The Mothers' Memorial, Toowoomba, 1961

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The Queenslander

Saturday 11 February 1922

Toowoomba Mothers' Memorial

With impressive ceremony, the Toowoomba Fallen Soldiers' Mothers' Memorial - a beautiful column monument - was unveiled by his Excellency the Governor on January 28. Notwithstanding that it was the hottest day experienced in Toowoomba this summer the attendance numbered some thousands.  A reserved enclosure, with seating accommodation, was provided for the mothers, wives, and nearest relatives of fallen soldiers. It was here, when one dared to look back, that one realised the sacrifice those noble men and women had made. 

[...] His Excellency gave a brief address, and a hush settled on the crowd as he gave the order for the unveiling. The flags that draped the monument gradually lowered to the ground, revealing the imposing structure for all time, a sacred tribute to "our glorious dead". When the monument was unveiled, his Excellency, midst a tense silence, read the following inscription from the front panel of the monument:

"Our glorious dead, who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914 to 1918, for the sake of freedom and justice."

Background

The Mothers' Memorial at its original location at the intersection of Ruthven and Margaret Streets. It is one of the few war memorials commissioned by women, who sold sweet violets to raise money for a monument to their soldier sons who did not return from the First World War. The monument was dedicated in 1922. Through the sale of violets, the Sweet Violet was commonly known as the Toowoomba Violet. It became Toowoomba's official floral emblem in 1932.

The memorial was relocated to East Creek Park in 1985.

 

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