Programme, Programme of the Welcome to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, 1954

Historical information

The order of service of the event at the MCG attended by the Queen on 25 February 1954. It was held by the ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen of Victoria and the War Bereaved. Legacy played a part. A Legacy ward presented the Queen with a bouquet of flowers and the junior legatees performed for her by forming the letters 'E.R.' on the ground. This was organised by the instructors of the girls and boys classes including Miss Enez Domec Carre.
It was the official commemorative document of the occasion. The Queen visited the MCG twice during her visit to Melbourne, once was this exservicemen rally when Legacy children attended, and a second time when it was for all school children. Pathe News footage of the ex-servicemen rally show a two legacy children presenting a posy (see photo above). An article in the Legacy Newsletter in July 1954 featured the event and says Beverley Emsley and Trevor Rees were the children presenting the bouquet and they were accompanied by an escort of: Cam Secombe, Gordon Spong, Dan Craig, Lawrence Challis, Tony Minogue, Elaine Turner, Marie Hunt, Margaret Paltridge, Glennis Foder, and Judith Bishop.
The newspaper article for the children's rally said "Legacy wards Brenda Mutimer, 11, of Princes Hill Central school, presented a posy to the Queen and John Barker, 14, of Box Hill High school handed the Duke two Australian animal books for Prince Charles and Princess Anne."
After the visit there was an Essay Competition and the winners were published in the newsletter. 1st for juniors was Rosemary Wilson, 1st for Intermediate was Beth Hudson, 2nd Intermediate was Marion Cameron

Significance

A record of Legacy being involved in the royal visit of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1954.

Physical description

Printed programme x 4 pages for the ex-servicemen event at the MCG for the Queen on 25th February 1954.

References

Back to top