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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Suppository Mould
Before factory production became commonplace in medicine, dispensing was considered an art and pill and suppository machines such as these were a vital component of any chemist’s collection. This mould dates back to the days when the local chemist or apothecary bought, sold, and manufactured all his own drugs and medicines to everybody who lived within the local community. In Victorian times, there was no such thing as off-the-shelf medicine. Every tablet, pill, suppository, ointment, potion, lotion, tincture and syrup to treat anything from a sore throat to fever, headaches or constipation, was made laboriously by hand, by the chemist. Some medicines are formulated to be used in the body cavities: the suppository (for the rectum), the pessary (for the vagina) and the bougie (for the urethra or nose). History Suppositories, pessaries and bougies have been prescribed for the last 2000 years but their popularity as a medicinal form increased from around 1840 - suppositories for constipation, haemorrhoids and later as an alternative method of drug administration, pessaries for vaginal infections and bougies for infections of the urethra, prostate, bladder or nose. Manufacture The basic method of manufacture was the same for each preparation, the shape differed. Suppositories were "bullet" or "torpedo" shaped, pessaries "bullet" shaped but larger and bougieslong and thin, tapering slightly. A base was required that would melt at body temperature. Various oils and fats have been utilised but, until the advent of modern manufactured waxes, the substances of choice were theobroma oil (cocoa butter) and a glycerin-gelatin mixture. The base was heated in a spouted pan over a water-bath until just melted. The medicament was rubbed into a little of the base (usually on a tile using a spatula) and then stirred into the rest. The melted mass was then poured into the relevant mould. Moulds were normally in two parts, made from stainless steel or brass (silver or electroplated to give a smooth surface). To facilitate removal the moulds were treated with a lubricant such as oil or soap solution. To overcome the difficulty of pouring into the long, thin bougie mould, it was usual to make a larger quantity of base, to partially unscrew the mould, fill with base and then screw the two halves of the mould together thus forcing out the excess. When cool, any excess base was scraped from the top of the mould, the mould opened and the preparations removed, packed and labelled with the doctor's instructions. https://www.rpharms.com/Portals/0/MuseumLearningResources/05%20Suppositories%20Pessaries%20and%20Bougies.pdf?ver=2020-02-06-154131-397The collection of medical instruments and other equipment in the Port Medical Office is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century.Proctological mould for making suppositories.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, suppositories, medicine, health -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph, early 1900's
... in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool... pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter ...This photograph of the SPECULANT was taken while she was in dock at the Warrnambool, Victoria, Breakwater in the early 1900's. Crew seem busy on her decks and others are watching from the breakwater. There are also 2 steamships in the photograph. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). Peter’s great-grandson, also called Andrew, is a Security Officer in Warrnambool. The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The SPECULANT is historically significant as the largest ship to have been registered in Warrnambool, and is believed to have been the largest barquentine to visit Melbourne. It is evidence of the final days of large commercial sailing vessels involved in the Victorian and New Zealand timber trade. The SPECULANT is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S626Photograph. black and white, of the three-masted barque SPECULANT in dock at the Warrnambool Breakwater in the early 1900's. A steam ship is docked behind her and another steamship is in Lady Bay on her left. There are people on the SPECULANT and others walking nearby. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, la bella, speculant, cumming and ellis, international timber trade, p. j. mcgennan and co. warrnambool, peter mcgennan, capt. james jacobsen, warrnambool maritime history, h. pengilley apollo bay -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Coastal Scene, Foyle Photographic Studio, Loch Ard Gorge Port Campbell, 1889-1919
The photograph shows the popular tourist attraction, Loch Ard Gorge, which is located along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, near Port Campbell. The gorge is named after the famous sailing ship, the LOCH ARD, that was wrecked there in 1878. Only two of the 54 passengers and crew survived. FOYLE “Foyle” written on the photograph is the name of Foyle’s Photographic studio. At the time of the photograph, the studio was owned by both Charles and Lilian Foyle (sometimes known as Lillian or Lily), either of whom could have taken this photograph. They also worked together at a later date on the photographs, sketches and paintings of the famous and historical Pioneers’ Honour Board, which is currently on view in the Warrnambool Library. Foyles Photography was the studio of James Charles Foyle. He owned “Foyle’s Photo Card Studios” in Liebig St, Warrnambool, which operated between 1889 – 1919. A letter to the editor (by Mr Edward Vidler) in the Melbourne Argus, 3rd August 1907, mentions that in that year Warrnambool would celebrate the 60th anniversary of its proclamation as a town, and that talented local artist Miss Lily Foyle would paint 200 portraits in watercolour of the pioneers who settled in the district prior to 1860. The Pioneer Honour Board can still be seen on display in the Warrnambool Library. In the Warrnambool Standard, Dec. 1917, “Mr Foyle’s studio was awarded the