Historical information

This photograph shows men cutting marble slabs at Buchan on James Cameron's property. The marble was used in the Shrine of REmembrance in Melbourne. The slabs in the photograph were about 8.5 metres long.
The Shrine of Remembrance was created to meet the needs of a grieving community after the extensive loss of lives in the First World War (1914 –18). Sixteen dark Ionic columns were made of .Buchan marble
In the early 1900s black marble was being mined in the Bruthen district. Some was used for the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and also Australia House in London. 900 tonnes were shipped to London to be included in the construction of Australia House.

Significance

Marble quarrying has been a significant part of the history of Buchan in East Gippsland. Its inclusion in the Shrine of Remembrance War Memorial is noteworthy.

Physical description

A black / white photograph of four men working in a quarry with three large slabs of marble on the ground.

Inscriptions & markings

on back - " Cutting marble slabs......"