This item was given to the Historical Society in 1972, with the donor indicating that the spirit level belonged to the Henty family. The Hentys of Portland are regarded as the first permanent settlers in the State of Victoria (1834). Stephen Henty, with his brother Edward, was involved in the whaling industry in Portland. He also had shipping interests, operating a regular Western District shipping service (‘Champion’, ‘Lady Bird’, ‘Western’, ‘Edina’ etc) and a property ‘Cadnook’, near Harrow. Stephen Henty had close connections with Warrnambool not only because of his shipping interests but also because he was the brother-in-law of an early Warrnambool Harbour Master, Captain Frank Helpman. A spirit level was an essential tool for early settlers as they often built their own homes and constructed the roads nearby, needing to ascertain if what was being constructed was on level ground.It does not seem possible to establish whether this item belonged to the Henty family or to a Henty property. But in the Historical Society collection we have a piece of sheet music which includes the handwriting ‘Mrs Smalpaige, Cadnook’, ‘S. J. Henty’ and the date ‘8th August 1859’. Also the Warrnambool Art Gallery has an authentic Henty piano dating from 1837 and Stephen Henty’s wife died in Hamilton in 1906 so it is possible that the spirit level came to us from a Henty family descendant living nearby via Mr N. Kelly. If the Henty provenance can be proved then this item is of high significance.This is an unvarnished wooden spirit level, apparently home made, with a bubble in the centre. The top has been attached with eight screws, now much rusted. There appears to be some letters in the bubble area but they have not been deciphered “Hentys spirit level, oldest in Australia” is written in ink on the back of the objectspirit level, henty brothers portland, warrnambool, henty family

Yearly publication showing predicted heights in metres for Port Phillip Heads, Williamstown, Portland and Stony Point (Westernport) and tidal differences for other Ports.This booklet provides tide and port information for the coastline of Victoria for the year 1976. It also has information on other aspects of weather such as wind, cloud and sea descriptions. These booklets were a useful reference for fishermen and those involved in boating along the coast of Victoria. They are published in digital form today.Sold at Stan McPhee Sports store Liebig St Warrnambool Vic showing local tides. Red card wrap around cover. 92 cream coloured pages held with 2 staples. Black print. Ports and harbour seal on the frontBooksellers stamp: ink. blue Stan McPhee Sports, green Liebig St Vic. red ...2953. 6717/75. C.H. Rixon, Government Printer, Melbourne. 51st Edition. Recommended price $3.00. Tables for Sunrise, Sunset/moonrise, moonset and transits at Port Phillip Heads & differences for other Victorian and Tasmanian Lighthouse stations.tide table, warrnambool tide table 1976, southern victorian tides

This type of folded postcards was popular with tourists in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s and often kept by them for many years afterwards. The views of Warrnambool here, taken about the 1950s, were typical of the Warrnambool postcards available at the time and were mass-produced as many examples survive today. They include photographs of Hopkins Falls, the beach and harbour, Liebig Street, Hopkins River, coastal scenery and the Botanical Gardens. These postcards are of some historical interest, though the photographs appear frequently in many publications. They also have a social significance showing what tourists bought 60 or more years ago.This is a packet in envelope form containing 12 coloured postcards of views of Warrnambool about the 1950s. The photographs are printed on buff-coloured paper and fold up to envelope size so that they can be sent by post. The front cover includes three dotted lines for the address and the back cover has a space to include the name of the sender. One page gives some general information on Warrnambool. Front cover: ‘A Souvenir of Beautiful Warrnambool’, ’12 Specially Selected Views in Full Color’ Back cover: ‘From…’ , ‘Published by Nucolorvue Productions, Elwood, Victoria’ tourism, warrnambool

"Fort Queenscliff, in Victoria, Australia, dates from 1860 when an open battery was constructed on Shortland's Bluff to defend the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. The Fort, which underwent major redevelopment in the late 1870s and 1880s, became the headquarters for an extensive chain of forts around Port Phillip Heads. Its garrison included volunteer artillery, engineers, infantry and naval militia, and it was manned as a coastal defence installation continuously from 1883 to 1946. The other fortifications and armaments around the Heads were completed by 1891, and together made Port Phillip one of the most heavily defended harbours in the British Empire." (from Fort Queenscliff History website)This is a useful reference tool.A light blue covered book, titled, "History of Fort Queenscliff and the Australian Staff College". It has a daker blue spine and black print.fort-queenscliff cunningham-c.a.

Deadly Secrets tells the engrossing true story of the Allied raids launched on Singapore in World War II. Laying many myths to rest, military historian Lynette Ramsay Silver, the author of The Bridge At Parit Sulong, outlines Operation Jaywick, which used a stolen Japanese fishing boat, renamed Krait, to attack Singapore Harbour. It also discusses the more ambitious raid; Operation Rimau.Soft Cover without Dust Jacket – 464 pagesworld war ii, ww2, australian commandos, australian special operations, operation jaywick, operation rimau

