Stuff I Didn't Know

[moon_custafer]

There's a statue of Sir Galahad on Parliament Hill in Ottawa; it's actually a memorial to one Albert Harper, a civil servant who in 1901 was drowned in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue a young lady who'd fallen through the ice while skating on the Rideau Canal. As it happens, Harper had been the college roommate and BFF of future Prime minister Mackenzie King, who led the public campaign to put up a suitable memorial. The Sir Galahad image was King's idea - he and Harper had been big Tennyson/Arthurian-legend fans, and Harper had kept a print of Sir Galahad over his desk when he was a journalist, as inspiration. Feel free to start 'shipping now.

I wonder whether one could do an Alan-Moore-style look at the architecture of Ottawa for evidence that King, with his now well-known mystical tendencies, was pushing projects that held secret symbolism for him (his own estate was definitely constructed this way - a feature of the gardens was a faux ruined abbey built from parts of different historic buildings - stones from the British Parliament, stones from the original Canadian Parliament, and a few stones from his rebel grandfather's print shop.)

More fun facts about King, according to the National Archives site - although he's usually thought of as a lonely introvert who, when not in Parliament, was hiding out in his room with a crystal ball, he apparently did have a sociable side and liked to dance.

Also, his second terrier, Pat II, originally belonged to his neighbours who named it after his first terrier Pat; some time after Pat I died (aged 17), they gave him "the other Pat." Pat III was given to him by his secretary when he retired from politics, and I suppose by that name naming dogs "Pat" had become a habit. Pat III outlived his master; Pats I and II are buried in the ruined abbey.

Comments

[donald hutton (from livejournal.com)]

There was a great sequence in that strip about Canadian politics ("On the Benches"?) where they stumble across King's hidden seance room while doing renovations on the PM's house. Inside is the mummy of Pat staring at a glowing crystal ball: which turns out to be a communicator to a Flying Saucer.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

It's sort of a pity King isn't well-known outside Canada (afaik) - he'd fit right into one of those "secret magical history of WWII" fantasies.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

...even as a throwaway gag, eg:

CHURCHILL: We're not worried about the Grail - it's in the hands of one of our Allies, someplace the Nazis would never think to look...

CUT TO: Ext. 24 Sussex Drive. Title: "Residence of the Canadian Prime Minister."

[fragrantwoods.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of an Arthurian-legend influenced politician. We could use more of those.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

Mostly he's known as a Spiritualist-influenced politician (as in, he talked to his late mother and others via seances); although I think he mostly used it for personal inspiration rather than political guidance.

Canadian history is way interesting. Ask me sometime about our various crazy/tragic poets (a couple of whom* were also political leaders.)


*Louis Riel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel) (Metis rebel leader) and Thomas D'arcy McGee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_D'Arcy_McGee) (Conservative politician). Wikipedia says McGee is the only Federal victim of political assassination, which is true; however, we did have a former Prime Minister (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Brown_(Canadian_politician)#Post-Parliamentary_Career_.26_Death) who was shot in the leg by a disgruntled employee and later died of gangrene. My wedding and reception were at his house.