Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave

Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave, waddawurrung

Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave, waddawurrung

Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave, waddawurrung

Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave

Colour photograph of William Buckley's Grave on the coastline at Port Lonsdale. william buckley, aborigines, point lonsdale, buckley's cave

Photo from Accession AS/14/612

Photo from Accession AS/14/612

Photo from Accession AS/14/612

William Withers and Edward Ryan drowned near Point Lonsdale on 19 October 1954 when they tried to enter the Rip at Port Phillip Heads against an ebb tide with a strong south-west wind blowing. They were sailing a large crayfishing boat, the 'Robert John', returning with a load of crayfish from King Island.Photograph shows William (Bill) Withers and Edward Ryan who worked in the local Queenscliff and Victorian fishing industry. The commercial fishing industry developed in Queenscliff from the 1860s, with early fishing developing around the couta boat and barracouta fishing. Crayfishing and shark fishing also became important, especially as the supplies and popularity of barracouta as a commercial species waned. Local Queenscliff fishermen often fished outside Port Phillip into Bass Strait and had to navigate the dangerous entry to Port Phillip, known as 'The Rip', with its turbulent and variable water and weather conditions. This added to the everyday dangers of sailing faced by fishermen in their industry. The local fishermen often had the local knowledge of these waters, but the fishing community in Queenscliff also lived with the threat or fear that the Rip could rob them of one of their own. The entrance to Port Phillip with this Rip is the scene of many shipwrecks,often resulting in tragic loss of life or injuries, including passenger and cargo ships travelling to/from Melbourne and Geelong as well as accidents to local Queenscliff and Port Phillip sailors such as the fishermen or sea pilots. A B/W photograph of two Queenscliff fishermen, William (Bill) Withers and Edward Ryaninformation about photo and donation handwrittten on backfishermen, queenscliff fishermen, withers, william withers, ryan, edward ryan, robert john crayfish boat, shipwreck, port phillip

In an era predating the computerisation of equipment on public transport, where trams in Melbourne were driven by drivers and conductors sold fares, destinations were shown at the front and rear of the tram within a glazed box. A driver adjusted the roll to select each new trip destination. Given the length of rolls, in this case approximately nine metres, this could be a time consuming process. In addition to the named destination roll, each tram included a separate roll listing the route numbers.The roll was purchased at a Leski Auction in Armadale as part of a large group of tramways memorabilia including tram 'rolls' from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The auction house described the collection as "The collection of destination blinds or rolls that forms the core of the Railways Trams & Buses Section (Lots 655 – 732) is the best we have ever offered and represents a life-time of collecting by an Adelaide enthusiast, now deceased." Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board Tramways Destination Roll. Black and white paint on linen roll. Forty-eight named destinations including four depots - Camberwell, Hanna Street, Hawthorn, Kew. Multiple destinations in what is now the City of Boroondara (Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell); including East Kew, Kew, Kew Post Office, Kew Depot, and Cotham Road.Named destinations beginning to end: “Olympic Park / Special / Football / Racecourse / Richmond / Burnley / Riversdale / Wattle Park - Warragul Rd / Wattle Park - Elgar Rd / City / Burwood / Hartwell / Bowen St / Camberwell Depot / Camberwell Jucn / Leura Grove / Gardener / Glenferrie Rd / Chapel St / St Kilda Rd / Camberwell / City / Lonsdale St / University / City via William St / Domain Rd / Hanna St Depot / South Melb & St Kilda Beach / Prahran / North Richmond / Windsor / Hawthorn Depot / Hawthorn / Spencer St / Toorak Rd / Swan & Church St Cnr / North Balwyn / City Flinders & Spencer Sts Corner / City - Market St / Swanston St / Simpson St / East Kew / Kew / Kew Post Office / Kew Depot / Cotham Rd / Malv Tn Hall"melbourne & metropolitan tramways board

