Sunday, April 4, 2010

Thomas Fuller - Design for Parliament Buildings, Ottawa

Thomas Fuller (1822-1898) - Design for Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, 1859
Canadian 35c Stamp Issued 1980 Canada
Royal Academy of Arts Issue

This stamp was part of a series to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Academy of Arts for Canada.  Thomas Fuller sketched this drawing, but he is more famous for his work as a architect in Canada - he designed the Parliament Buildings for Canada, which were occupied from 1865 to 1915, before being destroyed by fire - this was originally suspected to be a German plot, according to Australian newspapers at the time: 

Extract from The Argus, Feb 5, 1916:

FIRE AT OTTAWA - PARLIAMENT HOUSE BURNING.

German Plot Suspected.

News reached London from Ottawa at an early hour this morning that the Dominion House of Parliament was on fire.

The library has been destroyed, and the fire at latest was still defying the efforts of the firemen to control it.

Two explosions were heard after the outbreak was observed. It is suspected that the fire is the result of a German plot.

Mr. Martin Burrell, Minister for Agriculture, sustained burns on the hands and face.

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