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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Platform Scales
Large platform scales such as these ones made by W. & T. Avery were used for weighing goods for trading and passengers' luggage. They would be used in places such as railway stations, shipping ports, customs offices and ticketing offices. Often fees would be charged to customers according to the weight of their goods and luggage. Items would be placed onto the large horizontal platform then weights would be added to the weighing bar until the bar leveled to being horizontal. The weights would be added together and the total of the weights would be used for the final figure. These scales were made in Birmingham, England, by the British company, W and T Avery. The company had its origins in the early 1700s but only became known as W and T Avery when the brothers William and Thomas Avery inherited the scale-making business from a relative, Joseph Balden, on his death in 1813. By 1885 they had three factories and In 1895, the company acquired James Watt & Co and two years later had moved to the 25-acre Soho Foundry site in Smethwick, Birmingham where James Watt had manufactured steam engines. When the last Avery family member died in 1918, the company employed over 3,000 people and had businesses all over the world. Following the highly successful introduction of the first digital retail scale in 1971, the company was taken over by the GEC Group in 1979. The business was subsequently acquired by the American company, Weigh-Tronix, in 2000 which had already acquired a competitor, Salter. The Avery name continues today in the company known as Avery Weigh-Tronix.An item that was used at the turn of the century as train platform scales or for weighing agricultural products. Made by a company that pioneered weighing equipment with offices all over the world. With many examples of this scale in museums throughout the world. Platform scales with wheels. Large cast iron, scales painted black, weight capacity to 7 CWT (hundred weight). Weight beam has markers "0. 5. 10. 15. 20. 25". Platform scale loose weight type with relieving handle; cast iron construction, fluted columns with integral weight stand, the two wheels are fitted to base at front of platform; there is a graduated steelyard 0-14bs with pear-shaped poise. Weight carrier is missing.Pressed into cast iron arm on scale, one side "W. & T. AVERY", opposite side "BIRMINGHAM", and into the platform "TO WEIGH 7 CWT, W. & T. AVERY, MAKERS, LONDON & BIRMINGHAM" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, measuring scales, weighing scales, weighing instrument, fees for goods, fees for luggage, ticket office -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ship Log, 1900-1920
The Excelsior IV Log is a nautical instrument for measuring a vessel’s speed and distance travelled. When navigating a ship it is essential to be able to estimate the boat’s speed and distance travelled to determine its position at sea. In times past the only way to measure a ship’s speed was to throw a wood log into the water and observe how fast it moved away from the ship. In the 16th century, the log was fastened to a rope knotted at set intervals. The log was thrown over the stern (back) of the vessel and a crew member counted the number of knots that were paid out in a set time. From this, they could estimate the speed of the vessel through the water. This was known as streaming the log and is also the derivation of the knot as a measurement of nautical speed. The Walker’s Excelsior Mark IV instrument was designed for smaller vessels, such as yachts, launches and fishing vessels. Historical: Thomas Walker & Son was internationally renowned in the manufacturing of ships logs, founding father , Thomas Walker (1805–1871), an engineer in Birmingham, patented a mechanical log in 1878 which was a recording instrument that attached to a rail at the stern of a vessel connected by a long cord with a rotor which was towed behind the ship. The instrument dial recorded the distance travelled. Thomas Walker first went into business to manufacture stoves at 58 Oxford Street Birmingham. Walker’s self-feeding stove was widely lauded at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, winning a prize medal and kick starting the first of many notable innovations for the Walker family's manufacturing business. However, it wasn’t until working on an earlier ship’s log model invented by his Uncle that Thomas Walker became interested in the further development of this device, used to ascertain a ship’s speed. Walker continued to improve on the common log for the company of Massey & Sons and these improvements were deemed revolutionary. This log became a firm favourite of the West India Association (British-based organisation promoting ties and trade with the British Caribbean), being the most common log in use for two generations. It took until 1861 for Thomas Walker and his son, Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1831-1921) to patent the first Walker log of many. Together, with the introduction of the A1 Harpoon Log two years later, they established the Walker Log Business