| Place | Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL40796 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Cotton |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | c 1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Length of patriotic ribbon : Miss Elizabeth Sheridan
Description
Length of ribbon in red, white and blue stripes.
History / Summary
This length of ribbon was worn by Miss Elizabeth Sheridan in Sydney, NSW, on 15 August 1945 to mark Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day. The ribbon was pinned, with a spray of fresh flowers, to her dress. During celebrations in the centre of Sydney, which included wading and dancing through the fountain in Hyde Park, Miss Sheridan gave pieces of the ribbon to girls who approached her, asking for ribbon to decorate their own outfits. Thus the ribbon was considerably shorter by the end of the day.
A few weeks later, on 5 September, Miss Sheridan married Jack Swift at St Andrew's Cathedral. Swift was a sailor who served as a telegraphist, aboard HMS Formidable during the war. He met Miss Sheridan during leave in Sydney in mid 1945, when he, along with fellow sailors, was invited to her home. After the war, the Swifts settled in Sydney.