Historical information

Certificate is of the pledge that the brigade made to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburugh at a dinner that the Duke attended at the Ballarat Fire Station on 10th December 1867 during a royal visit to the district.

Physical description

White timber framed pledge from the Ballarat Fire Brigade to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburugh during his royal visit in December 1867. Pledge is on white paper with a coat of arms near the centre at the top of the page. Lettering is mainly in black ink with some red coloured letters being used. Certificate has a light brown coloured border around it with a hand drawn scrolled decorative edge made in gold colour.

Inscriptions & markings

To His Royal Higness / The Duke of Edinburugh / May It Please Your Royal Highness / We Othe fficers and Members of the Ballaarat Fire Brigade, an institution based upon pure philanthropic / principles, our motto being "We Strive to Save" bear to approach your Royal / Highness with feelings of devotion and attachment, and deep felt gratitude to the Almighty, for this / opportunity of envicingour loyalty to Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, your Royal / Mother: and, of tendering a hearty Firemans welcome to Your Royal Highness, in the land of our / adoption, and the good town of Ballaarat East, our residence. / We are deeply impressed with the great honor and importance of your Royal Higness's visit to the / Australian Colonies, and beg to express our fervent wishes for your Royal Highness's safe return / to our mother country. / We have the privilege and honor, to subscribe ourselves your Royal Higness's most obedient and humble / servants. / On behalf of the Brigade / Charles Dunn, Captain Carl Franz, Lieutenant / R. Geilhofer, Hon. Secretary / Ballaarat, December, 1867