This tool belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips, a Warrnambool furniture maker. Ernest Phillips (1875-1924) was born in Warrnambool and learnt his carpentry trade at the Warrnambool Box Works. In the late 1890s Phillips established a furniture store at the corner of Liebig and Koroit streets and by the early 20th century he had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside of Melbourne. His products were sold all over Australia. Phillips and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street. Today this property is the site of the residential complex for senior citizens known as ‘Heatherlie’. This tool is of considerable interest as it belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. It is also of interest as a good example of a tool that was in use 100 years ago. This is a small tool with a wooden handle. The top part of the handle that screws in is missing. The tool is attached to the handle by a brass ring and a screw and the tool itself is a thin nail-like piece of metal with a small metal piece at the end in the shape of a star with six points. This end piece gouges out a hole or a pattern in wood or other hard material. The tool belonged to Ernest Phillips and his name is stamped on the handle. Three oblong-shaped metal nails were also with this tool but were not necessarily used with it. ‘E. Phillips’ernest phillips, history of warrnambool

These hand saws belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips (1875-1924). Born in Warrnambool, Ernest Phillips took up an apprenticeship in cabinet making at the Box Works in Warrnambool. By the late 1890s he had a furniture store and factory at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. By the early 20th century Phillips had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside Melbourne. His products were sold all over Australia. Phillips and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street. Today the site of the Phillips’ home contains flats for senior citizens in a complex known as ‘Heatherlie’. These tools are of interest as they belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. They are also examples of the type of tools used 100 years ago. These are two hand saws which belonged to Ernest Phillips of Warrnambool. They have a rounded wooden handle inserted via a metal plug into the end of a piece of wood which is slightly curved. Attached to the metal plug is a thin steel blade with a serrated edge. The blade is approximately the same size as the piece of wood. The blades are somewhat rusted.‘J. Marples & Sons, Sheffield’.ernest phillips, history of warrnambool

Spoke shaves were used by woodmakers to shape curved surfaces (originally wheel spokes). These two spoke shaves belonged to Ernest Phillips of Warrnambool who would have used them to shape the surfaces of chair and table legs etc. Ernest Brighton Phillips (1875-1924) was the son of Henry Phillips (a hay and corn dealer in Warrnambool) and his wife, Emma. He learned cabinet making at the Box Works in Warrnambool and in the late 19th century established a furniture-making and selling business at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. By the early 20th century he had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside Melbourne and sold his products all over Australia. He and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street and after his death this Phillips house was acquired by the Methodist Church and the Heatherlie Homes for retired people were built on this site.These tools are of considerable significance as they were used by Ernest Phillips, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These are two spoke shaves - small planes, slightly curved, with wooden handles and a metal blade in the middle. The blade is attached to the handles via metal ends which go through holes in the wood. The blade area is strengthened with metal plates attached by metal screws. The metal parts are well-rusted and the handles are somewhat worn. ‘E. Phillips’ etched into wood on each spoke shave.ernest phillips, history of warrnambool

This jacket was part of the working uniform of the Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade in the mid 20th century. It belonged to John (Jack) Sizeland, a member of the Fire Brigade for over 37 years. He retired in 1977. Prompted by a fire at the Flying Buck Hotel in Liebig Street the Warrnambool Fire Brigade was established in the mid 1860s. It has been successful in Victorian Fire Brigade Championships over the years, especially in the 19th century. It is currently situated in Mortlake Road. This jacket is of interest as an example of the clothing worn by firefighters in Victoria in the mid 20th century. It is also of interest because it was worn by Jack Sizeland, a local firefighter for over 37 years. This is a black double-breasted cloth jacket with six brass buttons down the front and two brass buttons on the lapels. The buttons are impressed with a shield and the words ‘Country Fire Authority Victoria’. There are two brass clips on the side to hold a belt. There are two black and red cloth attachments at the top of each sleeve (‘Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade’). There is some black cloth lining inside the garment across the shoulders. The maker’s label, ‘David Lack Pty Ltd, Melbourne’ is on the inside collar. ‘David Lack Pty Ltd Melbourne’ ‘Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade’ warrnambool fire brigade, jack sizeland, history of warrnambool

These hand planes belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips (1875-1924). Born in Warrnambool, Ernest Phillips learned cabinet-making at the Warrnambool Box Works. In the late 1890s he established his own furniture store at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. By the early 20th century Phillips had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside of Melbourne. He sold his products all over Australia. He and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street and the site of this home is now the complex of flats for senior citizens known as ‘Heatherlie’. These tools are of considerable interest as they belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent Warrnambool businessman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are also a good example of the tools that were used 100 years ago. These are eight woodworking tools (hand planes) which belonged to Ernest Phillips of Warrnambool. They are rectangular pieces of smooth wood, some with an extra piece of wood at the lower edge and they all have a metal blade inserted through the wood at an angle. The blade protrudes at the base of the wood and when moved by hand along a surface it shapes the piece of wood being worked on by flattening and smoothing the rough surface and reducing the thickness. These planes have been well-used.‘E. Phillips’ernest phillips, history of warrnambool, warrnambool

