Fletcher Jones Clothing Factory was a key industry in Warrnambool from 1948 to its closure in 2005. The business was founded by David Fletcher Jones (1897-1977), a clothing manufacturer and retailer who worked as a hawker in the Western District following service with the A.I.F. in World War One. In 1924 Fletcher Jones opened three shops in Liebig Street selling men’s wear, hosiery and linen and operating a small tailoring business. He moved his shop to another location in Liebig Street and began to concentrate on men’s trousers production. In 1946 he opened a shop in Collins Street in Melbourne and eventually had stores and factories all over Australia. In Warrnambool he opened his factory at Pleasant Hill in Flaxman Street in 1948 and became a major Warrnambool employer, with over 1000 employees at one time. He transformed his business into a co-operative, with the name, ‘Fletcher Jones and Staff’ registered in 1947. The business diversified into other ranges of clothing for men and women but failed to compete with cheaper overseas clothing imports and the factory and shops were closed in the early 21st century. 001143.1 Project Book. This project book tells the story of the establishment and development of the Fletcher Jones company across the various stores which were established in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Geelong and Hobart. It explores the philosophy behind the business and milestones achieved and the factory gardens. The book itself provides an example of schoolwork completed in the mid 20th century. 001143.2 Booklet: Plusites: This is a staff booklet which has items of interest relating to staff such as births deaths and marriages. It tells of renovations and happenings in regard to the various shops around the country as well as trading figures. It tells of the royal visit of 1954 and other social events and items of interest around the various shops. 001143.3 Flyer :The text on this flyer also tells the story of the development of the Fletcher Jones brand to the point where there in the year2000 retail expansion was still happening but the Warrnambool workforce had shrunk from over 1000 at the peak to approximately 200. The company had commenced importing a range of clothing by this time These three items present different views of a company which was an important part of industry in Warrnambool for over 60 years in the latter part of the 20th century. The founder was one of Warrnambool’s most well respected people and many district people had connections to the firm. 001143.1 Project Book. Brown mottled card cover with cream insert for personal details. Back cover plain cream. It contains a student’s project work on the Fletcher Jones company. Some is handwritten and also contains a number of black and white photographs throughout the book. A coloured map of Australia is in the middle pages. 001143.2 Booklet: Plusites. White light card cover with dark blue text and diagram. Bottom left of page has a map of the coastline of Victoria. 20 pages. 001143.3 Flyer. Advertising Flyer re factory direct sales at Warrnambool. Black text with maroon border and Fletcher jones logo at the bottom and 4 photographs at the top. 001143.1 Project Book. T Cronin 4B WHS 001143.2 Booklet: Plusites. Vol 1 No 1 June 1954. 001143.3 Flyer fletcher jones, warrnambool history, fletcher jones and staff pty ltd

These books celebrate the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the Warrnambool Art Gallery. This Gallery is owned and operated by the Warrnambool City Council as a memorial to Sir David Fletcher Jones who was nationally known and a leading citizen in Warrnambool for many years as a businessman (Fletcher Jones and Staff) and as a philanthropist. The Warrnambool Art Gallery was founded in 1886 and is the third oldest institutional collection in Victoria and the fifth oldest in Australia. This book is of considerable interest as it reproduces many works of art from the Warrnambool Art Gallery, a highly significant collecting institute in Warrnambool. These are two copies of the book containing 130 reproductions of works of art (both in colour and in black and white) held at the Warrnambool Art Gallery. It is a soft cover book of 128 pages edited by Vanessa Gerrans. The cover designed by Ian Robertson has a white background and the shapes of the Warrnambool Art Gallery logo have been used as multi-coloured windows containing details of each of the 130 reproduced works. The title of the book is in black print. As well as the reproduced works of art the book contains A Message from the Mayor, notes on the Friends of the Warrnambool Art Gallery and the Warrnambool Art Gallery Foundation and an article on the history of the Art Gallery. warrnambool art gallery, warrnambool city council, david fletcher jones, history of warrnambool

This notebook contains cuttings from the Warrnambool Standard pasted over handwriting which appears to be orders for a business. The cuttings concern the activities of the Warrnambool Rifle Club from 1924 to 1926. Rifle shooting in Warrnambool dates from 1860 when it was part of the activities of the Volunteer Rifle Corps and other later local militia groups. As a separate organization the Warrnambool Rifle Club, still operating today, dates from 1886 with the North Warrnambool Rifle Club founded in 1928. This notebook is of minor interest as it contains a summary of the Warrnambool Rifle Club activities in the 1920s and is useful for researchThis is a note book of 100 pages with a hard board cover, red binding over staples and black printing on the front cover. The pages contain handwritten entries of items to be ordered for a business. Newspaper cuttings have been pasted over the original writing. Some cuttings are loose. The book is stained and torn at the edges.warrnambool rifle club

