This item was supplied by William Ferguson, a jeweller, watchmaker and optician in Timor Street, Warrnambool in the early part of the 20th century. He was Mayor of Warrnambool in 1901-2. It is not known to whom the spectacles belonged. This item has no specific provenance but it is of importance as an example of the type of object supplied by William Ferguson, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool in the early 1900s. This is a spectacles case made of stiffened leather with a leather handle at the top that slides back to allow the case to be opened. The top of the case lifts up to allow the spectacles to be removed. The case has the name of the supplier (W.Ferguson) stamped in gold print on the side. The case is much scuffed and the leather is worn in places. It is empty.‘W. Ferguson, Oculist, Optician, Warrnambool’spectacles case, william ferguson, jeweller and oculist., warrnambool

This item would have been owned by a man with some wealth as the silver hallmarks indicate an expensive purchase. Coin containers were used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a means of carrying some cash on the person and the matches holder was also a common item for men to carry.This item has no known local provenance but is useful as an example of social customs of the past and can be used also for display. This is a silver container divided into two sections – the top part with a hinged lid held wax matches and the bottom section has a circular recess for holding silver coins. This bottom section has a hinged lid. The top part has an indented and serrated part for striking the matches. The container is highly decorated in etched patterns with a space to engrave a person’s initials. The top has a ring with a chain for attaching the item to a chain. The container is slightly dented. Seven hallmarkssilver coin container, warrnambool, coin container

There is no specific information available on this watch and case. The watch was made by the American Watch Company which operated from 1850 to 1957. Small cases were often used to carry a watch in the 19th and early 20th century while a person was travelling, although wooden ones do not seem to have been common. The owner of watch, ‘A.U.’ has not been identified. Until the provenance of this item is established it remains an interesting object from the past and one suitable for display. This is a wooden case embossed on the front with a flower motif. It has a hinged lid with a space hollowed out inside to hold a pocket watch. This area has been lined with felt. The case contains an American silver watch which has a highly decorated cover. The watch face has Roman numerals with a smaller seconds dial. There is a winding mechanism and a ring at the top of the watch for attachment to a chain.On silver watch case: ‘A.U.’ On watch face: A. W. Co., Waltham, Mass. travelling case and watch, american watch company, warrnambool

This copy of Alexander Pope’s early 18th century translation of Homer’s Iliad dates from 1818. It has two signatures – Thomas Smith and Mary Riley. Nothing is known of the latter person. There were two people named Thomas Smith who were prominent in the Warrnambool district in the 19th century. One was Thomas Smith the printer and the other was Thomas Smith, a farmer from Wangoom who had a daughter named Mary. It is not clear which of these may have owned the book but the signature suggests an educated person and we know that the son of Thomas Smith the farmer was illiterate so it is unlikely that the father owned a copy of Homer’s Iliad. This book is of interest because of its age (1818) and because of the inscriptions. There may be no connection between Thomas Smith and Mary Riley – merely two owners of the book. The book will have greater interest when its exact provenance can be established. This is a brown leather-bound book of 536 pages. The front cover and spine have gold ornamentation with gold lettering. The spine covering is partly torn away and the binding is coming apart. The pages show some staining. The two inscriptions are handwritten in black ink. The front pages have two black and white illustrations separated with tissue paper. ‘Tho. Smith’ ‘Mary G. Riley, Tillside, 20 George Street, East Melbourne, 24/5/1900’ homer’s iliad, history of warrnambool, thomas smith, mary riley

This book, an Irish spelling book with a strong religious tone, is in a very tattered state but has the name ‘Freckleton’ on it and it may have come with the first Freckleton immigrants to Australia. In the 19th century there were Freckleton families in the Warrnambool district at Port Fairy, Cooramook, Mailors Flat, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Wangoom. The provenance of this book is unclear but it is kept because of its early printing (1844) and because of its association with the Freckleton families. This is a soft cover book of 240 pages. The cloth cover is brown with no visible markings on the front cover or spine. The pages are bound together with string and the material on the spine is almost worn away. Some of the pages are torn and very dirty and all are dog-eared. There is a grey and white illustration on the first page. The inscriptions on the first and second pages, barely legible, are handwritten in pencil and in black ink. ‘W. Freckleton, landed (?) 1857….1875….1888’ ‘…May landeth….’ freckleton families,, western district, history of warrnambool

