Summary

Medal for the opening of Australia's first Commonwealth Parliament that took place in the Great Hall at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne on May 9, 1901. It was officially opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall & York at midday in the presence of the first Govenor General Earl Hopetoun, the first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, and dignitaries from around Australia.
This medal was given to the donor's mother, Josephine Nellie Summerell (nee) Campbell, at school, who remembered the historic occasion.
Mint: Stokes Pty Ltd, Melbourne.

Physical Description

Bronze gilded shield-shaped medal with royal crown on top, to which is attached a ring with red, blue and white ribbon joined by a gold safety pin. The reverse side has image of Their R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall & York. The obverse is an image of Queen Victoria and Edward VII.

Significance

This medal commemorates the opening of the first Commonwealth Parliament in Australia, on May 9 1901. It is significant as a civic memento of an event which unified the Australian colonies in both a practical and symbolic way. It contains portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall & York, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, which indicates the intention of maintaining very close constitutional ties with Great Britain, in spite of Federation.

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