Showing 443 items matching "american made"
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Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Newspaper - JENNY FOLEY COLLECTION: SAND SHOVELLERS
The initial partnership in a quartz crushing plant between Henry Koch, Simon Albert and Charles Wallin was dissolved in 1860 with Koch becoming the sole owner. In 1866 the crushing plant consisted of a 50 hp engine and 48 stamping heads capable of crushing 600 tons of quartz per week. By 1902 there were 72 stamps and this was by far the largest crushing plant in the area, serving many quartz mines. Henry Koch (1800-1889) was a German sailor who signed off when his ship reached Melbourne in 1851. Having heard of the gold discovery he proceeded to Bendigo where he was initially employed in puddling in the Myers Flat area. He was soon employed and then made partner in a quartz crushing plant that he became sole owner of in 1860. He was also landlord at the British and American Hotel and the Silver Mines Hotel. HE also started the Perseverance United gold claim. He married Anna Maria Theresia Heinz in 1857. In 1872 he sold the crushing plant for 75,000 pounds and took his family back to Germany. He resumed his trade as a ship builder although he maintained many Bendigo mining interests.Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2002. Sand shovelers: a gang at work at the Kocks Pioneer cyanide works in Bendigo in December, 1939. The man on the far left is the late Les Warren. Three gangs worked at the site. Each comprised five men, a 'tip-boy' and a horse and dray. Each gang emptied and refilled an 80-tonne iron vat each day. One full dray-load was the equivalent of 112 shovelfuls. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Vessels, Sailing Ships, Vessels in the bay, 1890's
The photograph, taken in the 1890s, shows sailing ships and a wreck in Lady Bay, Warrnambool. Lady Bay was once a very busy port of trade in Warrnambool and was also called the Port of Warrnambool or Warrnambool Harbour. ENTERPRISE (1847-1850) NOTE: The “Enterprise” wrecked in 1850 in Warrnambool should not be confused with John Pascoe Faulkner’s ‘Enterprise’, which was wrecked in NSW in 1847. The 58-ton schooner Enterprise was built by David Hay in Waiheke, New Zealand in 1847 and registered by owners John Watson and Edward Byam in Melbourne, Australia. She was a single-deck sailing ship with two masts, used for carrying cargo such as local agricultural produce and general commodities between Melbourne and other colonial ports. On September 14th, 1850 the Enterprise had sailed from Melbourne under the control of the ship’s Master, James Gardiner Caught, and was moored in at the Tramway Jetty in Lady Bay, laden with wheat and potatoes. The vessel rode out a south-easterly gale but eventually dragged anchor and was beached, bow first and then broadside. Buckwall, a local indigenous man, braved the heavy surf and reached the stricken vessel with a rescue line, saving all five crew on board. There were no passengers on board. The Enterprise wreck was in an area called Tramway Jetty in Lady Bay. Since then the area has become the location of Lady Bay Hotel and now, in 2019, it is in the grounds of the Deep Blue Apartments. In fact, with the constantly changing coastline through built-up sand, the wreck site is now apparently under the No 2 Caravan Park on Pertobe Road, perhaps 150 metres from the high tide. Its location was found by Ian McKiggan (leader of the various searches in the 1980s for the legendary Mahogany Ship). The Warrnambool Wreck Enterprise is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S238. DIFFERENTIATING the New Zealand Schooner “Enterprise” from John Fawkner’s “Enterprize“ Dr Murray Johns, Melbourne, says in his article The Mahogany Ship Story, “…the Enterprise, wrecked in Lady Bay, Warrnambool in 1850 ... was soon covered by sand but was exposed again after several storms in 1887. “Samples of timber were then cut from the wreck, which would then have been buried for 37 years. In November 1887 the Warrnambool Standard reported that “the timber looks sound and hard, a penknife scarcely making any impression.” “For many years there was confusion about the identity of that ship in Lady Bay. Most people believed it was the wreck of John Pascoe Fawkner’s Enterprize, which had sailed from Tasmania to Victoria bringing the pioneer settlers to Melbourne in 1835. “In fact, as I documented in 1985, the Warrnambool wreck was of an entirely different ship, also called Enterprize [Enterprise], but built in New Zealand in 1847. Fawkner’s ship had already been sold to Captain Sullivan in 1845 and was wrecked on the Richmond Pier in northern New South Wales early in 1847. “In 1985 a piece of timber from the local Enterprise, which had been kept at the Warrnambool Museum since 1892, was identified histologically as a New Zealand timber, not Tasmanian timber such as blue gum, from which Fawkner’s Enterprize would have been built in 1830. This confirmed the identity of the Warrnambool Enterprize.”[Dr. M.W. Johns later wrote an article called “The Schooner Enterprise: A Final Word on a Historic Wreck.”] ABOUT THE S S EDINA The three-masted iron screw steamer SS Edina was built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1854 by Barclay and Curle. She was adorned with the figurehead of the ‘fair maid of Judea’. The many years of service made SS Edina famous worldwide as the longest-serving screw steamer. (The term screw steamer comes from being driven by a single propeller, sometimes called a screw, driven by a steam engine.) SS Edina’s interesting history includes English Chanel runs, serving in the Crimean Ware carrying ammunition, horses and stores to the Black Sea, and further service in the American Civil War and later, serving in the western district of Victoria as well as in Queensland and carried gold, currency and gold prospectors Australia to New Zealand. SS Edina had the privilege of being an escort vessel to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to Australia in 1867. In March 1863 SS Edina arrived in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne and was bought by Stephen Henty, of Portland fame, to work the cargo and passenger run from Melbourne – Warrnambool – Port Fairy - Portland. After a short time of working the run from Australia to New Zealand, with passengers and cargo that included gold and currency, she returned to her Melbourne - Warrnambool – Port Fairy run, with cargo including bales of wool produced in the western district of Victoria. The Warrnambool Steam Packet Company purchased SS Edina in 1867; she was now commanded by Captain John Thompson and Chief Engineer John Davies. She survived several mishaps at sea, had a complete service and overhaul and several changes of commanders. In 1870 SS Edina was in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, when a gale sprung up and caused a collision with the iron screw steamer SS Dandenong. SS Edina’s figurehead was broken into pieces and it was not ever replaced. SS Edina was re-fitted in 1870 and was then used as a coastal trader in Queensland for a period. She was then brought to Melbourne to carry cargo and passengers between Melbourne and Geelong and performed this service from 1880-1938. During this time (1917) she was again refitted with a new mast, funnel, bridge and promenade deck, altering her appearance. In 1938, after more collisions, SS Edina was taken out of service. However, she was later renamed Dinah and used as a ‘lighter’ (a vessel without an engine or superstructure) to be towed and carry wool and general cargo between Melbourne and Geelong. In 1957, after 104 years, the SS Edina was broken up at Footscray, Melbourne. Remains of SS Edina’s hull can be found in the Maribyrnong River, Port Phillip Bay. This photograph is significant for its association with the screw steamer SS Edina, heritage listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S199. She had endeared herself to the people of Port Phillip Bay as a passenger ferry, part of their history and culture. She played a significant role in the Crimean War, the American Civil War and the gold rush in New Zealand. She also served western Victoria for many years in her cargo and passenger runs. The SS Edina is famous for being the longest-serving screw steamer in the world. After spending her first nine years overseas she arrived in Melbourne and her work included running the essential service of transporting cargo and passengers between Melbourne and the western Victoria ports of Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland. The SS Edina was purchased in the late 1860s by the local Warrnambool business, the Warrnambool Steam Packet Co. and continued trading from there as part of the local business community. Her original ‘fair maid of Judea’ figurehead was broken to pieces in a collision with another vessel (the SS Dandenong) in a gale off Warrnambool, Victoria, in 1870. The photograph is significant for its association wreck of the Victorian Heritage Listed schooner Enterprise, VHR S238, being a New Zealand-built but Australian-owned coastal trader. The wreck was also significant for its association with the local indigenous hero, Buckawall, who saved the lives of the five crew on board. Photograph "Vessels in the Bay". Black and white photograph of several vessels in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, including some small vessels and "S.S. Edina", the "Peveril" and "Tommy", plus the remains of the wrecked vessel "Enterprise" in the foreground. Photograph is mounted on beige card with label describing the vessels, plus pencilled vessel names. There are several pin holes in each corner of the photograph. Typed label under the photograph “VESSELS IN THE BAY – “EDINA” “PEREVIL” AND “TOMMY”. / REMAINS OF “THE ENTERPRISE” IN FOREGROUND. (Also crossed out on the label “FIRST VESSEL TO SAIL UP YARRA RIVER). In pencil script above the vessels on the photograph “S.S. Edina”, “Peveril” “Tommy”. On the reverse is a printed sticker with “F-Ph 59/2 74”, red felt-tip pen “88”, green pen script repeating the text that is under the photograph on the front.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, enterprize, port of warrnambool, warrnambool harbour, peveril, tommy, ss edina, lighter dinah, warrnambool steam packet company, lady bay, pleasure steamer, edina, trade, travel, screw ship, coastal trader, cargo, victoria, buckawall, indigenous rescue, indigenous hero -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, Historic French Nails and Fixings, 2017