contract to decorate rail cars on newly opened Trans-Continental railway, assisted by his sister, Miss Findlay.” HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built-in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29-year-old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke and opened the case of brandy, which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged, and some of it was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD 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 LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Foyle's photographs date from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, representing a time of growth in the Warrnambool district and a time when the still relatively new technology of photography was more available to the community.Photograph of Loch Ard Gorge. This sepia coloured rectangular photograph is mounted on a brown cardboard backing that has a wood grain pattern. The photograph has an inscription above it, below it, and in the bottom left corner. It was made for the purpose of a presentation by the Port Campbell Progress Association. Printed above the photograph "PRESENTED BY THE PORT CAMPBELL / PROGRESS ASSOCIATION". Printed below the photograph "LOCH ARD GORGE / PORT CAMPBELL". Hand written on bottom left corner "Foyle". flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, photograph, port campbell, port campbell progress association, foyle photograph, foyle photographic studio warrnambool, warrnambool photo studio -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Good Old Sailing Days
6 Sea Breezes index, 5 Sea Breezes, 8 Blue Peter, 117 Port of Melbourne, The Shipbuilder and Marine Engine Builder June 1936?The Good Old Sailing Days Author: Ropeyarn Publisher; Cassell & Company Limited flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, the good old sailing days, book -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Wool Wool Cookery Book
The book belonged to Mrs Bessie Neil, a daughter of Mr and Mrs William McKenzie who came from Scotland, possibly in the 1860s, and were employed at Glenample station, near Port Campbell. In about 1905, the Neills moved to South Africa, and the cookery book went with them. Recently Mrs Roger Pearce, formerly Lorraine Snell, who is married to a great grandson of Bessie Neill, thought it fitting that the book should be returned to this locality, and sent it to her mother, Mrs Mary Snell. Wool Wool Cookery Book Publisher F W Cheshire Printed in Camperdown by the Camperdown Chronicle 1903 inside cover has hand writting Bessie Keill, "Merkeering" (W), 27 Browning Street, Moonee Ponds. March 16th 04 flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wool wool cookery book, book, glenample homestead -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Historical, Warrnambool, C. 1854-1871
... Warrnambool port... complex Warrnambool port Warrnambool harbour lady bay keepers ...This is an image of the Warrnambool Lighthouse Complex on Middle Island in 1854. The Store, Lighthouse Keeper's Quarters, Lighthouse and Flagstaff are in the background. The foreground shows a covered buggy drawn by two horses and a person in attendance, and another wheeled vehicle behind it with a figure nearby. There is a saddled horse to the right with two males in conversation nearby. The ground is soft, perhaps the riverbed or sandy shore. THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS Lighthouse Keepers were responsible for keeping their Lighthouse’s lights shining at night. They kept a lookout for passing vessels and changes in weather. They were expected to clean, polish and maintain the equipment and buildings. They kept regular and detailed records of who was on watch, and the time the light was lit, trimmed and extinguished. They kept a journal about other events that occurred. They keep regular, accurate Meteorological Logs. It was expected that they were competent in Morse code signalling. They would be called to help in times of disasters and shipwrecks and to give official statements about these events. Many Lighthouse Keepers also volunteered as members of the lifeboat crew. The Lady Bay lighthouses were officially classified as small, so the Keepers had the official titles of Senior Assistant Lighthouse Keeper and Assistant Lighthouse Keeper. They were employed by the Public Service and paid rent to live in the Lighthouse Quarters. They were compulsorily retired at the age of 60, with most receiving a superannuation payment. Despite their time-consuming duties, there was time to follow hobbies and crafts such as growing vegetables, playing musical instruments, making models of buildings including lighthouses, and crafting furniture pieces. An example of a keeper’s skills is the carved fire screen made by /assistant Keeper Thomas Hope in the late 19th century and displayed in the Lighthouse Keeper’s cottage at Flagstaff Hill. Both Alexander and Farncombe had served under Senior Keeper Robert Deverell, who was the first and only Senior Lighthouse Keeper at the Middle Island Complex. John Alexander was the Assistant Keeper in the 1850s. Andrew Farncombe was the last Assistant Keeper at Middle Island, serving there with his family from 1864 to 1871. During 1871 and 1872 the Lighthouse Complex was moved to Flagstaff Hill on Merri Street. Farncombe and Deverell then became the first Keepers and occupants of the Lady Bay Lighthouse Complex at Flagstaff Hill. They continued their service together; overall, Deverell served from 1859 to 1885 and Farncombe from 1864 to 1974. WARRNAMBOOL'S LADY BAY LIGHTHOUSE COMPLEX - The original Lighthouse Complex was built on Middle Island in 1858-1859 then transferred stone-by-stone to Flagstaff Hill in 1871. The Complex comprised the Lighthouse, the Lighthouse Keepers’ Quarters and a Privy. The bluestone Keeper’s Quarters was a cottage divided into two compartments, one for the Senior Keeper and his family, the other for the Assistant Keeper and his family. The bluestone Store was divided into three; a store, a workshop, and an oil store (or office). The Privy comprised a