This is a telephone directory of the telephone numbers and addresses of residents and businesses in Melbourne in 1933. There had been several early attempts in the second half of the 19th century to link places and homes in Victoria by locally-made telephone systems with a commercial telephone system in the same year successfully linking a business in Melbourne to a branch office in the same city. The first telephone exchange in Australia was established in Melbourne in 1880. This 1933 telephone directory shows the growing number of private residents and businesses to have the telephone installed but the installations were still confined mostly to the more affluent private residents and to businesses. This book is of considerable interest as a reference guide as it provides the names and addresses of those who had a telephone installed in Melbourne in 1933. This will be of great use to researchers, especially those compiling their family tree. This is a soft cover book of 364 pages. It has a buff-coloured cardboard cover with the title and other printed information on the front cover and four multi-colour advertisements for Melbourne businesses (Barnet Glass Tyres, Renown Dry Cleaners, C.O.R. Motor Spirit and Edward Dyason, Sharebrokers), also on the front cover. The back cover has a colour advertisement for Gilbey’s Gin. The pages listing the householders’ telephone numbers and addresses in alphabetical order are white with black printing and there are 20 pink pages at the back (business and professional listings). The book has been bound with glue. The cover is somewhat crumpled and the pages are dog-eared. melbourne history, telephone installation history in victoria, warrnambool, history

This book, ‘The Practical Measurer’, by Alexander Peddie, is subtitled ‘Tradesman and Wood Merchant’s Assistant’. It is a tradesman’s guide to measuring and contains many tables of measurement. The inscription in the front of the book shows that it belonged to Thomas Osborne and that he obtained it from D. McColl who is identified in the inscription as the Chief Engineer of the steam ship, ‘Julia Percy’. There is a record of a Donald McColl owning the vessel ‘Mimmie Dyke’ and sailing it to Mauritius in 1856 and there is also a record of the death of a Donald McColl in 1880 so these two facts may refer to the D.McColl mentioned by Thomas Osborne (especially as he refers to him as ‘poor old Mr D. McColl’). Thomas Hamilton Osborne was born in Port Fairy in 1851. He had a lifelong interest in ships and in Warrnambool was the Secretary and then Manager of the Western Steam Navigation Company for 16 years. Osborne wrote many articles with nautical themes using the nom-de-plume of ‘Sliding Gunter’ and had a great love of, and interest in, the ship, ‘Julia Percy’ and when he died in 1902 his body was put on board the ‘Julia Percy’ and he was buried at sea. The ‘Julia Percy’ (built 1876) was a well-known steamship on the western Victorian coast for many years. Later it plied the Queensland coast, saw service in West Australian waters, was renamed the ‘Leeuin’ and was used as a coal hulk until it was scuttled in 1935. The signature in the book of T. Hyland may indicate that he donated the book to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society. This book is of prime importance because:- 1. As a book printed in 1863 it is of antiquarian interest. 2. The connection with Thomas Osborne is of key interest as he was a notable figure in Warrnambool’s 19th century history, especially in maritime circles. 3. The connection with the ship, ‘Julia Percy’, is of particular interest as it was a prominent ship in Warrnambool’s maritime history. This is a hard cover book of 448 pages with brown and gold leather binding on the spine and cover edges and a brown and tan mottled pattern cover. The book has a Preface, a Contents page, information on how to measure all types of solid figures and how to measure work involved in the various trades – masons, carpenters, painters, glaziers, plumbers etc. It also has two Appendices with information on the measurement of sawn timber. The text has many tables and diagrams. The first page has a handwritten inscription in black ink and the back pages have some mathematical calculations written in pencil and a mathematical problem with its solution written in ink. Handwritten: ‘T. P. Hyland’ Stamped: ‘T.H.Osborne’ Typed label: ‘Mr T. H. Osborne, Warrnambool’ Handwritten: ‘T.H. Osborne, Warrnamool, Australia, given to me by poor old Mr D. McColl, Chf. Engineer, Julia Percy S.S., 1888’ thomas osborne, history of warrnambool, maritime history of victoria, ‘julia percy’ steamship

These Victorian Almanacs were published from 1859 to 1916. They contained information of interest to all Victorians, especially historians, businessmen, farmers and gardeners and must have sold many copies in Warrnambool, particularly before the local Warrnambool Standard Almanacs began publication in 1875. These booklets are of interest as examples of 19th century almanacs published in Victoria. They are also somewhat similar to the Almanacs published annually by the Warrnambool Standard newspaper from 1875 to 1930. The 1869 Almanac is of particular interest as it has on the front cover the printed name of James Hider, stationer and bookseller of Warrnambool. James Hider had been a carpenter, a land agent and a rate collector before opening a shop in Timor Street, selling books and stationery and operating a Circulating Library. In 1865 Hider set up as a photographer and was still operating this business in 1878. He was active in community organizations, including the Mechanics Institute, the Fire Brigade, the National School, the Musical Group and the Benevolent Society. He was also a Councillor and a Mayor in the 1860s. It is interesting to note that his name does not appear to have been been added to the 1869 Almanac cover but is part of the original printing. These are two soft cover booklets of 60 pages each. The back covers of both are missing and the 1868 booklet has some back pages missing. The 1868 Almanac has a black and white cover with ornamental scrolls and the 1869 booklet has a red, green black and cream cover with an ornamental border and images of flora and fauna. The 1869 Almanac cover has a Coat of Arms with Advance Australia printed at the bottom of it. The 1869 Almanac also has a map of Victoria as an insert. Both almanacs contain an historical calendar, Victorian Parliamentary information, data on Victorian cities, postal regulations, farmers’ and gardeners’ guides etc. Both contain advertisements relevant to Melbourne. Both have been bound with string. victorian almanacs, annual journals, james hider, bookseller and stationer,, warrnambool.

