RAAI-RAAI Rides Again!

[Rochelle 0]

This is the South Park Elementary School, in Victoria, BC.

It is the oldest operational school in Western Canada, built in 1892 and started operating in 1894 with about 480 students. The most distinctive feauture of the building is said to be that is has not been significantly altered since it was built.

I guess I don't have to explain the TV reference!

[digin 4]

Yep it is! Here is the full unsmudged photo!

[Harry 52]

I thought I'd post the pictures of the answer to Raai-Raai 130: ST-BENOÎT-DU-LAC ABBEY

[Harry 52]

RAAI-RAAI 132

AND now moving back to Canadian Matters Historic...:

Questions:

A. What is the National site where one may find this building?

B. More or less where is it?

C. Which War in Canadian History does it relate to?

D. Which battle does it relate to? I want the "name" of the battle.

E. Which First Nations group helped the guys in red on this occasion.

F. What is the connection between this war and the colour of the residence of the US president?

CLUES:

1. There were guys in red fighting guys in blue

2. The guys in blue say the guys in red caused the war by press-ganging them and blockading their trading partners.

3. The guys in red say that the guys in blue started it by invading their territory.

4. There was fighting off the coast of Ireland and off the coast of North Africa

5. In this war New Orleans, Baltimore and Washington were all attacked. One of the three cases was successful.

6. The particular battle of interest here had to to do with rocks and a stream.

...this one is REALLY EASY!

[Wyrd Sister 0]

a) Battlefield House Museum at Stoney Creek.

Saltfleet Township, Ontario??

c) The War of 1812 or also known as the Second War of American Independence.

d) The Battle of Stoney Creek June 6, 1813 - a 40 minute battle took place between American and British troops.

e) A group of Mohawks assisted the British troops.

f) During the War of 1812 (between June 18, 1812 and February 17, 1815) the White House was burned in retaliation in 1814 – not sure if or how it relates to the actual colour?

Is the above correct???

Edited May 1, 2005 by Wyrd Sister

[Harry 52]

Wyrd Sister,

you are correct....After the Brits burnt the President's house (black) in Washington, the Americans painted it white and it has stayed white ever since. The Brits were beaten back at New Orleans and at Baltimore, but they succeeded at Washington. However, they had standing orders NOT to occupy the town, and hence withdrew.

The American efforts at invading Canada pretty much all failed. It is slightly less well known that the British efforts at invading the USA at vearious stages during that war also pretty much failed.

Interestingly, the Americans did very well against the Brits at sea, knocking out and capturing a number of their ships. The war at sea went as far east as the coast of Africa.

The War of 1812 was NOT a success for the USA. They mostly try to forget that one. At the same time it left a permanent suspicion in the Canadian soul regarding American intentions. It pretty much set the border between the two countries from Detroit eastwards.

[Harry 52]

RAAI-RAAI 133

Here's a nice easy one:

1. What is this building..... It is called a ( What?) tower

2. Where is this one?

3. What stretch of water is that in the background?

Clues:

1. The name (and the idea for the towers) came from a circular stone tower built in Corsica at a place with a very similar, but not identical, name. Enemy troops occupied the island, and so Corsican patriots pleaded for help from another European country to drive the enemy out. In 1794, two navy ships sailed close to the tower to destroy it, but were themselves fired upon, suffering sixty casualties. The tower eventually had to be captured by the army. Its strength had impressed those whose efforts it had stoutly resisted for several days. The European power whose navy had struggled so much with this tower, decided to build lots of these in many places throughout its empire.

2. A rather dramatic statue to a famous lady is nearby.....she is on a horse!

3. The flag of the relevant Province has lots of blue in it

Should be able to get the answer tonight!

[Rochelle 0]

Would've got it last night ... had I been checking the board!

1. This is an example of a Martello Tower. This, from the Parks Canada site:

"But what makes a tower a Martello tower? Martello towers, whether in Canada, England, or Mauritius, all had certain features in common. For instance, these structures were circular in shape with a flat roof on which artillery could be mounted. The towers were accessible through a doorway in the second storey, or barrack floor. The ground floor had storage space and a gunpowder magazine. The key feature was a round, brick pillar that supported both the roof and the arched brick ceiling which, along with the thick walls, was designed to absorb artillery fire. Based on these elements, it is easy to see why Martello towers gained a reputation for strength.

It is believed that Martello towers were named after a place in Corsica called Cape Mortella (the "o" and the "a" would eventually be transposed). It was there, in 1794, that the Royal Navy attacked a circular stone tower being held by the French. Overtaking the tower was no easy task, and the strength of that stone tower made a lasting impression on the British. When Napoleon was threatening to invade Great Britain some ten years later, Britain's faith in the Martello tower design was shown with the addition of over 100 of them on England's southeast coast."

2. Although the tower in Saint John, NB is the most well known one, this one is on the Plains of Abraham above Quebec City. The lady on the horse is Joan of Arc.