small building also divided into two separate, back-to-back toilets, one for each Keeper and his family. In the 1970s the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board was set up under the chairmanship of John Lindsay. The Board was to make recommendations to the Warrnambool City Council regarding the use of the buildings and the rest of the Crown Land on the site. The Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village opened in 1975 and began renovating the Cottage in stages, during which time evidence of a 1920s fire was found in the eastern section of the cottage. Additions of a porch on the west and a washroom on the east were made in the 1980s. The western part of the building is now a Shipwreck Museum and the east has returned to a late 19th-century Lighthouse Keeper’s cottage and includes the screen made by Assistant Lighthouse Keeper Thomas Hope in the late 19th century. Hope served two periods of time at the Lighthouse. This photograph is significant as a visual record of the original Warrnambool Lighthouse Complex on Middle Island, the origin of what is now the Lady Bay Lighthouse Complex. The photograph is significant for its connection to the Complex, which is now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, H1520, for being of historical, scientific (technological) and architectural significance to the State of Victoria. The Complex is significant as an example of early colonial development. The photograph is significant for its connection with the important navigational function of the Lighthouses, a function still being performed to this day. The photograph is also significant as it shows an example of buildings organised by the Public Works Department in Victoria in the mid-to-late 19th century. The structures tare still stand strong. Photograph of horses, a buggy and three gentlemen in the foreground and the background shows a lighthouse and accompanying buildings. Printed in black and white. (Another two horse-drawn vehicles are partially visible). The subject is the Lighthouse Complex on Middle Island, Warrnambool, dated between 1854 and 1871.An inscription is handwritten in black pen on the back of the mounting board."The lighthouse and accompanying buildings were / established on Middle Island in 1854, as this / picture shows. In 1871 they were moved to their / present site on Flagstaff Hill."flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, lighthouse keeper's cottage, lighthouse residence, lighthouse, chart room, quarters, privy, middle island, beach lighthouse, obelisk, lighthouse complex, lady bay complex, warrnambool port, warrnambool harbour, lady bay, keepers, lighthouse keeper, upper lighthouse, lower lighthouse, assistant keeper, ports and harbours, cottage, meteorological record, 1854, 1871 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Lithograph
Lithograph of Belfast-Port Fairy by S T Gill 210 mm x 145 mm Ships - Allied Materialflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Drawing - Historical, Warrnambool, H. H. Ramsay, Flag-Staff Hill
The drawing is an artist's impression of Flagstaff Hill, Warrnambool, in 1855. It was presented to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by Mr R A Ramsay.The drawing is significant for its subject, a local maritime village and port. It is significant as a depiction of what the young town of Warrnambool could have looked like in 1855. Drawing in colour within an oval, with typed inscription below it. Mounted behind glass in a black rectangular frame with a cream matte. Artist's impression of Flagstaff Hill, town buildings of Warrnambool, Lady Bay with jetty, sailing ships in the bay, and Middle Island in the year 1855. Title; "Flag-Staff Hill", Artist; H. H. Ramsay It was presented to Flagstaff Hill by Mr R A Ramsay. Typed below the drawing; Left: "FLAG-STAFF HILL". Centre: "Drawn by Mr H. H. Ramsay - Presented by Mr R. A. Ramsay." Right: "WARRNAMBOOL IN 1855" On the back in pen "REC / 359A" (sighted before reframing)flag-staff hill, warrnambool 1855, drawing, local history, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, h h ramsay, r a ramsay, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, lady bay, middle island, coloured drawing, oval drawing -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Ship, Alma Doepel, 1931-1934
This photograph is of the square-rigged schooner "Alma Doepel". Details added to the back of the photograph incorrectly describe the vessel as "Amy Doepel / ketch / Amy Doepel". The rigging on the vessel dates the photograph to sometime between 1931-1933. The location is yet to be determined. Frederick Doepel was a shipping agent in Bellinger Valley, NSW. He employed an experienced shipwright to build Alma Doepel, which was made from local timber. He named the ship “Alma Doepel” after his baby daughter Alma. The ship was registered in Sydney and launched 19th October 1903, and her first sea voyage was in December. She traded in timber Port Macquarie/Bellinger River and New Zealand. “Alma Doepel” was purchased by Henry Jones & Co., Hobart jam makers, in partnership with Harry Heather, her new captain, in 1916. The ship was then registered in Hobart. She carried jam and timber to the mainland, particularly Melbourne, and brought back cargo for Tasmania. She even carried the piles for the building of Portland Harbour. When Harry Heather passed away in 1937 he was succeeded by Eric Droscoll. Before the square-rigged "Alma Doepel" left for Tasmania on March 8th 1937 she was fitted with a new set of sails, becoming a fore-and-aft rigged schooner. She had been the last 'top sail' schooner in Bass Strait trade! "Alma Doepel" continued her coastal trading until 1942, when she was requisitioned by the Army. In January 1943 she was left in Melbourne by her crew and the Army took her over, taking her to Sydney in February, 1943. She was relaunched by the Army in 1944 minus two of her masts and her small 1936 engine, and was fitted with three large bus engines. In March 1945 she headed for the war zone, delivering cargo up and down the coast of New Guinea, at one time carrying over 