This is a Reading Book of the Irish National Board of Education adapted for use in schools in Victoria, Australia. Irish School Readers were used in Victoria under the National School System in the 1850s and continued to be used in the 1860s and 70s under the Common School System and the introduction of the State School System after 1872. Readers produced in Victoria for Australian children did not become prominent until the 20th century (School Papers 1898 and Victorian Readers 1928). The signature of Hugh Adams in this book indicates that the book may have come from one of the Adams families farming in the Wangoom area near Warrnambool. There were several boys in these families named Hugh and it is unclear which one owned this book. This book is of interest as an early school reader used in the Warrnambool area and as a book belonging to a member of a local Adams family in the 19th century.This is a hard cover book of 285 pages. It has a brown cover with the title and ornamentation etched into the cover. The book contains prose extracts and poetry with the extracts headed by the derivation and pronunciation of some of the words in the text. There are a few illustrations and sketches. Some of the illustrations have been coloured and scribbled on. The book has been bound with string and glue with the lower portion of the spine cover missing. The book is very tattered. ‘Hugh Adams’ (back pages and on page 279) school readers, education in warrnambool, hugh adams

This is a New Testament in Chinese given to Thomas Wong Cheong on the occasion of his baptism in August 1886. Thomas Wong Cheong (also written Thomas Wong Tong) was a Christian Catechist appointed by the Foreign Missions Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria. He worked in Warrnambool, ministering to the local Chinese Christian community for 31 years. He died in 1923. A Chinese Church, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, was erected in Ryot Street, Warrnambool in 1892. By the 1930s the Chinese community in the Warrnambool area had dwindled to a very few in number and the Ryot Street building was demolished in 1979. This is a significant book because of its association with the Chinese community in Warrnambool and the catechist Thomas Wong Cheong. The Chinese Church and the work of Thomas Wong Cheong are of importance in Warrnambool’s history from the end of the 19th century to the early years of the 20th century and this book would have been well-used during this time. This is a hard cover book with a black cover and the words, ‘New Testament’ printed in gold lettering on the back page (probably the front page when being read in Chinese). The text is entirely in the Chinese language with the Chinese characters in columns ruled longways. The signature of Thomas Wong Cheong (Tong) is written four times in blue and red ink. There is an inscription on the back page (front of book) and a page with a yellow background and black printing. Some of the pages have been torn (silverfish damage) and the edges of some pages have been stained. Most of the pages have four or five holes on the inside edges, suggesting that the book has been re-bound from a previous binding. There is a pink sticker of the Castlemaine bookbinder on the inside front cover.‘Presented to Thomas Wong Tong on the occasion of his Baptism, Creswick, Victoria, August 1st 1886, T. Angwin, Wesleyan Minister.’ chinese in warrnambool, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

These watchhouse keys were used to secure the cell doors in an unknown watch house. They most likely date from the 1880s. Large metal ring holding seven large keys to watch house cell doors.

Item was seized by Victoria Police during a drugs raid at Pascoe Vale South in 2004.19th Century Vampire Slaying Kit in a wooden box. Contains a pistol, silver pistol balls with crosses on them, wooden stake and holy water bottle.vampires, supernatural, weapons

Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (MUIOOF) had its origins in Manchester, England. It was established in Melbourne on 7 December 1840 when Augustus Greeves, a member of the MUIOOF in England, migrated to Australia and formed the first friendly society. In 1840 Manchester Unity IOOF was founded in Victoria.Friendly Societies were founded in the Australian Colonies in the mid-19th Century by immigrants from England who had been members in Societies which dated back to the 18th Century. Like all working people these immigrants experienced sickness, accidents, unemployment, death and burial. They needed help of like fellows to tide their families over these times. So they formed a branch of one of the Friendly Societies back in the mother country. The idea was to make fixed contributions to a fund and when they were off work they would receive a payment. When they died funeral benefits would be paid and the widow and children would be cared for. It was a form of local insurance for hard times. This was a time of 'look after yourself' as the Colonial Governments did not provide pensions or benefits. This item reflects those times. A small hard cover blue book holding certificates of M.O.O.O.F. members.m.u.i.o.o.f. friendly-society

This photograph was taken at the junction of the Snowy and Brodribb Rivers. The Snowy River starts in New South Wales on the slopes of Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest mountain, in New South Wales. It flows into Bass Strait at Marlo in Victoria. The Brodribb River is a tributary of the Snowy which enters the estuary at Marlo. This is a pictorial record of a road in Marlo near Orbost in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. It also depicts the transport used at that time.A black / white photograph of four men in suits seated in a horse - drawn buggy on a dirt road alongside a creek or river. There appears to be another horse - drawn vehicle behind them.on back - "at the Brodribb - Snowy junction. this road was corduroy (packed logs of tea trees?)brodribb-river snowy-river marlo transport-horse-drawn

This is a directory of towns giving distances fro Melbourne, populations. There is an entry on Orbost listing the contemporary businesses.Directories are an effective way of researching businesses and trades in small trades. Many small businesses needed to ensure the public was aware of their activity and one of the better ways to do this (in an age before media dominated) was via a directory. Advertisements in the directories often provide extra valuable information . This item is a useful research tool for Orbost in the late 19th century.A heavy, thick, hard-covered book with a red cover and gold print. On the spine in gold print is the title, "Victoria Post Office Commercial Directory 1895 - 6" and some advertisements. There is an index at the front. Inside people are named with their addresses under: Alphabetical directory (colony-wide); Trade and professional directory Towns and districts directories;Other sections including names but usually not addresses:Commerce management, banking, insurance companies, exporters of English goods to Victoria Government, MPs, heads of departments, clergy, University of Melbourne academic staff, teachers in private schools medical practitioners, hospitals, dentists, pharmacists courts, judicial officers, barristers, solicitors, Justices of the Peace .on page edges - "TOWNS, ALPHABETICAL TRADES, ENGLISH SECTION"directory-post-office directory-commercial orbost-c19th-businesses

