographs as a hobby and as a voluntary contribution to the running community in Ireland. Very often we have actually ran in the same race and then switched to photographer mode after we finished the race. Consequently, we feel that we have no obligations to capture a photograph of every participant in the race. However, we do try our very best to capture as many participants as possible. But this is sometimes not possible for a variety of reasons:

 

     ►You were hidden behind another participant as you passed our camera

     ►Weather or lighting conditions meant that we had some photographs with blurry content which we did not upload to our Flickr set

     ►There were too many people - some races attract thousands of participants and as amateur photographs we cannot hope to capture photographs of everyone

     ►We simply missed you - sorry about that - we did our best!

  

You can email us petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com to enquire if we have a photograph of you which didn't make the final Flickr selection for the race. But we cannot promise that there will be photograph there. As alternatives we advise you to contact the race organisers to enquire if there were (1) other photographs taking photographs at the race event or if (2) there were professional commercial sports photographers taking photographs which might have some photographs of you available for purchase. You might find some links for further information above.

 

Don't like your photograph here?

That's OK! We understand!

 

If, for any reason, you are not happy or comfortable with your picture appearing here in this photoset on Flickr then please email us at petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com and we will remove it as soon as possible. We give careful consideration to each photograph before uploading.

 

I want to tell people about these great photographs!

Great! Thank you! The best link to spread the word around is probably http://www.flickr.com/peterm7/sets

 

GOVERNOR TOMBLIN ANNOUNCES RECORDS MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION GRANTS

Recipients in 41 counties receive a total of $708,875 in grant funding

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (March 18, 2014) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced the awarding of $708,875 in grant funds to recipients in 41 West Virginia counties. Funding was allocated in the form of State Development Grants, Survey and Planning Grants, and Records Management and Preservation Grants.

 

“The Mountain State is full of records, archives, and landmark structures that play an important role in defining our state’s history,” Gov. Tomblin said. “Together, this grant funding, will help enhance access to public records and maintain historic infrastructure around the state - ensuring stories of West Virginia’s past are preserved and able to be passed down for generations to come.”

 

The total grant funding was allocated as follows:

 

The State Development Grant Program is for rehabilitation of properties that are either listed on the National Register of Historic Places or are contributing properties in a historic district or/and archaeological development of a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The funding source for this grant program is appropriated by the West Virginia Legislature, through Lottery Funds. Recipients of State Development Grants include:

 

Alpine Heritage Preservation

$12,600

To assist with truss repair on the Cottrill’s Opera House in Thomas, Tucker County.

 

Bluefield Preservation Society, Inc.

$25,000

To assist with the repair/replacement of the roof on the Granada Theater in Bluefield, Mercer County.

 

Corporation of Shepherdstown

$19,153

To assist with repair to the roof, gutters and brick corbelling on the Mecklenburg Tobacco Warehouse in Shepherdstown, Jefferson County.

 

Fort Henry LLC

$25,000

To assist with window repair on the Fort Henry Club Building in Wheeling, Ohio County.

 

Friends of Wheeling, Inc.

$14,431

To assist with roof replacement on the Robert W. Hazlett House in Wheeling, Ohio County.

 

Fuzzy Mammoth Development, LLC

$16,533

To assist with the repair of the accent band, coping and masonry on the Spadafore Building in Fairmont, Marion County.

 

Greenbrier Historical Society

$25,000

To stabilize the foundation of the Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion in Blue Sulphur, Greenbrier County.

 

Harrison County Historical Society

$12,600

To assist with repair of the sill and foundation on the Stealey-Goff Vance House in Clarksburg, Harrison County.

 

Joshua Vance

$25,000

To assist with the repair of the roof, gutters and structural framing of the Beverly Flats Building in Shepherdstown, Jefferson County.

 

Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, Inc.

$25,000

To assist with the repair of the marquee on the Keith-Albee Theater in Huntington, Cabell County.

 

W. Blaine McVicker

$9,000

To assist with the roof on the Duncan Funeral Home in Davis, Tucker County.

 

The Survey and Planning Grant Program is for conducting architectural/archaeological surveys, National Register nominations, predevelopment plans, heritage education projects, etc. The funding source for this grant program is the Historic Preservation Fund, National Park Service. Recipients of Survey and Planning Grants include:

 

Berkeley County Historic Landmark Commission

$15,837

To assist with creation of a digital replication of the existing Historic Driving Tour of Berkeley County.