This book, an Irish spelling book with a strong religious tone, is in a very tattered state but has the name ‘Freckleton’ on it and it may have come with the first Freckleton immigrants to Australia. In the 19th century there were Freckleton families in the Warrnambool district at Port Fairy, Cooramook, Mailors Flat, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Wangoom. The provenance of this book is unclear but it is kept because of its early printing (1844) and because of its association with the Freckleton families. This is a soft cover book of 240 pages. The cloth cover is brown with no visible markings on the front cover or spine. The pages are bound together with string and the material on the spine is almost worn away. Some of the pages are torn and very dirty and all are dog-eared. There is a grey and white illustration on the first page. The inscriptions on the first and second pages, barely legible, are handwritten in pencil and in black ink. ‘W. Freckleton, landed (?) 1857….1875….1888’ ‘…May landeth….’ freckleton families, western district, history of warrnambool

This box is a decorative item made to be used in the household. It could have held cigars or jewellery items. This box has been an attractive item but it has no known local provenance. It will be useful for display. This is a rectangular-shaped wooden box which has been reinforced with metal inserts. It has metal hinges and a locking mechanism with a keyhole lined with metal. There is no key. The box is completely covered, except for the base, with inlaid material consisting of small black pieces and triangular-shaped white pieces, possibly bone. The inlaid material forms a decorative pattern around the box. Portions of the decoration are missing and some other parts broken away. history of warrnambool, household items, cigar box

This is a high-quality item and would have been used in a household in affluent circumstances. The firm of James Dixon and Sons of Sheffield, England, was established in 1806 and ceased to operate in 1992. Candles were widely used for household lighting until the advent and availability of electric lighting from the 1920s onwards. This item has no known local provenance but is retained because it is fine example of a household item of the past.This is an electro-plated silver candlestick holder. The base is roughly circular (more hexagonal) with an embossed edge and a handle attached by welding. The candlestick holder is vase-shaped with a circular open top for inserting the candle. The circular top also has an embossed edge. Attached to the handle by a clip is a cone-shaped snuffer. The candle holder and snuffer have been used. On the bottom of the base are the name and symbol of the maker and five hallmarks. ‘Jas Dixon & Sons Sheffield’ ‘866 P W/B’ household lighting, history of warrnambool, silver candlestick, candlestick with snuffer

This is a standard British Army Pigeon Service Message Book which was issued to Australian Army units during World War One. This Pigeon Service Message Book has no known local provenance but it is a very interesting memento of World War One.This is a British Army Pigeon Service Message Book which consists of a number of sheets of paper stapled into a cardboard cover protected with black leatherette. The writing on the front cover is stencilled in white. The ends of the cover are held together by a black elastic strap. The strap has now lost its elasticity. Inside the front cover is a printed sheet indicating the use of the book and the care of the pigeons. There are two leatherette tubes attached to the back cover which would have held writing implements. The book material consists of a top sheet printed with space for the message details, and sheets of carbon paper for two copies of the message. There is a piece of cardboard backing the carbon paper. None of the message pages has been used. The staples have rusted and the sides of the paper material are stained. The cover is a little crumpled and dirty. ‘Army Book 418’ ‘Pigeon Service Message Book’ world war one, british army pigeon service message book

