Summary
This 30 page booklet details the 1947 Victorian road laws and the Motor Car Act.
Published by the National Safety Council of Australia and issued with driving licences in Victoria by permission and co-operation of the Chief Commissioner of Police, it was
printed by The Premier Printing Co. Pty. Ltd., Melbourne.
A foreward by Chief Commissioner of Police Alex M. Duncan is printed on page 2, and some sketches demonstrating signs and signals are printed throughout the booklet.
The booklet contains the Motor Car Act starting from page 19.
Details of the members of The National Safety Council are given on the first page, incl. "President: / A. J. Collocott, Esq.", and the address is given as "60 Market Street, Melbourne, C.1. / Telephone: MU 3609".
Physical Description
30 page paper booklet printed with black ink, cover printed with green and yellow ink. The front cover features sketch of a road and a road sign with a car driving up a mountainside in the background. An advertisement for "The AUTOMOBILE / FIRE & GENERAL / INSURANCE CO. OF AUST. LTD." is printed on the back cover with their address: "389-395 LITTLE FLINDERS STREET, / MELBOURNE C.1. 'Phone: MB 1871 (9 lines)".
Significance
These items provide useful additions to the domestic life, transport and public events collection.
Provenance
They belonged to Mrs Lillian Mavis Narracott, [note that she is the step-grandmother of the donor] who was born on March 9th, 1916, and died on September 10th, 2006 at the age of 90. Mrs Narracott, better known as Mavis, studied accountancy at Melbourne University. After completing her accountancy course at Melbourne University, Mavis worked as an accountant for Seppelt Wines. Mavis also married an accountant, Fiona Wilson's grandfather, George Morris, who worked as an Auditor for the Tax Department. Beyond accountancy, Mavis and George had much in common. Mavis, always a keen volunteer, and George channelled their free time and effort into volunteer work. Both volunteered with National Parks and the Historical Railway Society. Mavis was heavily involved in organising tours for National Parks, and travelled around the country for this purpose.
It is thought that Mavis would have been one of few women during the period of WWII who still drove a car, which was essential for her volunteer work both with National Parks, and with the Royal Melbourne Hospital. At the Hospital, Mavis assisted nurses around the time of WWII and helped to transport patients. Her time and skills were also donated to a kindergarten for disadvantaged children where she did the book-keeping.
Mavis lived in this same house from age 7 to 87, when it was bought by her step-grand daughter Fiona Wilson and her partner. Although she was an outgoing, active woman, who loved to travel and holidayed in Europe, Mavis also enjoyed her time at home and was a proficient at knitting, crotchet and tapestry.
Mavis' life spanned a century in which Australia was rapidly changing and developing. Many world events, such as WWII impacted significantly upon Mavis' life, and she was witness to traditions such as Empire Day. There are ribbons and a badge in the collection, which Fiona Wilson remembers as Mavis' memorabilia from Empire Day celebrations. This collection records important events in Australian during the 20th Century, and their impact upon individuals' lives.
The Victorian Road Law booklet provides information about Victorian road laws in the year 1947. The booklet will complement the only other Road Law booklet in the Museum's collection which is from 1939, and together they will offer an insight into the changing road laws in Victoria.
More Information
-
Collecting Areas
-
Acquisition Information
Donation from Ms Fiona Wilson, 02 Jul 2007
-
Publisher
National Safety Council of Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Oct 1947
-
Printer
Premier Printing Co. Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Oct 1947
-
Inscriptions
Text, front cover: "VICTORIAN/ROAD/LAW/Published by the National Safety/Council of Australia and issued/with driving licences in Victoira/by kind permission and/co-operation of the Chief/Commissioner of Police."
-
Classification
Road transport, Traffic management & safety, Road regulations
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Overall Dimensions
81 mm (Width), 152 mm (Height)
-
References
Unique Ceramics, [Link 1] accessed 15/08/2007; O-Cedar, [Link 2] accessed 15/08/2007; Rose Stereograph Company, [Link 3] accessed 15/08/2007; Macquarie University Australian History Museum, [Link 4] accessed 19/08/2007; Powerhouse Museum, [Link 5] accessed 19/09/2007; VicRoads, [Link 6] accessed 19/09/2007;
-
Keywords