END OF MONTH INDEX
NOVEMBER  2010

CANADA

British Columbia

City of North Vancouver

426/428 East 1st Street, "High on the Hill", Friday, November 12, 2010.
362 East 12th Street, "Pumpkin on the Porch", Monday, November 29, 2010.

252/254 East 19th Street, "Tire Swing", Monday, November 1, 2010.

303 East 26th Street, "Red Maple Leaves", Monday,  November 7, 2010.
83 Chesterfield Avenue, "1904 Gross House", Wednesday, November 24, 2010.
788 Copping Street, "No Demolition Necessary", Friday, November 26, 2010.

Foot of Lonsdale Ave., "Burrard Dry Dock #4 and #10", November 5, 2010.

1849 Larson Road, "Two Streets for One", Tuesday, November 2, 2010.

430/432 West 6th Street, "Doors of Green and Brown", Wed., Nov. 10, 2010.
735 West 15th Street, "Certiwood", Monday, November 15, 2010.

415 West 16th Street, "The Spence House", Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

North Vancouver District

527 North Dollarton Highway, "Naas Family-40 Years", Monday, Nov. 22, 2010.

2895 Edgemont Blvd., "The Reverend's House", Tuesday, November 16, 2010.

3945 Lynn Valley Road, "One Block From Lynn Canyon Park", Wed., 11/3/ 2010. 1101 Prospect Avenue, "An Independent Woman", Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010.

3601 Mount Seymour Parkway, "Triumvirate on Mount Seymour Blvd.",

              Wednesday, November 17, 2010.

3515 Mount Seymour Parkway, "The House in the Middle",

             Thurs., Nov. 18/2010.
3633 Mount Seymour Parkway, "Watt on the Corner", Friday, Nov. 19, 2010.
1340 Sunnyside Drive, "That's Jack London's Place", Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010.

UNITED STATES
California

California, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Getty Center", Brentwood,

                 Los Angeles, California.

Washington

127 Twelfth Avenue, Sunday Church Feature, St. John's Episcopal Cathedral,

                     Spokane, Washington.

418 Evans Street, Sunday Travel Feature, "Community United Methodist      

                     Church", Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday, November 14, 2010.
514 Jefferson Street, Thanksgiving, "Celebrating With Jefferson," Spokane,
                    Washington, Thursday, November 25, 2010.

Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Gazebo", Leavenworth,

                     Washington, Saturday, November 5, 2010.

East End of Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "Festhalle", Leavenworth,

                     Washington, Saturday, November 13, 2010.

South of Front Street, Sunday Travel Feature, "St. Joseph Catholic Church",

                     Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday, November 6, 2010.

England

Thames River, Saturday Travel Feature, "Henley-on-Thames",  

                  Saturday, November 20, 2010.

France

Paris, Sunday Church Feature, "Notre-Dame Cathedral", Sunday,

                  November 21, 2010.

Saturday Travel Features

California, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Getty Center", Brentwood,

                 Los Angeles, California.

England, Thames River, Saturday Travel Feature, "Henley-on-Thames",  

                 Saturday, November 20, 2010.

Washington, Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Gazebo",
                Leavenworth, Washington, Saturday, November 5, 2010.

Washington, East End of Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "Festhalle",
                     Leavenworth,  Washington, Saturday, November 12, 2010.

Sunday Church Features

Washington, Below Front Street, "St. Joseph Catholic Church",Leavenworth,
                     Washington, Sunday, November 7, 2010.Washington, 127 Twelfth Avenue, Sunday Church Feature, "St. John's

                     Episcopal  Cathedral", Spokane, Washington, Sunday,
                     November 28, 2010.
Paris, Sunday Church Feature, "Notre-Dame Cathedral", Sunday,

                  November 21, 2010.

Washington, 418 Evans Street, Sunday Church Feature, "Community United
                     Methodist  Church", Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday,
                     November 14, 2010.

Special Feature

Remembrance Day, "The Wall", Thursday, November 11, 2010.
Thanksgiving, "Celebrating With Jefferson," Spokane, Washington, Thursday,
                    November 25, 2010.

Photo: "Engagement Rings" taken in Stanley Park Christmas 2006 by SW.