A darning mushroom such as this was a common household item in Australia up to the 1950s. Socks were mostly made of wool and when holes appeared, (particularly in the heel) they had to be darned, usually in a criss-cross pattern. The darning mushroom gave the darner a good smooth and stable surface. Many of these darning tools were homemade. The darner could also have been used to mend torn sleeves or other items of clothing. Some people may still use a darning mushroom today but in general socks are not darned but disposed of when holes appear. This darning mushroom has no known local provenance but it is a good example of a household item of times past. This is a light-coloured wooden darning tool. The mushroom-shaped top is attached to a handle which is elongated at the bottom end and has a slight ridge near the base and a small hole at the end. There are some pit marks on the top surface. darning mushroom, social history, history of warrnambool

The only information available on this plate is what is written on the base. No other information has been found on Mrs Playford or Thomas and Mary Annerley. Perhaps the plate came to into the collection of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society via the old Warrnambool Museum. The plate has no known local provenance and is kept because of its age and interesting monogram. This is a circular-shaped china plate (probably a dinner plate) with a fluted edge. The edging of the plate has red and gold ornamentation with garlands of flowers in green, pink, mauve and orange. There are four posies of flowers around the bowl of the plate in the same colouring with the addition of blue. In the centre of the plate is a large gold monogram – ‘T.M.A.’ On the base of the plate is a piece of paper partly torn off giving some details of the history of the plate in handwriting. This paper is pasted on to the base of the plate obscuring any maker’s mark that there may be. The plate has been broken into four pieces and stuck together again using five metal clips. There are some chips around the edge of the plate. Monogram: ‘T.M.A.’ ) (Thomas and Mary Annerley) Note on base: ‘… … the property of Mrs Playford of … St. Brighton (and formerly belonged to her great grandmother). Mrs Playford died in her 91st year and left it with some other pieces of the service to William Rodgers of Wellington St., St. Kilda. Monogram, T.M.A, Thomas & Mary Annerley. Copy of signed statement, 1909’ mrs playford, thomas and mary annerley

This is a lockable metal money box. It would have been useful place to store money and small items. being metal ,it would offer some protection from moisture and pests This money box has no known local provenance but it is an interesting item and is useful for display. This is a black rectangular tin box with a hinged lid with a tin handle attached with metal clips. There is a lock but no key. The lid has a gold and yellow border pattern and gold edging on the rim of the lid but these decorations are mostly eroded away. There is a maker’s mark on the base of the tin but it is indecipherable. ‘English Made’ social history, history of warrnambool, vintage money box

These items are typical of the ink wells used in the first half of the 20th century in a home or business. The use of ink wells was superseded by the introduction of fountain pens and ball point pens . These items have no known provenance but are retained for display purposes..1 A round ceramic ink well It is coloured brown and there is some damage on the side. .2 A round, brown ceramic ink well with a little ridged top.There is some damage on the base.ink wells, vintage house hold and business items

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

This bottle was probably used for feeding a baby with a milk preparation but no other information is available. This bottle is retained as an example of the type of bottle used for feeding a baby some decades past. It has no known local provenance. This is a clear glass bottle with no stopper. It has ten markings on the side for measuring purposes. It has some markings on the base but they are not clear. ‘222’ ‘L918’ ‘M (?) 2’ infant welfare, history of warrnambool

This baby’s feeding bottle was made by Agee (Australian Glass Manufacturers) and marketed by the Crown Crystal Glass Company. It is made of pyrex which is a brand of glass first produced by Corning Inc. of America in 1908. Pyrex is a clear low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. The use of pyrex bottles became more prevalent in Australia in the second half of the 20th century and baby’s bottles made of pyrex were popular as they were easily sterilised in the home environment. This baby’s bottle has no known local provenance but it is retained because it is a good example of the advancement in infant health and welfare over the past 80 years. This is a baby’s feeding bottle made of glass (pyrex). The body of the bottle is hexagonal-shaped (circular with rounded edges). It has a circular-shaped neck and an open top with a moulded glass around it. The bottle has no feeding nipple or stopper. There are measurement marks on the side of the bottle up to 8 ounces. ‘The Ideal Agee Pyrex Feeder’ ‘AGM 1S 1561 6’ infant welfare, history of warrnambool