White metal medal issued to commemorate Melbourne's centenary 1934-35. This medal was given out to Victorian school children; 325,600 white metal medals were struck. There were also a few VIP pieces in other metals, including two in gold. The medal references Portland, the location of Victoria's first settlement. The Henty brothers, entrepreneur farmers and whalers, established the state's first permanent European settlement in Portland in 1834. Melbourne was established the following year by a party of settlers led by John Batman. In 1934, as Melbourne planned to celebrate the centenary of European settlement, it seemed to some that there was little to celebrate. The financial strains of the depression, unemployment and the scandal of the city's slums all undercut claims of unbridled progress. Perhaps because of such troubles, the organisers of the centenary celebrations tried doubly hard to be positive. The themes of the celebrations were conservative, reflecting the desire of some Melburnians for security in troubled times. The widely promoted image of the 'Garden City' and 'Queen City of the South' emphasised the idea of Melbourne as a very British city. A visit by the Duke of Gloucester, son of George V, the ageing king, provided a reassuring strengthening of Melbourne's imperial connections. The presented view of Melbourne's history stressed the 'myth of the pioneer', embodied in the person of John Batman. Elevated to heroic status, he was reinvented as a courageous pioneer whose life exemplified the rewards of self-improvement. Such a portrayal ignored Batman's dubious 'treaty' with local Aborigines and the less savoury details of his personal life. Melbourne's indigenous people were excluded from this triumphant view of Melbourne's past. The centenary celebrations now seem dated, but the image of Melbourne as a conservative city largely influenced by Britain has been more enduring.Details the settlement of Portland, Melbourne and Victoria, 1834 - 1935Double sided round white metal medal, featuring on front face, the bay of Portland showing a ship in the harbour. On the reverse side of the medal is John Bateman overlooking the city of Melbourne and the Yarra river.The front is inscribed, "CENTENARY OF VICTORIA" 1934, across the top, bottom right has the words "PORTLAND 1834". Reverse side shows "CENTENARY OF MELBOURNE 1935", and the date 1835 at the bottom. melbourne, medal, portland, centenary of victoria 1935

This is a SPRA, or Schermuly’s Pistol Rocket Apparatus. The large firearm type pistol would have been used to throw a line between ships, usually in the event of saving lives. The line throwing pistol consists of a long barrel with handle attached, a pistol grip and trigger, which fires a short blank cartridge. Accessories for the pistol included: flares, 12 gauge adaptor (to shoot 12 gauge flares), a wood plunger, and boxes of faked line. The stamp on the handle, Crown over "NP" is a Birmingham Proof House mark that dates the pistol between 1904 and 1954. However Schermuly's line throwing pistol was invented in the 192s and used on British Naval Ships from 1929. The serial number '22507' is only 806 numbers later than one on sale as a British Military WWII issue SRPA '21701'. This pistol appears to be made 125-1945. The apparatus was used as a life saving device for crew and passengers on vessels in distress that were only a few hundred metres from shore, often eliminating the need to launch a boat and risk lives to go out to the vessel in dangerous conditions. It could also be used from ship to ship rescue. The pistol would launch a line from shore to the vessel. The line would be attached to the vessel, then shore crew would send out equipment, including a breeches buoy, in which the stranded people could be pulled to shore. It has saved many lives at sea. The cartridge is loaded into the breech of the pistol and the rocket is inserted into the muzzle. On pulling the trigger, the gases generated by the fired cartridge eject the rocket on its correct line of flight, and at the same time, burst through the waterproof disc and ignite the propellant mixture, which carries the rocket and line on the remainder of the flight. The rocket consists of a weldless steel case filled with propellant mixture sealed in by a waterproof disc. Fixed to the rocket case is a direction bridle, to the end of which a short length of flexible steel wire is attached, this in turn being connected to the end of the line to be thrown. A complete rocket set, or line throwing kit. would include a wood carrying case, two coils of faked line in separate compartments, three rockets and a can of six cartridges. William Schermuly (1857 – 1929) - Founder of the Schermuly business. In 1897 he invented a trough-fired, line throwing apparatus. In 1920 he and his third son, Alfred James Schermuly, invented the pistol rocket apparatus and promoted this overseas during the 1920s. The system was approved by the British Navy in 1929 through an Act of Parliament, which made it compulsory for ships over 500 tons to carry this equipment. The company, Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus Ltd., grew quickly during and after World War II but business eased off during the 1970s before it eventually closed in the 1990s. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. This line-throwing pistol is part of he Rocket Launching Equipment used to perform life-saving rescue at sea from the 1920s. It is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Pistol, line-throwing, SPRA (Schermuly's Pistol Rocket Apparatus). This line throwing pistol has a wooden pistol grip, brass trigger mechanism, and a long, wide, steel barrel with Bakelite handle attached to the top. Inscriptions are stamped onto the pistol.Stamped on handle: "5" and "[symbol of a Crown] above NP" , "22507", "[within oval] SPRA" Stamped on barrel: "L22507".gun, pistol, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, line throwing, line throwing pistol, spra, schermuly's pistol rocket apparatus, sea rescue, pyrotechnicks, marine technology, schermuly pistol rocket apparatus ltd., william schermuly, alfred schermuly, pistol line thrower, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, maritime village, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket equipment, rescue boat, lifeboat, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, life saving rescue crew, lifesaving rescue crew, rocket apparatus, rocket rescue method, shore to ship, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, line throwing mortar, rocket rescue apparatus, line thrower, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, beach rescue set, rocket set, schermuly, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, pistol rocket apparatus, line throwing cartridge, line-throwing rocket, firearm, life saving, lsrc

