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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Clock Parts, Bef. 01-06-1878
The clock parts were discovered in 1980 by Julie Wilkins, a Victorian scuba diver who had already experienced more than 500 dives in Australia and overseas. She was holidaying in Peterborough, Victoria, and looking forward to discovering more about the famous Loch Ard ship, wrecked in June 1878 at Mutton Bird Island. The fast Glasgow-built clipper ship was only five years old when the tragedy occurred. There were 54 people on board the vessel and only two survived Julie's holiday photograph of Boat Bay reminds her of her most memorable dive. Submerged in the calm, flat sea, she was carefully scanning around the remains of the old wreck when, to her amazement, a gold coin and a small gold cross suddenly came up towards her. She excitedly cupped them in her hands and then stowed the treasures safely in her wetsuit and continued her dive. She soon discovered a group of brass carriage clock parts and some bottles of champagne. It was a day full of surprises. The items were easily recognisable, without any build-up of encrustations or concretion. Julie secretly enjoyed her treasures for twenty-four years then packed them up for the early morning train trip to Warrnambool. After a short walk to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village, her photograph was taken as she handed over her precious find. She told her story to a local newspaper reporter, lunched a café in town then took the late afternoon train home. Her generous donation is now part of a vast collection of Loch Ard shipwreck artefacts, including the gold watch and the Minton Majolica model peacock. This group of brass clockwork parts is incomplete. The pieces were in the ocean for over 100 years before Julie recovered them from the Loch Ard wreck. Their size would suit the works of a carriage clock, with a mainspring and weight to power the clock movement, a pendulum to measure the clock's speed, arbours, posts, pillars and at least one other plate. They would have been mounted inside a protective case with a small door to easily access the clock face for setting the time and accessing the key's winding hole. The clock cases were usually made from decorative gilt brass with a glass front and a carrying handle. The parts include a weighted second hand with a decorative four-pronged finish at one end, a rounded weight at the other, and a hole for attaching it to the clock face. The gear teeth profiles are ‘cycloidal’, an arch shape with vertical sides, which is common for antique clocks. Modern clockworks have ‘involute’ teeth with sloping sides and a squared-off top. The brass carriage clock parts are an example of a mechanical clock produced in the 1870s. The clock's design is a part of the chain of technological improvements in methods for timekeeping. Its cycloidal gear teeth were the forerunner of the more modern involute gears. The group of clock parts includes a weighted hand or arm for signifying the seconds. This feature was uncommon in portable Victorian-era clocks. The clock parts are also significant for their association with the ill-fated sailing ship Loch Ard, wrecked in 1878. The travelling clock or officer’s clock may have been part of the cargo destined for the 1880 Melbourne Exhibition, or the personal possession of one of the people on board the vessel. Brass clockwork parts from a mechanical clock, sixteen pieces. Parts comprise a plate, large gears or wheels, small pinions or wheels with fine teeth, wheels with cogs, and a weighted second hand. The parts were from a carriage clock ca. 1878. They were recovered from the wreck of the sailing ship Loch Ard.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, loch ard, wreck of the loch ard, 1878, mutton bird island, peterborough, scuba diver, 1980s, shipwreck artefact, relic, clock, mechanical, clock parts, time, timekeeper, horology, chronometry, cogs, time keeping device, scientific instrument, chronometer, john harrison, longitude, carriage clock, coach clock, portable clock, travelling clock, travel clock, traveller’s clock, officer’s clock, weighted second hand, victorian era, cycloidal gear teeth, brass clock, julie wilkins -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Currency - Guinea Coin, The Royal Mint, 1793 George III Spade Guinea, 1793
