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From the collection of City of Whittlesea

130 Items featured online

Memorabilia - Commemorative Ribbons, Electric Light Official Switching On Ceremony ribbon, 1937

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Historical information

On Tuesday 28th September 1937, to the applause and cheering of a crowd of more than 300 people, a ceremonial ribbon was cut with a ‘beautiful pair of silver scissors’ by Mrs W H Everard, wife of local MP William Everard. The ribbon cutting ceremony was to officially turn on the mains electricity supply to Whittlesea and district. The moment the ribbon was cut there was a ‘blaze of light’. There were initially 78 customers, including the Shire of Whittlesea which had contracted the SEC to supply street lighting in Whittlesea, Yan Yean, Mernda and South Morang (Advertiser, Friday 1st October 1937, page 1).

This ribbon is possibly a fragment of the official opening ribbon that was stamped with the date and details of the switching on of electricity in Whittlesea and given to patrons.