George Henry Seymour Fonds, 1855-1860
This fonds contains a travel journal kept by Vice-Admiral George Henry Seymour when he accompanied Edward VII, Prince of Wales (later King of England) for a tour of the Province of Canada, including a visit to Niagara Falls. The first 8 pages of the journal contain entries from the HMS Pembroke in the Gulf of Finland in 1855. The remaining entries are “the dates & c of sailing and arrival of HMS Hero during HRH the Prince of Wales’ visit to Canada in 1860.” The journey begins from Plymouth Sound, with subsequent entries at Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Toronto, Niagara, Halifax, and Portland (Maine). Highlights of the tour include encounters with Governors Sir Alexander Bannerman (Newfoundland) and George Dundas (Prince Edward Island), the Governor General [Sir Edmund Walker Head], Sir George Simpson (Governor-in-Chief of the Hudson’s Bay Company), Charles Blondin (tightrope walker), and First Nations.
Some of the material has been digitized and is available in the Digital Repository.
Letter written by George Henry Seymour, 1860
This letter written by Seymour while touring with the Prince of Wales refers to a proposal made by renowned tightrope walker Blondin. Seymour writes that "when we got here, the D. of Newcastle received a proposal from Mr. Blondin to wheel the Prince over the falls on his tightrope in a wheelbarrow and in case of letting him fall ‘to return the money’. I have very little doubt that he could do what he proposed as he went across just below the suspension bridge, played all sorts of tightrope feats in the centre then took a man on his back roped over with him and returned on stilts. It was a most wonderful performance. I strongly advised HRH not to wait and see him do anything that he had not done before and the feat of the stilts was a first attempt but he was so anxious to remain that he carried his point against our prudent remonstrances and it all came off right— but if any mischance had occurred he would have blamed himself for having given encouragement by his presence.”