Langlands Company History: Langlands foundry was Melbourne's first foundry and iron shipbuilder established in 1842, only 8 years after the founding of the Victorian colony by two Scottish immigrants, Robert Langlands and Thomas Fulton, who had formed a partnership before emigrating (1813–1859). The business was known as the 'Langlands Foundry Co'. Henry Langlands (1794-1863), left Scotland in 1846 with his wife Christian, née Thoms, and five surviving children to join his brother Robert. By the time he arrived in early January of 1847 the partnership of Robert Langlands and Fulton had dissolved as Fulton had gone off to establish his own works. It was at this time that the two brothers took over ownership of Langlands foundry. Several years later Robert retired and Henry became sole the proprietor. The foundry was originally located on Flinders Lane between King and Spencer streets. Their sole machine tool, when they commenced as a business, was a small slide rest lathe turned by foot. In about 1865 they moved to the south side of the Yarra River, to the Yarra bank near the Spencer Street Bridge and then in about 1886 they moved to Grant Street, South Melbourne. The works employed as many as 350 workers manufacturing a wide range of marine, mining, civil engineering, railway and general manufacturing components including engines and boilers. The foundry prospered despite high wages and the lack of raw materials. It became known for high-quality products that competed successfully with any imported articles. By the time Henry retired, the foundry was one of the largest employers in Victoria and was responsible for casting the first bell and lamp-posts in the colony. The business was carried on by his sons after Henry's death. The company was responsible for fabricating the boiler for the first railway locomotive to operate in Australia, built-in 1854 by Robertson, Martin & Smith for the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company. Also in the 1860s, they commenced manufacture of cast iron pipes for the Board of Works, which was then laying the first reticulated water supply system in Melbourne. Langlands was well known for its gold mining equipment, being the first company in Victoria to take up the manufacture of mining machinery, and it played an important role in equipping Victoria's and Australia's first mineral boom in the 1850s and 1860s. Langlands Foundry was an incubator for several engineers including Herbert Austin (1866–1941) who worked as a fitter at Langlands and went on to work on the Wolesely Shearing machine. He also founded the Austin Motor Company in 1905. Around the 1890s Langlands Foundry Co. declined and was bought up by the Austral Otis Co. in about 1893. History for Grimoldi: John Baptist Grimoldi was born in London UK. His Father was Domeneck Grimoldi, who was born in Amsterdam with an Italian Father and Dutch mother. Domeneck was also a scientific instrument maker. John B Grimoldi had served his apprenticeship to his older brother Henry Grimoldi in Brooke Street, Holburn, London and had emigrated from England to Australia to start his own meteorological and scientific instrument makers business at 81 Queens St Melbourne. He operated his business in 1862 until 1883 when it was brought by William Samuel and Charles Frederick, also well known scientific instrument makers who had emigrated to Melbourne in 1875. John Grimoldi became successful and made a number of high quality measuring instruments for the Meteorological Observatory in Melbourne. The barometer was installed at Warrnambool's old jetty and then the Breakwater as part of the Victorian Government's insistence that barometers be placed at all major Victorian ports. This coastal barometer is representative of barometers that were installed through this government scheme that began in 1866. The collecting of meteorological data was an important aspect of the Melbourne Observatory's work from its inception. Just as astronomy had an important practical role to play in navigation, timekeeping and surveying, so the meteorological service provided up to date weather information and forecasts that were essential for shipping and agriculture. As a result, instruments made by the early instrument makers of Australia was of significant importance to the development and safe trading of companies operating during the Victorian colonies early days. The provenance of this artefact is well documented and demonstrates, in particular, the importance of the barometer to the local fishermen and mariners of Warrnambool. This barometer is historically significant for its association with Langlands’ Foundry which pioneered technology in the developing colony by establishing the first ironworks in Melbourne founded in 1842. Also, it is significant for its connection to John B Grimoldi who made the barometer and thermometer housed in the cast iron case. Grimoldi, a successful meteorological and scientific instrument maker, arrived in the colony from England and established his business in 1862 becoming an instrument maker to the Melbourne Observatory. Additional significance is its completeness and for its rarity, as it is believed to be one of only two extant barometers of this type and in 1986 it was moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as part of its museum collection. Coast Barometer No. 8 is a tall, red painted cast iron pillar containing a vertical combined barometer and thermometer. Half way down in the cast iron framed glass door is a keyhole. Inside is a wooden case containing a mercury barometer at the top with a thermometer attached underneath, each with a separate glass window and a silver coloured metal backing plate. Just below the barometer, on the right-hand side, is a brass disc with a hole for a gauge key in the centre. The barometer has a silvered tin backing plate with a scale, in inches, of "27 to 31" on the right side and includes a Vernier with finer markings, which is set by turning the gauge key. The thermometer has a silvered tin backing plate with a scale on the left side of "30 to 140". Each of the scales has markings showing the units between the numbers.Inscription at the top front of the pillar reads "COAST BAROMETER" Inscribed on the bottom of the pillar is "No 8". and "LANGLANDS BROS & CO ENGINEERS MELBOURNE " The barometer backing plate is inscribed "COAST BAROMETER NO. 8, VICTORIA" and printed on the left of the scale, has "J GRIMOLDI" on the top and left of the scale, inscribed "Maker, MELBOURNE". There is an inscription on the bottom right-hand side of the thermometer scale, just above the 30 mark "FREEZING" Etched into the timber inside the case are the Roman numerals "VIII" (the number 8)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, warrnambool breakwater, coast barometer, coastal barometer, barometer, weather warning, ports and harbours, fishery barometer, sea coast barometer, austral otis co, coast barometer no. 8, henry grimoldi, henry langlands, john baptist grimoldi, langlands foundry co, meteorological instrument maker, robert langlands, scientific instrument maker, thermometer, thomas fulton