as a force to be reckoned with. By the time of his passing in 1871, Thomas Walker Snr had not only founded a family business with considerable staying power but also instilled a tradition of public service. Having sat as a representative on the Birmingham Town Council for 15 years and played an active role in public works, he was soon given the nickname of ‘Blue Brick Walker’. Much like his father, Thomas Ferdinand Walker changed the face of the maritime industry. His patent of 1897, the ‘Cherub’ log, was a notable departure from the past providing a far more accurate reading and replacing the majority of logs of the age. They were the first to produce an electric log and the Walker factory was one of the first to introduce the 48 hour work week for employees. The ship log was invented and made by a significant marine instrument maker and innovator of machinery. It demonstrates the huge leap taken to improve navigational accuracy at sea with an instrument that was in use for decades.Ship's Taff Rail Log, rope attached. Walker's Excelsior IV Log model. Nautical miles dials: units and 10's. "Walker's Excelsior IV Log", "Made in England by Thomas Walker, Birmingham"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, log register, taff rail log, taffrail log, marine navigation, a1 harpoon log, cherub’ log, walker’s excelsior mark iv log, ship’s log instrument, mechanical ship’s log, measure ship’s speed, nautical instrument, navigation instrument, massey & sons, thomas walker, blue brick walker, thomas walker & son, thomas ferdinand walker, 48 hour work week -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Barbers' Equipment, hair clippers 'BURMAN", c1950
Hair clippers are specialized implements used to cut human head hair. They work on the same principle as scissors, but are distinct from scissors and razors. :Hair clippers comprise a pair of sharpened comb-like blades in close contact one above the other which slide sideways relative to each other, a mechanism which may be manual or electrical to make the blades oscillate from side to side, and a handle. The clipper is moved so that hair is positioned between the teeth of the comb, and cut with a scissor action when one blade slides sideways relative to the other. Friction between the blades needs to be as low as possible, which is attained by choice of material and finish, and frequent lubrication. Hair clippers are operated by a pair of handles that are alternately squeezed together and released. Barbers used them to cut hair close and fast. The hair was picked up in locks and the head was rapidly depilated. Mid 20thC such haircuts became popular among boys, and young men in the military and in prisons. Burman & Sons Ltd, of Ryland Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, manufactured Burman-Douglas steering gear. Their recirculating worm and ball design of steering gear was fitted to pre-war vehicles such as the Ford Eight and the Ford Prefect, the Bedford CA, plus heavy trucks and off-road vehicles - both pre and post-war. In its day, Burman-Douglas steering-gear was regarded as.... a "quality" feature of a car chassis specification, but the worm and ball design was eventually surpassed by the cheaper rack and pinion design that dominates today. The company also manufactured motorcycle gearboxes, horse clippers and barbers’ clippers. 1871 Company founded. 1897 Private company. 1930s Gearbox for Ariel Square-four motorcycle. (Exhibit at Birmingham Thinktank museum) 1933 Burman and Sons Limited, manufacturers of horse and barbers' clippers, sheep shearers, motor cycle gear boxes and steering gears, Ryland road, Edgebaston 1953 S. F. Burman, M.B.E., Managing Director, Burman and Sons, Ltd 1955 Acquired by Vono Industrial Products. 1961 Manufacturers of motor and motorcycle accessories. 1,500 employees. 1968 Supplied rack and pinion steering units to Ford 1978 Adwest Group acquired Burman and Sons, the steering gear part of Duport. 1986 Major reduction in staffing at Burman due to fall in demand for its products and delivery problems. A set of hand held barbers’ hair clippers with an adjustable screw, from Burman and Sons Ltd of Birmingham, England. Chrome plated, in good condition, c1950. On left arm ; BURMAN On right arm ; MADE IN ENGLANDbarbers, hairdressing, hair clippers, grooming, horse clippers, cars, motor cycles, gear boxes, rack and pinion , worm and ball, steering gears, steel manufacture, birmingham england, burman and sons ltd, moorabbin, bentleigh, ormond, cheltenham, market gardeners, -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ship Log, 1900-1920
