This type of wrench or spanner was used as a service tool for H. V. McKay Pty. Ltd. manufactured agricultural machinery. This specific tool belonged to Albert (Bert) Montgomery of 11 Kamarooka St, Albion. Bert Montgomery was born in Sunshine and in 1910 was apprenticed as a carpenter with Sunshine Harvester Works, where he worked as a wood machinist. On 19 August 1914, while still an apprentice, he enlisted in the First AIF. He left McKay's and started business as a builder probably just prior to WW2. After the war he joined the Shire of Braybrook as Assistant Building Surveyor until he retired. In 1962 Bert and his friend Jack Causon (proprietor of an Anderson Road second hand store that previously was Les James grocery) were on a fishing trip to Lake Tooliorook (aka Ettrick) near Lismore, Victoria. Their boat capsized and both fishermen were drowned. Bert was a Past President of Sunshine RSL and at that time it was reported that his funeral was the largest that Sunshine had seen. The information about Bert Montgomery was supplied by a Committee member of the Sunshine & District Historical Society Inc. who spoke to Montgomery's daughter, who also donated the tool. This tool serves as a reminder of the large H. V. McKay agricultural manufacturing works that once existed in Sunshine. The tool is associated with the works, and the design is significant enough for images of the tool to be used in an artistic mural, which is painted on the Eastern Pillar of the new H. V. McKay Footbridge in Sunshine, Victoria 3020.Curved double ended rusty cast iron wrench with 4 open slots plus 2 closed slots'H V McKAY' on one side and 'D324' on the reverse sideh. v. mckay pty. ltd, d324, d324 wrench, d324 spanner, agricultural spanner, antique wrench, agricultural tool, albert montgomery, jack causon, lake tooliorook

Committee members photo - Back L-R: Mrs U. Challis (Secretary), Mrs J. Dale (President), Mrs J. McMillian (Treasurer) Front L-R: Miss L. Wilson, Mrs J. Bridger, Mrs M. Ross, Miss H.W. Menadue (author of League's history), Mrs M. GizzardPhoto, newspaper article & annual report - hard copies50th, reunion, 1978, committee, league, courier, annual report,

Donated by Mr Leslie Rourke.Officewool industry wool sales wool marketing wool - research wool marketing textile mills textile mills, australian wool board, wool industry, wool sales, wool marketing, wool - research, textile mills

Donated by Mr Leslie Rourke.Officewool industry wool sales wool marketing wool sales - reserve price plan wool sales - auction system wool - research textile mills textile mills, c. of a. - wool marketing committee of enquiry, wool industry, wool sales, wool marketing, wool sales - reserve price plan, wool sales - auction system, wool - research, textile mills

Donated by Mr Leslie Rourke.wool industry wool sales wool sales - reserve price plan wool marketing wool stockpile textile mills textile mills, c. of a. - committee of review into the wool industry, stock pile, wool industry, wool sales, wool sales - reserve price plan, wool marketing, wool stockpile, textile mills

Donated by Mr Leslie Rourke.wool sales wool stockpile wool marketing wool industry - international textile mills textile mills, wool industry review committee, stock pile, wool sales, wool stockpile, wool marketing, wool industry - international, textile mills

