Medal - Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Jubilee Exhibition Prize, Victoria, Australia, 1908

Search the collections

or return to home page

Where is it from?

A Mint Melbourne, Australia
A Commissioned By Melbourne, Australia
A Awarded To Melbourne, Australia

Similar items over time

1906
1906
1907
1907
1908
1909
1909
1909
1909

Medal - Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Jubilee Exhibition Prize,1908 AD

Summary:: Australia
Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne (AD)
Mint: Stokes & Sons
Awarded to: Le Souef, R.
Other Details: This Melbourne Church of England Grammar School first prize medal was awarded to Ronald Farquharson Le Soeuf for his display of coins at its Jubilee Exhibition in 1908. Melbourne Grammar School was founded on a 15-acre land grant in St Kilda Road in 1858, and celebrated its fiftieth jubilee in the year this medal was issued. The Jubilee Exhibition was somewhat of an afterthought, organised in a short time before the Christmas school holidays. Boys were asked to 'let the public see how they eomplyed their leisure hours', and the response was prompt and enthusiastic. The Exhibition 'showed unquestinably that our modern system of education, in spite of all that has been said about the examination evil and cramming, gives opportunity to the individual boy to find his natural bent and follow it.' Thousands attended the exhibition on its single day in 1908, the same day as the Jubilee Sports carnival. The exhibits were arranged into 11 sections in four rooms. Two rooms contained the coins, curios, natural collections, stamps, crests and autographs in glass cases. Tropies from Old Melburnians were displayed in a case. A table running the whole length of one room displayed post-card albums. Another glass case included a rifle captured in the Boer War. The walls groaned with watercolours, photographs, boat oars and a rudder. Le Souef's coins were one of the few displays that was awarded a medal. Le Souef went on to train as a doctor and served in World War I.
Description:: A bronze prize medal (48 mm diameter) of the Jubilee year featuring the School shield. Won by R. LeSouef for 'Coins'
Statement Of Significance:: The Jubilee Exhibition was somewhat of an afterthought, organised in a short time before the Christmas school holidays. Boys were asked to 'let the public see how they eomplyed their leisure hours', and the response was prompt and enthusiastic. The Exhibition 'showed unquestinably that our modern system of education, in spite of all that has been said about the examination evil and cramming, gives opportunity to the individual boy to find his natural bent and follow it.' Thousands attended the exhibition on its single day in 1908, the same day as the Jubilee Sports carnival. The exhibits were arranged into 11 sections in four rooms. Two rooms contained the coins, curios, natural collections, stamps, crests and autographs in glass cases. Tropies of Old Melburnians were displayed in a case. A table running the whole length of one room displayed post-card albums. Another glass case included a rifle captured in the Boer War. The walls groaned with watercolours, photographs, boat oars and a rudder. Le Souef's coins were one of the few displays that was awarded a medal. -The Melburnian, 1908. -D. Tout-Smith 2/2/2004.
Acquisition Information:: Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 1976

Discipline:	Numismatics
Dimensions:	51 mm (Diameter)
Weight:	59.29 g (Weight)

More information

Tagged with:	coin collecting, education, healthcare medicine, hobbies
Themes this item is part of:	Medicine in Society Collection, Numismatics & Philately Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection, Stokes & Son, Medal Makers, Melbourne, Victoria & Sydney, New South Wales, Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne, Victoria
Primary Classification:	MEDALS
Secondary Classification:	Civil
Tertiary Classification:	exhibition prizes
Series:	Australian Prize Medals
DateEra:	1908 AD
Obverse Description:	At centre, School shield surmounted by Bishop's mitre; around, JUBILEE APL. 1908; around on wide border defined by beads, CHURCH OF ENGLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL * MELBOURNE *
Reverse Description:	Engraved within a laurel wreath, R. LE SOUEF / First Prize / COINS
Edge Description:	Plain
Inscriptions:	Obverse: CHURCH OF ENGLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL * MELBOURNE * JUBILEE APL. 1908 ORA ET LABORA Reverse: R. LE SOUEF First Prize COINS
Shape:	round
Material:	Copper
Issued By:	Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Australia, 1908
Mint:	Stokes & Sons, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1908
Commissioned By:	Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1908
Awarded To:	Ronald Le Souef, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1908