This certificate is an invitation to the Evening Reception in Melbourne in 1901, an event which was part of the celebrations in Melbourne to commemorate the Federation of the six colonies into the six States of Australia in January 1901. The certificate was sent to the invitees after the event as a souvenir of the occasion. The certificate was designed by the artists Julian and Howard Ashton and lithographed and issued by Sands and McDougall Limited of Melbourne. This particular certificate was sent to George Rolfe and his wife Annie. George Rolfe (1836-1919), a tea merchant from Melbourne, began buying blocks of land near the mouth of the Hopkins River in the 1870s. By the early 1880s he had acquired 50 acres of land in the town and several nearby farming properties. He used the buildings on the land at the mouth of the River Hopkins as holiday accommodation and called this property Lyndoch. Rolfe improved this property adding stables, jetty, boathouse, bone and chaff sheds, reservoir and windmill and extensive gardens. Rolfe spent most of his later life at Lyndoch. Today the property is the site of an Aged Care Facility. This certificate is of considerable importance for two reasons: 1. It is an attractive and valuable memento of a signal event in Australia’s history – the Federation of the States in 1901. 2. The certificate was an invitation to Mr and Mrs George Rolfe. Rolfe was a prominent person in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is a multi-coloured certificate mounted on a piece of grey cardboard. The certificate is highly embossed and has a figure of Britannia in a red dress and a mailed vest holding a shield with the Union Jack emblem. Britannia is extending her hand to a figure of a younger woman representing Australia. This figure is dressed in blue and holds a shield which has a blue cross with white stars. The borders have vines and vine leaves and the Royal Crest is at the base of the certificate. The names of the invitees are handwritten in black ink. ‘In Celebration of the Opening of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, To Meet Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, His Majesty’s Ministers of State for Australia have the honor to invite Mr & Mrs G. Rolfe to an Evening Reception at the Exhibition Building, Melbourne on the 9th of May 1901, at 8 0’clock’. george rolfe of lyndoch, warrnambool, federation of australia, history of warrnambool, george rolfe

This clock was over the door of the shop of Sambell’s pharmacy at 90 Fairy Street. John Sambell opened the Hall of Pharmacy in Fairy Street, Warrnambool about 1890. He was a chemist and dentist with previous experience in Great Britain and Victoria. His shop had been conducted by Edward Griffiths in the 1880s. By 1919 John Sambell’s son, Herbert, had joined the business, trading as Sambell and Son, though John Sambell had died in 1906. This shop was located at 151 Fairy Street. The Sambells then built new shops on the north eastern corner of Koroit and Fairy Streets and occupied the corner position. In the late 1930s the Sambell business moved to 90 Fairy Street and the business was known as Sambell, Son and Granddaughter. Herbert Sambell died in 1943. This Sambell clock had previously been at the shops of Brocks and Mainlands, both jewellers. This clock is of considerable importance as it was connected to the pharmacy business of the Sambell family, a business that was prominent in Warrnambool for many years. It is an example of the 19th and early 20th centuries practice of placing a large clock outside a business. This is a large oval clock with a gilded wooden frame and a metal face. The hour and second hands and the Roman figures are made of metal. The clock is designed to be placed on a wall or frame of some sort and to be used outside on a shop or other commercial building. The outside frame is somewhat dented.sambell pharmacy, warrnambool

This little slate notebook was given by Webb Brothers to their customers as an advertising tool. The Webb Brothers Company a large manufacturing firm in Lava Street, Warrnambool, making windmills, dairying utensils, steam boilers, and oil engines. They were also engineers, brassfounders and wholesale tinsmiths and plumbers. Motor car work became a speciality in the 1920s. In 1921 they opened a branch of their business in Melbourne (Bayswater) and the name of the firm became Presha Engineering Company. This notebook is of some interest as it was provided by Webb Brothers, an important company in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also an example of the advertising techniques used by business houses at that time and an interesting example of the use of a slate pencil and slate pages as a recording mechanism.This is a brown leather notebook with three pages of slate material making eight spaces for recording notes. Notes recorded in slate can be rubbed out and the space used again. The slate pencil container is on the side of the notebook but the pencil is missing. The cover is mottled with creamy-yellow lines. The pages are edged in red and there is scribble on some pages. Front page of notebook: ‘Before purchasing talk to Webb Bros. & Co., Windmill Makers, Engineers, Ironworkers etc. Lava Street, Warrnambool ‘Phone 27, Made in Germany’ Scribble on first page ‘Wanted known’ webb brothers, warrnambool, brassfounders

