Final mural panel depicting children dancing to the song ‘Lord of the Dance’
Coburg Primary School ANZAC Memorial –
‘ A hundred men, a hundred heroes’
In early 1917 Margaret was granted a commission to design and create an ANZAC memorial gate for The Coburg Historical Society, in partnership with Coburg PrimarySchool in dedication to the memory of the thirty-five pupils of the school who lost their lives during World War One.
There once stood an Avenue of Honour dedicated to the memory of these pupils. The school’s choice of trees was significant. Trees represent growth, life and longevity. Planted as seeds and saplings, they would grow older, bigger, stronger in a way that the men they represent could not. Great care was taken to look after these trees but by the early 1960s the avenue of trees were cut down for further development in the school-grounds. As part of a grant received from an ANZAC Centenary project the committee commissioned Margaret to design and create a cortensteel double gate for Elm Street representing the memory of these pupils who attended the school in the 1890s and early 1900s who died in World War One. Important motifs to incorporate in the design of the gates were the thirty-five soldiers and elm trees, wattle, gum leaves and poppies.
The thirty-five soldiers cut out in silhouette and leaning against the thirty-five elm trees represent the thirty-five former pupils
Wattle tree in flower to symbolise Australia, regrowth and re-generation
The poppies are the International symbol of World War One. They also symbolise Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day in Australia.
The World War 1 Centenary Anniversary Memorial Gates were completed latter in 1917 and officially opened on 10th October 1917 in an school assemble.
Templates for soldiers
Drafting design onto cortensteel
Blocking in cut-outs with chalk
More drawing…
Drawing completed for first quarter
Ready to put into cutting work-bench
End of first day of plasma-cutting
First elm tree cut-out
End of another day of cutting
Different stages of cutting
Tools of the trade
First quarter of the gate completed
Chalk dusting the two panels so they match up
Top quarter in the background & bottom panel being cut for the left side of the gate
Left gate completed ready for rusting…
Chalking second gate
Different stages of the chalking process
First gate now rusted in the background & second gate top panel drawn up for cutting
A day of hand-held plasma cutting the top panel of second gate
Different stages of chalking lower panel of second gate in preparation for drawing over chalk
Cutting out the elm leaves using my hand-held plasma cutter with different stages of the process above
A day of cutting top panel
Second top panel of gate finished and different stages of the cutting process in the forground
Spring in my garden with workshop in the background
Starting the final panel for the gate
Nearly there…wattle, poppies done and now hundreds of elm leaves to cut just as the real ones are starting to flower
Elm trees & leaves all cut-out. Now for the last remaining soldiers
All four panels of the two gates for Coburg Primary School are finished just need time to cortensteel to rust
Invitations have arrived
Final panel has now ‘rusted’ after a week in the garden in all weather…now to assemble all four panels to make the gates for Coburg Primary School
Day of gate installation at Coburg Primary School. Thank you to those who helped it was a brillant afternoon
Gates now in place
Gates in intalled Thursday & official opening Friday afternoon
Friday 10th of November 2017 Official Opening of the World War 1 Centenary Anniversary Memorial Gate
Thank you for all help
About to enter Coburg Primary School
So happy to be part of this project for Coburg Primary School & Coburg Historical Society
An afternoon of official speeches
My speech to the children
Cheryl Griffin author of The Old Boys of Coburg State School go to War presenting me with her wonderful book
