This fork is from the wreck of the Loch Ard, that sailed from Gravesend, London. The manifest listed an array of manufactured goods being exported to the Colony of Victoria. Included in the cargo manifest was a large number of hardware & cutlery items. This fork is representative of similar items of silver electro-plated cutlery salvaged from the Loch Ard wreck site, comprising nickel silver electroplated spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape and design. Some of the pieces display their makers’ mark of William Page & Co Birmingham UK. Within the Flagstaff Hills cutlery collection donated from the Loch Ard, maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or verdigris after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that the collection of samples of electroplated cutlery probably originated from the same cargo consignment from the Loch Ard and were made by William Page & Co. William Page was born in 1811 and died in 1885. He was active as a manufacturer of cutlery from 1829 with premises at 74 Belmont Rd, Dales End as a "close plater" (someone who works sheet metal), and he began electroplating in 1855. William Page & Co was also active from 1880 at Cranemore St, Cattle’s Grove also 55 Albion St, Birmingham, in 1936 the firm became Ltd. The firm used the trademarks "Asrista, Bolivian Silver, Silverite, Roman Silver, Roumanian Silver and Trevor Plate. In 1938 William Page was a supplier to the British Government, marking it's products with the broad arrow symbol and was also present at Sheffield. History of the Loch Ard: The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch which lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Loch Ard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Loch Ard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Group of possibly four large Nickel Silver plated dinner forks, fiddle-back design handle, narrow stem with flared collar and elongated prongs heavily encrusted with marine growth.makers’ mark “W” & “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, fork

Silver medal awarded to Mr Thomas Quayle Jnr for Rifle shooting 1904. Silver spoon awarded to Mr Thomas Quayle for 400yds 1916. Mr. Thomas Quayle, son of Mr Thomas Quayle (pioneer) was manager of Rifle Range at Port Melbourne.Round Silver medal with red ribbon. Silver spoon Medal - "Won by T. Quayle Melbourne 1904" Spoon - "SYRC won by T. Quayle 400yds 1.11.16"

Silver zippo cigarette lighter with inscription. If I had a farm in Vietnam and a home in Hell, I'd sell my farm and go home. Vietnam 69-70. Note: a US Nickel coin attached to the back, "Vietnam 69-70" zippo lighter, vietnam

Packet 'Silver Star' starch with illustration of ironing lady in ironing room with ''Gentlewoman'.'Silver Star Starch' won't stick to iron|The Best in the Worlddomestic items, laundering

This trophy is one of several awarded in the 1930s by the Inter Church Indoor Sports Association in Warrnambool. It is a grand aggregate cup and it has been won jointly by the Congregational Men’s Institute (C.M.I.) and the Church of England Men’s Society (C.E.M.S.). Both of these men’s groups were prominent in the 1930s. A Congregational Church was opened in Liebig Street, Warrnambool in 1864 and transferred to Henna Street in 1940. This Henna Street church was sold to the Salvation Army in 1979 when the Congregational Church and the Methodist Church merged to form the Uniting Church. The Anglican Church in Warrnambool, called Christ Church, was established in Henna Street in the 1850s under the direction of the first minister, Archdeacon Beamish. The present church was constructed over the ensuing decades with the square tower added in 1882. This trophy is of interest as it comes from the 1930s and is one of the trophies given by the now-defunct Inter Church Indoor Sports Association of Warrnambool. It also has connections to both the Congregational Church and the Anglican Church in Warrnambool. This is an electro plated nickel silver cup with two side handles and an ornate stem attached to a silver base. The cup is mounted on a circular Bakelite stand. The stand has a small silver plaque with an inscription.‘I.C.I.S.A. Grand Aggregate C.M.I. & C.E.M.S. 1937’ anglican church warrnambool, congregational church warrnambool, inter church indoor sports association warrnambool

Silver plated vase which was part of the Dining room silver service settings . 'When the Victorian railways took over managemen of the Chalet from 1 october 1924, they ran their dining room and cafe in similar fashion to the dining cars on their trains and refreshment rooms on their stations, using the same ceramic hotel-ware and electro plated nickel silverware (EPNS), all made to order items that are clearly idenitified by the distinctive 'VR' monogram. The Chalet retains a good selection of of the diverse range of EPNS item formerly used in the dining room..- which in all their variety and function help to interpret the dining room protocols of the 'tourist house' and the service provied by the Victorian Railways refreshment and Services Branch. Many of the items were manufactured by by Stoke & Sons of Melbourne (est. 1856.' (Pg 103. Historica) Listed in Draft Inventory of Significant Collection items. Appendix A.3.Tableware. (Pg 166 Historica).Two fluted electroplated silver vases with Victorian Railways insignia and a number at base."VR" and more...

