by Paul Almond
10 June 63 — Went to Shigouac and visited Mrs. Almond, very ill and nothing can be done for her — she wished to have the Holy Communion, but as she cannot eat any bread, could not do it. Explained.
25 Jul 63 — Buried at St. Andrew’s Church, James Almond of Hope, Farmer, who died on morning of 23rd. Exhortation.
23 Sep 63 — Visited Mrs. Almond at Shigouac, now unable to Speak. Baptized... also Catharine (b: 27 Aug 63) Daughter of James Almond of Hope, Farmer, and Margaret Jane Skene, wife, both with sponsors.
6 Oct 63 — Buried at St. Andrew’s Church, Catharine Garrett of Hope, widow of late James Almond in lifetime of Hope, Farmer, who died on the 4th, aged [blank in journal, 69 in church record].
Victoria Bridge: The Vital Link (Excerpts)
Although the Victoria Bridge was completed by December 1859, the official inauguration was planned only for the summer of 1860. On May 14, 1859 the legislative Council passed a resolution to invite the Queen to come and see the “progress and sincerity of her Dominion” on the occasion of the inauguration of the Victoria Bridge.
Queen Victoria’s response, sent on January 30, 1860, was:
Her Majesty, unable to come herself, would depute her eldest son and heir to witness those noble advancements in a land, from barbarism to civilization.
The knowledge that the heir to the throne, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, would make his first overseas visit, and indeed the first visit of any royal prince to a British colony, created great excitement and in February 1860 the planning committee began to organize the many building projects thought necessary to embellish the city for this auspicious occasion.
The Prince of Wales left Plymouth for North America on July 10, 1860 aboard H.M.S. Hero. His suit included the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Her Majesty’s Lord Steward, and the Governor to the Prince, Major General the Hon. Robert Bruce.
The Hero with its accompanying squadron arrived at St. John’s, Newfoundland on July 23. After numerous public functions, the Prince left on the 26th for Halifax, Nova Scotia. On August 2, the royal entourage was feted at St. John, New Brunswick, on August 4 at Fredericton, and on August 9 in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
On August 12, 1860, Lower Canada was first sighted at Gaspé, where a deputation of the Canadian Ministry went aboard to officially welcome the heir apparent. These included the Hon. John Rose, President of the Executive Council, George-Etienne Cartier, Premier and Attorney-General East; John A. Macdonald, Attorney-General West; and A.T. Galt, Minister of Finance.
On Saturday, August 18 His Royal Highness made his official entry into Quebec City...
Source: Montreal: McCord Museum of Canadian History, 1992. Used by permission.
The Phantom Ship
In her book Treasure Trove in Gaspé and the Baie des Chaleurs (1920s), Margaret C. MacWhirter devoted several pages to accounts of such sightings. She wrote:
Among the legends of the Baie des Chaleurs the best known is that of the “Phantom” or Burning Ship.... At certain times, usually before a storm she appears: a ship on fire, rigging and hull enveloped in a mass of flames. She has been seen by many persons at different times.
Paul Almond is one of Canada’s pre-eminent film and television directors, and he has directed and produced over 130 television dramas for the CBC, BBC, ABC and Granada Television. He has now turned his talents to writing a series of novels based on his own family’s pioneering adventures in Canada. Paul Almond lives on the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec and in Malibu, California. For further historical background and more about the Alford Saga books, visit Paul online at www.paulalmond.com
[Photo © Joan Almond]
