Summary
Badge commemorating the Eight Hour Day Anniversary and Labor Day celebrations in Ballarat.
The Eight Hour Day march commemorated a successful protest march held on April 21, 1856 by Victorian stonemasons and other members of the building trades. The protest resulted in an agreement by the Victorian Government to ensure all workers on public sites had an eight hour working day. In recognition of the significance of this achievement, April 21 was made a public holiday in 1879 and commemorative marches were held each year from 1879 until 1951. The Eight Hour Day holiday was renamed Labour Day in 1934. In 1955 the Labour Day march and celebrations were replaced by Moomba celebrations in Melbourne.
Physical Description
Red cardboard badge shield shaped with silver embossed text.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mr Andrew Reeves, 29 Oct 1991
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Place & Date Used
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, post 1934
Date based on the name change from Eight Hour Day to Labour Day in 1934. -
Inscriptions
Printed on badge: 'Labor Day/ Celebrations/ Ballarat Eight Hours/ Anniversary / SECRETARY'.
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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
5 cm (Length), 6.7 cm (Height)
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Keywords
8 Hours Day Celebrations, 8 Hours Day Movement, Societies, Trade Unions, Workers, Workers Rights, Making History - Eight Hour Day