These four items are annual letters of appreciation to Helen Thomson who was employed by George Swinton and Sons in the 1940s and 1950s. She received a monetary bonus each year. The Swinton business in Warrnambool was founded by William and Ann Swinton in Timor Street in 1865. In 1934 the firm of George Swinton and Sons was selling furniture, clothing and glass ware and the other branch of Swintons Pty.Ltd. sold seeds, produce and hard ware. Today the Swinton family still operate the furniture store in Timor Street. . These letters are of of minor interest as a memento of a prominent store in Warrnambool. They reflect the kindly attitude between emploer and employee.These are four letters from Keith Swinton of George Swinton and Sons Pty. Ltd. to staff member Helen Thomson. The letters date from 1949 to 1955.Three letters are typed and one is hand written. The four letters have the the George Swinton and Sons letterhead.swintons store warrnambool, keith swinton, helen thomson warrnambool

This booklet has sixteen pages with gold and blue printing on the white cover. The pages contain printed material. The pages have been stapled but the staples have been removed.non-fictionA business booklet of plants for sale and seasonal suggestions for planting.warrnambool plant nurseries, charles jukes

Through the address on the box, this dress has a local connection. Miss Mavis Hedrick operated a dress salon at 162 Liebig St Warrnambool in the 1940's. Her parents lived at various houses in Warrnambool, including Skene, Spence and Princess Sts. She married John William Freeman in 1942 and left Warrnambool some time after that date. From wedding reports of the day it doesn't seem that this is Miss Hedrick's wedding dress. It seems more likely that it was purchased from her frock salon in Liebig St Warrnambool.While the owner and original wearer of this dress has eluded us, the dress has a strong link to Warrnambool through the original box with its identifying labels. The dress is very much in the style of the era of Miss Hedrick's dress shop..This cream silk wedding dress and slip was donated in original cardboard box with the address written in large letters on the front. The dress is cream silk with gold metallic trim in two lines across the bodice.There are silk covered buttons on the front and back of the bodice and it has a high rounded V neckline.It has long lily point sleeves .There is a side opening with hook and eye fastening.The skirt is cut on the cross and a small train flows from the back of the dress. A simple A line slip accompanies the dress. It has ribbon shoulder straps and the top is edged in a fine narrow lace. The large box is rectangular and grey in colour. The addressee's name is written in large lettering in black (possibly crayon) . A label is pasted to the top right hand corner. A Victorian Railways stamp is loose with the item.On the Box : Miss Hedrick Frock Salon Warrnambool On Label in top RH corner: Mollard & Williams 238 Flinders Lane Melbourne. Stamp: Victorian Railways Parcel stamp 8d Melbournewarrnambool, 1940's wedding dress, mavis hedrick, mollard and williams, 238 flinders lane melbourne, miss hedricks frock salon

This is a book of 122 pages. It has a dark green cover with a gold compass pattern and gold printing on the front cover and spine. The pages contain printed text, maps, diagrams, graphs, colour illustrations and sepia -toned photographs.non-fictionThe history of the first 80 years of the Nestle's Companydennington nestle's factory, dennington, warrnambool, milk production, milo, nescafe production, warrnambool manufacturing

The first Palais dance theatre in Warrnambool was established in the Hotel Mansions on the corner of Kepler and Koroit Streets. When the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1929 the Palais was moved to the Oddfellows Hall in Koroit Street operating as a cinema. In 1939 the area in the Oddfellows Hall was converted into a dance floor, a skating rink and a squash court. The Palais dance hall continued until 1974. It had been a major entertainment venue in Warrnambool featuring many well known bands and singers over the years. This photograph is a fine memento of a most important entertainment venue in Warrnambool in the second half of the 20th century.A colour photograph of the interior of a dance hall showing the dance space, the lighting and the alcoves. The photograph is in two sections placed together. It is mounted on a yellow cardboard mount with a cut-out, printed name in cursive script. The black frame is made of composite material. A glass covering is over the photograph. On the back is a wire attachment for the hanging of the frame. There are crease and scratch markings in the bottom of the photograph.Palais de Dansepalais de danse warrnambool, the palais warrnambool, interior of the palais warrnambool, dance hall warrnambool, warrnambool

