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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Cow Bell, Circa 1878
... in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships... in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships ...The artefact is a damaged brass cow bell recovered from the 1878 shipwreck of the LOCH ARD near Port Campbell. It was raised by Flagstaff Hill divers in 1973 and is in storage at the Maritime Village. The LOCH ARD was constructed on the Clyde in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed for the Australian run. She sailed from England on 1 March 1878 carrying 37 crew, 17 passengers and a diverse general cargo ranging from luxury items to bulk railway iron. On 1 June 1878, emerging from fog and hearing too late the sound of breakers against the tall limestone cliffs, the vessel struck the southern foot of Mutton Bird Island and sank in 23 metres of water. Of the fifty-four people on board only two survived, one young male crewman and one young female passenger. A century later, despite the pounding seas and the efforts of looters, the wreck site continued to provide ample evidence of the extraordinary range of goods being imported into the Colony of Victoria in the post-Gold Rush era. Flagstaff Hill divers in the 1970s reported finds of “Bottles of champagne, window panes, rolls of zinc, barrels of cement, iron rails, clocks, lead shot, corrugated iron, lead, marble, salad oil bottles, ink bottles, copper wire, gin bottles, rolls of carpet, floor tiles, copper rivets, gas light fittings, pocket knives, toys, crystal chandeliers, beer mugs, cutlery, candles sticks, wick scissors, cow bells, and sauce bottles.” From this array of objects on the ocean floor emerged the humble brass cow bell. Cow bells were common to colonial agriculture and transport, used wherever animals were turned out to graze overnight and had to be rounded up again next morning. Bells were fastened around the necks of household milking cows, domestic goats, bullock teams, horse teams, and camel teams, to help find them in the pre-dawn light. Station shepherds and cattle drovers also used them to warn of any disturbances to their flocks and herds overnight. The bells were a necessary item in a largely unfenced continent. So important, that Anthony Mongon began making his pot-bells at Yackandandah from 1861, August Menneke produced the “Wagga Pot” from 1867, and Samuel Jones started manufacturing his distinctively shaped “Condamine Bell” in 1868. However, these deeply resonant Australian bells were made from iron — Mongon and Jones were blacksmiths who simply beat old pitsaw blades into shape. Few genuinely brass cow bells were made here, the vast majority being imported from Britain where the industry of brass founding was already well established. (Some bells were also imported from the United States, but these too were nearly all of iron).This bell is historically significant as typical of a cow bell used by farmers and herdsmen in Colonial Victoria. Its significance is increased by being one of a collection of artefact recovered by the Flagstaff Hill Divers from the wreck of the Loch Ard in the early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have also been recovered for Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection under Government permit, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. The cow bell is also significant for being part of Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD, which is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A small brass cow bell, in poor condition. It is blunt-wedge shaped. The sides expand outwards from the smaller rectangular roof of the bell to a larger open rectangle or bell mouth. A handwritten label is attached to the bel. Recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.Label text "["10/6/73, Brass Cow Bell, LOCH ARD, Found in the sandy hole in the centre of the wreck site. Cow bells were part of the cargo" - "10/6/73, LOCH ARD, small brass cow bell salvaged by FHMV divers"]. "LOCH ARD / PETER RONALD"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, eva carmichael, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, brass cow bell, colonial cow bells, 1878 shipwreck, shipwreck artefact, flagstaff hill divers -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Bulls Eye, 1886
... River in the Caithness district of Scotland. The ship's design... sailing ships. It is a smallish round thick wooden disc (usually ...Context: A deadeye or bullseye is an item used in the standing and running of sail rigging in traditional sailing ships. It is a smallish round thick wooden disc (usually lignum vitae) with one or more holes through it, perpendicular to the plane of the disc. History Falls of Halladale: The wooden bullseye comes from the Falls of Halladale, a four-masted iron-hulled barque that was built in 1886 for the long-distance bulk carrier trade. The vessel was built for the Falls Line (Wright, Breakenridge & Co., Glasgow, Scotland) at the shipyard of Russell & Co., Greenock on the River Clyde, she was named after a waterfall on the Halladale River in the Caithness district of Scotland. The ship's design was advanced for her time, incorporating features that improved crew safety and efficiency such as elevated bridges to allow the crew to move between forward and aft in relative safety during heavy seas. The Falls of Halladale was the seventh vessel in a series of eight similar iron-hulled sailing ships, all built by Russell & Co and all named after waterfalls in Scotland. The Falls of Halladale was preceded by the Falls of Clyde (1878), the Falls of Bruar (1879), the Falls of Dee (1882), the Falls of Afton (1882), the Falls of Foyers (1883) and the Falls of Earn (1884). The Falls of Halladale was followed by a sister ship, the Falls of Garry (1886). The Falls of Clyde is afloat today and is a major attraction at the Hawaii Maritime Centre in Honolulu. The Falls of Halladale is best known for her spectacular demise in a shipwreck near Peterborough, Victoria on the shipwreck coast of Victoria, Australia. On the night of 14 November 1908, she was sailed in dense fog directly onto the rocks due to a navigational error. The crew of 29 abandoned ship safely and all made it ashore by boat, leaving the ship foundering with her sails set. For weeks after the wreck, large crowds gathered to view the ship as she gradually broke up and then sank in the shallow water. Soon after the accident the ship's master, Capt. David Wood Thomson was brought before a Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne and found guilty of a gross act of misconduct, having carelessly navigated the ship, having neglected to take proper soundings, and having failed to place the ship on a port tack before it became too late to avoid the shipwreck. Capt. Thomson's punishment included a small fine and he had his Certificate of Competency as a Master suspended for six months. Today the Falls of Halladale is a popular destination for recreational divers. The wreck is easily accessible by scuba divers about 300 m offshore in 3 to 15 m of water. The hull lies on its collapsed starboard side. Some of the original cargo of 56,763 roof slates remains at the site of the wreck along with corroded masses of what used to be coils of barbed wire. Twenty-two thousand slates were salvaged in the 1980s and used to provide roofing at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. An anchor that was recovered in 1974 is on display at the village.The pulley sheave is significant as a salvaged item from the Victorian heritage-listed Falls of Halladale wreck. As an artifact from the wrecked ship, it helps us to remember today the story of the wrecking and is an important reminder of a marine incident in Victoria's maritime history.Carved wooden Bulls Eye/Deadeye, varnished.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shipwreck peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, great clipper ships, russell & co., bulls eye -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Cow Bell, Circa 1878
... for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed... in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships ...The artefact is a brass cow bell recovered from the 1878 shipwreck of the LOCH ARD near Port Campbell. It was raised by Flagstaff Hill divers in 1973 and is in storage at the Maritime Village. The LOCH ARD was constructed on the Clyde in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed for the Australian run. She sailed from England on 1 March 1878 carrying 37 crew, 17 passengers and a diverse general cargo ranging from luxury items to bulk railway iron. On 1 June 1878, emerging from fog and hearing too late the sound of breakers against the tall limestone cliffs, the vessel struck the southern foot of Mutton Bird Island and sank in 23 metres of water. Of the fifty-four people on board only two survived, one young male crewman, Tom Pearce, and one young female passenger, Eva Carmichael. A century later, despite the pounding seas and the efforts of looters, the wreck site continued to provide ample evidence of the extraordinary range of goods being imported into the Colony of Victoria in the post-Gold Rush era. Flagstaff Hill divers in the 1970s reported finds of “Bottles of champagne, window panes, rolls of zinc, barrels of cement, iron rails, clocks, lead shot, corrugated iron, lead, marble, salad oil bottles, ink bottles, copper wire, gin bottles, rolls of carpet, floor tiles, copper rivets, gas light fittings, pocket knives, toys, crystal chandeliers, beer mugs, cutlery, candles sticks, wick scissors, cow bells, and sauce bottles.” From this array of objects on the ocean floor emerged the humble brass cow bell. Cow bells were common to colonial agriculture and transport, used wherever animals were turned out to graze overnight and had to be rounded up again next morning. Bells were fastened around the necks of household milking cows, domestic goats, bullock teams, horse teams, and camel teams, to help find them in the pre-dawn light. Station shepherds and cattle drovers also used them to warn of any disturbances to their flocks and herds overnight. The bells were a necessary item in a largely unfenced continent. So important, that Anthony Mongon began making his pot-bells at Yackandandah from 1861, August Menneke produced the “Wagga Pot” from 1867, and Samuel Jones started manufacturing his distinctively shaped “Condamine Bell” in 1868. However, these deeply resonant Australian bells were made from iron — Mongon and Jones were blacksmiths who simply beat old pitsaw blades into shape. Few genuinely brass cow bells were made here, the vast majority being imported from Britain where the industry of brass founding was already well established. (Some bells were also imported from the United States, but these too were nearly all of iron). This bell is historically significant as typical of a cow bell used by farmers and herdsmen in Colonial Victoria. Its significance is increased by being one of a collection of artefact recovered by the Flagstaff Hill Divers from the wreck of the Loch Ard in the early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have also been recovered for Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection under Government permit, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. The cow bell is also significant for being part of Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD, which is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Brass cow bell, flat-top pyramid shape, rectangular head, shoulders flare out to a rectangular mouth. The hanging yoke is missing. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, loch ard, cowbell, great ocean road, loch line, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, cow bell, brass cow bell, shipwreck artefact, flagstaff hill divers, horse bell, bell smith, vintage bell, farmer, shepherd, drover, stock bell, brass bell -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Cow Bell, circa 1878