The coin was discovered by Julie Wilkins, a Victorian scuba diver who had already experienced more than 500 dives in Australia and overseas. She was holidaying in Peterborough, Victoria, and looking forward to discovering more about the famous Loch Ard ship, wrecked in June 1878 at Mutton Bird Island. The fast Glasgow-built clipper ship was only five years old when the tragedy occurred. There were 54 people on board the vessel and only two survived Julie's holiday photograph of Boat Bay reminds her of her most memorable dive. Submerged in the calm, flat sea, she was carefully scanning around the remains of the old wreck when, to her amazement, a gold coin and a small gold cross suddenly came up towards her. She excitedly cupped them in her hands, then stowed the treasures safely in her wetsuit and continued her dive. She soon discovered a group of brass carriage clock parts and some bottles of champagne. It was a day full of surprises. The items were easily recognisable, without any build-up of encrustations or concretion. Julie secretly enjoyed her treasures for twenty-four years then packed them up for the early morning train trip to Warrnambool. After a short walk to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village, her photograph was taken as she handed over her precious find. She told her story to a local newspaper reporter, lunched a café in town then took the late afternoon train home. Her generous donation is now part of a vast collection of Loch Ard shipwreck artefacts, including the gold watch and the Minton Majolica model peacock. The coin is a British 1793 George III Gold Spade Guinea. It was already 83 years old when the Loch Ard had set sail. The loop and ring have been added, perhaps as a pendant, pocket watch accessory or similar purpose. It may have been worn for ‘good luck’ on the long journey to Australia, where ships had to carefully navigate the treacherous Bass’s Strait before arriving at their destination of Melbourne. Sadly, many met their fate on that short stretch of ocean aptly named the Shipwreck Coast. The coin is very recognisable even though it was exposed to the wrecking of the ship, its consequent movement, and the sea's turbulence. Its bent, scratched, buckled, split, dinted and worn condition is part of its story. The red-brown-black discolouration is similar to that found on other gold coins, sometimes called the ‘corrosion phenomena’. Studies suggest the possible cause is contaminants in the minting process reacting to the coins’ environment. The GEORGE III GOLD SPADE GUINEA: - The British Guinea was introduced in 1663 and was circulated until 1814. It was made of 22 carat gold, was 25 to 26 cm in diameter and weighed 8.35 grams. It had a value of 21 British shillings. The guinea coin ceased circulation after 1816 and was replaced by the one-pound note. However, the term ‘guinea’ continued to represent 21 shillings. King George (1738-1820) had six gold guinea designs minted during his reign from 1760 and 1820. Each of the six had different obverse portraits, all facing the right. There were three different reverse sides. The Spade Guinea was the fifth issue of the coin, introduced in 1787 and produced until 1799. The reverse shows a royal crown over a flat-topped shield with the Royal Arms of Great Britain, used in Scotland between 1714 and 1800. The shield images are, from left to right, top to bottom, the Arms of England and Scotland, the Arms of France, the Arms of Ireland, and the Arms of the House of Hanover. The Gold Guinea is also part of Australia’s history. It was the first coin mentioned in the announcement of Governor King of New South Wales his Australian Proclamation of a limited variety and denomination of coins accepted for use in the Australian Colony. The historic and decorative George III Spade Guinea has been reproduced for special collections of coins. However, replicas and imitations have also been made as souvenirs for tourists, as gaming tokens and chips for gamblers, and as ‘fake’ coins for profit. These coins differ in many ways; they may be only half the weight of the genuine coin. Often have a small stamp on the obverse with “COPY” or the manufacturer’s name or initials. Some have scalloped edges, some have dates that are different to the original dates of issue, and some even have text in Latin that translates as something very different to the original coin.The King George III Guinea was only produced from 1663 to 1814 and was the first English coin to be mechanically minted. The coin is the fifth edition of the King George III Guinea, the Spade Guinea, was only produced between 1787 and 1799. It is the only edition with this portrait of King George and the only one with the Royal Coat of Arms of Great Britain in Scotland on the reverse side. This edition was also the last guinea in circulation, because the sixth edition was reserved as the Military guinea. This edition of the Guinea is unique; This coin is the only guinea in our collection. It was minted in 1793, so it is now over 230 years old. The Gold Guinea is part of Australia’s history; it was the first coin in the list of coins for use in the Australian Colonies, mentioned by Governor King of New South Wales in his Australian Proclamation speech of 1800. The George III Spade Guinea was included in the Limited Edition Sherwood 12 Coin Collection of Notable Coinage of Australia. This coin is the only known guinea coin recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. It was already 85 years old when the ship was wrecked.Gold coin; British. 