The Albert Memorial Clock

In 1865, there was a competition that took place. It was not an athletic competition, but a design competition.

In mid December 1861, there was a death in England. Someone who had great influence with Queen Victoria and the government that was developed over time. This person was the Prince Consort, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.

Prince Albert was born on the 26^th of August 1819, in Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. His family had connections to many of the European royal families. He was the second son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He and his older brother were well educated.

Albert’s uncle, Leopold, King of the Belgians, began to think about a marriage match with Victoria about 1836. Victoria was the heir presumptive for the British throne as her father had died when she was a baby and her uncle had no children. Her uncle, King William IV had no legitimate children. When the possible marriage was introduced to the king, he did not approve of it. He was more interested in the Prince of Orange. Victoria was aware of all the possible marriage matches that were floating around.

On the 20^th of Jun 1837, Victoria became the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. She showed interest in Albert’s education but did not allow anyone to push her into a marriage before she was ready to be married or a marriage that she did not want. When Victoria was ready, she proposed marriage to Albert, notified the government, and they were married on the 10^th of February 1840.

Albert was not well received as the Queen’s choice by either the people or the government. His allowance was £20,000 less than what was normally allocated. Albert did not have any authority with the government and had to develop his own niche in Victoria’s world. Albert chose to promote education, the abolishment of slavery, and economic reform. Albert also became Victoria’s secretary and sat in on meetings with representatives from the government, even filling in for Victoria when she was not available. Albert reorganized Victoria’s household, replacing servants that needed to be let go and bringing the household accounts into more accountability. Because of his training in finance, Albert was able to make real estate purchases and do major renovations for the family.

Albert and Victoria had nine children. Their education was supervised by Albert and they loved their father and knew that he loved them and needed them.

Albert developed an illness with his digestive system about two years before he died. Because medicine was not as advanced as what it is now, he was diagnosed with typhoid shortly before he died. Authoritative members of the medical field now believe that he may have had Crohn’s disease, renal failure, or abdominal cancer as the cause of death (according to Wikipedia). There are other articles available on the internet that also agree that Albert quite likely did not die from typhoid, and one article says that some modern medical authorities discount cancer.

Now, back to the memorial for Albert. In 1861, there was a competition held for a design for a memorial for Albert. This memorial would be located in Belfast. In 1862, the competition was won by W.J. Barre, an Irish architect who won the competition for Ulster Hall in 1861. Even though he won the competition, Barre was not awarded the contract but instead it was secretly awarded to Lanyon, Lynn, and Lanyon. When it became known that this had happened, the public were very upset and let it be known. Eventually, it was awarded to Barre.

It took four years, from 1865 to 1869, for the clock tower to be built. Because of the location for the memorial was land that was marshy and reclaimed from the River Farset, the memorial was built on wooden piles. The tower was made from sandstone and the ground was unable to support it properly. The tower developed a lean of about four feet off the perpendicular at the top.

In 1924, some ornamental work and a canopy had to be removed. In 1992, the clock was damaged in a bomb explosion. The area became a haven for prostitutes and their customers, primarily visiting sailors.

In 2002, a restoration project was completed. The area also had undergone a revitalization with modern public spaces sporting trees, fountains, and sculptures.

This memorial is quite impressive to see. It dominates the immediate area without taking away from it. It is surrounding by modern buildings and helps to bring remembrance of the past.

Day Ten – Field Trip, April 2016

Saying good bye to Belfast, we travelled across Northern Ireland. Because we had a late night last night, I fell asleep on the bus. I do know that we had a quick stop at our hotel and then travelled to Lagcurry in County Donegal to visit the Doagh Famine Village and Visitors Center.

While there, I received some education about the area. It is a very remote area and the people did not have much access to education until approximately the 1980s. I may be out a few years (a decade or two). The people there did not have much money at all. They did with what they had which wasn’t very much at all.

The famine from 1845 to 1848 hit the area very hard. We learned that six years previously, there was a very bad storm go through the area. It was so bad that it destroyed the boats that the local people had for fishing. They had not been able to replace the boats prior to 1845 and, hence, were not able to provide food for themselves in the way of fish.

The guide went on to tell us that the date of the storm was very important in another respect. The government brought in old age pension with the required age for enrolment being 70 years old. There was no civil registration prior to 1864 and it took the government officials to figure out how to determine who qualified for the pension. They realized that if someone was alive and could remember the storm, they qualified.