... for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed... in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships ...The artefact is a brass cow bell recovered from the 1878 shipwreck of the LOCH ARD near Port Campbell. It was raised by Flagstaff Hill divers in 1973 and is in storage at the Maritime Village. The LOCH ARD was constructed on the Clyde in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed for the Australian run. She sailed from England on 1 March 1878 carrying 37 crew, 17 passengers and a diverse general cargo ranging from luxury items to bulk railway iron. On 1 June 1878, emerging from fog and hearing too late the sound of breakers against the tall limestone cliffs, the vessel struck the southern foot of Mutton Bird Island and sank in 23 metres of water. Of the fifty-four people on board only two survived, one young male crewman, Tom Pearce, and one young female passenger, Eva Carmichael. A century later, despite the pounding seas and the efforts of looters, the wreck site continued to provide ample evidence of the extraordinary range of goods being imported into the Colony of Victoria in the post-Gold Rush era. Flagstaff Hill divers in the 1970s reported finds of “Bottles of champagne, window panes, rolls of zinc, barrels of cement, iron rails, clocks, lead shot, corrugated iron, lead, marble, salad oil bottles, ink bottles, copper wire, gin bottles, rolls of carpet, floor tiles, copper rivets, gas light fittings, pocket knives, toys, crystal chandeliers, beer mugs, cutlery, candles sticks, wick scissors, cow bells, and sauce bottles.” From this array of objects on the ocean floor emerged the humble brass cow bell. Cow bells were common to colonial agriculture and transport, used wherever animals were turned out to graze overnight and had to be rounded up again next morning. Bells were fastened around the necks of household milking cows, domestic goats, bullock teams, horse teams, and camel teams, to help find them in the pre-dawn light. Station shepherds and cattle drovers also used them to warn of any disturbances to their flocks and herds overnight. The bells were a necessary item in a largely unfenced continent. So important, that Anthony Mongon began making his pot-bells at Yackandandah from 1861, August Menneke produced the “Wagga Pot” from 1867, and Samuel Jones started manufacturing his distinctively shaped “Condamine Bell” in 1868. However, these deeply resonant Australian bells were made from iron — Mongon and Jones were blacksmiths who simply beat old pitsaw blades into shape. Few genuinely brass cow bells were made here, the vast majority being imported from Britain where the industry of brass founding was already well established. (Some bells were also imported from the United States, but these too were nearly all of iron). This bell is historically significant as typical of a cow bell used by farmers and herdsmen in Colonial Victoria. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Cow bell, brass, covered in encrustation, handle missing from the top.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, loch ard, mutton bird island, glenample, eva carmichael, tom pearce, flagstaff hill divers, cow bell, horse bell, bell smith, vintage bell, farmer, shepherd, drover, stock bell, brass bell -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Billings Boats Denmark Aps, Cutty Sark, 1980s
... was designed for speed, with the ambition to be the fastest ship... China to London. The ship was designed for speed ...This ship model of the Cutty Sark was hand-built in the 1980s from a model kit produced by Billings, Denmark. It was on display in the Olde Maritime Motor Inn in Warrnambool until it was refurbished around 2015. The Cutty Sark was a famous clipper ship, launched in 1869 for the tea trade from China to London. The ship was designed for speed, with the ambition to be the fastest ship. In the late 1800s, it competed in the tea clipper races. It was eventually sold to a Portuguese company, Ferreria, and took on the company's name. It was sold again and renamed Maria do Amparo. Finally, the ship's name was returned to the original 'Cutty Sark' when it was purchased by Captain Dowman for use as a cadet training ship. The ship continued trading and in 1922 it became the last operating clipper ship in the world. The ship is now a museum, preserved in a dry dock at Greenwich, England, as part of the British National Historic Fleet. About Barry Williams: - The maker, Barry Williams, worked for the Australian Shipping Line, Huddart Packard Ltd., until it closed down in 1960. Williams then worked for Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd., a substantial British passenger and liner company. and subsequently Furness Withy Ltd. (SS&A's parent company). In the late 1970s Williams and two friends established their own ship chartering company in Melbourne, the Harwood Shipping Co. During the early 1970s Williams and his wife lived in London, near Greenwich, and often walked along the river where the Cutty Sark Maritime Museum is located. The fascination of the Cutty Sark led Williams to build model ships of the same era. At one stage Williams lost the rigging plan for the Cutty Sark but one of his partners, on a visit to London, photographed the Cutty Sark on the river, and Williams used these to complete the rigging on the model. Williams found the making of the model a very demanding but also pleasurable exercise.The model is significant for showing a visual representation of one of the most famous tea clippers, the vessel Cutty Sark. The three-masted ship was built for speed and traded tea between England and China. In 1922 the Cutty Sark became the last operating tea clipper in the world. The craft of ship model building has been popular for centuries, especially with people associated with the sea, such as this model builder, whose career was based around the shipping industry.Ship model; clipper ship, the 'Cutty Sark', a three-masted clipper ship, bare rigging, netting below the bowspit, and fine chains hanging from the bowspit. Black hull with two parallel horizontal stripes below the rail. Lifeboats on board. The white figurehead is below the bowsprit. The model comes with a cradle stand. The ship's name is not visible on the model.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, cunysark, historic sailing ship, tea clipper, sail training vessel, cadet training ship, commercial trading vessel, cargo sail vessel, ship model cutty sark -
Seaworks Maritime Museum
Model ship, Cutty Stark
... was considered the fastest ship of the day. Designed and constructed... on Clyde she was considered the fastest ship of the day. Designed ...The last remaining and most famous of all the clipper ships, Cutty Stark, is today preserved for posterity in a dry dock in Greenwich, UK. Launched in November 1869 at Dumbarton on Clyde she was considered the fastest ship of the day. Designed and constructed by Hercules Linton and William D Scott, she was built to carry tea from China and beat the Thermopylae. Her fastest recorded speed was 12.5 knots by sailing 363 miles in 24 hours. The dimensions of both ships were very similar: length 64.7m (212 feet), Beam 11 =m (36 feet), Depth of hold 6.4m (21 feet). Tonnage: Cutty Stark: 921, Thermopyalae 948. With many centuries of shipbuilding it was difficult to find good oak in England. The oak frames occupied excessive space in the cargo hold. A composite building technique was sued with the hull being made out of wooded panelled iron frames. Cutty stark was built with an elm keel and teak planking. Her last passage carrying tea was in 1877. in 1895 she was sold to a Portuguese owner. in 1883, the Cutty Stark joined the Australian wool trade, loaning wool from ports, including Melbourne, bound for the UKLarge model of the Cutty Stark in a "Handcrafted/ Mr Robert McFeeters/ Vermont 19"98" "Display Case/ Mr Ivan Nemanic/ Montrose 1990" "Cutty Stark/ Buil 1869/ Glasgow/ -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Compass, 1947-1950
... accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson's design during... accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson's design during ...Kelvin Company History: The origins of the company lie in the highly successful, if strictly informal, the relationship between William Thomson (1824-1907), Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University from 1846-1899 and James White, a Glasgow optical maker. James White (1824-1884) founded the firm of James White, who was an optical instrument maker in Glasgow in 1850. He was involved in supplying and mending apparatus for Thomson's university laboratory and working with him on experimental constructions. White was actually declared bankrupt in August 1861 and released several months later. In 1870, White was largely responsible for equipping William Thomson's laboratory in the new University premises at Gilmore hill. From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson's design during this period and this became an important part of his business in the last years of his life. He was also involved in the production of sophisticated sounding machinery that Thomson had designed to address problems encountered laying cables at sea, helping to make possible the first transatlantic cable connection. At the same time, he continued to make a whole range of more conventional instruments such as telescopes, microscopes and surveying equipment. White's association with Thomson continued until he died. After his death, his business continued under the same name, being administered by Matthew Edwards (until 1891 when he left to set up his own company). Thomson, who became Sir William Thomson and then Baron Kelvin of Largs in 1892, continued to maintain his interest in the business after James White's death in 1884, raising most of the capital needed to construct and equip new workshops in Cambridge Street, Glasgow. At these premises, the company continued to make the compass Thomson had designed during the 1870s and to supply it in some quantity, especially to the Admiralty. At the same time, the firm became increasingly involved in the design, production and sale of electrical apparatus. In 1899, Lord Kelvin resigned from his University chair and became, in 1900, a director in the newly formed limited liability company Kelvin & James White Ltd which had acquired the business of James White. At the same time Kelvin's nephew, James Thomson Bottomley (1845-1926), joined the firm. In 1904, a London branch office was opened which by 1915 had become known as Kelvin, White & Hutton Ltd . Kelvin & James White Ltd underwent a further change of name in 1913, becoming Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd . Hughes Company History: Henry Hughes & Sons was founded in 1838 in London as a maker of chronographic and scientific instruments. The firm was incorporated as Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd in 1903. In 1923, the company produced its first recording echo sounder and in 1935, a controlling interest in the company was acquired by S Smith & Son Ltd resulting in the development and production of marine and aircraft instruments. Following the London office's destruction in the Blitz of 1941, a collaboration was entered into with Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd resulting in the establishing Marine Instruments Ltd. Following the formal amalgamation of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd in 1947 to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd., Marine