This notebook was produced for the business of Cramond and Stark of Toowoomba. John Cramond and James Dickson established a drapery, clothing and general store in Warrnambool in 1855 and this business was a dominant one in Warrnambool until its closure in 1973. A relative of John Cramond opened the drapery store of Cramond and Stark in Toowoomba, Queensland later in the 19th century and this was also a large and long-running business.This notebook is of some interest as it is connected to a business in Queensland which had its origins in Warrnambool as one of the founding partners of this business came from Warrnambool (Cramond). It is also of interest as an example of the rather elaborate advertising ploys used in the early 20th century times – the metal notebook would have been rather expensive to produce and would probably have been given away to regular customers. This is a notebook with a pad of white paper and a cardboard backing attached to a metal container. There are a silver-coloured metal back and a metal front with a hinged lid and a 1911 calendar on the back of the lid. The inscription on the front is set in an embossed edging with a circular pattern in the middle of the lid. Front of lid: ‘Notes, Cramond & Stark for Drapery Hosiery & Gloves, Clothing, Mercery & Hats, Ruthven Street, Toowoomba’cramond & dickson, cramond & stark, warrnambool

This 1891 document contains the information on the Will and Probate of John Gould, an engineer from Russells Creek. No information has been found on John Gould except that he died in October 1890 at the age of 67. The solicitor, William Ardlie was a well-known Warrnambool lawyer, commencing a practice in 1865 and continuing well into the 20th century making him at the time one of the longest-serving lawyers in the British Empire. Tait collection: item 10 of 62This document is of interest in that it includes information on a resident of Russells Creek in the Warrnambool area, and also the lawyer concerned is William Ardlie, one of the best-known identities in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.This is an 1891 piece of parchment folded in half to give four pages of written material. This material is handwritten in black ink. A seal of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria is attached with a green ribbon. The document is somewhat discoloured. ‘In the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria in the probate jurisdiction in the Will of John Gould, late of Russells Creek near Warrnambool in the Colony of Victoria, Engineer, deceased, Probate. I certify that there is no duty payable. J. F. Poole, Officer under Section 96, Act 1060, June 23rd 1891. Extracted by William Ardlie, Solicitor, Warrnambool’. john gould, william ardlie, warrnambool

Tait collection: item 23 of 62 This paper contains details of the Will and Probate papers of John Joseph Flahavin who died in December 1902. He was a farmer at Kirkstall but no further details on him have been found. He left real estate to the value of £100 and personal estate to the value of £5 to his wife Margaret Flahavin. She died in the June of the following year before her husband’s will had been finalized. The lawyer in the case, Ernest Chambers, had legal offices in Warrnambool. Port Fairy and Koroit at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This document in his possession passed to successive lawyers occupying the legal premises in Kepler Street and were located there in 2014 and passed on to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This document is of some interest as it concerns a Kirkstall resident in the early 1900s. It will be useful to researchers.This is a cream-coloured piece of parchment paper folded in two (1903). It has handwritten material on three sides of the paper. There is a seal of the Supreme Court of Victoria attached with a green ribbon and there are three purple stamps of the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court. The paper is somewhat stained and the writing is faded but legible. In the Supreme Court of Victoria; Probate Jurisdiction; In the Will of John Joseph Flahavin late of Kirkstall in the State of Victoria Farmer deceasedjohn flahavin, ernest chambers, warrnambool, kirkstall, tait collection

Tait collection: item 27 of 62 This document contains details on the will and probate of Sarah Fry who died in Warrnambool in March 1905 at the age of 47. She was the daughter of Edmund and Jane Lord and came to Australia with her parents and some of her siblings aboard the Electric in 1869. In 1888 she married Francis Joseph Fry, a Warrnambool plasterer. Sarah Fry left real estate to the value of £450 and personal estate to the value of £202. The beneficiaries of her will were her husband, Francis and her three children, Sarah, James and Doris. The lawyer Ernest Chambers had offices in Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. He had this document in his possession and it was passed down to successive lawyers occupying the legal premises in Kepler Street where it was located in 2014 and handed over to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This document is of interest as it contains information on the will and probate of Sarah Fry, a resident of Warnambool in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It will be useful for researchers.This is a 1906 cream-coloured parchment sheet folded in two with handwritten material on three sides. Three of the pages are ruled with black ink. There is a seal of the Supreme Court of Victoria attached with a blue ribbon and a red stamp of the Master-in-Equity of the Supreme Court. The document includes the will and probate details of Sarah Fry, a married woman from Warrnambool. All the pages are somewhat stained but one page is very grubby. In the Supreme Court of Victoria; In the Probate Jurisdiction; In the Will of Sarah Fry late of Warrnambool in the State of Victoria Married Woman deceased.ernest chambers, sarah fry, warrnambool, tait collection

