Confederation

As I'm busy here at the moment, have a look at my writer's blog today, where I have another photo post in my Ottawa Welcomes The World embassy series set for today, this one featuring the South American country of Uruguay. Come and have a look at Uruguayan cooking, the tango, and candombe.

This formidable looking chair dates back to the 1850s, built of mahogany, leather, and horse hair. It was used by the mayor, James Friel, who presided over the transition from Bytown into Ottawa during the period.

Ottawa's choice as a capital is explored here. I like the quote from an American writer on why it was chosen, found in this panel. The sculpture of Queen Victoria certainly does catch the eye.

This formal portrait was done late in the subject's life. Sarah Olmstead, 1862, is composed by an unknown artist, showing the American born widow of Philemon Wright II, the son of the founder of what would become Hull across the Ottawa River, and is today Gatineau. Sarah married again after the death of her first husband, taking Nicholas Sparks for her husband. Sparks had been a farmhand for the Wright family, and became a landowner in his own right later on.

There is quite a bit here about Victorian era customs, such as clothing, or rituals of grieving.

Two busts in this display case feature Sir John A. Macdonald, our first PM, and Sir George-Etienne Cartier, who were both Fathers of Confederation. The desk set accompanying these belonged to Macdonald. Other items date to the Confederation era as well.

This is a print of a painting all Canadians have seen at one point or another. Robert Harris painted the original, Fathers Of Confederation, in 1884.

The sword in this case and the medals date back to the era of the Fenian Raids by Irish American veterans of the Civil War after that conflict, and the response made by the Canadian army against those incursions. That ties into where we'll start off tomorrow.