1793, King George III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1760-1820), Spade Guinea. Yellow gold coin with gold metal loop mount and a gold ring through the loop. The design is the fifth issue of the George III Gold Guinea. The obverse relief is a portrait of George III facing right. Reverse relief is a crown above the Coats of Arms (1801-1816) of flat top spade-shaped shield divided into four quadrants that depict crowned lions, fleur de lies, a harp. These images are identified as, from left to right, top to bottom, England and Scotland, France, Ireland and Hanover. Inscriptions are minted around the rims of each side. The coin is dated 1793. Its surface has dark areas on both sides and the reed edge and surfaces are well worn. The loop mount is bent and the ring is buckled. The coin was recovered from the wreck of the ship Loch Ard.Obverse text; 'GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA' (translates to George the Third, by the Grace of God) Obverse relief; (King George III bust, facing right, laurel wreath on head) Reverse text; 'M.B.E.ET.H.REX.F. D.B.ET.L.D. S.R.I.A.T.ET.E' '1793' (translates to: King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire) Reverse relief; a spade-shaped image i.e. (Crown with fleer de lies, above Shield with crowned lions in different postures, a harp, and other details)flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, royal mint, british coin, currency, guinea, military guinea, australian currency, british guinea, gold coin, spade guinea, king george iii, george iii, fifth portrait, arms of england and scotland, arms of france, arms of ireland, arms of the house of hanover, coins, gold coins, gold medallion, georgian era, 1793, numismatics, contamination phenomena, gold corrosion, good luck, lucky charm, pendant, lucky coin, trade, loch ard, wreck of the loch ard, 1878, mutton bird island, peterborough, scuba diver, 1980s, guinea coin, gold guinea, shipwreck artefact, relic, julie wilkins -
Tarnagulla History Archive
Photograph of the Magnum Bonum Gold Nugget, discovered 1889
... Photograph of the Magnum Bonum Gold Nugget, discovered 1889. ... -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MINING REPORTS - REPORT ON DISCOVERER OF BENDIGO GOLDFIELD
Faded, printed copy of an inquiry into and report upon the claims of Henry Frenchham, of Richmond, as discoverer of the Bendigo Goldfield. Twelve other people had also put forward their claim. The other claimants are: Frederick Fenton, Mrs. Margaret Kennedy, Patrick Peter Farrell, William Henry Johnson, Edward Pepperell?, Henry ?, William ?ndbach on behalf of William Johnson, Williameward, Robert Francis Walker, David Dunlop, John Paton on behalf of William Steward and the widow of Christian Asquith, and Mrs. ? ? Date at the bottom of page 23rd October 1890. Next page, dated Wednesday, 20th August, 1890 is very faded. At the bottom of the page is the Approximate Cost of Report, which adds up to £124-17-6. Mauve Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch stamped on the back.document, gold, mining reports, mining reports, report on discoverer of bendigo goldfield, frederick fenton, mrs. margaret kennedy, patrick peter farrell, william henry johnson, edward pepperell?, henry ?, william ?ndbach on behalf of william johnson, williameward, robert francis walker, david dunlop, john paton on behalf of william steward and the widow of christian asquith, and mrs. ? ?, royal historical society of victoria, bendigo branch -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Book, Julius Grant (1869-1950) Nature's Gentleman and Good Friend to Warrandyte
Bound compilation of notes about Julius Grant, Park Orchards orchardist, and his involvement with the Warrandyte community, Shire of Doncaster and Templestowe as Councillor, and participant in a Cairn Committee for erection of memorial at Anderson's Creek in Warrandyte marking Louis J. Michel and party rewarded by Government as discoverers of first goldfield in Victoria. Also includes substantial coverage of Grant's theatrical involvement, Australian films, and Adam Lindsay Gordon Memorial Committee. "An Old Stager remembered for much more than just the Louis Michel Gold Memorial Cairn." -
Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - Photograph - Black and White, Sutton Spring, Daylesford