Tait collection: item 25 of 62 This document contains details on the will and probate of Joseph Kelson, a farmer from Kirkstall who died in April 1906. He was a contractor who died at the age of 46 leaving a widow, Margaret (nee Flahavin) and eight children. The two oldest boys took over the contracting business and Joseph’s brother, David, supported the family during their time of need. Joseph Kelson left personal estate to the value of £460 with the chief beneficiary being his widow Margaret. Ernest Chambers, the lawyer who drew up this document had a legal practice in Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. He had possession of this document and it passed down to successive lawyers who occupied the Kepler Street legal premises and it was located in this building in 2014 and passed on to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This document is of interest as it gives details of the will and probate of Joseph Kelson who lived in the Warrnambool area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It will be useful to researchers. This is 1906 cream-coloured piece of parchment folded in two with handwritten material on three sides. It contains the will and probate details of Joseph Kelson, a farmer from Kirkstall, Victoria. There is a seal of the Supreme Court of Victoria and four red stamps of the Master in Equity of the Supreme Court. The material is written in black ink. In the Supreme Court of Victoria; In the Probate Jurisdiction; In the Will of John James Kelson late of Kirkstall in the State of Victoria Contractor deceasedernest chambers, joseph kelson, kirkstall, tait collection

These are three volumes of Peloubet’s Select Notes. The book contents are described as ‘Inductive, Suggestive, Explanatory, Illustrative, Doctrinal and Practical’. The books were issued as curriculum material for Sunday Schools and were first published in the mid 1870s and continued to be published for the next 100 years. These three volumes belonged to M. P. McMeekin and this is presumed to be Margaret Parker McMeekin (1868-1948), the daughter of John McMeekin and Isabella Parker of Warrnambool. John McMeekin was the Rate Collector and Inspector and then the Valuer for the Warrnambool Shire in the 1860s, 70s and 80s. Two sons, William and James, operated a produce export business in Kepler Street under the name of McMeekin Brothers and another son, Charles was an auctioneer in Warrnambool. It is surmised that Margaret McMeekin was a Sunday School teacher either in Warrnambool or Port Fairy. These books are of interest as examples of what was taught in Sunday Schools in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are also of interest because they belonged to Margaret McMeekin, a member of a prominent family in Warrnambool at that time. These are three books of a religious nature written by F. and M. Peloubet and published in 1895, 1898 and 1904. .1 A hard cover book of 346 pages with a greenish brown cover and gold lettering on the spine. Two blue stamps of the Warrnmbool & District Historical Society and a handwritten name are on the first page .2 A hard cover book of 344 pages with a brown cover and gold lettering on the spine. Two blue stamps of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society are on the first and last page. The cover has worn edges. .3 A hard cover book of 358 pages with a greenish brown cover and gold lettering on the spine. There are two blue stamps of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society on the first and last page. There is a black and white full page plate at the beginning of the book and this is protected by a piece of tissue. ‘M.P. McMeekin, Port Fairy’ (1895 volume) sunday schools, margaret mcmeekin, warrnambool history

These saucers are part of a crockery set that belonged to George Rolfe and his family. George Rolfe (1836-1919) was a tea merchant in Melbourne who bought land at the mouth of the Hopkins River in Warrnambool in the 1880s. He had adjoining land and the properties of ‘Shipley’ and ‘Fairy Hill’ and developed ‘Lyndoch’, adding stables, jetty, boat house, windmill and reservoir, chaff and bone sheds and an extensive garden. In 1891 he married Annie Lake and it was his stepdaughter, Florence Lake who built the ‘Lyndoch’ house still standing today. ‘Lyndoch’ today is now the site of an Aged Care Facility. This item is part of the Rolfe Dinnerset as described on Victorian Collections at VC001420 and VC001422.These saucers, part of a crockery set, are kept because they belonged to George Rolfe, a prominent property owner and farmer in Warrnambool in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The items, dating from 1864, have social significance showing the type of crockery used by a more affluent family in the 19th century. These are six circular china saucers with a gold rim and ornamentation in a scallop design in gold and teal around the rim and the outer edges. The base of the saucers has a gold rim. One of the saucers has a chip on the edge and four show significant wearing of the inner gold circle. Some of the outside gold edging also shows wear. The maker’s marks and name are indented on the bottom of the saucers ‘Minton’ lyndoch, warrnambool, rolfe and co., george rolfe, history of warrnambool, florence lake

These dishes were part of a crockery set used in the George Rolfe household at Lyndoch, Warrnambool. George Rolfe (1836-1919) was a Melbourne tea merchant who acquired land at the mouth of the Hopkins River in Warrnambool from the 1880s on as a holiday home. He developed the property over the years, adding a windmill and reservoir, bone and chaff sheds, a stable, jetty and boathouse and an extensive garden. In 1891 he married Mrs Annie Lake and it was his stepdaughter, Florence Lake who built the house, Lyndoch in the 1920s. This building today forms part of an Aged Care Facility. This item is part of the larger Rolfe dinner set as described on Victorian Collections at VC001421 and VC001422These cups are part of a crockery set, and are kept because they belonged to George Rolfe, a prominent property owner and farmer in Warrnambool in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The items, dating from 1864, have social significance showing the type of crockery used by a more affluent family in the 19th century.Four small white cups decorated with aqua band around the top of each cup . A scalloped pattern of dots are suspended from the solid band which is decorated with a row of gold dots. There is a gold rim at the base of the cup.Mintonrolfe, lyndoch, warrnambool, minton cups, mrs annie lake

