2-970-198 - /Heritage Images

Her Majesty the Queen Laying the Foundation-Stone of Wellington College, near Sandhurst, 1856. Founding of a college '...for the education of the orphan sons of officers of the Royal Army, and of the Army of the Hon. East India Company...the bands struck up the National Anthem, and the heavy salvoes of the Royal salute were almost drowned by the cheers...The stone was a massive slab of solid polished granite. Beneath it was a deep recess, in which her Majesty placed a glass tube containing new specimens of all the current coins of the realm...the stone [was] then covered with cement; and her Majesty, taking an elaborate silver-gilt trowel...spread it out smoothly. The upper stone was then lowered...the Queen struck it three blows with an ebony and ivory mallet - then, taking the silver plumb and rule, tested its accuracy, and declared it "well and duly fixed".' From "Illustrated London News", 1856.