Tuesday
June 2, 2020 marked the centenary of the 'official opening' of Ballarat's Arch
of Victory by Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales (later to become the king who
abdicated) who was touring Australia at the time. What is not generally known
is that he was accompanied on this tour by a traveling companion, Lord Louis
Mountbatten (later to become the last Viceroy of India). Mountbatten kept a
diary of his travels with the Prince and it was published in a book in 1987, 8
years after his death. The entry about the touring party's visit to Ballarat on
June 2, 1920 makes for interesting reading. I am sure the burghers of Ballarat
would have been horrified to know of Mountbatten's reaction to the welcome they
had arranged for the visiting prince. Here's his diary entry for that day -
"WEDNESDAY,
2 June After the train had left luncheon was served, and at 2.00 p.m. Ballarat
– or as it should be officially spelt, Ballaarat – was reached. The city, which
boasts some 40,000 inhabitants, is apparently divided into two for legislative
purposes: Ballarat, and Ballarat East; with a result of two Mayors, who are
very alike and rather resembled Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee were awaiting
H.R.H. on the platform and introduced two sets of Councillors.
Outside, a
collection of gaily coloured cars was drawn up, which it was at first imagined
belonged to a tourist party, but later turned out to be those intended for the
royal party’s use. They were covered in cheap red, white and blue ribbons,
Union Jacks, French flags, imitation standards and Prince of Wales feathers,
etc. In front of each bonnet a wooden triumphal arch has been erected, with the
word ‘Welcome’ on it, and to cap it all an enormous stuffed wallaby was
strapped to the running board of H.R.H.’s car so that the orderlies could
hardly jump on the car, when they were required.
Having made the party look
ridiculous by providing these absurd cars, the local council thought that they
would give it that tone of dignity so necessary for H.R.H.’s movements, and
arranged an escort of light horse to trot before and after H.R.H’s car. The two
Mayors, like Mutt and Jeff, followed in the next car, and the rest of the Staff
had fat councillors, distributed in their cars; the last staff car having, as
well, a lady, aged six, who wept copiously most of the time. After driving for
a long while in circles, which turned out to have been done to give Ballarat
East a fair turn, the City Hall was reached, and, owing to the jealousy between
Mutt and Jeff, an impartial Colonel read the address. H.R.H on starting his
reply, began: ‘Mister Mayors…’ No sooner had he started than a cornet player
struck up the ‘God Bless’, and, at last, in desperation H.R.H. stopped reading
the address, saying that her really could not compete with band.
It now
came on to rain, but, owing to the elaborate decorations, it was impossible to
put the hoods up without spending some ten minutes cutting down flags and
streamers, which there was not time to do at this place. The party now drove a
good long distance to the Arch of Victory, where H.R.H. dismounted and went on
to a platform. This opportunity was seized to cut decorations adrift and get
the hoods up, but the colours ran out of the decorations, giving the cars a
camouflaged appearance.
This
account seems to have been ridiculing Ballarat so far, but it must be admitted
that nowhere has a crowd been put to such a test of loyalty, and answered it so
well, as in Ballarat, for it rained solidly during the next two hours, and not
one person in the whole crowd was seen to move off, even along the dull parts
of the route. This Arch of Victory had been built by the efforts of 500 girls
working for the firm of Lucas. They had also planted some 4000 trees, each tree
representing a local soldier, along a 14-mile avenue, which they call the
Avenue of Honour. 
The arch was not quite completed, but was considered ready
for opening, and after a hot air speech by somebody, a dear old lady came up
and made a long speech, in which her ‘Hs’ got terribly mixed up, finally
presenting H.R.H. with a pair of gold scissors with which he cut a string
holding the garlands across the arch. As he cut it a tremendous explosion was
heard and the garlands swung clear. The arch was now apparently opened, and
much clapping took place. The next thing that happened was that H.R.H. had to
lay a coping stone. It
seemed an odd thing to lay the coping stone last of all,
but perhaps it was better than not laying it at all. A lady representing the
Lucas girls then stepped on to the platform and presented H.R.H. with a pair of
laboriously worked satin pyjamas. At the end of this little ceremony she turned
to the 500 girls and said in a loud voice, ‘Are they to wear on his honeymoon?’
Back came 500 unanimous replies, to the intense amusement of all and the
discomfiture H.R.H.
Tea
was next served, at the end of which one of the Mayors got up and took five
minutes to say that he was only allowed a minute to make his speech in. He then
called upon one of the Town Clerks to make a speech in half a minute. After the
Town Clerk had complained for some three or four minutes about only being
allowed half a minute to make his speech, he was stopped by everyone rising and
going off, much to his distress.
The
party then drove back to the station and departed. Melbourne was reached
shortly after half past six and everyone drove to Federal Government House.
After an official dinner, a departure was made for the State Governor’s
House,
where a small ball was being given..."
Edward spent 49 days in 1920 touring Australia with Mountbatten. Letters he sent home, now in the possession of the State Library of New South Wales, reveal him to be both unimpressed with the welcome he received and offensively racist towards Indigenous Australians. This is hardly surprising given his later flirtation with Adolf Hitler and Nazism.
I am reliably informed that the satin pyjamas never left Ballarat!
(Tours with the Prince of Wales)
Edited by Philip Ziegler
Collins 1987
Images from the Gold Museum and Avenue of Honour Memorial Committee collections
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