400 troops. In 1946 she returned to Hobart where the Army re-converted her back for Bass Strait trading and returned her. In January 1947 Eric Driscoll took “Alma Doepel” to the eastern Tasmanian coastal port of St. Helens, trading cargo of local mountain ash timber to Melbourne on the mainland until 1959. She was then stripped down to her hull with only a single mast and two engines, and fitted with wooden bins on rails in her hold. From 1961 to 1975 she carried limestone to a factory to make carbide. Michael Wood and David Boykett, two of the governors of "Sail and Adventure", then bought her for the price of her two Gardiner engines and in 1976 they brought her to Melbourne. An Alma Doepel Supporters Club was formed to support the ship’s major restoration to a topsail schooner. In 1987 she was overhauled in Adelaide, with the support of Elders IXL and she returned to Sydney to lead the Parade of Sail on Bicentenary Day, 25th January 1988. She returned to Melbourne in February and began sail training voyages in Port Phillip Bay, operating from an office on Station Pier. The Alma Doepel Voyagers Club was started. Trainees joined the crew in sailing the ship over nine or ten days of instruction in sailing and seamanship. These trips plus chartered trips and fund raisers continued until early 1999, when she was no longer in a condition to operate; she needed a lot of attention. She lay idle in Victoria Dock for quite some time. In April 2001 “Alma Doepel” was taken to Port Macquarie’s Lady Nelson Wharf where she became a museum ship maintained by volunteers. In 2008 she had time in dry-dock and after sea-trials headed off to Victoria Harbour, Docklands, in Melbourne, where she is currently being restored with the help of The Supporters.This phot graph is significant for its connection with the Bass Strait trade, being the last top-sail schooner to brade across the strait. The photograph is also significant in its representation of the the sailing ships that traded around Australia in the 1930s.Photograph of "Alma Doepel " a wooden, 3 masted, square rigged sailing schooner built in Sydney, launched in 10/10/1903. Photograph is sepia coloured, mounted on card, inscription on the back. Information also provided with photograph. Photograph (marked incorrectly on back) "Amy Doepel / ketch / Amy Doepel". Sticker with "91" in pencil. Information provided (dated incorrectly) "1943, Sydney, New South Wales"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, maritime museum, maritime village, photograph, alma doepel, frederick doepel, henry jones and co, harry heather, eric droscoll, alma doepel supporters club, elders ixl, parade of sail, bicentenary day, alma doepel voyagers club, last top sail schooner in bass strait trade, square-rigged, fore-and-aft rigged -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Binnacle, Early to mid 20th Century
Mr John Wilson Gillie was born on the 31st of March 1864. On the 31st of July 1880 he was apprenticed for four years to J.J. Wilson and Sons, Nautical Instrument Makers of Sunderland. Following the apprenticeship he spent six months to a year as an ‘improver’ in Glasgow, and then started a new company ‘Wilson and Gillie’ in North Shields. At this time sail had just given way to steam and wooden ships to steel, and the railways were competing with colliers for the carrying of coal from the North East of England to London and the South. In 1858 only seven out of 44 shipyards on the Tyne were using iron, but by 1862 there were ten, employing around 4,000 men. These changes had a significant effect on nautical instrument manufacturers, as the magnetic compass for a wooden sailing vessel was very simple and required little in the way of compensation. For steel vessels much more was required and this was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed. In 1870 Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) designed his dry card standard compass, which completely replaced all previous designs. Wilson and Gillie started as agents for the Thomson compass, but later J.W. Gillie, using similar principles, redesigned the compass suspension and patented the ‘UNIT’ standard compass. It became popular with local shipowners and shipbuilders. In 1910 the firm of John Lilley and Son (which had been established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial difficulties and were saved with the help of John Wilson Gillie, who established, on the 8th of August 1911, a new firm of John Lilley and Son Limited. John Lilley and Son had been the sole London agents for Sir William Thomson, a very enviable position during this period, when the Thomson compass led the field. Unfortunately, Mr. Lilley had quarreled with the Glasgow company, who withdrew the agency and established their own branch in London (later to become Kelvin White and Hutton). On November 7th 1913, the firm of John Lilley and Son Limited of London amalgamated with Wilson and Gillie of North Shields, and after this date instruments manufactured by the two companies bore the name John Lilley and Son Limited of London and North Shields. During the 1930s many of the London nautical instrument makers were in difficulties, including John Lilley and Son Limited and Reynolds and Son, Dobbie and Clyde Limited, and Mr. J.W. Gillie arranged an amalgamation between these two companies. The new firm became Lilley and Reynolds Limited. In 1943, with estate duties in mind, the North Shields company was reconstituted and took the name of John Lilley and Gillie Limited, although the shareholders, directors and personnel remained unchanged In the early 1970s Lilley and Gillie developed close links with Observator in Rotterdam, who manufactured one of the first fully reliable transmitting magnetic compass systems. The Observator shareholders, Holland America Line, bought the share capital of John Lilley and Gillie Limited., but retained all the personnel and the directors. (See Links for more information)A significant item of early 20th century marine navigational equipment made by a leading manufacturer in the field from a company that is still producing