Historical information

Photos of wreaths at the old war memorial after an Anzac Day service. A war memorial/Cenotaph to the 1914-1918 war was originally erected in Spring Street outside the Victorian Parliament. It was a flimsy half-sized replica of the London Symbol of Remembrance in Whitehall built of timber and fibro cement and was only meant to be temporary. Anzac Day services were held at this memorial in the 1920s and early 1930s. These photos were taken before the Shrine of Remembrance was erected and dedicated in 1934 as the National War Memorial of Victoria. It is possible that the stamp on the reverse, '4 24', means April 1924, also see a similar photo at 01371.
Items were in an envelope with other photos and programmes from different School Student ceremonies. Labelled S15 in red pen it was part of an old archive numbering system (S=Shrine), that showed there has been efforts in the past to collect, order and save items of Legacy's history.
From articles in Trove: The temporary cenotaph was the original first world war memorial until the Shrine of Remembrance was dedicated in 1937. The cenotaph was a half size replica of the London Symbol of Remembrance in Whitehall. It was made from timber and plaster and was initially meant to only last for the 1926 Anzac day service and be removed. With annual upkeep it remained until at least 1934 when ex-service men proceeded from the incomplete Shrine to the cenotaph on the steps of Parliament House on Anzac day.

Significance

A record of an Anzac Day ceremony at the old temporary war memorial in Spring Street.

Physical description

Black and white photo x 3 of wreaths laid on ANZAC Day at the old First World War memorial in Spring Street.

Inscriptions & markings

Stamped with a round stamp 'Printed by Harringtons" in grey ink, stamped '4 24' in blue ink. Handwritten 'ANZAC DAY' in blue pen on one photo.