17. Queen Victoria Memorial Fountain

17. Queen Victoria Memorial Fountain 1902 Marble

Queen Victoria Drinking Fountain
This marble monument made by F.W. Commons, facing Armstrong Street has a statue of two small children.

The metal plaque reads:

FOR GOD, HOME AND HUMANITY
IN MEMORIUM
HER LATE MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY
QUEEN VICTORIA
PRESENTED BY
THE WOMEN'S
CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION
TO THE CITY OF BALLARAT
J.J. BROKENSHIRE, MAYOR
24 MAY 1902

Underneath, another plaque reads:

"This memorium was restored to use by The Women's Christian Temperance Union, Midlands Branch.
J. A. Chisholm, Mayor, 24th May 1978."
(In 1997 there was no water flowing.)

Ballarat Centenary (1935) p64 'The death of Queen Victoria on the 22nd of January, 1901, put all Ballarat into mourning. All the public offices and most of the business places were draped with heavy hangings of funereal black. A solemn and most impressive memorial service at the City Oval was attended by 10 000 people who looked on the death of the venerable lady as a great personal bereavement. ... On January 31st a great concourse of people assembled in front of the City Hall and listened to Mayor Whykes proclaim the coming to the throne of His Majesty King Edward VII, and for the first time since 1847 were heard shouts of 'Long Live the King!' "

Return to homepage

Created : 28 June 2003
Last Modified : 18 July 2007
Email : jburrell@ncable.net.au
URL : http://users.ncable.net.au/~jburrell/his/statues/17chn.htm