Link: http://vancouver.ca/parks/arts/sculpture_biennale.htm

Monday, November 29, 2010

Pumpkin on the Porch

The house on the corner of East 12th Street and Ridgeway Avenue had a pumpkin standing guard on the corner of its porch.  This grey stucco house at 362 East 12th Street is not listed in the Building Permit Book or the 1950 City Directory at the North Vancouver Archives. However, it was listed in the 1960 City Directory.  The owners were William F. and Margaret H. Cocks.  William Cocks worked as a ticket agent for the Black Ball Ferries.  In 2009 the Black Ball Ferries celebrated their 50th anniversary.

"In 1959, Black Ball Transport, Inc. built an auto and passenger ferry, naming it the M.V. Coho, after the magnificent silver salmon found in Puget Sound and adjacent waters. Philip F. Spaulding and Associates of Seattle designed the vessel, and her keel was laid January 12, 1959 at the Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock in Seattle. She made her first commercial sailing to Victoria, B.C. on December 29, 1959. Initially, the M.V. Coho not only serviced the Port Angeles to Victoria vehicle and passenger route, but also carried freight trucks between Seattle, Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Victoria for Black Ball Freight Service. In 1973, Black Ball Freight Service was sold to ROCOR International, but Black Ball Transport, Inc. has continued to operate the M.V. Coho on the Port Angeles to Victoria vehicle and passenger route to this day. " (See Link 2.)

By 1971 Eugene B. and Carol L. Terrillon were the owners of 362 East 12th Street.  The Terrillon family continued to be listed as the owner of the house at least until the 1995/1996 City Directory.   In 1980, 1991 and 1995/1996 the owners were Eugene and Gloria Terrilon. (Note Spelling.) In 1971, 1980, and 1991,  EugeneTerrillon/Terrilon  was employed as a bridgeman at B.C. Government Highways

Public notice of a public hearing on November 15, 2010  considered the amendment to Zoning Bylaw 1995 #6700 to reclassify the property from "One-Unit Residential 1" to "Comprehensive Development 596". ( NSNews  10/10/2010)  This  will allow the existing corner lot to be divided into two equal lots with a single family house on each.  The house closest to the corner will also have an accessory secondary suite. (See Link 1.)

Photo: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link 1: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6aK4mjoeGfgJ:www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/155/2010%252004%252014.DOC+362+East+12th+Street,+NOrth+Vancouver&cd=3&hl=en

Link 2: http://cohoferry.com/main/?history

Sunday Church Feature
St. John's Episcopal Cathedral
Spokane, Washington

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral at 127 Twelfth Avenue commands the escartment south of the downtown area of Spokane.  Its spires and carillon bells are  beacons to the Christian community throughout the city.

"Notice the large rose window over the west entrance as it changes colors with the varying light of day."(See photo above.) (Reference.)

West entrance

"Often called the finest cathedral in the North west because of its beauty and authenticity, this Gothic-style cathedral was constructed between the years 1926 and 1954. Architect Harold C. Whitehouse adhered strictly to the principles of Gothic design in construction in this "labor of love".  Mr. Whitehouse worshipped here every Sunday until his death.  The solid masonry tower, which houses a carillon, stands 166 feet above the cathedral floor.  The interior is well worth a  tour." (Reference.)

Sanctuary

"The Cathedral organ is an instrument of generous size and genuine majesty representative of the finest period of cathedral organ design in America. It consists of three divisions and pedals plus a gallery division, over 4,000 pipes. It is installed in two chambers high above the entrance from the crossing to the chancel, with four ranks and the state trumpets mounted above the balcony at the west end of the Cathedral. The organ was designed, built and installed by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company of Boston, builders of the most notable pipe organs in America. In 2000, the console underwent major renovation and received new keyboards, drawknobs, digital combination action and digital control for all the pipework, performed by Marceau and Associates Pipe Organ Builders of Portland, Oregon.

"It is rare indeed for a city the size of Spokane to have a carillon at all, much less one as fine as this. The carillon in the tower of Washington National Cathedral, also cast and installed by Taylor and Sons, has only four more bells, 53 instead of 49." (See Link.)

One of a pair of front doors

Reference: Spokane's Historic Architecture, 1977.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.stjohns-cathedral.org/about/about_index.php

Saturday Travel Feature

The Getty Center
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California

"The purchase of the land upon which the Center is located -- a campus of 24 acres (97,000 m²) on a 110-acre (0.45 km²) site in the Santa Monica Mountains above Interstate 405, surrounded by 600 acres (2.4 km²) kept in a natural state -- was announced in 1983^[4]. The top of the hill is 900 feet (270 m) above I-405, high enough that on a clear day it is possible to see not only the Los Angeles skyline but also the San Bernardino Mountains to the east as well as the Pacific Ocean to the west^[5][6].

