Thousands of life jackets have been laid out on the grass in Parliament Square in London, as world leaders meet at the United Nations in New York to discuss the refugee crisis. The 2,500 jackets used in the one-day "life jacket graveyard" installation were all worn by those who tried to make the crossing from Turkey to the Greek island of Chios. More than 600 of the life jackets on display were used by children, but most of them are pretty useless. A lot of the life jackets provided by people smugglers are virtually fake, and actually soak up water instead — several of those displayed were sliced open. life jackets, refugees, installation

Colour photograph of an old clock tower in London known as Big Ben.big ben, clock, horology, london, architecture

At 135m, Coca-Cola London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. It was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects and was launched in 2000. It has won over 85 awards for national and international tourism, outstanding architectural quality and engineering achievement. In fact, it has become the UK’s most popular paid for visitor attraction. A remarkable feat of design and engineering, the London Eye gave London’s skyline a dramatic new addition and has been offering guests a new perspective on London ever since. Originally, it was intended as a temporary structure, able to be dismantled and transported to a new location, and had planning permission for just five years. But with millions boarding it every year, its popularity has prompted its lease to be extended. Today it is a permanent fixture on the London skyline and a beautiful symbol of modern London. (https://www.londoneye.com/about-us/#sthash.Xxd6iuOj.dpuf)london eye, ferris wheel

tower of london, traitor's gate, london

The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison from 1100 (Ranulf Flambard) until 1952 (Kray twins),[3] although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site. The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times, and controlling it has been important to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England. From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch. In the absence of the monarch, the Constable of the Tower is in charge of the castle. This was a powerful and trusted position in the medieval period. In the late 15th century the castle was the prison of the Princes in the Tower. Under the Tudors, the Tower became used less as a royal residence, and despite attempts to refortify and repair the castle its defences lagged behind developments to deal with artillery. The peak period of the castle's use as a prison was the 16th and 17th centuries, when many figures who had fallen into disgrace, such as Elizabeth I before she became queen, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Elizabeth Throckmorton were held within its walls. This use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower". Despite its enduring reputation as a place of torture and death, popularised by 16th-century religious propagandists and 19th-century writers, only seven people were executed within the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century. Executions were more commonly held on the notorious Tower Hill to the north of the castle, with 112 occurring there over a 400-year period. In the latter half of the 19th century, institutions such as the Royal Mint moved out of the castle to other locations, leaving many buildings empty. Anthony Salvin and John Taylor took the opportunity to restore the Tower to what was felt to be its medieval appearance, clearing out many of the vacant post-medieval structures. In the First and Second World Wars, the Tower was again used as a prison, and witnessed the executions of 12 men for espionage. After the Second World War, damage caused during the Blitz was repaired, and the castle reopened to the public. Today the Tower of London is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Under the ceremonial charge of the Constable of the Tower, it is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and is protected as a World Heritage Site.(Wikipedia) A World Heritage Site is a landmark which has been officially recognized by the United Nations, specifically by UNESCO. Sites are selected on the basis of having cultural, historical, scientific or some other form of significance, and they are legally protected by international treaties. UNESCO regards these sites as being important to the collective interests of humanity. More specifically, a World Heritage Site is an already classified landmark on the earth, which by way of being unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable piece is of special cultural or physical significance (such as either due to hosting an ancient ruins or some historical structure, building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) and symbolizes a remarkable footprint of extreme human endeavour often coupled with some act of indisputable accomplishment of humanity which then serves as a surviving evidence of its intellectual existence on the planet. And with an ignoble intent of its practical conservation for posterity, but which otherwise could be subject to inherent risk of endangerment from human or animal trespassing, owing to unmonitored/uncontrolled/unrestricted nature of access or threat by natural or accelerated extinction owing to local administrative negligence, hence it would have been listed and demarcated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have been identified or recognised and officially christened and internationally elevated through multilateral declaration by UNESCO as a universally protected zone. [1] The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly. (Wikipedia)The Tower of London is a UNESCO world heritage site.tower of london

masons marks, lancaster gate, london, stone

These original columns are marble, made in 113AD. They come from Rome, Italy and are held in the Cast Courts at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The collection of casts at the museum is one of the most important in the world. Their original purpose was educational when it was not easy to trail and see original works. they thus provided an opportunity for students to study. The Cast Courts opened in 1873 and allowed the display of large monuments. These galleries are currently divided by nationality. Photograph of a cast of Trajan's Column at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The column has been displayed in two parts. he massive cast is a tremendous feat of both engineering and casting. Displayed in the Architectural Courts from the time of their opening in 1873, it provided the opportunity for students (and others not able to travel to Rome) to see this iconic monument of the classical world. The cast of the column is made up of sections of plaster reliefs that are attached to an inner chimney built of brick. Each section was individually numbered so that the column could easily be assembled like a giant jigsaw puzzle. (http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/trajans-column/)trajan's column, roman forum, plaster casts