This book is one of the series of Royal Readers (Scotland) introduced into schools in Victoria in 1877 to replace the Irish Readers. They were in use until the 1920s and at first contained mostly British material (as does this copy which has no Australian content and features many articles on animals). By the late 19th century the Royal Readers used in Victoria contained some Australian material and it is presumed that this copy is an early edition. The Bonnett families were associated with farming in the Mepunga area and Jessie Edith Bonnett, the daughter of Frederick Bonnett and Charity Bonnett (nee Phillips) was born in Allansford in 1897. Jessie Bonnett spent her life on the family farm at Mepunga and was the last of the Bonnett families in that area. Mepunga East State School was established in 1886 with Ruth Broadway as the first Head Teacher. It has now closed. This book, though tattered, is of interest as an example of the Royal Readers used by pupils in Victorian schools in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also important as a book belonging to Jessie Bonnett, a member of the Bonnett family of farmers in the Mepunga area. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society holds in its collection some other items that belonged to Jessie Bonnett, including an important World War One scrapbookThis is a hard cover book of 186 pages. The cover was originally a dark blue-green colour but it is much faded and is now almost detached from the binding. The spine and several pages at the beginning and the end are missing. The text contains many black and white illustrations and some have been coloured in. Some of the pages are torn and stained. There is much scribble on the front and back covers. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink.‘Jessie Edith Bonnett, Mepunga East State School No. 2762’ jessie bonnett, mepunga east state school

This is a reader produced for schools in Victoria in 1909. It contains many simple fables and stories and some phonetic instruction at the beginning of the short articles. It has no specific Australian content. The inscription includes the name ‘Stanley Bell’. There were several Bell families in the Wangoom area early in the 20th century, including one teacher associated with the Wangoom State School. Stanley Bell may have belonged to one of these families. Walter Davies had a book shop in Timor Street, Warrnambool from the late 19th century and three generations of the Davies family were proprietors of this shop over the years. This book is of educational and social interest as an example of the readers used by primary school children in the early 20th century. This is a soft cover book of 80 pages. The cover is brown with black printing. The pages are partly torn across and very tattered. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink and pencil and there is some scribble on the first pages. The text has many black and white illustrations. There is a blue stamp of Walter Davies, the Warrnambool bookseller, on the first page. ‘Stanley J. Bell, Warrumyea, Wangoom’ ‘Walter Davies, Bookseller, Warrnambool’ walter davies, stanley bell

This police baton or truncheon is typical of the ones used by police in Australia perhaps late in the 19th century or early in the 20th century. No information has yet been found as to the identity of the owner or the significance of the letters, ‘A P 1304’. There are several possibilities as the collection of the old Warrnambool Museum which operated from the 1870s to the 1960s included several police batons. The owner of this baton is not known but is retained pending further research.This is a wooden police baton. The rounded body is tapered towards the top and it has an incised ridge near the top and a knob on the top to form a handle. The ridge at the top may be for holding a string or rope to carry the baton on the wrist. The wood has been varnished but it is now much worn and discoloured. The letters have been etched into the surface.‘A P 1304’ history of warrnambool, police in warrnambool, police baton, police baton ap 1304

This book has been written by Alan Mickle and tells of his impressions of England in 1908, 1923 and 1938. The proceeds of the sale of the book went to the ‘Food For Britain’ drive, an appeal that operated throughout Australia during World War Two. Alan Mickle, the son of David and Clara, was related to an early 20th century Shire Engineer in the Camperdown area and to Thomas Mickle, a prominent landowner, hotel keeper and photographer in early Warrnambool. Alan Mickle died in 1969. M.E. Clarke, whose signature appears in the book, was a descendant of a local Clarke family which included Angus Henry Clarke (b. 1866) who married Maggie Brown and Angus’ brother, John Sanders Clarke (b.1870) who married Bessie McMahon of Warrnambool. Bessie’s father, William was a prominent 19th century lawyer in Warrnambool. The book was donated to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society by Aileen Hassell who was the daughter of John and Bessie Clarke. This book is significant because of its links to the ‘Food For Britain’ appeal which was active in Warrnambool during World War Two. Also the book is significant because of its links to the Clarke and Mickle families, resident in the Warrnambool district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries This is a soft cover book of 93 pages. The cover is buff-coloured with a fold-in flap at the ends of the cover to make the cover more sturdy. The lettering on the cover is in red and black calligraphy. The book has a Foreword by the Rt. Hon. R.G. Casey and includes several black and white photographs. The cover is a little scuffed and worn. The inscription is handwritten in blue ink.‘M.E.Clarke’ alan mickle, food for britain appeal, world war two, world war two in warrnambool, john and bessie clarke, aileen hassell