The steam engine indicator, or dynamometer, is an instrument used on a steam engine (such as that of a vessel or train) to measure and record the change in the pressures of the engine’s cylinders during their operating cycle. The engineer would use it to identify problems or defects such as bad valve settings or constricted steam pipes. It could indicate the difference in efficiency caused by adjustments made to the engine, being able to instantly measure the variation of pressure from the engine stroke at any given time. This force of power would be registered by a pencil, fitted to the adjustable arm, which would trace a line on paper wound around the cylinder. The recorded information could be used in conjunction with mathematical tables. This particular instrument was made by T.S. Mc Innes, one of the better manufacturers of engine indicators. Mc Innes engine indicators were still being used in the mid 1900’s. This specific instrument was used by Mark Forsythe of North Berwial, Scotland and late of Ararat, Victoria when he was chief engineer on the “SS Talawena” in 1892. The Port of Warrnambool, in Victoria, harboured steam ships that carried both passengers and cargo along the south west coast in the late 1800’s and into the 1900’s. The engineer of a steam ship was responsible for reaching and maintaining the optimum level of steam energy to serve the locomotion and efficiency of the steam ship. The engineer would use a steam engine indicator to measure and record information to achieve this purpose. Engine Dynamometer or Steam Engine Indicator in square, fitted oak case. This brass instrument is used to measure and record steam pressure for setting up and adjusting valves on a steam engine. It has an oscillating recording drum with vertical, silver clip attached for holding paper in place around the drum. The drum oscillates left to right. There is a pulley attached to a length of cord, which is attached to the drum. Beside the drum is a fine metal arm, vertically adjustable, small hole in the end to hold a pencil. Inscription stamped into bracket of the arm. The engine indicator is mounted on a hinged side of the case that swings out ready for use. Attached chains prevent the side from opening past vertical. There is storage for other accessories and an empty compartment in the base (where a scale or ruler may have been located). The case has a collapsible wooden handle, brass hinges and two brass, hook-shaped catches. There is a code stamped inside the lid. It contains a brass, ‘T’ shaped steam-cock (or stop cock) with two open ends made of metal pipe with different sized threads. (Turning the handle on top opens and closes the space in the pipe and would close off the flow of steam from one end to the other.) Also inside the case are three different spiral springs, each with a threaded nut on the end that has a threaded hole inside it. Used by Mr Mark Forsythe when chief engineer on the SS Talawena in 1892 “T.S. MC INNES PATENT” and “522 _ _” (last 2 digits are unreadable) pressed into the arm of the brass indicator. “[ ] X ’ stamped inside the lid of the case. The 3 springs all have a number stamped into them: (1) “32” and “12” (2) “12” and “16” [above] “12” (3) “64” and “150” Card that came with instrument “This instrument was used by Mark Forsythe of North Berwial Scotland and late of Ararat, Victoria when chief engineer on the SS Talawena in 1892" dynamometer, steam engine indicator, t.s. mcinnes, glasgow, dobbie mcinnes, port of warrnambool, warrnambool, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road

