The celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday on May 24 was renamed Empire Day in 1903 after her death in 1901. It was celebrated throughout the British Empire culminating in fireworks and bonfires in the evening. Empire Day was first introduced in 1905 to promote loyalty among the dominion countries of the British Empire. (from https://dictionaryofsydney.org/event/empire_day) Celebrated on 24 May, Queen Victoria's birthday, it was directed especially at school children. Teachers were encouraged to promote special steps to develop a feeling of pride in the British Empire and the achievements of the British race. Often a morning of short addresses, recitations and patriotic songs such as 'Rule Britannia' and 'Advance Australia' was followed by a half-day holiday to mark the celebration of Australia's strong ties to the British Empire. (from MuseumsVictoria)Empire Day was a celebration of the British Empire that was held for many years in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and other countries. It took place every year on May 24, the date of Queen Victoria's birthday. Queen Victoria ruled England for 63 years. this item reflects the loyalty to and recognition of the British royal family in the first half of the 20th century.A black / white photograph of a large group of people , men in suits, women in long dresses. They are in a large fenced clearing.on back -" EMPIRE DAY ORBOST before 1909"empire-day celebrations gatherings public-events

White paper with blue printing. The title is, 'By Royal Proclamation. Sunday. 6th January, 1918 A Day of Prayer & Thanksgiving throughout the British Empire.' 'The above Proclamation is reprinted from the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 219 dated Thursday, 20th December, 1917.event, official, celebration, lydia chancellor, collection, war, w.w.ii, programme, program, peace

Early in 20th century, a small group of girls at Myrtleford State School 955 participated in honouring Empire Day each May by "dressing up" to represent Britannia. This select group of girls celebrates the might of Britannia in the first full year of World War 1. It reflects the type of celebrations schools were expected to participate in at that time and for some years to come. Alice O,Donnell, the tallest, centre pupil in the group, was to lose her life on the Australian Hospital Ship "Centaur" when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine off the Queensland coast in May, 1943.A monochrome photograph of a small group of pupils at Myrtleford State School 955 in 1915, celebrating Empire Day. Pupils include from left: Isobel Robertson, Linda Croucher, Rene Johnson, Alice O'Donnell, Agnes Collins, Dorrie Peters, Madge O'Donnell. Photograph is inscribed: "T. Foxcroft, photo"empire day myrtleford state school 955 alice o'donnell

Ticket to admit one child to the Victory Theatre to celebrate Empire Day on 24 August 1929Blue coloured card, printed in blue on one sideempire day, victory theatre, st kilda mayoral function

Ticket for admission of one person to Palais Pictures, provided by the City of St Kilda, to celebrate Empire Day at 2pm on 22 May 1936.Cream coloured card printed in black on one side.the palais, palais pictures, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket for admission of one person to Palais Pictures, provided by the City of St Kilda, to celebrate Empire Day at 2pm on 20 May 1938.Pink coloured card printed in dark blue on one side.the palais, palais pictures, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Victory Theatre on 16 May 1941 in celebration of Empire Day.Blue coloured card printed in black.victory theatre, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Palais Theatre on 17 May 1944 in celebration of Empire Day.Yellow coloured card printed in black.city of st kilda, empire day, palais theatre

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Palais Theatre on 14 May 1948 in celebration of Empire Day.Orange coloured card printed in dark blue.city of st kilda, empire day, palais theatre

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Victory Theatre on 13 May 1949 in celebration of Empire Day.Pink coloured card printed in dark blue.victory theatre, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Victory Theatre on 16 May 1947 in celebration of Empire Day.Pink coloured card printed in black.victory theatre, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Palais Theatre on 24 May 1950 in celebration of Empire Day.Yellow coloured card printed in black.city of st kilda, empire day, palais theatre

Ticket issued by the City of St. Kilda for admission to the Hoyts Victory Theatre on 14 May 1954 in celebration of Empire Day.Orange coloured card printed in dark bluevictory theatre, city of st kilda, empire day

Ticket for admission of one person to Palais Theatre, provided by the City of St Kilda, to celebrate Empire Day at 1:30pm on 16 May 1952.Yellow coloured card printed in black on one side.city of st kilda, empire day, palais theatre

Procession led by a baby elephant and Mahout. beaufort, celebration, empire day, procession, public

