When Thomas Bent, politician and land speculator, was appointed Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892, a number of local Brighton constituents and supporters raised money to present him with an oil portrait. Bent had been a member for Brighton for 21 years, and the painting was seen as a way of showing their appreciation of his services to the Brighton constituency, as well as congratulating him to his new position as Speaker. In June 1892, British/Australian landscape and portrait artist Charles E. Gordon-Frazer was given the commission to paint the portrait. Thomas Bent is depicted as standing in his Speaker's robe on the dais beneath the canopy in the Legislative Assembly Chamber in the act of addressing the House. He wears the traditional Speaker’s dress of a black silk and gold laced robe over a three-piece black suit, lace jabot and cuffs, buckled shoes and a ceremonial long wig. The top of the gold parliamentary mace sits on the right of the work near the frame's edge.sir thomas bent, thomas bent, speaker, mayor, premier, brighton, moorabbin, land speculator, local government, councillor, official, member of lower house, portrait, parliament, ceremonial robes, legislative assembly, jabot, wig, mace

This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. Handbook of Athletic Sports Vol 4 Rugby Football - Association Footall - Baseball - Rounders - Quoits - Bowls - Skittles - Curling. Edited by Ernest Bell Publisher: George Bell & Sons Date: 1892Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 790 BEL Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library covered by a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, great ocean road, handbook of athletic sports vol 4, ernest bell

Cohns Bros printed Memorandum notepaper dated13 th Oct 1892 addressed to E P Hastings re affixing company seal to William Wraith transfer documents signed Magnus Cohn.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Notes about life of William Donald (1892 - 1948) including article from 'The Sun' with photos about the last discharge at Royal Park (?1946). Information received from daughter, Margery McNaught.About life of William Donald (1892 - 1948) including article from 'The Sun' with photos about the last discharge at Royal Park (?1946). world war 1939 - 1945, bentley, e, pte., donald, william, demobilisation, corrie, sylvia may, mcnaught, margery, elizabeth, elsie helen, templeton street, wantirna

Book prize awarded to Ralph Tanner (1921) for excellence in English in Form Vb; prize presented by Mrs R Crawford (possibly wife of Robert C Crawford, Dux of School 1881)The book plate notation that the prize was presented by Mrs R Crawford, presumably a member of the wider school community, has social significance. It gives evidence of the degree of social connectedness maintained by former students throughout their lifetime and that of their immediate family members. Red calf binding with gold embossing and borders to front and back covers; raised bands on spine with 6 compartments and gold title lettering and ornate decorations; marbled endpapers and page edges; book plate on front cover verso; school crest embossed on front cover; black and white illustrations and frontispiece;Book plate on front cover verso: Ballarat College and crest / Awarded to / R Tanner / Form Vb / Prize for English (?) / (Presented by Mrs R Crawford) / A S M Polson / Principal / Christmas 1918ralph-tanner, 1918, ballarat-college, r-crawford, book-prize, english, a-s-m-polson

Joseph Fanning - cordial manufacturer, wholesale and retail produce merchant. High Street, Charlton. Views of Charlton was a lithograph made by Rider and Mercer of Ballarat. A number of these were produced for various town. Charlton's was inserted into the local paper for distribution. The lithograph depicted local businesses within Charlton at the time about c.1892. The lithograph is stamped "with WM CURNOW Compliments". William Curnow owned the local store in Charlton at the time. A colour photo of a portion of a lithograph showing detail of the Joseph Fanning Cordial Manufacturer entry. JOSEPH FANNING, Cordial Manufacturer, Wholesale and Retail. Produce Merchant, High Street.business, industry, charlton, lithograph, curnow, store, cordial bottle, cordial factory