This book contains information on historic French nails and fixings, being translations from the French Masters compared and contrasted to the Anglo-American tradition. It has been compiled by Chris How, a retired Civil/Structural Engineer who lives in Warrnambool, Victoria. He has been involved with conservation and heritage buildings for half a century and it was working with pioneer materials and techniques that first stimulated his interest in historic nails. He has completed a Master’s degree in England and made a special study of French and Germanic framing and its spread across Europe. This involved similar studies in Denmark, Belgium, the Baltic countries and Australia. This book is of interest because it was written by a local Warrnambool resident, one who has researched and studied many buildings in Warrnambool and district through an examination of the building materials used, especially the nails and fixings. This is a soft cover book of 126 pages The cover is grey with a grey, black and white sketch on the front cover and a colour photograph on the back page. The book has contents pages, a list of tables and figures, a list of the source of illustrations and credits, a foreword, acknowledgements, a preface, eight chapters, a glossary of terms and appendices. There are many black and white and colour illustrations. chris how, history of nails, history of warrnambool -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Tool - Manometer, Mercury, Elliotts & Australian Drug Pty. Ltd
In the 1600s, William Harvey realised a finite amount of blood circulates in one direction through the body. Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille introduced the mercury hydrodynometer in the early 1800s for measuring blood pressure. Karl von-Vierordt created the sphygmograph in 1855 and, in 1881, Samuel von Basch created the sphygmomanometer, distinct improvements on the hydrodynometer. In 1896, Scipione Riva-Rocci developed the mercury sphygmomanometer. American neurosurgeon, Harvey Cushing, was an early adopter, and advocate for monitoring patients during surgery and anaesthesia. Blood pressure monitoring is still an essential component of evaluating a patient’s condition.This blood pressure kit is housed in a rectangular, vinyl covered box with metal handle and press-stud lid release mechanism. The lid opens upwards and the glass blood pressure valve and plastic scale is attached to the underside of the lid. The measurements are written in black and go up in increments of ten, from 0 to 300. The glass valve has unidentified increments labelled in red, which is housed within a metal cylinder. The bellows is attached to the measuring valve via a dark green pressure cuff and rubber hose.Blue sticker affixed inside the kit: JOHN MARUM Ornate manufacturer's label: THE ARMOURED / ELLISCO / SPHYGMOMANOMETER / MADE BY / ELLIOTTS & AUSTRALIA DRUG / [indecipherable] LTD / CENTEN[indecipherable] MODELharvey cushing, blood pressure, measurement, anaesthetics, john marum, sphygmomanometer, elliotts & australian drug pty ltd, centenary model, cuff, bellows, ellisco, armoured -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Weapon - Blow pipe, Mah Meri, c. 1936
Used by the Mah Meri people, Kuala Langat, Selangor (Malaysia), 1936. While Malaysian, this blow-gun is analogous to that used by Indigenous groups from South America with curare. The gun is of bamboo, with a highly polished inner tube of the same. The darts are reeds, made directional by knobs of a tudor wood, with poison made from the ipoh tree and the Strychnos vine The blowpipe examined in this report consists of a long bamboo tube with engraved floral motifs on the outside and a second bamboo tube inside. The mouthpiece is attached to the inner tube and the whole piece can be removed from the outer casing. There is a quiver, filled with darts, a small poisons receptacle, and a single dart and hollow bamboo tube, stored outside the quiver. The objects were donated as a whole to the museum in 1948 by Dr Thomas Edward Marshall. The engravings on the outer case originate from the Mah Meri community in Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. The floral ‘motif is of a vine with small incisions to reflect the properties/identity of the plant (poisonous/harmful)’. These motifs are generally handed down through the generations and can be used for kinship identification. They are also believed to enhance the performance of the blowpipe. The outer casing is made up of several pieces of bamboo fused together. Broken or damaged blowpipes were not discarded. Broken sections of a pipe could be removed and replaced as required, and the observably different bamboo sections suggest this has taken place at some point. Sap from the perah tree is used to seal or glue the pieces together and the glue is reversible by heating. The Mah Meri created a poison from the ipoh tree for use in hunting. The poison acted swiftly to kill the animal and did not result in secondary poisoning. The way in which the Mah Meri hunted is analogous with other blowpipe hunting practices elsewhere in the world. Blowpipe hunting practices represent a starting point for the introduction of standardised muscle relaxants into surgery during the 20th Century. In parts of South America, plant poisons were used to tip the darts and kill prey. These poisons are known as curare. The crucial ingredient in curare was Chondrodendron tomentosum root. Raw curare formed the basis for Intocostrin, the first standardised, mass produced muscle relaxant. The introduction of muscle relaxants dramatically changed surgery, allowing for more precise surgery and better patient outcomes. Bamboo blowpipes can be found in many museum and heritage collections, particularly those with strong colonial origins or influence. Blowpipes from Borneo seem to be well represented, along with those from Guyana. Blowpipes from Malaysia appear to be less common. More research is required to establish the rarity or representativeness of the blowpipe. Ownership of the blowpipe can be traced back from the museum to Dr Thomas Marshall. It has also been established the blowpipe’s point of origin is among the Mah Meri people of Kuala Langat, near Kuala Lumpur. There is no information regarding the way in which Marshall came into possession of the blowpipe. Provenance cannot be fully established. Despite these difficulties, the blowpipe represents a full set of hunting implements. It is accompanied by a quiver, also decorated with a floral motif, a set of bamboo darts, and a poison receptacle. The quiver also has a waist strap which enabled the owner to strap it to themselves, preventing its loss while hunting. Each object within the set is in good condition, although the inner tubing is beginning to split lengthwise and should not be removed from its outer casing. While the blowpipe and accompanying objects are not of South American origin, the techniques and poisons used are analogous and this object has high interpretative capacity. Hollow bamboo blowpipe with mouthpiece at one end. Two different types of organic fibre have been used at difference points along the shaft to secure different segments of the blowpipe. The item consists of two tubes a thin and unpolished inner tube that has degraded and can no longer be removed, and a polished and decorated outer casing. The outer casing is made up of different sections of polished bamboo, some pieces have developed a deep red hue which is likely the result of prolonged polishing and regular heating over many years, other sections are a lighter yellow indicating that they are newer pieces of bamboo. The entire outer tube is covered in a varied sequence of genomic patterns. The exact meaning of these patterns is unknown however they are passed down through family lineage, the exact family of origin is unknown. Connected to the mouthpiece if it is removed from the inner casing is a piece of cloth with the numbers 2241 written in black ink, their purpose is unknown.curare, malaysia, bamboo -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Machine - Boyle's Machine, British Oxygen Company, circa 1950
This Boyle’s machine was made by the British Oxygen Company (BOC) in the 1950’s. The original Boyle's machine was invented by the British anaesthetist, Henry Boyle in 1917. His machine was a modification of the American Gwathmey apparatus of 1912, and became the best known early continuous flow anaesthetic machine. The Boyle’s machine was first made by Coxeter and Sons, under the direction of Lord George Wellesly, which was later acquired by the British Oxygen Company (BOC). Though a lot of changes have been made to the original design of the Boyle’s machine, the basic structure remains the same today.Green trolley on casters with flowmeter and vaporiser bottles attached to a stainless steel cross bar. There is a glass shelf at top of the trolley and a second glass shelf at base of trolley, above a pull out drawer. The pull out drawer contains 4 x black rubber masks, 3 x black rubber tubing connectors, 4 x seals, 1 a black corrugated rubber hose with red rebreather bag, red tube and masonite support board.Tin plate attached to upper portion of trolley: THE / BOYLE / apparatus / BY THE BRITISH OXYGEN CO. LTD.henry boyle, anaesthetic machine, gas, oxygen, flowmeter, nitrous oxide, british oxygen company, boc, coxeter and sons -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Equipment - Cylinder, Medical Compressed Air