We then wandered around the displays that they had which included more than information regarding the famine. There was also a display about the making of peace between the Republicans and the Loyalists. I enjoyed the haunted house that they had put together. There were a few things that would scare someone, but I don’t think that it is as good as Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagara Falls. I will have to go back to Nightmares soon to determine this.

A tea was provided for us consisting of bread, butter, jam, biscuits, with tea or coffee (or, in my case, milk). This was just a light snack for us at lunch time. We could have done with more. I know that I would have liked more.

Back to Derry we went. We met our guide for our tour and the bus dropped us off at the part way up one of the hills. We were close to the entrance for the top of the old city wall. This wall was built in the 17^th century and was quite wide. To me, it felt like a street, but no vehicles are allowed on it. We passed a couple of the gates and then descended from the wall. We walked through a shopping area which was closed because it is Sunday. Then we headed towards the Guild Hall where we ended our tour and met up with our driver.

Tonight, we will be having dinner in our hotel and I am sure that all of us are looking forward to it. It may be another late evening as we don’t go to dinner until 7:00 pm.

Seek Learning, You Have A Work To Do

This was a lesson that I taught in 2012.  I felt impressed to read many of the referenced articles at the end of the article that we will be learning from today.  The name of the article that we will be looking at is “Seek Learning:  You Have a Work to Do” by Mary N. Cook.  Mary N. Cook was the First Counsellor in the Young Women’s General Presidency.  In this article, she is talking to the young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about getting an education.

It may seem inappropriate for us to be discussing this article, however, the same principles apply to us no matter our age or living circumstances.

Let’s look at the Standards for Youth.  They have been republished in 2011 and can be found on LDS.org.

Read page 9 “Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him.  He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life.  The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.

Education will prepare you for greater service in the world and in the Church.  It will help you better provide for yourself, your family, and those in need.  It will also help you be a wise counsellor and companion to your future spouse and an informed and effective teacher of your future children.

Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you.  Plan now to obtain an education.  Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices if necessary. Share your educational goals with your family, friends, and leaders so they can support and encourage you.

Maintain an enthusiasm for learning throughout your life.  Find joy in continuing to learn and in expanding your interests.  Choose to actively participate in the learning opportunities available to you.

Your education should include spiritual learning.  Study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets.  Participate in seminary and institute.  Continue throughout your life to learn about Heavenly Father’s plan.  This spiritual learning will help you find answers to the challenges of life and will invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.”

As we read this, we should ask ourselves, how can I relate to this standard?  What can I do to gain more education?  Hopefully, by the end of the lesson, we will each have some ideas.

Mary Cook does provide some ideas that we will discover as we discuss this article.

 

One of the first things that Ms Cook says is (paragraph 1 page 120) “We see you courageously arising and shining forth with light in a world where great challenges accompany great opportunities.  This may cause you to wonder, what does the future hold for me?”  This same statement can apply to us.  There is no reason why we can’t apply what Ms Cook says about the youth.  After all, older people have challenges and opportunities, too.  The only difference is that older people have certain experiences that the young people have not had the opportunity to have.  Every time that Gordon comes home and tells me about something happening at work, I wonder about where we will be, when will we be going and what does the Lord want me to accomplish.  Just because we are older does not mean that Heavenly Father doesn’t have anything for us to do.

The next paragraph is interesting.  It reads “God gave you moral agency and the opportunity to learn while on earth, and He has a work for you to do.  To accomplish this work, you have an individual responsibility to seek learning.”

That still applies to us.  All women have this responsibility as well.  Why do we need education? 

There are a number of reasons why we need education:

1.  “Education will open the doors of opportunity.  As you follow the Lord’s admonition to ‘See learning, even by study and also by faith’ you gain not only knowledge from your study but added light as you learn by faith.  President Gordon B. Hinckley said “The pattern of study you establish during your formal schooling will in large affect your lifelong thirst for knowledge.  You must get all of the education that you possibly can. Sacrifice anything that is needed to be sacrificed to qualify yourselves to do the work of this world.  Train your minds and hands to become an influence for good as you go forward with your lives.” 
2. President Thomas S. Monson said: “Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behoves us to prepare for uncertainties.  I urge you to pursue your education and learn marketable skills so that, should such a situation arise, you are prepared to provide.”
3. “Gaining knowledge now will pay huge dividends when you become a mother.  ‘A mother’s education level has a profound influence on the educational choices of her children.’  A mother’s education can hold the ‘key to halt the poverty cycle.’”
4. Educated mothers tend to:  give birth to healthier babies, have children who are healthier, be more confident, resilient and have improved reasoning and judgement.
5. In “The Family:  A Proclamation to the World”, it states:  mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.  Providing an education for your children is part of that nurturing.  Mothers will be the most important teacher that children will ever have.

