nelsonscolumn

Great to see Trafalgar Square as it was a century ago. That's my favourite lion, the SE corner one. He and the rest of the square are prominently featured in episode 35 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, in a sketch which gives a good look around the Square as it was in 1972.

The Salvation Army's decennial Great International Congress was held in London, England, beginning June 11, 1914. The congress was held every 10 years, and this was an auspicious opportunity to share experiences and enthusiasms with thousands of people from 58 countries including England, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada. The largest delegation, outside of England, was from the United States, which sent 600 men and women and 100 children. The American delegation included four bands, from New York; Chicago; Worcester, Massachusetts; and Flint, Michigan. The 55 band members from Flint were auto workers, and their expenses were paid by local businessmen. Elsewhere, American delegates paid their own expenses.

Other Bain/LOC photos of the 1914 Salvation Army Congress:

Wystan, Thanks for collecting the images related to this event, and for the further details. Per the New York Times, the procession through London was June 13, 1914, and it looks like it was quite the show! We will add more information to this photograph's record as well as other related images.

Magnifiques photos, c'est toujours très émouvant de voir des endroits que l'on connaît mais à une époque différente. On peut aussi se poser des questions sur la mode du chapeau, est-ce que cela reviendra un jour ? ---- Horizon - dans le rachat de crédit

Getty Images have a different photo of a tricolour protest in Trafalgar Square, dated 1922 The protest was for the release of Irish prisoners www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/flag-bearers-hold-th...

Streetview

If Feb 1922 (though fashion may be more recent) . . . ."a monster demonstration for the purpose of demanding the release of all Irish political prisioners at present in English jails including the Connaught Rangers was held on Sunday under the auspices of the Irish Self-Determination League of Great Britain. speeches were delivered from three platforms and the Tricolour was displayed around the monument . . . . Art O'Brien . . . . Sean Wickham . . . ." (Weekly Freeman Sat. 18 Feb 1922 Pg. 5)

[Aside] I never knew this: "The column also had a symbolic importance to Adolf Hitler. If Hitler's plan to invade Britain, Operation Sea Lion, had been successful, he planned to move it to Berlin." - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson%27s_Column

From Trove: A large Irish demonstration in Trafalgar-square demanded the release of 180 Irish prisoners who ara still in gaol, on the ground that their retention was at variance with the spirit of the Irish agreement. Article from The Advocate, Melbourne, 16 Feb 1922, in a longer article about Irish News. Doesn't give the date of the protest.

I have taken the liberty of adding this to Historypin where you can see it overlaid on Google Street View - www.historypin.com/map/#!/geo:51.50771,-0.128549/zoom:20/...