Early cylinders were coloured as their maker saw fit, usually black, perhaps with a white top for oxygen. The Americans first achieved standardisation, but other countries do not follow American Standards. Australia follows the colour-scheme of the British Oxygen Corporation. The body is coloured individually for each gas, viz: compressed air, grey; carbon dioxide, brown; oxygen, black; nitrous oxygen, blue’ cyclopropane, primrose-yellow’ ethylene, mauve. Panels of other colours may appear on the body, but indicate technical points of cylinder-design and do not concern the anaesthetist. (Penn catalogue entry)Empty small pale green painted cylinder with rounded base and attached outflow valve with circular 'On-Off' knob.Handwritten in red paint across the main body of the cylinder: ST. VINCENTS 32510 Printed on manufacturer's label: 'KEEP CYLINDER COOL / CIG [logo] / MADE IN AUSTRALIA / MEDICAL AIR COMPRESSED / DO NOT ALLOW OIL OR GREASE ON VALVE / OPEN VALVE SLOWLY CLOSE AFTER USEcompressed air, cylinder, colour standardisation -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Vessels, Sailing Ships, Circa 1910 - 1913
This photograph was one of ten photographs donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village by Fred Trewartha. Frederick John Fox Trewartha (Fred) was a well-known Warrnambool businessman. He was born in Beeac near Geelong in 1920 and came to Warrnambool with his family as a very young child. He was apprenticed to his father John, as a saddler and later opened his own shop on Raglan Parade. He then moved into working with tarpaulins and canvases for the trucking industry. Fred was keenly interested in photography (and was a member of the Warrnambool Cine Club), yachting and boat building. He kept his yacht moored at Port Fairy for many years and participated in sailing events locally and interstate. He also built boats with his sons. He had the opportunity to meet many older sailors and it's thought this photo (and others in the set) may have been given to him by one of these men. Fred Trewartha died in 2016 in Warrnambool. There is some conflict re the identity of the ship in the foreground of this photograph. It has been identified as the "Dimsdale" by the original owner of this photograph and by the website "Photos of the Past" which have an identical copy of the photo, however the State Library of South Australia (who also have an identical copy of the photograph) have identified the date of the photograph as 1910 and the ship as the "Ainsdale". The "Dimsdale" and the "Lobo" were recorded several times in the local shipping news as being docked at the Port of Adelaide, at the same time, during the years 1912 and 1913, whereas the "Ainsdale" wasn't in Adelaide very often but was recorded as coming in and out of the Port of Adelaide in the years 1915 and 1916. On February 25th 1916, the two ships (the "Ainsdale" and "Lobo") were both in the Port of Adelaide at the same time, but the "Ainsdale" was loading at Outer Harbor and the "Lobo" was discharging timber at Corporation Wharf. The "Ainsdale" was owned by the same firm that had owned the "Dimsdale". The Dimsdale was a three masted steel ship built in 1890 by C. J. Bigger of Londonderry. It became notorious when it struck the Wonga Shoal lighthouse near Port Adelaide on the night of 17th November 1912, destroying the structure and killing two lighthouse keepers. The accident was investigated by the Marine Board, the Coroner, the Police Court, the Admiralty Court and by the Criminal Courts of South Australia where the Captain (John Jones) was charged with manslaughter and found "not guilty". The Dimsdale was sold to a Norwegian firm and its name was changed to "Kwango". It sank in 1915 near the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The "Lobo" was a well known "windjammer" trading from the Port of Adelaide to other parts of the world. For a number of years it was employed in the New Zealand and Tasmanian services, after which it made several voyages to North America. It was an iron barque of 945 tons, built at Sunderland in 1877 by Osbourne, Graham and Company. On October 18th 1916, the Lobo (owned by Walter and Morris, timber merchants) was on a voyage from Parapato (Mozambique) to New York with a cargo of mango bark and ebony, when it struck rocks and ran aground 30 miles east of the Angoche River in Portuguese East Africa. A detailed account of the incident, written by Mrs Murchison (the Captains wife who was on board with her two year old son) was published in the Adelaide newspaper "The Mail" on Saturday 9th December 1916. She, and several of the crew were put in a boat early in the morning and sent away from the wreck. Several hours later, they were joined by Captain Murchison and the remainder of the crew. They were in their small open boats for several hours before landing on a small uninhabited island where they remained for several days before being picked up by another vessel and taken back to Parapato. The captain was able to obtain a position on a steamer which took him and his wife and child back to England.This photograph is significant as a record of the world wide mercantile trade Australia was engaged in at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century and as a record of the dangers faced by the crews of these ships.A black and white photograph showing two large sailing ships moored at a dock. There are industrial buildings in the background (one has smoke coming from its chimney) and several smaller craft (a rowing boat, two small boats that may be tugs and a little yacht) at the side of the ships. Pylons can be seen in the water and a metal fence is in the bottom right corner. On the back of the photo the words "Ship Dimsdale" and "Bk Lobo" are written diagonally across the top left corner in pencil. A beige paper label has been attached to the top right corner with the words "Dimsdale at Port Adelaide" and "Port Adelaide Historical Society may be interested" written in black ballpoint pen."Ship Dimsdale" / "Bk Lobo" ""Dimsdale" / at Port Adelaide" "- Port Adelaide Historical /Society may be / interested"warrnambool, dimsdale, lobo, barque lobo, port of adelaide, kwango, wonga shoal lighthouse, fred trewartha, ainsdale, frederick john fox trewartha, captain john jones, windjammer, iron barque, parapato -
Arapiles Historical Society
Container - Roy SCHMIDT Collection - Cotton Flour Bags (3)
[1] Three Bears Porridge Flaked Oatmeal Bag: This textile bag originates from Canadian Cereal Mills Ltd., which marketed "Three Bears" flaked oatmeal. Popular in the early 1900s to mid-century, this product combined functional packaging with a child-friendly incentive — a cut-out cloth doll. The practice of printing toys, games, or clothing patterns on flour or oat sacks was a common marketing strategy, encouraging reuse and appealing to families during times when thrift and creativity were essential, especially during the Depression and wartime years. The Three Bears brand played off the enduring popularity of children’s nursery tales, while the doll encouraged children (and parents) to reuse packaging creatively. This object captures a unique intersection of food marketing, household resourcefulness, and early 20th-century domestic life. [2] Mammy Self-Raising Flour Bag: This item is a mid-20th-century Australian flour bag, branded “Mammy Oven Puff”, produced by A. Mammy Products Pty Ltd in West Footscray, Victoria. The use of the name "Mammy" and the caricatured illustration draws on a now widely recognised and offensive racial stereotype originating from American minstrel culture, commonly used in product branding in the early-to-mid 20th century. While the bag reflects a specific period in Australian domestic and commercial packaging history, it also exemplifies racially insensitive advertising that would be considered inappropriate and harmful by today’s standards. Such items are preserved today in museum collections to help document past social attitudes, consumer culture, and the evolution of racial representation in advertising. [3] Bandung Blue Triangle Brand Flour Bag: This bag represents a mid-20th-century Australian flour export product, particularly aimed at international markets such as Indonesia (as indicated by "Bandung"). The “Blue Triangle Brand” was likely a registered trademark used by a Melbourne-based flour mill engaged in both local and overseas trade. The use of durable cloth bags for bulk flour was common prior to the widespread adoption of paper and plastic packaging. These bags were often reused domestically for household textiles, clothing patterns, or storage. The export reference (Bandung) underscores Australia's historical agricultural trade ties with Southeast Asia, especially in wheat and flour exports. – Roy SCHMIDT resided with his siblings Mabel and Jack at ‘Parklands’ 85 Lake Avenue Natimuk home of Heinrich Friederick ‘Heiny’ & Minna Christina SUDHOLZ nee LANGE and their children Louis, Sophie, Alma, Lena (Roy's Mother), Florence 'Florrie' and Edward ‘Ted’.