 

Beverly Historic Landmark Commission

$3,500

To assist with an educational training workshop to share the basics about historic preservation theory and information about the duties for local landmark commissions.

 

Charleston Historic Landmark Commission

$3,750

To assist with an archaeological survey of the Glenwood Estate on the west side of Charleston, Kanawha County.

 

City of Fairmont/Fairmont Preservation Review Commission

$15,974

To transform the Fairmont Design Guidelines into a user friendly graphically illustrated program to encourage their citizens to utilize the services of their Commission.

 

City of Morgantown/Historic Landmark Commission

$7,000

To conduct an intensive research, identification and inventory of stone walls and other stone edifices in the Morgan District of Monongalia County.

 

Corporation of Shepherdstown

$10,000

To develop drawings and specifications to turn the Entler-Weltzheimer House in Shepherdstown, Jefferson County into a center for preservation education.

 

Greenbrier County Commission

$7,000

To complete the architectural survey of Greenbrier County.

 

Hampshire County Commission

$7,000

To prepare two individual National Register nominations for properties in Hampshire County.

 

Wheeling Historic Landmark Commission

$7,000

To prepare a Historic Structures Report on the Forbes and Robb Mausoleums in the Mt. Wood Cemetery in Wheeling, Ohio County.

 

The Records Management and Preservation Grant Program is administered through the Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) and includes projects to improve management, storage conditions, access, and preservation of public records held in county offices. Funding for the grants program comes from filing fees collected by county clerks and deposited in the special Public Records and Preservation Account. Recipients of Records Management and Preservation Grants include:

 

Barbour County Commission

$13,549

To digitize pre-1985 assessor’s copies of the land books; and to purchase a color scanner for the county clerk’s office.

 

Berkeley County Council

$19,492

To index digital images of case files in the circuit clerk’s office; digitize and rebind the original grantor/grantee index books; and recover will, plat, and deed index books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Boone County Commission

$10,000

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk’s office.

 

Braxton County Commission

$8,103

To purchase open steel shelving and archival cubic foot records storage boxes for the sheriff’s and circuit clerk’s offices; and to repair and encapsulate the assessor’s copies of land books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Calhoun County Commission

$12,429

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project; and to rebind and encapsulate birth, death, and deed books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Fayette County Commission

$22,243

To purchase open steel shelving for all county government long-term records located in the county commission’s records storage facility; and to purchase moveable track shelving for improved case file management in the prosecuting attorney’s office.

 

Grant County Commission

$8,628

To scan and index case files; and to purchase a color scanner and high-volume shredder for the prosecuting attorney’s office.

 

Greenbrier County Commission

$14,409

To scan deed index books; to restore and encapsulate the assessor’s copies of land books in the county clerk’s office; and to digitize tax parcel maps cards in the assessor’s office.

 

Hampshire County Commission

$4,455

To restore and digitize the earliest will books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Hardy County Commission

$12,046

To restore and encapsulate 1791-1799 county court records in the county clerk’s office; and to scan and index chancery case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Harrison County Commission

$10,000

To digitize the assessor’s copies of land books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Jackson County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Kanawha County Commission

$32,814

To purchase a color scanner and to scan and index pre-1999 records in the county clerk’s office; to scan and index order books; and to purchase roller shelving for improved storage of these records in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Lewis County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Lincoln County Commission

$14,227

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project; and to restore and encapsulate land books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Marion County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index the earliest handwritten birth, death, and marriage records in the county clerk’s office.

 

Mason County Commission

$14,611

To digitize the assessor’s copies of land books and maps; and to purchase a color scanner in the county clerk’s office.

 

McDowell County Commission

$10,000

To purchase Mylar sleeves and map cabinets for improved storage of the county clerk’s survey maps.

 

Mercer County Commission

$18,023

To digitize military discharge records and purchase public access computers in the county clerk’s office; and to purchase moveable track shelving for long-term inactive case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Mingo County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index order books in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Monongalia County Commission

$18,431

To purchase color scanners in the county clerk’s and prosecuting attorney’s offices; and a high-volume, cross-cut shredder for the sheriff’s office.

 

Monroe County Commission

$20,000

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk’s office; and to scan and index case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Morgan County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index case files in the prosecuting attorney’s office; and to scan and index map cards in the assessor’s office.