marine navigational instruments today. John Lilleys company began in 1812 growing at a time when the transition of compasses from timber ships, to steel vessels. Compasses at this time required a method of compensation to allow their inclusion in steel vessels without magnetic deviation. This therefore was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed and the Lilley company were leaders in the field. Ships binnacle, wood with brass fittings, consists of 2 brass lamp holders, place for compass, Also has an inclinometer with a scale 40 to 0 to 40, one red and one green iron Kelvin compensation balls, one on each side of binnacle denoting port and starboard, a brass cylinder attached perpendicular at the rear for storing a Flinders Bar, 2 hinged cupboards containing adjustable wooden racks with drilled holes in them to hold iron Heeling error magnets.Textured brass plate attached to front stating "JOHN LILLEY & SON LTD (WILSON & GILLIE), NAUTICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS, NORTH SHIELDS" . Inclinometer has "JOHN LILLEY & SON LTD (Wilson & Gillie) LONDON & NORTH SHIELDS" engraved. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, binnacle, john lillie & son ltd, compass -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ships Wheel, John Hastie et al, Early 20th Century
John Hastie Engineer and millwright John Hastie opened small manufacturing works in Greenock in 1845 and 1853 patented the first self-holding steering gear. The firm became known as John, Hastie and Co. Ltd. in 1898 after taking on limited liability status and their main works were at Kilblain Street, Greenock, where they specialised in ships' steering gear. The company also occupied works at Rue End Street, Greenock. Plans of this unit depict a stockyard to the east, with areas for welding; fitting and assembly; flame, cutting and fabrication; and a machine bay. The company was dissolved in 1991. Brown Brothers Brown Bros Rosebank Ironworks made the steering gears for many large ship's, including The Titanic. Andrew Betts Brown the founder was born in 1741 and closely associated with many improvements in marine engineering. He was educated in his native city and served his apprenticeship as an engineer in the locomotive works of the North British Railway Company at St. Margaret's. During his apprenticeship, he attended the evening classes at Watt College. subsequently going to Manchester to study chemistry. He went to London around 1863 and took over an old brewery, which he converted into an engineering works. During his time there he invented an overhead travelling crane, which was used on the construction of Blackfriars Bridge London. He went on to develop plant which used steam and hydraulic power for discharging ships as a result the company was contracted to install this equipment in Hamburg Docks. By around 1870 he continued to construct machinery in London but realised that conditions were more favourable in Edinburgh. He acquired land at Rosebank adjoining the North British Railway Company's line to Granton, and the necessary infrastructure was completed allowing him to finish the Hamburg contract. The works at Rosebank were eventually extended and added to until they became one of the largest engineering works in the East of Scotland. Mr Brown was a member of numerous engineering institutions, the best known at the time being the Institution of Naval Architects. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and of the Institution of Marine Engineers he died in 1906 at the age of 67.An item made by two marine innovators of marine auxiliary machinery and itemsShip's wheel, brass, attached to brass pillar. Base has 6 holes in it for securing it in place.. Top of ship's wheel pillar has a brass, adjustable, arrow pointer that is positioned over a dial etched into the flat brass surface. The dial reads " PORT STABD". Lines and degrees are marked, with '0' in centre and every 5 degrees, from 0-35, in both Port and Starboard sidesInscription to wheel hub "Brown Brothers & Co. Ltd, Rosebank Ironworks, Edinburgh"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, john hastie, john hastie, andrew betts brown, ships wheel, ship steering gear, marine equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Warrnambool Harbour Board Health Organization in Australian Ports
... warrnambool harbour board health organization in australian ports ...Warrnambool Harbour Board Health Organization in Australian Ports Service Publication Number 29 Publisher: H.J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, book, warrnambool harbour board health organization in australian ports, warrnambool harbour board -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Vehicle - Vessel - Dinghy, Proudfoot's Boat, c. 1885
This boat or dinghy is one of a few remaining boats made for Proudfoot’s Boathouse, 2 Simpson Street Warrnambool, on the Hopkins River, in about 1885. It was one of many rowing, fishing, sailing and picnic boats that were available to hire. Proudfoot’s Boathouse, a beautiful Victorian Period building, was designed, built and established by Thomas Proudfoot. He applied to build a boat jetty in 1885. He died in 1900 and his wife Catherine took over, running it for many years. Later her son Bruce and after that her granddaughter Ena Hunt and her husband took over; it remained in the family until 1979. Proudfoot’s was a very popular tourist destination for visitors coming from Melbourne to fish and row and enjoy afternoon tea. The buildings, including the ‘U’ shaped jetty and tearooms, were restored and modified in the 1990s by the Warrnambool Sports Club, under the control of the Warrnambool City Council. The dinghy was brought to Flagstaff Hill in about 1992 and restored to its original condition and painted in traditional paint colours of orange with dark green gunnel and black and gold pinstripes. Since that time it has been painted by Flagstaff Hill's boatbuilder.This dinghy, Proudfoot’s Boat, is significant for its association with Proudfoot’s Boathouse, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, VHR