[1] Three Bears Porridge Flaked Oatmeal Bag: A vintage cloth oatmeal bag printed with black ink on both sides. One side is branded with "Three Bears Porridge – Flaked Oatmeal", showing an image of three bears behind a gate, referencing the well-known “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” fairytale. The opposite side features a printed cut-out doll design, showing a young girl with curly hair holding a bouquet of flowers, intended to be sewn into a stuffed toy. Instructions note that the reverse side (the doll’s back) could be obtained from a second bag. The design combines product branding with a promotional activity for children, typical of early- to mid-20th-century grocery packaging aimed at reuse. [2] Mammy Self-Raising Flour Bag: A small vintage cloth flour bag with printed branding in faded red, blue, and black inks. The front of the bag features a central image of a caricatured smiling African American woman wearing a headscarf. The text is unevenly faded but legible in parts. The bag has a rectangular shape with an open top edge and signs of previous use, including creasing and some fraying at the corners. [3] Bandung Blue Triangle Brand Flour Bag: A large, rectangular vintage cloth flour bag made of cream-coloured calico or cotton. The front of the bag is printed in bold blue ink with branding and export information. It prominently features a large triangular logo reading “Blue Triangle Brand” and numerous lines of text in block and stylised fonts. The bag is open at the top with frayed edges, suggesting it was once machine-stitched shut and later opened.[1] Three Bears Porridge Flaked Oatmeal Bag: Front side (branding side): "THREE BEARS Porridge – FLAKED OATMEAL" "7 Lbs. Net." “Packed and guaranteed by Canadian Cereal Mills Ltd., Toronto” Reverse side (doll pattern): "This is the Front for Three Bears Cut-out Doll" "In order to complete this Doll it will be necessary to obtain the Back Design from another Bag of Three Bears Rolled Oats or Oatmeal." [2] Mammy Self-Raising Flour Bag: Main product name: “MAMMY OVEN PUFF SELF-RAISING FLOUR” Additional text: “The Only Creamed Flour” “Prepared with phosphate aerator” “A. MAMMY PRODUCTS PTY. LTD., Sunshine Rd., West Footscray. Phone: FW 7321” “7 LBS. NET” (near top edge, very faded) [3] Bandung Blue Triangle Brand Flour Bag: The bag is printed with the following: “10270” “G.W.C | H.L” “BANDUNG” “BEST AUSTRALIAN” “BLUE TRIANGLE BRAND” (inside the triangle logo) “GROWER & GRINDERS” (curved around the logo) “Patent Roller” “MELBOURNE” “FLOUR” “50 LBS. GROSS WHEN PACKED” These inscriptions indicate that this flour bag was manufactured in Melbourne, Australia, and was likely exported to Bandung, Indonesia.farm equipment, flour, milling, oats -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Nail, 1855
The artefact is the lower portion of a rectangular shanked ‘planking nail’ with a straight-edged ‘flat point’. The distinctive ‘point’ of a planking/skirting nail was designed to be driven into timber across the grain in order to prevent the wood from splitting. This relic is from the shipwreck of the SCHOMBERG, which ran aground near Peterborough in 1855. It was retrieved in 1875 from a large section of the ship’s bow which had been carried by ocean currents to the western coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The nail is still fixed in a fragment of the original timber that it secured in the SCHOMBERG. The top portion, or ‘head’ of the nail, has corroded away but the pronounced rectangular shank and its flat point indicate its likely purpose and position on the vessel. Most fastenings used in sailing ship construction were either wooden treenails or copper bolts, which were relatively resistant to seawater corrosion. In addition, the preferred hull-frame timber of British Oak has a high content of gallic acid which rapidly corrodes unprotected iron work. The ferrous composition of this planking nail suggests it came from an internal and upper portion of the ship’s bow (protected from exposure to the sea or oak). According to an 1855 edition of the Aberdeen Journal, the five outer layers, or ‘skins’, of the SCHOMBERG’s pine hull were “combined by means of patent screw treenails”. However the “beams of her two upper decks” were of “malleable iron”, and “part of the forecastle” was “fitted for the accommodation of the crew”. It is therefore possible that iron nails of this description were used by the ship’s builders to secure floor and wall planks in enclosed areas of the crew’s quarters. (The same reasoning would apply to officer and passenger accommodation amidships and at the stern of the vessel, but it was the bow that floated to New.Zealand.) The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in almost 9 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. This nail is a registered artefact from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG, Artefact Reg No S/35 and is significant because of its association with the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing 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 collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG 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. The object is the bottom end of a slightly curved iron planking nail with remnant of timber still attached, recovered from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855). The shank of the nail is rectangular and it narrows to a flat (chisel like) ‘point’. The ‘head’ is missing although there is a quantity of dark red corrosion within the top of the surrounding wood, suggesting where it might have been. The artefact is from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855) and was retrieved from part of the ship’s bow which was carried by sea currents to the South Island of New Zealand. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, planking nail, rectangular ship’s nail, cast iron nail -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Wood encrustation, 1855
The object is a mass of small shipwreck debris that has been concreted together by sediment and marine growth. It was retrieved from the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG, which ran aground near the mouth of the Curdies River near Peterborough in 1855. The conglomerate of preserved wood impressions, rusted metal pieces, a small square of copper alloy, and black glass-like stones, presents too disjointed a collection to provide information on their purpose or function on the ship. The natural and gradual process of limestone accretion is a significant feature of the wreck-site, which was rediscovered by fishermen and skindivers in 1973. In his book “Exploring Shipwrecks of Western Victoria”, experienced diver and former director at Flagstaff Hill, Peter Ronald writes that the SCHOMBERG’s “triple layered wooden hull has disintegrated almost without trace…The turbulent shallow waters have promoted particularly heavy marine growth which tend to disguise the wreckage…the most prominent feature being a corroded mass of railway iron…Close inspection reveals small artefacts firmly embedded in the marine concretion which…is quite literally as hard as iron”. The huge oblong mass of concretion that now distinguishes the site covers the remains of this heavy cargo. A contemporary account of the SCHOMBERG’s fate (told by two of her passengers to the Melbourne Argus) alleges the ship “was overloaded, drawing over 25 feet when she left, and the cargo was chiefly iron and plant for the Geelong Railway”. The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. The shape and texture of this wood sample suggests a dense hardwood like Oak. The timber has been cut off at one end since its recovery from the sea, exposing a smooth and almost shiny surface. Seasoned English Oak has a similar light brown colour and tight grained finish. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in almost 9 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. This object is listed on the Shipwreck Artefact Register, No S/49, and is significant because of its association with the ship SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing 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 collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG 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. The object is an aggregate of limestone sediment that formed at the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG (1855). It is an irregularly shaped conglomerate of sand, shell-grit and marine worm casings from the ocean floor, but also incorporates an assortment of manufactured metal pieces and pipe fittings (corroded with red rust), a small rectangular piece of copper sheet, some ‘petrified’ wood remains (hardened and a soft brown colour), and pieces of black shiny stone (roughly cube shaped and possibly glass or porcelain remnants). There is an impression left in the stone of a joist or plank end but the original timber that the sediment formed around has since been dispersed by the sea.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, shipwreck timber, alexander hall and son, shipwreck debris, black ball line, 1855 shipwreck, aberdeen clipper ship, captain forbes, peterborough shipwreck, ss queen -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Wood sample, 1855