These stairs are on display at Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Salisbury Cathedral is still in existence and houses the famous Magna Carta. Standing 123 metres high above the city that grew up around it Salisbury Cathedral is almost entirely Early English Gothic in architectural style. The Magna Carta housed at SAlisbury is the best preserved of the four originals dating from June 1215 and still in existence.It is written in Latin with a quill pen on treated animal skin (parchment). The sealed documents were sent throughout the country after the Charter was forced on King John barons who were unhappy with the way he was ruling England. Wooden stairsmagna carta salisbury cathedral king john stairs

Four similar but larger brackets were on the facade of Pindar's house. this is on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. This smaller example was most likely part of a chimney piece from a grand room on the first floor. The crouching minter has a man's head, the chest of a woman and the legs of a goat or horse.Wooden carved bracket at Sir Paul Pindar's Housepaul pindar's house, bracket, timber, victoria and albert museum, london, sculpture

victoria and albert museum, london

This ornate cross sits at the right hand side of View of Trajan's column, Cast Courts, Room 46a, The West Court, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Cast Courts: "When the Architectural Courts – or Cast Courts as they are now known – opened in 1873, The Builder magazine compared the experience of seeing them to a first glimpse of Mont Blanc, creating one of those 'impressions that can scarcely be effaced'. Since then, these two enormous rooms and the reproductions they contain have continued to impress and inspire visitors to the Museum. For centuries, antiquarian interest in world architecture and sculpture led to reproductions – or copies – being made of outstanding national monuments and notable sculptures. When the Museum was founded, it collected and displayed reproductions of great art and architecture from across the world in order to offer objects for study and tell a complete story of the history of art and design. Casts are made by placing several plaster moulds upon the surface of the original structure. Once hardened and removed, the moulds are then enclosed in an outer casing, the interior coated with a separating agent and the wet plaster poured in. When set, the pieces are then assembled and the joints and surfaces finished off, to make a complete reproduction of the original work. The finished product – as well as being a formidable technical achievement in its own right – enables admirers to study faithful reproductions of important monuments and works of art." Ref: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/history-of-the-cast-courtslondon, victoria and albert museum, cast courts

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The Museum holds many of the UK's national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewellery, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance. https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/about-usDigital photographs of a stained glass window at the Victoria And Albert Museum, Londonvictoria and albert museum, window, interior, stained glass window

In 2015 St Peter's celebrated 150 years since it was established.Colour photograph of the Catholic Church in Daylesford. st peter's catholic church, daylesford, catholic church daylesford, catherine d'alton, john mcmahon, m.c. gough, archdeacan slatter, archdeacon slattery, rev. m.c. mahon, jack dixon, harry maddiks, peggy maddicks, paul gregory daglish, fr gary a. jones

The World War One windows in the Barkly Street Uniting Church resulted from a request made in 1919 from the Barkly Street Young Men's Club who raised money to pay for the project. The window was designed by the Fisher Company, and was unveiled on 14 March 1920 at a total cost of 171 pounds 10 shillings. The windows are considered to be one of the most remarkable war memorial windows in Victoria, and the 1800s English Gothic-style front facade is believed to be protected by a City of Ballarat heritage overlay. Historical experts believe the windows were designed by renowned stained-glass window-maker William Montgomery. The centre window depicts a young soldier bearing an Anzac badge underneath the British and Australian flags. The image of the solider is surrounded by 24 crosses, a single dove and a bugle. A number of colour photographs of the interior of the Barkly Street Uniting Church taken while the church was offered for sale.barkly street uniting church, barkly street methodist church, world war one, world war one memorial, stained glass, soldier, religion, church

Brick building in Ballarat East built as the municipal library.former ballarat east library, ballarat east

Tippetts are generational potato farmers at DeanColour photograph of Tippett's farm at Dean, Victoria. dean, flood, tippett, potato, farming, agriculture