 

Nicholas County Commission

$16,126

To restore and encapsulate the assessor’s copies of land books in the county clerk’s office; and to purchase moveable track shelving for long term case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Pendleton County Commission

$4,955

To digitize deed, release, and trust deed books; and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate 1788-1850 location and will books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Putnam County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index deed books in the county clerk’s office; and to scan and index map and homestead cards in the assessor’s office.

 

Raleigh County Commission

$5,124

To purchase shelving for improved storage of homestead cards, a public access computer for the records room, and Mylar sleeves to encapsulate the county’s maps in the assessor’s office.

 

Ritchie County Commission

$5,864

To purchase roller shelving for deed, lease, and will index books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Roane County Commission

$5,559

To purchase shelving for improved storage of land and financial records in the sheriff’s office.

 

Summers County Commission

$10,000

To digitize handwritten deed index and map books; and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate deed books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Tucker County Commission

$9,409

To digitize plat books, and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate the assessor’s copies of land books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Upshur County Commission

$10,000

To scan and index chancery and law case files in the circuit clerk’s office.

 

Wayne County Commission

$12,000

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project; to encapsulate the assessor’s copies of land books; and to purchase public access computers in the county clerk’s office.

 

Wood County Commission

$10,000

To index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk’s office.

 

Wyoming County Commission

$10,000

To digitize the earliest will, judgment, and appraisal books in the county clerk’s office.

 

Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

The former Larrick's Tavern located at 7793 Main Street (US 11) in Middletown, Virginia. The former restaurant, built in the 18th century, is designated as a contributing property to the Middletown Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2003. The tavern was the subject of a Julian Scott 1897 painting, In The Court Of Larrick's Tavern.

 

Via the Middletown Historic District's NRHP nomination form:

"7793 Main St. Larrick's Tavern (historic name), 1750-1760: ca 1780-1810: ca 1870-1900 Two-story brick and frame on stone foundation with standing-seam metal roof. Rear one-story frame wing. Porch is Folk Victorian style with chamfered columns on short wood piers, sawn brackets, scrolls in its eaves, and plain entablature, with hipped, standing-seam metal roof. Substantial alterations to the building have caused lost integrity of design, materials and workmanship."

A 38 year old man presented with dark bluish discoloration on the left side of his forehead that progressed to involve the right side. There was pigmentation of the sclera of both eyes. The histopathological picture was compatible with nevus of Ota by presence of elongated dendritic melanocytes scattered with collagen bundles extending around the hair follicles.

 

Contributed by Dr. Asmaa Gaber Abdou, Menoufiya University, Egypt.

(for further pictures please go to the link at the end of page!)

Krems an der Donau (Stein)

Community Krems at the Danube

www.krems.gv.at

History

Stein, copper engraving, Georg Matthäus Vischer, 1672

© IMAREAL, Austrian Academy of Sciences

The twin city of Krems-Stein in 1995 celebrating the 1000 year jubilee, is one of the oldest cities in Austria. The terrace formation, the favorable climate and location at the crossroads of the Danube trade route with the north-south connections from the Waldviertel (Wood district) and the wine district (Weinviertel) favored for thousands of years the colonization of the area and contributed essentially to the development as a center in the Danube region.

For a far into the early days reaching settlement tradition speak finds from the Paleolithic (Hundssteig, Wachtberg, 30000-25000 BC), from the Neolithic period (ceramic cultures), but also the special role of the region in the Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture (1800-1500 BC) as well as traces of the urn field culture of the late Bronze Age and the Hallstatt culture (800-400 BC). In the La Tène period settled here probably celticized groups, in the Roman period the area belonged since the beginning of the second Century to the sphere of influence of the Germanic Marcomanni. According to the biography of Saint Severin ("Vita Severini") the center of the Germanic Rugians in the second half of the 5th Century probably lay in the area of Krems-Stein, for the next century the cemetery in Unter-Rohrendorf proves the presence of the Lombards.

First time mentioned by name Krems is in a charter of Emperor Otto III of 9th August 995 as orientalis urbs que dicitur Chremisa - as a fortified place in the East which is named the Chremisa. The settlement then lay on the eastern border of the small Mark Ostarrîchi in close proximity to Moravia, but soon it grew beyond the castle district and developed in the 11th Century to a market settlement around the High market (Hoher Markt). Since 1014 Krems was due to a Royal donation (Königsschenkung) parish. The sister city of Stein is only in the second half of the 11th century (1072) named. Its center was the to parish Krems belonging Michael Church. Stone primarily was a toll and loading berth for salt, wine and grain. From skipper settlement arose a market and in the 12th Century a town settlement (since 1144). The character as a city of Krems is yet a little earlier for the year 1136 proven.