"In 1984, Richard Meier was chosen to be the architect of the Center^[7]. After an extensive conditional-use permit process,^[4] construction began in August 1989.^[8]The construction was significantly delayed, with the planned completion date moved from 1988 to 1995 (as of 1990)^[9]. By 1995, however, the campus was described as only "more than halfway complete".^[4]The Center finally opened to the public on December 16, 1997.^[3][10] Although the total project cost was estimated to be $350 million as of 1990^[9], it was later estimated to be $1.3 billion.^{[11]"  (See Link.)}

"USGS satellite image of the Getty Center. The complex of buildings at bottom right is the Museum. In addition, "a circular building to the west of the Central Garden houses the Getty Research Institute.... Two buildings to the north and east of the Arrival Plaza house the Getty Foundation, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the J. Paul Getty Trust administration offices."^[1] Microsoft Virtual Earth view of the Center at a different angle." (See Link.)



"The architect Richard Meier has exploited the two naturally occurring ridges (which diverge at a 22.5 degree angle) by overlaying two grids along these axes. These grids serve to define the space of the campus while dividing the import of the buildings on it. Along one axis lie the galleries and along the other axis lie the administrative buildings. The primary grid structure is a 30-inch (760 mm) square; most wall and floor elements are 30-inch (760 mm) squares or some derivative thereof. The buildings at the Getty Center are made from concrete and steel with either travertine or aluminium cladding.^[1]

"Throughout the campus, numerous fountains provide white noise as a background. The initial design has remained intact, however benches and fences have been installed around the plaza fountains to discourage visitors from wading into the pools... The north promontory is anchored by a circular grass area which serves as a heliport in case of emergencies, and the south promontory is anchored by a succulent plant and cactus garden. (See top photo.)The museum has a seven-story deep underground parking garage with over 1,200 parking spaces. An automated three-car, cable-pulled tram takes passengers to and from the museum.

"The collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum on display at the Getty Center includes "pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs"^[2]." (Link.)

Photos: Top photo of roof top of the south promontory taken in  1998 by SW.  Extensive sattelite photo of complex by Wikipedia in Link.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Center

Friday, November 26, 2010

No Demolition Necessary

Looking down from the arched Fell Avenue bridge leading to the North Vancouver Auto Mall you can see a large vacant field to the east.   This area at 788 Copping Street is bordered on the north side by the train tracks. (Note freight train in photo above.) 

If the amendment to the zoning bylaw was approved at the November 15th meeting of the City Counsel, the lot will be vacant no more.  Harbourside Landing Ltd./Bunting Coady Architects has plans for three buildings on this property.  It will be an Industrial Park with retail stores and a caretaker's suite.  The total development area of the three buildings will be 63,030 square feet.  One hundred motor vehicle surface parking stalls and 25 bicycle parking stalls are proposed. (NSNews, 10/10/10.)

Col. J. P. Fell NVMA Photo #9826, 191_

Fell Street on the western border of the 788 Copping Street lot was named for land developer and organizer of North Vancouver's  WWI Sixth Field Company of Canadian Engineers, James Pemberton Fell.  (See photo above.)  The Armoury on Mahon Avenue is also named for him. (The Ambitious City.)

The foot of Fell Street and the Fell Street Fill  runs from below the train tracks to Burrard Inlet.  In 1933 it was the site of the M B King Sawmill and the Pressure  Pipe Factory.   In the 1940's there was also a British Empire factory addition, building of Canadian Mixermobile office and storage shed, and building of the Kavanagh MP Soap Factory.  Since the year 2000 it has become the site of the North Shore Auto Mall, several office buildings, and a school.  There are still a few large vacant lots waiting for development at Fell and the waterfront.

Photo: Of 788 Copping Street taken in November 2010 by SW.

              Of James Pemberton Fell, The Ambitious City, by Warren Sommer,

              page 124.

