Historical information

The Melbourne Olympic games were mainly conducted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and were one of the most successful in terms of medals for Australia. Among the medal winners were Shirley Strickland, Betty Cuthbert in Athletics and Dawn Fraser and Murray rose in swimming. The games commenced in November 1956. The games were noted for the 19 Hungarian athletes who applied for asylum with their home country undergoing upheaval at the time. The Melbourne games also enjoyed the advent of television with the technology having recently been introduced to the country.
These badges note ten of the many athletes who competed for Australia in 1956.

Significance

These items are of social significance and interest. Among the names listed, Dawn Fraser and Shirley Strickland were two of Australia’s best known athletes.

Physical description

001042.1 Dawn Fraser Swimming
001042.2 Dawn Fraser Swimming
001042.3Gary Chapman Swimming
001042.4Gary Chapman Swimming
001042.5Gary Chapman Swimming
001042.6Jim Bailey Athletics
001042.7 Winsome Cripps Athletics
001042.8 Lionel Cox cycling
001042.9 Hector Hogan Athletics
001042.10 Kevin O’Halloran Swimming
001042.11 Shirley Strickland Athletics
001042.12 Merv Wood Sculling
001042.13 Jon Henricks Swimming
Items 001042.1-001042.13 are white background with green wreath , black text on yellow background and have B & W photo of Olympian in centre.
001042.14 Melbourne Olympics Souvenir dark blue text, pale green with wattle
001042.15 Melbourne Olympic Games 1956 with red text
Straight pin at the back.

Inscriptions & markings

Patrick Pty Ltd on edge.