The Government Gazette of September 28, 1888 advertises the acceptance of a contract of 276 pounds for the purchase of a "Pillar gasalier for Library, New Law Courts". The area under the dome was obviously found to be poorly illuminated and the purchase of the pillar light was approved. A table for the library had been approved in January and these two pieces of furniture were to complement each other.The gasalier pillar is of state significance as a unique survivor of gas light illumination. It is an important part of the interior decoration of the library, contributing to its intact 19th century furnishings.The gasalier has a blackwood base, with an elaborate serpentine brass fit out for the lighting with etched glass shades. The gasalier is topped by a small figure of an emu, on the lower finials are kangaroos. While originally designed for gas the gasalier was converted to electricy in the early 20th century.

This is the report prepared by the Royal Society of Victoria regarding the ill fated expedition of the explorers Robert Burke and William Wills in 1861. This volume appears to be Chief Justice Stawell's, the president of the Royal Society, personal copy.The report is rare, held by both the University of Melbourne and the State Library, as well as a few other libraries.Red leather bound report of the Exploration Committee (Burke & Wills Expedition). Gold lettering on front.Progress reports & Final Report of the Exploration Committee of the Royal Society of Victoria 1872 on front cover in gold lettering. As well as Library stamp.

These are 22 volumes of early English and French History translated from the Latin, French and Old English. The volumes were published in the early 19th Century, Redmond Barry purchased these from Guillaume, Colonial Bookseller, Chester Square, London for the Library.The books are in excellent condition and would be rare in Australian library collections.22 Volumes of Leather Bound books with gold embossing, illustrated.Historical Chronicles of English History, many titles, translated from the Latin, and the Old English and Old French.redmond barry, chronicle

Voltaire (1694-1778) is a famous and influential French philosospher. The library purchased the 70 volumes of his complete works in the middle of the 19th Century. This purchase was made by Redmond Barry from the London booksellers Guillaume.This a rare set of volumes in Australia in excellent condition.70 Volumes of leather bound books with gold embossing. Oeuvres de Voltaire, has Guillaume, the booksellers, bookplate.

These are 2 volumes of 16th Century legal tracts, for Justices of the Peace about how to conduct court business. They were purchased for the library in the 19th Century.Very rare. Unsure if other libraries in Australia hold a copy. Made more significant by the 16th Century owners with their autographs.2 Volumes of Leather Bound Books, with gold lettering. Has the stamp of the Library on the outside cover, stating the Colony of Victoria. Has a number of signatures, including that of Christopher Pym, from 1575christopher pym

These are the notebooks of Redmond Barry, made when he first arrived in the colony, covering the period 1839 into the early 1840s. They relate to the days when he was a barrister and appearing as an advocate in a number of cases. One volume is devoted to Barry's notes about his cases, the other a book of legal precdents that he was collecting and annotating.These volumes are of state significance, Barry's role in colonial Victorian History is an important one and these volumes relate to his early years in the colony.Two volumes of small leather bound books. Redmond Barry's Book of Cases and Book of Precedents. redmond barry

This bible, similar to so many other 19th Century bibles, was used in the Supreme Court throughout the 19th Century for the swearing in of witnesses. The bible is an important link and artefact of the Court's early years.Black leather embossed bible. The Supreme Court of New South Wales, Office of the Supreme Court, Melbourne. 1847, plus some other dates, plus signatures. bible, witnesses

The transcript is of state significance, being one of the very few copies still in existence. Its connection with the Court and its presence in the library's collection enhances its significance.The transcript is of state significance, being one of the very few copies still in existence. Its connection with the Court and its presence in the library's collection enhances its significance.Leather Bound Book, with gold Library stampLibrary stamp reads "Library of the Supreme Court, Colony of Victoria). This volume is a "Copy of Mr Webb's shorthand notes of the proceedings on the trial of this information in the Supreme Court of Victoria, before His Honor Sir William a'Beckett, Chief Justice"eureka rebellion

