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Newspaper Cutting - 'Sir George Bowen Laying the Foundation-Stone', The Australasian Sketcher, Adelaide, 15 Mar 1879
Reg. No: SH 961136
- Summary:
- Front cover page of The Australian Sketcher, no.78, vol. VI, Adelaide edition, Saturday, 15 March 1879, pp. 193-94, published by G.N. & W.H. Birks, Adelaide. Page 193 is the front page of the newspaper and has a highly decorative masthead and depicts the word 'Australasian' in an unfurling banner, with side foliate motifs, an artist's palette and brushes, and an ornamented 'Sketcher' with a winged female form emerging from the 'S'.
Main cover image is a black & white wood block illustration depicting the laying of the foundation stone of the Melbourne Exhibition Building on 19 February 1879 in preparation for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The full page illustration shows a large crowd gathered to watch as a pulley system lowers the foundation stone into place. By the stone, are the Governor, Sir George Bowen, and the President of the Exhibition Commissioners, Sir William Clarke. Bowen is wearing a top hat and coat with a sash. He is holding a small trowel which was presented to him to mark the occasion and to lay the stone. Page 194 contains three columns of news text. Column two has a small article describing the event.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Exhibition Building was one of the last acts Sir George Bowen performed as governor. He left the colony at the end of February 1879 after almost six years in the role to become the governor of Mauritius (1879-1882) and subsequently Hong Kong (1882-86) before retiring from the civil service. Perhaps because of this, exhibition commissioners had issued almost 2,000 invitations to various representatives guests, boosting the numbers in attendance alongside the general public. The huge crowds that gathered to watch the event are well illustrated by this depiction. - Description:
- Front cover page of The Australian Sketcher. Page 193 is the front page of the newspaper and has a highly decorative masthead and depicts the word 'Australasian' in an unfurling banner, with side foliate motifs, an artist's palette and brushes, and an ornamented 'Sketcher' with a winged female form emerging from the 'S'. Main cover image is a black & white wood block illustration depicting the laying of the foundation stone of the Melbourne Exhibition Building on 19 February 1879 in preparation for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The full page illustration shows a large crowd gathered to watch as a pulley system lowers the foundation stone into place. By the stone, are the Governor, Sir George Bowen, and the President of the Exhibition Commissioners, Sir William Clarke. Bowen is wearing a top hat and coat with a sash. He is holding a small trowel which was presented to him to mark the occasion and to lay the stone. Page 194 contains three columns of news text. Column two has a small article describing the event.
- Acquisition Information:
- Transfer from Trustees of the Royal Exhibition Building (REB), 1991
| Discipline: | History |
| Dimensions: | 25.00 cm (Height), 23.00 cm (Length) |
More information
| Tagged with: | exhibitions, exhibitions melbourne international 1880-1881, newspapers, illustrations, royal exhibition building, ceremonies, world fairs |
| Themes this item is part of: | William J. Clarke, Farmer (1831-1897), Public Life & Institutions Collection, Royal Exhibition Building Collection |
| Primary Classification: | PUBLIC EVENTS |
| Secondary Classification: | Melbourne International Exhibition 1880 |
| Tertiary Classification: | media coverage |
| Inscriptions: | Front cover, p 193: THE/ AUSTRALASIAN/ SKETCHER/ No.78.VOL.VI. ADELAIDE EDITION, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1879. PRICE 6d. Cover illustration, caption: SIR GEORGE BOWEN LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. |
| Person Depicted: | Sir George Bowen, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879 |
| Person Depicted: | Sir William Clarke, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879 |
| Publisher: | G.N. & W.H. Birks, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1879 |
| Printer: | Webb, Vardon and Pritchard, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1879 |
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