This is a trophy awarded by an association of Friendly Societies in Warrnambool in 1933. Friendly or Benefit Societies have operated in Warrnambool since 1860 when the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows Lodge was formed. Benefit societies such as this were set up mainly for social reasons and to assist members in times of sickness or to provide insurance in case of illness or hardship. Other societies had specific aims such as the promotion of temperance or allegiance to a particular church or country. The Australian Natives Association (A.N.A.) the winner of this trophy was set up in Warrnambool in the late 19th century and it was an active society with regular meetings, discussion groups, lectures and campaigns for the social justice issues of the day. The A.N.A. in Australia was influential in promoting nationalism and campaigning for Federation. The A.N.A merged with the M.U.I.O.O.F some years ago and operates today as the benefit group, Australia Unity. The trophy won by A.N.A. in 1933 was for quoits, a popular indoor game in the 1930s and still played today, mainly on social occasions. This trophy is of interest as it dates from the 1930s and is connected with the Warrnambool Friendly Societies of the time and especially the Australian Natives Association (A.N.A.)This is an electro plated nickel silver cup with two side handles, a short stem and a round silver base. An inscription is on one side of the cup. The cup is much stained. ‘Warrnambool & District United Friendly Benefit Societies Association Quoits 1933 Won by A.N.A.’friendly societies warrnambool, australian natives association warrnambool

Silver circular badge with shield in centre with initials BGS, wording around edge reads Bendigo Grammar School Disce Aut Discede, with pin & donation letter.Bridgland & King Melbourne Stg Silverschool, history, bendigo grammar

These Medallions were made in 1918 to commemorate ANZAC Day. They were issued by the Education Department of Victoria to school children. The medal was also sold on behalf of the Australian Branch of the British Red Cross Society. The medal was made in bronze, silvered bronze, silver and gold.This medal is an original.Round silver medallion. ?Silver Bronze. Red, white and blue ribbon.On the front of the medallion an engraved picture of a soldier, the words Honor to the AIF. One the back of the medallion ANZAC Dat 1918, Gallipoli, France, Palestine.anzac day 1918 commemorative medal, victorian education department

Baby brush and comb sets were often given as Christening presents. The pure bristles were especially soft for use on infant's hair. Children's hair is often a problem because it is supremely fine and may be difficult to care for because of its nearly downy softness and fluffiness. Up until the age of 7-10, this fine hair will remain about the head. Children’s hair is different from adult hair in texture, density, and likely also colour, body and so on. Hair's traits change over time as humans physically develop, and even age. Like the rest of the human body, (example, teeth), hair has different stages of development spanning the full lifetime from birth to death. Source: www.wikipedia.org Infants' brush made of cream bakelite and pure bristle. Comb made of cream bakelite . Inscription in silver "Baby".Written in silver script, the word "Baby". Indentations on comb.child, and, nursery, bakelite, infant, grooming, brush, comb, pure, bristles, soft, mother, toiletries

From a Collection of person who worked as a bankerCalico bag with hemmed side seam and one corner rounded and a remainder of the string tie. Ink stamped name of E.S.&A Bank Ltd, £100 Silver. See also NAE.S.&A BANK LTD £100 SILVERbanking, es&a bank

Tatura club formed during the 1980's. "Meals and Wheels" - holiday workshops for children and District Nursing service just three of our major projects. Not actually a "service club" but B.P.W. joined in many local activities to help promote our town.Metal logo, taken from "Welcome to Tatura" sign, showing visitors the service clubs in our town. Made in the shape of Australia - black metal with silver outline of Australia, with silver capitals of organization.I.F.B.P.W. painted in silver, across "Australia". "International Federation of Business and Professional Women". i f b p w, international federation of business and professional women, meals and wheels, district nursing, tatura service clubs

