Ex Umbra in Solem 52/6/1

Ex Umbra in Solem 52/6/1, a photo by Boroondara Libraries on Flickr.

The municipality of Hawthorn was formed in July 1860 as a split away from the Boroondara Roads Board. The embryonic community gave themselves the motto "Ex Umbra in Solem" which can be translated as from the shadows into the sun. It is hard to find any documentation about the source of this motto but I think it was a play on words relating to Boroondara which is said to be an Aboriginal word meaning "shady place". Hawthorn saw themselves as emerging from the shade and moving towards the bright light of the sun depicted here in gold.

The residents of Hawthorn identified themselves with progress and nothing typified this more to them than the extension of the train line over the river to Hawthorn Station. Again the train is a key element of the crest with the railway bridge and the Yarra shown.

This crest was produced for the new Hawthorn City Library building opened in Glenferrie Road on 21 November 1969 and celebrated the municipality there until 31 May 1989 when the building was closed for renovations.