This is a book of 170 pages. The cover has a coloured sketch of a soldier on a grey background , two bomb sketches and some black printing. The spine is almost completely missing. The pages contain printed text, maps, sketches, black and white photographs and coloured illustrations. The book is bound with heavy duty staples. There are five loose newspaper cuttings.non-fictionAustralians in World War 1 world war 1, anzacs, australian humour

This is a booklet of 24 pages. The front cover has a black and white photograph and black printing and the back cover has a colour photograph, a logo and black printing. The pages contain printed text and black and white and colour photographs. The booklet is stapled.non-fictionCentenary History of the Dennington Factorynestles factory dennington, fonterra factory dennington

These saws date from about the early 20th century and would have been used to cut timber in the days before the advent of machine-operated saws. They are of a simple design and could easily be hand made.These tools are of interest as examples of tools used over a hundred years ago. .1 Two-person saw with wooden curved sides, two wooden pieces attached across the sides, a metal blade at the bottom and a metal piece across the top to keep the tool rigid. .2 as .1 abovevintage tools, warrnambool & district historical society collection

This is a photograph of the ship, 'Speculant' at the Warrnambool Breakwater. There is another ship alongside the 'Speculant' and the dredge, 'Pioneer' is in the background. The 'Speculant' was a three masted barquentine of 412 tons built in Scotland in 1895. It was purchased by P. J. McGennan in 1902 and wrecked at Cape Patton, near Apollo Bay, in 1911. It was one of the few ships to be registered at the Warrnambool port. Peter John McGennan (1844-1920) was a cooper by trade, initially operating a shop in Warrnambool making cheese vats, churns, coolers and tanks. He then opened a factory in South Warrnambool making butter boxes, nails and barbed wire. He owned several ships, using them to import material for his businesses, especially white pine timber from New Zealand, and to export his own products. He was a Warrnambool Councillor from 1885 to 1891.This photograph is of interest as a reminder of the importance in the late 19th century and early 20th century Warrnambool of Peter McGennan and his industries and community work.This is a black and white photograph of three ships. It is enclosed in glass with a varnished wooden frame with an ornate edging. The photograph shows one ship in the background and two at the Warrnambool breakwater with some railway cartage trucks in the foreground.ship 'speculant', dredge 'pioneer', p.j. mcgennan

This is the MINJAH telephone exchange testing unit. The exchange was adjacent to the property of MINJAH which is situated near Hawkesdale in Western Victoria. The exchange operated between 1955 and 1985. The testing unit was used for detecting and testing faults in the telephone system. The keys along the front were called "Hospital Keys" and were used to give subscribers a temporary connection in the event of a break down. The telephone exchange was replaced by an automatic exchange.This is a good example of a manual telephone system in Western VictoriaThis is a rectangular polished wooden box with a telephone mechanism on the side connected by a hook. On the front right is a dialling system which has been detached. On the front left is a volt meter. At the front bottom are seventeen switches. In the middle front are twenty keys which can flash up in various colours. There is writing on the side . There is a black metal label with writingAVD HAND SET S314470 c 7060 H/56 LINE & SELECTOR TEST SET HT& Co. Ltd. LIVERPOOL ENGLANDtelephone testing, minjah, manual telephone exchange

This is a book of 280 pages with a blue and brown hard cover with sepia -coloured photographs on the front and back covers and multi-coloured print on the cover and spine. The dust cover has the same content as the hard cover. The pages contain printed text, black and white photographs, charts and sketches. non-fictionBiographical material of Charles Pratt and diary extracts charles pratt, 1920s aerial photographs, warrnambool history

A ring box used by a Warrnambool Jeweller in the mid 20th century This ring box was used by the Warrnambool business of F J Gill & Co which operated in Liebig Street in the period 1920-1960. Frederick James Gill (1881-1961) was a consulting optician in 1919 and operated a business in Liebig Street. In the 1950's the jewellery business also operated in Terang and Camperdown. Cream hinged bakelite ring box with velvet cushions to hold a ring. The satin material inside the lid has a small brown sticker. There is a small metal clasp to assist with keeping the box closedBrown Sticker: Jeweller & Optician Warrnambool ring box, f j gill, liebig street, warrnambool, jeweller, optician, watchmaker

This is a book of 108 pages. It has a brown cover with white printing and a black and white photograph on the front cover and printing and seven black and white photographs on the back cover. The pages contain printed material and black and white photographs. non-fictionHistory of Warrnambool Factory - Alderdice Brassfounders Pty Ltdalderdice brassfounders pty ltd, agriculture in warrnambool district, william & charles downing