This baby’s feeding bottle was made by Agee (Australian Glass Manufacturers) and marketed by the Crown Crystal Glass Company. It is made of pyrex which is a brand of glass first produced by Corning Inc. of America in 1908. Pyrex is a clear low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. The use of pyrex bottles became more prevalent in Australia in the second half of the 20th century and baby’s bottles made of pyrex were popular as they were easily sterilised in the home environment. This baby’s bottle has no known local provenance but it is retained because it is a good example of the advancement in infant health and welfare over the past 80 years. This is a baby’s feeding bottle made of glass (pyrex). The body of the bottle is hexagonal-shaped (circular with rounded edges). It has a circular-shaped neck and an open top with a moulded glass around it. The bottle has no feeding nipple or stopper. There are measurement marks on the side of the bottle up to 8 ounces.‘The Ideal Agee Pyrex Feeder’ ‘AGM 1S 1561 6’ infant welfare, history of warrnambool

This is a baby’s feeding bottle. No information has been found on ‘The Challenge’ brand. It is an interesting design. This bottle has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of an early 20th century item. It will be useful for display. This is a clear glass bottle designed to lie on its side. One side of the bottle has been flattened to give it a boat shape. The neck and top are slightly raised when the bottle is lying on its side. The top is ridged and there is no stopper. There is embossed lettering on one side of the glass. ‘The Challenge Feeding Bottle’ infant welfare, history of warrnambool, challenger baby's bottle

This razor is made by Joseph Rodgers of Sheffield, England. This business existed from 1682 to 1975. It would have been a common-place item in households in Australia in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century up to the widespread use of shavers containing razor blades and the advent of electric shavers. This razor has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of the type of razor in use in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It will be useful for display. .1 This is a razor, much rusted but still very sharp, which fits into a bean-shaped cover which is made of bone. The blade has the maker’s name on it. The cover has two screws. .2 The container is made of thickened cardboard in two parts and has an inner covering, also made of cloth and cardboard. The top part of the container may not the original one for this razor. The bottom end of the container is missing. The outer container is much scuffed. ‘Extra Ground Hollow’ “Joseph Rodgers Clun St. Sheffield’ social history, history of warrnambool, razor

This measuring container would have been used by chemists, doctors and nurses to accurately measure a tablespoonful of medicine or other liquid or substance equivalent to half an ounce in weight. It could also have been used in households for the same purpose. It would have been in use in the 19th century and perhaps the first six decades of the 20th century. Today glass or plastic containers would be used. This container, although damaged, is of interest as an example of the type of measuring container used by chemists and doctors in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It has no known local provenance but will be useful for display. This is a cream-coloured ceramic medicine measuring container. It will hold half an ounce or a tablespoonful. It is circular in shape, tapering down from the top to the bottom. It has a rim at the top which is cracked and partly broken away. ‘½ oz. To Lower Rim (a tablespoonful)’ chemists in warrnambool, history of warrnambool, medical aids, ceramic medicine glass

The maker of this cruet set is unknown. It is a high quality household item and would have been a common item in households of the more affluent homes in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Cruet sets are not used much these days but have usually been replaced by salt and pepper shakers without a stand. This cruet set has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of a household item of the past. It will be useful for display This cruet set consists of a stand, a container for mustard and two containers for salt and pepper. The stand is silver-plated and has a rectangular base with pointed edges and three slots for the containers, one rectangular and the other two square in shape. The handle is riveted to the base with two screws which are now rusty. The base of the stand also has six studs. The silver plating is tarnished in places. The salt and pepper containers are made of cut glass in rectangular shapes and have silver-plated circular-shaped lids. The top of one of the lids has broken loose from the lid. The mustard container is made of cut glass and is rectangular in shape. The silver plating on the lids is wearing away. history of warrnambool, 19th century household items, cruet set