This wooden box was possibly a plain brown box which has been hand decorated with shells and pieces of glass. It might have been stored on a mantelpiece or dressing table and was used to store "bits and pieces". The Australian Natives' Association (ANA), a mutual society was founded in Melbourne, Australia in April 1871 as the Victorian Natives' Association. In 1872 it voted to extend membership to men born in the other Australian colonies and changed its name at the same time. The Association played a leading role in the movement for Australian federation in the last 20 years of the 19th century. In 1900 it had a membership of 17,000, mainly in Victoria. The ANA provided sickness, medical and funeral cover. Membership in the ANA was restricted to men born in Australia.The ANA consisted mainly of energetic middle-class men aged under 50. In 1880 the ANA committed itself to the federation of the Australian colonies, and provided much of the organisational and financial support for the Federation Leagues which led the campaign, particularly in Victoria. (ref Wikipedia)This item is an example of a small hand decorated container used to store domestic items. It might have been stored on a mantelpiece or dressing table.A wooden box with a hinged lid. The outside lid is decorated with shells and glass. There is a keyhole at the front. Inside the box is padded and lined with cream/gold decorated paper. It contains photographs, cards a 1906 calendar, postcards, postage stamps and a membership card for A.N.A. - Orbost Branch No.267container handcraft a.n.a.

Jet came into common usage in the 19th century when a small town in England, Whitby, began mining jet to make mourning jewellery. When Queen Victoria declared that her court wear mourning attire for the three years after the death of Albert,and that only jet jewelry was to be worn at court for the first year jet jewellery was widely worn. In the Victorian era, there was a wide variety of materials used to mimic Whitby Jet for mourning jewelry. This item is an example of typical mourning style jewelry which became popular as a universal form of adornmentA black jet bead choker with fasteners at the ends.jewellery choker jet

This butter box belonged to Jack Gore of Warrnambool who used it in his garage to store car parts. It is connected to Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Limited through the box manufacturer, Peter John McGennan, who was one of the instigators of the factory. Cobden and Warrnambool factories were the first two co-operative factories to produce butter in Victoria, both commencing in 1888. Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Ltd is the only remaining independent butter factory still using its original name. It is an example of the manner in which butter was packed for export from the late 19th century until well into the 20th century. Its innovative design is light but strong, using plywood for the box body and struts 'stitched' to the body with wire. The ply was originally pine imported from New Zealand which did not taint the butter. Following the exclusion of the timber from NZ, plantations of local pine were planted and used. McGennan's box factory supplied butter boxes to the majority of butter factories in Victoria, producing up to half a million boxes per year by 1917.This Cobden butter box is historically significant relating to the butter industry and a rare item. Not many of these exist. Wooden butter box with broken ends and a hole in the bottom.Constructed using thin ply ends, sides and base with square wooden struts tied with wire to strengthen the box. The trade mark on the end of the box is an oval with text around a map of Australia with the word AUSTRALIA printing across the map.COBDEN/PURE CREAMERY BUTTER/56lb Net/VICTORIA/REGD No.528butter, dairying, dairy manufacturing industry, butter boxes, cobden

Awards for cheese quality have been part of the dairy industry since the 19th century and are designed to maintain and continue improving the quality and flavour of cheeses manufactured in Australia.Wooden trophy in form of cut-out shape of Victoria mounted on a plinth by two gold-coloured rods. Details of the award printed in black on the shaped area and a small plaque noting details of winner attached to the plinth.Rhodia DIAA Dairy Product Awards 2001/Rhodia Australia Award/Highest Scoring Cheddar Cheese - Mild in Class 7 Base plate - Presented to/Warrnambool/Cheese & Butter Factory Ltdallansford, dairy industry, cheese, warrnambool cheese and butter factory ltd, wcb, rhodia, dairy industry association of australia, trophies

This catalogue belonged to Alderdice Brass Foundry in Warrnambool. It was donated to the museum by John Downing from the foundry. The catalogue is for the firm of J Bartram & Son who were suppliers of dairy equipment. They were one of the earliest suppliers of mechanical milking machines in Victoria.The catalogue is significant as it is from an early dairy supplier and shows early dairy equipment. The Alderdice Brass Foundry has been in operation since the 19th century.Blue covered catalogue booklet with white text and illustrations of a cow, separator, butter maker and butter slicer machines.To Dairymen &/Agriculturalists/Milk/Cream/and/Butter J.BARTRAM & SON. PTY. LTD./586-588 BOURKE ST./MELBOURNEcatalogues, dairy industry, j bartram & son pty ltd, dairy machinery, milk, cream, butter

