GNW Painting Update

 I have finished off my second GNW Russian infantry unit and am almost finished a squadron of Russian Cavalry too. 

The infantry are supposed to represent Weides Grenadier Regiment, based on this information from my friend at the Tacitus.nu blog site

Some compromises have been made - potentially, the grenadier cap should be the taller, mitre type, more like the later SYW/AWI style, but there are insufficient of these on the sprues (two per twelve figures), whereas the head I picked are on both the cavalry and infantry sprues AND I had a good few spares from my own previous WSS work -so that's what these guys got! To be honest, I also felt the image above looked a shorter design than the full-on 18th century style mitre caps, but that may just be an artistic simplification.....anyway, here they are

The cavalry alluded to earlier are two bases (six figures) representing this unit, Sheremetev's Life Squadron

Finally, on the weekend we had to take my mother-in-law up to Auckland's Greenlane hospital eye clinic for her regular 3 monthly check up (every second or third visit, she is required to endure an injection INTO her eye....eeewww!). Anyway, while my wife accompanied her mum to the appointment, I took our dog Sam for a half hour walk in the adjacent Cornwall Park - here are a few pics...

A couple of bucolic views - you would never guess this is about 200m from a very busy four lane city road!

Sir John Logan Campbell was a prominent Scottish-born New Zealand public figure. He was described by his contemporaries as "the father of Auckland".

In the winter of 1840, recent immigrant John Logan Campbell and his business partner William Brown settled on an island at the mouth of the Waitematā Harbour, confident that the Tāmaki Peninsula would soon house the colony’s capital. By the time the capital shifted south the following year, Campbell was poised to make a tremendous profit from – and contribution to – the growth of the town. He became known as the Father of Auckland.

From a warehouse in Shortland Crescent, Campbell and his partner conducted their business as general merchants (with Māori trade particularly profitable), auctioneers, shipping and commission agents, and land speculators. The speculative coup of this period was the purchase in September 1853 of a superb 1000-acre [405-ha] suburban farm, which Campbell renamed One Tree Hill. Much against his inclinations he became caught up in politics, serving as provincial superintendent and as a member of the House of Representatives for the City of Auckland in 1855–56.

But the pioneer life which was quickly making Campbell wealthy did not satisfy him. He felt ‘banished from everything that can be called society.’ In November 1856 he left the colony to begin his ‘season of enjoyment’, funded by his business interests back in Auckland. Campbell, his much younger wife and their two daughters divided their time between resorts and spas in Italy, Switzerland, France and Britain until 1871, when they returned to New Zealand for good.

In the late 19th century, Campbell expanded his commercial empire into timber milling and breweries, founded Auckland’s first school of art, and served on more than 40 committees, boards, trusts or directorates. No ceremonial occasion in Auckland was complete without his presence. In 1901, at the age of 83, Campbell was persuaded to serve as honorary mayor of Auckland to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and of York to New Zealand. He took the opportunity of the heir apparent’s tour to gift 230 acres [93 ha] of One Tree Hill to New Zealand, renaming it Cornwall Park.

A view in the opposite direction, back towards the hospital

Thanks for visiting and I hope you were sufficiently impressed/entertained to leave a comment!