Thomas Walker & Son was internationally renowned in the manufacturing of ships logs. Founding father Thomas Walker (1805–1871), an engineer in Birmingham, patented a mechanical log in 1878 which was a recording instrument that attached to a rail at the stern of a vessel connected by a long cord with a rotor which was towed behind the ship. The instrument dial recorded the distance travelled. Thomas Walker first went into business to manufacture stoves at 58 Oxford Street Birmingham. Walker’s self-feeding stove was widely lauded at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, winning a prize medal and kick starting the first of many notable innovations for the Walker family's manufacturing business. However, it wasn’t until working on an earlier ships log model invented by his Uncle that Thomas Walker became interested in the further development of this device, used to ascertain a ship’s speed. Walker continued to improve on the common log for the company of Massey & Sons and these improvements were deemed revolutionary. This log became a firm favourite of the West India Association (British-based organisation promoting ties and trade with the British Caribbean) and the most common log in use for two generations. It took till 1861 for Thomas Walker and his son, Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1831-1921) to patent the first Walker log of many. Together, with the introduction of the A1 Harpoon Log two years later, they established the Walker Log Business as a force to be reckoned with. By the time of his passing in 1871, Thomas Walker Snr had not only founded a family business with considerable staying power but also instilled a tradition of public service. Having sat as a representative on the Birmingham Town Council for 15 years and played an active role in public works, he was soon given the nickname of ‘Blue Brick Walker’. Much like his father, Thomas Ferdinand Walker changed the face of the maritime industry. His patent of 1897, the ‘Cherub’ log, was a notable departure from the past providing a far more accurate reading and replacing the majority of logs of the age. They were the first to produce an electric log and the Walker factory was one of the first to introduce the 48 hour work week for employees. This ship log was invented and made by a significant marine instrument maker and innovator of machinery. It demonstrates the huge leap taken to improve navigational accuracy at sea with an instrument that was in use for decades. Ship Log, three analogue dials calibrated in increments of Miles, the Rocket Log is a nautical instrument for measuring a vessel’s speed and distance traveled. The floating log was drawn behind the ship over a fixed time period in order to measure the distance traveled. The counter could measure enough miles to cover the maximum distance traveled by a ship in one day. The log has two distinct parts; a brass register, made by Walker, showing the distance recorded and the rotator made by Reynolds, that spins in the water driving the counter. both parts are connected by a linked chain. The register has a cylindrical brass body approx 4.5 cm diameter containing registering mechanism with hardened steel bearings. Distance is indicated by the three pointers on enamel plate as follows: graduated every 10 miles from 0-100; every mile from 1-10; every 1/4 mile from 1/4 -1. A brass sling and eye secured to the body enables it to be attached to the taffrail. The original rotator would have had a cylindrical tapered wooden body, approx 4.5 cm in diameter with three metal alloy fins or could be all made from brass. A towing eye is fitted to the tapered end. The two pieces of apparatus are connected by a length of linked chain, length 22.9 cm."Walkers Rocket Ship-Log Birmingham (Patented)" printed on face-plate. "Made by Thomas Walker".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship log, rocket log, mechanical ship log, measuring instrument, marine instrument, nautical instrument, speed recording instrument, ship log register, walker ship log, walkers rocket ship-log, thomas walker, thomas walker & son, thomas ferdinand walker, walker log business, reynolds ship log rotor, taffrail log, taff rail log, west india association -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Wood Moulding Plane, Routledge, 1869-1910
A moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings that are used to decorate furniture or other wooden object. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other worker to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. All we known about Richard Routledge is that he was a tool maker and retailer that operated a business at either 23 or 64 Bull St Birmingham between 1869 to sometime in the early 20th century. There are many of his tools including decorative moulding planes of all sizes and designs for sale around the world and that his tools in particular moulding planes are well sought after by collectors of vintage tools. A vintage tool made by an early tool manufacturer Richard Routledge, this item was made commercially for firms and individuals that worked in wood and needed a tool that could produce an ornamental finish to timber. The tool was used before routers and spindle moulders came into use after World War ll, a time when to produce a decorative moulding for a piece of furniture, door trims etc. or other items had to be accomplished using hand tools and in particular one of these types of planes. These profiled planes came in various shapes and sizes to achieve a decorative finish. A significant tool from the mid to late 19th century by a known maker that today is quite rare and sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other decorative finishes were created on timber by the use of hand tools. Tools that were themselves handmade shows the craftsmanship used during this time not only to make a tool such as the subject item but also the craftsmanship needed to produce a decorative finish that was needed to be made for any timber item. Moulding Plane Side Bead 5/8 type with a single Box 5/8" "Routledge Birmingham " also inscribed "J.A.S. Burden" (owner of the plane)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, plane, moulding, routledge, side bead, single box, moulding plane, richard routledge, jas burten -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Joiner, Jack or Smoothing Plane, Akin & Son, 1900 to 1966