Link: http://www.cnv.org/attach/2010%2010%2025%20item%2007%20attach%2004.pdf

Link 2: http://wiki.worldflicks.org/jp_fell_armoury_-_39_combat_engineering_regiment.html#coords=(49.322531,-123.08529)&z=19

Happy U. S. Thanksgiving
Celebrating With Jefferson

The Jefferson Apartment building at 614 Jefferson Street sits on the bluff above the heart of downtown Spokane.  The apartment building was constructed circa 1910 in this area known as the lower South Hill.  The homes and apartment buildings of this area remain dusty jewels of  "Spokane's Age of Elegance" 1890-1910.  No matter the size of these homes they are iced with cornices, moldings, arches, lintels, bay windows, pediments, pilasters, verandas, scrolled brackets, finials, and columns.  Many of the original details can still be seen; this is the case with the three storey Jefferson.

Note the original diamond outlined leaded glass front door and side panels.  The brass kick plate runs up both sides of the door and ends in a decorative cut out. (See photo below.)

Front entrance and doorway.

The front interior staircase also dates back to 1910.  The carved spindles, rosettes, and square topped knoll posts shine in the dark wood. (See photo below.)

Front interior steps leading to third floor

The  original features in each apartment have been maintained.  Apartment #4 has a hallway leading to one bedroom, a bathroom,  a living room/dining room, and a hall pantry leading to the kitchen, and another small bedroom/office.  In the living room of apartment #4  are the 1910 built in buffet  and windows looking out to the side yard and .  Similar to the front door, the buffet again has the  diamond shapes in the leaded glass windows of the doors of the upper shelves. The handles on the lower drawers are in the original style.  The dark wood is not only on the buffet, but on all the doors and moldings. (See photo below.

Apartment #4 built in buffet

Between  the living room/dining room and the kitchen is a hallway pantry with a built in buffet covering two of the walls.  The  upper shelves can be seen through the glass in the doors.  A wide counter separates the shelf area from the lower drawers and cupboards with their original pulls.  And yes, this lower area includes a pull out flour bin. (See photo below.)

Apartment #4 built in buffet in hallway pantry

From the hallway pantry with its built in buffet is the entrance to the kitchen with windows looking out the back of the building.  Off one side of the kitchen is the hallway to the back entrance and stairs to the street.  Off the other side of the kitchen is a small bedroom/den/office, again with windows to the side yard.

The bathroom to the right of the front hall boasts the original bathtub with its claw feet. (See photo below.) The floors throughout the apartment are the original wood.  And in the basement the foundation walls are built of  large rough stone.

Apartment #4  Original claw foot leg on the bathtub

Note: Laura Wilson, daughter of Suzanne Wilson lived in apartment #4 at the 614 Jefferson in 2002 and 2003 while attending Gonzaga University where she received a Masters Degree in Education.

Photos: Exterior taken in 2010 by SW.  Interior taken in 2002 by SW.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

1904 Gross Residence

"GROSS RESIDENCE, 83 Chesterfield Avenue, circa 1904.  This was the home of Charles Gross, a Vancouver boot and shoe dealer who operated a store on Carrall Street.  The Gross Residence, whose builder was Albert Nye, is one of the earliest surviving homes in the City of North Vancouver, and as such serves as a reminder of the original residential nature of the area.  Although it has been altered during its conversion to restaurant usage, the form of the residence remains substantially intact." (See Reference.) 

This description and the 1904 photo below, of the Gross family on the veranda, are in the City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994.

NVMA Photo #2778

The City Directories indicate that in 1980 the house was owned by  the Japanese Village Restaurant (North Shore) Ltd.  And in 1991 the property was reported as "Vacant".  The photo above indicates that the restaurant was named the Ming Court at the time of its closer.  A North Shore Outlook photo caption indicated that the restaurant closed two years before September 2000, or in 1998.  It had been vacant since that time. (See photo and caption below.)



In September 2000 there was a fire at the Ming Court building at 83 Chesterfield Avenue.  The burned building was demolished in October 2000.

October 2000

Unique Properties real estate listed the property for sale in 2010.  Their description indicates it is a 9,000 square foot corner lot with approximately 23,400 square feet of buildable space.  (See Link.) It is on the south west corner of Chesterfield Avenue and West 1st Avenue with a view of Burrard Inlet.  The asking price is $2,495,000.

October 2000

Reference: City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory, 1994, page 87.

Fire and Demolition: October 2000.

Photos: Taken as part of Suzanne Wilson's Year 2000 Photography Project,

                 Your House/Our Home, on file at the North Vancouver Archives.

