Tug of war team at an Eight Hour Day picnic

Abstract

Group portrait of ten men with a large coil of rope in an outside location featuring steps, a timber rail and large rocks. None of the men wear jackets and their braces over different types of shirt can be seen. Six wear ties, one a bow tie and two have hats. Their stance with folded arms and the rope suggests that they are a tug of war team. On the Eight Hour Day public holiday, it was part of the celebration for marchers and their families to participate in picnics, sports, entertainment and speeches after the parade. Since in the early twentieth century the procession route usually finished at the Agricultural Showground, this event probably took place somewhere in the Moore Park area.