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. Ballarat schools marched in procession with a salute at the Town Hall before attending church services at their respective churches. By the late 1950s the celebration became Commonwealth Empire Day the reference to Empire being dropped by the 1960s.These form part of a large family collection of bookmarks and local & family history items at Hymettus Cottage, home to the same family for the past 125 years in 2024. They have a well documented provenance and a known owner forming part of a significant and representative historical collection that reflects Ballarat's local history from a family perspective. They contribute to our understanding of social and family life in twentieth century Ballarat and providing interpretative capacity for family, local, and social history themes.Three Empire Day cardboard bookmarks each featuring an illustrated crown, with crossed Australian and British flags, each bookmark trimmed in gold. The first is simply for Empire Day and two commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the 1953 Royal Visit respectively.nil,empire day, royal visit, bookmarks, empire day movement, melbourne, coronation year 1953

This sash was presented to Miss Flora Lloyd along with a trophy as the winner of the Belle of the Ball at the annual Diggers' Ball held on the 3rd July 1953 in the Sunbury Memorial Hall. She was partnered by Mr. Chris Hall.A pale blue sash with a gold tassel and R.S.L. insignia at one end."Sunbury R.S.L./BELLE of the BALL/Coronation Year Ball 1953"1950s, sunbury, sunbury memorial hall, sunbury r.s.l, lloyd, flora, deverall, dances, sunbury news, george evans collection

Various consecutive Annual Reports for Melbourne Legacy complete between the years 1945 and 1963. Other annual reports in 00027, 01095, 01097, 01098 and 01099. Included: 01096.1 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Second Annual Report 1945 01096.2 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Third Annual Report 1946 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Fourth Annual Report 1947 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Fifth Annual Report 1948 01096.5 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Sixth Annual Report 1949 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Seventh Annual Report 1950 01096.7 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Eighth Annual Report 1951 Melbourne Legacy Twenty Ninth Annual Report 1952 Melbourne Legacy Thirtieth Annual Report (Coronation Year) 1953 01096.10 Melbourne Legacy Thirty First Annual Report 1954 .11 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Second Annual Report 1955 .12 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Third Annual Report for the year 1956 .13 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Fourth Annual Report for the year 1957 .14 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Fifth Annual Report for the year 1958 .15 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Sixth Annual Report for the year ending 31/12/1959 .16 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Seventh Annual Report for the year ending 31/12/1960 .17 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Eighth Annual Report for the year ending 31/12/1961 Melbourne Legacy Thirty Ninth Annual Report for the year ending 31/12/1962 Melbourne Legacy 40th Annual Report (for the year ending 31/12/1963)A record of the annual reports of Legacy Melbourne, including records of names of Legatees, beneficiaries, supporters, telling stories of Legacy's impact and summarising annual financial information.Various annual reports from 1945 to 1963 in small booklets with black type. financial summary, annual summary

This program was produced by the Snowy River Mail for a community singalong held in Orbost on Tuesday June 2 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11. In June 1953 , Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Pakistan, and became the Head of the Commonwealth. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as monarch took place on 2 June 1953. Elizabeth ascended the throne at the age of 25, upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was proclaimed queen by her various privy and executive councils shortly afterwards. The coronation took place more than a year later because of the tradition that holding such a festival is inappropriate during the period of mourning that follows the death of a monarch. This community event was typical of the general feeling of respect and admiration felt by the rural communities towards the British Royal Family. This item reflects the significance of monarchy for Australia and the constitutional history of Australia.The item reflects the interest in the royal family to Australians at this time as well as the general feeling of respect and admiration felt by the rural communities towards the British Royal Family.A white paper program with the words of songs printed in black. There is a rust mark from a metal staple in the top left corner. It is titled "Your Coronation Community Songs".queen-elizabeth-11 royalty community-event-orbost souvenir-program

A document summarising events significant to Legacy in the year 1953. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was a highlight, with Legatee Stan Savige travelling to London to attend as a representative of Legacy (his account of the event is at 01164). 1,200 children attended a rally at the South Melbourne Town Hall to watch films of the life of the Queen, her visit to Canada and the Coronation. (A copy of the programme of this event is at 01163). It was decided that the Intermediate Legacy Club had degenerated into a club without a distinct purpose. They were encouraged to help the Legatees in the senior Club. For instance in the repairs to widow's houses. There is mention of the country clubs with a new club formed in Benalla. Education of Legatees was seen as something that needed to be addressed and a formal induction process with proper training would be necessary. A two page report was included as attachment 'C', which is stored as 01492. Welfare committee had prepared reports with were attached as 'D' but the whereabouts is not known. Camps and holidays. Country clubs would take city children and work had started at Blamey house to clear land for tent sites and country children could have a holiday in the city. The annual conference was held in Brisbane, a general report was attached as 'J' but the whereabouts is not known. Widows - childless and aged widows were identified in the Brisbane conference as needing more attention and a committee was formed to look into it. A report marked 'G' was mentioned but the whereabouts is not known. Dureau House. It was recognised the premises purchased some years before was not suitable as too much renovation was required and should be sold. The original donor, Mr Goldsmith of the B&G Corporation in New York was approached and he agreed the money could be used directly for the widows and children if provision of a headquarters was not important, but the decision was to be up to Legacy to make. The building was sold to Mr Bernard Evans for £57,000. Contact committee reported that the need for contact outstripped the present membership and new members were needed. The dental committee there were issues with payments by the Repatriation Department. The medical committee had decided that children in all classes would be given a Mantoux test for TB. The notation H18 in red pen shows that it was part of the archive project that was trying to capture the history of Legacy. A report covering the main work of Legacy in 1953.White foolscap paper with black type x 4 pages of the history of Legacy in 1953.Handwritten H18 in red pen.history, annual summary