Henry (Harry) William Tompkins was a renowned Melbourne architect, former City of Kew councillor and sometime Mayor of the municipality. He was president of the Melbourne Institute of Architects in 1914-15. In partnership with his brother, Frank Beauchamp Tompkins, he designed the Myer Stores in Bourke and Lonsdale Streets in 1933. Locally he was the architect of the Kew War Memorial (opened 1925). At the time that the gravure plate was made, the couple lived in 'Fenwick', a house on the corner of Stawell Street and Fenwick Street, Kew, which has since been demolished.Copper (on steel?) gravure printing plate made for Mr & Mrs Harold Tompkins, 'Fenwick', Fenwick Street, Kew. Engraved in reverse script. It is assumed that the acronym PPC may stand for 'Please Present Card'. "Mr & Mrs H.W. Tompkins, Fenwick, Fenwick Street, Studley Park / PPC 1st Friday"harry tompkins, gravure printing plates, business cards

Donor identifies the following: Parish priest - Dr W M Collins Queen - Molly Baker Attendants - Marg Wise, Lola Sans, Gertie Baker Flower girls - Madge Wise, Molly Brown, Rita O'Sullivan Probably taken in Our Holy Redeemer Hall, Mont Albert Road, Surrey Hills.This is one of only a few photos in our collection which are evidence of Queen Carnivals which originated as fundraising events. They were particularly popular in both Australian and New Zealand during the early 20th century. They were particularly common during and after World War I when they were used to raise funds for returned soldiers. It is currently the only photo in the collection of a social event connected to Our Holy Redeemer Church and the only one which includes Dr William M Collins who was the parish priest from 1933-1941. Dr Collins was a significant figure in the Catholic Church in Melbourne in the first half of the 20th century. REF: The Advocate: The first priest-editor by Fiona Power; Kairos Catholic Journal Volume 22, Issue 16. - 2 September 2011": Summary: Born in Kilmore in 1884, William Collins attended South Melbourne College and then the University of Melbourne, where he assisted in the formation of the Newman Society of Victoria. After graduating in arts in 1911, he worked at the Melbourne Public Library and the Education Department. In 1912, at the age of 28, he went to Rome, where he studied for the priesthood at Urban College. He obtained doctorates in philosophy and theology and was ordained on 3 June 1917. He returned to Melbourne and was appointed curate at St Mary’s, West Melbourne, and St Francis’, Lonsdale Street. In 1918, Dr Collins became editor of The Advocate. He remained in the role for seven years. Dr Collins was parish priest of Dandenong, Daylesford, East Malvern, Surrey Hills and Kew, and administrator at St Francis’. He died in 1959 and a Requiem Mass was held at Sacred Heart, Kew. Black and white photo of the participants in the Queen Carnival arranged on a stage in a tableaux of the coronation of the Queen. To the right are the parish priest and the archbishop and there is a man at the bottom of the stairs centre front of the stage. Guests are seated at a table to the right of the stairs and to the left of the stairs is a table with floral arrangements and other objects. "1938" hand-written on the original photo in upper LH corner.festivals and celebrations, queen carnivals, our holy redeemer church, dr w m collins, rev william m collins, (miss) molly baker, (miss) marg wise, (miss) lola sans, (miss) gertie baker, (miss) madge wise, (miss) molly brown, (miss) rita o'sullivan

These keys were used to ensure security at the Wodonga Police Station in Elgin Street which opened in 1966. They were used for approximately 40 years at this police station which moved to a new location in Hovell Street, Wodonga in 2002. They may have originated from the earlier police which was located in High Street, Wodonga and opened in the 1870s. The keys were created by J. Hubball, a locksmith based at 474 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. He was also known as Joseph or Josh Hubball. He operated from these premises from the early 1920s until at least the 1940s. He gained a contract to provide locks and keys for many prisons throughout Australia, including Pentridge Gaol in Melbourne, Victoria and Caboolture Police Station in Queensland. His company also created keys used at Mayday Hills in Beechworth, Victoria. On 28th of March 1947, Hubball applied for a certificate of Incorporation of a Company in his name. The Directors of this company were William Hubball & Alfred Hubball.This key comes from the Police Station in Wodonga and was used for at least 40 years to secure the premises. It was created by a well-known Melbourne locksmith.A bunch of assorted keys from the Police Station in Elgin Street, Wodonga. They include keys for the main cell door as well as the exercise yard and gate room.On largest key 'Hubball" and on the reverse "Melbourne"wodonga police, wodonga police station