Sir Edmund Herring had a military career before becoming the Chief Justice of Victoria in 1944. Sir Edmund served as an artillery officer with the British Army in World War One and was awarded the Military Cross. While he returned to the Law between the wars, becoming King's Counsel in 1936, he continued his military associations through Australian Militia Forces, rising to colonel by the start of the Second World War. At the outset of WWII Herring was appointed as Commander of the Royal Artillery for the Australian Sixth Division. Herring saw service in North Africa and Greece and was in charge of Australian Northern forces in 1942, afterwards working with General Blamey in Papua New Guinea. Sir Edmund was appointed Chief Justice, straight from his army command in 1944. As Chief Justice he quickly established the Law Reform Committee and after the war oversaw the extension of the Supreme Court buildings, with the creation of new Courts. He was considered an able administrator, but his refusal to appoint Joan Rosanove a Queen’s Counsel throughout the 1950s, did not sit well with many legal practitioners. After his retirement from the Bench, he continued in his many public activities, including trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance and the Australian War Memorial and a member of the Melbourne Grammar School Council, as well as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Victoria, a position he held from 1945 to 1972. Herring was also an outspoken social critic; between the wars he had been a member of the White Guard, who were a far right group acting against communism. During the Cold War period of the 1950s, Herring spoke out in favour of the British Empire and the American alliance. The portrait of Sir Edmund Herring is the second one that Sir William Dargie (1912-2003), completed of Sir Edmund; his first effort in 1944/45 won the Archibald prize. Dargie won the Archibald prize a record eight times. His fame as a portrait painter was not without controversy, as he was considered ‘safe’ and the favourite of conservative sitters, particularly as many of his Archibald winners were of ‘Captains of Industry’. While no Archibald prize was awarded for this portrait, it is an interesting counterpoint to Dargie’s 1944/45 portrait. The portrait of Sir Edmund Herring is significant because of whom it portrays and the artist William Dargie who painted it.Portait in oils of Sir Edmund Herring. This is a half portrait of Sir Edmund in his red judicial robes. Gold leaf frame, with plaque.Plaque reads "The Honourable Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 1944-1964"edmund herring, william dargie

This painting was presented to the library in December 1930. The painting had been paid for through subscription from Judges of the High Court, the Supreme Court and the County Court as well as both branches of the legal profession. An almost identical portrait is held by both the Melbourne Cricket Club and the National Gallery of Victoria. This portrait is of interest for its subject and artist. Sir Leo Cussen (1859-1933) is probably best known for his role in two consolidations of the Victorian Statute books in 1915 and the mid 1920s. These were immense undertakings and included determining the application of English Law in Victoria. Sir Leo was appointed at Surpem Court Judge in 1906, he was at various times Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. In addition, he was trustee of both the Art Gallery (NGV) and the Melbourne Cricket Club, and held various positions with the Melbourne University Law Faculty and the Council of Legal Education. Sir Leo was regarded as one of the finest legal minds of his generation and at his death, Robert Menzies, at this time the Attorney General, said that Sir Leo was "one of the great lawyers of the english speaking world". Sir John Longstaff was one of Australia's best known and well regarded portraitist in the early 20th Century, he won the Archibald prize five times (1925, 1928, 1929, 1931 and 1935).3/4 Lenght portrait in Oils of Sir Leo Cussen, a judge of the Supreme Court, 1906-1933. Cusen is seated, a desk to the right of the picture with a few books. Sir Leo is in a 3 piece suit, his watch chain visible. Gold FrameSigned Longstaff in upper left corner. Plaque stating "the Hon Sir Leo Finn Bernard Cussen Kt Judge of the Supreme Court 1906-1933judges, cussen, longstaff

