Nova Scotia Archives
Halifax and Its People / 1749-1999
"Court House, Halifax, Spring Garden Road, looking east, 1860. Arch of General Trollope in honour of the visit of the Prince of Wales, designed by Col. Nelson, R.E."
HRH Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, arrived in Halifax on Monday, 30 July 1860. At noon the prince left his flagship, HMS Hero, and was greeted by dignitaries in the Dockyard. Then a procession formed and travelled southward to Government House, passing under numerous arches and greeted by throngs of Haligonians. On Tuesday morning, Prince Edward's standard was lowered at Government House and the prince, accompanied by his personal retinue, plus the Earl of Mulgrave (Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia), General Charles Trollope (Commander-in-Chief of HM Forces in Nova Scotia) and various staff members, proceeded via Pleasant (Barrington) Street and Spring Garden Road to the western end of the Horticultural (Public) Gardens and on to the Halifax Commons. The British Colonist of 2 August gave a detailed account, describing the arch on Spring Garden Road near the Court House as:
the grandest object amongst all our displays, in or around the city, outside of the Province Building.... It is the most splendid thing of the kind we have ever seen, here or elsewhere, and evinces on the part of its designer, not only much taste but real genius. First there are eight immense columns, 25 feet in length, three or four feet diameter at the base, and tapering to about 15 inches at the top. These columns are formed of small spars bound together with hoops. These eight columns support two immense arches, on the outside of which are two smaller arches, supported on lesser pillars of the same description. Each outside large column is capped with a Prince's feather, and above the central arch another, all perfect plumes formed of evergreens, and above the latter, floated the British ensign at a height of 71 feet. The distance between the large columns is 17 feet at the base – and the depth from the outside, parallel with the street, 13 feet. – From the street to the top of the plume is over 48 feet. Over the small arches are various inscriptions.
Photographer: W. Chase
Date: 1860
Reference: W. Chase Nova Scotia Archives no. 6 / negative: N-1253