The artefact is a piece of ship’s timber from the wreck-site of the SCHOMBERG, a vessel which collided with the Peterborough reef on her maiden voyage in December 1855. This small wooden remnant of the disaster has been concreted on one side by the accrual of marine sediment while submerged. The build-up of sediment over the remains of the vessel is typical of the site as a whole. This artefact illustrates the reclaiming power of the ocean and the gradual disappearance of timber constructed vessels that have come to grief along this coastline (for example, the THISTLE in 1837, and the CHILDREN in 1838). The SCHOMBERG was a 2,000 ton clipper ship, specifically designed for the Australian immigration trade (back-loading wool for Britain’s mills), and constructed in Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was owned by the Black Ball Line and launched in 1855. Alexander Hall & Son were renowned builders of sleek and fast 1,000 ton clippers for the China trade (opium in, tea out) and were keen to show they could also outclass the big North American ships built by Donald Mackay. Consequently the SCHOMBERG was ‘overbuilt’. Her hull featured five ‘skins’ of Scotch Larch and Pitch Pine overlaying each other in a diagonal pattern against a stout frame of British Oak. Oak has been favoured by builders of wooden ships for centuries. Its close, dense grain made it harder to work, but also gave it great strength and durability. In addition, the lateral spread of its branches supplied a natural curvature for the ribs of a vessel’s hull, as well as providing the small corner or curved pieces (‘knees’ and ‘elbows’) that fit them together. The shape and texture of this wood sample suggests a dense hardwood like Oak. The timber has been cut off at one end since its recovery from the sea, exposing a smooth and almost shiny surface. Seasoned English Oak has a similar light brown colour and tight grained finish. At the launch the SCHOMBERG’s 34 year old master, Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, had promised Melbourne in 60 days, "with or without the help of God." James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; MARCO POLO and LIGHTNING. In 1852 in the MARCO POLO he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. There were 53 deaths on the voyage but the great news was of the record passage by the master. In 1954 Captain Forbes took the clipper LIGHTNING to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his own records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the SCHOMBERG’s maiden voyage, he was going to break records. SCHOMBERG departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855 flying the sign “Sixty Days to Melbourne”. She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. It also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo was insured for $300,000, a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing SCHOMBERG’s journey considerably. Land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, and Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the Third Mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off, Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26 December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to SCHOMBERG and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS QUEEN at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS QUEEN approached the stranded vessel and all of SCHOMBERG’s passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. The SCHOMBERG was lost and with her, Forbes’ reputation. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the SCHOMBERG. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot! Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach SCHOMBERG, salvage efforts were abandoned. Parts of the SCHOMBERG were washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand in 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck. The wreck now lies in almost 9 metres of water. Although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be seen due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. Flagstaff Hill holds many items salvaged from the SCHOMBERG including a ciborium (in which a diamond ring was concealed), communion set, ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the SCHOMBERG. One of the SCHOMBERG bells is in the Warrnambool Library. The SCHOMBERG collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S612. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the SCHOMBERG is significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered shipwreck. The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the SCHOMBERG. The SCHOMBERG collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger ship. The shipwreck collection is historically significant for representing 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 collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day. The SCHOMBERG 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. A piece of wood, concreted in sediment, from the wreck of the SCHOMBERG (1855). The limestone accretion includes sand, shell grit and marine worm casings. The exposed surface of the wood is broken and worn smooth along the grain. One end of the timber has been cut or sawn off across the grain, presenting a smooth and shiny surface.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wood segment, schomberg, shipwreck timber, alexander hall and son, limestone concretion, oak-framed hull -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Administrative record - Grocer's day book
Five Truscott brothers came to Bendigo from Cornwall and after seven years mining Anthony Truscott opened a grocery store in 30 Havilah Street, Long Gully. Anthony Truscott (Bap 24/2/1856, Cornwall - 21/9/1913). At the age of 18 Anthony went to America but soon returned to England. At about the age of 24 he came to Victoria c. 1880.. He worked in several mines for the next 7 years before opening his grocery shop. In 1907 he was the president of the Bendigo ANA. In 1915 he was the secretary of the Long Gully fire brigade. He died of dropsy and Brights disease. Edward Truscott ( 2/6/1844 - 9/10/1916) Edward and his wife Ellen lived in Smalley Street, California Gully and at 30 Dowding Street, Eaglehawk. He is buried at Eaglehawk. William Truscott (c. 1853 - 14/10/1911) William was a JP. He was also the first President of the California Gully Progress Association in 1910 John Truscott (1/2/1837 - 6/8/1919) John went to America as a young man where he married Christina Grigg and had several children. He arrived in Australia in 1862 with his family. His wife died shortly after the birth of her baby, and John quickly remarried to Catherine Alice Willis and had more children. He was the mining manager at the Hercules and Energetic Mine at Long Gully from 1877. he still held this position in 1882.Grocer's daybook. The book has a blue cover and brown spine. It has 697 pages, used by the storekeeper to record the purchases made by customers. The book covers the years from 1898 to 1900.Truscott collection."Ledger" on the spinegrocer, ledger, truscott -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Newspaper - AUSTIN COLLECTION: Koch's Pioneer Gold Mine, Long Gully
Koch's Pioneer Quartz Mining and Crushing Company was officially registered on June 30th., 1871 (Government Gazette No. 45, 1871). It operated at Long Gully, the first Manager was Andrew Lewis. Nominal capital was 90,000 pounds in thirty thousand shares of 3 pounds each. The initial partnership in a quartz crushing plant between Henry Koch, Simon Albert and Charles Wallin was dissolved in 1860 with Koch becoming the sole owner. In 1866 the crushing plant consisted of a 50 hp engine and 48 stamping heads capable of crushing 600 tons of quartz per week. By 1902 there were 72 stamps and this was by far the largest crushing plant in the area, serving many quartz mines. Henry Koch (1800-1889) was a German sailor who signed off when his ship reached Melbourne in 1851. Having heard of the gold discovery he proceeded to Bendigo where he was initially employed in puddling in the Myers Flat area. He was soon employed and then made partner in a quartz crushing plant that he became sole owner of in 1860. He was also landlord at the British and American Hotel and the Silver Mines Hotel. HE also started the Perseverance United gold claim. He married Anna Maria Theresia Heinz in 1857. In 1872 he sold the crushing plant for 75,000 pounds and took his family back to Germany. He resumed his trade as a ship builder although he maintained many Bendigo mining interests.Two sepia coloured images on paper, possibly taken from book. Top image: Koch's 'Pioneer' Quartz Crushing Works - Long Gully, printed under image. Image shows mining dam in foreground, large two storey mine building in middle background, two mine chimney on right hand side. Bottom image; interior of crushing battery. Printed on bottom ' Quartz Crushing Batteries & etc. Koch's Pioneer'. gold mining, koch's pioneer crushing battery, long gully, perseverance g.m. co., henry koch -
Bendigo Military Museum
Memorabilia - TRENCH ART, ASH TRAY, 1969
Ashtray fashioned from the base of an American 76mm shell fired from a tank - Vietnam War. Part of the Cooper Collection.Trench art ashtray made from the base of a 76mm shell. Central post is a remnant of a detonator fuse.Stamped on the base of the ashtray: '76mm ARMD, O,RW175, LOT 6, MF, 1969'. Stamped on Percussion cap on base: 'ERL 43 ^, BE8, 2/1 MF, ^, AG, 9QMY5.70'.cooper collection, souvenir, trench art, vietnam war. -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Plaque - Vietnam Veterans of America plaque
This item commemorates the war in Vietnam (1962-1972)Irregular shaped wooden plaque with round coloured badge and two rectangular metal plates with engraved dedications.To honor all those Australians who served/their country in the war in South East Asia and/ to remember those who made/ the ultimate sacrifice in the/ defence of freedom. Presented on behalf of Pennsylvania's Vietnam Veterans/ by the Pennsylvania State Council,/ Vietnam Veterans of America/October 3, 1992.vietnam veterans australia, vietnam veterans america, pennsylvania state council, plaque, shield -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Leisure object - Tobacco Pipe, Early 20th century