This is a portrait of Sir William Irvine, not in his judical robes, but those of Lt Governor of the State of Victoria. Irvine was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1894 to 1904, as well as Attorney-General , he was later Premier. Retiring from state politics after a particularly bruising encounter with the Railway Unions, he entered federal politics as the member for Flinders. He became Federal Attorney General in the period 1913-1914. During World War One Irvine campaigned strongly for the introduction of the complusory military service (conscription) until being elevated to the bench in 1918. With his appointment as Chief Justice, he became a lieutenant governor in 1919, and was acting Governor for the state of Victoria for a period of nearly 3 years in the early 1930s. The painting is of interest for its subject (Irvine) and the artist who painted it, 5 times Archibald winner Sir John Longstaff.3/4 length portrait in oils of Sir William Irvine. Irvine is standing his finger resting on the deak. He is in Vice-Regal clothing, a black suit with plenty of gold braid.Signed and dated 1934 upper right cornerirvine william, longstaff john

The portrait was presented by the legal profession ot the Court in 1946. It would appear to have been commissioned at the time of Chief Justice Mann's retirement. Charles Wheeler, had won the Archibald prize in 1933 and was the head of the art gallery schools during World War two. Chief Justice Sir Frederick Mann (1869-1958) studied the law and worked at the Crown Law Department before his stint in the Army during the Boer War. After the war, he practised as a barrister, mainly working in the common law and equity area including appearences in the High Court on constitutional matters. He was appointed to the bench in 1919 along with William Schutt, to help remedy a shortfall in the number of judges on the Bench, after measures of economy during World War One. He became Chief Justice in 1935 following the retirement of Sir William Irvine, and retired in 1944.The portrait is of interest because of whom it portrayed, it is a well executed work by a well known artist of the period.Half Length portriat painting in oils of Sir Frederick Mann, seated and balancing a book on his knee. He sits of a chair with carved arms. The frame is painted dull gold.Signed upper left C. Wheeler. Plaque identifies Sir Frederick Mann, the Hon. Sir Frederick Wollaston Mann, KCMG, a Justice of the Supreme Court 1919-1935, Chief Justice 1935-1944

The Argus reports that “In 1916 the members of the bar took the opportunity afforded by his [a’Beckett’s] 80th birthday, and the completion of 30 years on the bench to present to the judges of the Supreme Court, with his permission a portrait of himself, to be placed in line with portraits of other judges in the Supreme Court library. The portrait which depicts Sir Thomas a’Beckett in his robes, was an excellent piece of work of Mr Max Meldrum. The unveiling was made the occasion of a little demonstration at which some congratulatory speeches were made." Sir Thomas a'Beckett arrive in Melbourne as a teenager with his parents in 1851. His uncle was the former Chief Justice, his father a well known solicitor. At the Bar Sir Thomas mainly worked in the Equity jurisdiction, which he took as a specialisation with him to the bench. This is an early work of Meldrum, he won the Archibald prize for portraiture in 1939 and 1940.The portrait is of interest for whom it portrays and as the early work of a well known artist.A full length portrait in oils of Justice Sir Thomas a'Beckett. Sir Thomas is seated, his feet placed on a plush red foot stool. He is dressed in his red judicial robes with white fur trimming and black trousers and a full bottomed wing. Justice a’Beckett has a white beard and moustache, he was 80 years of age when this portrait was painted. In his hand he holds a rolled document. At his elbow, there are books upon a table. He sits in a fine carved wood and leather chair, in the background a gold frame is just visible. A line in the canvas indicates that the size of the painting was expanded. The frame is gold with a gum leaf motif.Max Meldrum 1916a beckett, max meldrum, judge