We’ve now looked at the reasons why we should get an education.  The most important reason has not yet been mentioned.  We have been taught that whatever intelligence that we have gained while in this earthly state, we will be able to take it with us into the eternities.

What kind of education should I be looking at?  That answer depends on you, your inclinations, and your talents.  There are different kinds of education, spiritual, intellectual, physical.

How can we get the education that we desire?  What if I don’t have much money?

Sister Cook has mentioned some of the ways that she has gained education in different situations.  Surrounding yourself with exemplary women who can teach you skills in homemaking, art, music, family history, sports, writing, or speaking.  As them to mentor you.  Any time that you have something that you want to learn, find someone who knows how to do it and ask them to help you.  That is what mentoring is all about, someone taking the time to teach you something until you are comfortable doing it on your own.  Then share your new skill.

You can return to school to learn knowledge and skills.  Many colleges run a Continuing Education department for their local communities.  You will have the opportunity to learn almost anything you want from computer skills to cake decorating and woodworking.  They can incorporate this into a certificate or diploma program. 

While we need to make sure of our job skills, we cannot forget another facet of our lives.  We also need to continue our education in the Gospel.  Ms Cook says: “Seek learning by faith.  We learn by faith as we diligently gain spiritual knowledge through prayer, scripture study, and obedience and as we seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who testifies of all truth.  If you do your part to gain knowledge, the Holy Ghost can enlighten your mind.  As you strive to keep yourself worthy, the Holy Ghost will give direction and added light to your learning.”

Ms Cook goes on to compare the parable of the ten virgins to gaining an education.  She said, “You may think it selfish that the five wise virgins did not share their oil, but it was impossible.  Spiritual preparation must be acquired individually, drop by drop, and cannot be shared.  The time is now for you to diligently apply yourselves to increasing your spiritual knowledge – drop by drop – through prayer, scripture study, and obedience.  The time is now to pursue your education – drop by drop.”

We never know what the Lord has planned for us.  We may make our plans, but we will find that they can be changed in an instance.  Thomas S. Monson spoke in a General Relief Society meeting in September of 2004.  He talked about a sister who could not read a word when she joined the Church.  The sisters of her ward took the time and taught her to read.  She then went on to help others to learn how to read and write.

 

The other thing that President Monson taught in that meeting was that if you are prepared, you shall not fear.

President Eyring spoke at the 75^th anniversary of the Institute of Religion program in 2001.  He gave the history of some of the educational opportunities that the saints in the early 1800’s had.  He went on to say: “It is clear that our first priority should go to spiritual learning.  For us, reading the scriptures would come before reading history books.  Prayer would come before memorizing those Spanish verbs.  A temple recommend would be worth more to us than standing first in our graduating class.  But it is also clear that spiritual learning would not replace our drive for secular learning. 

The Lord clearly values what you will find in that history book and in a text on political theory.  Remember His words.  He wants you to know ‘things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly com to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations.’ And further he said, “you remember that His educational charter requires that we have “a knowledge also of counties and of kingdoms.  There is also an endorsement for questions we study in the sciences.  It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things.  On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it.”

We as older women in the Church need to have knowledge of these standards as much as the young women.  We have potential to do great things.  This last part applies especially to us as well as the young: “No service that matters can be given over a lifetime by those who stop learning.  A great teacher is always studying.  Our education must never stop.  If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail.  And since what we will need to know is hard to discern, we need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn.  It also means that we cannot waste time entertaining ourselves when we have the chance to read or to listen to whatever will help us learn what is true and useful.  Insatiable curiosity will be our hallmark.”

As to our busyness, President Eyring said “The Lord loves you and watches over you.  He is all-powerful, and He promised you this: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I would like to close with “The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life.  Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance.  Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to live the life that He does.  We learn both the spiritual things and the secular things ‘so we may one day create worlds and people and govern them.’  All we can learn that is true while we are in this life will rise with us in the Resurrection.  And all that we can learn will enhance our capacity to serve.    That is a destiny reserved not alone for the brilliant, those who learn the most quickly, or those who enter the most respected professions.  It will be given to those who are humbly good, who love God, and who serve Him with all their capacities, however limited those capacities are – as are all our capacities, compared with the capacities of God.”  President Eyring.