This plane, used for shaving or shaping materials such as wood, is a Stanley No 78 model. The Stanley Tool Works was a business originally established in U.S.A. in the 1840s. In 1937 Stanley Tool Works set up in Sheffield, England. In 2010 the company merged with Black and Decker and still operates today. Planes are still used today in woodworking.This item has no known local significance but is retained as an example of a tradesman’s tool from the past. This is a metal tool with a solid base, a large handle, one screw and two wing nuts. It is somewhat greasy. ‘Stanley No. 78’ ‘Patent D. 6-7-10’tradesmen’s tools, warrnambool, wood plane

This trophy was awarded in 1933 as a championship cup by the South Western District Rifle Clubs Union. Rifle Clubs have been operating in Warrnambool since 1860 and in 1904 the South Western District Rifle Clubs Union was formed. The donor of the trophy, James Fairbairn (1897-1940) was a pastoralist, aviator and politician. He served with the Royal Flying Corps in World War One and was injured and captured by the Germans. When he returned to Australia he acquired Mount Elephant Station near Derrinallum, Victoria and continued his interest in flying, becoming an expert on aviation. In politics he was firstly the member for Warrnambool in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and then held the Federal House of Representatives seat of Flinders. He was the Minister for Civil Aviation and in 1939 became the Minister for Air. He was killed in an aircraft accident in Canberra in 1940.This trophy is of considerable interest because it is a 20th century memento of the rifle clubs in the Warrnambool district and because of its association with James Fairbairn, a notable Western District personality in the first half of the 20th century. This is a silver-coloured metal bowl soldered on to a supporting stem on a circular base. There are two handles on each side of the bowl. The top of the bowl is covered with wire mesh with the original idea that the bowl could hold flowers (hence the name ‘rose bowl’). The bowl is inscribed on one side. The item is very tarnished.‘Paramount Plate Regd. EPNS Quality Plate Warranted Hand Soldered’ ‘Championship Cup No 12. South Western District Rifle Clubs Union’ ‘Presented by J. V. Fairbairn, Esq. M.L.A. 1933’ warrnambool rifle club, south western district rifle clubs union

Although the medal is inscribed 'Warrnambool R C' we believe it to be a Warrnambool Bowling Club medal. The Warrnambool Bowls Club gave this medal to W&DHS in 1968 describing it as a medal won by life member William Kucks, club champion in 1895. Also newspaper reports show that William Kucks was the bowls club champion in 1895. No record has been found of William Kucks belonging to either rowing or rifle clubs. William Kucks was a long-time resident of Warrnambool, operating a boarding house in Timor Street in the 1860s and then a bakery in the same street for many years. He served as a town councilor 1899-1901.This badge is of considerable interest as a memento of a Warrnambool sporting club in the 1890s and of a well-known 19th century Warrnambool resident and town councilor 1899-1901.This brass star shaped medal has a circular centre with text surrounded by a raised narrow annulus and eight near triangular hollow shapes interspersed with small spheres. on the obverse, The reverse has a metal hook and clip. There is a ring attached to the tip of one of the triangles with a second ring through it. WARRNAMBOOL CHAMPION MEDAL R C1805 W Kucks warrnambool volunteer corps, william kucks, warrnambool bowling club

This is a medal awarded by the Warrnambool Bowling Club to William Kucks in 1900. The Warrnambool Bowling Club was established in 1867 with a green near the Royal Hotel in Timor Street. The club still operates in Kelp Street. William Kucks was a long-time resident of Warrnambool, operating a boarding house in the town in Timor Street in the 1860s and then a bakery in the same street for many years.This medal is of considerable interest as a memento of the Warrnambool Bowls Club in the early 20th century and of a well-known 19th century and early 20th century Warrnambool resident, William Kucks.This silver gilt covered medallion is diamond shaped with the edge incised into four small triangles and four curved and pointed shapes. The latter have four adjacent leaf shapes in relief. The centralised text is surrounded by a horseshoe of graduated, rounded pentagons. It has a small ring attached at the top.There is a hinged pin and catch on the reverse.WARRNAMBOOL BOWLING CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 1899-1900 W KUCKS Runner up Hallmarkwarrnambool bowling club, william kucks, warrnambool history

