BANNER, TRADE UNION

One piece of canvas painted on each side. Each side has three seams, a 20cm border, and metallic fringing two sides and bottom. Top of banner has a hanging device.
Side 1: At top: "W.A. Amalgamated Society of / Railway Employees", in elaborate scrollwork of blue and gold, balanced at base of banner in similar script: "Union of Workers". Scrollwork frames the centrepiece of the banner- a large globe with Australia at the centre. Above the globe sits a "winged railway wheel", a classicizing motif connoting both the railway as the winged messenger of the gods, and winged victory. The globe is flanked by a railway signalman on the left, a linesman on the right, between them is suspended a ribbon saying "MAY THE UNITY OF LABOR BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD". Above the winged wheel is a black swan, the state symbol. In the background of the image is a railway yard. Signed, right hand corner "FE...OWS 1915".
Side 2: Due to rolling this side has suffered paint loss; the entire painted surface is warped and creasing. At top of banner: "W.A. Amalgamated Society of / Railway Employees". Centrepiece is flanked by 2 neo-classical figures of women; the figure on the right holds a small globe with winged wheel at the top; beside the figure on the left stands a horn of plenty, abundant with fruit; the centrepiece represents the Perth Railway station and Horseshoe Bridge with a signalman & porter, passengers & luggage; steam engine is entering the station; a smaller cameo insert above shows a railway yard, while the cameo below shows a tunnel with 2 lineworkers & an image of a signal box and signal at night. Beneath the cameos between the 2 images are the words "Union of Workers". Signed right bottom: "R. Fellows 1915".

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History Collection

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