Carronades

The five carronades on display were cast at Carron Foundries, Falkirk, Scotland, 1801-1803. Admiral Nelson credited these weapons as the key to victory at Trafalgar, as did Wellington at Waterloo. They served in the Forts and defences of Canada until retired by modernization. From military storage in Montreal, these carronades were brought to Port Arthur in 1911 to grace the terraces fronting the newly built collegiate institute and Gore Park.

Progress say the cannons dispersed and these five were relegated to the obscurity of Black Bay Bluffs. From here they were rescued by the Naval Veterans of Thunder Bay who restored them as originally ship mounted. Today they rest as part of the Mariners’ Monument at The Anchorage for the enjoyment of all. They were erected on 1 June 1997.

The following memorials are part of the Anchorage Memorial:

Anchorage Memorial Bell, Superior Anchors, Ships Tribute, S.S. Rappahannock Anchor, Mariners’ Monument, and Thunder Bay Sailors’ Plaques.

Inscription

[plaque/plaque]
“THE ANCHORAGE CARRONADES”

THE FIVE CARRONADES ON DISPLAY WERE CAST AT CARRON FOUNDRIES,
FALKIRK, SCOTLAND, (1801-1803). ADMIRAL NELSON CREDITED THESE
WEAPONS AS THE KEY TO VICTORY AT TRAFALGER, AS DID WELLINGTON
AT WATERLOO. THEY SERVED IN THE FORTS AND DEFENCES OF CANADA
UNTIL RETIRED BY MODERNIZATION. FROM MILITARY STORAGE IN
MONTREAL, THESE CARRONADES WERE BROUGHT TO PORT ARTHUR IN
1911 TO GRACE THE TERRACES FRONTING THE NEWLY BUILT
COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE AND GORE PARK. PROGRESS SAW THE CANNONS
DISPERSED AND THESE FIVE WERE RELEGATED TO THE OBSCURITY OF
BLACK BAY BLUFFS. FROM HERE THEY WERE RESCUED BY THE NAVAL
VETERANS OF THUNDER BAY WHO RESTORED THEM AS ORIGINALLY SHIP
MOUNTED. TODAY THEY REST AS PART OF THE MARINERS’ MONUMENT AT
THE ANCHORAGE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL.

JUNE 1, 1997

[plaque/plaque]
THE RESTORATION OF THIS
EARLY 19TH CENTURY CARRONADE
WAS MADE POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF
KEN A. WHENT AND FAMILY
HONOURING ALL WHO SERVED
VALIANTLY AT SEA.

JUNE 1, 1997
WE CARE AND REMEMBER

[plaque/plaque]
THIS CARRONADE FROM
THE ERA OF ADMIRAL NELSON
WAS RESTORED
THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF
JIM BLACK
JUNE 1, 1997
HONOURING THE MARINERS OF CANADA

[plaque/plaque]
THE RESTORATION OF THIS
EARLY 19TH CENTURY CARRONADE
WAS MADE POSSIBLE
BY A CONTRIBUTION FROM
THE ROTARY CLUB OF THUNDER BAY
(FORT WILLIAM)
JUNE 1, 1997

[plaque/plaque]
THIS 1800 VINTAGE CARRONADE
WAS RESTORED AND MOUNTED
AS A CONTRIBUTION TO
THE ANCHORAGE MEMORIAL
TO CANADIAN MARINERS
HARVEY W. SMITH
FOUNDER
LAKEHEAD FREIGHTWAYS LTD.
DEDICATED JUNE 1, 1997

[plaque/plaque]
THE RESTORATION OF THIS
EARLY 19TH CENTURY CARRONADE
WAS MADE POSSIBLE
BY A CONTRIBUTION FROM
THE ROTARY CLUB OF THUNDER BAY
(PORT ARTHUR)
JUNE 1, 1997

Les cinq caronades qui sont exposées proviennent de la fonderie Carron de Falkirk, en Écosse, et ont été construites entre 1801 et 1803. L’Amiral Nelson a affirmé qu’il devait sa victoire à ces armes lors de la bataille de Trafalgar, comme ce fut le cas de Wellington, à Waterloo. Elles étaient utilisées dans les forts pour la défense du Canada jusqu’à ce qu’on s’en départit en vue de moderniser l’armement. Ces caronades ont été retirées de l’entrepôt militaire de Montréal pour ensuite être amenées jusqu’à Port Arthur, en 1911, afin d’orner les terrasses faisant face à la nouvelle école supérieure et au parc Gore.

Les canons sont tombés dans l’oubli, comme ce fut le cas de ces cinq caronades, qui ont été reléguées aux falaises de Black Bay. Les vétérans de la marine de Thunder Bay les ont sauvées de leur triste sort en les restaurant à leur état d’origine. Aujourd’hui, il est possible de les admirer aux côtés d’autres vestiges de la marine au site de l’Anchorage. Elles ont été érigées le 1er juin 1997.

Les monuments commémoratifs suivants font tous partie du Mémorial d’Anchorage :

Cloche du Mémorial d’Anchorage, Ancres supérieures, Hommage au navires, Ancre du S.S. Rappahannock, Plaques du Monument aux marins, et Plaques aux marins de Thunder Bay.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.