Ciborium is the ancient Greek word for the cup-shaped seed vessel of the Egyptian water lily "nelumbium speciosum" and came to describe a drinking cup made from that seed casing. These vessels were particularly common in ancient Egypt and the Greek East. The word "'ciborium'" was also used in classical Latin to describe such cups. In medieval Latin, and in English, "Ciborium" more commonly refers to a covered container used in Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and related churches to store the consecrated hosts of the sacrament of Holy Communion. It resembles the shape of a chalice but its bowl is more round than conical and takes its name from its cover, surmounted by a cross or other sacred design. This ciborium is part of a Communion Set that was recovered from the wreck of the Schomberg in 1975 after 120 years in the sea. Five years later during the cleaning of the ciborium, a diamond ring was found secreted in the underside of the ciborium's lid. This ring has since come to be called the Schomberg Diamond and is also on display as part of the Flagstaff Hill Museums Schomberg collection. In 1975, divers from Flagstaff Hill (Peter Ronald, former Director of Flagstaff Hill, Colin Goodall and Gary Hayden), found an ornate communion set at the Schomberg wreck site. The set comprised a jug, the ciborium, a chalice and a plate. The ciborium remained untouched for a number of years before restoration began and the marine growth was removed. In 1980 a piece of the lid broke off, revealing a glint of gold. As museum staff carefully examined the lid and removed marine growth, they found a diamond ring, which is currently on display in the Great Circle Gallery at Flagstaff Hill. The collection also holds ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets as well as photographs from the Schomberg. ABOUT THE SCHOMBERG (October 6 to December 27, 1855)- When the ship Schomberg was launched in 1855, she was considered the most perfect clipper ship ever to be built. James Baine’s Black Ball Line had commissioned her for their fleet of passenger liners. The Aberdeen builders designed her to sail faster than the clippers designed the three-masted wooden clipper ship to be fast. The timber used for the diagonal planking was British oak with layers of Scottish larch. This luxury emigrant vessel was designed for superior comfort. She had ventilation ducts to provide air to the lower decks and a dining saloon, smoking room, library and bathrooms for the first-class passengers. The master for Schomberg’s maiden voyage was Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes. He drunkenly predicted at her launch that he would make the journey between Liverpool and Melbourne in 60 days. Schomberg departed Liverpool on 6 October 1855 with 430 passengers and 3000 tons of cargo including iron rails and equipment intended the build the Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. The poor winds slowed Schomberg’s sail across the equator. She was 78 days out of Liverpool when she ran aground on a sand spit near Peterborough, Victoria, on 27 December; the sand spit and currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted the coastal steamer SS Queen at dawn and sent a signal. The master of the SS Queen approached the stranded vessel and all of Schomberg’s passengers safely disembarked.This ciborium is significant as an example of an item in common use in the mid-19th century that is still in use today. It is also important for it relationship with the famous Schomberg Diamond that was discovered by accident, hidden inside it. The ciborium is particularly significant in that along with other items from the wreck helped in part to have the legislation changed to protect shipwrecks, with far tighter controls being employed to oversee the salvaging of wreck sites around our coast. This salvaged item forms part of the Schomberg collection at Flagstaff Hill maritime museum. The collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Schomberg is also significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered Schomberg shipwreck (VHR S 612). The collection is of additional significance because of the relationship between the objects salvaged, as together they help us to interpret the story of the Schomberg. The collection as a whole is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria's maritime history and its potential to interpret social and historical themes from society at the time of the wreck.Silver engraved Ciborium or chalice with lid, part of the five-piece Communion Set. The chalice is a round cup with a long stem and a floral-shaped base with embossed decoration. It has a matching round lid that comes to a rounded apex on top. Engravings on chalice feature flowers and a Fleur-de-lis pattern.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, schomberg, 1855, clipper ship, james baines & co, black ball line, luxury ship, emigrant ship, captain forbes, bully forbes, ss queen, peterborough shipwreck, communion set, religious service, communion service, ceremonial service, mass, ciborium, chalice, schomberg diamond

