Empire Day had been initiated following the death of Queen Victoria and was held throughout the Empire from 1901-58. The main day of celebration was on 24 May, the date of Queen Victoria’s birthday. The Balwyn fundraising button was created for an appeal three days before the official date. Frances Rigg was a local business identity in Kew, at one stage managing the local branch of the English, Scottish and Australian (ES&A) Bank at 175 High Street from c. 1920 until the 1940s. After Francis Rigg’s death, the collection of buttons and medallions was inherited by his son, Ken Rigg (1922-2014). The collection was subsequently donated to the Kew Historical Society in 2015 by Francis' grandson, Adrian Rigg, at the time of the Gallipoli & Beyond Commemoration in 2015. The collection covers a period of almost 40 years. The majority of the buttons are patriotic buttons, issued and sold during and immediately after the First World World War (1914-1918) to raise funds for national and overseas causes. The collection also includes a number of locally significant sporting event buttons and sporting club medallions, issued in the 1920s and 1930sPatriotic and other pressed tin buttons and badges were produced in large numbers in the first decades of the twentieth century. By nature, insubstantial and ephemeral, they have not always survived. The collections of badges, buttons and medallions in the Kew Historical Society collection is homogenous and yet diverse, ranging from buttons sold to raise funds for the war efforts in 1914-18 and 1939-45, to those used at festivals and sporting events. Because of the manufacturing process, many surviving buttons and badges have been affected by inadequate storage, suffering from oxidisation and physical damage. These survivors are now historically and socially significant artefacts, revealing much about the attitudes and values of the period in which they were produced. Their widespread distribution means that they are frequently significant at a local, state, national and international level.An Empire Day fundraising button from 1921. The white enamelled button depicts in the centre an image of the Balwyn War Memorial in Beckett Park surmounted by a red ensign."Balwyn Empire Day Celebrations, Appeal for the Blind, May 21st 1921"patriotic buttons, empire day, balwyn war memorial - beckett park

A Black board with white text about BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL (BEM) The replica medal includes a round silver metal with text "For God and the Empire" and a ribbon with two big red stripes on white background. The British Empire Medal (BEM) which maybe awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of meritorious civil or military service. 5 RAR Recipients: Sgt R G ArmitageBritish Empire Medal (BEM)'s details and names of recipientsmedal, 5 rar, british empire medal, sgt r.g.armitage, replica medals

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

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 127 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. These four bookmarks are from 1951-1954.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

A 64 page book of the 1958 Empire & Commonwealth Games held in Walesnon-fictionA 64 page book of the 1958 Empire & Commo9nwealth Games held in Wales including games history and eventssport, competitions

Empire Day (Town 1905?B/W Photo a large group of people in a square formation with soliders in the centre., Facing a dais draped with the Union Jack flag. with people upon dais.On Reverse First Celebration of Empire Day 24th May 1905stawell

Photostat copy of The War Graves of the British Empire listing Australians who are buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Poperinghe, Belgium. 58 pages total with brief history each person, name, rank, unit, date of death & next of kin.books-military, war graves, empire

Flags - Empire Day 1933 Flags - Empire Day 1934 Memo to Depot Master informing that flags are to be flown on all cars for Empire Day.trams, tramways, instructions, events, flags

The soldier in the photo is Nr 1366, Dvr Donald GILLIES of the 4th Field Artillery Brigade. The grey horse, Bess, was blinded by shell fire. The bay horse was Lady. Photo was taken near Villers-Bretonneux. For photo of the four Gillies brothers, refer to Cat No 3531. For book refer to Cat No 3534.Photographic print in colour of a soldier smoking a pipe. He is in uniform - slouch hat, jacket, trousers, puttees & boots, alongside 2 horses. Print is mounted in wooden decorative frame with floral arrangements at top, bottom & both sides. Frame is rounded at top & at each corner with curved glass front. Wire hanging strap on back.Written in black texta on back: “Donated by J Gillies” Stamped on back: “Empire Art Company Ltd”photographs, framed

Pale blue, hard cover covered in buckram. The Tragedy & Glory of Gallipoli, Anzac & Empire, 318 pages. Dust jacket - background photograph of Gallipoli Peninsula superimposed photographs of soldiers - commanders. Illustrated with black & white photographs.books-military-history, photography-photographs, anzac, empire

This document is a speech titled "Empire Day 1933. A message to the children at Olinda School from their member". It is signed G H Knox. It was written by Sir George Hodges Knox and read to the children at Olinda School as part of the Empire Day celebrations in 1933. Sir George Hodges Knox (1885-1960) was a veteran of WW1 and was elected to the Ferntree Gully Shire Council in 1922. He held this post until 1927.The City Of Knox is named after him. He won the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat for Upper Yarra in 1927 for the Nationalist Party. He became Speaker for the Victorian Parliament in 1942 and remained there until 1947. Between 1945 and his death in 1960 he held the seat of Scoresby. He was knighted in 1945. The celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday on May 24 was renamed Empire Day in 1903 after her death in 1901. Empire Day was observed in state schools from 1905 with a program of addresses, pageants and patriotic songs, with children swearing allegiance to King and Empire with a loyal declaration. The last celebration of Empire Day in Australia took place in 1958. Five sheets of unlined paper that appear to have been torn from a writing pad with a speech handwritten in thick, black fountain pen commemorating Empire Day.olinda school, sir george hodges knox, empire day, speech, city of knox, knox, olinda, school, celebration

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection

Department of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour CollectionDepartment of Health – National Fitness Office (Sports & Recreation) – Historical Press Release Photo - Empire Youth Day & Royals on Tour Collection