This painting is one of a pair of large paintings by W. Langley-Taylor in our collection. Currently, no further information has been found about the artist but research is ongoing. The subjects of these paintings are seascapes of notable areas of the coast on each side of Port Phillip Bay, south of Melbourne, Victoria. The subject of this painting is Cape Schanck, Victoria, which is on the east side of Port Phillip Bay. It includes the Cape Schanck Lighthouse and its Flagstaff. The Cape Schanck Lighthouse was built in 1859 and is the second of Victoria’s coastal lights. It is 21 metres tall and made from limestone. Unusually, its stairway is made from stone rather than wrought iron. Gilded tours are available to explain its use and significance to visitors. The lighthouse keepers at Cape Schanck kept records of the ships that sailed past them along Bass Strait; ship’s names, direction, time and date and so on. The details would also be passed on to shipping agencies, Harbour Masters and newspapers, which published Arrivals and Departures into and out of shipping ports such as Port Phillip Bay and the Port of Melbourne. INSCRIPTIONS “Mrs M Irby” (and on the Eagle Rock, Warrnambool, painting “980/Regency”) The inscription “Mrs M Irby” is on the back of both paintings but the significance of the inscription has not yet been discovered. Perhaps she was connected with the ship or shipping company “Irby”. A ship named “Irby”, built in Merseyside, Liverpool in 1881 by R & J Evans, Birkenhead. It was a four-masted iron ship built for the White Star Line. Henry Wilson Hewitt bought her in 1882, then later she was owned by Chadwick & Pritchard. In 1888 she was registered under the Irby Ship Co. Ltd. (trading as J. Joyce) in Liverpool. In 1912 Galgate Co. Ltd owned her. She traded between London, England and Australia, and is recorded as being in Melbourne and Hobart. In 1919 the Irby was destroyed by a mine when on her way to England. Or perhaps her name and the inscription in pencil “980/Regency” on the Eagle Rock Warrnambool, painting could be a delivery address for the paintings, perhaps an apartment in a hotel. NOTE: The artist’s spelling of the title “Cape Schank, Vic.” is incorrect. The location in this painting is named Cape Schanck. This painting is significant geographically for its representation of the coastal scenery of Victoria, Australia. It is also significant as one of a pair of paintings of seascape, one at sites each side of Port Phillip Bay. The painting is significant historically as an example of late 19th and early 20th methods and materials used to construct a painting’s frame. Painting oil on board in a dark wooden frame, portrait orientation. Seascape of coast with cliffs, lighthouse and flagstaff, flying birds, high waves breaking onto rocks, blue sky with clouds. The title is painted on lower left corner and the Victorian artist, W. Langley-Taylor, has signed his name on lower right. The inscription on back is handwritten script in red crayon or thick red pencil. The board is held in place inside the timber frame with small, dark metal tacks around all sides. Metal eyes join the wire to the frame. Small round, dark metal nail heads are dispersed around the frame and there is a change of colour on both the board and the wood of the frame. Painted on front “W.LANGLEY-TAYLOR.” and “CAPE SCHANK, VIC.” [NOTE: correct spelling is Schanck] Handwritten on back “Mrs. M. Irby” flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, painting, oil painting, cape schanck painting, w. langley-taylor, wall decoration, seascape of victoria's coast, art, mrs m irby, victoria's coast, pair of paintings

This oar is from the Lifeboat Warrnambool, which is on sit at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The construction of the lifeboat ‘Warrnambool’ began 15th September 1909 and was completed almost 12 months later, 1st September 1910. It was built at the Government Dockyard in Williamstown, Victoria, along the lines designed by the Great Britain’s Royal Lifeboat Institution, and included whaleback decks fore and aft, mast and centreboard, and rudder and tiller hung from the sternpost. It could be propelled by both sail and oar. At that time Captain Ferguson was Chief Harbour Master and Mr Beagley was foreman boat builder. Mr Beagley built the lifeboat with his fellow workmen. The boat was described as “… a fine piece of workmanship and does credit to her builders and designers…” It had all the latest improvements in shape, disposition of weight and watertight compartments, and it had space for a large number of people in addition to the crew. It appears that 'H Meiers' whose signature was on the plaque that was found concealed in the hull, was involved with the building of the lifeboat. His signature and the dates of the start and finish of the boat’s construction are pencilled on the raw timber 'plaque' found in the hull in the early 1990’s when the lifeboat was being restored. It is interesting that the ‘Melbourne Directory’ of 1911, published by Sands and MacDougal, lists McAuley and Meiers, boat builders, Nelson Place foreshore, between Pasco and Parker Streets, Williamstown, (Victorian Heritage Database, ‘Contextual History, Maritime Facilities’), It is quite possibly the business of the person whose name is inscribed on the lifeboat plaque. Flagstaff Hill’s documentation also mentions that the keel was laid at ‘Harry Myers, boat builders, Williamstown, Melbourne’ – the name ‘Myers’ can also be spelled ‘Meiers’, which could be the same person as the Meiers in “McAuley and Meiers” (as mentioned in genealogy lines of Myers). The new lifeboat, to be named ‘Warrnambool’ was brought to town by train and launched at the breakwater on 1st March 1911 using the Titan crane (the old lifeboat built in 1858, was then returned to Melbourne in 1911). This new lifeboat was stationed at Warrnambool in a shed located at the base of the Breakwater, adjacent to the slipway. A winch was used to bring it in and out of the water. The lifeboat ‘Warrnambool’ was similar in size to the old lifeboat but far superior in design, build and sea-going qualities such as greater manoeuvrability. The ‘self-righting, self-draining’ design was “practically non-capsizeable” and even if the boat overturned it would right itself to an even keel and the water would drain away. The hull was built of New Zealand Kauri, using double diagonal planking, laid in two layers at right angles, with a layer of canvas and red lead paint between the timbers to help seal the planking. It has “… plenty of freeboard, high watertight spaces between the deck and bottom… through which pipes lead…” The backbone timbers were made of Jarrah. The lifeboat Warrnambool was one of several rescue boats used at Port Fairy and Warrnambool in early 1900's. In late 1914 the Warrnambool lifeboat and crew were used to help find what was left of the tragic wreckage of the Antares, and were able to discover the body of one of the crewmen, which they brought back to Warrnambool. Between 1951 and 1954 the lifeboat was manned under the guidance of Captain Carrington. He held lifeboat practice each month on a Sunday morning, to comply with the Ports and Harbour’s request that lifeboats be manned by a strong and competent crew, ready for action in case of emergency. In the early 1960’s it ended its service as a lifeboat and was used in Port Fairy as a barge to help dredge the Moyne River, bolted to the Port Fairy lifeboat. Flagstaff Hill obtained the Warrnambool in 1975. In 1984 it was on display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. On 23rd May 1990 she was lifted from the water and placed in a cradle for restoration. The name ‘WARRNAMBOOL could be seen faintly on the lifeboat before it was restored. It was during the restoration that Flagstaff Hill's boat builder discovered the 'plaque' inside the hull. A copy of the blueprint plans has the name “V.E.E. Gotch” printed on it. His advertisement in Footscray’s ‘Independent’ newspaper of Saturday 11th May 1901 states he is “Principal and Skilled member (Naval Architect) to the Court of Marine Inquiry of Victoria and holds classes for naval architectural drawing and arithmetic.” The oar is significant for its association with the lifeboat WARRNAMBOOL, which is significant for its half century service to the local community as a lifesaving vessel. She was also used to help retrieve the body of a shipwrecked crew member of the ANTARES. Large wooden oar, shaped two handgrip with tapering shaft to large flattened blade, (2) copper reinforcing strips on blade. Sweep oar is from the Lifeboat Warrnambool. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, oar, lifeboat warrnambool, sweep oar