This portrait was presented by the Victorian Bar to the Library in 1917 to commemorate Schutt’s fifty years as the Supreme Court Librarian. The portrait was presented at a ceremony presided over by Mr Mitchell KC who noted the “unanimity with which the members of the profession had adopted the suggestion that the eminent services of Mr Schutt should be recognised in this way.” Chief Justice Madden also spoke on this occasion and there were a number of judges and members of the legal profession present. John Schutt had been born in England in 1831 and migrated to Victoria as a young man, initially working as a school teacher he was appointed librarian, during Redmond Barry’s time in 1866. He started work in the Old Court in Russell street and would have supervised the move of the library to its new and greatly expanded premises in William Street in 1884. As well as secretary to the Library committee, he also acted as the Secretary of the Board of Examiners on occasion. After his death in 1919 in its obituary, the Williamstown Chronicle noted that Schutt was regarded as a Solon, an ancient greek law giver who gave wise advice. Away from the Court he was a councillor of many years standing in Williamstown, representing the Victoria Ward, what is now the suburb of Newport, it would appear Schutt street in Newport was named after him. His eldest son William Schutt was appointed a Supreme Court judge in 1919. The portrait of Schutt is a companion piece to the Sir Thomas a’Beckett picture painted shortly before the Schutt portrait and for the same client, they share the same frame design with gum leaf motif. This portrait was undertaken early in Meldrum’s career and before he had fully developed his theory of painting. Duncan Max Meldrum (1875-1955) was a controversial figure in his later years as he strongly opposed modernism and non-figurative art. His works are found in most of the state galleries, including a wide selection at the National Gallery of Victoria. This portrait is of interest for whom it portrays and as the work of a well known artistFull length portrait in oils of John Schutt. Schutt is standing up looking out the to the viewer. His hand rests on a small pile of books. He is dressed soberly in a three piece black suit. His white beard and hair all meticulously trimmed and realised. The props used in this painting provide the main colour as the background has become dark over the years. The books sit atop of a red and gold draped table. Behind Schutt is what appears to be a crimson velvet chair and he gives every appearence of having just arisen from the chair to engage with the viewer. The painting has an unusual light source at the foot of the painting with Schutt's legs providing shadows. Signed Meldrum lower right hand corner. Plaque inscription is John Schutt, Esq. Supreme Court Librarian

The portrait of Chief Justice Sir Edmund Herring is significant because of whom it portrays and who painted it. Sir Edmund Herring (1892-1982), had a military career before becoming the Chief Justice of Victoria in 1944. Sir Edmund served as an artillery officer with the British Army in World War One and was awarded the Military Cross. While he returned to the Law between the wars, becoming Kings Counsel in 1936, he continued his military associations through the Australian Militia forces rising to colonel by the start of the Second World War. At the outset of World War Two Herring was appointed as Commander of the Royal Artillery for the Australian Sixth Division. Herring saw service in North Africa and Greece and was in charge of Australian Northern forces in 1942, afterwards working with General Blamey in Papua New Guinea. It was at this time that Herring confirmed the death sentences of 22 Papuans who had been found guilty of murder and treason. Sir Edmund was appointed Chief Justice, straight from his army command in 1944. As Chief Justice he quickly established the Law Reform Committee and after the war oversaw the extension of the Supreme Court buildings, with the creation of new Courts. He was considered an able administrator, but his refusal to appoint Joan Rosanove a Queen’s Counsel throughout the 1950s, did not sit well with many legal practitioners. After his retirement from the Bench, he continued in his many public activities, including trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance and the Australian War Memorial and a member of the Melbourne Grammar School Council, as well as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Victoria a position he held from 1945 to 1972. Herring was also an outspoken social critic, between the wars he had been a member of the White Guard, who were a far right group acting against communism. During the Cold War period of the 1950s, Herring spoke out in favour of the British Empire and the American alliance. The portrait of Chief Justice Sir Edmund Herring is significant because of whom it portrays and who painted it. The portrait of Sir Edmund Herring is the second one that Sir William Dargie (1912-2003), completed of Sir Edmund, his first effort in 1944/45 won the Archibald prize. Dargie won the Archibald prize a record eight times.Portrait in oils of Sir Edmund Herring, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1944-1964). Sir Edmund is seated, this is a half portrait, dressed in his red judicial robes. The sitter takes up most of the frame and there is very little extra information in the picture. signed lower left "Dargie'. Plaque with the following details : Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 1944-1964.judges, herring