Generations of the Talbot family have called Malahide Castle home. They played significant roles in Irish political and social life. Set in 260 acres the castle is only 10 minutes from Dublin airport. https://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/ The estate began in 1185, when Richard Talbot, a knight who accompanied Henry II to Ireland in 1174, was granted the "lands and harbour of Malahide." The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century and it was home to the Talbot family for 791 years, from 1185 until 1976, the only exception being the period from 1649–60, when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland; Corbet was hanged following the demise of Cromwell, and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was notably enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765. The estate survived such losses as the Battle of the Boyne, when fourteen members of the owner's family sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, and all were dead by evening, and the Penal Laws, even though the family remained Roman Catholic until 1774. In 1918 during the First World War a mooring-out base for airships was established in the grounds of the castle, used by airships from RNAS Anglesey in Wales which conducted anti-submarine operations in the Irish Sea. There were plans to base airships here from 1919, but these were abandoned at the end of the war.[1] In the 1920s the private papers of James Boswell were discovered in the castle, and sold to American collector Ralph H. Isham by Boswell's great-great-grandson Lord Talbot de Malahide. Malahide Castle and Demesne was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State, partly to fund inheritance taxes. Many of the contents, notably furnishings, had been sold in advance, leading to considerable public controversy, but private and governmental parties were able to retrieve some. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malahide_CastleDigital photographsgravestones, malahide castle, ireland, cemetery, malahid castle; talbot; ireland; richard talbot; dublin

Generations of the Talbot family have called Malahide Castle home. They played significant roles in Irish political and social life. Set in 260 acres the castle is only 10 minutes from Dublin airport. https://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/ The estate began in 1185, when Richard Talbot, a knight who accompanied Henry II to Ireland in 1174, was granted the "lands and harbour of Malahide." The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century and it was home to the Talbot family for 791 years, from 1185 until 1976, the only exception being the period from 1649–60, when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland; Corbet was hanged following the demise of Cromwell, and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was notably enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765. The estate survived such losses as the Battle of the Boyne, when fourteen members of the owner's family sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, and all were dead by evening, and the Penal Laws, even though the family remained Roman Catholic until 1774. In 1918 during the First World War a mooring-out base for airships was established in the grounds of the castle, used by airships from RNAS Anglesey in Wales which conducted anti-submarine operations in the Irish Sea. There were plans to base airships here from 1919, but these were abandoned at the end of the war.[1] In the 1920s the private papers of James Boswell were discovered in the castle, and sold to American collector Ralph H. Isham by Boswell's great-great-grandson Lord Talbot de Malahide. Malahide Castle and Demesne was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State, partly to fund inheritance taxes. Many of the contents, notably furnishings, had been sold in advance, leading to considerable public controversy, but private and governmental parties were able to retrieve some. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malahide_Castle, TalbColour photograph of Malahide Castle, Ireland.malahide castle, ireland, talbot, richard talbot

The great mill mound is reported to be the burial ground of Amergin, and early Celtic poet. It was used as a fortified motte and bailey by the Normans during the 12th century. It later offered resistance to Cromwell in 1649. the present tower was built in 1808 but was damaged in 1922 during the Civil War in Ireland.drogheda, ireland

The museum houses an extensive collection. It provides educational programmes for schools and other groups. There is a unique collection of 19th century guild banners representing Weavers, the Shoemakers, and the Carpenters. Trade banners also represent the Brick and Stonemasons, Farm Labourers and the Boyne Fishermen. The Old Drogheda Society founded in 1964 by a group of concerned citizens for the preservation of Drogheda's historical monuments and the collection and recording of historical material relating to the town and surrounding area established the award winning museum. The Museum was opened in 1974 and in 2013 achieved full accreditation by the Heritage Council.

Photographs of three kookaburras that visited Mount Helen, Victoriakookaburra, laughing jackass, bird

Photographs of the Former Humffray Street Primary School taken from a distance. school, education, humffray street primary school

Colour photograph of St Alipius' and the Ballarat [East] Fire Brigade taken with a zoom lens from Armstrong Street South, Ballarat.ballarat fire brigade, ballarat east, st alipius' catholic church

world war one, annie maynard smith, ballaarat old cemetery, nurses, geoff howard, catherine king, garry snowden, trina jones, faye threlfell, world war one centenary, cemetery, gravestone

Tower Hill is an extinc volcano in Western Victoria.Colour photograph of a Koala asleep in a tree at Tower Hill, Victoria.koala, marsupial, tower hill

Colour photograph of a green leafed plant with green fruit. It is a Bush Tomato.bush tomato, fruit, tower hill

Lydiard Street is known as an axcellent example of Victorian architecture.Various views of Ballarat's Lydiard Street Northballarat, lydiard street north, buildings, aerial, birds eye, sebastions, regent cinema

A number of photographs of the Christmas sisplay windows at Myer Ballarat.christmas, santa claus, father christmas, reindeer

Colour photographs of old telephone and post office infrastructure at Cressy, Victoria.cressy, telephone exchange, telephone, payphone, church, cressy public hall, post office

The painted interior of the Clunes Town Hall is a war memorial A number of colour photographs showing the ipainted nterior of the Clunes Town Hall, including the World War One memorial which includes a rising sun painted onto an interior wall.clunes town hall, world war one memorial, rising sun, aif, architecture, clunes