This rescue line-throwing rocket set was made for the Dennett rocket system, which was used by the Rocket Rescue crews in South West Victoria from around the 1860s to the 1890s. John Dennett - John Dennett was from Carisbrooke, in the Ilse of Wight, UK. In 1826 he invented, patented and demonstrated an improved method of rocket powered, line firing rescue equipment for saving lives. The rockets had a longer range than the mortars being used, they were lighter, needed less preparation time, only needed one line for repeated shots, and fewer people were needed to move the equipment. Very favourable reports of Dennett’s rockets were received by those in charge of His Majesty’s Naval and Military services. In 1832, Dennett’s rocket-thrown line was sent out to the wreck of the ‘Bainbridge’, and was responsible for nineteen survivors coming ashore in two boatloads, along the fired line. Dennett’s rocket received national fame, and a one-year contract to supply rockets to the Coastguards. He became known as ‘Rocket Man’ and his rockets were used in rescues at least until 1890, when his son Horatio was running the business. A rocket weighing 23 lb would have a range of about 250 yards (228 metres), on average. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria has had over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it, followed in 1864 by a rocket house to safely store the Rocket Rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost one hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain and improve their skills, summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The first use of a lifesaving rocket rescue system is often credited to Captain Manby and his invention of a life mortar, first used in 1808 to fire a line onto a ship to rescue lives. Henry Trengrouse’s invention of 1820 was the first to use a sky rocket’s power to throw a line, and his invention included a chair for carrying the shipwrecked victims to shore. In 1832 John Dennett invented a rocket specifically for shore to ship rescue. It had an iron case and an 8 foot pole attached and could shoot the line as far as 250 yards (about 230 metres). From the 1860s the rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It comprised a breeches buoy and traveller block that was suspended on a line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. Colonel Boxer, who had invented an early line-thrower, designed a rocket in 1865 with a range from 300 to 470 yards. It was the first two-stage rocket, with two rockets placed one in front of the other in a tube that carried the rescue line. The hemp line was faked, or coiled, in a particular way in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired, and the angle of firing the rocket was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol around 1920, which used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. Victoria’s Government adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain, which used Colonel Boxer’s rocket apparatus rescue method. The British Board of Trade published instructions in 1850 for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line attached, then firing it across the stranded vessel. A tally board was then sent out with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the continuous whip line and attach the whip block to a mast or sturdy part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a heavier hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser is then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. The rocket system could also be used from one ship to another.The Dennett rocket set is quite rare - there are not many examples in existence and little information is available. This Dennett's rocket set is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.A Dennett rocket set in six parts; the rocket head, three shafts (poles) and two rocket-head toting boxes. The rocket head, mounted on one of the shafts, is a long, red painted, iron tube with rounded ends and a protruding fitting around each end. The wooden rocket shafts are octagonal, with a metal sheath at the ends, carved elongated slots towards each end, and a scribed channel above the black foot. The rocket head toting boxes are thick timber, covered in fabric and painted black. They have a hinged wooden lid that slants downwards from back to front, and a metal closure. Small deliberate holes, in groups of four, on the box’s sides, indicate missing attachments, likely to have been handles. Impressed one a shaft "8"flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, petticoat breeches, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket shed, lifeboat men, rocket equipment, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, william schermuly, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, schermuly pistol, pistol rocket apparatus, beach rescue set, traveller, block, running block, pulley, hawser, faking, faking box, faked line, rescue boat, lifeboat, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, tramway jetty, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, captain manby, mortar, henry trengrouse, sky rocket, john dennett, shore to ship, colonel boxer, two-stage rocket, italian hemp, quadrant, schermuly, line-throwing pistol, line throwing cartridge, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, tally board, light line, whip line, endless whip, petticoat buoy, traveller chair, traveller block, her majesty’s coast guard, harbour board, line thrower, line throwing, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, hawser cutter, life jacket, faking board, irish hand barrow, rocket head toting box, explosives, rocket shaft, rocket pole