In the years following the Crimean War (1854-1857J) there was a great concern in the Colony that Imperial Russia would attempt an invasion. Coastal defences in the colony of Victoria were greatly strengthened by the Government as a result. Warrnambool was originally protected by cannons at Cannon Hill, approximately 1 kilometer west of the Flagstaff Hill Fortifications. These cannons included two 1866 guns, both 80 Pound Rifled Muzzle Loaders (RML) purchased by Victoria’s Colonial Government. They were part of a shipment of 26 such guns sent from England in December 1866. They are registered as No. 23 (80cwt-2qr-0lbs) - Gun 1, and No.13 (81cwt-1qr-12lbs) - Gun 2. They were cast at the Royal Gun Factory, Woolwich Arsenal, in 1866 and have a 6.3 inch bore. Both barrels carry the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria, Insignia of the Royal Engineers, within the Garter and Motto surmounted by the Crown, with the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria within the Garter (letters in centre “VR”, motto “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”, "Shame be to him who thinks evil of it."). The guns were originally supplied with wooden carriages. (The Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, England, was established eleven years after the Restoration of King Charles II. It was the principal supplier of armaments to the British and Empire Governments. At the height of its operations during World War One the factory covered 1300 acres and employed very nearly 80,000 workers. Woolwich was the Headquarters of the Royal Artillery since the raising of that Regiment in 1716. The Arsenal was closed in the late 1960’s.) These two cannons were transferred to the Warrnambool Garrison Artillery Battery Fortifications erected at Flagstaff Hill in 1887 as part of Victoria’s Coastal Defences. The original wooden carriages were subsequently replaced with the present iron garrison carriages in 1888. They are a “C” pivot. The ‘racers’ or curved track set into the floor of the gun emplacement (which enabled the guns to be traversed more quickly) are as specified for guns up to 10 inch, being of wrought iron 2.78 inches wide. A temporary third gun, now no longer on Flagstaff Hill’s site, was a 5 inch Rifled Breech Loading (BL) Armstrong gun mounted on an Elswick hydro pneumatic disappearing carriage It was faster to load and fire than the 80 pound RMLs and its arrival spelt the end of the older 80 pound guns’ useful life, apart from being used for practice sessions. The 5 inch BL gun was the main defensive weapon of the Warrnambool Battery until the Battery was downgraded in importance and the gun was recalled to Melbourne in 1910. The State of Victoria took over the ownership of the guns at the time of Australian Federation in 1901. In about 1901/1902 the Garrison Battery was converted to the Warrnambool Battery of the Australian Field Artillery (No 4 Field Battery). It was equipped with 4.7 inch naval guns mounted on field carriages. They were now a mobile unit but continued to use the Warrnambool Garrison area at Flagstaff Hill for practice. When the Fortifications were declared obsolete the two 80 Pounder RML were relocated to Cannon Hill in 1910. On the outbreak of World War One the 4.7 inch guns were recalled to Melbourne, and the Battery was disbanded. Most of the personnel probably re-enlisted in the local 4th Australian Light Horse Regiment. The two 80 Pounder RML were moved back to the Fortifications in 1973. They were both fully restored by Army First Year Apprentices at the Ordinance Factory in Bendigo in time for the centenary year of the fortifications in 1987. The guns are capable of firing 80 pound (32.3kg) armour piercing exploding shells 3.65kms out to sea. They were original manned by volunteers before a paid Garrison was established. Now the Guns are again fired by volunteers on Special Event days. Since restoration the Gun Number 1 had been fired on a regular basis but Gun Number 2 hadn’t been fired since the mid 1990’s. In April 2015 Gun Number 2 was serviced in preparation for the firing of both cannons on the ANZAC Centenary commemorations on April 25th 2015. Other guns from the original Cannon Hill location were obsolete by the time the 1887 Warrnambool Garrison Artillery Battery was built. These guns are (1) a 32 Pounder Muzzle Loading Smooth Bore (SB) cast in 1813 at the famous Carron Foundry, number 80837 and now located in the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens (2) a 68 Pounder Muzzle Loading Smooth Bore cast in 1861 at the equally august Low Moor Foundry, number 10310 and now located on the lawn area at the entrance to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Both of these guns are mounted on their original wooden garrison carriages. There are only seven 32 Pounder SB made by Carron and fifteen 68 Pounder SB made at Low Moor known to exist in the State of Victoria (Conservation Management Plan for Victorian Guns and Cannon, South Western Victoria, May 2008, ref W/F/04)The Warrnambool Garrison has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register H1250 “for its intact battery and guns, a strong reminder of Victoria’s wealth and determination to protect itself from the perceived threat of invasion in the 1880’s.” The City of Warrnambool is one of several custodians of a collection of artillery pieces of heritage significance at a state, national and international level. These pieces are directly related to the defence of south-west Victoria in the 19th century. The care and preservation come under the Heritage Act 1995. Cannon. 80 Pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) Gun on iron carriage and slide, installed in the Battery at Flagstaff Hill’s Fortifications.. Made in 1866 at the Royal Gun Factory (R-G-F), Woolich, England. Gun Reg No - 23. Flagstaff Hill Garrison Gun 1 (Gun No. 1) Insignia of the Royal Engineers, and the weight of the gun, stamped on top of the gun’s barrel. There is a brass plate on the side of the gun with the details of 1987 restoration.Stamped on axle cover on side of barrel “R-G-F / No 23 / 1866”. Stamped into the metal on top of the barrel, Insignia of the Royal Engineers; Garter and Motto “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”, surmounted by the Crown, with the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria “VR” within the Garter. Also stamped on top of the gun are 2 inward pointing arrows above the weight ”81-2-0”. Brass plate “RESTORATION / BY / FIRST YEAR / APPRENTICES / ORDANANCE FACTORY / BENDIGO 1987”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, cannon, 80 pounder, rifled muzzle, loading, royal gun factory, woolich

The history of the Thunderchild gun is not known. It was presumably manufactured in Torquay in the second half of the 19th century. Such guns were often attached to a ship’s rail through the holes in the swivel base, as in the base of this gun. The guns fired grapeshot and were originally used on ships to repel boarders. They were also used to launch whaling harpoons and were sometimes employed for signalling. The relatively late date makes the latter application most likely. This Thunderchild gun is complete with ramrod and wad remover. It is in good working order and easily assembled. It is used locally for special ceremonies and for Whaleboat Races as a starting gun. (Guns and Cannon, South Wester Victoria, May 2008, ref W/F/03) The small bore cannon is part of a collection of nineteenth century Flagstaff Hill Guns and Cannon, which is classified as being a high level of significance, on State, National and World The nineteenth century artillery pieces are a very rare and representative collection of artillery of this era. The artillery pieces, individually and as a collection, are highly significant for historical, scientific and aesthetic reasons at the state, national and world levels. The artillery pieces are excellent examples of nineteenth century artillery designed for the shore defence of western Victoria in the mid to late 1800s. The collection demonstrates the system of nineteenth century Imperial Defence implemented by Britain and of the recycling of obsolete technology to the colonies by Britain. The collection represents the methods of artillery technology, its advancement and its modifications in order to remain active. It also illustrates the transference of defence technology from Britain to Australia and demonstrates the level of reliance Australia had on British defence equipment. The artillery pieces form prominent elements in their landscapes and, together with the batteries and sites in which they are located, create a strong visual link to the region’s defence history. Importantly the artillery pieces, individually and as a collection, represent a very rare and intact group of nineteenth century artillery. Very few examples of nineteenth century artillery have survived worldwide, the largest collections being sited in Canada. The collection is a rare collection of artillery which demonstrates the advancements made in artillery technology during the nineteenth century, and is one of the largest collections of nineteenth century artillery in Australia. Further, the collection is extremely intact, with most pieces retaining original carriages and many located within their original emplacement. This collection of artillery, with their carriages and in their locations, are of exceptional national significance as they represent the largest intact collection of artillery within a single defensive network, outside of major colonial ports. The collection of nineteenth century carriages and slides are in themselves an extremely rare and important collection, however their significance is enhanced by their placements within batteries and with guns. (Conservation Management Plan for Victorian Guns and Cannon, South Western Victoria, May 2008) Cannon; small 1pdr cast iron, smooth bore muzzle loading swivel gun, painted glass black. 19th century cannon has polished wood handle, two detachable metal stirrups and metal swivel base with cuff, attached to block of wood by four bolts. Accessories are a wood tamper and wood ramrod. Name on gun is Thunder-Child, Torquay, Vic. There are Maker’s Marks on the gun and base, and a number on the cannon.. Marks; Barrel "Thunder/ Child". Base cuff " THUNDER / -CHILD / TORQUAY / VIC ", Trunnion "2825/H"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, cannon, torquay, thunder child cannon, thunderchild cannon, signal cannon, muzzle loading cannon, ordinance, munitions

