Weeda Stamps: News


FOX TALES ON STAMPS Edition #499 Friday, June 25, 2010
Greenwich
	A trip we very much enjoyed while in London was a Thames cruise down to Greenwich. We started out from the dock just downstream from Westminster Bridge and Big Ben. The middle of the Thames is certainly an interesting vantage point for viewing the infamous Traitors' Gate which used to lead into the Tower of London. Permanently moored just upstream from the Tower Bridge is the HMS Belfast, famous WWII and Korean War Royal Navy light cruiser. It is presently a museum ship run by the Imperial War Museum. For more info on this storied and battle-scarred warship, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belfast_(C35). London is truly the City on the Thames. In this photo you can see several famous landmarks including the Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Post Office Tower, all within sight of the river. The river Thames, as far up as Richmond, is very much a tidal river. This picture was taken at low tide. You can see for yourself how big the difference is between this and the high tide line. As we approached Greenwich the magnificence of the Christopher Wren designed buildings becomes readily apparent. Originally built as a Naval Hospital for sailors and naval pensioners, the Royal Naval College took over the grounds in 1873. In 1998 the Royal Navy departed, handing over management to the Greenwich Foundation. These buildings are considered to be masterpieces of English Baroque architecture. To read more about these historic grounds, see http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/. This 5 tonne Turkish cannon was originally captured by Admiral Sir John Duckworth from the island of Kinaliada in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul in 1807. The gun's carriage was later manufactured by the Royal Arsenal incorporating plaques commemorating British Naval victories during the Battles of Nile and Trafalgar. This expressive lion is made from Coade stone, a type of ceramic popular in the late 1700 and early 1800s. Much of the Georgian statuary in London is made of this extremely durable material. The Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre is a recently opened, free exhibition hall which through its many interactive displays gives one a truly rich and evocative Greenwich experience. Prior to the Christopher Wren hospital, the site was occupied by Greenwich Palace, one of King Henry VIII's favourite homes. Queen Elizabeth I was born at Greenwich Palace and during her reign many voyages of discovery were officially launched from this site. This is a model of what the palace looked like during Elizabeth's reign. All dressed up and no ships in port. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich was commissioned by Charles II in 1675. It has over the centuries been a centre for timekeeping and navigational research. To read about the importance of this world heritage site, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observatory,_Greenwich. The architecture of this observatory building is most impressive. A bit of old, a bit of new. In the foreground is the roof of the state of the art Peter Harrison Planetarium, in the background the weathervane atop the old observatory building. Here's a link to the official site for the Observatory - http://www.nmm.ac.uk/. I think we're getting closer to our goal. Finally, astride the Prime Meridian. Now it all makes sense. The famous Shepherd 24 hour clock. This was one of the first electric clocks. One can only imagine how the view from this hill has changed over the centuries and wonder at what Naval spectacles unfolded on the banks of the Thames at this spot. James Wolfe, victor of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, was born in 1727. Here once again he stands above large numbers of French lying at his feet. This time though, they are Parisian high school students on a field trip. Here's his biography on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wolfe This commemorative inscription on the back of the statue's pedestal suffered some damage from German bombs during the Blitz of WWII. Wolfe's family moved into this Greenwich estate in 1738. Wolfe joined his father's 1st Marine Regiment at the age of thirteen. J.M.W. Turner, the English Romantic landscape artist, often came to Greenwich's One Tree Hill for inspiration. Here I am at the hill and this is the only tree in sight. Read about the painter's life at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._W._Turner. This is what the view from One Tree Hill looks like today. Admiral Horatio Nelson, hero of Trafalgar, lay in state at Greenwich after having been provisionally pickled in Navy rum after his death on the deck of the HMS Victory. How fitting that his statue adorn the courtyard of an aptly named local pub.
The Salvation Army Quiz
	We show you a minute portion of the design of a postage stamp. You have to determine which stamp it is. Send us an email with your answer. We hold a contest every newsletter. For every correct answer we will donate $1.00 to our favourite charity, the Salvation Army. Click here to go to the The Salvation Army International Home Page to see what services they offer to communities around the world.
Answer to Last Week's Salvation Army Quiz
	We received eleven correct answers to last week's identification quiz. That means a $11.00 donation to Salvation Army. Here's the famous person we asked you to identify Here's the answer - King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland. For more information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_X_of_Denmark .