Empire Day / Commonwealth Day

NRS 12172 Premier’s Department, Correspondence Unregistered Bundles, [4/6251] includes:

• Details of the activities of the first celebration in 1905, and suggestions for the 1906 event from The British Empire League in Australia (see below images for both)
• A summary of the 1905 celebrations, as well as a summary of what the day should signify for future years communicated by Premier Joseph Carruthers in 1906
• Information on the origin of the date (24 May) being Queen Victoria’s birthday
• An order of proceedings for a ceremony at the Royal Exchange, Sydney
• Additional programs for Empire Day celebrations in various years

The records in NRS 10923, Police Special Bundles, 1846-1963, [10/1827 pt] Empire Day, 1914, inform us that:

• Empire Day was proposed at the conference of Prime Minister and State Premiers, Hobart February 1905 in a submission by J H Carruthers, Premier of NSW (see the 1905 pamphlet relating the the purpose of Empire Day below). It had previously been promoted by the council of The British Empire League in Australia, with the idea being for those people who “enjoy the protection of ‘the Union Jack’ should unite in a patriotic display, and a sympathetic manifestation of common loyalty” (see the below 1905 appeal from the British Empire League in Australia)
• The large display in 1909 (see above photograph)was a Public Schools Demonstration (metropolitan and suburban schools) held at Sydney Cricket Ground 24/5/1909, and attended by about 25,000 (see below letter from the SCG Secretary)
• The tradition of a demonstration held in Martin Place outside the General Post Office was established in 1905
• The NSW Police Band played patriotic songs in the city at various locations
• “National and patriotic airs” were to be played “by bands in the Public Parks and Squares during the afternoon and evening” throughout the state