The position at the Danube the two cities had assigned their complementary functions: Stein lay directly at the stream and became toll and landing place for ships, had but due to the rising hillsides little space for large commercial and market places and construction activity. Krems, however, was cut by tributaries and floodplains from the main stream, but offered plenty of space for colonization and markets as well as the protection of a mighty castle.

Around 1150 Krems was the most important commercial center in the country. In the tower of the town castle of Krems at the steep slope of the High market between 1130-190 the first Babenberg coin, the Kremser penny, was minted. On the world map of the Arab scholar Idrisi Krems is named before Vienna, which only in subsequent time should surpass Krems. The city's growth ​​probably already in the first half of the 12th Century the relocation of the parish of St. Stephen's Church on woman mountain (Frauenberg - now Piaristenkirche) to the foot of the mountain made necessary where the new Vitus church became parish. End of the 12th Century Krems was surrounded by a city wall, 1196 the first city judge is testified. The city has been expanded several times and extended in the late Middle Ages from the Steiner Tor in the west to the Krems river in the east. The Dominican monastery, founded in 1236 was initially outside the city.

Stein evolved from the high terrace in the direction of Nicholas church, which in 1283 was elevated into the status of a parish. In the late Middle Ages, the area between Landstraße and the Danube was built-up and the city in the area of the in 1223/1224 founded Minorits monastery (consecration of the church in 1264) and between Reisperbach and Linzertor extended.

Both cities since the beginning of the 12th Century were princely and complemented each other as land and Danube trading venues. Their close relationship has led to a unique construction as a twin city. Both cities had a civic community with its own military and financial sovereignty, but had a common municipal law (1305) and a common municipal judge and later mayor (since 1416). 1463 Emperor Frederick III the two cities conferred a common coat of arms, the imperial double-headed eagle in gold on a black background. In addition to Krems-Stein only Wiener Neustadt and Vienna had the privilege to lead the double eagle. The union of the cities existed until 1849, after 90 years of independence of Stein, in 1939 took place the recent merger.

The economic boom in the late Middle Ages was based on the viticulture and trade with wine, salt and iron. In Stein shipping formed a significant economic factor. 1463 Stein received by the Emperor Frederick III the privilege to build a fixed bridge, the second oldest after Vienna in the area of the Austrian course of the Danube river.

From the richness and self-conciousness of the citizenship testifies the in 1265 built "Gozzoburg" of the mighty city judge Gozzo of Krems, a castle-like town house with loggia. The appearance of both cities is characterised of the numerous houses from the 15th and 16th century, which are designed with bay windows, sgraffito and paintings and as well as arcade courtyards inside. A characteristic of both cities are the since the High Middle Ages profable "vintage courtyards" of monasteries and bishoprics, which were used to store wine and served for the administration of the monastic possessions, such as the Passau courtyards, the Kremsmünstererhof or the Göttweigerhof. The Göttweigerhofkapelle (chapel) is equipped with valuable frescoes from the early 14th Century. About 1500 Krems through the work of the Augsburg artist Jörg Breu became a center of the Danube School.

Since the second half of the 16th Century Krems was mostly Protestant. The resistance of the citizens against the recatholicization in 1593 led to the loss of all privileges. It was not until 1615 as Emperor Matthias cancelled the harsh verdict and restored the independence of the city. A big part in the Catholic restoration played the in 1616 settled Jesuits who ran the school and by their theater performances became famous. In addition to the Jesuit college emerged in the time of the Counter-Reformation the Capuchin Monastery Und (1614) and the early Baroque new building of the Kremser parish church, in which renowned Italian artists took part.

The 17th Century due to the shift of international trade routes and the decline of the importance of the Danube trade brought an economic downturn. Severe damages the city suffered in 1645 by the Swedes, who besieged Krems, conquered and extended it to the main fortress, and by the reconquest a year later. It was only after 1700 as a upswing set in again, which found its expression in the Baroque style of the city. Employers for the resident artists or handicrafts were the big monasteries of the country. One of the most important painters of this period was Martin Johann Schmidt, the Kremser Schmidt, until his death (1801) in Stein maintaining a painting workshop.

