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<\/p>\nWHEN Betty McGuinness found a military badge in her Eureka Street Garden more than twenty-five years ago, she knew it was something special.<\/p>\n
However, it wasn’t until recently her and a team of local experts tracked down a family member of the original owner, and it happened to be Miranda Brockman, someone Ms McGuinness had known for years.<\/p>\n
“I thought it was special, because it was a Rising Sun Badge, and I was aware of the significance of that,” said Ms McGuinness.<\/p>\n
“I was busy at the time, so I didn’t have the time to do any exploring or research, but I did know it was special. I kept that badge safe thinking in the future I would have time to explore it.”<\/p>\n
Ms McGuiness first decided to try and find the badge’s owner in 2015 as part of a U3A project with Jan North.<\/p>\n
On this occasion they were unsuccessful, however, in 2022 they resumed the search with the help of Trina Jones who eventually located Ms Brockman.<\/p>\n
“Miranda was somebody I’d known from past years, and she was so delighted because she hadn’t known anything about this badge,” said Ms McGuinness.<\/p>\n
“She was absolutely delighted for it to find a home.”<\/p>\n
The artefact is a remodelled Rising Sun Badge which was issued between 1904 and 1948 and signified the ANZAC spirit.<\/p>\n
However, this badge had been altered by its owner John Brockman and transformed into a sweetheart brooch for his wife Jean Brown.<\/p>\n
“It makes it even more special,” said Ms McGuinness.<\/p>\n
How the badge ended up in the garden of the Cremorne Hotel remains a mystery, although John and Jean, who were musicians, regularly travelled to Ballarat to perform.<\/p>\n
In 2023, the badge was reunited with Ms Brockman, who now has an artefact from her father’s time in the armed forces.<\/p>\n
The Rising Sun Badge had been altered to become a sweetheart brooch with the name Jean Brown engraved onto it. Photo: SUPPLIED<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WHEN Betty McGuinness found a military badge in her Eureka Street Garden more than twenty-five years ago, she knew it was something special. However, it wasn’t until recently her and a team of local experts tracked down a family member of the original owner, and it happened to be Miranda Brockman, someone Ms McGuinness had […]<\/p>\n