This bearing cap is thought to be from a donkey winch engine, (or steam donkey, or donkey winch), which is a small secondary steam engine with a cylindrical shaped boiler. In 19th century merchant sailing a steam donkey was often used in marine applications such as to help raise and lower larger sails, load and unload cargo or to power pumps. The bearing cap could have been used on the donkey engine to hold the rod of the winch gear wheel in place, or bolted to another bearing cap around the neck on the top of the boiler’s cylinder, connecting it to the flue. The Newfield was a three-masted iron and steel barque, built in Dundee, Scotland, in 1889 by Alexander Stephen and Sons. It was owned by the Newfield Ship Company in 1890 and later that year It was registered in Liverpool to owners Brownells and Co. The Newfield left Sharpness, Scotland, on 28th May 1892 with a crew of 25 under the command of Captain George Scott and on 1st June left Liverpool. She was bound for Brisbane, Australia, with a cargo of 1850 tons of fine rock salt, the main export product of Sharpness. At about 9pm on 28th August 1892, in heavy weather, Captain Scott sighted, between heavy squalls, the Cape Otway light on the mainland of Victoria but, due to a navigational error (the ship’s chronometers were wrong), he assumed it to be the Cape Wickham light on King Island, some 40 miles south. He altered his course to the north, expecting to enter Bass Strait. The ship was now heading straight for the south west Victorian coast. At about 1:30am the Newfield ran aground on a reef about 100 yards from shore and one mile east of Curdie’s Inlet, Peterborough. The ship struck heavily three times before grounding on an inner shoal with 6 feet of water in the holds. Rough sea made the job of launching lifeboats very difficult. The first two lifeboats launched by the crew were smashed against the side of the ship and some men were crushed or swept away. The third lifeboat brought eight men to shore. It capsized when the crew tried to return it to the ship for further rescue The rescue was a difficult operation. The Port Campbell Rocket Crew arrived and fired four rocket lines, none of which connected with the ship. Peter Carmody, a local man, volunteered to swim about one mile off shore to the ship with a line to guide the fourth and final lifeboat safely to shore. He was assisted by James McKenzie and Gerard Irvine. Seventeen men survived the shipwreck but the captain and eight of his crew perished. The Newfield remained upright on the reef with sails set for a considerable time as the wind slowly ripped the canvas to shreds and the sea battered the hull to pieces. The Marine Board inquiry found the wreck was caused by a "one man style of navigation" and that the Captain had not heeded the advice of his crew. According to Jack Loney ‘… when the drama was over . . the Newfield was deserted except for the Captain’s dog and two pigs.’ Peter Carmody was awarded the Bramley-Moore medal by the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society for Saving Life at Ssea, which he received by mail on January 21st 1893. The medal and a letter of congratulations were donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum by Peter Carmody’s grand-daughter Norma Bracken and her son Stuart Bracken on 25th May 2006. The Bearing Cap joins other items in the Newfield collection.Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Newfield is significant for its association with the shipwreck Newfield, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Registry. The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects. The Newfield collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international cargo ship. The Newfield collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its association with the shipwreck.Brass bearing cap from the wreck of the sailing ship “Newfield” is possibly from a donkey winch engine. The half-circle shaped cuff with a rectangular brass block attached to the outside of each end of the half-circle. Both blocks have a round hole in their centre and are approximately the same depth and width as the cuff. Midway around the half-circle cuff is another brass block that is about twice the depth of the cuff. It appears to have been a circular shape that has been modified to match the width of the collar, having had the sides of the circle cut off to leave straights edge parallel to the edges of the cuff. In the centre of this block is another hole, and there appears to be the head of a bolt inside this hole. The bearing cap is lightly encrusted.1893, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, warrnambool, newfield, 1892, 28 august 1892, port campbell, shipwreck, nineteenth century, ship, curdie s river, victorian shipwrecks, barque, ship wreck, 29 august 1892, 19th century, bearing cap, donkey engine, donkey winch, steam donkey

This toy dog was part of the cargo from the Fiji and amongst the articles salvaged from the wreck. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the captain being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are bisque (or china) toys, (including miniature animals, limbs from small bisque dolls), rubber balls, a slate pencil, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife.Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.China toy dog salvaged from the wreck of the Fiji. This moulded toy is made of bisque (sometimes described as bisque or porcelain) and is tan in colour. The dog is solid with a pitted surface1891, china, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, porcelain, moonlight head, wreck bay, cargo, bisque, toys