Library Committee minutes from 1920 discuss the placing of an Honour Board in the Library, there was obviously some discussion from the Ballarat and Bendigo Law Associations about whom should be placed on the board and whether it was appropriate that it be located in the library. The board was donated by the Committee of Counsel, from the Bar and so only commemorates barristers. It is curious that this was not placed in Selborne Chambers where many barristers had rooms including one of the men on the Board (Higgins). This board joined the much bigger LIV memorial board that celebrates all Victorian lawyers who served during WWI.While memorial boards are a common addition to many public and civic building after World War One. This memorial board is the only one that commemorates members of the Bar, in that sense it is of great significance to the legal community. Two of the men commemorated on the board were sons of judges (Higgins, son of the Justice Henry Bourne Higgins of the High Court and Hodges, son of Justice Henry Hodges of the Supreme Court). Franc Carse was related by marriage to the a’Beckett family (also judges of the Court) and his father in law was on the Supreme Court Library committee in 1914. Eric Connelly and Murdoch Mackay shared rooms in Selborne Chambers. Connelly died in late 1918 in France, a member of General Pompey Elliott’s staff. Connelly had previously taken part in the Gallipoli landings in April 1915. Mackay served at Gallipoli and died in France in 1916, he was Major, but only 25 at the time of his death.brass and wood, black lettering.Honor Roll in memory of members of the Bar of Victoria who fell in the Great War 1914-1918, Franc Samuel Carse, Eric Winfield Connelly, Mervyn Bourne Higgins, Edward Norman Hodges, Murdoch Nish Mackay, Erected by their fellow members of the Bar of Victoriamemorial boards; carse, connelly, higgins, hodges, mackay

The library has no papers for the Memorial Board. The Board was presented to the Court by the Law Institute of Victoria in honour of those members of the legal profession who served during World War one. The Argus reports that the memorial board was unveiled by Chief Justice Madden on 17 July 1917. Names were added after this date and subsequent research indicates that some names were incorrectly placed on the board, while others, particularly members of the legal profession that were admitted to practice after the war were omitted. While memorial boards are a common addition many public and civic building after World War One. This large board is more comprehensive than the small board dedicated to members of the Bar that can be found inside the library, it is therefore of great historic interest capturing as it does the names of over 100 men who practiced as barristers and solicitors in Victoria before 1914 and who served in the armed forces during the 1914-1918 war.Five Blackwood panels with gold lettering of the names of the men who served during WWI. There are stylised copper decorative flowers on the corners of the memorial. The main inscription reads “1914 Roll of Honour 1918” “Erected by the Law Institute of Victoria in Honour of those members of the Legal Profession who enlisted for active service in the Great War”. The board is divided in to five panels, with the names of members of the legal profession who served during World War One. The Centre panel contains the list of the names of the 22 men who died during the conflict. memorial board, world war one

There are many Court books in existence, they record the details in Criminal Cases, of the date of a hearing, before which judge, the nature of th crime, the plea, verdict and sentence. This one is of particular interest as it is the book that records the particulars of the case of Ned Kelly, before Justice Sir Redmond Barry in October 1880.A very significant item giving the ongoing importance of the Kelly legend. A leather bound Court book or journal.The Court book records the particulars of a case heard in the Court. This will include the date, the name of the presiding judge, the accused, the nature of their crime, their plea, verdict and sentence.ned kelly, kelly gang, redmond barry

a piece of sandpaper signed and dated . Found behind a bookshelf during renovations that were done in the 1990'sSandpaper back of sandpaper - written in pencil across length of sandpaper. name (unclear handwriting - could be "Ferdinand Herrmann from S...zerland / 4 of January 1884" ?)sandpaper, supreme court library, law library of victoria, melbourne

