Historical information

This book is a black and white facsimile of the coloured, commemorate album presented to Queen Victoria on her Diamond Jubilee in June, 1897, celebrating the 60th Anniversary of her reign on the British throne. The Municipalities also received original copies, each numbered as limited editions.

The first two pages of the album are an address to Queen Victoria from the Municipalities of the Colony of Victoria, Australia, written in fancy Old English calligraphy. The remaining twenty-three pages display images representing each of the 208 municipalities as in 1897 and include a medallion of their Coat of Arms and statistics such as population, size and valuation, signatures of the Shire Presidents and Secretaries.

The album’s publisher, Sands & Mc Dougall Limited, was first established in Sydney. This book was published by the Melbourne Branch.

Local areas mentioned in the album include –
Town of Warrnambool, page 5,
Borough of Portland, page 7
Borough of Port Fairy, page 9
Borough of Koroit, page 9
Shire of Belfast, page 10
Shire of Portland, page 10
Shire of Warrnambool, page 10
Shire of Mortlake, page 12

TRANSCRIPTION OF THE ADDRESS TO QUEEN VICTORIA –

“May it please Your Majesty,
We Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the representatives of the Municipal Government of the entire Colony of Victoria, humbly approach Your Majesty with earnest assurances of our attachment and devotion to Your Majesty’s Throne and person.
We beg to offer to Your Majesty respectful and heartfelt congratulations on completion of the 60th Year of Your Majesty’s reign and to express our grateful recognition of the beneficent influence exercised by You as our Queen during that long period.
We are proud of the honour that united, we form the Colony which bears Your Majesty’s name and the unity of this, our expression of congratulation and thankfulness, is truly typical of the united love of the people of this Colony for You as our Queen and for our Nation.
With devout thankfulness to our Almighty God for wisdom, guidance and strength vouchsafed in You as our Sovereign, and for unexampled blessings bestowed upon us Your people, we offer earnest prayer that the continuance of Your Majesty’s reign may be a season of peace amongst the Nations of the World and of closer and still happier kinship between the many and wide unretruding sections of our Empire.
As witness, the Corporate Seals of the 208 Municipalities of the Colony of Victoria.
This 21st day of June 1897.”

Significance

This facsimile album is significant for its association with early Australian history, the influence of the British Monarch over its Colony, and the establishment, growth and extent of the Colony of Victoria.

The album gives a summary of a set year and the statistics of each Municipality. This gives added significance to the history of South-West Victoria, including Warrnambool, allowing a comparison of then and now.

The album's inclusion of the Address to Your Majesty shows the respect of the people of Victoria towards the British Monarchy.

Physical description

Book, hard cover, bound in black leather with gold embossed title and border on the front cover, gold lines top and bottom of spine and gilt edged pages. Inside covers are lined in white embossed fabric. Twenty-five pages are all thick, cream coloured card with a rectangular border in the centre of each page. Attached inside the boarders are black and white copies of illustrations and text.
A green printed label is attached inside the back cover.

Inscriptions & markings

“SANDS & Mc DOUGALL LIMITEDN/Manufacturers/MELBOURNE”