Many displaced people who migrated to Australia after World War 2 brought similar tubs with them as part of their luggage. The tubs were valued by the migrants because they were used for washing clothes and other laundry items, and for bathing children and even adults. The tub in our possession was brought out to Australia in 1950 by the Pierzak family who eventually settled in North Sunshine, Victoria. The following story about the Pierzak family has been provided by the daughter Halina Wlodarczyk (nee Pierzak). The father Stanislaw Pierzak was born on the 26th of July 1916 in Zbrza, and the mother Teodozja (Teodozia) Szalas on the 5th of March 1919 in Goleciny, both villages in the Kielce district of Poland. In 1940 they were both taken by the German Army to work as slave labour on farms in Germany. Stanislaw worked in the Saxonia area and Teodozja near Dillingen. The work was hard, and when Teodozja contracted pneumonia she was told that she would not be given any food if she did not work. After the war the displaced persons, as they were called, were settled in various barracks and camps organised by the United States Army. Stanislaw and Teodozja married in Gablingen, Bavaria, Germany, and Halina was born in the camp at Gablingen in 1949. The displaced people were given the choice of several countries if they wanted to migrate from war torn Germany, and so the Pierzak family chose Australia. The Pierzak family set sail from Naples, Italy aboard the ship General M. B. Stewart and arrived in Sydney on the 17th of April 1950. The men and women had to stay in separate quarters, and many passengers were so sick that they did not think they would survive the journey. In Australia they lived in migrant camps in NSW at Bathurst, Orange, Parkes and Cowra. To pay off their fares to Australia migrants were required to work under contract for 2 years. Stanislaw Pierzak worked in Broken Hill NSW returning to visit his family every 3 to 4 months. The son John was born in the Red Cross building at the Parkes camp in 1952. In 1953 the whole family moved to Melbourne and lived in a converted garage in Victor Street, North Sunshine. In 1954 the family bought a bungalow on a block of land in Compton Parade, North Sunshine, where eventually they built a house. Stanislaw Pierzak worked at Steelweld in Ashley Street, Braybrook travelling there on his bicycle, while Teodozja Pierzak found work at Smorgon in West Footscray. Stanislaw and Teodozja Pierzak lived in North Sunshine for the rest of their lives, and Mrs Pierzak always said that Sunshine was the best place in the world.Tubs like this which belonged to displaced people were highly valued possessions and are of historic significance. They were brought out to Australia after World War 2 by many migrating displaced families. The tubs were used for washing activities in the camps in Germany, and the migrant camps in Australia, and also when people lived in bungalows in Australia before they built houses with laundries and bathrooms.Oval shaped galvanised iron tub with two rigid handles, one at each end. The top of the tub is larger than the base. The galvanising is deteriorating in some parts which show a whitish appearance. There are some small dents, and a few chips in the galvanising where surface rust has appeared.The number 70 is stamped on both sides.washing tub, galvanised tub, laundry, bath, displaced persons, immigration, general m. b. stewart, galvanized tub, pierzak, galvanised wash tub

This Book is most interesting - Melbourne's Beginnings. The Inscription in front of this book M.G. Phillips (nee Taylor), taught school at Concongella during World War II.Soft Card cover of a green and cream colour Three Separate Panels on front cover. Top panel contains a drawing of a ship moored at shore with trees in background. Send Panel Is a Shield with curled side inside is The Title and Authors Name in Brown print. The Lower Panel is the largest contains a drawing of a river with a bridge crossing it, also a church and domed building with a clock tower in the distance. Back Cover contains a drawing of a series of books, in the shape of question mark with a Kookaburra sitting at the top.Inside front cover hand written M.G. Phillipsstawell education