A collection of stories about early Canterbury and Balwyn (Boroondara) compiled by Crosbie Morrison.A collection of stories about early Canterbury and Balwyn (Boroondara) compiled by Crosbie Morrison.Title page: top of page; "1Please return to/Jocelyn Hall/for Alec Martin" in Jocelyn's writing in lead pencil butchers, boot makers, railways, empire day, festivals and celebrations, pong quong, outer circle railway, cycle shop, crosbie morrison, natale b cerini, george robinson, walter gathercole, mr armstrong, alice camm, ethel pascoe, david staig, mr wahanel, mr cook, will tanners, james snedden, john morris, j w terry, j d mclean, j w lowe, c r swan, cr a d renton, a n hendy, t r b morton, morton & coghill, jack kenneally, albert nelson, j rasmussan, tom keating

Lloyd family butchers established on the corner of Elgar & Whitehorse Roads (within the Surrey Hills postal area). Emma Atkinson and her husband has a fruit & vegetable business next door. Edward Lloyd also had a butcher shop at 112 Union Road from 1920-1950. Many Union Road businesses decorated carts and delivery vehicles for the Empire Day parades which drew crowds from all over Melbourne. A black and white photograph of a vehicle decorated with streamers.festivals and celebrations, empire day, land transport, 1936, elgar road, whitehorse road, mont albert, emma atkinson (mrs), butchers, delivery vehicle, lloyd's butchers

Wally Ives was a fruiterer who had a shop in Union Road. He was an active participant in the Empire Day parades of the 1930s. The donor Jean Boucher was the daughter of Wally Ives. She was an early active member of the History Nook at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre and member of the Surrey Hills Historical Society. The Oakland Motor Car Company was based in Pontiac, Michigan and was a division of General Motors. Although it was purchased by General Motors in 1909, the company continued to produce modestly priced automobiles until 1931 when the brand was dropped in favour of the division's Pontiac make. B&W photo of a decorated vehicle (Oakland car) parked in a street without kerbs or guttering. There is a Victorian-style house in the background.38. in black pen in top LH corner.(mr) wally ives, transport, croydon road, empire day, festivals and celebrations, oakland car, cars

The billycart was possibly decorated for celebrations associated with Empire Day. Image was originally copied by Chatham Primary School for inclusion in their pictorial history "A Patchwork of People - Chatham Past and Present" [ISBN 0 646 29370 2], by Susan Barnett and Julia Ashby, published in 1996 for the school's 70th anniversary. Copied for the SHNCHC with the school and donor's permission. There is also a laminated copy of it for display purposes.Black and white image of four boys and their billycart. Two are identified as Bruce Hansen, standing behind the flag and Jimmy Boyd, seated in the billycart, which is decorated with streamers, an English flag and advertising signs promoting Australian sultanas and the export of Australian dried fruit to the [British] Empire. The photo was taken in the grounds of Chatham Primary School. In the background can be seen some of the cypress trees that were planted along the side of the oval, a remnant eucalypt from the time when the land was part of J B Maling's farm and part of the shelter shed.chatham primary school, billycarts, advertising signs, empire day, bruce hansen, jimmy boyd

Man in the signal box is believed to be Mr J Rasmussan and the assistant stationmaster, Mr Tom Keating. Published in book 'Surrey Hills in Celebration of its Centenary: 1883-1983', compiled by the History Nook and edited by William Chandler.Black and white photo of Surrey Hills railway station on Empire Day in 1909. Signal box and station are decorated with bunting and lanterns. Gates are closed and there is a man in the signal box. There are approximately 9 men on the platforms including the stationmaster, assistant stationmaster, Mr Tom Keating and other railway officials.transport, empire day, railways, surrey hills station, mr tom keating, mr j rasmussan

Black and white photo taken in the Canterbury Gardens of 15 girls from Surrey Hills State School taking part in maypole dancing. (Others are beyond the range of the photo.) The girls are not uniformly dressed but each holds a large ribbon. Part of the bandstand can be seen to the left of the photo. The Canterbury Library is the large building in the near background; further in the distance are some of the double-storey shops along Canterbury Road. Two of the girls are Elsie Wappet (nee Sherar) and Doris Turnball (nee Dixon). Lower LH corner: "MAYPOLE EMPIRE DAY 1912"empire day, surrey hills state school, surrey hills primary school, festivals and celebrations, maypole dancing, post card, doris turnball, doris dixon, elsie sherar, elsie wappet, canterbury gardens, rotunda, canterbury library

John McLaren Dimmick was the son of Cr William (Roy) Dimmick (1888-1947) and his wife, Myrtle Elvira (nee Monie - 1888-1976). He had brothers Samuel Guy McLaren Dimmick and Frank McLaren Dimmick.Black and white photo of a boy identified as John Dimmick with his prize-winning decorated bicycle on one of the curved paths in the Surrey Gardens. He is dressed in a shirt, tie and jumper. He is holding a bicycle which is liberally decorated and with flags on the handle-bars. A 1st prize certificate is attached to the handlebars. The WW1 war memorial can be seen in the background and also Dr Box's home, 'Montalto (demolished). SH763 on rear in pencil.empire day celebrations, surrey gardens, children, festivals and celebrations, john dimmick, john mclaren dimmick

