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Local history thrills youngsters

Local children learnt of the wonders of Gibraltar during a two and a half hour ‘Walk through History’ organised by the Gibraltar Museum yesterday.

The tour began at Parson’s Lodge, then moved onto Rosia Bay and the 100 tonne gun. Senior guide Phil Smith led the tour which has been organised in conjunction with the Gibraltar Summer Sports and Leisure programme.

The children turned up bright and early at 10am kitted out in their sun hats and comfortable clothing ready to learn an abridged version of hundreds of years’ worth of local history. Almost 20 children and parents attended yesterday’s tour.

Mr Smith told the children he believes Rosia Bay is called that name because of the rose or red colour of the sand and rocks in that area. Rosia Bay is the only natural harbour in Gibraltar but now looks very different due to the construction of the walls.

“They built the wall all around the western side so that soldiers with a bow and arrow could stop any attempts to attack Gibraltar,” Mr Smith told the children.

He showed how the original Moorish wall built in the 1300s had a pinkish colour due to the Moors using the red stones for its construction. Later when warfare technology became more advanced a ‘battery’ needed to be built to hold the cannon.

In the 1700s almost 50 cannon were brought to Gibraltar and around Rosia Bay 15 batteries were built.

Mr Smith told the children how after the invention of searchlights in the 1800s it meant that the surrounding area could be lit to easily find the enemy approaching. In World War II the searchlights were used to scope enemy planes and aid soldiers to shoot them down.

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