The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built many ships that had wheels with the same decorative, starburst pattern on them as this particular wheel segment, including the Eric the Red. The wheel was manufactured by their local Bath foundry, Geo. Moulton & Co. and sold to the Sewall yard for $100, according to the construction accounts of the vessel. Eric the Red was a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn". “The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA) Segment of a ship's wheel, or helm, from the wreck of the sailing ship Eric the Red. The wheel part is an arc shape from the outer rim of the wheel and is made up of three layers of timber. The centre layer is a dark, dense timber and is wider than the two outer layers, which are less dense and lighter in colour. The wheel segment has a vertically symmetrical, decorative copper plate inlaid on the front. The plate has a starburst pattern; six stars decorate it, each at a point where there is a metal fitting going through the three layers of timber to the rear side of the wheel. On the rear each of the six fittings has an individual copper star around it. The edges of the helm are rounded and bevelled, polished to a shine in a dark stain. Around each of the stars, front and back, the wood is a lighter colour, as though the metal in that area being polished frequently. The length of the segment suggests that it has probably come from a wheel or helm that had ten spokes. (Ref: F.H.M.M. 16th March 1994, 239.6.610.3.7. Artefact Reg No ER/1.)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship's-wheel, eric-the-red, helm, shei's wheel, ship's steering wheel

This wooden sword is said to “possibly be the only remaining part of the figurehead from the sailing ship Eric the Red.” It was previously part of the collection of the old Warrnambool Museum and the entry in its inventory says “Wooden sword, portion of the figurehead, held by “Eric the Red” at the bow.” A large part of the ship’s hull was found on the rocks and a figurehead may have been attached or washed up on the shore. The shipping records for E. & A. Sewall, the builders, owners and managers of Eric the Red, are now preserved in the Maine Maritime Museum. There is no photograph on record of Eric the Red but photographs of other ships built around that time by the same company show that these did not have figureheads, and there is no record found of a figurehead for Eric the Red being ordered or paid for. Further research is being carried out. The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built Eric the Red, a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn".The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse. (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA)This carved wooden sword, recovered from the Eric the Red, is possibly the only portion of the figurehead recovered after the wreck. There are spirals carved from the base of the handle to the top of the sword. The hilt of the sword is a lion’s head holding its tail in its mouth, the tail forming the handle. The blade of the sword has engraved patterns on it. Tiny particles of gold leaf and dark blue paint fragments can be seen between the carving marks. There are remnants of yellowish-orange and crimson paint on the handle. At some time after the sword was salvaged the name of the ship was hand painted on the blade in black paint. The tip of the sword has broken or split and the remaining part is charcoal in appearance. On both the tip and the base of the handle are parts made where the sword could have been joined onto the figurehead There is a white coating over some areas of the sword, similar to white lead putty used in traditional shipbuilding. The words “ERIC the RED” have been hand painted on the blade of the sword in black paint sometime after it was salvaged.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, sword, wooden sword, eric the red, carved sword, figurehead, snake head on sword

Nothing is known of the deceased, Jane Murray except that she died at the age of 49 and her husband was William Murray, a Stawell saddler. She left an estate to the value of £400. Tait collection: item 4 of 62This document is only of interest in that it came from the former legal offices of Mackay Taylor in Kepler Street, Warrnambool. It originally came from Thomas Goodall, a legal clerk in the office of Ernest Chambers who passed it on to George Mackay, the lawyer in a forerunner firm to Mackay Taylor where it remained until the firm of Mackay Taylor ceased to exist and the buildings were cleaned out.This is a piece of parchment folded and sealed at the bottom edge with a seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria attached by a blue ribbon. The document has ruled black lines and handwritten material in black ink. There is a hole on the document at one of the folds and one edge is torn.‘In the Estate of Jane Murray late of Stawell in the Colony of Victoria, deceased intestate, Letters of Administration, I certify that the sum of £4-0-0 for Duty on the within estate has been paid, Registrar of Estates, Geo. L. Skinner, Proctor, 99 Collins St. W. Melbourne’. jane murray, stawell, warrnambool