In the second half of the 18th Century changed the ecclesiastical structures of the city. The since 1616 the Jesuits transmitted Frauenberg church was taken over by the Piarists in 1776 after the abolition of the Order (1773). 1783 the Dominican Monastery, 1796 the Minorit's monastery and the Capuchin monastery was abolished and profaned.

The biggest change of the cityscape since the Middle Ages took place in the 19th Century by the removal of the ramparts and the city gates. Remained except for remnants of the wall only the Steinertor (gate), which became the symbol of the city. Of the in the course of industrialization established factories of importance were the leather factory in Rehberg, the factory for the manufacturing of mats and rugs made ​​of coconut fibres in Stein and the first quartz millstone factory of Austria. Great reputation also enjoyed the organ builders Zachistal, Capek and Hradetzky and the Kremser bell founders, including Matthias Prininger, Ferdinand Vötterlechner and Johann Gottlieb Jenichen. In the last third of the century followed the connection to the railway network, 1909, the Donauuferbahn (railway line along the Danube) was opened.

After the Second World War - on 2nd April 1945, there was heavy bombing - succeeded the city to preserve the architectural heritage largely in its original state and to connect it with modernity. The successful revitalization already received international recognition, Krems in 1975, 1979 and 2009 was Europa Nostra award winner. The city with the "Art Mile" in Stein (Kunsthalle, Museum of Caricature and Artothek), the Danube Festival and numerous cultural events developed to one of the most important cultural centers in Lower Austria .

The art treasures of the city as well as tradition and the history of wine-growing presents the "museumkrems" in the former Dominican church. Which the in 1994 founded and in 1995 opened "Danube University", Krems became 13th Austrian university town and is since 2002 the seat of a University of Applied Sciences (International Management Center). With the since 1998 annually realized Wachau Marathon Krems itself also could established as a "sports city".

In the 1970s, the city once again experienced a major expansion. In 1972 joined the community of Hollenburg Krems. The once separating Danube became the connecting element between the urban north and the "orchard" in the south. Meanwhile, the "Southtown" became integral part of the city, but could maintain its rural character.

Krems has partnerships with cities in Denmark, Germany, France, Czech Republic and the USA.

geschichte.landesmuseum.net/index.asp?contenturl=http://g...

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

Statue of Admiral David G. Farragut

 

•U.S. National Register of Historic Places

•Contributing Property to U.S. Historic District

•Part of: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

•NRHP Reference #: 78000257

•Added to NRHP: September 20, 1978

•Location: Farragut Square, Washington, D.C., United States

•Coordinates: 38.901944°N 77.038972°W

•Designer: Vinnie Ream

•Material: Bronze (sculpture); Granite (base)

•Length: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Width: 3 feet (0.91 m)

•Height: 10 feet (3.0 m)

•Opening date: April 25, 1881

•Dedicated to: David Farragut

 

Admiral David G. Farragut is a statue in Washington, D.C. honoring David Farragut, a career military officer who served as the first admiral in the United States Navy. The monument is sited in the center of Farragut Square, a city square in downtown Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by female artist Vinnie Ream, whose best known works include a statue of Abraham Lincoln and several statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The monument was dedicated in 1881 in an extravagant ceremony attended by President James A. Garfield, members of his cabinet, and thousands of spectators. It was the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero.

 

The statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bronze statue, which rests on a granite base, was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers and not from enemy cannon like most Civil War monuments in the city. The monument and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

History

 

Background

 

David Farragut (1801–1870) was a career military officer who first saw combat during the War of 1812 at the age of 9. He served on the USS Essex and was captured by the British. After the war, Farragut fought pirates in the West Indies on the ship USS Ferret, his first command of a United States Navy vessel. He also fought in the Mexican–American War and oversaw the construction of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Although Farragut and his wife were Southerners, they remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War. His success in capturing New Orleans resulted in Farragut being honored with a new title created by the Navy, rear admiral. He continued to have great success in defeating Confederate forces, most notably at the Battle of Mobile Bay, where he uttered his famous phrase “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Following the war, President Andrew Johnson promoted Farragut to admiral, the first U.S. naval officer to receive the title.