Link:http://www.uniqueproperties.ca/system/files/46/original/BRO_CHESTERFIELD_RIGHTED_04NOV09.pdf?1259886867

Front of house

Tuesday, November 23, 2010
"That's Jack London's Place"

The house at 1340 Sunnyside Drive sat on a lot in the maze of forest roads above the Upper Levels Highway in the Capilano area of the District of North Vancouver. The hum of the cars could be heard in the front yard. According to one of the neighbors the maze was the results of the 1958 development of the Upper Levels Highway and for that reason he had developed his own map laying out just how the streets were cut up in that area.  The same neighbor said of the house at 1340, "that's Jack London's Place".

Front and west side of house

But the house at 1340 didn't start out as "Jack London's Place".  It was first constructed as a $1500 commercial building in 1926 by S. Fraser.  The second structure was a $1000 house in 1933 by J. Stally.  E. Thomas added a $150 house alteration in 1939.  Then in 1950 the present house was built for $4500 by D. Broderick.  All this information was found in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives.  However City Directories 1926 to 1945 did not list the 1340 address or any of the owners from the Building Permit Book as being on Sunnyside Dr.  Martin P. and Jean Stally were listed on the 1200 West 26th Street block in 1935 and 1945.  That street is nearby and could possibly been a street changed by the building of the Upper Levels Highway in 1958.

Back of house

Much more is known about the 1340 Sunnyside Drive house after 1950 thanks to  Michael Kinnie.   "At 1340 Sunnyside Drive there was a small house built by a Mr. Don Broderick. The Broderick family was well known in North and West Vancouver. Don had just got married to his wife Esther, this would have been about 1950 and bought the lot from the people at 1330 Sunnyside Dr. (Mr. and Mrs. Paul Morgan) He built his honeymoon home and then moved Esther and their two cats in. Soon Esther had a baby girl whom they named Norma. I was a very frequent visitor at their house. In the summer of 1951 I had failed grade three and was suppose to go to summer school; I did not like school at all and was devastated. Esther Broderick had been a school teacher so my parents made arrangements for me to get some extra help from Mrs. Broderick each weekday morning throughout the summer from 10:00 to noon. This went very well, I was on a one to one basis with somebody I was very fond of and would do my best for.

Back yard out building

"Don and Esther had another baby about 1952, a boy named Daniel, the house only had two bedrooms and they sold the little house and bought a large house in the 1100 block West 21st. Street that had belonged to their friends the Franklin's. Don Broderick was the model husband, he worked in a mill full time and then would come home and help Esther with the housework and put the children to bed.

Backyard green house structure

"The house was then bought by a Mr. and Mrs. Leckie, (Lorne and Doreen.) They had a little girl and later a little boy with flaming red hair. I do not remember these children's names. Mr. Lome Leckie was named Lome after a well known steam tugboat that was called "The Lome". They lived there for many years and then moved out to Lynn Valley. Doreen Leckie and my mother were great friends and saw each other everyday. The Leckie's were nice, kindly people. Shortly after the move to Lynn Valley Lorne Leckie died very suddenly. He was a lot older then his wife. He was a veteran of world war two and had served with the eighth army in Africa.

Back-side yard in ground bathtub

"The house was then purchased by a childless couple named London, his first name was Jack, hers was Zelda. They had cats which all had 'Z' names. My brother Allan became very fond of them and they likewise of him. My brother Allan was born in 1954, when I was just going on 12. I did not know the London's very well because by the time they moved into the neighbourhood I had left home. I did however do business with Jack London some because he use to bring his saws into my shop for sharpening. I do not know if they are still there at this writing in 2006, but they were there in 1995 when I called them to tell them that my brother had died the year before." (See Link.)

Front yard shed

Jack London was listed in the 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory.  It seems his interests were evident throughout the property and as can be seen in the included photos.

Demolition: Permit applied for November 2010.
Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link: http://sunnysideatgraystone.com/history.html

 Monday, November 22, 2010

Naas Family-40 Years

The house at 527 North Dollarton Highway at the entrance to Deep Cove with a view of Burrard Inlet was built in 1954.  (See Link.) In 1955 W. G. Babcock built a $300 garage and in 1962 an $800 house addition.  Those listings are in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives.  However, in the 1950 and 1960 City Directories the street of North Dollarton Highway was not even listed.