This fork was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard that sailed from Gravesend, London. The manifest listed an array of manufactured goods being exported to the Colony of Victoria. Included in the cargo manifest was a large number of hardware and cutlery items. These spoons are representative of similar items of silver electro-plated cutlery salvaged from the Loch Ard wreck site, comprising nickel silver electroplated spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape and design. History of the Loch Ard: - The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Loch Ard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Loch Ard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck, it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Fork, nickel silver plated spoon with Fiddle-back design handle, narrow stem with flared collar.Fork has maker's marks. It was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.Shapes of Crown, Square with cut corners, 2 circles, diamondflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, silverware, cutlery, dining utensil, fork, dining fork

Cigarette Lighter manufactured by Dept of Defence for use by Australian troops.Cigarette lighter. Engraved with illustrations of a palm tree, hut & sunset. Made of brass coated with Electro plated nickel silver..2) On one side engraved "Xmas Wewak 1945" on opposite side "RHS" and on base .1) "MF 1945 D (arrow pointing upwards) D MK 111"cigarettes, lighters, military

Sporting trophy cup, G.I.C.A. W.T Wiggs Discipline Cup won by Collins Bros. 1936-37.Trophy, large electro plated nickel silver cup, ornate handles and stem, on bakelite base. Engraved on side of cup.G.I.C.A. / W.T Wiggs / Discipline Cup / won by / Collins Bros. / 1936-37sporting teams textile mills - sporting teams, collins bros mill pty ltd, sport, sporting teams, textile mills - sporting teams

Starch is used during the laundry process to give fabric a feeling of stiffness. It is used often for linen, shirts and blouses. This box still has the remnants of starch inside it.Starch was used by many households in the late 19th and the 20th century to give linen and uniformsa firm feeling.Box: cardboard rectangular box, blue and white with star graphic. Contents inside. "The Silver Star Starch" Robert Harper and Co Ltd . "The Silver Star Starch" "Robert Harper &O Co."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, starch, silver star starch, blue star, robert harper and co ltd ., laundry, laundering, washing, bed linen, table linen, decorative linen

Small glass bottle with enamel lid. Silver lid with 2 pink/purple flowers and 2 flower buds on stem with green leaves on turquoise background - enamel top.Silver hallmarks: Anchor - Birmingham. Lion - British.enamel, bottle - glass

Silver plate on copper fruit dish, supported on three feet. Edge of dish decorated with a grapevine pattern. Indents for a handle attachment - handle not included.Luke \ Rhine - Gold \ by \ Paramount \ Reproduction Silver on copper.dish, fruit, tableware, silver

Silver wristwatch with inscribed cover and Braille watch face.Silver wristwatch with Braille numbers"CYMA" on watch face "The Fred Sutcliffe Watch 24-2-60" on watch coverassistive devices, braille, fred sutcliffe

This spoon comes from the Ozone Hotel in Warrnambool. The Ozone Hotel was opened in 1890 as the Grand Ozone Coffee Palace (a temperance hotel) and was at the corner of Koroit and Kepler Streets in Warrnambool. It was built by a company of local businessmen and leased out. In 1891 the Coffee Palace was granted a wine licence. In 1895 Thomas Randall was the proprietor of the building and it was re-named the Ozone Hotel. The building was closed in 1915 and was re-opened in 1920 as the Hotel Mansions. In 1923 the Hotel Mansions became a fully-licensed hotel. In 1929 it was destroyed by fire and the present-day Hotel Warrnambool was built on the site.This little spoon is of considerable significance as it is one of the few items we have from the Ozone Hotel in Warrnambool. The Grand Ozone Coffee Palace/Ozone Hotel/Hotel Mansions was the grandest building ever erected in Warrnambool. Its destruction by fire was a major loss to the town. This is an electro-plated nickel silver teaspoon. It has the maker’s marks on the back of the spoon and the name of the hotel on the handle. It is much tarnished and scratched. ‘Ozone Hotel’grand ozone coffee palace, warrnambool, ozone hotel, warrnambool, hotel mansions, warrnambool

This fork was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard that sailed from Gravesend, London. The manifest listed an array of manufactured goods being exported to the Colony of Victoria. Included in the cargo manifest was a large number of hardware and cutlery items. These spoons are representative of similar items of silver electro-plated cutlery salvaged from the Loch Ard wreck site, comprising nickel silver electroplated spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape and design. History of the Loch Ard: - The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Loch Ard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Loch Ard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck, it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Fork, nickel silver plated spoon with Fiddle-back design handle, narrow stem with flared collar. Handle has maker's marks underneath. It was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.Shapes of Drown, Oval, Square, Circle and Diamondflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, silverware, cutlery, dining utensil, fork, dining fork