This is a first edition copy of the Victorian School Readers (Eighth Book) issued by the Education Department of Victoria. These readers were first published in 1928 and became standard texts for all school children up to Year Eight. They complemented the School Paper which had been published monthly for different year levels since the end of the 19th century. Both the Readers and the School Papers were in widespread use until the late 1940s and the early 1950s. William McCullagh and his wife Margaret had the property Oak Grove at Yangery at the end of the 19th century and in the early decades of the 20th century. Yangery is an agricultural area situated between Woodford and Koroit. There is a record of Silvie Jean McCullagh (parents – William and Margaret) born in 1914 and this is probably the person who owned and used this reader. This book is of interest not only because it is a first edition copy of one of the well-known Victorian School Readers but also because it was connected to the McCullagh family of Oak Grove, Yangery. This is a hard cover book of 260 pages. The cover was originally a burnished brown colour but the book has been covered with a mottled patterned cloth material (red, green and brown). The cover is partly torn off at the bottom of the spine. The book has poetry and prose extracts and includes many black and white sketches, maps, photographs and illustrations. The inscription and some other annotations throughout the book are handwritten in pencil. ‘Sylvia McCullagh, Oak Grove, Yangery, Dennington P. Office’ history of warrnambool, oak grove, yangery, mccullagh family, school readers

This is a book prize given to Bessie Mackay some time in the 1890s. Unfortunately neither the book nor the book plate has any date. Bessie Mackay is probably Marie Elizabeth Mackay, born to Thomas and Marie Mackay in 1883. Thomas Mackay was an auctioneer and commission agent in Warrnambool in the later decades of the 19th century. Ellerslie College was an important private school in Warrnambool and the building still stands (Koroit Street). It was a purpose-built school, initially for girls and it was erected in 1889 for Bella Davidson. Miss Davidson conducted this school until 1891 when it was taken over by William Lawson. He had had a school for boys and girls in King Street and when he moved his school to Ellerslie College he was employing three lady teachers as well as his male staff. It is not known whether Bessie Mackay was a pupil at Miss Davidson’s school or Lawson’s school or both. This book is of great interest as a memento of Ellerslie College, a well-known private school in Warrnambool in the late 19th century and early 20th century. At that time, most pupils in Warrnambool wishing to go on to higher education attended private schools. This is a hard cover book of 128 pages. The cover is dark green with an image of a bunch of flowers in silver, red and black colouring on the front cover and on the spine. The printing is in black lettering on the front cover and in silver colouring on the spine. The book has eight chapters with a full page colour sketch at the front of the book. The cover is slightly frayed and a little stained. The book plate has black printing on a white background and handwriting in black ink. ‘Ellerslie College, Warrnambool, Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus, Name. Miss Bessie Mackay, Class V, For Geography’. ellerslie college, warrnambool, history of warrnambool, bella davidson, william lawson, bessie mackay

Small souvenirs such as plates, cups, mugs, ash trays and jars, showing scenes and buildings in Warrnambool, were first produced in the late 19th century for all towns and cities in Australia and were popular in the early to mid 20th century. They are still produced for tourists today. The Historical Society has several of these souvenir dishes but this is the first souvenir egg cup we have seen. The image of Liebig Street is appropriate as this is the main street in Warrnambool. This souvenir egg cup has no great significance historically but it is representative of the type of souvenir sold to tourists and it is interesting because of its age (1940s). It will be useful for exhibitions.This is a white china egg cup with a coloured image of Liebig Street, WarrnamboolUnder the image – ‘Liebig Street, Warrnambool, Vic.’ On the base – ‘Royal Grafton Bone China, Made in England’ warrnambool, warrnambool souvenirs, liebig street

No information is available on this particular bottle. The hand-painted flowers may have been added by the owner after purchase. Painting on glass was very popular in the 1880s and 1890s. Perfume bottles were carried by ladies to use when the odours of the surrounds were objectionable or when they needed to freshen up on a journey. This bottle is of some interest as an example of the items carried by a woman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is useful for displayThis is a small glass perfume bottle with a rounded bottom and a silver-coloured metal stopper. The hinged stopper has a chain attached with a metal ring for attachment to a belt or purse. The top of the stopper has an ornate etching on it. There are hand-painted flowers on the side of the bottle (white, orange, green and blue)perfume bottle, warrnambool, 1880 perfume bottle

This croquet mallet belonged to Martha Beatrice McCullough (nee Barker), wife of George McCullough, who died in November 1931 at the age of 50. She lived at the house at 113 Koroit Street named ‘Heatherlie’ (the site of the current retirement residential units) and owned and managed the Silver Stream Café in Liebig Street. The mallet was used by her and may have been used by her mother before her. Croquet was a popular sport, especially for women after the 1880s. This is a significant item as it is an artefact associated with women’s sport in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It is also important as it belonged to a local Warrnambool resident and businesswoman whose granddaughter resides in Warrnambool today.This is a brown-coloured wooden croquet mallet. The handle has ribbed leather binding and the mallet has brass edging and brass on the under section attached with twelve brass screws. The handle is octagonal shaped. The lower section of the handle and the mallet have been varnished. On the mallet: ‘The Reel’croquet, warrnambool