Front yard view of Burrard Inlet

In 1971  the 527 North Dollarton Highway  owner was again recorded as E. Nass.  Einar and Sylvia Naas were listed as the owners in 1980.  At this time Einar Naas was employed as a salesman at Davidson and Company.  In 1991 and 1995/1996  Einar Naas was listed as retired and still the owner.  Robin Naas, a clerk at N R was  listed as a resident.  The 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory continues to list Einar Naas as living at 527 North Dollarton Highway.  That is 40 years ownership of the house for the Naas family at the entrance to Deep Cove with the view of Burrard Inlet

A 2010 real estate ad describes the property as being on a 15,015 square foot lot and the house having 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.  It was listed for sale at $925,000. (See Link.)

Demolition: Permit applied for in October 2010.

Photos: Taken in November 2010.
Link: http://www.teamtaylorrealty.ca/Properties.php/Details/17

Note the flying buttresses on the rear of the church

Sunday Church Feature
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Paris, France

"Notre Dame de Paris (French for Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra (official chair), of the Archbishop of Paris, currently André Vingt-Trois. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe. It was restored and saved from destruction by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, one of France's most famous architects. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French, and is frequently used in the names of Catholic church buildings in Francophone countries. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.

Rose Window and panel windows beneath

"The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. During the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state." (See Link.)

"Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses (See top photo.) around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern.

Tourists in front of church, note rose window and panel windows beneath

Construction: Ground breaking in 1163 and completion in 1345.

Photos: Copies of 1978 post cards.
                 Photo of tourists, Laura Wilson who had her 8th birthday in Paris that
                 year, and brother Richard Wilson age 9 taken by mother Suzanne
                Wilson in 1978.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris

Hotel Angel on the Bridge

Saturday Travel Feature

Henley-on-Thames

England

"Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead. It is near the corner between the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

"The first record of medieval settlement dates to 1179, when it is recorded that King Henry II "had bought land for the making of buildings". King John granted the manor of Benson and the town an manor of Henley to Robert Harcourt in 1199. A church is first mentioned at Henley in 1204. In 1205 the town received a paviage grant, and in 1234 the bridge is first mentioned. In 1278 Henley is described as a hamlet of Benson with a Chapel. It is probable that the street plan was established by the end of the 13th century.
As a demesne of the crown it was granted to John de Molyns, in 1337 whose family held it for about 250 years. It is said that members for Henley sat in parliaments of Edward I and Edward III, but no writs have been found to substantiate this.

"The existing Thursday market, it is believed, was granted by a charter of King John. A market was certainly in existence by 1269, however, the jurors of the assize of 1284 said that they did not know by what warrant the earl of Cornwall held a market and fair in the town of Henley. The existing Corpus Christi fair was granted by a charter of Henry VI.

"Henley Bridge is a five arched bridge across the river which was built in 1786. The church of St. Mary is located nearby and features a tower built in the 16th century. (See photo above.)

"Henley is a world renowned centre for rowing, each summer holding the Henley Royal Regatta, one of the highlights of the social calendar of the English middle and upper classes. The regatta is held on a stretch of the river that is naturally straight. The event became Royal in 1851. In that year Prince Albert became the patron of the regatta." (See Link 2.)

Captain Alan Wilson, 1st Mate Suzanne Wilson

and Gay Belinda Class Cabin Cruiser, 1978

In the 1970's Bert Bushnell winner of a gold medal for rowing in the 1948 Olympics ran a cabin cruiser for hire at Ray Mead Road in Maidenhead, England.  (See Link 1.) A family could rent a boat to live on for a week and navigate the many locks and visit the many little towns on the Thames River.  After a 30 minute lesson the cabin cruiser was yours, for better or worse.  Ambitions of cruising all the way to Oxford  were turned into the reality of making it as far as Pangbourne, and feel lucky, a total travel distance there and back of 20 miles in one week.  But in that 20 miles you could: moor at the Angel on the Bridge riverside pub , do brass rubbings in tiny old churches, , say hello to the lock master with the black eye patch, visit with the river's swan master, feed the cows in the field next to where you moored for the night, and catch minnows.  The weirs and locks were their own challenge (and reason for the few number of miles travelled).  The weirs (small dams) needed to be dodged and the line up at the locks often necessitated balancing on a 4x4 beam while hanging onto the boat with a rope unit it was your boat's turn to go into the next lock.



Photos:  Of Henley-on-Thames, a 1978 post card.  Map.  Captain and 1st Mate
                 taken in 1978 by Richard Wilson.
Link 1: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/bert-first-struck-gold-in-1948-now-he-wants-it-all-over-again-487686.html

Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henley-on-Thames
Link 3: http://www.rg9.co.uk/angel