Instruments Ltd then acted as regional agents in the UK for Kelvin & Hughes Ltd who were essentially now a part of Smith's Industries Ltd founded in 1944 and the successors of S Smith & Son Ltd. Kelvin & Hughes Ltd went on to develop various marine radar and echo sounders supplying the Ministry of Transport, and later the Ministry of Defence. The firm was liquidated in 1966 but the name was continued as Kelvin Hughes, a division of the Smiths Group. In 2002, Kelvin Hughes continues to produce and develop marine instruments for commercial and military use. This model compass is a good example of the commercial type of instruments made by Kelvin & Hughes after the world war 2, it was made in numbers for use on various types of shipping after the second world war and is not particularly rare or significant for it's type. Also it was made no earlier than 1947 as the firms of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd who took over from Smith & Sons were not amalgamated until 1947. Given that Smith and Sons is engraved on the compass with Kelvin & Hughes it can be assumed that this compass was made during the company's transitional period to Kelvin & Hughes.Compass, marine or ship's card compass, gimble mounted, with inscriptions. Type is Lord Kelvin 10 inch compass card. Made in Great Britain by Kelvin Hughes Division of S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd. "LORD KELVIN 10.", "COMPASS GRID", "MANUFACTURED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY", "KELVIN HUGHES DIVISION", "S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, marine compass, gimble compass, ship's compass, lord kelvin compass, smith and sons england ltd, henry hughes & son ltd london england, kelvin bottomley & baird ltd glasgow scotland, kelvin & hughes ltd, navigation instrument, scientific instrument, william thomson, james white, baron kelvin of largs -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Wood sample, 1855
... was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian... was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian ...The artefact is a piece of ship’s timber from the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG, a vessel which collided with the Peterborough reef on her maiden voyage in December 1855. This small wooden remnant of the disaster has been concreted on one side by the accrual of marine sediment while submerged. The build-up of sediment over the remains of the vessel is typical of the site as a whole. This artefact illustrates the reclaiming power of the ocean and the gradual disappearance of timber constructed vessels that have come to grief along this coastline (for example, the THISTLE in 1837, and the CHILDREN in 1838). The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. The shape and texture of this wood sample suggests a dense hardwood like Oak. The timber has been cut off at one end since its recovery from the sea, exposing a smooth and almost shiny surface. Seasoned English Oak has a similar light brown colour and tight grained finish. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in 825 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. A piece of wood, concreted in sediment, from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855). The limestone accretion includes sand, shell grit and marine worm casings. The exposed surface of the wood is broken and worn smooth along the grain. One end of the timber has been cut or sawn off across the grain, presenting a smooth and shiny surface.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wood segment, schomberg, shipwreck timber, alexander hall and son, limestone concretion, oak-framed hull -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Parallel Rule, 1947-1950
... . From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships.... From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships ...Navigators use parallel rule with maps and charts for plotting a specific course on a chart. One long edge is used with the compass rose on the chart, aligning the centre of the rose with the desired direction around the edge of the rose. The compass bars are then ‘walked’ in and out across the map to the desired location so that lines can be plotted to represent the direction to be travelled. Kelvin Company History: The origins of the company lie in the highly successful and strictly informal relationship between William Thomson (1824-1907), Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University from 1846-1899 and James White, a Glasgow optical maker. James White (1824-1884) founded the firm of James White, an optical instrument maker in Glasgow in 1850 and was involved in supplying and mending apparatus for Thomson university laboratory and working with him on experimental constructions. White was declared bankrupt in August 1861 and released several months later. In 1870, White was largely responsible for equipping William Thomson laboratory in the new University premises at Gilmore hill. From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson design during this period and this became an important part of his business in the last years of his life. He was also involved in the production of sophisticated sounding machinery that Thomson had designed to address problems encountered laying cables at sea, helping to make possible the first transatlantic cable connection. At the same time, he continued to make a whole range of more conventional instruments such as telescopes, microscopes and surveying equipment. White's association with Thomson continued until he died. After his death, his business continued under the same name, being administered by Matthew Edwards until 1891 when he left to set up his own company. Thomson who became Sir William Thomson and then Baron Kelvin of Largs in 1892, continued to maintain his interest in the business after James White's death in 1884, raising most of the capital needed to construct and equip new workshops in Cambridge Street, Glasgow. At these premises, the company continued to make the compass Thomson had designed during the 1870s and to supply it in some quantity, especially to the Admiralty. At the same time, the firm became increasingly involved in the design, production and sale of electrical apparatus. In 1899, Lord Kelvin resigned from his University chair and became, in 1900, a director in the newly formed limited liability company Kelvin & James White Ltd which had acquired the business of James White. At the same time Kelvin's nephew, James Thomson Bottomley (1845-1926), joined the firm. In 1904, a London branch office was opened which by 1915 had become known as Kelvin, White & Hutton Ltd. Kelvin & James White Ltd underwent a further change of name in 1913, becoming Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd. Hughes Company History: Henry Hughes & Sons were founded in 1838 in London as a maker of chronographic and scientific instruments. The firm was incorporated as “Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd” in 1903. In 1923, the company produced its first recording echo sounder and in 1935 a controlling interest in the company was acquired by S Smith & Son Ltd resulting in the development and production of marine and aircraft instruments. Following the London office's destruction in the Blitz of 1941, a collaboration was entered into with Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd resulting in the establishing “Marine Instruments Ltd”. Following the formal amalgamation of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd in 1947 to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd. Marine Instruments Ltd then acted as regional agents in the UK for Kelvin & Hughes Ltd who were essentially now a part of Smith's Industries Ltd founded in 1944 and the successors of S Smith & Son Ltd. Kelvin & Hughes Ltd went on to develop various marine radar and echo sounders supplying the Ministry of Transport, and later the Ministry of Defence. The firm was liquidated in 1966 but the name was continued as Kelvin Hughes, a division of the Smiths Group. In 2002, Kelvin Hughes continues to produce and develop marine instruments for commercial and military. This model parallel map ruler is a good example of the commercial diversity of navigational instruments made by Kelvin & Hughes after World War II. It was made in numbers for use by shipping after the second world war and is not particularly rare or significant for it's type. Also it was made no earlier than 1947 as the firms of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd who took over from Smith & Sons were not amalgamated until 1947. It can therefor be assumed that this ruler was made during the company's transitional period to Kelvin & Hughes from Smith Industries Ltd.Brass parallel rule in wooden box with blue felt lining.Rule inscribed on front "Kelvin & Hughes Ltd" " Made in Great Britain"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, parallel rule, kelvin & hughes ltd, map ruler, plot direction, navigation, maps, echo sounder, kelvin & james white, lord kelvin, baron kelvin of largs, scientific instrument -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Nail, 1855
... ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration... ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration ...The artefact is the lower portion of a rectangular shanked ‘planking nail’ with a straight-edged ‘flat point’. The distinctive ‘point’ of a planking/skirting nail was designed to be driven into timber across the grain in order to prevent the wood from splitting. This relic is from the shipwreck of the SCHOMBERG, which ran aground near Peterborough in 1855. It was retrieved in 1875 from a large section of the ship’s bow which had been carried by ocean currents to the western coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The nail is still fixed in a fragment of the original timber that it secured in the SCHOMBERG. The top portion, or ‘head’ of the nail, has corroded away but the pronounced rectangular shank and its flat point indicate its likely purpose and position on the vessel. Most fastenings used in sailing ship construction were either wooden treenails or copper bolts, which were relatively resistant to seawater corrosion. In addition, the preferred hull-frame timber of British Oak has a high content of gallic acid which rapidly corrodes unprotected iron work. The ferrous composition of this planking nail suggests it came from an internal and upper portion of the ship’s bow (protected from exposure to the sea or oak). According to an 1855 edition of the Aberdeen Journal, the five outer layers, or ‘skins’, of the SCHOMBERG’s pine hull were “combined by means of patent screw treenails”. However the “beams of her two upper decks” were of “malleable iron”, and “part of the forecastle” was “fitted for the accommodation of the crew”. It is therefore possible that iron nails of this description were used by the ship’s builders to secure floor and wall planks in enclosed areas of the crew’s quarters. (The same reasoning would apply to officer and passenger accommodation amidships and at the stern of the vessel, but it was the bow that floated to New.Zealand.) The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in 825 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. This nail is a registered artefact from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG, Artefact Reg No S/35 and is significant because of its association with the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. The object is the bottom end of a slightly curved iron planking nail with remnant of timber still attached, recovered from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855). The shank of the nail is rectangular and it narrows to a flat (chisel like) ‘point’. The ‘head’ is missing although there is a quantity of dark red corrosion within the top of the surrounding wood, suggesting where it might have been. The artefact is from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855) and was retrieved from part of the ship’s bow which was carried by sea currents to the South Island of New Zealand. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, planking nail, rectangular ship’s nail, cast iron nail -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Wood encrustation, 1855
... clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration...”. The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed ...The object is a mass of small shipwreck debris that has been concreted together by sediment and marine growth. It was retrieved from the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG, which ran aground near the mouth of the Curdies River near Peterborough in 1855. The conglomerate of preserved wood impressions, rusted metal pieces, a small square of copper alloy, and black glass-like stones, presents too disjointed a collection to provide information on their purpose or function on the ship. The natural and gradual process of limestone accretion is a significant feature of the wreck-site, which was rediscovered by fishermen and skindivers in 1973. In his book “Exploring Shipwrecks of Western Victoria”, experienced diver and former director at Flagstaff Hill, Peter Ronald writes that the SCHOMBERG’s “triple layered wooden hull has disintegrated almost without trace…The turbulent shallow waters have promoted particularly heavy marine growth which tend to disguise the wreckage…the most prominent feature being a corroded mass of railway iron…Close inspection reveals small artefacts firmly embedded in the marine concretion which…is quite literally as hard as iron”. The huge oblong mass of concretion that now distinguishes the site covers the remains of this heavy cargo. A contemporary account of the SCHOMBERG’s fate (told by two of her passengers to the Melbourne Argus) alleges the ship “was overloaded, drawing over 25 feet when she left, and the cargo was chiefly iron and plant for the Geelong Railway”. The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. The shape and texture of this wood sample suggests a dense hardwood like Oak. The timber has been cut off at one end since its recovery from the sea, exposing a smooth and almost shiny surface. Seasoned English Oak has a similar light brown colour and tight grained finish. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in 825 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. This object is listed on the Shipwreck Artefact Register, No S/49, and is significant because of its association with the ship SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. The object is an aggregate of limestone sediment that formed at the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG (1855). It is an irregularly shaped conglomerate of sand, shell-grit and marine worm casings from the ocean floor, but also incorporates an assortment of manufactured metal pieces and pipe fittings (corroded with red rust), a small rectangular piece of copper sheet, some ‘petrified’ wood remains (hardened and a soft brown colour), and pieces of black shiny stone (roughly cube shaped and possibly glass or porcelain remnants). There is an impression left in the stone of a joist or plank end but the original timber that the sediment formed around has since been dispersed by the sea.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, shipwreck timber, alexander hall and son, shipwreck debris, black ball line, 1855 shipwreck, aberdeen clipper ship, captain forbes, peterborough shipwreck, ss queen -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Sextant, Late 20th Century
... . From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships.... From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships ...In 1941, the scientific instrument manufacturing firms of Henry Hughes & Son Ltd, London, England, and Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, came together to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd. Kelvin Company History: The origins of the company lie in the highly successful and strictly informal relationship between William Thomson (1824-1907), Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University from 1846-1899 and James White, a Glasgow optical maker. James White (1824-1884) founded the firm of James White, an optical instrument maker in Glasgow in 1850 and was involved in supplying and mending apparatus for Thomson university laboratory and working with him on experimental constructions. White was declared bankrupt in August 1861 and released several months later. In 1870, White was largely responsible for equipping William Thomson laboratory in the new University premises at Gilmore hill. From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson design during this period and this became an important part of his business in the last years of his life. He was also involved in the production of sophisticated-sounding machinery that Thomson had designed to address problems encountered laying cables at sea, helping to make possible the first transatlantic cable connection. At the same time, he continued to make a whole range of more conventional instruments such as telescopes, microscopes and surveying equipment. White's association with Thomson continued until he died. After his death, his business continued under the same name, being administered by Matthew Edwards (until 1891 when he left to set up his own company. Thomson who became Sir William Thomson and then Baron Kelvin of Largs in 1892, continued to maintain his interest in the business after James White's death. In 1884 raising most of the capital needed to construct and equip new workshops in Cambridge Street, Glasgow. At these premises, the company continued to make the compass Thomson had designed during the 1870s and to supply it in some quantity, especially to the Admiralty. At the same time, the firm became increasingly involved in the design, production and sale of electrical apparatus. In 1899, Lord Kelvin resigned from his University chair and became, in 1900, a director in the newly formed limited liability company Kelvin & James White Ltd which had acquired the business of James White. At the same time Kelvin's nephew, James Thomson Bottomley (1845-1926), joined the firm. In 1904, a London branch office was opened which by 1915 had become known as Kelvin, White & Hutton Ltd. Kelvin & James White Ltd underwent a further change of name in 1913, becoming Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd. Hughes Company History: Henry Hughes & Sons were founded in 1838 in London as a maker of chronographic and scientific instruments. The firm was incorporated as “Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd” in 1903. In 1923, the company produced its first recording echo sounder and in 1935 a controlling interest in the company was acquired by S Smith & Son Ltd resulting in the development and production of marine and aircraft instruments. Following the London office's destruction in the Blitz of 1941, a collaboration was entered into with Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd resulting in the establishing “Marine Instruments Ltd”. Following the formal amalgamation of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd in 1947 to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd. Marine Instruments Ltd then acted as regional agents in the UK for Kelvin & Hughes Ltd who were essentially now a part of Smith's Industries Ltd founded in 1944 and the successors of S. Smith & Son Ltd. Kelvin & Hughes Ltd went on to develop various marine radar and echo sounders supplying the Ministry of Transport, and later the Ministry of Defence. The firm was liquidated in 1966 but the name was continued as Kelvin Hughes, a division of the Smiths Group. In 2002, Kelvin Hughes continues to produce and develop marine instruments for commercial and military. G. Falconer Company History: G Falconer (Hong Kong Ltd) appear to have had a retail presence in Hong Kong since 1885, according to the company website, and currently have a shop in the Peninsula Hotel. G Falconer was the Hong Kong selling agent for several British companies. Ross Ltd of 111 New Bond St London was one and the other was Kelvins Nautical Instruments. Falconers were primarily watchmakers, jewellers and diamond merchants.They were also agents for Admiralty Charts, Ross binoculars and telescopes, and sold English Silverware and High Class English Jewellery. In 1928 the company was operating from the Union Building opposite the Hong Kong general post office. It is unclear if the item is an original Sextant made by Kelvin prior to his amalgamation with Henry Hughes & Sons in 1941 as Kelvin appears to have only made compasses up to this date. If the Sextant can be established that it was made by Kelvin then it is very significant and a rare item made for and distributed through their Hong Kong selling agents G Falconer Ltd. There are many Sextants advertised for sale stating "Kelvin & Hughes 1917 model sextant". These can be regarded as replicas as the company was not formed until 1941 and production of marine instruments was not fully under way until after the war in 1947. Further investigation needs to be undertaken to accurately determine the provenance of this item. As the writer currently has the impression that the subject object was possibly made by Kelvin and Hughes in the mid to late 20th century or is a replica made by an unknown maker in the late 1970s. Purchased as an exhibition of marine navigational instruments for the Flagstaff Hill museum. The Sextant is a brass apparatus with filters and telescope lens, and comes with a wooden felt lined storage box. It is a doubly reflecting navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation.G Falconer and Co. Hong Kong (retailers of nautical equipmentflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sextant, kelvin & hughes ltd, hong kong, navigational instrument, g falconer, mariner's quadrants -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Document - Menu, Bill of Fare ship Schomberg, circa 1855 - May 12 1856