These gramophone needles were manufactured by The Gramophone Company Limited for use in gramophones that had an arm in which to insert a needle to play an old shellac record. The Gramophone Company was an early recording company based in the United Kingdom and was the parent organization for the His Master’s Voice label of recording devices. The company was founded in 1897 and merged in 1931 with another company to form E.M.I. (Electric and Musical Industries) but the name The Gramophone Company continued in Britain until the 1970s. Gramophones were a popular household item from the late 19th century until the mid 20th century when more sophisticated recording and playing devices were invented. These gramophone needles is of some interest as an example of entertainment devices of the past. It will be useful for display. .1This is a metal box with a lid containing an image of a dog and a phonograph (‘His Master’s Voice’) painted in white and brown on a dark blue background. Inside the tin are about 150 metal gramophone needles, most of them being a little rusted. The needles are covered with a sheet of brown paper with yellow printing. The tin itself is rusted and the printing is discoloured. There is a paper sticker on the back of the box with an early catalogue number (almost obliterated). .2 Small rectangular plastic container with picture of white polar bear with blue background. It contains approximately 30 needles which have red ends and silver points. .3 small plastic bag with a number of needles..1 Front of box: ‘His Master’s Voice, Extra Loud Tone’ Back of box: Approximately 200 English gramophone needles manufactured by The Gramophone Company Limited, Sydney, Australia’. Inside: ‘Use each point once only’ (printed twice). .2 50 semi- permanent needles on front of box. On bottom Made in Germany. gramophone needles, warrnambool, e.m.i., electric and musical industries

This book subtitled, ‘A Story of the Amazing Ability and Fidelity of an Australian Black Tracker’, has been written in the late 1930s by Edward Daniel Oakley (1877-1962). He was the fourth child of Thomas and Eliza Oakley who had the farm, Oakbank, near the mouth of the Hopkins River, Warrnambool (Otway Road area today). Edward Oakley first worked at Saltau’s shipping office in Warrnambool then ran a dairy farm, Halifax, near Cudgee. He later had wheat farms in the Grampians area and at Willaura before returning to Warrnambool in 1923. He built a row of shops in Liebig Street and opened a boot and shoe store. He was instrumental in persuading Fletcher Jones to open a shop in Warrnambool. After he retired he researched and wrote the story of Jimmy of Murrumbar. This book is of high significance because: 1. It was written by a local Warrnambool businessman, Edward Oakley. He and other members of his family were prominent residents of the city in the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries 2. It was written in the late 1930s and tells of the story of a young aboriginal boy, one of the early writings appreciating the talents and worth of young aborigines. This is a hard cover book of 181 pages. A buff-coloured dust cover has been pasted over the hard cover and it has a black, grey and white illustration of a young aboriginal boy being chased. This illustration is repeated in black and white on the second page. The titling on the cover is in red and black printing. The front cover has become almost detached from the pages. An inscription on the inside cover is handwritten in black ink. The book has a foreword, an appreciation, a contents page and 23 chapters. ‘Best Wishes for a Happy Birthday from Graeme Dorman Dec 8th 1942’ edward oakley, history of warrnambool, aboriginal literature, jimmy of murrumbar, thomas and eliza oakley

This set of books was given to Cornelius (Con) O’Mahony in 1883 when he won the Bowen Prize Essay Competition awarded by the University of Melbourne. The Bowen Prize was established in 1874 by the Governor of Victoria, Sir George Bowen. This was then awarded annually to the person who was a student or ex-student of the University of Melbourne who wrote the best essay on matters relating to British and British Empire history or literature. Con O’Mahony’s essay was on the Federation of the Australian Colonies. Con O’Mahony, born in Bendigo, studied at Melbourne University in the early 1880s. He was a lawyer in Kepler Street, Warrnambool from the late 1880s to his death in 1920, firstly in partnership with E. Klingender and later operating under the name of O’Mahony and Murray. These books are most important because: 1. They are a very attractive set of books with considerable antiquarian value. 2. They were given as the prize for winning the 1883 Bowen Prize at Melbourne University – a prestigious award still today. 3. They were given for a prize-winning essay on the advantages of Federation in Australia. The essay was written 17 years before Federation and so they forms an interesting part of the Australia-wide campaign for Federation. 4. The prize books were awarded to Con O’Mahony who played his part in Warrnambool’s late 19th century and early 20th century history as a prominent lawyer in the town for over 30 years.These ten volumes of books have hard covers in a dark red colour with a gold leather spine and leather reinforcements on the edges of the front and back covers. The front cover has an embossed gold emblem of the University of Melbourne and the spine has ornamental gold, black and red patterning and gold lettering. The insides of the cover have blue, red and orange mottled patterning and this is repeated on the edging of the pages. There are approximately 400 pages in each volume. A typed page on the Bowen Prize is inserted in the front of the first volume and the inscription on every volume is handwritten in black ink. The covers are a little scuffed and slightly torn in some volumes. Volume 1: ‘Con O’Mahony Sandhurst Mch 1883’ Volumes 11, 111, 1V, V, V1, V111, 1X, X: ‘Con O’Mahony Sandhurst 2 July 1883’ Volume V11: ‘Con O’Mahony Sandhurst 1883’ con o’mahony, bowen prize, history of warrnambool, federation movement in australia