The 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train (1st RANBT) was formed in Melbourne on 28 February 1915 and was intended to be a horse drawn engineering unit attached to the Royal Naval Division (RND), then serving as infantry on the Western Front. The term ‘train’, in its title, was a direct reference to the horse drawn wagons that would, in theory, form and move ‘in train’ to carry the unit’s heavy lumber, building materials and engineering equipment to the front. The unit was manned by members of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve for whom there were no available billets in seagoing RAN ships. Many of the sailors serving in the 1st RANBT were rated ‘drivers’, and again, this refers to wagon drivers as opposed to motor vehicle drivers. Other seamen were rated as ‘artificers’ or ‘sappers’, the latter being a military term traditionally used to describe army engineers. Appointed in command of the 1st RANBT was Lieutenant Commander Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle, RAN. Bracegirdle was ideally suited to command the unit, having seen active service with the NSW Naval Brigade during the Boxer Rebellion in China as well as serving as a military officer in the South African Irregular Horse during the Boer War in 1901. He had also recently returned from German New Guinea where he had served as a staff officer in the joint Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) responsible for the capture of the German colonies in the Pacific in September 1914. Three hundred naval reservists, including 50 men who had recently served in New Guinea, were selected for the 1st RANBT and they began their training in horsemanship, engineering and pontoon bridging at the Domain in Melbourne. By late May 1915 a decision was made to send the unit to Britain to complete its training and then to join the RND on the Western Front. The plan, however, never eventuated. The complaints about the non-combatant work being done by the men had been raised in Federal Parliament and following consultation with the senior Australian officer in the Middle East, Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauvel, a recommendation was made that the unit be disbanded and its men used as reinforcements for the AIF. Consequently, Lieutenant Commander Bracegirdle was advised that his unit was to be dispersed; its men transferring to the AIF or being returned to Australia for discharge. On 27 March 1917 the 1st RANBT was officially disbanded.Oxidised brass anchor shaped collar badge.ww1, world war 1, first world war, ranbt, ran bridging train, royal australian navy bridging train, collar badge

Englishman John Robertson was a roofing contractor and importer of slate. He founded the Daniel Robertson company in 1835 after arriving in Australia on a ship that carried a large quantity of slate as ballast. This slate was soon seen on the roofs of important Melbourne buildings. In 1910 the company began producing concrete roof tiles in South Melbourne, and in 1928 they converted the Tunstall Brickworks to produce terracotta tiles. In 1967 Daniel Robertson's produced a unique rustic range of bricks that were such a success that the roof tiles were phased out in 1969. In 2013 Daniel Robertson Australia Pty Ltd closed. These 2014 photographs show the buildings and some products still on the site at the time.13 coloured photographs of the office, storage and kiln areas at the Daniel Robertson site in 2014. Location is 58 - 74 Station Street, Nunawading.daniel robertson australia pty ltd, clay products, bricks and tiles

Colour photograph distant view of boats at Eastern Wharf, includes boat on slip, other fishing boats tied at jetty, buildings on Esplanade in background, grass on sand opposite side of Lake, in foreground. Lakes Entrance Victoriafishing industry, ships and shipping, jetties

Colour photograph of tourist launch Thunderbird and Stormbird at Post Office Jetty. Foreshore boardwalk in foreground, fishing boats moored other side of jetty, small information and ticket building at entrance to jetty. Lakes Entrance Victoriaships and shipping, waterways, jetties, houses

Postcard was addressed to Mr. H Lindamen, C/o JCD, Bairnsdale. Postcard bears a One Penny red Queen Victoria stamp, franked with number 17. Message on card scribbled out, another stamp has been removed. Also enlargement 16 x 25 cmBlack and white postcard showing P S Tanjil at Bairnsdale Wharf, Victoria. Shed and timber and hand crane on wharf. Industrial buildings, eg, butter factory, foundry behind wharf, post and rail fences, gravel roads and tannery on right, pine trees and end of bridge on far right. Bairnsdale township in background.Bairnsdale Wharf. H.D Bulmer Photo Lake Tyersships and shipping, waterways, bridges

Black and white photograph showing Paddle Steamer Avon at old Bairnsdale wharf shows steep sets of steps and roadway and fence down side of bank to wharf. Two sheds and dray on wharf. Fence and roadway along top of bank, and house and two storey building. People on boat and at shed. Bairnsdale Victoriaships and shipping, waterways, fences

Also enlargement 17 x 23 cmBlack and white photograph showing view from Jemmys Point of the entrance to the Gippsland Lakes from Bass Strait. Pioneer dredge in centre foreground, and steamer JCD. Cottages and works buildings including Rocket shed on eastern dunes, Schnapper Cottage on far right western dune. Rock groynes and tip of Bullock Island centre left. Vegetation in foreground. Lakes Entrance VictoriaLAKES ENTRANCE Segerberg and Bulmerships and shipping, topography, jetties, houses

Black and white photograph showing two steamers at New Works wharf, five or six other smaller vessels and crowds of people on wharf and steamers. Small shed on end of wharf, rooves of two buildings in foreground. Jemmys Point hill in the background and timber barrier wall for formation of Bullock Island. Lakes Entrance Victoria.The Wharf, Lakes Entranceships and shipping, township, waterways, retail trade

Black and white photograph showing steamer Dargo berthed at the Port of Sale, wharf and port buildings on right of ship, roof of St Mary's Catholic Cathedral visible beyond shed. Sale Victoriajetties, ships and shipping, waterfront

