From

Port Macquarie Museum

Name/Title

Medal, Fifty Years Commonwealth of Australia

About this object

Circular bronze medal awarded to Australian school children to commemorate the Jubilee of the Federation of Australia. The medal features a man advancing right sowing seeds by hand with '1901' at left and '1951' at right on the obverse, and a star above centre text ' FIFTY YEARS/ COMMONWEALTH/ OF AUSTRALIA' with seven ears of wheat representing the States and Northern Territory below on the reverse. The medal was originally issued with a red, white and blue ribbon. The ribbon is missing from this medal.

The medal was designed by Melbourne sculptor John Wolfgang Elischer who won a prize of two hundred guineas for his winning design.

Many Australian schools held their Jubilee celebrations around Empire Day (24 May) where school children were issued with a special Jubilee medal and a copy of the commemorative booklet.

At Port Macquarie, plans for an outdoor Empire Day celebration for the Jubilee year were cancelled due to inclement weather. Instead representatives from infant, primary and super-primary classes gathered at Port Macquarie's District Rural School under crowded conditions with proceedings relayed by the school amplifier system to class rooms where other pupils were gathered in class groups. After a number of speeches and readings, Dr. Nicol McLaren, President of the Parents' and Citizens' Association, assisted by Mrs. Keena, President of the Mothers' Club, presented the Jubilee medals and booklets to class representatives for distribution to individual pupils.

Maker

Amor Pty. Ltd.

Maker Role

Die maker

Date Made

1951

Place Made

Sydney

Medium and Materials

Metal

Inscription and Marks

On reverse in small letters 'J.W.E'

Measurements

35mm H, 31mm W, 2mm Deep

Subject and Association Keywords

Commemorations

Credit Line

Donor: A Russell

Object Type

Commemorative medals

Object number

76.91c

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