These documents relate to the proposed 1896 sale of a legal practice by Henry Parrington, a solicitor from Warrnambool, to Samuel Backhouse, a lawyer from Melbourne and his brother, a Terang lawyer. The draft indenture papers were drawn up but, after some weeks of negotiations, Henry Parrington withdrew from the sale. He was then sued by Samuel Backhouse for breach of contract. The outcome of this case is not known but Parrington continued his practice in Warrnambool. Henry Roberts Parrington qualified as a lawyer in England in 1873 and worked as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand from 1876 to 1886. He then came to Australia and worked for the legal firm of Messrs Higgins in Geelong and for Bayly and Higgins in Warrnambool. The business in Kepler Street, Warrnambool later became known as Higgins and Parrington and, in 1900, as Parrington and Tait (partner John Sym Tait). When John Tait retired in 1901 Henry Parrington was the sole proprietor of the practice. He died in 1926 in Melbourne. These documents have some significance as they relate to Henry Parrington’s legal career. He was a prominent lawyer in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.This material is in three sections:- .1 Eleven pages of handwritten material on blue paper (draft indenture document). The last page is blank and the front section has the red stamp of the Melbourne firm of Backhouse and Mellor. The front page is stained and there is a hole punched through the document at the top left hand corner. .2 Twelve handwritten letters – correspondence between Henry Parrington and Samuel Backhouse. These are on white paper and are a little crumpled and stained. .3 Twelve typed letters (typed from the handwritten letters noted above). Several of the pages have corrections in black ink or pencil.henry parrington, samuel backhouse, history of warrnambool

These are personal documents that belonged to Henry Roberts Parrington. They include statements regarding his preliminary and final examinations that qualified him as a lawyer in England (1867, 1873), annual certificates of registration as a lawyer in New Zealand (1876-1886), personal affidavits presented to the Supreme Court of Victoria and permission to practise as a lawyer in Victoria (1886). Henry Roberts Parrington qualified as a lawyer in England in 1873 and worked as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand from 1876 to 1886. He then came to Australia and worked for the legal firm of Messrs Higgins in Geelong and Bayly and Higgins in Warrnambool. The business in Kepler Street, Warrnambool later became known as Higgins and Parrington and, in 1900, as Parrington and Tait (partner John Sym Tait). When John Tait retired in 1901 Henry Parrington was the sole proprietor of the practice. He died in Melbourne in 1926. These documents have some significance as they are original papers documenting Henry Parrington’s early years as a lawyer. He was a prominent lawyer in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These sixteen paper documents relate to the lawyer, Henry Roberts Parrington. They are all original documents from England, New Zealand and Australia (Victoria). Most have printed material on them. All have statements and information handwritten in black ink and many have stamps relating to the country concerned. Some are foolscap size and are printed on blue paper. Others are quarto and envelope size. All have some staining and are crinkled where they have been folded. henry roberts parrington, history of warrnambool

These documents concern the 19th century proposed sale of the legal practice of Henry Parrington of Warrnambool to Samuel Backhouse of Collins Street, Melbourne. Samuel Backhouse came to Warrnambool to inspect the Parrington practice and offered £750 for the practice. The offer was accepted and the contract for the sale was drawn up. Henry Parrington then withdrew from the sale and was sued by Backhouse for breach of contract. Backhouse was wanting £150 compensation. The outcome of this case is not known. Henry Roberts Parrington qualified as a lawyer in England in 1873 and worked as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand from 1876 to 1886. He then came to Australia and worked for the legal firm of Messrs Higgins in Geelong and for Bayly and Higgins in Warrnambool. The business in Kepler Street, Warrnambool later became known as Higgins and Parrington and, in 1900, as Parrington and Tait (partner John Sym Tait). When John Tait retired in 1901 Henry Parrington was the sole proprietor of the practice. He died in Melbourne in 1926. These documents are of considerable interest as they outline an episode in the life of Henry Parrington, a well-known lawyer in Warrnambool in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. These are eleven documents pertaining to the Warrnambool lawyer, Henry Parrington. There are four single-sheet letters – two have blue typing and two have handwritten material in black ink. There is one telegram with both printed and handwritten material and a Post Office stamp. There are two envelopes which have been sent by mail and which have mauve Victorian twopenny stamps. These envelopes are torn at the top. These envelopes contain letters which have printed material at the top of the sheets and handwritten material in black ink. samuel backhouse, henry parrington, history of warrnambool