This is a porridge set which probably dates from the early years of the 20th century. Porridge bowls and cups were particularly popular in Scotland at that time and would have been used in households in Australia throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. These items have no known local provenance but are of interest as an example of the household china that was in use 100 years ago and was still being used for many decades after that time. They are attractive items and will be useful for display. These two items are a large cup and saucer made of china and used for porridge. The cup has colour floral and leaf scroll decorations inside the top rim, a piece of verse extolling the farmer and surrounded by black and white patterns, including farming implements, on one side of the cup and coloured farming implements in circles with the same verses in larger circles with a colour wheat sheaf in the centre on the other side of the cup. The saucer, more in the shape of a soup bowl, has the same colour floral and leaf decorations around the rim and the same farming patterns and verses in the centre. The handle has a black and white floral decoration The maker’s mark and name are on the bottom of the cup and saucer. ‘In God is Our Trust’ ‘The Farmers Arms’ history of warrnambool, porridge bowls

These items were made in the 1930s or 1940s for sale as souvenirs of Empire Day in Victoria. As they were made by Royal Doulton of England they were high-quality souvenirs. Empire Day was established in 1905 to commemorate the reign of Queen Victoria and to promote and celebrate the importance of the British Empire in Britain and in the associated British Empire countries. It was celebrated on 24th May, the date of Queen Victoria’s birthday. In Victoria the day was celebrated with a school holiday and half-day business holiday, street and shop decorations, bonfires, concerts, processions etc. In 1958 Empire Day became known as Commonwealth Day. These items have no known local provenance but they were typical of the souvenirs that sold in the first half of the 20th century in Warnambool and all other parts of Australia around the time of Empire Day, May 24th . It will be useful for display. This cup and this saucer are made of white china with coloured images of Britannia, the rising sun, British flags, scrolls and the names of British Empire countries on each item. The cup rim and the saucer edge originally had gold trim but the gold has almost disappeared. The cup and the saucer have the name of the distributor and the maker on the base. ‘Empire Day, May 24th , Africa, Australasia, Canada, India’ empire day, history of warrnambool, empire day cup and saucer

This dish is typical of those in use in households in the 20th century. It could have been used in the kitchen for holding condiments etc or for holding small items such as hairpins or nibs in other parts of the house. This item has no known local provenance but it is an attractive dish and is retained for display purposes. This is a white moulded glass dish with a rim extending over the top of the dish. household items, warrnambool history

This container is a piece of trench art. It has been made in 1917 in World War One. The container is made from a 4.5 inches Howitzer shell. The 4.5 Howitzers were British artillery units made with a short barrel and used to fire missiles over a high trajectory. It is probable that the container was made by an Australian soldier while on active service overseas during World War One. This container has no known local provenance but it is a very interesting and attractive piece of World War One trench art. This is a heavy brass container made from a Howitzer shell. The container is round with four-leaf clover –type patterns on the side and three round knobs welded on to the bottom to give it a base. There are many markings on the base of the shell and these may all be the original markings. The lid is made of lighter brass and has an octagonal-shaped knob on top. ‘4.5 Howr 11’ ‘B.A. 3 3 17’ ‘1917’ M.A.C.’ etc world war one, warrnambool

Walking sticks with carved snakes such as this one were very popular household items in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were often given as presents to older men. They were novelty pieces of carving requiring considerable skill and patience and walking sticks were usually hand-made in those days. This walking stick has no known local provenance but it is a fine example of a hand-made household item of 100 to 150 years ago This is a piece of brown wood with the shaft of the stick carved to a smooth round shape tapering down towards the end and with a snake shape carved over the shaft from the same piece of wood. The head of the snake juts out from the shaft top and the snake has scaly patterns worked on its surface. The stick has a larger round knob at the top and a metal covering at the bottom. When the stick is held upright and twirled around it gives the impression of a snake coiling and moving up the stick. household items, walking sticks