 

Soon after Farragut’s death in 1870, there were calls for a memorial to honor the naval hero. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks introduced a resolution in Congress for the erection of a monument to Farragut. The resolution stated that the statue was to be “after a design molded from life”, a subtle caveat intended to assist someone Banks already had in mind to create the statue, sculptor Horatio Stone of Washington, D.C., who claimed to have met Farragut and had already begun working on a statue. Bank’s resolution was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, where the committee chose to hold a competition, much to the dismay of Stone. Sculptors were only given sixty days to submit models of the statue, but when the congressional act approving the monument passed on April 16, 1872, the resolution was amended and the deadline for design submissions was extended by nine months.

 

Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), a sculptor who at age nineteen had received the first government commission ever granted a female artist when she created a bust of President Abraham Lincoln, began working on a bust of Farragut, whom she had met several times. Farragut’s widow, Virginia, admired Ream’s design and became a strong advocate for the artist’s model to be selected. Virginia wrote letters of endorsement to committee members and supplied Ream with the names of Farragut’s friends so that they too would offer their endorsements to the committee. There were thirteen artists who submitted models with Ream being the only woman. Their designs were displayed in the basement of the United States Capitol and several were severely criticized by the press, most notably the models by J. Wilson MacDonald, Randolph Rogers, and Edward Watson.

 

Stone and Ream’s model received the most praise. Stone’s model was praised by several naval officers who called it “true to life” and “unsurpassed by similar works.” Ream’s model received praise from several high profile individuals, most notably President Ulysses S. Grant, who called it “first rate”. Admiral David Dixon Porter said the model “of Miss Vinnie Ream is the only likeness in the lot.” General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was reportedly infatuated with Ream, also became a strong advocate for her model. He wrote to the committee that “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness, and recalled the memory of the Admiral’s face and figure more perfectly than any other model there on exhibition.” The decision by the committee ultimately ended in a three-way tie between Ream, Stone, and MacDonald. The project stalled until the next Congress convened in 1874. A commission to select the winning model was created and consisted of Virginia, Sherman, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson. Virginia and Sherman voted to approve Ream’s design, though Robeson refused to accept the result and tried in vain to convince Virginia to change her mind. Two months after the vote, Robeson relented and Ream’s model was officially selected.

 

Ream was awarded $20,000 for the design and worked on the statue for the next few years. She consulted Virginia and incorporated her suggestions, much to the delight of Virginia. In 1879, Ream announced that the model was ready to be cast and that the process would take place at the Washington Navy Yard, which had never before cast such a large statue. She continued to perfect the model while at the Navy Yard, much to the delight of the sailors. Although many of the city’s statues of military heroes were cast from captured enemy cannon, Farragut’s statue was cast from the USS Hartford bronze propellers that were removed and shipped to the Navy Yard. The amount of bronze yielded from the propellers was enough not only for the statue, but the four mortars on the corners of the statue base.

 

The site chosen for the statue was Farragut Square, a park renamed in honor of the admiral shortly after his death. The original dedication date, March 4, 1881, was pushed back because the statue base wasn’t ready. The base did not arrive until April 20, five days before the dedication, resulting in Ream’s husband, Lieutenant Richard L. Hoxie, working around the clock with a crew of workers to make sure the site was ready. The base was completed and statue erected just hours before the ceremony began.

 

Dedication

 

The statue was dedicated at 1 pm on April 25, 1881, becoming the first monument erected in Washington, D.C. in honor of a naval war hero. Government employees were dismissed at noon, the same time a procession began at the base of Capitol Hill. The military contingent, led by Commodore Charles H. Baldwin, moved west on Pennsylvania Avenue, where houses were decorated with bunting, and past the White House, before heading north on Connecticut Avenue. The homes surrounding the square were decorated with streamers and flags. Nearly 4,000 invited guests, including members of the Grand Army of the Republic and fellow sailors who served alongside Farragut, listened to John Philip Sousa conduct the Marine Band as they filled three temporary stands that were built on three sides of the statue. Distinguished guests included President James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, members of the President’s cabinet, Virginia Farragut, and Ream.