H0620. “Proudfoot's Boathouse on the Hopkins River near Warrnambool is an outstanding example of a late-19th century boathouse complex with associated residences and jetties. Thomas Proudfoot first applied for a jetty licence in 1885 with a view to establishing a boating business on the Hopkins River. The early single-storey sections are thought to date from this period. The two storey second stage probably dates from 1893 when additions were constructed. The entire complex was designed and built by Proudfoot himself. The business remained in the Proudfoot family until 1979. The buildings were modified in the 1990s in the process of creating a sporting club on the site. Proudfoot's Boathouse is of architectural, historical and social significance to the State of Victoria. Proudfoot's Boathouse is of architectural significance as perhaps the finest example of a 19th-century boathouse in Victoria. Although recent modifications have reduced the intactness of the buildings, many original features remain. The beautifully ornamented buildings still provide an attractive instance of 19th-century leisure facility architecture. Proudfoot's Boathouse is of historical significance as an example of late-Victorian recreational and tourist facilities. Boathouses were popular 19th-century tourist and recreational attractions, providing refined and healthy activity. This boathouse shows the early realisation of the tourism and leisure potential of seaside towns such as Warrnambool, a potential that has become increasingly important as port uses have ceased and other industries have been subjected to financial pressure. Proudfoot's Boathouse is of social significance because it illustrates the continuity of the attraction of this kind of leisure facility. Although the glory days of the boathouse were in the 19th century, those that survive continue to be well patronised. Proudfoot's Boathouse has been an important recreational facility and attraction for tourists flocking to the Hopkins River, one of the State's most popular boating and fishing resorts, since 1885.” (Statement of Significance is from the Victorian Heritage Register)Wooden vessel or boat, called a dinghy, known as Proudfoot’s Boat. Paint work is orange with dark green gunnel and black stripe. The rowboat is propelled by oars and has two pair of thole set into the gunnel (gunwale) to hold the oars in place and to serve as a fulcrum when rowing. The boat is dated around 1885. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, small marine vessel, dinghy, proudfoot's boat, proudfoot's boathouse, picnic boat, orange and black boat -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Newspaper - The Standard, Warrnambool Standard Centenary Issue 1872-1972, 02/10/1972
The Warrnambool Standard Centenary Issue, 1872 - 1972, summarises the local and world history highlights over 100 years. The pages in the images are a sample of the newspaper's contents. They show: - PAGE 1; sketches of two young women, one dressed in 1872 fashion, the other in 1972 fashion. PAGE 34; This page was dedicated to the Ponting Bros. The business celebrated its Centenary in 1972. There apr photographs of the original and the new building, and a photograph and names of the staff of 1972. PAGES 34-38: Lift out facsimile copy of the first edition of The Standard (no longer in 3096.01) PAGE 39; In January 1917 Mr Basil Watson flew the first aeroplane to visit the Warrnambool area. He entertained the crowds by performing aerobic acrobatics in the plane he'd built himself. Two months later he died in a plane accident. PAGE 70; In 1967 Australia's Prime Minister, Mr Harold Holt, goes missing, presumed drowned. PAGE 71; In 1970 the mystery of four bodies were found in a car that crashed over the cliff at Loch Ard Gorge, near Port Campbel, made headlines in the Standard. PAGE 72; The back page features a photograph and greetings from Fletcher Jones and Staff. There are many staff members in front of the Fletcher Jones factory in Warrnambool, which was established around 1924.The centennial edition of the Standard newspaper includes local social, economic and historical aspects of Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia and the World. It reflects the interests of the local community and the reactions to the events of the time.The Standard, Warrnambool, Centenary Issue 1872 – 1972 (Two copies).100 years of District Service. The issue includes World and Local History, Advertisements, Timeline, Facsimile of the First Issue, Shipwrecks, and Wars. The Centenary edition was printed on October 2, 1972, 72 pages. One copy (3096.02) includes the centre lift-out on pages 35 to 38 of a facsimile copy of the first edition published on October 1, 1872.Page 1: "The Standard Warrnambool" "Warrnambool Standard Centenary Issue October 2 1972, 72 pages" On illustration of building "1872 / Warrnambool Standard" Page 34: "On this site ... since 1924" [Ponting Bros} "Staff of Ponting Bros. 1972" Page 39: "Aviation history-maker" "RECORD TRIP BY FIRST PLANE TO VISIT CITY" "Thrilling display of aerial acrobatics" Page 70: "PM HOLT IS PRESUMED DROWNED" "GAVE GOVT. IMAGE OF YOUTH" Page 71: "Where death car crashed on ledge" "PT CAMPBELL MYSTERY: FOUR BODIES FOUND IN CAR AT BOTTOM OF CLIFF" "POLICE SEARCH SWINGS BACK TO MELBOURNE" Page 72: "Greetings to the"Standard"" "Fletcher Jones" flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, ladies fashion 1872, ladies fashion 1972, ponting bros. centenary 1872-1972, ponting bros. staff, basil watson, basil watson 1917, harold holt 1967, car crash at loch ard gorge, fletcher jones and staff 1972, the standard centenary 1872-1972, warrnambool newspaper, warrnambool standard, centenary edition, the standard -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Kembla Handbook
The Kembla Handbook Author: Metal Manufactures Pty Ltd Publisher: Port Kembla Date: 1928warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, the kembla handbook, port kembla -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Document - Navigation Chart, Sùbic Bay and Port Silanguin