Headstones - A Valuable Source of Information

I fully intended to have this ready about three to four hours ago, but, as I said, I must spend part of my time looking for employment. I found a job posting today that I have pretty much all of the qualifications for and did the work to submit my cover letter and resume.

Well, it looks like spring is on the way.  We may have a couple more snow storms, but then again, Mother Nature may surprise us and give us an early spring. 

Because of this, some people will want to get out to visit the cemeteries earlier than usual.  However, there are some precautions that you need to take.  You really should wait until the ground is dry before going to the cemetery.  According to one article that I read, walking on the grass before the ground is dry will compact the earth and not allow the roots of the grass to grow.  You will likely get muddy and soaking footwear as well.

A few years ago, a number of people that I know were discussing the cleaning of headstones.  They talked about the methods that had been used in the past and how much damage those methods have caused.  The people who look after the cemeteries don’t have time to look after individual headstones, but I have found some guidelines to follow. 

One of the first guidelines that I found was about doing gravestone rubbings.  It is recommended that you ask permission first.  A lot of cemeteries will no longer allow it.  If it is allowed, there are certain materials that are no longer permitted.  Among these are chalk, shaving cream, and graphite.  If you have difficulty reading the inscriptions, it is suggested that you angle a mirror to direct sunlight across the headstone.  This uses the shadows to help make the inscriptions more visible.

Headstones sometimes need the dirt cleaned from them.    You cannot use just any cleanser.  They can damage the stones.  Quite often, water and a soft-bristled brush are all that you need.  If you need anything stronger, you need to find non-ionic detergents which should be available from conservation, janitorial and photographic suppliers.  The ratio of cleanser to water is 1 ounce of cleanser to 5 gallons of water.

I have found a website that goes into greater detail about cleaning gravestones and I suggest that you look it up.  It also includes a list of tools to use when cleaning and the types of materials used in making headstones.  This website gives a great deal of information about the preservation and maintaining of headstones.  It is as follows:

          http://www.gravestonestudies.org/

          Primarily, I looked at http://www.gravestonestudies.org/faq.htm.

Please go to this website and see what they have to say before heading to the cemetery.

Some people may wonder why people go to cemeteries. There are a number of reasons. Everyone that goes knows why they go. You can “visit” your family who have passed on. Some cemeteries have maintained their grounds so that it has a park-like atmosphere.

Then you have your family historians. They are looking for long lost ancestors or other relatives. Why would they look in a cemetery? Well, most cemeteries have headstones, or grave markers. These usually have some information on them. Those with the least amount of information is usually the deceased’s name and year of death. You might get lucky and it might have the year of birth. Some have much more information. It could have the dates of birth and death. Some will have the date of the couple’s marriage. And others will have a list of their children even if the children aren’t buried there. Yes, a headstone can hold a wealth of information. Then there are the grave markers that were wooden crosses. Obviously, these will not last very long. Usually, they would only hold the minimum of information before the wood rots away. In these cases, you would have to consult the burial records to find who is buried where. Every cemetery has these records. A couple of years ago, I was talking with a clerk to find out information regarding my grandfather’s headstone. At the time, I was unaware that his second wife was also buried there. As the clerk was answering my questions, she also informed me that she was there. As proof, she gave me the date of internment. We all thought that she was buried in Toronto, and not in Waubaushene. What a surprise! I found a few other surprises like that regarding other family members.

One of the things that I would like to be able to do is to find a way of determining the inscriptions on very old headstones, those that date back to the 17^th, 18^th, and early 19^th centuries. These headstones are in the process of crumbling and they either need to have some restoration done or new stones put into place. Most of these stones are in Europe but I wouldn’t be surprised to find some in North America. I personally think that when the headstones crumble like this, the information is not completely lost. I believe that the underlying stone retains an impression of the inscription that was carved into the stone in the first place. I think that, with the right technology, that we would be able to retrieve this information for the coming generations. I would love to be able to prove it, but I do not have the funds or the education to prove or disprove this. I don’t know whether infra-red scans or ultra-violet scans would be the way to go. I would sure love to find out and find a cost effective means of doing this. It could be that the technology is already available and those with that technology never thought of putting it to that use.

Ah, well, I do like to dream. It has been said that it takes a dreamer to come up with the ideas, but a success-driven worker to make the dream work. There’s one of my dreams. How about someone to make it work?