Image shows a centre of the road pole used to extend the electric tram in Swanston St from Queensberry St to Little Lonsdale St. Was proposed to be used in the conversion of cable to electric trams in St Kilda Road, but was not adopted. William St had a similar type of pole but these were removed when they became a traffic hazard.Shows design of centre poles that support overhead electric wires. Swanston Street electric trams centre poles - Newspaper photo. MMTB Swanston Street looking south from Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne, about 1923-24.tramways, trams, swanston street, centre poles, st kilda road

Photo by Keith Caldwell of W2 449 north bound in William St, about to cross Little Lonsdale St, running a route 55 West Coburg. Tram has a advert for Remy Martin Brandy. Alongside the tram is the Metropolitan Hotel. William St has the centre poles in the view - 14/3/1966Yields information about William St Melbourne and tram services.Perutz colour slide, grey plastic mount,In ink "Bourke 14.3.66" and a purple date stamp.trams, tramways, william st, w2 class, route 55, west coburg, tram 449

The photograph shows a cable tram in Lonsdale St crossing William St. Alf Twentyman in his notes has identified it as West Melbourne trailer 364. In the background is the Supreme Court building and a tangle of telephone wires.Yields information about cable trams in the 1890s.Photograph, black and white, with notes on the rear.On rear in blue ink "West Melbourne 364 probably early 1890s, later became North Melburne No. 4"trams, tramways, cable tram, tram 364, lonsdale st, william st, supreme court

Set of 11 black and white photographs sent to Keith Kings received from Ken Flood 4/6/1975. .1 - Bus No 203 1940 Leyland TD5c - Turning from Nicholson Street into Gertrude Street. - bound for Northcote. .2 - Bus No 201 1940 Leyland TD5c - In Nicholson Street at Albert Street - Photo. bound for Northcote .3.- Bus No 492 1943 Ford Austerity - at Queens Pde Clifton Hill - Note the Pram and Passenger bus sign by the front doorway. Photo not dated. .4 - Bus No 365 1948 OPS1 - Nicholson Street at Victoria Pde. bound for East Brunswick. Photo not dated. .5 - Bus No 325 1950 OPS4 - Nicholson Street at Victoria Pde. bound for East Brunswick. Photo not dated. Bus did not enter service until 1950. .6 - Bus No 500 1943 Ford Austerity - Marine Pde. Point Ormond. Note the Pram bus sign by the front door. .7 - Bus No 19 1938 Leyland Cub (diesel) with Preston Workshops body. - Lonsdale Street at William Street. W2 No 305 passes behind the bus. Late 1940's photo. .8 - Bus No 143 1940 Leyland TS8c drop enter - in Russell Street at LaTrobe Street bound for North Kew. (Belford Road via Collingwood). Photo not dated. .9 - Bus No 9 1938 Leyland Cub (diesel) with Preston Workshops body. - in Russell Street at LaTrobe Street bound for North Carlton .10 - Bus No 4 1938 Leyland Cub (Diesel) with Preston Workshops body - in Lonsdale Street at William Street. note destination not reset for the return trip. .11 - Bus No 150 1940 Leyland TS11c Drop enter - Nicholson Street at Victoria Pde. Photo not dated. Most of the photos dated 9/6/1949 unless noted otherwise. Notes on photos provided by Rod Atkins - see htd5860doc.pdfOn rear of the photos in ink; .1 - MMTB 203 9/6/49 - K Flood .2 - MMTB 201 - 9/6/49 - K Flood .3 - MMTB Ford #492 - K Flood .4 - MMTB #365 - K Flood .5 - MMTB #325 - K Flood .6 - MMTB #500 Pt Ormond 6/6/49 - K Flood .7 - MMTB #19 9/6/49 - K Flood .8 - MMTB #143 - K Flood .9 - MMTB #4 9/6/49, K Flood .10 - MMTB #4 9/6/49, K Flood .11 - MMTB #150 - K Floodtrams, tramways, buses, double deck buses, prams, mmtb buses, austerity buses, w2 class, tram 305, bus 203, bus 201, bus 492, bus 365, bus 500, bus 19, bus 143, bus 9, bus 4, bus 150, leyland, ford motor company, td5c class, ops1 class, ops4 class, ts8c class, cub class, ts11c class

