Summary
Alternative Name(s): Soap Box
Made: Lever Brothers Pty.Limited, circa 1940 - 1945
Used: circa 1940 - 1945
Found under the floorboards of The Gallery, Great Hall, when replaced in 1989.
Physical Description
Red card box with yellow edge. Text in white and yellow on front. Back has instructions on hair washing, accompanied by an illustration of a woman washing a smiling child's hair.
Significance
Reason for Acquisition: Transfer from the Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building
From 1940 to 1945 the Exhibition Building was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force as a training school. About 500 to 700 men lived in for varying periods of time. When the floorboards on the balcony level of the Great Hall were replaced as part of the restoration program, many items dating back to the 1940s were found. These provide an insight into the lifestyle and interests of RAAF personnel stationed in the building.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
Home & Community, Public Life & Institutions, Royal Exhibition Building
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building (REB), 1996
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Place & Date Used
Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1940-1945
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Manufacturer
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Inscriptions
Front text: LIFEBUOY/MEDICATED/HEALTH SOAP
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Brand Names
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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
9.2 cm (Length), 6.7 cm (Height)
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Exhibition Collection Management
75 mm (Length), 100 mm (Width), 35 mm (Height)
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Keywords
Ablutions, Domestic Equipment, Lifebuoys, Royal Exhibition Building, Soap, Wars & Conflicts, World War II, 1939-1945
