2-970-138 - /Heritage Images

Her Majesty laying the Foundation-Stone of the New Military Hospital at Hamble, near Southampton, 1856. Ceremony at the Royal Victoria Hospital: '...the commanding Engineer presented to her Majesty [Queen Victoria] the plans of the building. Her Majesty having signified her approval of them, they were placed in the copper box prepared for the purpose, together with the coins, medals, and cross, and the vellum document recording the event. The Queen tried the stone with the plummet and level, and tapped it in the usual form, taking counsel with Lord Panmure as to the correct and truly masonic method of doing so...We much regret to add that as the gun-boats saluted the laying of the foundation-stone a gun of the Hardy prematurely went off; two seamen were blown to pieces, and several others were injured'. From "Illustrated London News", 1856.