Marriage: Love and Law exhibition catalogue - Flipbook - Page 66
RECONSTRUCTION,
READJUSTMENT
During the mid-19th Century, NSW and other parts of Australia
experienced sustained economic prosperity. The growing middle
classes adopted values associated with prudence, aspiration and
social acceptance. This trajectory, however, came to an abrupt
end when Australia fell into economic depression in the 1890s.
The Federation of Australia in 1901, which amalgamated six
separately governed British colonies into one nation, ushered
in a series of ambitious nation building projects including the
national capital, Canberra, and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation
Scheme. However, these plans were put on hold once Australia
joined Britain in the military conflict of the Great War.
During wartime couples married in Australia and in places
overseas where service men and women were stationed.
With the loss of some 60,000 Australian men of marriageable age,
many women were denied the opportunity to marry. An untold
number of marriages would have been impacted by the physical
and psychological scars of war.
47 Sidney Riley
Studio wedding portrait
of Private Stanley Martin
Anderson and Miss Lillian
A. Beechey
Black and white photograph
1920
Australian War Memorial,
P08019.003
47
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