This Steam Engine Coupling was recovered from the wreck of the Newfield and is thought to be part of a Donkey Engine (or steam donkey, or donkey winch), which is a small secondary steam engine with a cylindrical shaped boiler. In 19th century merchant sailing, a steam donkey was often used in marine applications such as to help raise and lower larger sails, loading and unloading cargo or for powering pumps. The barque Newfield left Liverpool on 1st June 1892 with a cargo of 1850 tons of fine rock salt for Brisbane. About six weeks later the ship ran into very heavy weather approaching the Australian coast. On 28th August at about 9pm her master, Captain George Scott, observed between the heavy squalls the Cape Otway light on the mainland of Victoria, but due apparently to a navigational error (the chronometers were incorrect), he mistook it for Cape Wickham on King Island, some 40 miles south. He altered course to the north expecting to run through the western entrance of Bass Strait, but instead, at about 1:30am, the ship ran aground about about 100 yards from shore, one mile east of Curdies River. The vessel struck heavily three times before grounding on an inner shoal with six feet of water in the holds. The Newfield remained upright on the reef with sails set for a considerable time as the wind slowly ripped the canvas to shreds and the sea battered the hull to pieces. Seventeen men survived the shipwreck but the captain and eight of his crew perished.Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Newfield is significant for its association with the shipwreck Newfield, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Registry. The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects. The Newfield collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international cargo ship. The Newfield collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its association with the shipwreckCoupling is believed to be part of the Donkey winch's steam-engine. Threaded brass collar (with side outlet) attached to a copper pipe via a locking nut, and a four holed flange with bolts and coupling plate the other end.warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwrecked artefact, 1892, 1893, 28 august 1892, 29 august 1892, barque, curdie's river, donkey engine, newfield, nineteenth century, peter ronald, peterborough, port campbell, shipwrecks, steam engine coupling, steam donkey, victorian shipwrecks

This sheath knife belonging originally to German seaman Julius Gebauhr and an artifact associated with the story of the survivors of the wreck of Fiji. A three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a varied cargo consisting of cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, various spirits, sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos and other musical instruments. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in a squally and boisterous south-west wind, the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers' calculation of his position. At about 2:30 am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed Fiji struck rock only 274 meters from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Efforts were made to lower boats but all capsized or became swamped two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after the line broke. The other, 17-year-old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt without a line, which he had cut loose with his sheath-knife when it becomes tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the cliffs in search of help. At about 10 am on Sunday a party of land selectors including F. J. Stanmore, Leslie Dickson found Gebauer. They were on their travels back from Princetown towards Moonlight Head. Gebauer was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in a singlet, socks, belt and his sheath-knife. His rescues gave him food and brandy and some clothing and gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stanmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and was set up on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line the light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, as many as five at a time, however, some were washed off. Only 14 of the 24 men who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. The wreck of Fiji has smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6 m of water. Of the 26 men on Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach. They were buried on the clifftop above the wreck. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship and his Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe who had dragged the captain out of the surf with his silver cased pocket watch, the only possession that he had left, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother in law Gilbert Hulands as payment of a debt. Since that time it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stanmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle has a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200 m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with this sheath knife and Captain Vickers’ pocket watch. Flagstaff Hill’s collection from the wreck of the Fiji and Julius Gebauhr knife is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the vessel, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S 259). The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th-century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo still evident. Also the story of the heroic attempt by many to save the crew of the Fiji. The knife also represents an aspect of shipping history and fits in well with Victoria's framework of historical themes of living with natural processes as items such as these contribute to a better understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.Knife, metal with black wooden handle. Handle is riveted to knife in 3 places, with shaft of knife between the 2 parts of the handle. The handle also has a carved ring around the end, possibly for attaching a wrist strap. Knife blade is pointed in the centre of the tip and is rusty. The knife has a rectangular metal plaque on handle with inscription. The hand crafted dark brown, soft leather sheath is shaped to fit the knife and joined at the back with cross stitching. The sheath also has a leather belt strap that has come away from the sheath at one end.Metal plaque “FROM JULIUS GEBAUHR/”FIJI” /TO F.J.S.” (F J Standmore recipient)1891, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, knife, fiji, pocket watch, moonlight head, gebauhr, stansmore, wreck bay, sheath knife

The light line or rope used to construct this Turk’s Head knot was part of the line line-throwing apparatus used by the Rocket Rescue Crew. In normal operation a rocket carrying the line was fired over a ship, fastened to the ship, then hauled by the crew to pull a heavier rope from shore, which would have a canvas ‘breaches buoy’ attached to it. A tripod or triangle would be used to keep it free from breakers and rocks. One by one the crew on the wreck would sit in the buoy and be hauled safely back to shore. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967.This rope is part of the collection of artefacts from the wreck of the Fiji. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Rope salvaged from the distress rocket rope line used in the rescue of the crew of the sailing ship “Fiji”. The light-weight brown rope has been crafted into a decorative 'Monkey fist' or 'Turk’s head' knot using three interwoven strands. 1891, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, rope, moonlight head, wreck bay, distress rocket, line, light line, rocket rescue apparatus, rocket equipment, rocket line

This candlestick holder is one of the artefacts salvaged from the wreck of the Fiji. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a glass bottle and a sample of rope from the distress rocket. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife.This candlestick holder is Artefact Reg No Fiji/2, part of the Fiji collection. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Candlestick holder or Chamber Candle. Made of china, off white in colour with crazed glazing. The round concave dish has the base of a round candle holder in centre (remainder of holder has been broken off). The base of a circular china finger ring is attached to both the rim and the dish, about ¾ of the way towards the centre - the top 2/3rds of the finger ring is broken off. A conical thimble-like spike, placed about a quarter of the way around from the finger ring, is intact. This spike was probably used to hold a candle snuffer of similar but larger size and shape. The candlestick holder was recovered from the wreck of the Fiji.1891, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, fiji, pocket watch, moonlight head, candlestick holder, candle holder, chamber candle