100 years for Ballarat’s iconic Arch

WHEN Garry Snowden would ride his bike through the Arch of Victory as a child, little did he know he’d be at the war memorial’s centenary celebration.

Last Tuesday morning, 2 June, the president of the Arch of Victory – Avenue of Honour Committee marked the Arch’s 100 years alongside his team, former workers of E. Lucas & Co, and Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King, amongst others.

At the small gathering a cake was cut, glasses were charged, and a letter, written especially for the occasion by the Prince of Wales, was read by City of Ballarat mayor, Cr Ben Taylor.

Mr Snowden said it was a privilege to be leading a committee protecting and promoting such an internationally recognised landmark, and its precinct, including the Avenue of Honour which remembers 3801 local servicepeople.

“It’s the most iconic image in Ballarat, there’s no question. There’s no structure recognised more than our Arch,” he said.

“The magnitude of the structure constantly reminds Ballarat people about the service and sacrifice that it recognises. The First World War, and with additional plaques added, the Second World War, Korea, Borneo, Malaya, Vietnam and international peace keeping missions.

“It’s the only Australian Arch, and it gives me enormous pride to see it projected on the wall of the most famous Arch in the world, the Arch de Triumph.”

The foundation stone was laid in February of 1920 and the Arch was officially opened three-and-a-half months later on 2 June.

“Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales did the honours, and as I understand it, it was a cold, showery day,” Mr Snowden laughed.

Although the use of ‘victory’ could be a “breast beating statement,” he likes to view it as something more “sensitive and sympathetic,” responding to sadness and grief servicepeople’s families felt.

“I prefer to see it as a comfort or consolation to the Ballarat community who had come through four years of desperate anxiety.

“I like to think, at least putting the word victory up there in 1920, was something of comfort to all those families, to think their sons’ sacrifice was not in vain,” Mr Snowden said.

Historian, Phil Roberts wrote Avenue of Memories about the Arch precinct, which won last year’s Victorian Premier’s History Award. He agreed ‘victory’ was an imperialistic term.

“At the time, the allies believed they’d won the war… It was more sheer exhaustion from both sides after four-and-half years of trench warfare,” he said.

“Over the years, that term has really changed, or the emphasis has at the Arch. Especially with the addition of the Garden of the Grieving mother.”

He said the Arch’s broader story is “fascinating.”

“The building of the Arch’s funds mainly came from the first women’s football match in Victoria, which was in 1918 at the Eastern Oval,” he said.

“When the Arch was being built, there wasn’t any architect, which was unusual. The bricklayers, and the head bricklayer who was only in his 20s, George Brookes –worked it out as they built it.

“They had advertised for people to design it, but it didn’t end up happening.”

When the Prince of Wales came to officially open the Arch, Ballarat High School boys were set to be a guard of honour.

“The car went past the boys as they were marching up because it was raining and they didn’t want the prince to get wet,” Mr Roberts laughed.

“When the speeches were made, Mrs Lucas and Tilly Thompson (from E. Lucas & Co) spoke, and after that, the Prince was presented with some silk pyjamas, and each Lucas girl, approximately 500, had put a stitch into them.

“Two pence out of each pound of the Lucas girls’ pay went towards the upkeep of the Arch and the Avenue, which was a compulsory payment, and most of them were quite happy to lose a little bit of their money.”

This carried through for the first 10 years of the Arch’s existence.

The structure is the only prominent Arch in Australia across a major road, which was formerly the Western Highway.

“It was most unusual to have an Arch like that over a road,” Mr Roberts said.

Following refurbishment, then Governor General, Quentin Bryce reopened the Arch in November of 2011.