The subject item is a smoothing plane traditionally wood planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding or had a flat blade use for achieving a flat and smooth finish to timber. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile or for smoothing and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding and flat bladed planes for a full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other worker to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. The maker Atkin and Sons were a prolific Birmingham plane maker, active from 1863 to 1900 when they became Atkin and Sons Ltd and traded until 1966. Their trademark was actually "BENEFACTUM" which is Latin for "well made."A well-made tool from the early 20th century from a well-known company that ceased trading in Birmingham in 1966, today this tool from this company is quite rare and sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other decorative finishes as well as smoothing timber projects were created by the use of hand tools. Tools that were themselves handmade shows the craftsmanship used during this time not only to make a tool such as the subject item but also the craftsmanship needed to finish timber.Jointer or Jack Plane with fishtail handle, Size of iron 2 1/2 inches wide, Stamped GN inside W made by Akins and Sons Birmingham UKflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, jointer plane, plane -
Anglesea and District Historical Society
Brass Cattle Bell, Estimated possibly 20th century
Brass bell with rectangular collar loop.JAMES BARWELL BIRMINGHAMcattle bell, james barwell -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Tool - Ruler, 1940
From the Betty McPhee ruler collectionJ.Rabone & Sons Birminghamschool, equipment, domestic items, writing equipment -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Uniform Button British, Circa 1870
The site of Rorke's Drift is probably most renowned for the defence by a British Force of less than 200 soldiers who held out a against 2000 Zulus in 1879. The story of the epic battle is portrayed in the film ZULU starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker. Brass British Army Button found at the Site of Rorke's Drift Natal South Africa with 4 recent photos and research. Made in Birmingham on the reverse. -
Parks Victoria - Maldon State Battery
Engine, gas
This engine turned belts to power battery operation. Used from C 1910-1920, some are parts missing. 'Tangye' had offices in Sydney.The first gas engine, a 1 nominal horsepower two-cycle type, was sold in 1881, and in 1890 the firm commenced manufacture of the four-cycle gas engine. Incorporated as a limited company from 1881, in 1894 they produced their first hot bulb engine.[2] Richard Tangye was knighted in 1894. After the deaths of Richard (1906) and George (1920), with the family owning the majority of shares, their sons entered the business.[2] In 1919, the company started production of large-scale industrial diesel engines, pumps and hydraulic equipment. Engine production was stopped after World War Two. A Tangye 35HP suction gas engine. (incomplete). Large green cast iron engine sitting on large white concrete block, with inscriptions on both sides. The green engine has 3 outlet/inlet pipes and joins onto one belt wheel; belt wheel joins onto another belt wheel which is sitting on another white concrete block."Tangye/patents/birmingham" -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Plane
Plane Moulding type maker Atkin and Sons Birmingham. Stamped W Worrallflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Lamp, Valor Co. Ltd, 1920-1936
This trade mark (V inside a clover) was German. It was used by the lamp makers Veritas Efsca Works in Birmingham, and for a time by Valor Co. Ltd. which took over Veritas. Valor Co. Ltd. was established in Birmingham in 1890 and produced oil containers for the Anglo-American Oil Com. In 1901 the firm advertised themselves as Stampers And Pieces. Later it was named 'The Valor Co. and was associated with the Aston Brass Co., and advertised as makers of oil lamps and stoves. Valor became a maker of oil heaters cookers and many other products that were fueled by oil. Later it sold gas heaters and ovens. In 1936 Valor Co. Ltd. was made a Public Company and operated under the name The Velor Company Ltd. The company changed names over the years and it was still operating under Velor Fires in January 2002.Oil or kerosene lamps were the means of lighting for homes, farms and industry in the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries. Lamps