No information is available on George Murray except that he was a Melbourne accountant and died intestate in 1885. He left property to the value of £91 and the lawyer, Ernest Chambers, who was at that time at 12 Chancery Lane, Melbourne, was directed to list the creditors of George Murray and distribute the estate accordingly. Mr Chambers was one of George Murray’s creditors. Ernest Chambers later had a legal practice with offices at Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy with the known dates 1897 to 1910. Thomas Goodall was the manager of the Warrnambool office and he was the one who had this document in his possession at that time and it was passed down to succeeding lawyers in the Kepler Street building. Tait collection: item 7 of 62This document is of interest in that it was originally issued by the lawyer Ernest Chambers who later had an office in Warrnambool. This is a piece of parchment containing the 1885 Letters of Administration in the estate of George Murray, a Melbourne accountant. The document is white with black ruled lines and has handwritten material in black ink. The document is folded at the lower edge with a seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria. The seal is attached to the document by a green ribbon. There is also a blue stamp of the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court. The document is in good condition apart from some minor staining. ‘In the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria in its probate jurisdiction, in the Estate of George Murray, late of Melbourne in the Colony of Victoria, accountant, deceased intestate, Letters of Administration, I certify that no duty is payable on the within Letters of Administration, John W. … (office under section 6), 15/6/85’. george murray, ernest chambers, warrnambool

This document concerns the estate of Alexander Florida Cameron, a seedsman from Melbourne in the firm of Grant and Cameron of 41 Bourke Street West, Melbourne. He died intestate in 1887 and left real estate to the value of £263 and personal estate to the value of £4744. This estate was to be administered by his son, Richard Ross Cameron. Tait collection: item 8 of 62This document has no apparent local significance and is of interest only as an example of the Letters of Administration issued in the 1880s. This is a piece of cream parchment with ruled black lines and the lower edge folded back with a seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria attached to the document by a black ribbon. The document contains handwritten material in black ink and a blue stamp from the Revenue and Pay Office and a red stamp from the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court. The document is somewhat stained but is otherwise in good condition.‘In the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria in its probate jurisdiction in the Estate of Alexander Florida Cameron, late of Bourke Street West in the City of Melbourne, Seed Merchant, deceased intestate, Letters of Administration, I certify that the sum of £40-7-0 duty of the within Letters of Administration has been paid, Drake and Gair, 3 St. James Buildings, 59 William Street Melbourne, Proctors. W. Ravent Stephen, Office under Section 6, Act 388, 10/6/87’alexander florida cameron, drake & gair, solicitors, warrnambool

Tait collection: item 19 of 62 This is an 1899 document giving Will and Probate details of William Cox who died in Warrnambool in March 1899. He was a farmer residing in Moore Street Warrnambool at the time of his death at the age of 83. He left real estate to the value of £425 and personal estate to the value of £412 to Gwenllian Williams who may have been his sister or niece. A Mr and Mrs Williams were also living in the Moore Street house at the time of Cox’s death. His executors were Thomas Goodall, a law clerk who managed the office of the lawyer Ernest Chambers in Warrnambool and John Ward, a pioneer settler in Warrnambool and a shopkeeper in Jamieson Street in 1899. No other details are available on William Cox. This is an interesting document as it gives details of the Will and Probate belonging to a local Warrnambool person, William Cox. The lawyer dealing with the document was Ernest Chambers who had legal offices in Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Koroit at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This document has been passed on to successive lawyers occupying legal chambers in the Kepler Street building and that is where the document was held until passed on to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society in 2014.This is an 1899 piece of parchment paper folded in two with handwritten material on three sides of the paper. The seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria is attached with blue ribbon and there are two stamps, one blue one of the Colonial Bank in Warrnambool and the other a red one of the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court in Melbourne. Two of the pages have ruled black lines. The writing is very clear but the pages are a little stained.In the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria In its Probate Jurisdiction In the Will of William Cox late of Warrnambool in the Colony of Victoria farmer deceased; Probate; I certify there is no duty payable on this probate (signature) Officer under Section 96 of act No 106; E J W Chambers Warrnambool Proctors for the Executorswilliam cox, ernest chambers, john ward, thomas goodall, tait collection

