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Government House of Nova Scotia is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, as well as that in Halifax of the Canadian Monarch. It stands in the provincial capital at 1451 Barrington Street; unlike other provincial Government Houses in Canada, this gives Nova Scotia's royal residence a prominent urban setting, though it is still surrounded by gardens.
The public has only access to the Main Foyer, the Grand Staircase, the Ballroom, the Morning Room, the Drawing Room and the Dining Room.
(Description copied from wikipedia)
The Dining Room
• Over the years many royalty and dignitaries have dined in this room
• The dining room table is believed to be the only piece of furniture that is original to the house, it is made of mahogany from British Honduras (now Belize) and seats 24 comfortably.
• The silver nef (ship) is believed to have been salvaged from a shipwreck off the coast of Cape Breton and was used as a vessel for salt at the table, note the wheels which allows the guests to roll it up and down the table. It was donated to Government House by descendants of Captain Beazley.
• On the sideboard, is presentation silver belonging to Sir George Prevost, a gift from the province at the conclusion of his term. These items were donated by the Oland family.
• The two landscape paintings are of Cornwallis and Blomidon by Newfoundland artist, William Eagar.
• The large painting over the sideboard portrays the Battle of Lucknow, India, at which William Hall, became the first Nova Scotian and first African-Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in defending a fortress during the siege of Lucknow. The painting features a piece of cloth from a suit worn by the Hon Mayann Francis when she was presented to Her Majesty The Queen in 2007 in London after her appointment as Lieutenant Governor.
• The silver candelabra belonged to Sir James Kempt who served as Lieutenant Governor from 1820 to 1828, he had served with the Duke of Wellington to help fight off Napoleon’s advances during the Battle of Waterloo.
• The bust is of Major General George Vanier, who was Canada’s first French-Canadian Governor-General. On August 1st, 1959, in Halifax, the Queen, Prime Minister Diefenbaker and the Privy Council announced the appointment.
• The second bust is of The Honourable John Alexander Douglas McCurdy who was Lieutenant Governor from 1947 to 1952. He was intimately involved with the Silver Dart aeroplane, which he piloted in 1909, becoming the first person to fly in the British Empire. McCurdy became Canada's first licenced pilot in 1910. He continued flying until 1916, when vision problems grounded him. He went on to become a pioneer in the Canadian aviation industry.
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