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Proclamation Tree
The Proclamation Tree is on a traffic island in the Mayor's Park at the intersection of Adelaide, Parry (formerly Edward), Quarry, and Queen Victoria (formerly Cantonment Road) Streets. This sign above was beneath it until 2020 when it was removed, presumably stolen. It was replaced in 2023 with an accurate facsimile.
PROCLAMATION TREE
THIS TREE WAS PLANTED
ON OCTOBER 21st 1890 BY
HIS EXCELLENCY SIR W.F. ROBINSON, GOVERNOR.
ON THE OCCASION OF THE GRANTING OF
RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE
OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
BY HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA.
THIS PLATE WAS PRESENTED AND ERECTED BY FREMANTLE BOYS' SCHOOL 18-12-30
On the top of the sign is the School's crest with a coronet surmounted by a black swan, with, underneath, the school motto, PLAY THE GAME.
West Australian, 25 December 1930, p. 20:
A MEMORIAL OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.
On December 18, a tablet, provided by scholars of the Fremantle Boys' School, was unveiled by the Mayor of Fremantle (Mr. F. E. Gibson) near a Moreton Bay fig tree which was planted in 1890 to celebrate the granting of responsible government to Western Australia. The tree is in what was known at Mayor's Park, Fremantle.
The Marmion Memorial is adjacent >
The Moreton Bay fig (ficus macrophylla) was, as the sign says, planted by the WA Governor, Sir William Robinson, on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1890, to commemorate the granting of responsible government to the colony. The tree is thought to have been provided by Philip Webster.
West Australian, Thursday 18 December 1930, p. 14:
A FIG TREE'S HISTORY.
Commemoration Ceremony To-day
Forty years ago the granting of responsible government to the Colony of Western Australia was celebrated by two public ceremonies, one at Perth and one at Fremantle. In Perth, on the Esplanade, the Governor of the day (Sir William Robinson) proclaimed the beginning of the new regime on October 21, 18810, and on the following day, at Fremantle, a Moreton Bay fig tree was planted which was destined in after years to become one of the landmarks of the district.
The ceremony is well remembered by old residents of Fremantle, many of whom were scholars at the Fremantle Boys' School at the time. One of the scholars, Mr. Frank Shaw, who is now the manager of the State Implement and Engineering Works, recalled yesterday the planting of the tree. It was prepared, he said, by Mr. Phillip Webster, who was at that time regarded as the horticultural authority of the town, and was planted by the Governor on a small triangle of land which was known as Mayor's Park, and which now contains the Edward Marmion monument. The students of the Fremantle schools were trained to provide vocal items by Mr. Hugh Dickson, who is now Sir Hugh Denison, ex-Trade Commissioner for Australia in the United States, and who passed through Fremantle on his way to Melbourne on the mailboat Maloja on Tuesday. The first song was well-known as the Australian National Anthem in those days, and the first verse ran as follows:—
Australia's sons, your flag unfurl,
And proudly wave your banners high,
That every nation may behold
Your glorious standards in the sky.
Unfurl the flag, that all may see
Our proudest boast is liberty.
The tree during the 40 years which have elapsed, has flourished in keeping with the growth of the State, and although it is well-known as a landmark, there are few other than the old residents who realise its significance. To perpetuate its identity the scholars of the Fremantle Boys' School have arranged to provide a tablet, which will be unveiled near the tree, at 3 o'clock this afternoon. During the past week a number of the boys attended the Implement Works, where, under the guidance of Mr. Shaw, they constructed the tablet. All the residents, particularly those who were at the school at the time, are invited to witness this afternoon's ceremony, which will be performed by the Mayor of Fremantle (Mr. F. E. Gibson). There will be a large muster of school children, who will be addressed by Dr. Battye.
The photos of St Patrick's which follow show earlier stages of the growth of the tree:
References and Links
Hutchison, David, Fremantle Walks: 182.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 10 October, 2015 and hosted at freotopia.org/streets/proclamation.html (it was last updated on 11 February, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.