ProvenanceStrathalbyn Day was started in 1919 as a day to raise funds for the modernisation and improvement of the town. This day in July 1919 was used to raise funds for a permanent memorial to the soldiers from the district who went to fight in the First World War. The memorial was to be erected in the local Reserve. The organising committee arranged for stalls, performances, ceremonies for children and the sale of badges. They hoped to raise £1000. The memorial was unveiled by the Governor on 14 August 1921 in front of 2000 spectators. A second plaque was unveiled on the memorial in 1949 in honour of the local men who had fallen in the Second World War.SignificanceIllustrative of the badges that were popular as a means of raising funds to support returned servicemen and women from both the First World War and Second World War. This and other associated badges are a rich source of evidence on the material and cultural history of fundraising and sporting organisations in Australia. The symbols, colours and mottoes used on the badges themselves also express ideas about the values and identity that Australians held in the early to mid-twentieth century, particularly during wartime.DescriptionCircular badge: printed paper between tin base and celluloid cover. Depicts rural scene with creek and bridge in blue, green, brown and red. Marked 'Strathalbyn Day' '1919'.Creator (person)Creator (organisation)AcknowledgementDate of Creation1919Date of Usage1919MaterialTin
|paper
|celluloid Accession NumberHT 1986.0053
