Regarded as the Grand Old Lady of Fountains, the Queen Victoria Fountain commemorates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The marble pieces were shipped from England to Kuala Lumpur, however it would not be assembled until 1904, by which time Queen Victoria had passed away.
This fountain, an important historical landmark, is one of two in Malaysia honouring Queen Victoria, with the other located in Melaka 122 km (75.9 miles) southeast from here. They are among the few remaining vestiges of English rule in Malaysia (then British Malaya, from 1826 to 1957).
Queen Victoria exceeded George III as the longest ruling English Monarch in England and Scotland on 23 September 1886. The celebrations were delayed on her request until 1897 as the event was to be celebrated with her Diamond Jubilee and it became a festival of the British Empire. Queen Victoria died in January 1901, after a reign of 63 years, 7 months, and 2 days — at that time the longest in British history. It was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II, who reign spanned 70 years and 214 days until her death on 8 September 2022 at the age of 96 years and 140 days.
A rumour that even made the newspaper, is that this fountain is called "Cop's Fountain", built in 1897 in memory of Steve Harper, an inspector of the Selangor Military Police. While the info on this officer certainly matches the timeframe, the preconceived notion that such a lavish and elaborate fountain would have been erected for an inspector would be utterly preposterous. The actual "Cop's Fountain" would most likely have been located at nearby Pasar Seni. Like most dedicated monuments (plaques, statues, epitaphs) it would have been quietly removed due to muslim sensitivities regarding idolatry.
Gargoyles on the Queen Victoria Fountain.
(Source: Barnyard Dawg, 2018)
From limestone to marble
Marble is the result from the metamorphism of organic sedimentary carbonate rocks, most commonly limestone or dolomite, composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral calcite. It commonly forms in clear, warm, shallow marine waters from the aggregation of shell, coral, algal and feacal debris. When subjected to extreme temperatures and pressures, without melting into magma, the calcite forming the original unmetamorphosed carbonate rock (protolith), recrystallises. The resulting marble is typically composed of an interlocking mosaic of equigranular carbonate crystals with primary sedimentary textures and structures of the protolith modified or destroyed.
The limestone or dolomite protolith (and therefore marble) can contain a variety of impurities. These might include particles of other rocks, sand, mud, or other chemical compounds. These impurities can significantly change the appearance and colour of the marble. Veined, streaked and multi-coloured marble are the result. For instance, limonite and iron oxide in marble will create a yellow to brown hue. Iron and feldspar will create a pink to red hue. Serpentine, silica or magnesium impurities can result in a green hue. The presence of titanium and iron impurities in just the right amount and right crystal structure can cause a blue colour. Porphyry deposits will create a violet hue. If the marble was created of a very pure (silicate-poor) protolith and contains few impurities, the marble will be white.
Being composed of calcite, marble has a hardness of three on the Mohs scale of hardness for rocks and minerals. As a result, marble is a comparatively soft stone easy to carve. It also has the ability to be polished to a high lustre after being sanded with progressively finer abrasives.
Sadly, its relative softness also makes it prone to damage and this, combined with a distinct lack of care, is the reason why the fountain resides in a rather deplorable state today. While the fountain is still functional, the shoddy repairs are a shameful eyesore and a major renovation effort is overdue.
How to claim this EarthCache?
Send me the following;
1. The text "GC7YAA0 Queen Victoria Fountain of Kuala Lumpur" on the first line.
2. The answers to the following questions;
- How many different colours of marble can you identify?
- Describe the texture, can you spot any crystals or veins?
- What is the dominant colour of the fountain? Explain why.
- Why was marble the preferred material to create this fountain?
- Which limestone based product has been used to make repairs?
- How many gilded flowers hide on the uper tier of this fountain?
3. Provide a photo of yourself or a personal item to prove you have visited the site.*
References
* Effective immediately from 10 June 2019, photo requirements are permitted on EarthCaches. This task is not optional, it is an addition to existing logging tasks! Logs that do not meet all requirements posed will no longer be accepted.
For additional information, visit; Geosociety.org, Geocaching.com Help Center and Geocaching.com Forum.
Finding the answers to an EarthCache can often be challenging, and many people tend to shy away from these caches because of this. However, it is my opinion that geocaching is also meant to be a fun family experience that simply aims to introduce interesting and unique locations such as this one. Flexibility on logging requirements, however, can only be applied if it can be established that you have actually taken the time to visit the site. For this reason, a proper log describing your adventure accompanied by a good number of photos would be much appreciated.
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