People in ancient civilisations smoked pipes during various healing and religious ceremonies. By the end of the 15th century, after tobacco was discovered in America, smoking had become a common pastime for everyday people. From that time, tobacco pipes were fashioned from many materials ranging from gold and silver to corn cobs and clay. A popular material was meerschaum, an expensive, soft, white stone from Turkey. In the 1820s, French craftsmen carved pipes out of the wood from the growth on the root of a Mediterranean White Heath. This material became increasingly popular due to its durable, heat-resistant qualities. The growth was called ‘bruyere’, now anglicised to ‘briar’ wood. Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed by Leo Baekeland of New York in 1907. The material was heat-resistant and could be moulded into any shape and hardened to keep its shape. This invention greatly impacted the industrial world and the products available to the domestic market, making more objects available at reduced cost.This smoker's tobacco pipe symbolises one of the leisure activities of the early 20th century that has continued into modern times. The shape and materials of the pipe represent a point in time in the evolution of tobacco pipes, including the revolutionary impact that the 1900s invention of Bakelite had on objects available in the domestic and industrial markets.Smoker's tobacco pipe; a round brown wooden pipe bowl joined to a dark brown mouthpiece. The French pipe's bowl is made from briar wood, and its mouthpiece is Bakelite. There is an inscription on the pipe."French Briar Pipe"warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, smoker's pipe, tobacco pipe, briar wood pipe, wooden pipe, smoking, french pipe, bakelite, smoker's equipment -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Memorabilia - Framed Tribute, Wangaratta Picture Framers, Gull Force
On the night of 30-31 January 1942 this small force of 1131 Australian soldiers were stationed at Ambon, an island which formed part of the Netherland East Indies (now Indonesia). An invasion of approximately 20,000 Japanese overwhelmed Gull Force and the majority of the Australian soldiers were taken prisoner. The execution of 229 at Laha, starvation, over work, disease and the absence of medical supplies led to horrific loss. At the cessation of hostilities only 352 of the original 1131 had made it back to Australia. 779 members of Gull Force made the supreme sacrifice and now lie in foreign fields. The Battle of Ambon (30 January – 3 February 1942) occurred on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), during World War II. Japan invaded and conquered the island in a few days, facing Dutch, American and Australian forces. The chaotic and sometimes bloody fighting was followed by a series of major Japanese war crimes. Allied casualties in the battle were relatively light. However, at intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, Japanese personnel chose more than 300 Australian and Dutch prisoners of war at random and summarily executed them, at or near Laha airfield. In part, this was revenge for the sinking of the Japanese minesweeper, as some surviving crew of the minesweeper took part.. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon, 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine. Blood Oath, a 1990 Australian feature film is based on the real-life trial of Japanese soldiers for war crimes committed against Allied prisoners of war on the island of Ambon, in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), such as the Laha massacre of 1942.Brown timber frame with gold coloured inner edge containing badge and tribute on grey backgroundGull Force 2/21 Battalion Ambon Laha In memory of and tribute to the Officers and Men of "Gull Force" comprising of 2/21 Battalion and attached Units.gull force, 2/21 battalion, ambon, ww2 -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Machine - Sewing Machine, c1860s
... wooden carry case. The machine was made in America in the late ...Willcox and Gibbs: Serial No. 158679.|The Willcox& Gibbs Sewing Machine Company was founded in 1857 by James E. A. Gibbs and James Willcox and opened its London Office in 1859 at 135 Regent Street . By 1871 the Company's Chief Office for Europe was at 150 Cheapside, London, this office was later moved (post 1885) to 94 - 96 Wigmore Street, then 37 & 39 Moorgate Street (by 1891 to post 1907) and later 20 Fore Street, London .Right from the initial production the manufacturing of the Company's single thread, chain stitch machine was undertaken by Brown & Sharpe, Rhode Island and this continued up until 1948.|A special hand crank mechanism was produced in England for the European market, but the general design of the Willcox& Gibbs remained essentially the same throughout its production. The only major improvement was in 1875 when the glass tension discs were replaced with an automatic tension device which ensured the machine could not get out of adjustment.|In addition to the domestic hand and treadle machines the company produced a wide range of industrial models.|The Company finally closed in 1973.|This Willcox& Gibbs came complete with its wooden carry case. The machine was made in America in the late 1860's but it has the ornate hand crank produced at Coalbrookdale near Telford, England which was, in Victorian times, renown for producing high quality ornate iron castings. This machine has the glass tension discs which were used on domestic models until 1875. The Willcox& Gibbs badge is located on the rear of the base casting and it also has a deep wooden base.|The cloth plate has various American patent dates, four dating between 1857 & 1860 relating to J. E. A. Gibbs, three dating between 1860 & 1864 relating to Chas H. Willcox (son of James Willcox), the machine was also licensed under five other patents including the infamous Elias Howe patent of 1846.|There are only two English patents one for J. E. A Gibbs and the other for James Willcox.Upright sewing machine. Machine is quite small and set on wooden table. Ornate metal sides and treadle feet. One drawer. Brass name medallion on back.Willcox & Gibb Sewing Machine co, New York.|Other inscriptions are :-|London, Paris|Measures|Thread type|Needle 12 stitches to inch|Brevettees G.D.G.|En France|Eten Delgique|Under Royal Letters|Patent|James Willcox|July 4 - 71 [1871]handcrafts, equipment -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Equipment - Water Bottle with fabric cover, steel dixie, Made 1966
Standard type water bottle as issued to American and Australian troops in the Vietnam War.00095.1 Cloth , Canvas Water bottle cover with “FIX” stud fittings. Khaki, US Maker. 00095.2 Khaki Plastic Water Bottle Marked US 1966. 00095.3 Aluminium Dixee Cup, made by Stokes Melbourne Reg No 8465 - 66 - 058 - 5567 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Decorative object - Peacock, Minton Majolica life-size model, Paul Comolera, artist, Designed: c. 1873; Made: c. 1875
This majestic peacock embodies the technical achievement, skill and ingenuity of artisans during the 19th century. It is now known as the 'Loch Ard Peacock' and was designed and modelled in 1873 by Paul Comolera (1818-1897) and fired in one piece at the Minton factory at Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom in 1875. The peacock has been portrayed in symbolic motifs and has figured heavily in folktales and fables since antiquity, and many cultures around the world see it as a symbol of beauty, rebirth and power. Wealthy Victorians loved majolica, and the large peacock would have been the ultimate home accessory as a conservatory ornament – combining their desire for nature, the exotic and vibrant colours. The peacock model was listed in catalogues by Minton & Co. for a retail price of 35 guineas or sold as a pair for 90 guineas. Minton & Co. was founded in 1793 by Thomas Minton (1765–1836) and became a famous pottery and porcelain manufacturer. Comolera was a French artist and sculptor, renowned for dramatic naturalistic forms and life-size renditions of birds and animals that won him admiration in public and artistic circles. He was employed by Minton & Co. from 1873 to 1880, and the life-sized peacock became his best-known work. Comolera kept a live peacock loaned from the nearby Duke of Sutherland's Trentham Hall Estate in his studio to create a life-size model of fine buff earthenware model, which was then hand painted in brilliantly coloured green and blue glazes to mimic the peafowl’s dazzling plumage. There are no surviving production records, but according to documents in the Minton Archive, nine peacocks were made by Comolera. However, today, some historians now believe that twelve were fired at the Minton factory; research is ongoing. These peacocks were so admired that Minton & Co. used them as exhibition showpieces at International Exhibitions in London, Paris, and the United States of America, ensuring the company had a worldwide reputation. So, when Melbourne hosted an International Exposition in 1880, Minton & Co. sent out ceramics and tiles, and in particular, this peacock was intended to be part of their exhibit in the British Court in the Exhibition Building, built in the Carlton Gardens. The early dispatch date (1878) indicates that the company may have intended to exhibit their wares, including the peacock, at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition, but the company did not take up this option. The ship that Minton & Co. used to bring the peacock and their other wares to the Australian colonies was the ill-fated Loch Ard, which sunk after striking Mutton Bird Island near Port Campbell, Victoria, in calm foggy weather in June 1878 on the final leg of the ship's journey to Melbourne. The loss of 52 lives made it one of Victoria’s worst shipwrecks. Therefore, this peacock never made it to the grand exposition in Melbourne, as Minton & Co. had planned. Charles McGillivray dragged this peacock, still in its original packing case, onto the beach in