Summary

Australia
Medal - Port Phillip Farmers' Society Silver Prize 1858 (AD)
Mint: not recorded
Awarded to: Mr. William Bernage
Other Details: Prize medal won by William Bernage issued by the Port Phillip Farmers Society (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) for Grass Seed Harrows at the Annual Exhibition of 1858. The Society was formed in 1848 from a number of earlier farmers' societies in Victoria. The Society aimed to improve agricultural practices to meet the food needs of a growing population, and conducted ploughing matches in the area around Flemington. In 1855 it established showgrounds in Parkville, opposite the present site of The University of Melbourne. The current showgrounds in Ascot Vale were not established until 1882.

Physical Description

A silver prize medal (51 mm. diameter) featuring a rural scene of farm house, reclining cow, sheep, horse and tools below gum tree branch; in exergue in tiny letters, ARNOLDI and details of the prize engraved within open wreath below small Kangaroo

Obverse Description

Rural scene of farm house, reclining cow, sheep, horse and tools below gum tree branch; in exergue in tiny letters, ARNOLDI

Reverse Description

Engraved within open wreath below small Kangaroo, GRASS SEED HARROWS PRIZE awarded to Mr. Wm. Berbage Annual Exhibition 1858; around, PORT PHILLIP FARMER'S SOCIETY; below, INSTITUTED 1848

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

The Port Phillip Farmers Society (now known as Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) was formed in 1848 from a number of earlier farmers' societies in Victoria. It aimed to improve agricultural practices to meet the food needs of a growing population, and conducted ploughing matches in the area around Flemington. In 1855 it established showgrounds in Parkville, opposite the present site of The University of Melbourne. The Society established a model farm on 59 ha in nearby Royal Park. Later, in 1870, it invested its assets in a new organization, the National Agricultural Society of Victoria, which 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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