... for a meal. This Bill of Fare from the sailing ship Schomberg...; the sailing ship Schomberg was designed for long voyages between ...A “Bill of Fare” is a menu or list of food offered for a meal. This Bill of Fare from the sailing ship Schomberg is handwritten in pen in hard-to-read script on the printed pages specifically for the Schomberg ship, of the Black Ball Line of Australian Packets. (‘Packets’ were vessels that had a regular trade run of cargo, passengers and mail; the sailing ship Schomberg was designed for long voyages between England and Australia.) These menus posed a puzzle as they have the handwritten dates of, May 10 and 12, 1856, by which time the Schomberg had sunk (she sunk on December 26, 1855). The donor of these pages of Bill of Fare is a stamp collector from Melbourne. He came across the menus in a package that he bought in 1980 at a stamp auction in Tasmania. He decided to give the menus to Flagstaff Hill this year during his annual family holiday in Warrnambool. A 1981 newspaper article about this donation included an interview with Flagstaff Hill’s curator Mr Peter Ronald, who said that the stationery of these menus is genuine. He went on to say that there would have been much stationery printed for use on the Schomberg although she sank on her maiden voyage. These menus could have been written at a dated late because the surplus Schomberg stationery could have been used for menus on other ships. We will probably never be sure of the answer but none-the-less the pages are still connected to the Schomberg. Below is what we believe the menu consists of although some of the writing is indecipherable - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (first menu) Roast Mutton Boiled Mutton? Ox Tail Mulligatawny? Or possibly Ox Tail Vegetables? Mutton Pies? ------------------------------- Vegetables Potatoes ---------------------------------- Dessert Fruit Puddings? Saturday May 10, 1856 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AND - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (second menu) Boiled Mutton Roast Mutton? Roast Geese? Ox Tail?? Calves Head Broth? ------------------------------- Vegetables Potatoes ------------------------------- Dessert Tarts? Rice Pudding? ?...Maids?? Monday May 12, 1856 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Background of “SCHOMBERG” When SCHOMBERG was launched in July, 1855, she was considered the “Noblest ship that ever floated on water.” SCHOMBERG’s owners, the Black Ball Line (one of three companies by that name), commissioned the ship for their fleet of passenger liners. She was built by Alexander Hall of Aberdeen, UK at a cost of £43,103. She was constructed with 3 skins: one planked fore and aft, and two diagonally planked, fastened together with screw threaded trunnels (wooden rails). Her first class accommodation was luxurious: velvet pile carpets; large mirrors; rosewood; birds-eye maple; mahogany; soft furnishings of gold satin damask; an oak-lined library; and a piano. Overall she had accommodation for 1000 passengers. SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain James ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days at the launch, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway as well as a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, and 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. SCHOMBERG also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off. Due in large part to Forbes regarding a card game as more important than his ship, SCHOMBERG eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted the steamer SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled it. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 salvage efforts were abandoned after two men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck of the SCHOMBERG lies in 825 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated, the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen surrounding the wreck, by divers. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed in concretion), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. These Bills of Fare are significant due to their connection to Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Schomberg, which is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck S612. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the Schomberg. The Schomberg collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The Schomberg collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Menu, or Bill of Fare, on cream coloured stationery from the sailing vessel “Schomberg”. Two rectangular pieces of paper, each bears the printed words “Black Ball Line of Australian Packets, Bill of Fare, Ship, Schomberg”, a printed symbol of the Black Ball line (a black ball on a red flag) and a decorative border. Both pages are handwritten, in similar but different sized writing, with a Bill of Fare and a date, Page (1) dated May 10th 1856 and (2) dated May 12th ’56, (Both dates are AFTER the Schomberg sank in December 26th 1855.) Both pages have three fold lines spaced across their width. To be used for the return voyage.Printed on the pages ““BLACK BALL LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS.” “Bill of Fare, / SHIP / “SCHOMBERG”.” Handwritten list of food, and on one page “Saturday May 10 1856” and on the other page “Monday May 12” warrnambool, peterborough, shipwrecked coast, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, great ocean road, flagstaff hill, sailing ship schomberg, shipwreck schomberg, black ball line of australian packets, bill of fare schomberg, menu schomberg 1856, food mid-1800’s, food on ships mid-1800’s, menu, may 10, 1856, may 12, 1856 -
Orbost & District Historical Society
Council Seal
This item was used as a seal (stamp) on official Shire Council documents. The coat of arms of the Shire of Orbost was designed in the form of a cross in which five stars are depicted on a shield. A small crown above the cross indicates the loyalty of the president,councillors and ratepayers to the reigning monarch. The inner section of the shield contains 4 figures, a sheaf of wheat, a factory, a co and a ship - all representing the activities of agriculture, fishing,industry and dairying undertaken in the shire. Originally part of the Bairnsdale district, Orbost split away as part of the Tambo Shire in 1882, and became a shire in its own right as the Shire of Croajingolong on 30th May,1892. The name was changed to the Shire of Orbost on 17th February, 1893. The Orbost Shire Council was abolished on 2nd December, 1994 as part of a state-wide program of local government reform to become part of the newly constituted East Gippsland Shire council.Local governments play an important role in the lives of citizens in Australia. Local government authorities exist to provide services and amenities to local communities, and are also responsible for regulating and providing services for land and property in their district. This item is representative of a time when Orbost had its own Shire Council.The former Orbost Shire Council Seal (stamp) depicting the coat of arms. The circular seal is brass and has a wooden handle with a bulb shaped top.President, Councillors and Ratepayers of the Shire of Orbost-1892orbost orbost-shire-council government history seal -
Orbost & District Historical Society
plaque
The Coat of Arms of the Shire of Orbost has been designed in the form of a cross in which five stars are set on a shield. This was typical of those used by many shires and cities throughout Victoria and the Commonwealth. A small crown above the cross indicates the loyalty of the President, Councillors and Ratepayers to the reigning King or Queen. The inner circle of the shield contains four figures, a sheaf of wheat, a factory, a cow, and a ship, which represents the activities of agriculture, fishing, industry and dairying undertaken in the district. Originally part of the Bairnsdale district, Orbost split away as part of the Shire of Tambo in 1882, and became a Shire in its own right as the Shire of Croajingolong on the 30th may 1892. The name changed to the Shire of Orbost on 17 February 1893. Orbost was divided into four ridings on 31st May 1895, they were the North, South, East and Central riding, which was represented by three elected councillors. The Shire coat of arms was on the wall on the right of the front entrance to the building and was removed from the current building when Orbost Shire Council was amalgamated into East Gippsland Shire in 1994.The current building was opened on Friday 28th February 1969 by the Premier of Victoria, The Hon. Sir Henry E. Bolte, K.C.M.G., M.P. Local governments play an important role in the lives of citizens in Australia. Local government authorities exist to provide services and amenities to local communities, and are also responsible for regulating and providing services for land and property in their district. This item is representative of a time when Orbost had its own Shire Council. A large round metal plaque with the words SHIRE OF ORBOST1892 in gold letters around a crown and shield divided into four sections to represent four industries : Shipping ; farming - maize ; dairy and mining.SHIRE OF ORBOST 1892government orbost-shire-council coat-of-arms plaque -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Weapon - Cannon, Alexander Hall and Son, c. 1855
... as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck ...The Schomberg Cannon was recovered from the 1855 wreck of the SCHOMBERG in 1974 by Flagstaff Hill divers Peter Ronald, Colin Goodall and Gary Hayden. The wreck site was discovered in August 1973 by Stan McPhee and John Laidlaw. ABOUT THE SCHOMBERG When SCHOMBERG was launched in 1855, she was considered the “Noblest ship that ever floated on water.” SCHOMBERG’s owners, the Black Ball Line, commissioned the ship for their fleet of passenger liners. The ship was built by Alexander Hall of Aberdeen at a cost of £43,103. It was constructed with three skins: one planked fore and aft and two diagonally planked, fastened together with screw-threaded trunnels (wooden rails). Its first-class accommodation was simply luxurious; velvet pile carpets, large mirrors, rosewood, birds-eye maple, mahogany, soft furnishings of satin damask; an oak-lined library and a piano. Overall she had accommodation for 1000 passengers. At the launch, the SCHOMBERG’s 34-year-old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. The ship departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons of cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, and 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and the cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune in those times. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in 825 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and a photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells was in the old Warrnambool Library. The Schomberg cannon is currently on loan to the Port Campbell Visitor Information Centre.The SCHOMBERG collection is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be the fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.Cannon; 6-POUNDER (6pdr) smooth bore cannon, mounted on a wooden frame. The cannon has a metal lug on each side. It is commonly known as the Schomberg cannon. It was recovered from the wreck of the Schomberg in 1974.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, shipwrecked-artefact, clipper ship, black ball line, 1855 shipwreck, aberdeen clipper ship, captain forbes, peterborough shipwreck, ss queen, cannon, the schomberg cannon, schomberg cannon, peterborough, 1855, sailing ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Port Jackson Schooner