British Admiralty Navigation Chart - Phillipines - Luzom I. - West Coast - Sùbic Bay and Port Silanguinwarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, navigation chart, british admiralty navigation chart, british admiralty, phillipines, sùbic bay and port silanguin -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Document - Navigation Chart, Entrance to Port Phillip
British Admiralty Navigation Chart - Australia, Victoria -Entrance to Port Phillip including the Banks and Channels.warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, navigation chart, british admiralty navigation chart, british admiralty, entrance to port phillip -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Loch Ard, 1978
This model of the sailing ship Loch Ard, made by David Lumsden, was commissioned by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village for the Loch Ard Centenary Commemoration in 1978. The Loch Ard was bound for Melbourne in 1878 loaded with passengers and cargo when it ran into a rocky reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: an apprentice, Tom Pearce and a young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy.This model ship is significant as an accurate depiction of the Heritage Listed Loch Ard ship.Ship model, of the heritage listed sailing ship Loch Ard, wrecked in 1878. Plaque engraved "The Loch Ard, Launched 8th November 1873 Clyde Scotland. Wrecked: 1st June 1878 off Mutton Bird Island Victoria Australia. Yet another victim of the fearful Shipwreck Coast"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ship model loch ard, sailing ship, david lumsden, loch ard centenary 1978, loch ard, tall ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Souvenir - Rope Sample, before September 1891
The rope was part of the distress rocket used during the time that the sailing ship Fiji was in distress, before it became a wreck. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and distress rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Cartland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryan's Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to River nook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to River nook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967.This rope is part of the collection of artefacts from the wreck of the Fiji. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes).Rope, plaited, brown in colour, cut straight at one end, and the other end is separated into 3 pieces, from distress rockets used during the wreck of the sailing ship Fiji. Rope was in envelope printed with an address, and a description, and there was a display card with further details on it. Printed on the envelope: "Shire of Hampden / PO Box 84, Camperdown 3260" Hand written "rope of wreck of Fiji / 7cm / Mr Wm "Boyce" Display card with rope includes words "Piece of Rope from the Fiji distress rockets and was donated to Flagstaff Hill by a private donor in 1989"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, rope, the fiji, william boyce, distress signal, rocket rescue, life saving equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Print - Religious Print, T. Noyes Lewis, The Cross of Glory, Mid to late 19th century for the print, the reframing appears to date from the 1960's
... was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon ...The picture was framed by business, Leighton House, paint and art merchants at 346 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. It was made to order, number 6777. The business was also called The Leighton Gallery of Art and was owned by W & G Dean Pty Ltd. The phone number on the label "MU 8291" indicates that the picture was framed circa the 1960s or earlier, during the time that Melbourne was using 6-0digit alpha-numeric numbers. Below the picture is an excerpt of a hymn "The Head that Once was Crowned with Thorns" by Thomas Kelly: The head that once was crowned with thorns Is crowned with glory now; A royal diadem adorns The mighty Victor's brow. The Cross He bore is life and heath, Though shame and death to Him; His people's hope, his people's wealth, Their everlasting theme. This picture was part of the original furnishings of the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen's Church at 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen, an Anglican charity, has served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centr4es in over 200 ports world-wide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’. Its location was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This picture is significant through its association with the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen Church in Williamstown, Melbourne, established in 1857. The items in our collection from the Missions to Seamen in Williamstown, Victoria, have historical and social significance. They show that people of the 1800s and 1900s cared about the seafarers’ religious, moral, and social welfare, no matter what the religion, social status or nationality. It had its origins in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. The first Australian branch was started in 1856 by the Rev. Kerr Johnston, a Church of England clergyman, and operated from a hulk moored in Hobson’s Bay; later the Mission occupied buildings in Williamstown and Port Melbourne. Picture, print of "The Cross of Glory", rectangular, framed print on matt. It depicts Jesus Christ on a cross with an angel on each side, at his feet. He is wearing priestly robes and a gold crown on top of thorns on his head. In the background there is a rainbow and clouds. The text below the picture includes "From the picture by T. Noyes Lewis". Lines from a hymn are also printed below the picture. The back of the picture has pencilled numbers in three places plus a printed label with the framer's details. "From the picture by T. Noyes Lewis". Backing paper has pencil "6777" in two places. Label has bencil "677-" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, the cross of glory, print, t. noyes lewis, leighton house, home decoration, religioius picture, church furnishing, w & g dean pty ltd, leighton gallery of art, religion, religious service, sailors rest, bethel sailors’ church, bethel floating church, ladies harbour light guild, missions to seamen victoria, mission to seafarers, flying angles club, st nicholas mission to seamen church williamstown, mission to seamen williamstown, st nicholas seamen’s church flagstaff hill, 139 nelson place williamstown -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book - Reference, M. Franklin Kline, Official Shippers Guide, 1930
