Prince of Wales visit to Melbourne Showgrounds, 1920
On May 29, 1920 the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria welcomed a visit to the Melbourne Showgrounds by HRH Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales.
The Society staged an elaborate show experience for the young Prince, inviting a crowd of 30,000 people to create a mini show atmosphere at the grounds. Special displays were created to highlight agricultural producers from across the state and competition displays were staged in the main arena. The Prince viewed a grand parade, woodchopping, sheaf tossing and various other livestock and horticultural displays.
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The Prince of Wales watches the parade of Clydesdales on the main arena, Melbourne Showgrounds 1920
Elaboratley dressed archways, floral displays and festive bunting greeted the Prince of Wales to the Melbourne Showgrounds in 1920
The Prince of Wales unveiled this memorial plague during his visit to the Melbourne Showgrounds on May 29, 1920
At the opposite side of the arena to the grand stand the Prince unveiled a memorial tablet to commemorate his visit to the show. In the course of a short speech in which he invited the Prince to perform the ceremony, the President handed to the Prince a spanner as a souvenir of the occasion. “It is desired,” said Mr Merrett, “that you will retain as a memento of the occasion this little spanner which is necessary to complete the ceremony, but we are not unmindfull that already you have placed a tablet in the hearts of the people, without mechanical appliances or artificial aids, which is more substantial and more enduring than the tablet now before us.”… The crowd endorsed the sentiment with hearty cheers. The Age, 31 May 1920.