 

An opening prayer was led by Reverend Arthur Brooks followed by the statue being unveiled by two members of Farragut’s Hartford crew, Quartermaster C. B. Knowles and Boatswain James Wiley. When the statue was unveiled, the Marine Band began playing a march and a seventeen gun salute was fired from nearby Lafayette Square. Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt then introduced the President, who formally accepted the statue on behalf of the American people and gave a brief address. He stated: “Today we come to hail this hero, who comes from the sea, down from the shrouds of his flagship, wreathed with the smoke and glory of victory, bringing 60 years of national life and honor, to take his place as an honored compatriot and perpetual guardian of his Nation’s glory. In the name of the Nation I accept this noble statue, and his country will guard it as he guarded his country.” Speeches were then given by former Postmaster General Horace Maynard and Senator Daniel W. Voorhees followed by the Marine Band playing “Hail to the Chief” and another seventeen gun salute. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the military procession saluted the statue as they marched back down Connecticut Avenue, past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Later History

 

The Farragut statue is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1978, and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not an equestrian sculpture. The others are the Dupont Circle Fountain, Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Brigadier General Albert Pike and General John A. Rawlins. The monument and park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

 

Design and Location

 

The statue is located in the center of Farragut Square, a park in downtown Washington, D.C., bordered by K Street (north), I Street (south), and 17th Street NW (east and west). Two sidewalks bisect the park from the northwest to southeast corners, running along either side of the statue, on axis with Connecticut Avenue. Another sidewalk leads from the northeast to southwest corners and runs along the statue. A small, ornamental iron fence surrounds the statue base.

 

The bronze statue measures 10 ft (3.0 m) tall, 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, and 3 ft (0.91 m) long. Farragut is depicted in his military uniform and standing on the deck of his ship, facing south towards the White House. His right knee is bent as his right foot rests on a capstan. He is holding a telescope with both hands. The base, made of granite from Rockland, Maine, is 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, 18 ft (5.5 m) long, and 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. It is a square, three-tiered base with a chopped mortar on each corner. The inscription “FARRAGUT” is on the front of the base. Inside the base is a box containing documents related to Farragut’s career, a history of the sculpture, a copy of the Army and Navy Register, and a bronze model of the propeller used to cast the statue and mortars.

The Famagusta Walled City Association (MASDER) is an initiative that aims to turn the Famagusta Walled City into an attractive and appealing spot for visitors, through various efforts and programs that will make such efforts sustainable.

 

MASDER is an initiative created to contribute to the cultural, tourism-related, socio-economic and social development of the Walled City.

 

MASDER believes that numerous historical artifacts found in the Walled City of Famagusta belonging to various civilizations are the most important assets of both Famagusta and the Turkish Cypriot Community, and aims at protecting and promoting such assets.

 

MASDER aims at turning the Walled City of Famagusta into a preferred destination for tourists as well as for local visitors by drawing their attention to the historical places in the Walled City.

 

MASDER, as a legal entity, shall not have any affiliation with any political party or undertake any political activity.

 

In order to fulfill its objectives, MASDER will plan cultural and art related, traditional, folkloric activities and implement them.

 

MASDER will work in collaboration with organizations and associations/institutions having similar aims in order to organize such activities.

 

MASDER will regularly organize events to this end and conduct lobbying activities to increase awareness on the Walled City of Famagusta vis-à-vis the public bodies and institutions regarding other aims.

 

MASDER will provide support for different projects that will directly or indirectly contribute to the Famagusta Walled City.

 

MASDER will develop projects for the activities that will take place in the Walled City and find funding for them.

 

MASDER is firmly attached to the environmental assets and will play an effective role in the introduction of measures to protect the environment as well as raise awareness in this regard. MASDER undertakes or has access to a wealth of scientific and historical research related to the basic principles mentioned above or implement them in order to improve Famagusta and achieve the basic aims stated above.

 

Another mission of MASDER is to develop projects in order to protect the historical assets of the Walled City, to draw the attention of the competent authorities, as well as international donors, to the Walled City.

 

MASDER has received technical assistance and support from the Economic Development and Growth for Enterprises (EDGE) project, which is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Like all U.S. funded programs in Cyprus, EDGE’s activities are aimed at facilitating reunification, including through the responsible management of natural and cultural resources.

 

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

Hype Machine asked me to contribute an illustration for their 2010 Music Blog Zeitgeist. Which is a collection of the very best music of 2010 as picked by music bloggers. Featuring original artwork, full album streams, and DJ mixes.

 

Surfer Blood put out one of my favorite albums of the year so I was happy to do this one!

The Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. Field Training Sessions took place at the Goddard Space Flight Center during The 17th GLOBE Annual Partner Meeting

 

Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk

 

NASA image use policy.

 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

 

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Contributed by my son, who shoots with an OMD-E M10.