... Jackson, were for the first ship specifically designed ...This ship model is of a Colonial Port Jackson schooner, originally designed by the British Admiralty in 1803 as a response to the request of New South Wales' Governor Arthur Phillip. The drafts for the original plans are in Greenwich, UK, in the National Maritime Museum. The model is a Ledition edition, number 2 of 5, modelled by Bill Leonard. The model is rigged and decked in the manner of David McGregor. The flag on model of Port Jackson schooner is that of the British White Ensign which was used as the flag design of the Royal Australian Navy from 1911 - 1967. In 1785 the First Fleet arrived in the new British colony of Port Jackson (now Sydney Harbour) in New South Wales and Arthur Phillip was appointed as the first Governor. The following year Governor Phillip asked the English Royal Navy to provide drafts and materials for two ships for use in the Port Jackson colony for exploring and surveying rivers. The vessels needed a shallow draught and to be made from local cedar timber. He asked for the frames of the schooners to be provided along with shipwrights to assemble them. Many years later, in 1803, Governor Phillip’s request was fulfilled but he had already resigned from his post. The drafts titled ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ were despatched by the Royal Navy from England to Australia. The original draft is still in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK. Meanwhile, the NSW Government had already built various other ships before 1803. In 1797 His Majesty’s Dockyard was opened at Port Jackson for building larger vessels. The Royal Navy’s 1803 design of a ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ has been recognised on the obverse of Australia’s twenty dollar banknote since 1994. A sketch of the schooner is beside the portrait of Mrs Mary Reibey, who arrived as a convict and rose to become a respected and successful owner of a cargo shipping business. Her fleet included the Mercury, a schooner similar to the 1803 design for the Port Jackson schooner. Although the 1803 plans for a ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ are commonly believed to be used for the first ship built in Australia, no records have been found of any ships being built according to these plans. However, it can be claimed that the plans were the ‘first Royal Navy plans made for a ship for use at Port Jackson, and to be built at Port Jackson, in Australia’. William (Bill) Leonard passed away on March 1st 1995.This ship model is significant for its representation of an early Australian colonial schooner. The 1803 Royal Navy’s plans for the colonial ‘Schooner for Port Jackson, were for the first ship specifically designed by the Royal Navy to be built and used in Port Jackson, for use in exploration and surveying of Australian ports and rivers. The plans are associated with Australia’s colonial settlement in the late 1700s. This ship model is significant for its association with the emblems of Australia’s history on the twenty dollar banknote. The colonial Port Jackson schooner is considered significant to Australian history, and represented on the 1994 twenty dollar banknote and its new version being rolled out in October 2019.Ship model of a colonial Port Jackson Schooner. Two-masted sailing ship displaying the flag named The British White Ensign. Mode of light coloured stained timberl is mounted on brass legs inside a glass case with timber frame and base. Metal engraved plaque states that the model is as designed by The Admiralty in 1803. Model is a number 2 of 5 in a limited edition, made by Bill Leonard.Engraved on metal plaque "PORT JACKSON SCHOONER / As Designed By The Admiralty. 1803"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship model port jackson schooner, sailing ship, limited edition model, model maker bill leonard, david mcgregor design, maritime trade, maritime vessel, colonial port jackson schooner, pacific island trade in early 1800s, sydney cove, governor arthur phillip, governor philip gidley king, a schooner for port jackson, national maritime museum greenwich, australian $20 banknote -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Breeches Buoy and Traveller Block, 1860s to 1950s
The breeches buoy and traveller block are part of the beach rescue apparatus used by lifesaving crew overseas and in Australia in the 1860s to 1960s. The breeches buoy (or chair bucket or petticoat breeches) were invented by Lieutenant Kisbee by the 1850s. It looks like a pair of canvas shorts with a cork lifebuoy ring attached around the top. The set-up works similar way to a zip wire and allows for two-way travel. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria has had over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it, followed in 1864 by a rocket house to safely store the Rocket Rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost one hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain and improve their skills, summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The first use of a lifesaving rocket rescue system is often credited to Captain Manby and his invention of a life mortar, first used in 1808 to fire a line onto a ship to rescue lives. Henry Trengrouse’s invention of 1820 was the first to use a sky rocket’s power to throw a line, and his invention included a chair for carrying the shipwrecked victims to shore. In 1832 John Dennett invented a rocket specifically for shore to ship rescue. It had an iron case and an 8 foot pole attached and could shoot the line as far as 250 yards (about 230 metres). From the 1860s the rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It comprised a breeches buoy and traveller block that was suspended on a line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. Colonel Boxer, who had invented an early line-thrower, designed a rocket in 1865 with a range from 300 to 470 yards. It was the first two-stage rocket, with two rockets placed one in front of the other in a tube that carried the rescue line. The hemp line was faked, or coiled, in a particular way in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired, and the angle of firing the rocket was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol around 1920, which used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. Victoria’s Government adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain, which used Colonel Boxer’s rocket apparatus rescue method. The British Board of Trade published instructions in 1850 for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line attached, then firing it across the stranded vessel. A tally board was then sent out with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the continuous whip line and attach the whip block to a mast or sturdy part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a heavier hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser is then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. The rocket system could also be used from one ship to another. This item is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Breeches buoy and traveller lock; white canvas breeches (shorts) with lifebuoy ring attached to its waistband, with ropes for attaching it to the traveller block. Wooden traveller block has double brass inline sheaves and brass rollers on each cheek of the block, and each shell is scored for the strop. The thimble attached to the strop has a wooden slat for quick release of the breeches buoy. The ropes comprise of two equal lengths of rope that have been bunched together to form two loops, then bound together just below the loops, while the four hanging ends are looped around the lifebuoy, equally spaced, with each end finished in an eye-splice. The apparatus is suspended by the loops at the top and attached to the traveller block, which has a quick release device.flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, petticoat breeches, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket shed, lifeboat men, rocket equipment, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, william schermuly, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, schermuly pistol, pistol rocket apparatus, beach rescue set, traveller, block, running block, pulley, hawser, faking, faking box, faked line, rescue boat, lifeboat, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, tramway jetty, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, captain manby, mortar, henry trengrouse, sky rocket, john dennett, shore to ship, colonel boxer, two-stage rocket, italian hemp, quadrant, schermuly, line-throwing pistol, line throwing cartridge, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, tally board, light line, whip line, endless whip, petticoat buoy, traveller chair, traveller block, her majesty’s coast guard, harbour board, line thrower, line throwing, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, hawser cutter, life jacket, faking board, irish hand barrow, government of victoria -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship model, 28-01-1985
This unnamed ship model was built by a Warrnambool resident. The Humber Keel design is typical sailing craft used for transport if inshore and inland cargo, from Humber and Hill, around Yorkshire, U.K. in late 19th and early 20th century. Ship model, single mast, double spar, humber keel. Two tone brown and cream paint, light brown sail. Figures of a man, woman and dog on deck. A type of vessel used on the Yorkshire waterways. Perspex case with wooden frame. Folded plans are inside case. Nameplate Plaque inside case describes ship."RIVER HUMBER KEEL/YORKSHIRE/LENGTH 61', BEAM 15'6", DR G CAP 100 TONS/CREW MAN & WIFE, SCALE 1:40/HUON PINE etc. E.H. GRANGER 28.1.1985" on plaque inside caseflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, humber keel, sailing cargo -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, pre 1963
... for decades, changing as new ships were added, lost at sea, sold ...The funnel colours on the model indicate the ship it represents was one of the early ships of the Allan shipping Line designated as a Royal Mail Carrier. Funnel colours are used to identify a ship's owners while at sea from a distance by other vessels. The Allan Shipping Line was started in 1819, by Captain Alexander Allan of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, trading and transporting between Scotland and Montreal Canada, a route which quickly became synonymous with the Allan Line. By the 1830s the company had offices in Glasgow, Liverpool and Montreal, with all of Captain Allan's five sons actively involved with the business. But his second son, Sir Hugh Allan, spearheaded the second generation. In 1854, Hugh launched the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company as part of the Allan Line, and two years later ousted Samuel Cunard to take control of the Royal Mail contract between Britain and North America. By the 1880s, the Allan Line was the world's largest privately owned shipping concern. In 1891, the company took over the State Line, founded in 1872, and was often referred to as the Allan & State Line. In 1897, Andrew Allan amalgamated the various branches of the Allan shipping empire under one company, Allan Line Steamship Company Ltd., of Glasgow. The company by then had added offices in Boston and London. In 1917, under Sir Montagu Allan, who represented the third generation of the Allan family, the company was purchased by Canadian Pacific Steamships, and by the following year, the Allan name had disappeared from commercial shipping. The Allan Line fleet had evolved for decades, changing as new ships were added, lost at sea, sold, or scrapped. The model in Flagstaff Hill's collection could be the SS Canadian or Indian; both were early Allan steam packets that had helped the Allan company secure the Royal Mail Atlantic contract in 1856.The model is of a Royal Mail steamship, with the probability the original ship was owned by the Allan Shipping Line in the mid-19th century and primarily used for the Atlantic mail run between England and Canada. Given the funnel colours and ship design, the model could be the SS Canadian or the Indian; both were the first ships for the company. The Allen line became the most successful shipping company of the time used for emigration and the transporting of mail.Ship model; steamship and sail vessel in use around the 1860s. Handcrafted model steamship with twin funnels painted black, white and red and three masts with square-rigged sails. The ship model is mounted on a gold-painted board. The ship was donated with a fitted wooden case.warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, ship model, steam and sail vessel, handcrafted ship model, steam vessel, model making, handmade, red with narrow white band below black top., red shite and black funnel, allan shipping line, steam and sail ship, two funnels, wooden sailing shipo, three-masted ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Telescope, Unknown