like these were important as Lighthouse Keepers and Assistant Keepers' equipment. They were in common use in until the lighting was powered by gas and electricity. The reflector at the back of the lamp makes it of greater significance as most lamps don't have this feature. The logo is also interesting as it originated in Germany and was used with permission by a British company and the company that brought it out for a short time. Similar lamps are still available today, usually with gas for fuel. Kerosene lamp; blue painted metal fuel can and metal rear reflector support. and a round corrugated reflector at the rear. The mid-section wick is made of brass. The glass cover or chimney is bulbous in shape. Inscriptions include a trademark "V" inside a clover. It is British-made in Birmingham by either Veritas Efsca Works or Veritas Valor.Trademark; "[clover symbol] surrounding a "V" Stamp: "BRITISH MADE" Marked on adjusting device: "English Made 1 in w" Marked on support of deflector shield - "British Made" and symbolwarrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, oil lamp, table lamp, kerosene lamp, valor co. ltd, v inside a clover, veritas, british made, lamp reflector, lighting, lamp, the valor company ltd -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Plane, Richard Routledge, Late 19th to early 20th century
A moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings that are used to decorate furniture or other wooden object. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other worker to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. All we known about Richard Routledge is that he was a tool maker and retailer that operated a business at either 23 or 64 Bull St Birmingham between 1869 to sometime in the early 20th century. There are many of his tools including decorative moulding planes of all sizes and designs for sale around the world and that his tools in particular moulding planes are well sought after by collectors of vintage tools. A vintage tool made by a known maker, this item was made commercially for firms and individuals that worked in wood and needed a tool that could produce a ornamental finish to timber. The tool was used before routers and spindle moulders came into use to produce a decorative moulding for a piece of furniture, door trims etc, or other timber items that had to be accomplished by using hand tools and in particular one of these types of planes. Profiled planes came in various shapes and sizes to achieve the required decorative finish. A significant tool from the mid to late 19th century that today is sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other decorative finishes were created on timber by the use of hand tools. Rebate Moulding plane Size 1/2"Maker R Routledge Birmingham also marked Owner Jas Burdenflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Plane
Plane Moulding type Maker Routledge Birmingham. Stamped JAS Burden Size ?" No 2flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Plane
Panel Plough Plane. Maker Atkin and Son Sheffield Works Birmingham. Stamped JBflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Puffing Billy Railway
Sectioned Tangye Steam Operated Water Pump, 1900s
Sectioned steam pump so that the pump workings can be seen. Inscriptions & Markings: Tangye Birmingham, This steam pump was presented by the colonial gas Assn Ltd (brass plaque) The Colonial Gas Association was originally formed in London on 2 February 1888, as The Australasian Gas Association Limited. The primary objective of the company was to provide investment capital to help finance the construction and management of gasworks being established by the London engineering firm John Coates & Co in metropolitan cities and regional towns throughout Australia and New Zealand. By 1890, the Australasian Gas Association had acquired gasworks at Benalla, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warragul, Maldon and Seymour, and had constructed a large gasworks at Box Hill to supply the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. In 1893, the company's name was changed to the Colonial Gas Association Limited. During the 1890s, the company acquired regional gasworks in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, followed by its first gasworks in New South Wales, in 1911. In 1914, the company consolidated its metropolitan supply area by purchasing the Oakleigh and Footscray gasworks. Further expansion occurred in the 1920s with the purchase of established gasworks at Williamstown, Frankston and Dandenong and the acquisition of ten further gas undertakings in Queensland and New South Wales, making the firm the fifth largest gas producer in Australia. info from The Colonial Gas Association Limited, circa 1893 https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1553322 Originally formed by the five Tangye brothers from Cornwall as James Tangye & Brothers in 1857, this Birmingham engineering firm grew to become one of the largest suppliers of jacks, pumps, steam and oil engines, hydraulic presses, gas producers and machine tools in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The successful