Tait collection: item 20 of 62 This 1900 document gives details on the Will and Probate of William Bickle, described as a ‘Gentleman’, who died in April 1900. He left real estate to the value of £240 and personal estate to the value of £286. His wife Jane received the income from these assets during her lifetime and on her death the estate went to Bickle’s nephew and niece. The executors were John Warren, a painter of Jamieson Street, Warrnambool and Thomas Goodall, a law clerk of Warrnambool. No other details are available on William Bickle. Thomas Goodall was the manager of the law office of Ernest Chambers in Warrnambool. Chambers had offices in Port Fairy, Koroit and Warrnambool at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This document is of interest because it contains information on the Will and Probate of William Bickle, a Warrnambool resident at the time of his death. The document was in the possession of the lawyer, Ernest Chambers and has been passed down to successive lawyers occupying the Kepler Street building. It was then passed on in 2014 to be part of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society collection.This is a 1900 piece of parchment paper folded in two with handwritten material on three sides. The seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria is attached with a green ribbon and there are two stamps, one a red one of the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court, Melbourne and the other a blue one of the Savings Bank, Warrnambool. The handwriting is highly legible.william bickle, ernest chambers, tait collection, john warren

Tait collection: item 24 of 62 This is a 1904 document giving information on the Will and Probate of Robert Cuppage. He was a labourer who lived at Woodford and he and his wife, Jane received much sympathy following the deaths from diphtheria of five of their children in 1866. Charlotte (3) and Elizabeth (14) died on 26th August, Robert (6) died on 27th August, Hanne (8) died on 30th August and George (15) died on 14th September. Jane Cuppage died in 1889 and Robert died in December 1903. He left real estate to the value of £240 and personal estate to the value of £5 to his daughter, Margaret Trigg. Ernest Chambers had legal offices in Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Koroit at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This document was in his possession and it was passed down to successive lawyers occupying the legal offices in Kepler Street and located in this building in 2014 and passed on the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This is an interesting document as it gives the Will and Probate details of a well-known Woodford resident in the 19th century. It will be useful to researchersThis is a piece of cream-coloured parchment paper folded in two and containing handwritten material on four sides of the paper. It contains details on the Will and Probate of William Charlesworth, 1904. The seal of the Supreme Court of Victoria is attached with green ribbon and there are two purple stamps, one from the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court in Melbourne and the other from the Bank of Australasia in Warrnambool. The document is somewhat stained on one side but the writing is legible.In the Supreme Court of Victoria; In the Probate Jurisdiction; In the Will of Robert Cuppage late of Bushfield near Warrnambool in the State of Victoria Labourer deceasedrobert cuppage, ernest chambers, warrnambool, bushfield, tait collection

Tait collection: item 25 of 62 This is a 1904 document containing information on the Will and Probate of William Charlesworth. He died in September 1904. He was a chimney sweep and nightman who came to Warrnambool in 1854 and married Sophia Ingham in 1855. They had six children but their married life was stormy because of Sophia’s problem with alcohol. She became notorious for her court appearances and gaol terms and her erratic behaviour in public. William Charlesworth was not able to control the situation and tried several times to get her to leave the town. Sadly she committed suicide in 1891 by throwing herself off the Hopkins River Bridge. William Charlesworth left real estate to the value of £650 and personal estate to the value of £194. The main beneficiaries were Charlesworth’s son, Alfred, his daughter Amelia Charlesworth and his grandchildren, George and Alice Tait. Ernest Chambers, the lawyer concerned with this document, had legal offices in Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Koroit in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. The document was passed down to successive lawyers who occupied the legal premises in Kepler Street and located there in 2014 when it was passed on to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This document is of considerable interest as both William and Sophia Charlesworth were well-known residents of Warrnambool in the 19th century. It will be useful to researchers.This is a piece of cream-coloured parchment paper folded in two and containing handwritten material on four sides of the paper. It contains details on the Will and Probate of William Charlesworth, 1904. The seal of the Supreme Court of Victoria is attached with green ribbon and there are two purple stamps, one from the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court in Melbourne and the other from the Bank of Australasia in Warrnambool. The document is somewhat stained on one side but the writing is legible.In the Supreme Court of Victoria; In the Probate Jurisdiction; In the Will of William Charlesworth late of Warrnambool in the State of Victoria Laborer deceasedwilliam charlesworth, ernest chambers, warrnambool, tait collection