A celebration of peace
GIVEN the time it took for the drawing up of the peace treaties following the end of World War I, Geelong did not hold its official peace celebration until several months after the end of the conflict.
The conflict had ended after the Armistice on November 11, 1918, and there had been some impromptu celebrations in Geelong and elsewhere to mark the end of hostilities.
The official Geelong Peace Celebration did not take place until Saturday, July 19, 1919, outside Geelong City Hall on Gheringhap St.
An estimated crowd of 18,000 people had braved the wet weather to attend the function, which the Geelong Advertiser had described on the following Monday as a triumph of organisation.
The paper said that in proportion to its population Geelong’s Joy over Victory celebration would bear favourable comparison with any of the larger functions in the cities of the Empire.
Then Mayor of Geelong Cr Howard Hitchcock had addressed the crowd from the front of City Hall, and the Geelong Advertiser had singled him out for his part in the overall celebrations.
“The pageant and service in the morning; the children’s display in the afternoon; the firemen’s procession at night — each was admirably conceived, artistically arranged, and excellently carried out,’’ the paper said.
“From nine o’clock onwards an almost continuous stream of people from all parts of the district converged towards City Hall,’’ the Addy said.
“On the main platform . . . 220 chairs were provided, extending the full width of the City Hall steps.”
The paper went on to describe the two more temporary platforms which had been installed in Gheringhap St, opposite City Hall. One of these was for the Peace Choir and the other accommodated the children from the Protestant Orphanage.
The Geelong Heritage Centre is currently holding an exhibition that tells the story of the local peace celebrations and life immediately after the end of World War I in the Geelong and Barwon region.
The Remembering the End mobile touring exhibition is currently on display in Lara Library until July 28, and then it will be at Leopold Library from August 5. Contact: peterjohnbegg@gmail.com