sideways launching of I.K. Brunel's 'Great Eastern' from the mud of the Thames in 1857 using Tangyes hydraulic jacks gave the firm much needed publicity and new orders flowed in. To finance expansion, George Price provided additional capital and the company name became Tangye Brothers & Price in 1859. A new factory known as the 'Cornwall Works' was built in Clement Street, Birmingham. In 1872, the firm became Tangye Brothers and in about 1879- 1880 began production of internal combustion stationary engines based on Horace Robinson's patents, later using the Otto four-stroke design for its Soho range of gas engines. Examples of the Soho engine were exhibited by the firm at the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. Petrol and oil engines were made from the 1890s onward, and by 1910 had developed into the Model B, BR and AA series engines. Tangyes supplied custom-built pumps and presses for particular applications, becoming a major exporter of engineering equipment. In 1884, Tangye Brothers opened a custom-built branch office, showroom and warehouse in Melbourne at Cornwall House in Collins Street West, advertising the full range of engineering products. These lantern slides images are taken from Tangyes product catalogues from the 1910-1925 period and are believed to have been used as sales promotional aids in Australia by the Tangye Brothers. info from https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/articles/4670 Historic - Industrial Steam Operated Water Pump built by Tangye Bros and used by the Colonial Gas Company - Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaSectioned steam pump so that the pump workings can be seen. Tangye Birmingham, This steam pump was presented by the colonial gas Assn Ltd (brass plaque)puffing billy, steam pump, sectioned, tangye bros -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Scales - Tawonga Store
These scales were used in the Tawonga Store which opened c1920. They were used to weigh produce e.g.. flour & wheat that the farmers used on their farms and in their homes. These scales pre date packaging. Ref. Weights KVHS 0800 (A)The Tawonga Store opened c1920 and sold goods and produce to the farmers of the Kiewa Valley. The scales were a necessary item for a store as goods were sold in bulk. Large steel dirty black platform attached at the middle of the back to a red cylinder which has 2 smaller platforms coming out to the side. The top platform has a black steel lever attached and a hook to hold it down. Below this platform is a measuring rod marked 2,4 etc up to 14 on which hangs a eight. The bottom platform is to rest the unused weights. Weights ref. KVHS 0800 (A)W. & T. Avery Birminghamscales. weights. tawonga store. farm produce. -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Functional object - Shearing Machine
Long thin shaft standing on a three legged round base. Handle attached to round metal piece. Handle turns shaft on other side of metal piece.Burman & sons|Birmingham Englandrural industry, farm machinery -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Functional object - PEN & NIBS
1 pen with wooden handle plus box of metal nibs, small cardboard box with red, green & yellow graphics, worded circular pointed pens scribbler pen No 147.C.Brandauer & Co Ltd Birminghamdomestic equipment, writing equipment, pen & nibs -
Arapiles Historical Society
Instrument - Instagraph camera, J. Lancaster & Sons, c. 1893
Most likely used by Horace Woolmer of Natimuk, to photograph life and events in the town between late 19th and early 20th centuries.Mahogany wood case and brass construction with cloth below, half plate instagraph camera.J Lancaster & Sons, Birminghamnatimuk, arapiles, camera, instagraph, photography, horace woolmer -
Tennis Australia
Brooch, Circa 1870
Brooch in shape of two crossed racquets and horseshoe. Birmingham Sterling silver. Materials: Silver/Metaltennis -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Balance Scale, 1850s
A Large Rare mid 19th Century Balance Scale (also called a Beam Scale) Made in England by W&T Avery a British manufacturer of weighing machines. The company was founded in the early 18th century and took the name W & T Avery in 1818. The undocumented origin of the company goes back to 1730 when James Ford established the business in the town of Digbeth. On Joseph Balden the then company’s owner’s death in 1813 William and Thomas Avery took over his scale making business and in 1818 renamed it W & T Avery. The business rapidly expanded and in 1885 they owned three factories: the Atlas Works in West Bromwich, the Mill Lane Works in Birmingham and the Moat Lane Works in Digbeth. In 1891 the business became a limited company with a board of directors and in 1894 the shares were quoted on the London Stock Exchange. In 1895 the company bought the legendary Soho Foundry in Smethwick, a former steam engine factory owned by James Watt & Co. In 1897 the move was complete and the steam engine business was gradually converted to pure manufacture of weighing machines. The turn of the century was marked by managing director William Hipkins who was determined to broadening the renown of the Avery brand and transforming