A collection of stories about early Canterbury and Balwyn (Boroondara) compiled by Crosbie Morrison.A collection of stories about early Canterbury and Balwyn (Boroondara) compiled by Crosbie Morrison.butchers, boot makers, railways, empire day, festivals and celebrations, pong quong, outer circle railway, cycle shop, crosbie morrison, natale b cerini, george robinson, walter gathercole, mr armstrong, alice camm, ethel pascoe, david staig, mr wahanel, mr cook, will tanners, james snedden, john morris, j w terry, j d mclean, j w lowe, c r swan, cr a d renton, a n hendy, t r b morton, morton & coghill, jack kenneally, albert nelson, j rasmussan, tom keating

A collection of papers presented to the Box Hill Historical Society as talks, covering medical care, the clay industry, memories of Surrey Hills, the Brewer family, Box Hill Post Office, the sim family, tennis clubs, Girl Guides, Shire of Nunawading, Iris Roderick and the Bovill's of Balwyn. Deepdene crescent outer circle railway A collection of papers presented to the Box Hill Historical Society as talks, covering medical care, the clay industry, memories of Surry Hills, the Brewer family, Box Hill Post Office, the sim family, tennis clubs, Girl Guides, Shire of Nunawading, Iris Roderick and the Bovill's of Balwyn.box hill city historical society, (ms) iris roderick, bovills of balwyn, box hill, girl guides, tennis clubs, sport, surrey hills rose society, (mr) james henry simpson, beatrice avenue, (mr) james allan, (mr) thomas hogg, box hill post office, brewer family, surrey hills, clay industry, health services, (mr) john k blogg, (miss) kitty mcewan, empire day, festivals and celebrations, albany crescent, fires, 1935, box hill medical centre, (dr) (mr)john de la roche bragge, vaughan, alfred purdue (dr) (mr), (dr) (mr) walter joseph craig, fairbank hospital, (dr) b.n. gandevia

A collection of papers presented to the Box Hill Historical Society as talks, covering medical care, the clay industry, memories of Surry Hills, the Brewer family, Box Hill Post Office, the Sim family, tennis clubs, Girl Guides, Shire of Nunawading, Iris Roderick and the Bovill's of Balwyn.A collection of papers presented to the Box Hill Historical Society as talks, covering medical care, the clay industry, memories of Surry Hills, the Brewer family, Box Hill Post Office, the Sim family, tennis clubs, Girl Guides, Shire of Nunawading, Iris Roderick and the Bovill's of Balwyn.Title page: Alan Holtbox hill city historical society, (ms) iris roderick, bovills of balwyn, box hill, girl guides, tennis clubs, sport, surrey hills rose society, (mr) james henry simpson, beatrice avenue, (mr) james allan, (mr) thomas hogg, box hill post office, brewer family, surrey hills, clay industry, health services, (mr) john k blogg, (miss)kitty mcewan, empire day, festivals and celebrations, albany crescent, fires, 1935, box hill medical centre, (dr) (mr) john de la roche bragge, (dr) (mr) alfred purdue vaughan, (dr) (mr) walter joseph craig, fairbank hospital, (dr) b n gandevia, windsor crescent, deepdene outer circle railway

The Hamilton-Smith collection was donated by the children of Grace Mary Hamilton-Smith nee Ellwood (1911-2004) and John Hamilton-Smith (1909-1984) who settled in Wodonga in the 1940s. The Ellwood family had lived in north-east Victoria since the late 1800s. Grace’s mother, Rosina Ellwood nee Smale, was the first teacher at Baranduda in 1888, and a foundation member of the C.W.A. Rosina and her husband Mark retired to Wodonga in 1934. Grace and John married at St. David’s Church, Albury in 1941. John was a grazier, and actively involved in Agricultural Societies. The collection contains significant items which reflect the local history of Wodonga, including handmade needlework, books, photographs, a wedding dress, maps, and material relating to the world wars. The celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday on May 24 was renamed Empire Day in 1903 after her death in 1901. It was celebrated throughout the British Empire, including in Australia, with fireworks and bonfires in the evening. The last celebration of Empire Day in Australia took place in 1958, when the name of the celebration was changed to Commonwealth Day.This item has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of social and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history and social history. An Empire Day cardboard bookmark featuring an illustrated crown, and Australian flag and Union Jack flag design. Gold trim lines the border of the bookmark. hamilton-smith, hamilton-smith collection, ellwood, wodonga, empire day, british empire, commonwealth