3. So ... that would be the St Lawrence River in the background.

According to my well-informed hubby, there is a Martello Tower in Simon's Town at the Naval Base, and even one in Mauritius.

Fascinating!

Edited May 9, 2005 by Rochelle

[Harry 52]

Good for you, Rochelle! There are a couple in SA, I believe. There certainly is one in Fort Beaufort in the East Cape. The Brits built them everywhere they went.

[digin 4]

RAAI-RAAI 134

This house is a rather famous one in Canada. What is its name, and who lives here currently?

Clues:

1. It was built for a grocer.

2. A member of Royalty lived here for a while.

3. Today, you have to be a loser to live here.

4. The current resident is hoping to move to another much nicer house (with about 4000 sq feet of extra space) next month or so.

Edited May 15, 2005 by digin

[Harry 52]

Stornoway.....the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition of the Federal Government. That would be Stephen Harper right now. He is obviously hoping to get Martin's somewhat nicer place. Seems he has a fighting chance right now.

This house was built in 1914 by Asconio Joseph, an Ottawa grocer. It was given the name "Stornoway" by its next residents, the Perley Robertsons, after the ancestral home of the Perley family in the Outer Hebrides. Stornoway is known for its role as a refuge during the Second World War for Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her daughters, one of whom was born in Ottawa.

The house became a residence for the Official Leader of the Opposition in 1950, after concerned citizens raised money for this purpose. For twenty years, it was maintained by donations; in 1970, it was acquired by the Government of Canada for one dollar. It is situated on a one acre lot at 541 Acacia Avenue in Ottawa and is currently assessed at $1,587,000. The one main building has 34 rooms covering approximately 9500 square feet and there is one outbuilding

[digin 4]

Well done Harry! The Dutch Royal family used the house as a home during exile in WW2.

[Harry 52]

RAAI-RAAI 135

Here's a nice easy one:

Outside which city is this ditch.....?

Clues:

1. We have a new colourful member who wishes to settle near there

2. The ditch was dug to drain the area around the city, which often floods

3. Last year summer never came for them

4. Verrrrry fertile country

[Adele 16]

Morden, Manitoba

The member would be Tint, and I am not so sure I ahve the city right, but just trying my luck.

[Harry 52]

Ahhhh, madame......but Morden be not a city.

[Wyrd Sister 0]

Winnipeg?

[Harry 52]

Yê-ê-ê-BÔ!

You can read more about the drainage at Winnipeg HERE, though I cannot swear that this is precisely and exactly the particular ditch they have in mind in the article. The guide on the train made the comment to us, so I have it only on his authority....and he was a HUGE Winnipeg fan!

In 2004 summer never really came for Winnipeg, as I understand it. certainly, even when we went through there, there were pans of water everywhere and it had started to rain again. On the way eastwards on our trip we flew and landed there, and I thought it was just beautiful coming in to land there with the river snaking through the town.

And...Adele was right...Tint, our new member ( colourful!) wishes to settle at Morden, which is some distance west of Winnipeg.

Manitoba is, of course, the "breadbasket" of Canada...even though Saskatchewan and Alberta add quite a lot.

[Harry 52]

RAAI-RAAI 136

Back to some history of more recent times

Where is this.....?

Clues:

1. This is a historical site

2. It relates to an event that happened just after the Great Boer War

3. Yes, there is clearly a mountain involved...named after a first animal

4. Yes, it was a major tragedy.

5. It is on a route that bears the name of a second animal

6. One of the two animals can fly. The other walks...slowly

[Matisse 1]

Frank Slide in Alberta, where the largest landslide in North American history occured on 29 April 1903. It happened just east of Crowsnest Pass, and the slide occurred against the slope of Turtle Mountain. See here and here for more detail.

[Harry 52]

Good work, Matisse!

That was a rather grim event. Anyone travelling between Alberta and BC along the southern route will pass this spot. Rather scary.

[Harry 52]

RAAI-RAAI 137

Now some of the oldest history in Canada...

1. Where is this.....the present town, please?

2. Who first occupied the area

3. What was the place originally called, before that town was built

One of the few areas of Canada with, what I would call, "real history"

Clues:

1. HAH! ...none!

Edited November 15, 2005 by Hendie

[Rochelle 0]

Hmmm, Harry ... can we have 20 questions on this one?

My first question:

Is this in the Yukon?

[Harry 52]

Nope! Nope! I said "real history".

..sort of "Cape Town and Castle" style.

[Harry 52]

What!!!???....no takers?

That's a real old cannon out there, guarding a waterway. ( CLUE!)

[Adele 16]

Fort Royal on Castle Hill, 240 metres above sea level and offering a spectacular view of Placentia, founded in the 1660s. Near Labrador, New Foundland?

Hey Harry, no clues, make it a little harder, but just as fun searching.