the business into a specialist manufacture of weighing machines. By 1914 the company occupied an area of 32,000m² and had some 3000 employees. In the inter-war period the growth continued with the addition of specialized shops for cast parts, enamel paints and weighbridge assembly and the product range diversified into counting machines, testing machines, automatic packing machines and petrol pumps. During the second world war the company also produced various types of heavy guns. At that time the site underwent severe damage from parachute mines and incendiary bombs.Then from 1931 to 1973 the company occupied the 18th-century Middlesex Sessions House in Clerkenwell as its headquarters. Changes in weighing machine technology after World War II led to the closure of the foundry, the introduction of electronic weighing with the simultaneous gradual disappearance of purely mechanical devices. The continued expansion was partly achieved through a series of acquisitions of other companies. After almost a century of national and international expansion the company was taken over by GEC in 1979. Keith Hodgkinson, managing director at the time, completed the turn-around from mechanical to electronic weighing with a complete overhaul of the product range of retail scales and industrial platform scales. In 1993 GEC took over the Dutch-based company Berkel and the Avery-Berkel name was introduced. In 2000 the business was in turn acquired by the US-American company Weigh-Tronix, who already owned Salter, and is today operating as Avery Weigh-Tronix. Item made and used possibly around the 1850s by Victorian colonial government to check weights of goods being sold by early shop keepers on the gold fields item is very rare.James McEwan & Co were the retailers of W & T Avery scales in Victoria from 1852. A very rare item used probably to check weights used by merchants during colonial times by government inspectors in Victoria. A similar example exist in a NSW museum, the item is believed to have been made before W & T Avery expansion to the Soho foundry in Birmingham in 1885 and after 1818.Beam balance scale suspended from a wooden tripod, with metal trays suspended by three chain lengths. embossed on the balance beam W T Avery, Birmingham,flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, scale, avery -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Spirit level
Spirit level wooden with a horizontal and vertical levels, with brass fittings maker Parry and Rott, Ltd Birminghamflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, spirit level -
Lakes Entrance Regional Historical Society (operating as Lakes Entrance History Centre & Museum)
Book, Gell, Hazel F, The Gells of Paradise Valley, 1977
An account of the Gell family, tracing their history from Birmingham to their farming experiences in the Heyfield district of Gippsland, Victoria.genealogy -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Functional object - Portable cycle carbide lamp, Powell & Hanmer, Birmingham, c 1920
This is a removable bicycle lantern probably dating from the first half of the 20th Century. It is a carbide lamp which was a popular form of lighting, particularly in rural areas. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as it is a good example of an early bicycle lamp.This is a brass and steel bicycle lamp. It has a circular glass front, a mechanism for attaching the lamp to the bicycle, a lighting adjustable wick and two glass panels on the side, one green and one red. There is a label with the manufacturer's name on the side. POWELL & HANMER "KINGFISHER" MAKERS, BIRMINGHAMvintage lighting, powell and hanmer -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Accessory - Jewellery , lady's silver hatpins, Circa 1910
Hat-pins were worn to anchor hats to the head and could be considered a functional piece of jewellery. Traditionally inserted into the crown of the hat and through the hair piled atop the head.Hat-pins were needed to secure the large, lady’s hats fashionable at the time. The Maggs family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shirec1910, 2 lady's silver hat-pins, with hollow circular silver surround, around a thistle flowerHallmark Birmingham Assay Office Englandjewellery, clothing, dressmaking, craftwork, silversmiths, maggs geoff, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, brighton -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Tool - PITTOCK COLLECTION: TIMBER & BRASS MEASURING / SET SQUARE
Timber & Brass Measuring / Set Square Light timber legs with brass reinforced corner construction Measurements in inches along both legs of the set squareJ. Rabone & Sons Birmingham No 1535 -
Broadmeadows Historical Society & Museum
Machine - Scales
Fairbanks weighing scales (to weigh 2 lb) - Fairbanks' most famous invention then became the platform scale for weighing heavy objects. This item is significant as it demonstrates a by-gone method of weighing mail. It is also significant as it uses pre-metric measurements, placing its age before 1966.Post office scales with two dishes and five weights ranging from 1 oz to 2 lb.To weigh 2 lb - Fairbanks, Birminghamscales, postage, mail -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Scale