the gorge just two days after the Loch Ard went down. The peacock was rescued unscathed apart from a chip on its beak (only repaired in 1988). After a disagreement with a Melbourne Customs Officer, Joseph Daish, McGillivray stopped his salvage operations, leaving the peacock on the beach. The second salvagers were James Miller and Thomas Keys. Miller was a member of the firm Howarth, Miller and Matthews, Geelong, who had brought the salvage rights to the Loch Ard wreck on 10 June. When Miller and Keys arrived at the wreck site, a storm had washed many of the salvaged goods, including this peacoc,k back into the sea. The two men found the peacock in its case ‘bobbing along in the water’ and pulled it back to the beach. To ensure the peacock wasn't washed out to sea again, Miller and Keys hauled the packing case containing the peacock up the gorge's cliff face to the top, ready to be transported. In an interview in 1928, Keys claimed that at the time of the rescue, the head had broken from the body. This account was proven to be true in 1988, following the birds' display in Brisbane. This peacock began its life in Australia, not in the grandeur of an International Exhibition as intended, but in the hallway of a simple domestic house in Geelong. It appears Minton & Co. did not attempt to buy this peacock back. Florence Miller, daughter of James Miller (Loch Ard salvage rights holder), later remarked that the only item of real value rescued from the wreck had been the peacock and that this had been kept by her father in the family home at Malvern for many years and became a treasured family possession. As such, this 'Loch Ard peacock' was almost forgotten and mistaken with other Minton peacocks around the world. Miss Florence Miller tried to sell the peacock due to financial difficulties in the 1930s but was unsuccessful. While attempting to sell her Loch Ard relic, it was displayed in the window of the old Argus newspaper office, which was at 76 Collins Street, Melbourne; the Argus had relocated to the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe Streets in 1926. Between 1935 and 1939, the old Argus building was occupied by the Joshua N. McClelland Print Room, which sold not only paintings and prints but also antiques and authentic replicas, as well as hosting exhibitions. Miss Florence Miller loaned her peacock for display at the Victorian Historical Exhibition held in the National Gallery on 1st June 1935, the 57th anniversary of the Loch Ard wreck. As a result, the peacock attracted public attention in books, newspapers and magazine articles that told the story of its survival from a shipwreck. Miss Florence Miller was keen to sell the peacock, even writing overseas to Captain Blain on November 30th, 1938, about the possibility of a sale, but this became no longer possible due to the outbreak of war. Recent information points to the Loch Ard peacock being owned by John S R Heath before its sale to Frank Ridley-Lee in May 1941. Research is ongoing, but it seems likely that John Samuel Robert Heath, a leading Melbourne dentist with a practice in Collins Street, and his wife, a dental mechanic, had purchased Miss Miller’s Loch Ard peacock before its sale in 1941. They were lovers of fine arts, music, wine and food. The peacock in the window of the old Argus building could have attracted their attention as they had already purchased the old stone Presbyterian Church on Warrigal Road, Oakleigh, in 1933 and had converted its interior. The home, renamed The Studio, even included Melbourne’s first all-electric kitchen. The peacock was perfect for display in the Studio’s entrance. A magazine article published after the conversion was completed included photographs of the interior. The picture of the ‘portico’ had a caption below that stated, “Some of her [Mrs Heath’s] finest pottery was salvaged from the Loch Ard Wreck”. In 2025, Heath’s two remaining sons remember running around in the entrance with the peacock standing there, oblivious to its value. Heath was an accomplished artist, studying under Max Meldrum. He painted and exhibited his works at The Studio and in a public exhibition, and he was a finalist eight times in the coveted Archibald Prize portrait competition, including the submission of his self-portrait that is now part of his grandson’s collection. The next owner of the Loch Ard Peacock was Frank Ridley-Lee. He displayed it at his home in Ivanhoe after buying it at an auction in May 1941. The peacock remained in the hands of the Ridley-Lee family until it was offered for sale by auction in 1975 as part of an art collection belonging to Mrs Ridley-Lee's estate. The peacock was not sold at this time, as the reserve price of $4500 was not met. This news was passed on to the board of the newly created Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Urgent efforts were made to collect the necessary money through fundraising by the Warrnambool City Council and public donations. The Fletcher Jones Company and the Victorian Government contributed half the cost. On 9 September 1975, the Loch Ard peacock was purchased by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and it found a new home at the maritime museum. Since then, it has only left Warrnambool twice. Firstly, in 1980, at the centenary celebrations of the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, and secondly, in 1988, the peacock was given pride of place at the entrance to the Victorian Pavilion at the Brisbane World Expo, acknowledging that this Minton Majolica peacock is the most significant shipwreck object in Australia. The Minton majolica peacock is considered of historical social and aesthetic significance to Victoria and is one of only a few 'objects' registered on the Victorian Heritage Register (H 2132), as it is a most notable and rare object associated with the Minton factory of the 1870s and works by the celebrated sculptor Paul Comolera along with the wreck of the Loch Ard on the Victorian coastline. This Minton peacock is historically significant for its rarity; it was one of only 9-12 known to exist. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is also of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register Ref (S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's early social and historical themes. The collection is historically significant is that it is associated, unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. The peacock, resplendent in polychrome glaze, stands perched on a rocky plinth decorated with vines, leaves, flowers, blackberries and wild mushrooms. The peacock’s breast is cobalt blue; the wings and legs are in naturalistic colours. The tail is a mass of feathers coloured in green, ochre blue and brown — a fantastic display of artistry and Minton expertise. Inscribed at the base :P Comolera, and a Minton & Co. design number: 2045.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, loch ard, loch ard gorge, peacock, paul comolera, victorian heritage register, minton peacock, minton & co., stoke upon trent, bird figures, mintons, ceramics, international expositions, majolica, naturalistic, staffordshire, john samuel robert heath, peacock statue, loch ard peacock, majorca peacock -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Textile - Wall Hanging, curtain, 1854-1855
The striking fabric of this wall hanging was recovered from the sinking Schomberg. It was originally one of the many curtains adorning the captain’s cabin and ladies’ saloons that attracted first-class passengers to this luxury vessel, built for comfort and speed. The clipper ship was on its maiden voyage, full of passengers emigrating to Australia in 1855. Its commander was Captain James Nicol Forbes, who had been selected by James Baine & Co for his navigation skills, experience, and reputation for breaking sailing records. However, on December 26th, 1855, the vessel became stranded and sank west of Cape Otway, not quite reaching its destination of Melbourne. A reporter explored the Schomberg before its journey; the following detailed description is an excerpt of his article published in a newspaper after the disastrous voyage was announced. “ … descending by a flight of stairs, covered with carpet of a very rich pattern, we came to the saloon passengers’ cabin. This is a noble place, and all that refined taste would suggest has been done to make each berth a miniature palace. The bedding is of the very best material, and the fittings are replete with every convenience. The carpets are of various coloured velvet pile, and the curtains are of satin damask, lined with white satin … The fronts of the berths are highly decorated, and festoons of flowers are painted on the panels … No two berths are furnished with the same-coloured material … the visitor is, therefore, much pleased with the variety which he has to inspect….” (Trove: Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade, 31 Dec 1955, p. 283) The curtain material, ‘folded into a single piece and parcelled for protection’, has been passed down through generations of Captain Forbes’ relatives, starting with his half-sister Isabella Jeffrey Nicol. The curtain has remained with the family, although some transition details are incomplete. About a century later, Isabella and Blakiston Robinson’s great-grandson and his wife had the fabric professionally mounted as a wall hanging to showcase the beauty of the woven brocade. Eventually, the custodianship of the curtain was transferred to the donor, who is also a great-grandson of Isabella and Blakiston. He and his wife hung the curtain on the wall of a high-ceilinged room in their home, away from direct light, making it visible for all to appreciate its beauty and significance. In 2024, they donated the curtain for inclusion among the collection of artefacts