The badge was printed to raise funds for the returned soldiers and sold for Remembrance Day April25 1919. The badge was printed by A W Patrick & Co. Arthur William Patrick (1864-1954) A small Celluloid Badge printed to raise funds on Remembrance Day 25 April 1919 for the retuned soldiers.Front Lest we Forget April 25 1919, New Guinea - North Sea - Mesopotamia - Egypt - France - Gallipoli - Palestine. Reverse side: Remembrance Day1919. A W Patrick, Button and Badge Maker, 440 Rae Street North Fitzroy. Printed by A W Patrick & Co, 118 Lonsdale Street, Melbourneworld war one, conflicts, fundraising, badge, button, pin, a w patrick, remembrance day

various 1893 company letterhead receipts2403.86 (A to G) Abbott Collection: Jan to Jun 1893: records and receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott & Co. from a wide range of generally Melbourne based companies 2043.86A 40 records held by J.H. Abbott & Co. Jan to Jun 1893: for purchases (or sales) 2403.86B 10 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott & Co. from Thomas P. Power, Saddlers, Ironmongers & Manufacturers398-400 Little Bourke St Melbourne 2403.86C 10 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott from The India Rubber, Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Co. 106 Cannon St London 2403.86D 4 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott & Co. from Cashel, Baxter & Co., 508 Collins Str Melbourne 2403.86E 7 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott from Ullathorne & Co., 269 Lonsdale St Melbourne 2403.86F 5 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott from Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co, Tanners, Curriers & Leather Merchants, Importers of Grindery, 382-384 Lonsdale St Melbourne 2403.86G 14 receipts for purchases by J.H. Abbott from a variety of companies: Nobel's Hamburg Dynamite Co. Ltd. - gelignite Thomas Mitchell, Paint & General Brush Manufacturers357 Lonsdale St Melbourne R.M. Watson & Co. 345 Flinders Lane Melbourne; Paper Makers, Agents, Stationers and Importers (two receipts) Wm Dodgshun & Sons, 258 &260 Flinders Lane, East Melbourne; Importers & Warehousemen (two receipts) The New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency Company Limited, Collins Street West, Melbourne; Melbourne Wool & Grain Warehouses Walter H. Carwardine, Bendigo Soap, Soda Crystal & candle Works, near the Municipal Cattle Yards J. Kitchen & Sons & Apollo Company; 326 Flinders Lane, Melbourne J. Kennon & Sons, Tanners, Curriers & Leather Merchants; Tannery, River St., near Hawthorn Bridge Innes - Noad V. Halfden (!!!), Tea Merchants & Importers; 201 1to 205 William Street, Melbourne The Indian Company, Lubricating Oil Merchants; Normanby Road, South Melbourne; 375 Flinders Lane, corner Queen Street, Melbourne A. Spooner Manufacturer of Improved Harness Composition, Improved Black Oil, Harness Liquid, Waterproof Harness Blacking, saddle Soap, Boot Top Powder (all colours), Polishing Cream, Breeches Paste, Universal Cream and Embrocations. Australian Asbestos Mfg Co. 266 Flinders St Easttrade company purchases 1893

The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village