This is a Nestle badge. Henri Nestle formed the Nestle Company in 1867 with the headquarters based in Switzerland. Today this company is the largest nutrition, health and wellness company in the world. Nestle Australia was established in 1908 and a Nestle factory was established in Dennington (Warrnambool) in 1911. At this time the name, Nestle, was retained but the factory was actually operated by the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. The Dennington factory was for many years the world's largest milk condensery. In 1948 the factory began producing Nescafe coffee. In 2008, after 94 years of operations, the Dennington factory was sold to the New Zealand firm of Fonterra. This badge is of particular interest because of the many years of local association with the firm of Nestle (Dennington Factory).Circular 14 carat gold stud featuring a raised image of a bird feeding baby bird in a nest, twig and leaves.an text and a minute diamond.NESTLEnestle factory, dennington, anglo-swiss condensed milk company, warrnambool history

This small cross cut saw, with a home-made handle, would have been used to fell small trees or cut timber and was designed to be used by one person. Cross cut saws derive from ancient times but came into general use in the 15th century. Those used to fell large trees or cut large pieces of timber were operated by two people. Cross cut saws today have been mostly replaced by electric chain saws. This is a small cross cut saw. It has a metal blade with large serrations or teeth and a metal piece affixed to the blade with screws. A wooden handle has been fitted into the end metal piece in an upright position. The metal is pitted and rusted and the handle is rectangular-shaped tapering down at the end where it is affixed to the metal. vintage tools, warrnambool

These scales come from the Nullawarre Post Office. Nullawarre is a small settlement 25 kilometres south east of Warrnambool. The area was settled in the late 1860s and 1870s and the first school was opened in 1878. The main agricultural pursuit in the Nullawarre district is dairying. The Nullawarre Post Office still operates in the General Store building. This set of scales is of interest as it is a memento of the equipment used in country Post Offices one hundred years ago or more. Scales such as these may still be in use but electronically-operated scales are more likely to be used today.This is a set of metal weighing scales with two trays, one oval in shape and one round, on a balancing mechanism. This mechanism has two ornamental upright metal pieces. The scales are affixed to a wooden base in a rectangular shape with the front edge shaped into two curves. The wooden base has three slots for holding the weights. There are six brass weights with this item. The metal is a little tarnished and the wooden base is stained. nullawarre, history of warrnambool

These scales come from the Nullawarre Post Office and would have been used there for most of the 20th century. Nullawarre is a small settlement 25 kilometres south east of Warrnambool. It was first settled in the late 1860s and 70s and the main agricultural pursuit for the area today is dairying. The first Nullawarre school was opened in 1878 and the Nullawarre Post Office operates today in the Nullawarre General Store. These scales are of interest as a memento of the type of weighing scales used in Post Offices in Victoria in the early to mid 20th century. They are also of local interest as they come from the Nullawarre Post Office.This is a metal set of scales with a balance mechanism on a metal stand. The balance has a circular tray at one end to hold weights An oval dish to hold items to be weighed is a separate item that sits at the other end of the balance. The scales were once painted green and some traces of the green paint are visible. Two weights are with this item. The scales are much rusted. ‘W & T Avery Ltd Birm.’nullawarre, victoria, history of warrnambool

This saw is used for cutting curved edges of timber. It could have been used in the home or for commercial building purposes. The hand-held saw has largely now been replaced by electrically-operated machines. This item has no known local provenance but it is an interesting example of a hand-held tool of the past.This is a hand saw with a thin serrated metal blade. The blade is affixed to the bottom end of a wooden frame with two upright pieces and a cross piece affixed to the upper part of the frame. The top part of the frame has a piece of plaited rope stretched across. The top part of the frame has two wooden handles. The blade is somewhat rusted and the wooden parts and the rope are stained. vintage tools, history of warrnambool

This flagon which once contained 750 ml. of tawny port was sold at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool in the 1970s and perhaps the 1980s as a souvenir of the village and Warrnambool. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village was opened in 1975 and is a re-created 19th century village and port built in the area of a Warrnambool historic precinct containing several original features from the 19th century. These include two operating lighthouses, lighthouse keepers’ quarters, chart room and a fortifications area with two cannons. As the village is a re-created port and includes a hotel called the Steam Packet Inn, the sale of a souvenir flagon of tawny port was most appropriate. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum still operate today. This flagon is retained as an example of the souvenirs sold in Warrnambool some years ago to tourists visiting Warrnambool and Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. This is a ceramic flagon with a cream body and a brown top and handle. The printing on the flagon is black and the flagon also has black printing of the logo of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The flagon has no stopper.‘Flagstaff Hill Mariner’s Tawny Port’flagstaff hill maritime museum, warrnambool