A telescope is an optical instrument used to make distant objects appear nearer and larger, this item is small enough and designed to be portable enough to fit into a gentleman's pocket while out walking. This type, size and manufacture of the telescope was designed for general everyday use for bird watching and general observation of subjects while out walking. This item was not for marine use as its focal length is too short and could only observe subjects that were not too far away. Also, its size indicates telescopes of this type are pocket telescopes.This telescope is significant for its probable association with leisure activities of a person in the 19th century for leisure purposes such as bird watching, horse events and ship spotting.Three draw brass hand held telescope, folding.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, telescope, folding telescope, navigational instrument, optical instrument, pocket telescope, leisure, brass telescope, hobby -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Compass, 1940's
Henry Browne and Son Ltd, of Barking, made aviation and nautical compasses, clocks and dials. The company made compasses for aircraft notably, Spitfires, Tiger moths and Concord. Henry Browne was born in Lewis, Sussex in 1842 and died in Barking in 1935. His company was a well respected English instrument maker that had been making and selling fine quality compasses, ship's clocks, inclinometers, sextants, and chandlery items for over 140 years. It started in a factory in Brightlingsea, Essex and moved to Barking in 1929. The Trade Mark brand Sestrel was used on all their equipment. Their “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened serving to reduce oscillations. It is reported that this design compass was fitted to many Allied ships during WW II. The company went through a boom period in the 1970s but collapsed in the 1980s due to the popularity of cheaper plastic compasses over tradition brass ones. Over more recent years, there has been a consolidation of British instrument makers and the firm of Henry Browne & Son has changed hands a number of times. At last count, it became part of Lillie & Gillie of London in 1985 when John Lilley & Gillie Ltd acquires the assets of Henry Browne & Sons (Sestrel) Ltd, a major competitor for what may be the second time. The model name of Sestral came about via the following.Take first two letters of the word Sensitive then the firs two letter of steady and the firs three letters of reliable hence the trade name of "Sestral". Item relates to the second world war used in many ships of the time merchant and military, It reminds us of a time in our social and world history when most of the world was in conflict.Henry Browne and Sons “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened serving to reduce oscillations and was an innervation that many makes of compass of the time din't have as a result the "Sestrel" design was fitted to many Allied ships during WW II.A liquid-filled Sestrel compass, with a brass housing and gimbal ring, wired for an internal low voltage light to illuminate the compass card. Inscriptions printed on face and impressed in metal around outer rim TRADE MARK", "Sestrel Dead-Beat", "No 1724 N", "Barking & London" HENRY BROWNE & SON", additional inscription "AFT No 1724 N". flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, compass, marine compass, henry browne & son barking london, sestrel dead-beat marine compass, navigation instrument, sestrel dead-beat marine compass -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Barometer, 1858-1869
The barometer was either made or sold by T. Gaunt & Co. of Melbourne, a manufacturer, importer and retailer of a wide variety of goods including jewellery, clocks and watches, navigational and measuring instruments, dinnerware, glassware and ornaments. Thomas Gaunt photograph was included in an album of security identity portraits of members of the Victorian Court, Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1888. (See below for further details.) Admiral Fitzroy Pattern Barometer History: The stick mercury barometer was named after Admiral Robert Fitzroy of the Royal Navy (1805-1865) for his detailed instructions on how to interpret the weather, which were included with the instrument. Fitzroy was the captain of the HMS Beagle, also a weather forecaster to Charles Darwin and the second Governor of New Zealand. He developed many different types of barometers and was the first person to introduce the science of weather forecasting to the British Isles. A local manufacturer of scientific instruments, Thomas Gaunt, produced the barometer that was adapted for the southern hemisphere by Robert Ellery, the State Astronomer based at the Melbourne Observatory. In the original sale catalogue for Gaunt's, the item is described as "Gaunt's Fitzroy Barometers" and it was priced from 25/- to ₤9.9s. History of Thomas Gaunt: Thomas Gaunt established Melbourne's leading watchmaking, optical and jewellery business during the second half of the 19th century. Gaunt arrived in Melbourne in 1852, and by 1858 had established his own business at 14 Little Bourke Street. Around 1869 he moved to new premises in Bourke Street on the corner of Royal Arcade. Gaunt's shop quickly became a Melbourne institution. Gaunt proudly advertised that he was 'The only watch manufacturer in the Australian colonies'. While many watches and clocks may have had Gaunt's name on the dial, few would have been made locally. Gaunt did make some watches for exhibitions, and perhaps a few expensive watches for wealthy individuals. Gaunt's received a telegraph signal from Melbourne Observatory each day to correct his main clock and used this signal to rate and repair ship's chronometers and good quality watches. His main horological manufacturing was directed at turret clocks for town halls, churches and post offices. These tended to be specific commissions requiring individualised design and construction. He made the clock for the Melbourne Post Office lobby, to a design by Government Astronomer Robert Ellery, and won an award at the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition for his turret clock for the Emerald Hill Town Hall. He became well known for his installation of a chronograph at Flemington Racecourse in 1876, which showed the time for the race, accurate to a quarter of a second. The firm also installed the clockwork and figures for Gog and Magog in the Royal Arcade. Thomas Gaunt also developed a department that focused on scientific instrumentation, making thermometers and barometers (from imported glass tubes), telescopes, surveying instruments and microscopes. Another department specialised in electroplating for trophies, awards and silverware, and the firm manufactured large amounts of ecclesiastical gold ware and silverware, for the church including St Patrick's Cathedral. There are no records that disclose the number of employees in the firm, but it was large enough for Gaunt to hold an annual picnic for the watchmakers and apprentices at Mordialloc from 1876; two years previously they had successfully lobbied Gaunt to win the eight hour day. Gaunt's workforce was reportedly very stable, with many workers remaining in the business for 15 to 30 years. Gaunt's wife Jane died on September 1894, aged 64. They had one son and six daughters, but only three daughters survived to adulthood. Two became nuns at the Abbotsford Convent and one daughter, Cecelia Mary Gaunt (died 28 July 1941), married William Stanislaus Spillane on 22 September 1886 and had a large family. Gaunt died at his home in Coburg, Victoria, leaving an estate valued at ₤41,453. The business continued as T. Gaunt & Co. after his death. The barometer is historically significant as an example of the work of Melbourne’s leading scientific instrument maker, Thomas Gaunt. The barometer has social significance as an example of the type of scientific equipment that Thomas Gaunt expanded his horology business into producing. Further social significance lies in the fact that Robert Ellery, the Government Astronomer who designed the local version of the barometer, had a direct connection with the Melbourne Athenaeum founded in 1839 as the Melbourne Mechanics' Institution. Its purpose was "the diffusion of literary, scientific and other useful information". There are also records of a T Gaunt as a subscription and committee member of this the Athenaeum organisation during the 1870s and 1880s which may be Thomas Gaunt, unfortunately still unverified.Stick mercury barometer known as the Admiral Fitzroy Barometer. It comprises an oblong wooden case with glass front panel, ornate pediment, barometer with bulb cistern (empty of fluid), cleaning brush with printed instructions for interpreting information given by the gauge affixed to left and right face of instrument. Includes a thermometer. The barometer appears to be intact. Adapted to the Southern Hemisphere. Special remarks by Admiral Fitzroy. Made by Thomas Gaunt, Melbourne. Manufacturer's details are on back of wooden casing. Rear has upper and lower brass screw plates for securing to vertical surface."Manufactured by Thomas Gaunt, 14 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. "flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barometer, admiral fitzroy, thomas gaunt, thomas gaunt of melbourne, clockmaker, admiral fitzroy barometer, barometer instructions, gaunt’s fitzroy barometer, gaunt’s of melbourne, gog and magog designer, horological manufacturer, meteorological instrument, melbourne athenaeum, melbourne mechanics' institution, melbourne observatory time signal, robert ellery government astronomer, scientific instrument, stick mercury barometer, thermometer, weather forecast, t gaunt & co -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Clocks, 1939-1946
Chelsea Clock Company History: The Chelsea Clock Company is an American clock manufacturing company that started before 1880 with Joseph Henry Eastman who founded the Harvard Clock Company and produced 800 clocks of marine, carriage, shelf and banjo types. He went on to change the company name to the Boston Clock Company in 1884. After several name changes in 1897, the Chelsea Clock Company was finally founded. Clocks produced by Chelsea Clock Company have been found in the White House, on US Naval Ships, and in homes and offices around the world. After the company first began life as the Harvard Clock Company, it was named the Boston Clock Company, the Eastman Clock Company before finally becoming the Chelsea Clock Company in July of 1897. The company had developed many patents and innervations over these years and between 1939 and 1946 during World War II they were awarded contracts by the U.S Maritime Commission and produced vast numbers of clocks for both merchant and naval ships. U.S Maritime Commission History: The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, and replaced the United States Shipping Board which had existed since World War I. It was intended to formulate a merchant shipbuilding program to design and build five hundred modern merchant cargo ships to replace the World War I vintage vessels that comprised the bulk of the United States Merchant Marine, and to administer a subsidy system authorized by the Act to offset the cost differential between building in the U.S. and operating ships under the American flag. It also formed the United States Maritime Service for the training of seagoing ship's officers to man the new fleet. The purpose of the Maritime Commission was to formulate a merchant shipbuilding program to design and then have built over a ten-year period 900 modern fast merchant cargo ships which would replace the World War I-vintage vessels Those ships were intended to be then leased to U.S. shipping companies for their use in the foreign seagoing trades the aim was to offer better and more economical freight services. The ships were also intended to serve as a reserve naval auxiliary force in the event of armed conflict which