Sepia photograph showing the steamer S S Gippsland being built at the shipyard at Paynesville. Hull and framework in progress, struts supporting hull in position, timber stacked on site, eleven workmen, McMillan Strait and Raymond Island in background. Paynesville VictoriaBuilding of the S S Gippsland at Paynesville in 1907. J C Bull co-author of this book is the young apprentice second from the left in the middle.islands, jetties, waterways, ships and shipping

Black and white photograph showing S S Gippsland at Bairnsdale wharf, background shows butter factory on left, soap factory on right, rail line and goods wagon on wharf, jinkers and buggies at wharf, town buildings in background large crowd on boat. Lakes Entrance Victoriahouses, ships and shipping, waterways

Black and white photograph showing the S S Gippsland in Mitchell river, near Bairnsdale, shows three pine trees, other vegetation and a building on far bank, reflections in river,people on board, hull painted white, similar to a Bulmer postcard showing ship leaving Bairnsdale. Bairnsdale Victoriajetties, ships and shipping, waterways

1 x copy sepia 10 x 14Sepia photograph showing S S Lady Harriet and barge at Mossiface wharf on Tambo river near Bruthen, Lady Harriet on left barge on right at wharf store shed and crane on wharf, small building far right, forested hill at back, stern of small rowing boat at lower right in photograph. Swan Reach VictoriaMossiface wharf (from the Leader, 2 August 1902)jetties, transport, ships and shipping

Three other photographs in album of similar views of the construction of the sand transfer station.Colour photograph showing building of sand transfer station on eastern side of Entrance. Flagstaff visible in background in photo progress. Lakes Entrance Victoriawreckage, fishing industry, ships and shipping, world war 1939 - 1945

Copied from copy in J Whadcoat collectionBlack and white photograph showing P W D cottage on left and other Works buildings on dune at the entrance to Gippsland Lakes from the ocean - Bass Strait. View shows flagstaff on top of dune and flagstaff jetty in lake - Cunninghame Arm. Small sailing boat on left and other small craft on shoreline. Section of Bullock Island with vegetation, one telegraph pole and one dead tree on island. Shoreline of North arm in foreground. Lakes Entrance Victoriajetties, township, waterfront, accommodation, waterways, ships and shipping

Also second copy same sizeBlack and white postcard showing view of Works buildings and north end of eastern pier. Cunninghame Arm and tip of Bullock Island and groyne work on right. Reeves channel and tip of Rigby Island on left. Mt Barkly and Kalimna Hills in background. Photo taken from top of dune. Roof of Carstairs boarding house centre foreground. Lakes Entrance VictoriaLakes Entrance, Cunninghamewaterways, ships and shipping, schools, township, jetties

Sepia toned postcard showing view of Works buildings at north end of eastern pier. Cunninghame Arm in front of buildings, Reeves River left distance. SS Wyralla steaming past, and SS Manawatu at pier. Jemmys Point, Mt Barkly, and Kalimna Hills in background. Photo taken from top of dune. Smoke issuing from Wyralla funnel. Carstairs boarding house in centre foreground. Lakes Entrance VictoriaLakes Entrance - Gippsland Lakesjetties, schools, township, ships and shipping

Also black and white copy with ornamental edge 17 x 26.5 cm, and another copy 19.5 x 30 cmBlack and white photograph showing excursion boats at New Works jetties, people on jetties. S S Gippsland tied to jetty on left and another small steamer. P S Tanjil tied to jetty on right. Roofs of works buildings and twin gable roof of J Carpenter's house on right. Several small row boats and small sail boat. Lakes Entrance VictoriaNew Works from Hummocks Cunninghamships and shipping, jetties

Also black and white copy 9 x 14 cm with inscription 'The Jetties'Sepia photograph showing buildings, boats and jetties at New Works. Large sailing boat on slipway at left. Several small boats at PWD jetty, steamer at New Works wharf. Two works buildings on left background and white shed on New Works wharf. Lakes Entrance Victoriaboardwalk, schools, township, ships and shipping

County Antrim was wrecked off coast opposite Metung Victoria January 1897Small format colour photograph of a painting of the SS Riverina which was wrecked off the coast, and the painting is at the Hotel in Cann River, Victoriabuildings, fences, waterways, ships and shipping

Also two other black and white photographs, one of Nicholson State School, and one unidentified students and parents.Sepia toned photograph of Nicholson State School no. 1716, showing small wooden building with porch, both with corrugated iron roof, two windows with sunshades, square ships water tank at corner, fourteen students and two teachers, not named. Nicholson Victoriaschools