This rocket launching machine is used in conjunction with the Dennett Rocket Set. Both are part of the rocket rescue equipment that launches the line-throwing rescue rockets. A light line is threaded through the carved holes in the 8 foot long shaft and attached to the scribed channel at the base of the shaft. The rocket head is fitted to the shaft and inserted into the machine. The machine is set at an angle determined by the person in charge of the rescue crew, and the legs and base of the machine are adjusted accordingly with the use of the quadrant, or protractor, and plumb-bob on the side of the machine. The rocket is then ignited and fired across the vessel in distress. John Dennett - John Dennett was from Carisbrooke, in the Ilse of Wight, UK. In 1826 he invented, patented and demonstrated an improved method of rocket powered, line firing rescue equipment for saving lives. The rockets had a longer range than the mortars being used, they were lighter, needed less preparation time, only needed one line for repeated shots, and fewer people were needed to move the equipment. Very favourable reports of Dennett’s rockets were received by those in charge of His Majesty’s Naval and Military services. In 1832, Dennett’s rocket-thrown line was sent out to the wreck of the ‘Bainbridge’, and was responsible for nineteen survivors coming ashore in two boatloads, along the fired line. Dennett’s rocket received national fame, and a one-year contract to supply rockets to the Coastguards. He became known as ‘Rocket Man’ and his rockets were used in rescues at least until 1890, when his son Horatio was running the business. A rocket weighing 23 lb would have a range of about 250 yards (228 metres), on average. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it. In 1858 the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for lifeboat stations in Victoria, and in 1864 a rocket house was built to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy and traveller block rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. The British Board of Trade published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A tally board was then sent out to the ship with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line, then secure the attached whip block to the mast or other sturdy part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser was then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. This rocket launcher machine is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Rocket launcher, named a Rocket Machine, and storage box. Launcher has a long open metal channel with a spike at the base, and narrow, rectangular device, which is the line-firing rocket machine, at the top, all painted blue. Two hinged wooden legs are attached where the channel and machine meet. The side of the machine has an oval cut-out window and an attached quadrant, or protractor, with a plumb-bob on it. The quadrant has angles marked in degrees. The long protective box has white stencilled letters along the side. Its lid has three hinges and is fastened with two metal latches.On box “ROCKET MACHINE” On quadrant “10” “20” “30” “40”flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, petticoat breeches, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket shed, lifeboat men, rocket equipment, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, william schermuly, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, schermuly pistol, pistol rocket apparatus, beach rescue set, traveller, block, running block, pulley, hawser, faking, faking box, faked line, rescue boat, lifeboat, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, tramway jetty, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, captain manby, mortar, henry trengrouse, sky rocket, john dennett, shore to ship, colonel boxer, two-stage rocket, italian hemp, quadrant, protractor, schermuly, line-throwing pistol, line throwing cartridge, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, tally board, light line, whip line, endless whip, petticoat buoy, traveller chair, traveller block, her majesty’s coast guard, harbour board, line thrower, line throwing, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, hawser cutter, life jacket, faking board, welsh hand barrow, rocket set

This hand barrow, sometimes called a Welsh hand barrow, was used to transport a load of marine rescue equipment from the beach cart to the rescue site, particularly over hilly, uneven or rough terrain. Hand barrows were in common use in the 19th century. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. Rocket Rescue Method - Rocket rescue became the preferred lifesaving method of the rescue crews, being much safer that using a lifeboat in rough seas and poor conditions. The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy and traveller block rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. . The British Board of Trade regularly published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle, determined by the Head of the crew and measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A continuous whip line was then sent out to the ship’s crew, who hauled it in then followed the instructions – in four languages - on the attached tally board. The survivors would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line with a tail block connected to it. They then secured the block to the mast or other strong part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the survivors fixed above the whip’s tail block. The hawser was then tightened by the crew pulling on it, or by using the hooked block on the shore end of the whip and attaching it to a sand anchor. The breeches buoy was attached to the traveller block on the hawser, and the shore crew then used the whip line to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. The rescue crew wore scarlet, numbered armbands and worked on a numerical rotation system, swapping members out to rest them. This hand barrow is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Hand barrow; a transporting device carried between two people walking one in front of the other. A wooden ladder-like frame with two handles at each end, blue painted body with unpainted handles. Seven equal-length slats are joined at equal distance between two parallel poles, and two longer slats are attached diagonally between the first and last slats as a brace. flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, tramway jetty, breakwater, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, rocket crew, lifeboat men, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket equipment, marine technology, rescue boat, lifeboat, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, life saving rescue crew, lifesaving rescue crew, rocket apparatus, rocket rescue method, shore to ship, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, line throwing mortar, mortar, rocket rescue apparatus, line thrower, line throwing, lifeboat warrnambool, hand barrow, manual transport, welsh hand barrow

This chair, one of a set of three, was part of the original furnishings of the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen's Church at 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria. The Church was operated by the Mission to Seamen organisation. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen was an Anglican charity that served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centres in over 200 ports worldwide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria, the organisation began in Williamstown in 1857 as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’ in an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981, and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This chair is significant historically for its origin in the St Nicholas Mission to Seamen's Church in Williamstown, established in 1857 to cater for the physical, social, and spiritual needs of seafarers. It originated in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. Chair, dark brown wood, curved backrest. One of a set of three. he two front legs are decoratively shaped (turned) while the back legs are plain and flat-sided. Almost square flat seat.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, religion, religious service, st nicholas seamen’s church, williamstown, missions to seamen victoria, chair, religious furniture, dining chair