was a duty the U.S. merchant fleet had often filled throughout the years since the Revolutionary War. From 1939 through the end of World War II, the Maritime Commission funded and administered the largest and most successful merchant shipbuilding effort in world history, producing ships for both navy and merchant marine. By the end of the war, U.S. shipyards working under Maritime Commission contracts had built a total of 5,777 ocean-going merchant and naval ships. In early 1942 both the training and licensing was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard for administration, then later to the Maritime Service final responsibility was conveyed to the newly created War Shipping Administration which was created to oversee the operation of merchant ships being built by the Emergency Program to meet the needs of the U.S. Armed Services. With the end of World War II, both the Emergency and Long Range shipbuilding programs were terminated as there were far too many merchant vessels now for the Nation's peacetime needs. In 1946, the Merchant Ship Sales Act was passed to sell off a large portion of the ships built during the war to commercial buyers, both domestic and foreign. The U.S Maritime Commission was officially disbanded on May 24th 1950. These clocks were to be found on all ships made in American for the war effort between 1939 and 1946. They are a significant reminder of the sacrifice by those who served in the merchant marine and the navy’s during the Second World War. The item is a part of our social history that reminds us of these dark times. The loses of family members, along with the trauma that many sailors had endured and had to live with for the rest of their lives once they were released from service and allowed to go home.American Clock is an 8-day marine clock made by the Chelsea clock Co for the “US Maritime Commission” . There is a second smaller dial for the seconds and 24-hour markings. Also a fast-slow adjuster to the top of the dial. The clock is an 8 day marine clock with US Maritime Commission inscribed on face in black lettering. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, clock, us maritime commission, chelsea clock company, horology, maratime clock -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Lamp, Late 19th Century
Isaac Sherwoods Ltd were manufacturers of oil lamps and burners in Birmingham, in 1904 they were trading as Isaac Sherwood & Son Ltd. but by 1920 they had taken over Linley & Co. of 73-75 Great Lister Street, makers of `American' pattern lamps to become Sherwood-Linley at Nechells Park Works, Eliot Street. The company were a leading manufacturer of oil and candle lamps exporting their goods all over the world. The subject lamp is operated with a candle, which is inserted on the underside, it is sprung and as the candle burns the spring keeps the candle pushed upwards keeping the flame burning until the candle is extinct. Sherwoods invented and patented this innovation for candle lamps.The subject item is incomplete however it has some significance as it was designed to be used in a sea going vessel, as a result is quite rare also the item is made by a well known manufacturer.Spring loaded candle Lamp, brass, with gimbal wall attachment for use on a ship, shade and mount missing. Candle-stop has the words "Sherwoods Limited, trademark sound".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, candle lamp, gimbal spring, sherwoods limited -
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 -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Furniture - Pulpit, Rodney Howard Alsop, 1909
In 1909, assistant Chaplain Rev. Haire presented the Mission with an 'uncommonly artistic pulpit' in memory of his mother. A plaque in memory of Jane King Haire can be found on the side next to the steps. The dedication was performed by the Archbishop of Melbourne on the 26th January (date engraves on the plaque) This pulpit was designed by Melbourne architect Rodney Howard Alsop (1881-1932) and manufactured by William John Dalziel (furniture manufacturer). It was initially used in the first Mission in Central Melbourne, Siddeley St. It is located in the Chapel of Saint Peter of the Mission to Seafarers 717 Flinders St. complex since 1917 (State Heritage listed (H1496). This complex was designed by Walter Richmond Butler in 1916, and officially opened on 11 September 1917, a day '...of unusually kind weather', by the Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Sir Arthur Stanley. According to a later article published in 1950: The pulpit is a model, built to scale, of the stern of an old ship of the line in Lord Nelson's day. This pulpit is significant as it is housed in The Memorial Chapel of Saint Peter forming part of the State Heritage listed Mission to Seafarers Victoria complex. It was built in Melbourne of Australian timbers, and is one of only two known maritime inspired pulpits, both associated with Missions to Seamen of the early 20th C. the other is held in the ANMM Collection see link. Their statement of significance is worth quoting in part as it applies equally to this pulpit "...an extremely rare and unique example of such pulpits. It is highly significant as a wonderfully preserved example of a time when religion was preached to sailors for their spiritual guidance and temperance..." Rodney Howard Alsop was an important Melbourne architect of the Arts and Crafts movement. John William Dalziel had sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne in 1862. Seventeen years later Penman and Dalziel founded the business in Lonsdale Street West, and won recognition at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London in 1886. Penman and Dalziel were identified in 1937 as one of Melbourne’s early ‘skilled craftsmen’ and ‘leading names’ in the manufacture of fine furniture. He died in February 1918 in a railway accident.Timber pulpit built in the form of a ship's stern including a timber step ladder for access, a timber keel and rudder, a rope fixed from the pulpit to a post mounted to the floor, and a dedication plaque on the side of the pulpit. The pulpit sits on timber legs. It's likely to be the original rope: traditionally made coir rope with twisted fibres, covered with canvas supported by a thread. At lower end the rope is secured by a monkey fist know and at the top by a turk head knot.Inside the pulpit (right) is the cardboard label with the maker details: " On an attached plaque see 0678 To the greater glory of God and in ever loving memory of Jane King Haire. This pulpit is erected by her son. Blessed are the pure in heart. For they shall see God. St. Matt. V.8. 26.1.09mission, seafarers, melbourne, victoria, chapel, saint peter, pulpit, australian timber, stern, walter richmond butler, australian maritime history, reverend w.f. haire, rodney howard alsop (1881-1932), wright's lane, william john dalziel, gifts-1917, heritage listed -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Magazine - Bimonthly, Navy Days. See the ships - Meet the Men, 1953
The item came from the collection of a merchant sailor who presumably visited the Portsmouth open day in 1953.The booklet reveals much about the traditions of the Royal Navy and the ships on display. It presents a picture from time. A 36-page magazine designed for the Royal Nay's open days on April 4, 5 and 6, 1953, at Portsmouth.Portsmouth Programme. Easter 1953.booklet, royal navy, ships, portsmouth, allan quinn -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Equipment - Ship bell, Vickers, Barrow, SS Moreton Bay, 1920-1921
The Bell was presented to the Mission by the Aberdeen and Commonwealth Line in October 1957, after the ship made her final voyage to Australia in 1956 and it was broken up in Barrow in April 1957 by Thomas W Ward (UK). In the Annual Report 1957, Padre Oliver mentioned "the bell was found unsuited for the chapel belfry, it is to be mounted on a bracket and placed in the Celia Little lounge."Cast brass bell with wrought iron anchor and hook design wall mount: decoratively plaited cord in maritime knot pattern to resemble chain, sealed with a varnish and attached to cast iron clapper. Wrought iron hook secured by metal bolt. Bell is inscribed in upper case capital letters with MORETON BAY. Anchor attached with four flat headed hexagonal bolts with mighted wooden frame. Bell inscribed with upper case capital letters MORETON BAY. / Also brass presentation wall plaque (see image)bell, anchor, brass, ss moreton bay, ship's bell, plaque, celia little room, bracket, p&o, peninsular and oriental steam navigation company, passengers liners, passenger ships, emigrants, emigration -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Decorative object - Finial, c. 1920
Appearances to the contrary, the item is not a weathervane but a finial. It was the gift of Mr John Sanderson (Jottings Easter 1920), from John Sanderson & Co., wool merchants, stock and station agents, commission and shipping agents before he leaves for England to become senior partner in Sanderson Murray & Elder, London, import and export agents. It was designed by Walter & Richard Butler Architects. (sketch published in Building : the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant vol.33, no 193, 12 Sept. 1923). The finial was already drawn on the sketch of the Central Institute made by Walter Butler. The maker of the finial, was Henry Alfred George Arnold Saw (born June 1881 in Hotham, Victoria was the son of Edward Saw (1854-1926) a tinsmith and Catherine Barton (1863-1907). He worked as a metal artificer for a metal-working business located opposite the Trades Hall in Lygon Street and was given the job of making the copper ship finial. Henry married Florence Charlotte Reeder and they had four children. Also known as Harry Saw according to his grandson Brian, he died on 9th February 1960. Henry and Florence both died within two months of each other in 1960. It is not clear when the ship was actually installed on the roof, the earliest photograph dating from 1927. The windvane fell or moved several times because of gale forces: - In 1995 : After the funds were raised to repair it, it was treated by sculptor David Hope, and reinstalled in the 1998 (Ship to Shore #3 Sept 1998). - In 2017: Carmela Lonetti from the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (Ship to Shore Autumn 2017) - In 2019: a generous passerby donated the necessary funds for the conservation. It was sent to Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (Ship to Shore 2019), treated by Evan Tindal (City of Melbourne Magainze Oct. 2020). It was reinstalled over the Summer of 2019-2020 (Ship to Shore Summer 2020). The weathervane was stolen during the night of the 6-7 March 2022. Copper price surge sparks rise in theft in Victoria in 2021-22 so it's likely the vane was stolen to be melted This sculpture is closely associated with the 1917 building and described in clippings and annual reports when the building was first newly opened. It can be seen in some of the earliest photographs of the new building and in the artist/architect Butler's impressions. The galleon is often a decorative design of Mission to Seafarers wind vane (London, Adelaide).Bronze and copper sculpture fashioned as a Wind Vane in the form of a Galleon style sailing ship with 2 pennants flying and two sails rigged atop with lower cross piece with wind directions N S E W . There is a decorative ornamental pierced scrollwork ferrule / finial with reinforcing chrome steel piping armature at base of main support which attaches to the roof or a base support. See also comments below weather vane, wind vane, sculpture, galleon, sailing ship, finial, henry alfred saw, david hope, windvane, weathervane, walter richmond butler (1864–1949), richard butler, john sanderson