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James GallowayPrint Page Print this page

06-December-2011 (Graeme Saunders)
06-December-2011 (Graeme Saunders)

Photographs supplied by Kent Watson / Graeme Saunders / Ballarat City Council

The working men of Ballarat erected this monument to commemorate James Galloway, a Scottish stonemason,and the founder of the 8 hour system in Victoria. Traditionally Melbourne claims Australian parentage of the Eight-Hour Day. Following agitation by Melbourne stonemasons in 1856 the eight-hour day was introduced in that city for workers employed on public works without loss of pay.

In February 1855 the Operative Masons' Society, which had been suspended in the confusions of the time, was resuscitated, and James Stephens with James Gilvray Galloway he formed a local branch on 4 February 1856 at Clark's Hotel, Collingwood. This meeting is seen as the genesis of the eight-hour movement, for a committee was set up to confer with the building contractors, most of whom proved co-operative on the introduction of the eight-hour day

Location

Address:Sturt & Grenville Street, Ballarat, 3350
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.562308
Long: 143.860461
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Industry
Designer:A. Simpson

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Wednesday 21st April, 1880
Front Inscription

ERECTED IN HONOR
     Of The Late 
JAMES GALLOWAY
   The Founder Of
The Eight Hours System In Victoria
Born At Springfield Fifeshire 
  28th February 1828
Died At Collingwood Melbourne 
3rd June 1860

Amicus Humani Generis

Left Side Inscription

EIGHT HOURS LABOR

EIGHT HOURS RECREATION

EIGHT HOURS REST

Back Inscription

THIS MONUMENT
Is Tendered In Trust 
TO THE CITY COUNCIL
For The Working Men Of Ballarat
 
 APRIL 21st 1880

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au