No Ordinary Man. Lois Winslow-Spragge
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but, never achieving permanency there, they returned to London where Gloranna left him. Depressed, estranged from his family, and separated from his Montreal relatives, Rankine died in a London nursing home.
19Dan O’Hara was a boyhood friend who later dropped out of McGill and qualified as a notary.
20A reference to the writings of children’s author Martha Mary Sherwood, whose works, including Little Henry & His Bearer & The History of the Fairchild Family, were staples of Victorian children.
21Probably berries from wild hawthorn or haw, Crataegus spp.
22Or foraminifera, unicellular protozoa important as zone fossils especially in the Tertiary Period, some two and a half to sixty-five million years ago, where they may be locally present in sufficient numbers to be major rock-building constituents.
23Probably Jane Torrance (1812-1875) the wife of David Torrance, a prominent Montreal merchan later president of the Bank of Montreal.
A VOYAGE TO GREAT BRITAIN WITH FATHER
In 1865, Sir William took George and Anna for a trip to Great Britain. The excerpts below, from George’s diary written as he turned sixteen, will give some account of his impressions and activities on this his first trip across the Atlantic to the British Isles.
July 8, 1865
Sailed from Quebec this morning about nine. The St David sailed about 1/4 of an hour before us. Saw the falls of Montmorrency. met Magnet steamer going up, below Murry bay24 passed Cacouna at 1/2 past 7 saw Marquis house and beach, kept up in sight of St David all day gradually gaining passed her at nine, water phosporessant. weather very fine.
July 9th, Sunday
had service on board this morning. Sailed down the south coast all day Made the lighthouse near Gaspe this evening and started across for east end of Anticosti Gaspe on sight on one side and low land of Anticosti on the other. Passed several vessels this afternoon. St David out of sight astern. Had a little sail up this evening.
July 10th.
Had some sail up all day. Saw a whale. No land in sight all Day.
July 11th. Tuesday
Made the lighthouse at the entrance of Belisle straits25 early this morning. We could not see much of either the Labrador or Newfoundland coast on account of the thickness of the weather. Saw a great many icebergs near Belisle island26 and passed close to some saw one ship
Wedensday July 12th.
Went slow most of last night on account of fog. We are getting rooled and pitched agood deal today
Thursday July 13
Heavy sea and head wind disagreable weather
Friday July 14th.
Fine day and fair wind
Saturday July 15th.
Unpleasant wet day with very heavy swell.
Sunday July 16th.
A very fine day with fair wind. Mr Stag preached us a sermon this morning.
Monday July 17th.
Strong head wind and rain all day. At about eleaven o’clock this morning a steamer came in sight going the opposite way, the first sail we have seen since leaving the straits of Belisle; on Signaling she proved to be the St George from Glasgow for Quebec.
Tuesday July 18th.
Strong head wing, with heavy sea and rain all day.
Wedensday July 19th.
Made the lighthouse on Tory island very early this morning. When I came up on deck we were in sight of the Irish Coast we sat watching it till breakfast. Began to enter Loch Foyle27 soon after we had a very fine view passing up, we saw Greencastle and the fort near it, the former all covered with ivey. When we came up opposite to the telegraph station a pilot came on board also a boat for the dispatches. We then fired a cannon and soon after a steam tender called the lion came alongside and took off all the pasangers and lugage for Londonderry. Going out we passed quite close to the shore and had a very fine view of the Giants Causey28 and several other fine bold clifs and capes near it. We passed two rocks this afternoon with very fine lighthous upon them called the Maidens, and also had a distant view of the isle of Man
Thursday July 20th.
We passed the bell boy this morning, not long before breakfast, and when we came up from breakfast we were entering the Mercy,29 in passing up we had a very good view of both banks, we got to Liverpool about 7 o’clock and drove to the railway station where we left our luggage, we then drove to Mr Crows, and found his office not yet opened, when it was opened we found that he was out of town but papa had notes from him and from Scotland, we then walked down and saw {one of} the docks, we then walked to the public museum30 and spent an hour or two in looking over it, there was some very