Scale metal black with two wheels at rear weighs to 4 cwt. W & T Avery Made in Birmingham. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Butter Knife, Barker Brothers, Ca. 1885-1895
This butter or cheese knife is a decorative example of electroplated cutlery that had become an affordable alternative to more expensive silver cutlery in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The knife has stamp marks in the back of its handle that are a combination of letters and symbols used by British silversmiths to identify their workmanship. The design and type of this knife was not normally used by everyday people but rather those of a higher social class with time and money to have a particular decorative knife to serve butter or cheese. The marks on the handle tell that it was made of nickel silver, and electroplated with superior quality Stirling silver. The Barker Brothers of Birmingham made the knife between 1885 and 1907, but most likely before 1895. It was made for the British, or British colonial, people, connected with a government department such as the navy or defence. This story may be slightly inaccurate, as some silversmiths added extra ‘pseudo marks’ to their wares to disguise the quality. THE MARKS and their meaning – - ‘A1’ The silver used in electroplating this knife was the highest level, ‘superior quality’, measured in grams of silver per table spoon or table fork, with ‘A1’ being 2 2/3 grams, and ‘D’ being 0 1/2 grams of silver. - ‘BB’ The Baker Brothers used these initials from 1885 to 1907. - ‘[crown symbol]’ – This symbol is used for Sterling silver but this knife is a metal alloy. The crown is also the town mark of Sheffield (appointed by the Sheffield Assay Office) but this knife was made in Birmingham, which has the town mark of an anchor. The Barker Brothers may have added the crown mark to this electroplated silverware as a ‘pseudo hallmark’, leading the buyer to think that it was actual Sterling silver. The use of pseudo hallmarks by electroplaters of the Victorian era was common practice but it was illegal. In 1895 the unlawful practice was seen as imitating the Sheffield Silver Mark and the law was firmly applied to eradicate the deception, so items with this mark probably date before 1895. - [EPNS] Electro Plated Nickel Silver, called nickel silver or German silver, is a metal alloy that usually combines copper, nickel and zinc (60 percent copper, 20 percent nickel, 20 percent zinc). It has a silver-white appearance and is sometimes referred to as ‘white ware’. It does not contain any silver but is often used as a base for electroplating, when the item is covered with a thin layer of silver to give it the polished appearance of pure silver. It became popular in the late 19th and early 20th century as an affordable substitute for sterling silver. - Broad Arrow - an official stamp that indicates it was once the property of Britain government, either in Britain or one of its colonies, and used in the defence force. In Great Britain, from an 1875 government act, it was, and still, is a crime to forge or wrongfully use, the broad arrow symbol. The BARKER BROTHERS of Birmingham - Barker Brothers were one of the earlies firms of Birmingham silversmiths, established in 1801 by Mary Barker. They became Barker & Creed, then William and Matthias Barker, then from 1885 they were the Barker Brothers. They were operating in Paradise Street in 1871 until in 1903 they moved to Unity Works, Constitution Hill, in Birmingham. The firm also had a showroom at 292 High Holborn, London, from the early 1900s to the 1980s. In 1907 the firm became Barker Brothers Silversmiths Ltd, then in the 1960s they merged with Ellis & Co, becoming Barker Ellis Silver Co. Ltd. In 1979 they were registered in USA as Ellis & Co., Barker Ellis, and Ellis Barker. The business went into administration in 1992, after almost 200 years of production. The firm advertised as specialists in electroplating, and used the trademarks BRITANOID, UNITY PLATE and THE HYGENIA.This knife is historically significant, dated from 1885 to 1907 but most likely pre-1895, and made by the longstanding Birmingham silversmiths, the Barker Brothers, established in 1801. The knife is an example of decorative flatware used by people of ’class’. It also has the broad arrow stamp, connecting it to the British government, in particular the ordinance department. The stamp also connects it to other items in our collection with that stamp. It may have been connected to pre-Federation government organisations and officials such as the army Garrison, government naval vessel, police, lighthouse keepers, harbour masters. The knife is the only example of its kind in our collection, being a decorative silver butter or cheese knife, made by the Barker Brothers of Birmingham. Butter knife, or cheese knife, electroplated nickel silver (EPNS). Upper blade edge has decorative shape and engraved motifs, lower blade edge is bevelled to a cutting edge, and narrow plain handle flares out to a wide, rounded end. Maker’s marks are stamped on the reverse. Made by Barker Brothers of Birmingham in the late-19th century. Stamps: “