Port Adelaide Workers Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port Adelaide Workers Memorial |
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The memorial as it appeared in 1938
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| Artist | Mr John Tillett |
| Year | Begun 1918; completed 1921 |
| Type | Statue |
| Medium | Granite and marble |
| Location | Corner of Commercial Rd and St Vincent St, Port Adelaide, South Australia |
| Owner | City of Port Adelaide Enfield |
The Port Adelaide Workers Memorial is a special memorial in Port Adelaide, South Australia. It's a sculpture that honors people who worked hard to improve workers' rights. These are the fair rules and conditions for people at their jobs.
The memorial has the names of many important people from the South Australian trade union movement. Trade unions are groups that help workers get better pay and safer workplaces. It also lists members of the Labor Party, which is a political group that supports workers.
Contents
Building the Workers Memorial
How the Memorial Started
In 1916, a man named Hugh Garland passed away. He was a very important trade unionist in Port Adelaide. A trade unionist is someone who helps lead a trade union. After his death, a group was formed to create a memorial for him and other labor activists.
This group included members from the local Australian Labor Party and the United Trades and Labour Council. They wanted to honor people who fought for workers' rights in the Port Adelaide area.
Getting Permission and Money
The Port Adelaide city council agreed to let the statue be built in 1917. Money for the memorial was collected in different ways. A carnival and a social event were held by the Ladies Committee of the Labor Party. Many people gave donations to help pay for the project.
Unions that were part of the Trades and Labour Council suggested names for the memorial. They chose 41 people to be honored in the first inscription. Sadly, 8 of these people had recently died during World War I.
The Unveiling Ceremony
The granite base of the memorial was officially shown to the public on December 6, 1918. At the ceremony, John Gunn MP spoke. He was the leader of the State Labor Party at the time.
He said that the people named on the memorial had done "great things for the trade union movement." He explained that being a unionist was once very difficult. It was almost seen as a crime, and meetings had to be held in secret.
Adding the Statue of Justice
The beautiful marble statue of Justice was added in 1921. It was made in Italy and given as a gift by Mr. and Mrs. Winter, who were local business owners.
The Memorial Today
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield now owns the memorial. A special committee helps manage it. This committee includes the Mayor and people from SA Unions. It also has members from the Port Adelaide Federal Electoral Council of the Australian Labor Party.
Each year, this committee chooses one new name to be added to the monument. This is usually done during a ceremony on International Workers Memorial Day. Sometimes it happens as part of May Day celebrations, which also honor workers.
Images for kids
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The Port Adelaide Workers Memorial during South Australian May Day celebrations in 2021.
