constanius Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 Albert Edward Prince of Wales 1860 Æ 48 mm by J. S. WYON SC. & M.D.WYATT DES. Bust left VISITED CANADA AND INAUGURATED THE VICTORIA BRIDGE 1860 Reverse: around arms, WELCOME on banners 3 times BHM-2669 Issued for the visit of Albert Edward Prince of Wales to America, Oct. 1860, by Merriam of Boston. WM 30mm The future Edward VII he undertook the first tour of North America by a British heir to the throne. His genial good humour and confident bonhomie made the tour a great success. He inaugurated the Victoria Bridge, Montreal, across the St Lawrence River, and laid the cornerstone of Parliament Hill, Ottawa. He watched Blondin traverse Niagara Falls by highwire, and stayed for three days with President James Buchanan at the White House. Vast crowds greeted him everywhere. He met Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Prayers for the royal family were said in Trinity Church, New York, for the first time since 1776. The senior officer of the 69th New York Militia, Colonel Michael Corcoran, along with many other members of the 69th NYSM were founder members of the “Fenian Brotherhood”, an Irish republican movement which campaigned for an Ireland free from British rule. Colonel Corcoran in 1860 famously snubbed an invitation to meet the Prince of Wales at a ball given in his honour. Corcoran was set to be court marshalled by the state, but luckily for him the Rebels fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and the Civil War began, and his presence was required against the Rebels to help preserve the Union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Orc Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 They realy are lovely medals and ones I shall have to get for my small collection Great story as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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