Glenbow Archives, Calgary, Canada
NA-1043-1 |
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"The Wonderful Canadian Arch in Whitehall", as the London Sphere described it, was erected on the ceremonial route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, for the coronation of King Edward VII in July 1902.
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Clifford Sifton's staff seized the opportunity to combine Imperial sentiments with a magnificent advertising opportunity. Photographs of the arch appeared in newspapers throughout Britain. Brilliantly lit with electric lights, messages on both sides of the arch were visible night and day. "Canada. Britain's Granary. God Bless Our King and Queen" appeared on the side facing Buckingham Palace. The message on the other side read "Canada. Free Homes for Millions. God Bless the Royal Family." The London Sphere enthused:
It is 56 feet high and 60 feet wide. The archway is 25 feet wide, the whole structure being capped by an open lantern with a roof of crown formation. It is "thatched" with wheat sheaves from Manitoba, and Canada's national emblem, the maple leaf, is effectively interspersed with the yellow grain.
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