World War I 'Roll of Honour' board made by Wunderlich
Object No. 99/42/1
Wunderlich was among Australia's foremost manufacturers of military badges and memorials for both World Wars. This board, then, is an important example of Wunderlich product manufacture and design. However it is also a record of, and memorial to, those Wunderlich employees who served during World War One, and therefore an important part of that company's history. In this regard, the honour roll board relates to the construction of Wunderlich's own identity and history. It reflects the strong sense of corporate identity and loyalty manifested in other areas of the company's organisation; for instance, the staff benefit schemes and sporting clubs. More specifically, this honour board was an affirmation that Wunderlich and its employees contributed to the nation in its 'hour of need'. This patriotic identification was in keeping with the company's long-held policy of promoting Australianness in design. It has added resonance in light of the recrimination suffered by Wunderlich during World War One as a result of its Germanic sounding name. The broader significance of honour roll boards lies in their relationship to public remembrance. 'Rolls of Honour', whether attached or inscribed onto plaques or larger memorials, became a common feature of public spaces and buildings in Australia following World War One. The honour roll board, specifically, was most often used by organisations to record names of staff or members who served in the war. They would commonly become the focus of local or organisation based Anzac Day ceremonies and wreath laying. The widespread appearance of these memorials attested both to the high level of involvement in World War One and the importance attached to acknowledgement of service by the various organisation who erected them. Although Australia did not introduce conscription during that conflict, participation was high and the proportion of casualties per head of population exceeded that of other combatant nations. Consequently the impact of war upon communities across the country was profound, and organisations from schools and businesses to trade unions and local councils publicly commemorated those among their number who 'answered the call' by listing their names on an honour board.
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Summary
Object Statement
Honour roll board, World War I 'Roll of Honour', metal/ wood, Wunderlich Ltd, Australia, 1919-1930
Physical Description
Honour roll board, World War One 'Roll of Honour', metal/wood, Wunderlich Ltd, Australia, 1919-1930. This honour roll board is comprising a polished wood backing board with an elaborate facing plate of stamped and pressed burnished or florentine bronze. The facing plate is finished with Art Nouveau style patterning. The dates '1914' and '1919' appear on either side of a laurel wreath and banner motif. Below this on a stylised scroll are pressed the words; 'ROLL OF HONOR, WUNDERLICH LTD, MEN WHO ANSWERED THE CALL'. A stamped Union Jack flag is on the left side of the scroll and an Australian flag is on the right. Below this are five brass plates reading 'N.S.W.', 'VIC.', 'S.A.', 'QLD' and 'TAS.' respectively. Names of Wunderlich employees who served during the war are engraved on brass plates and arranged in columns below these state plates.
DIMENSIONS
Height
1060 mm
Width
810 mm
Depth
85 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
This honour roll board bears the art nouveau styling that characterised much of Wunderlich's pressed and stamped metal products from the early 1900s to the 1930s. The designer of this particular object is uncertain. However, its styling is typical of the work of Samuel Rowe whose training in London made him familiar with organic design forms of the British Arts and Crafts movement and the continental Art Nouveau style. Rowe consolidated the Art Nouveau style at Wunderlich from 1905 to the 1920s. He left the firm in 1922 to become Director of East Sydney Technical School. Following the First World War, the company was a major manufacturer of honour rolls and other war memorials for both World Wars. A Second World War honour roll board in art deco style was also cast to commemorate Wunderlich employees who participated in that conflict. In common with many other World War One memorials, the imagery on this honour roll is devoid of religious allusion. The flags relate to national and imperial identity. The laurels and banner at the top of the roll are a reference to the paraphenalia of Roman military triumphal parades. The honour roll board was probably made at Wunderlich's Redfern workshop.
HISTORY
Notes
This honour roll board was used to commemorate Wunderlich employees. It was probably located at the Redfern factory but its precise location is uncertain. The materials and finish used indicate that it was not intended for outside display. A World War II honour roll board was located in the Redfern showroom where customers could view it. This honour roll board was one of several objects removed from the Redfern factory after operations at that site were moved to other locations from the 1970s following CSR's takeover of Wunderlich. This board ended up at the Wunderlich Windows factory in Smithfield. In 1997 it was donated to the Fairfield Regional Heritage Centre. In 1998 Graham Hinton offered it to the Powerhouse Museum.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Boral Window Systems, 1999
Acquisition Date
20 May 1999
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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