The first Empire day took place on the 24 May 1902, to commemorate the birth of Queen Victoria (24 May 1819-1901) despite her death a year earlier. Empire day was a day in which , predominately school children, would salute the union flag, sing patriotic songs, and learn here stories from across the Empire. At its core, Empire day aimed to promote 'Responsibility, Sympathy, Duty and Self-sacrifice' (Empire Movement) in children, aiming to develop them into good citizens. As the British Empire decline, Empire day became Commonwealth Day in 1966 taking place on 10 June, the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). Now, Commonwealth day takes place annually on the second Monday in March and celebrates the shared history, values, and relationships between Commonwealth Nations.
This object was audited and researched as part of the NLHF Data Hunters and Story Gatherers project.
