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Bay of Plenty

...potential trading routes. On May 2nd 1670 Charles II signed a Royal Charter which granted exclusive trading rights of the Hudson Bay watershed to “the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson Bay.”  Thus the oldest trading company in North America was born. Given the land they were had rights to was fifteen times the size of Great Britain, the Company established a series of forts along the Hudson Bay coastline. Some developed into important cities such as Winnipeg and Calgary. With those in place they could begin dealing with the local Cree, but if they assumed this would be straightforward they would be disappointed....

Pride of London

...   Every October for the past 366 years an unusual service has taken place in the church of St. Katharine Cree, in Leadenhall Street. It is the Lion Sermon. On the 16th October 1643, while travelling to Arabia on a trading mission, Alderman Sir John Gayer became separated from his companions and, as night fell, became aware that a lion was lurking. But it did not attack him. In the morning he was found sleeping peacefully, with the lion’s footprints all around him. Like Daniel in the lion’s den, he had survived. In gratitude for his survival, Sir John made various gifts to good causes and in his will established an annual commemorative servi...

The Royal Queens of Hammersmith

...important trading benefits. She was never very popular despite the king’s many infidelities because she remained a strict yet discreet catholic. Charles II did do his duty - Catharine suffered three miscarriages - and though there was discussions about a divorce Charles supported his queen as best she could. Catharine made the drinking of tea fashionable, for which every Briton must raise a teacup too, as well as having an interest in porcelain and lacquerware. In 1691 she left for her home country, never to return. Further along the river you’ll come to Distillery Wharf, once the site of the Haig whisky distillery. Before that it was the site of Brande...