Emerging from the base of Wombat Creek Sutton Spring has two mineral water pumps. The spring is named after the Sutton brothers of Cornwell, who discovered it while looking for alluvial gold along Wombat Creek in the 1850s. By 1900, a trench had been dug to expose the spring, and a pipe had been driven through the spring eye. Sandstone rockwork encircled the trench. On 27 February 1907 the Sutton Mineral Spring Reserve was gazetted. By that time the trench had been enlarged and rendered, and a lean-to shelter had been built over the approach track. In 1927 Wombat Creek was rerouted allowing the land around the spring to be cleared and pipework repaired. Five bores were dug in 1929 and equipped with hand pumps. The bores were all shallower than 9.7 m. An attempt was made to replace one of these bores with a new bore, however it was not possible due to ground instability. These two bores are the oldest of all the mineral springs open to the public. Also in 1929 Council contemplated encouraging private enterprise to establish a ‘hydrobath’ similar to those in Europe, after mineral water had been discovered flowing from several other vents in sandstone and slate strata below the typical level of the creek. However, the option was not enacted although at the time to capture the flow another bore to a depth of 15m was sunk. In 1936 architect P. Scott Williams adopted a similar notion and examined the prospect of establishing a Hydropathic establishment above Sutton Springs, assuming a reliable mineral water supply could be found. That idea also lapsed. In October 1997 the Sutton Spring trench was restored to enable the public to again take mineral water at the spring. The restoration included clearing the sides of the creek and removing willow root growth. In 2002 a major overhaul of the trench and its underground works was undertaken and all plumbing replaced. This involved re-routing the creek through sandbagging, covering the spring eye with geofabric and then concrete. Unfortunately due to ongoing water quality issues, public access to take water from the trench was closed, however the trench can still be viewed.A mineral water spring at Daylesford is surrounded by a drystone wall. mineral water, sutton spring, daylesford, central springs, p. scott williams -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Leisure object - Tobacco Pipe, Early 20th century
People in ancient civilisations smoked pipes during various healing and religious ceremonies. By the end of the 15th century, after tobacco was discovered in America, smoking had become a common pastime for everyday people. From that time, tobacco pipes were fashioned from many materials ranging from gold and silver to corn cobs and clay. A popular material was meerschaum, an expensive, soft, white stone from Turkey. In the 1820s, French craftsmen carved pipes out of the wood from the growth on the root of a Mediterranean White Heath. This material became increasingly popular due to its durable, heat-resistant qualities. The growth was called ‘bruyere’, now anglicised to ‘briar’ wood. Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed by Leo Baekeland of New York in 1907. The material was heat-resistant and could be moulded into any shape and hardened to keep its shape. This invention greatly impacted the industrial world and the products available to the domestic market, making more objects available at reduced cost.This smoker's tobacco pipe symbolises one of the leisure activities of the early 20th century that has continued into modern times. The shape and materials of the pipe represent a point in time in the evolution of tobacco pipes, including the revolutionary impact that the 1900s invention of Bakelite had on objects available in the domestic and industrial markets.Smoker's tobacco pipe; a round brown wooden pipe bowl joined to a dark brown mouthpiece. The French pipe's bowl is made from briar wood, and its mouthpiece is Bakelite. There is an inscription on the pipe."French Briar Pipe"warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, smoker's pipe, tobacco pipe, briar wood pipe, wooden pipe, smoking, french pipe, bakelite, smoker's equipment -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Geological specimen - Arsenopyrite
Arsenopyrite is one of the most common arsenic sulfide minerals, alongside orpiment and realgar. In its purest form, it becomes toxic as a result of a 46.0% arsenic makeup. Arsenopyrite occurs naturally in sulfide-bearing mineral deposits and is commonly found alongside gold deposits. This specimen was discovered in Maldon, Victoria, in the Maldon gold field. This mine is an important gold producer which was first mined in 1857. Between this initial date and 1926, 58 tonnes of gold was produced. The town of Maldon was designated Australia's first notable town, and has maintained its 19th-century appearance since the says of the gold rush. This mineral makes up a small part of the large amounts of minerals which has been excavated from the Maldon gold mines. The Maldon Goldfield alone has produced an excess of 1.7 million ounces of Australia's highest grade gold. This mineral represents not only the richness of the area, but also the significant impacts the gold rush had on the town.A solid iron arsenic sulfide mineral with shades of white, grey and blackburke museum, mineral, arsenopyrite, victoria, maldon, maldon victoria