The Queen is Dead
Queen Victoria by Bertha Müller (1900) National Portrait Gallery Mar2023
By the Queen - A Proclamation - Victoria R
We therefore by and with the advice of Our Privy Council have thought fit to issue this Our Royal Proclamation and We do hereby declare that on and after the First day of January One Thousand nine hundred and one, the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia shall be united in a Federal Commonwealth under the name of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Given at Balmoral 17 September 1900, the 64th year of Our Reign.
Hardly were the celebrations of the Proclamation of the Commonwealth over when on January 23rd 1901 the newspapers solemnly announced, 'The Queen is Dead. Her Majesty has passed away”.
Untold millions of people in her vast Empire spanning the globe had never known life under any other Monarch. The Empire s’ longest living Monarch had been on the throne for 64 years, during the height of Britain’s political and colonial power.
Coming to the throne after the turbulent years of the Reform Bill, Queen Victoria epitomised the expansionist years of the British Empire. While abroad the colonies experienced struggle and periodic resistance to British dominance, at home, the tranquillity of the Queen and her peaceful home life set the tone for what was known as, "The Victorian Age".
Large families with father as the acknowledged head of the house were the norm. During the next sixty or so years, the middle classes had an unprecedented rise in Britain and a period of steady advancement and prosperity was a characteristic of the age.
Lord and Lady Hopetoun, the Queen s’ representative in Australia declared mourning from January 25th. The universal sadness lasted until the day of the opening of the Commonwealth Parliament on May 9th 1901. People discarded their black mourning clothes for the gaiety of bright hues. Melbourne was ablaze with light and colour as the great day approached.
At 2pm on 6th of May, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York landed and a fanfare of gunfire sounded on St. Kilda beach. People from all over Australia gathered in Melbourne, the focus of the momentous event and the population swelled by 20,000 visitors, cheered lustily as dignitaries from home and abroad passed along the streets.
The 9th of May arrived and the new King’s son drove to the Exhibition Building to open the National Parliament. A State carriage, complete with footmen was used to convey the Duke and Duchess to the Opening. The streets were lined with thousands of citizens and at the Exhibition Building 12,000 invited guests had taken up their positions.
Newspaper articles later described the event in glowing terms - Extravagant, magnificent, splendid, glorious and brilliant were some of the adjectives used to, paint a picture of the scene, which was indeed an historic landmark in Australia s’ history.
The '’Bulletin'' said in an editorial - "Australia had the greatest opportunity which any nation has been blessed with to be peacefully united under one government by the will of the people, and the people almost wholly of one race and one language".
Source: 2001 06 DTHS Newsletter
Long Live the King
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