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The Festival of (the) Empire was held at The Crystal Palace in London in 1911, to celebrate the coronation of King George V. It opened on 12 May.

Exhibition

Exhibitions of products from the countries of the Empire were displayed in three-quarter size models of their Parliamentary buildings erected in the grounds.^[1]

Pageant

A pageant dramatising the history of London, England and the Empire was held. ^[2]

Inter-Empire Championships

As part of the festival an Inter-Empire sports championship was held in which teams from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom competed in events such as boxing, wrestling, swimming and athletics. This is regarded as a forerunner of the British Empire (now Commonwealth) Games, held from 1930.

There were five athletics events (100 yards, 220 yards, 880 yards, 1 mile and 120 yards hurdles), two swimming events (100 yards and 1 mile), plus heavyweight boxing and middleweight wrestling. ^[3]

For the three New Zealand competitors, see ^[4]. See also Harold Hardwick (from Australia), Malcolm Champion (from New Zealand) and John Tait (from Canada).

External links

• Souvenir book, digitized
• A 1911 postcard
• Another 1911 postcard
• History of the Commonwealth Games, from the Commonwealth Games Council for England
• History of the Commonwealth Games from 1911, from the Australian Commonwealth Games Association
• Article on the Empire Games, mentioning events held in 1911

References

• Festival of Empire: the Pageant of London (1911, Bemrose & Sons, London) (souvenir book, 163 pages, edited by Sophie C. Lomas; master of the pageants Frank Lascelles),