Summary

This banner was painted for the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners, Victorian Branch, by W.G.Dunstan in 1914. It was unfurled at a Smoke Night Social of the ACJS on Saturday 18 April 1914. The Society, amalgamated in 1860, was the forerunner of the Building Workers Industrial Union. The Australian branches of the Society broke away from Britain in 1916.

The banner is painted on canvas. On one side, Dunstan depicted allegorical figures representing Victoria, the United States, New Zealand and Canada acting as handmaids to Britannia above the slogan 'United Throughout the World.' The main 'Australian' imagery is the entwined figures of eight representing the Australian demand for an Eight Hour Day. The reverse side of the banner depicts the membership certificate of the Carpenters & Joiners, designed in 1868 by William Warby, illustrating many aspects of the work of carpenters and joiners, including bridge building, education, and house construction. Saint Joseph, given prominence as a significant carpenter, is seated above the Society's coat of arms, granted to the London Guild in 1466. This illustrative device was used on Carpenters' & Joiners' banners in Brisbane, Kalgoorlie, Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand.

It was included on the Victorian Heritage Register 8 December 2005.

Physical Description

Painted on canvas. Side A: Dunstan depicted allegorical figures representing Victoria, the United States, New Zealand and Canada acting as handmaids to Britannia above the slogan 'United Throughout the World.' The main 'Australian' imagery is the entwined figures of eight representing the Australian demand for an Eight Hour Day. Side B: Dunstan depicts the membership certificate of the Carpenters and Joiners, designed in 1868 by William Warby, illustrating many aspects of the work of carpenters and joiners, including bridge building, education, and house construction.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Trade Union Banners Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Public Life & Institutions, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Loan & Subsequent Donation from Victoria and Tasmania, Construction and General Division, Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU), University of Melbourne Archives (The), 1998

  • Artist

    W. G. Dunstan, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1914

  • Commissioned By

    Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners of Australia, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1914

  • Inscriptions

    Side A: AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS./ OF . AUSTRALASIA./ UNITY IS STRENGTH/ W.G. DUNSTAN 1914/ UNITED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Side B: UNION IS STRENGTH; UNITED TO/ PROTECT; NOT COMBINED/ TO INJURE; INDUSTRY ART/ PEACE FRIENDSHIP/ JUSTICE TRUTH/ INDUSTRY AND BENEVOLENCE UNITE US IN FRIENDSHIP/ AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF/ CARPENTERS AND JOINERS./ INSTITUTED JUNE 1860/ VICTORIAN DISTRICT/ W.G. DUNSTAN. 1914

  • Medium

    Oil

  • Technique

    Painting

  • Support

    Silk

  • Primary Inscriptions

    AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS./ OF . AUSTRALASIA./ UNITY IS STRENGTH/ W.G. DUNSTAN 1914/ UNITED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

  • Secondary Inscriptions

    UNION IS STRENGTH; UNITED TO/ PROTECT; NOT COMBINED/ TO INJURE; INDUSTRY ART/ PEACE FRIENDSHIP/ JUSTICE TRUTH/ INDUSTRY AND BENEVOLENCE UNITE US IN FRIENDSHIP/ AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF/ CARPENTERS AND JOINERS./ INSTITUTED JUNE 1860/ VICTORIAN DISTRICT/ W.G. DUNSTAN. 1914

  • Classification

    Trade unions, Building & construction, Banners

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    History

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Overall Dimensions

    360 cm (Length), 452 cm (Height), 41 kg (Weight)

  • Exhibition Collection Management

    3600 mm (Length), 4200 mm (Height), 41 (Weight)

  • Dimensions

    3560 mm (Width), 4180 mm (Height)
    Measurement From Conservation. Measuring Method: measured unrolled

  • References

    Stephen, A. and Reeves, A. 1986 Badges of Labour, Banners of Pride: aspects of working class celebration. Sydney, Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Reeves, A. 1990 Another Day, Another Dollar: working lives in Australian history. McCulloch Publishing Mancini, Anne: Eight Hours' Day Banners of Victoria. MA Thesis, Dept of Fine Arts, Melbourne University, 1984

  • Keywords

    Trade Unions, Trades, Working Life, Workers Rights, Making History - Eight Hour Day