MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
The 1933 Whalebone Arch which commemorates British continuous rule in Falklands
The Whalebone Arch in Stanley City, adjacent to the cathedral, the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world, a must for visitors to enjoy and picture a souvenir One of the attractions when visiting the Falkland Islands' capital Stanley City is the Whalebone Arch, adjacent to the cathedral, the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world. Locals, tourists and cruise visitors love to enjoy and picture the impressive mandibles of blue whales in the arch, but not many are aware it was erected in 1933, to commemorate the centenary of continuous British administration in the Falklands. The land and garden that forms the Arch Green (formerly Cathedral Green) was given by the Falkland Islands Company to the Falkland Islands Government for the leisure of the people of Stanley, and enjoyment of visitors.
The double arch consists of two pairs of large jawbones from blue whales which were brought down to the Islands from the South Shetland Islands in 1922 by the Hektor Whaling Company, as a gift for the Falkland Islands Government. For some years, two of the bones lay on Victory Green and the others were kept in the Government Dockyard (now the site of the Historic Dockyard Museum.) The original intention was for them to form part of an exhibition in a proposed whaling museum but instead they were used to create this monument to the centenary.
However before 2017, it had been several years since any restoration work had been carried out on Whale Bone Arch. The arch had been yellowed by the Sun and was beginning to suffer water damage so restoration was desperately needed.
Even though the arch is not under National Trust care, the Dockyard Museum undertook the necessary work to stop any further deterioration.
For this purpose they enlisted the help of Steve Cartwright who assessed the bones to see what work would need to be done. He then took on the massive challenge of working on each bone to restore the arch to its former glory.
The arch was covered to protect it from the elements and to give it time to dry out. After a month's work and £5,600 spent, the arch was finally unveiled.
But when Steve carried out the work in 2017 he found that with the bones being three or so feet deep into the ground the bones are absorbing moisture meaning that they are not getting the opportunity to dry internally. He suggested that the best course of action would be to cut the bones at the base and sit them on a plinth to stop this from happening. Unfortunately, the Museum does not have the funds to complete this work as yet.
Because this work has not been able to be completed the bones have blistered. Hugh Marsden replied in 2019 to an advert in the Penguin News to assist with the ongoing preservation work. Hugh managed to deal with the blistered areas and applied a coat of varnish to protect the arch from the elements and the harsh UV rays.
The Museum continues to keep an eye on the arch and carry out as much work as means allow as and when it is needed.
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Read all commentsWhy do you persist with these lies . . you know very well that no inhabitants were evicted, only the illegal military, who had raped and murdered, the inhabitants were a multi national business venture led by a German and a Brit, nothing to do with Buenos Aires, a small number chose to leave voluntary some stayed, but you know this already and yet continue to spew the lies, what do you think you are achieving, the answer is nothing, 200 years have passed, whether you like it or not the matter is settled, there is nothing Argentina can do about it not now, not in 10 years not in 50 years not ever, technology will ensure that, go and get a life and stop wasting it on a lie a myth and a fantasy,
Jan 05th, 2024 - 11:48 am 0Once gain Cit, spouting the same old garbage. Britain claimed the islands long be fore you existed. and yes Britain was the first to claim them, not Spain, not France,
Jan 06th, 2024 - 09:57 am 0only deluded fanatics like yourself want to keep the so called claim open, one day you might grow up as a country, normal Argentines are more interested in providing for their families.
we will wait for any geopolitical change balance of forces or defensive slip . what geo change ? technology will have advanced so far in to any thing we cant imagine,
weapons systems will wipe out any naval threat long before it gets any where near the islands, the same with any future air force you may have, their will be no defensive slip ever again, history has shown you can not be trusted, as for your geo political change, the rest of the civilised world will not support you, they are sick to death of your crying, the matter is settled, and in the future the Falklands will be a thriving independent country, and that is a FACT, cut the BS and go to the ICJ, you have become so boring with the same old nonsense, must be the 20th time of copying and pasting, your pathetic claim guarantees nothing, once fanatics like you have popped your clogs your bogus claim will fade,
That is how stupid you are, any future attempt at a military take over of the Falklands would be devastating, (your own Kirchnerites have said they will never do it ) are they lying ? like they do about everything, the rest of Latin America will never fight a war for you, NOT EVER ,they dont even like Argentina, and neither will China, you live in a dream world , British technology will not stand still, it would take 30 years for you to reach this level now, but meanwhile British technology would have advanced even further, you would be obliterated, the Falklands will be an sovereign state in the future, with full protection from the UN, this crazy deluded fantasy world you live in does you no favours, you have gone from a half decent debater to a fantasist troll, the matter is settled, end of story,
Jan 07th, 2024 - 12:33 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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