Summary
Printed rectangular thin card certificate.
It was issued in 1926 to people who gave money to the `Florrie Hodges Testimonial Fund', which had been established by the Timber Worker's Union. The fund was to raise money for Florence (Florrie) Hodges, a 15-year-old girl from Powelltown, a small town east of Melbourne.
During the bushfires, which occurred on 14 February that year, she protected her two sisters from the advancing flames, by using her own body to shield them. She suffered serious burns and spent several months recovering in St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne.
Physical Description
Rectangular certificate printed on thin off-white card. On the front is an oval black and white photograph of a group of people in a hospital surrounding a bandaged girl in a bed. One of the men is holding a framed certificate. Around the photo are words describing the event, and a drawn depiction, printed in red ink, of the events leading up to her hospitalisation. On the back is printed a certificate number/
Significance
This item is significant as an object documenting the aftermath of the brave actions of one young woman during the Powelltown Bush Fires, on Sunday 14th February, 1926. Trapped by the advancing flame, Florrie used her own body to shield two of her younger sisters from harm. Suffering horrific burns from the incident, she was taken to St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, where she spent many months recovering from her ordeal.
News of her bravery spread across Australia, through the press and on radio, and she was soon recognised as a local hero. This noteriety assisted in helping raise funds for her, through several charities set up for this purpose. This included the raising of 1,000 pounds by school children in Victoria and Western Australia, which was presented to her in the leather purse in the collection (HT 33731.)
More Information
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Collecting Areas
Social Spaces & Youth, Sustainable Futures, Public Life & Institutions
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mr Michael Reason, 2010
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Person Depicted
Ms Florence (Florrie) Hodges, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1926
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Person Depicted
Honourable William Maloney, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1926
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Inscriptions
Printed on front of certificate: "LEST WE FORGET"/ This Souvenir of the Disastrous Bush Fires, Sunday, February 14, 1926, when 31 men,/ women and children were burnt to death, shows Dr. Maloney, M.P., Melbourne, at/ St. Vincent's Hospital, presenting to/ FLORRIE HODGES, aged 15, of POWELLTOWN, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA/ A Certificate, suitably inscribed, which will be a permanent record of/ SELF-SACRIFICING HEROISM (Followed by extensive text.) Printed on back of certificate: No 403 B
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
285 mm (Width), 180 mm (Height)
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Keywords
Bushfires, Awards, Award Ceremonies, Hospitals, Nurses, Politicians, Making History - Florrie Hodges