This framed document titled "The Victorian Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown" shows a list of donors of significant items to the St Nicholas Missions to Seamen's Church in Williamstown when the new building opened in 1944. The organisation ceased in 1966 and the furnishings were later donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool by the Missions to Seamen Victoria. The transcription of the document is as follows: The Victoria Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church, Williamstown To the Glory of God List of Gifts Altar - Mrs. and Miss J.R. Schutt Cross - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Chalice and Paten - Mr. and Mrs. Percy Taylor 1 Pair Altar Lights - Mrs. R.J. Ewart 1 Pair Altar Lights - Mrs. M. Jackson Sanctuary Lamp - Miss C. Roberts Rerebos - Miss. M. Breaks, in memoriam Miss. L.A. Breaks Sanctuary Window - Victoria Missions to Seamen Lightkeepers' Auxiliary Missal - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Missal Desk - Mrs. R. Hodgkiss Altar Vases - Mrs. R. Kaybould Bible - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Sanctuary Chairs - Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Twist Credence Table - Mrs. F. Clark Altar Dish – Mrs L. Clark Font - Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Dyble Prayer Desk - H.M.H.S. "Centaur" Reed Organ - "Joy Club for Fighters" Collection Plates - Mr. D. MacKae Hymn Board - St. David's Musical Society, Brighton Pews, Carpet and Hangings - Williamstown Lightkeepers' Auxiliary Bell - Mrs. A.L. Feenes THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen, an Anglican charity, has served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centr4es in over 200 ports world-wide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’. Its location was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This document is significant through its association with the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen Church in Williamstown, Melbourne, established in 1857. The document is socially significant as it connects the community of Williamstown with the St Nicholas' Missions to Seamen and represents the importance of the church to the community. The items in our collection from the Missions to Seamen in Williamstown, Victoria, have historical and social significance. They show that people of the 1800s and 1900s cared about the seafarers’ religious, moral, and social welfare, no matter what the religion, social status or nationality. It had its origins in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. The first Australian branch was started in 1856 by the Rev. Kerr Johnston, a Church of England clergyman, and operated from a hulk moored in Hobson's Bay; later the Mission occupied buildings in Williamstown and Port Melbourne. Document titled "The Victorian Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown". The document is a list of gifts originally given to the St Nicholas Seaman's Church in Williamstown, Victoria. The document is mounted in a decorative wooden frame with glass cover. This is one of the original items in our ‘St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown Collection’.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, framed document, donations to st nicholas seamen's church williamstown, 139 nelson place williamstown, religion, religious service, sailors rest, bethel sailors’ church, bethel floating church, ladies harbour light guild, mission to seafarers, st nicholas seaman’s church williamstown, mission to seamen williamstown, st nicholas seamen’s church flagstaff hill, flying angel club, mrs. and miss j.r. schutt, mrs. r.j. ewart, mr. and mrs. percy taylor, mrs. m. jackson, miss c. roberts, miss. l.a. breaks, miss. m. breaks, victoria missions to seamen lightkeepers' auxiliary, mrs. r. hodgkiss, mrs. r. kaybould, mr. and mrs. f.h. twist, mrs. f. clark, mrs l. clark, mr. and mrs. c.v. dyble, h.m.h.s. "centaur", "joy club for fighters", mr. d. mackae, williamstown lightkeepers' auxiliary, mrs. a.l. feenes, st. david's musical society brighton

This book was part of the original furnishings of the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen's Church at 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen, an Anglican charity, has served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centr4es in over 200 ports world-wide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’. Its location was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This book is significant through its association with the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen Church in Williamstown, Melbourne, established in 1857. The items in our collection from the Missions to Seamen in Williamstown, Victoria, have historical and social significance. They show that people of the 1800s and 1900s cared about the seafarers’ religious, moral, and social welfare, no matter what the religion, social status or nationality. It had its origins in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. The first Australian branch was started in 1856 by the Rev. Kerr Johnston, a Church of England clergyman, and operated from a hulk moored in Hobson’s Bay; later the Mission occupied buildings in Williamstown and Port Melbourne. The Book of Common Prayer. Small book, dark fabric hardcovers, both embossed design on cover incorporating a cross. Owner's name written in black ink inside the cover, also four brown stamps of a cross inside cover. Titled "The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rules and Ceremonies of the CHURCH according to the use of The Church of England". Printed in Great Britain. Book has 730 numbered pages. Inscribed with a signature inside the front cover as well as brown stamps of images of a cross.. This is one of the original items in our St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown Collection.Written in black script inside the front cover "Anne Ambrose". Stamps of a cross symbol, brown ink, on the covers and some of the pages throughout the book. Inside front cover, in pencil, "602" "CH 34" Inside the back cover in blue pen are the numbers "271 / 291 / 24"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, book, prayer book, the book of common prayer, church of england prayer book, anne ambrose, religion, religious service, sailors rest, bethel sailors’ church, bethel floating church, ladies harbour light guild, missions to seamen victoria, mission to seafarers, st nicholas seaman’s church williamstown, st nicholas mission to seamen church williamstown, mission to seamen williamstown, st nicholas seamen’s church flagstaff hill, 139 nelson place williamstown, flying angel club