Two Russian Crimean Cannon presented to Gibraltar Alameda Gardens

Ref: HLMP2/026

At the entrance of the Alameda Gardens are two of the four Russian guns that were captured during the Crimean War (1854–1856). The inscription reads: "These Four Russian Guns, captured in the Crimea 1854—1856, were Presented to Gibraltar by the British Government 1858." The guns were presented on the 8^th March 1858 and placed at the Alameda Grand Parade. A photograph taken in 1902 by J.J. Sterico shows these guns were originally placed to the West of Grand Parade.

These guns were moved from the Alameda Estate sometime in the 1930’s. Two were placed outside the main entrance to South Barracks, and two at Lathbury Barracks. They remained there until these buildings were handed over to the Government of Gibraltar in the early 1990’s.

The Russian guns were moved again: two were placed inside the entrance of the George Don Gates, at the Alameda Botanical Gardens and two placed at each side of the British War Memorial Monument at Line Wall Road.

All four Crimean cannon contain a number of Russian inscriptions in each trunnion which reveals a lot of potential information about each gun. All the guns are inscribed with the Russian double-headed eagle which is the main symbol in the coat of arms of the Russian Empire until it was abolished with the Russian Revolution in 1917.

A further detailed observation of the inscription was carried out by amateur local historian Paul Hodkinson reveals the following:

“Well the trunnions – those parts of the casting by which the cannon is mounted – can tell us a great deal about each gun’s origin. Let’s examine one of the guns by the war memorial. The right trunnion, pictured here, tells us that this is a 24 pounder; more accurately 24fun, a Russian unit that is roughly equal to an English pound. The next line tells us that the gross weight is 120 pood; which is a unit of around 35fun, so by calculation that gives an all up weight of 42oolb or just over 1900Kg. The bottom line tells us only that the gun was cast in 1825 and was therefore some 30 years old when captured.

The left trunnion, pictured here, gives a little more data. The top line carries the weapon ‘s registered number and the middle line translates as Aleksandrevsky Zavoda, or Alexander Factory; the place of manufacture. The first three characters of the last line are obscure but the remainder translates as Pullon, the director of the factory. The Alexander Factory, located at Petrozavodsk on Lake Onega, was a French concern until 1777 when it went bankrupt and was taken over by the state, which appointed former director Andre Pullon as manager. Andre’s son Alexander managed the factory from 1818 until 1833 and it is his name that appears on our cannon.”