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French Button Day

In July 1916, the Mayor, Cr Albert Tucker, instituted a French Button Day to be held on Friday, July 14 (Bastille Day). He called upon the ladies who had sold buttons on previous occasions and other ladies who would like to assist to sell buttons in Port on the day to support the French.

Buttons could be collected for sale from 2pm on Wednesday 12 July from the Librarian, Mr J Turner.

Victorian School Tribute Badge, 1916. PMHPS Collection

This button depicting the French General Joffre is probably not from Cr Tucker’s initiative but a wider Victorian Schools fundraising effort also in held in 1916 but does reflect the wider interest in patriotic fundraising in general and for the French in particular.

References:

1916 ‘FRENCH BUTTON DAY.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 8 July, p. 3. , viewed 03 Mar 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91165167

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Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet and work, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.