that help tell the story of the Schomberg and those who sailed on its first and last voyage. The donor’s aunt was highly involved in the family’s history. She had collected and recorded information that dates back to pre-1341. A footnote included in a handwritten letter dated April 20, 1959, from the late Arthur William Rudd, OBE, MA, LLB, husband of another of the donor’s aunts, states, “The curtains you mentioned came from the Schomberg. AWR.” CAPTAIN JAMES NICOL FORBES (1821-1874) and the donor’s family: - Captain Forbes was born in Aberdeen. In his late teens, he moved to Liverpool, a hub for international trade and an emigration port. By the age of 25, he was master of the Prince of Waterloo and later, the Wakefield. He then commanded the Cleopatra for the James Baines Co., which, two years later, transferred him to command the Maria, providing fast and lucrative passage to the gold fields in Ballarat, Australia. James Baines Co. and shipbuilder Thomas Mackay formed the Black Ball Line of clipper ships in 1852. Forbes was appointed master of the largest ship in the fleet, the marvellous Marco Polo. He broke the record time for the passage to Australia, taking only 68 days at sea, and the return journey in only 76 days, a total of 5 months and 21 days. On his second voyage to Melbourne in the Marco Polo the following year, he took 75 days, and 95 days on the return trip. His accomplishment made him famous. James Baines reported that the Marco Polo was the only ship, sail or steam, to do the round trip within 6 months, and it had done it twice. Captain Forbes then took command of the American-built clipper Lightning, one of four built for the Black Ball line. His 19-year-old half-sister, Isabella Jaffray Nicol, was also onboard when he sailed for Melbourne in 1854. During the 77-day voyage, Isabella met Blakiston Robinson, and not long after the ship arrived in Melbourne on July 31, the couple married, with James Nicol Forbes as a witness, on August 16. When Forbes returned to Liverpool, he took a record-breaking 63 days, which has never been bettered. James Baines Co. ordered a new luxury emigrant ship from Alexander Hall of Aberdeen; the Schomberg was the largest sailing ship ever built in Britain. On October 6, 1855, the vessel departed Liverpool commanded by Captain Forbes, with 430 passengers on board, 54 of whom were First Class. It had almost completed its voyage to Melbourne when, on the night of December 26, it ran aground west of Cape Otway. Captain Doran, master of the steamer Queen, responded to the distress signal while on its way to Portland and, with the agreement of his passengers, rescued as many as possible from the Schomberg and returned to Melbourne with them. Captain Helpman, master of the steamer Champion, rescued most of the remaining Schomberg passengers on December 27. On Friday, 28th, Captain James Lawrence was on his way to Adelaide in the steamer Burra Burra, and called past the Schomberg. He reported that the remaining crew were all doing their duties, but the Schomberg was deteriorating on a sand spit and had about 16 feet of water in its hold. That same day, the schooner Jane Elizabeth collected 220 packages of passengers’ luggage to deliver to Melbourne on the 29th. Two steamers also arrived on the 29th with 20 men to collect passengers’ luggage and valuable ship’s cargo items. They were accompanied by water police, customs agents, company representatives and a Lloyds agent. The decision was made to abandon ship on the 30th due to rough and unsafe conditions. The officials and Captain Forbes voyaged to Melbourne, while the seamen remained behind awaiting rescue. Evacuation by sea became too risky, so on January 2, 1856, while the first Mate and Steward remained at the wreck site, the rest of the crew began the 70-mile march to Warrnambool, led by the band. They arrived on January 5th and left for Melbourne on the steamer Champion on January 10th. Parts of the Schomberg wreck ended up in New Zealand. The curtain is important for its connection to the Schomberg, which was unique for being designed and built in Aberdeen, and commanded by an Aberdonian who was the most celebrated clipper captain of the age. The ship was the largest sailing ship ever built in Britain, and reported as the largest vessel that sailed to Australia. The curtain is an example of the rich decorative furnishings available in 1855. The preservation and respect the donor and his family have shown towards the curtain over many decades reflect its important role in telling the family’s history; the journey, the romantic attachment, the family connection to the sea, and travel in gold rush times. The curtain is significant for its connection to James Nocol Forbes, a famous sailing ship commander who broke several sailing records, one of which has never been bettered. This wall hanging, also known as the Schomberg Curtain, was created from a curtain recovered from the stranded luxury ship Schomberg in December 1855. The woven satin damask fabric in blue and cream has been meticulously joined to blend the intricate pattern. The reverse features a soft cream lining. The hems at the top and bottom of the fabric hold wooden rods. The side edges feature decorative braid that has been hand-stitched in place. On the reverse, the bottom hem includes the same braid, which remains unseen from the front, and the centre of the top hem has a hand-worked, unused buttonhole. Each of the hems varies in depth. The curtain was tastefully mounted later to highlight the beauty of the original saloon curtain. A decorative twisted cord of cream silk threads, accented with gold highlights and decorative tassels, was coiled and attached to the ends of the top rod. The elegant display was completed with an ornate gold hook, chosen to complement the wall hanging.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, shipwreck artefact, memorabilia, curtain, saloon curtain, schomberg, wall hanging, decorative object, domestic item, warrnambool, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, maritime history, shipwreck, stranding, schomberg curtain, schomberg wall hanging, luxury ship, 1855, damask, silk damask, blue and cream, captain’s cabin, ladies’ saloon, clipper ship, migrant, emigrant, liverpool to australia, captain james nicol forbes, james forbes, captain forbes, bully forbes, james baines & co, james baines, cape otway, aberdeen, prince of waterloo, wakefield, cleopatra, maria, thomas mackay, black ball line, marco polo, sailing record, lightning, isabella jaffray nocol, blakiston robinson, alexander hall, steamer queen, captain helpman, james lawrence, steamer burra burra, steamer jane elizabeth, water police, customs agents, lloyds agent, ship’s band, walk to warrnambool, march to warrnambool, steamer champion, agnes nicol robinson, arthur william rudd obe ma llb -
Monbulk RSL Sub Branch
Book, Air Power Development Centre, Operation Pelican : The RAAF in the Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949, 2008
In 1948 Britain, France and the United States of America found themselves opposed to their former wartime ally, the Soviet Union, over matters regarding control of the capital of the defeated Nazi German regime. When the Soviets imposed a blockade of the city, the Allies had no option but to begin flying in the necessities of life for the two million inhabitants of the zones under their administration. Thus began the first large-scale humanitarian airlift in history. When Britain turned for support to its Dominion partners, the transport element of the Royal Australian Air Force had recently ceased flying a regular courier service for Australian occupation forces involved in garrisoning another defeated Axis power of World War II, Japan - this role having been handed over to a commercial airline. By September 1948 an unnumbered Australian squadron had joined other RAAF transport crews already engaged as part of the massive allied undertaking. To the Americans the fifteen-month-long operation was codenamed Vittles, while the British called it Plainfare. But to the Royal Australian Air Force personnel involved, the Berlin Airlift was known as Pelican. Here the story is told of the events that made the airlift necessary, what the undertaking entailed and the part that Australians played in it, as well as the outcome and achievements of Operation Pelican.Ill, maps, p.82.non-fictionIn 1948 Britain, France and the United States of America found themselves opposed to their former wartime ally, the Soviet Union, over matters regarding control of the capital of the defeated Nazi German regime. When the Soviets imposed a blockade of the city, the Allies had no option but to begin flying in the necessities of life for the two million inhabitants of the zones under their administration. Thus began the first large-scale humanitarian airlift in history. When Britain turned for support to its Dominion partners, the transport element of the Royal Australian Air Force had recently ceased flying a regular courier service for Australian occupation forces involved in garrisoning another defeated Axis power of World War II, Japan - this role having been handed over to a commercial airline. By September 1948 an unnumbered Australian squadron had joined other RAAF transport crews already engaged as part of the massive allied undertaking. To the Americans the fifteen-month-long operation was codenamed Vittles, while the British called it Plainfare. But to the Royal Australian Air Force personnel involved, the Berlin Airlift was known as Pelican. Here the story is told of the events that made the airlift necessary, what the undertaking entailed and the part that Australians played in it, as well as the outcome and achievements of Operation Pelican.cold war - history, berlin airlift 1948-1949