Historical information

One of three traffic warning lanterns donated by the City of Kew in 1984. The lanterns were used by the City Engineers Department for emergency street lighting to indicate dangerous conditions. The red glass in the lanterns symbolically represented danger.

Significance

The Kew Historical Society is fortunate that the City Engineer, Mr Poulter, donated a number of items held by the City of Kew to the Society for safekeeping, rather than identifying them for destruction. The most significant items donated included old maps, including those issued by the Board of Works. Other items included photographs of public works undertaken by the Department. These traffic warning lanterns, while less historically significant, are indicative of a period of rapid urban development in the district during the post war period.

Physical description

City of Kew warning lantern (left) previously located in various streets and plant nursery