This bottle was used in the pharmacy of Harry London of Warrnambool. Born in England, Harry London arrived in Victoria in 1883 and worked as a chemist in Ballarat and Euroa. In 1891 he went back to England where he studied dentistry. In 1891 he came to Warrnambool where he bought the pharmacy business of the late William Nettleton. He occupied the Nettleton building in Liebig Street (95 Liebig Street today) until 1896 when he erected new premises at the south west corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. At that time he was the only chemist in Warrnambool using a Pasteur filter for water to make up his medicines. In his dentistry business he used gas, chloroform and cocaine as anaesthetics. The making of dentures was his speciality. In 1904 he was the owner of the only set of Rontgen X Ray apparatus in Warrnambool. In 1905 his shop was the first in Warrnambool to have electric lighting installed. This item is a valuable one as it has local provenance. It came from the pharmacy business of Harry London, a prominent Warrnambool chemist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Harry London mementoes such as this are comparatively rare. This is a chemist’s glass bottle with a rectangular body, a circular neck and a rounded top. There is no stopper and the bottle is empty. The top has a small chip. The name of the chemist is embossed on the front of the bottle in an indented section of the glass. The bottle is slightly scratched and discoloured from the original contents. On front of bottle: ‘H. London Chemist & Dentist Warrnambool’ On base: ‘M’ On the body of the bottle: ‘31’ harry london, chemist, warrnambool chemists, history of warrnambool

The phonograph is a mechanical device for the recording and reproduction of sound and originally used a tinfoil sheet wrapped around a rotating cylinder to produce the sound. It was invented by Thomas Edison of U.S.A. in 1877 and was the model for all phonographs or gramophones made and developed throughout the 20th century. This machine is of particular interest to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society as it is an Edison phonograph and an earlier model of this phonograph was used in Warrnambool late in the 19th century to make an important recording. In 1896 Thomas Rome, an employee in a Warrnambool boot and shoe shop, purchased an Edison phonograph that could both play and record sounds. At the Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition of 1896-7 visitors to the Exhibition paid a fee to listen to music on this phonograph. But Rome also recorded some local Warrnambool people singing and speaking and these recordings survive today. They are regarded as the oldest surviving recordings made in Australia. Thomas Rome later became a shoe shop proprietor in Warrnambool and was a well-known person in the town/city for a great number of years. This is an Edison Gem Phonograph. It has a black-painted wooden base, now detached from the main mechanism. The phonograph is made of metal which is now heavily rusted. It has a cylindrical turntable for playing the Edison cylindrical records and a handle with a wooden knob. The turning mechanism and belt are now broken. The name of the manufacturer and details of the patents are on a metal plate attached to the side of the phonograph. The amplifier mechanism at the top of the machine is missing. The cover of the machine is made of wood and has a wooden handle attached with a piece of metal and two metal screws. There are also two metal screws on the side of the cover. The cover has a slot on the side to allow the turning handle to be accommodated outside of the cover. The cover is much stained and spotted. ‘Edison Gem Phonograph’ thomas edison, history of sound recordings, thomas rome (warrnambool)

The copy of a letter written by Harry H. Simmonds of Huon notes that "the church existed in 1905. It was built by Hill and McCormack with timber donated by Mr Ned Dunstan on ground donated by Mr James Thomas probably in the late 1800s. It was possibly called a Methodist Church because the donor of the land was a Methodist. It was used by the three Protestant Groups and maintenance was paid for by an annual area collection.The house on the west side was a Presbyterian Manse for many years and the block of ground on the north side was known as the Manse paddock in which the minister grazed his cow and horse." In 1936 there was a fence between the Kiewa Methodist Church was the Presbyterian Church in Kiewa. Its Certificate of Title is Volume 5134 Folio 1026783 (Sept. 1942.) In 1952, the church was made of wood with an iron roof. In 1954. Request to Yackandandah Shire re a fence from Kiewa Consolidated School entrance to the unused hedge adjacent to the Church. In 1958 there was correspondence re 'the strip of land on each side of the Church.' Churches were an important part of life during the late 19th century and early to mid 20th century and were built in the centre of town as was this one. These papers give an understanding of the work involved in maintaining a church. The letters and 'book' give a lot of names of local families involved with the Methodist Church at Kiewa. Yellow plastic spiral folder with 18 pages enclosed in clear plastic sleeves.Papers enclosed include accounts, payments, tenders and other correspondence relating to the Methodist Church at Kiewa dating from 1932 to 1962. Of particular interest is a black cardboard cover book dated 1917 re collection of donations from listed people. The latest date in the book is 1942.Enclosed in first plastic sleeve is a letter from the donor, Kathie Vines dated 15th July 2013methodist church; kiewa; harry h. simmonds; yackandandah council;