The SS ‘Excelsior’ was an iron screw steamer, built in Southampton, England, in 1882 and first registered in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1882. Her journey from Southampton, England to Melbourne, Victoria is reported to have taken just 66 days. She would prove to be a very popular vessel on Port Phillip Bay, though her reign may have been relatively short as she was sunk in 1890. She was refloated sometime between 1890 to 1900 as some records state 1890, others at 1900. Gross Tonnage: 350, Net Tonnage: 172, Length: 186 ft 6 in (56.85 m), Beam: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m), Depth: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m), First Owner: Huddart Parker & Co. A Timeline of SS Excelsior’s life: 15 Jan 1883 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ commenced the Melbourne to Geelong run. 27 Jan 1940 21 Jan 1890 →the SS ‘Flora’ ran aground whilst heading out to Hobart, Tasmania, on a tight bend in the Yarra River at Spotswood. Whilst stuck fast in the mud, the SS ‘Excelsior’ ran into her stern – thankfully the damage to both vessels was only minor. 9 Jan 1897 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ sank the Ketch ‘Lu Lu’ on the south bank of the Hopetoun Channel near Geelong, Victoria. Blame is shared between Captains of both vessels: At the meeting of the Marine Board the report of the nautical expert committee, relative to the collision between the steamer Excelsior and ketch Lulu, was considered. The committee recommended that the matter should be remitted to the Marine Court, and a charge of misconduct preferred against Gilbert Moore, master of the Excelsior. Mr Wilson, one of the committee, dissented. He thought in view of the nature of the evidence charges should be preferred against both masters. Mr Dickens moved an amendment to the latter effect, but it was rejected, and the report adopted. 11 Jul 1899 → The SS ‘Edina’ sinks the SS ‘Excelsior’ during thick fog: Shortly after, half-past 11 o’clock this, morning a serious collision took place in Port Phillip Bay between the steamers Edina and the Excelsior. The Edina was on her way to Geelong, to which place she makes a trip every forenoon in the course of her trade with that port, and the Excelsior was coming up the bay to Melbourne. The weather was calm but thick, and a fog hung over the water. The Edina struck the Excelsior on the port side amidships, and she sank within a quarter of an hour. Both vessels carried a large number of passengers, and large cargoes, but there was very little excitement. The whole thing happened so suddenly that until the crash came those on board the steamers were not aware that any other boat was near at all. When both vessels began to draw away after the collision it was at once seen that the Excelsior was the most seriously injured of the two, and she at once began to settle down rapidly. Some of the Excelsior’s passengers were dragged on board the Edina at once, while the remainder, including the crew, were rescued by boats. As far as can be ascertained no one was drowned, but some 20 or 25 were injured. Dr. Wilson, headmaster of the Brighton Presbyterian Ladies’ College, was perhaps the most seriously injured of the Excelsior’s passengers. He was looking down the companion ladder ‘when the collision took place, and he was thrown violently below, sustaining a compound fracture of the right fore-arm. When attended to it was found, that he suffered severely from the shook of his fall and was rather in a bad way. A lady passenger by the Excelsior had her side lacerated, while another had her ankle sprained. The remainder of the others injured had either small cuts or were suffering from shock. The Excelsior went down stern first, and now lies in about five fathoms of water, with her bow above the surface. The Edina is almost uninjured, but she will be immediately placed in dock, as she is making water slightly. c 1900 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ was raised from her watery grave where a large cut can be seen on the SS Excelsior in dock and reveals the breach made and damage done by the Edina. c 1939 → Records regarding the SS ‘Excelsior’ are elusive until c 1939, when she was commissioned to relocate to Brisbane, Queensland, during the Second World War: The Excelsior came to Brisbane on a voyage north during the 1939-45 War. Being unseaworthy she could not be taken further and was used here as a workshop. After the war, she was discarded on Bishop Island. c 1946 → Sometime after WWII was over, the SS ‘Excelsior’ joined many a ship in the graveyard at Bishop Island in Queensland. The island has been the site for the disposal of many ships. Ships recorded as being discarded here include the Groper, Adonis, Roderick Dhu, Excelsior, Yosemite, Maida, Civility, Captain Cook, Bingera, St. Kilda, Lucinda, Moreton, Miner, Schnapper, Lochiel, Queensland, Victoria, and BadgerThe SS Excelsior is a well known ship from the history of Geelong. Its collision with the equally well known SS Edina is of particular interest to Geelong. She was a famous ship in the reckon of Port Phillip despite her short life stand, especially when compared to the SS Edina. Colour painting of ship departingship collision, ship wreck, ss excelsior, ss edina, bishop island

Stick mercury barometer, named after Admiral Robert Fitzroy of the Royal Navy (1805 - 1865) for his detailed instructions on interpreting the weather that are included with the instrument. Fitzroy was the captain of the Beagle, a weather forecaster to Charles Darwin and the second Governor of New Zealand. He developed many different types of barometers and was the first person to introduce the science of weather forecasting to the British Isles. A local manufacturer of scientific instruments, Thomas Gaunt, produced the barometer and it was adapted for the southern hemisphere by Robert Ellery, the State Astronomer based at the Melbourne Observatory. Described as "Gaunt's Fitzroy Barometers" in the original sale catalogue, it was priced from 25/- to ₤9.9s. [See Miller, M., Gaunt’s Time, 2014]. Thomas Gaunt's business was originally located at 14 Bourke Street East from 1858. In 1869-1870 he moved to new premises in the Royal Arcade, Collins Street. Gaunt's business became an institution in Victorian Melbourne and Gaunt its leading clock maker. PROVENANCE According to official minutes the barometer was purchased by the Melbourne Athenaeum in 1874. In particular, at the March meeting of the General Committee the House Subcommittee was instructed to "obtain a Fitzroy or other reliable barometer" to be "fixed in the Reading Room". The 1874 Annual Report records the purchase at ₤3.10.0. The barometer is historically significant as an example of the work of Melbourne’s leading scientific instrument maker, Thomas Gaunt. The barometer has social significance as an example of the type of accoutrements provided by the committee of the Melbourne Athenaeum for the comfort of its members. Further social significance lies in the fact that Robert Ellery, the Government Astronomer, who designed the local version of the barometer, has a direct connection with the Athenaeum being a subscription member and committee member of the Athenaeum during the 1870s. There are also records of a T Gaunt as a subscription member of the Athenaeum during the 1870s and 1880s which may be Thomas Gaunt, however, this is yet to be verified. Stick mercury barometer known as the Admiral Fitzroy Barometer. It comprises an oblong wooden case with glass front panel, ornate pediment, barometer with bulb cistern (empty of fluid),printed instructions for interpreting information given by the gauge affixed to left and right face of instrument. Includes a thermometer. The barometer appears to be intact except for the turning knobs which are missing and the mercury in the tube which is not present. Whether the instrument could be restored to working order is unknown. Front right panel, metal plaque: "Thos Gaunt, Barometer Maker, Royal Arcade, Melbourne"melbourne athenaeum, barometer, thermometer, admiral fitzroy, thomas gaunt of melbourne, robert ellery