This walking stick or club is of a heavy quality and could be classified as an Irish shillelagh, although it lacks the heavy curved knob at the top that characterizes the shillelagh. It does not seem typical of the walking sticks used in Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries although it appears to date from those times. It may have come from an overseas country.This walking stick has no known local provenance but it is an interesting item and is kept as a curio from the past.This is a piece of black wood (blackthorn?) shaped from a gnarled and knotted piece of wood to make a rough, curved shape. The shaft is rounded at the top and tapering to a smaller round shape at the bottom. The top has a brass-coloured metal band.walking sticks, household items, warrnambool

We have little knowledge on this little teapot but is an item of interest and could even be part of a child’s tea set, based on its size. The hand painting on the pot is quite a typical depiction of Japanese scenes from the 19th century. We could find no provenance belonging to this item but it is an interesting and pleasing item suitable for display.Small white china teapot with lid and Japanese scene on both sides with trees and mountains in the background and village houses in the foreground. It is painted in greens, browns and blue and the painting is outlined in a slightly raised style. The trees in the background have raised white dots of paint. The front scene has two ladies and another person in a boat. The lid also has a similar scene. The lid, handle and rim of the spout are all highlighted in dark green.warrnambool, warrnambool history, teapot, asian teapot

The Hallford truck was made by J & E Hall, of Dartford, England, whose business commenced in 1785. In 1926 the Fisher family of Mongan's Bridge took delivery of the 1923 Hallford truck which was used on the farm to transport cream to the Kiewa Butter Factory in Tangambalanga. In 1967, the truck was sold to Mr Greg Bedstead and other members of the Kiewa Valley Historical Society for the KVHS who reimbursed them at a later date. The truck was housed at the Butter Factory for many years and was paraded on special occasions.This truck was used to transport cream to the Kiewa Butter Factory from the Fisher family's dairy farm at Mongan's Bridge. At other times a tyre was removed and a belt attached to run a chaff cutter. This truck has historical significance as it is presentative of vehicles which were used by farmers to transport cream to the butter factories by a local family. Furthermore, it has social significance as KVHS members combined their finances to purchase this truck so it would be part of our collection. It is well provenanced and has an excellent interpretive capacity.2 black and white photographs mounted on buff card 1. Photograph of Halford truck with man on white horse riding alongside. Presumably in a parade. Dated 11th July, 1972 when truck was no longer in service. 2. Photograph of Halford truck followed by a horse and buggy. Date unknown1. Handwritten in black ink above photo 'Halford truck N.E. Dairy Co. Kiewa. 11 July, 1972' 2. No markingshallford truck, fisher family, kiewa valley farmers, dairy truck

The Hallford truck was made by J & E Hall, of Dartford, England, whose business commenced in 1785. In 1926 the Fisher family of Mongan's Bridge took delivery of the 1923 Hallford truck which was used on the farm to transport cream to the Kiewa Butter Factory in Tangambalanga. In 1967, the truck was sold to Mr Greg Bedstead and other members of the Kiewa Valley Historical Society for the KVHS who reimbursed them at a later date. The truck was housed at the Butter Factory for many years and was paraded on special occasions. Photograph shows truck parked outside the original Kiewa Valley Historical Museum which was located at Tawonga Caravan Park and was later relocated to its current location at the Mt Beauty Information Centre. This truck was used to transport cream to the Kiewa Butter Factory from the Fisher family's dairy farm at Mongan's Bridge. At other times a tyre was removed and a belt attached to run a chaff cutter. This truck has historical significance as it is presentative of vehicles which were used by farmers to transport cream to the butter factories by a local family. Furthermore, it has social significance as KVHS members combined their finances to purchase this truck so it would be part of our collection. It is well provenanced and has an excellent interpretive capacity.Black and white photograph of Paddy Fisher's truck on a flat bed truck, outside the original Kiewa Valley Historical MuseumSmall typed tag on back of photo 'Paddy fisher's truck taken at Tawonga Caravan Park 13th December, 1969'hallford truck, fisher family, kiewa valley farmers, mongan's bridge, cream truck