Summary

Medal awarded in 1876 to J.A. Kay by the National Agricultural Society of Victoria (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) as first prize in the Chicken class for a Brahma Pootra cock and hen. The Society was formed in 1870 from the Port Phillip Farmers' Society. Farmers' societies were formed with the intention of improving agricultural practices to meet the needs of a steadily increasing Australian population. The newly formed National Agricultural Society of Victoria set up a new show site at Emerald Hill in South Melbourne. The show moved to Ascot Vale in 1882, where shows are held to this day.
Mint: not recorded.

Physical Description

A specimen bronze prize medal (51 mm diameter) of the National Agricultural Society of Victoria by the artist Julius Hogarth; it features Victoria standing facing holding a block of butter and surrounded by agricultural scene and has the name of the winner stamped in the centre of the reverse and details of the prize on the edge.

Obverse Description

Victoria standing facing holding a block of butter and surrounded by agricultural scene which includes two horses, two sheep a bull a plough and a traction Engine. The artist's name HOGARTH FEC. (Trans.: Hogarth he made it)above the exergue on right.

Reverse Description

Around wreath of wheat; the NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA; within J.A. KAY ; below wreath in small letters the artist's name, J. HOGARTH

Edge Description

1st. PRIZE BRAHMA POOTRA COCK & HEN

Significance

The National Agricultural Society of Victoria (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) was formed in 1870 from the Port Phillip Farmers' Society. Farmers' societies were formed with the intention of matching farming methods with the needs of a steadily increasing Australian population. In 1870 the National Agricultural Society of Victoria set up a new show site at Emerald Hill in South Melbourne. The current showgrounds in Ascot Vale were established in 1882, and have been the base for the Royal Melbourne Show ever since.

In May 1890 Queen Victoria assented to the use of the 'Royal' prefix by the Society in recognition of its ongoing contribution to the improvement of agriculture. The Society then became the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and the Show, the Royal Melbourne Show. -Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria web site http://www.rasv.com.au/; Essendon Network for Employment, Education and Training web site http://www.enet.org.au/historyonline/mccracken/peter.htm; Glyn Rimmington, University of Melbourne, web site http://rimmo.mur.csu.edu.au/rimmo/hyperbook/5/5.4.html -D. Tout-Smith 2/10/2003.

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