This book has information about shipping companies and the world's ports. It was a handy guide for travellers of the time and included how and where to board ships going to various countries in 1930 & 1931. In effect, it was a reference work like a timetable for shippers and travellers alike.The book has maps depicting N.Y.K. shipping lines all over the world, indexes (including advertisers), and is thumb-indexed. This book is an official guide that supplies vast information for ships and shipping lines but also for tourists of the time. These types of reference works are keenly collected today.Official Shippers Guide reference book to the Principal Ports of the World, OSAKA SHOSEN KAISHA, 1930 – 1931, Seventeenth Edition, edited, compiled and designed by M. Franklin Kline. Large, hard covered, bound book with margin thumb tabs. Covers are dark red with gold lettering and embossed pattern. Centre of front cover has an oval image of a red steam ship on a gold sea. Above the ship is a white flag with a red emblem.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, traveller's guide, shippers guide, osaka shosen kaishaguide, guide to world ports, m. franklin kline -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ceramic - Roof Tile, Circa 1914
The Italian barque Antares was an iron three-masted sailing clipper built in 1888 by Russell & Co of Port Glasgow originally named the “Sutlej” and renamed in 1907 the “Antares” when sold to the Semider Bros of Genoa Italy. The vessel left Marseilles on the 18th of December 1913 with its master captain Gazedo destined for Mullaly & Byrne of Melbourne with a cargo of roof tiles but failed to arrive. The wreckage was found near the Bay of Islands twenty-two miles east of Warrnambool after a body had washed ashore. Some of the timbers washed up were charred by fire, and a small boat's stern board with the name "Sutlej" led to the identification of the wreck as Antares which had been reported missing. According to later reports, the Antares wrecking was overshadowed by war news at the time. A young local boy had remarked that the Germans had arrived off the coast as he had seen them firing off shells and rockets, but his story was passed off as a joke. These rockets were most likely the distress signals from the stricken ship. The Italian barque/clipper Antares was sometime later reported as overdue. The wreck of the ship was later found at the base of a cliff at the Bay of Islands near Warrnambool in November 1914, there were no survivors.The Antares is significant as it was a sail trader carrying an international inbound cargo during the early part of the 20th century. It is part of the Great Ocean Road Historic Shipwreck Trail and as such is registered as a protected wreck in the Victorian Heritage Database VHS S34 .Roof tile; clay terracotta roof tile. Inscriptions are impressed into the clay. It was recovered from the wreck of the Antares. ”- E R I E S DE LA MEDITERRANEE” “ … T S – MI-LES BOU- R …..” SYMBOL [Sideways crown or tree (could be TULLERIES DE LA MEDITERRANEE)]flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, roofing tile, building materials, antares, peterborough, 1914 shipwreck, sutlej, antares rock., bay of islands, terracotta tile, clipper -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Clothing - Hat and Hat Box, late 19th - early 20th century
... with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool ...This hat and hat box was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. McDade is the surname of Dr Angus’ daughter Berry (Berenice) McDade nee Angus. This had belonged to her father Dr William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist (1901 –1970), who wore it on the ship T.S.S. LARGS BAY when travelling from Australia to Scotland for extended studies to be a “Fellow” of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in the 1929. This bicorn cocked hat was worn with the narrow points towards front and back. It is decorated with flat gold braid or ‘lace’ with a geometrical design. Regimental lace was worn on the uniform and headdress of regimental officers in the 19th century. Gold lace chevrons were worn on coats to signify rank. Drummers and Foot Guards also wore regimental lace on their garments to distinguish them from other military personnel. In the late 19th century the English and Welsh infantry officers’ uniforms displayed a rose-pattern lace. The gold bullion and underlying crimson ‘eyes’ have been used to signify the rank of the owner. The crimson eyes were used for military, blue eyes for naval personnel. Different numbers and colours of the bullion and eyes may have been used to represent different military ranks. The Regulations specify nine tassels and eleven underlying eyes but there could have been variations. We have not yet been able to identify the rank for this particular hat. The gold button’s emblem has a cross with five stars, a crown, and the motto “AUT PACE AUT BELLO”, translated “either in peace or in war”. Museum Victoria has a similar button and writes that buttons with this design were used in the nineteenth century by the Victorian Volunteers. The Australian War Memorial Curator of Military Heraldry advised Museum Victoria that these buttons dated from 1880-1892 and were worn by regular, unranked soldiers. The Australian War Memorial has a hat that is very similar in design, described as an “Artillery Staff Officer’s cocked had with plume, worn by Volunteer Artillery Staff in the Victorian Colonial Military Forces”. That hat is different in that it has a plume and the braid and button are silver. Berry MdDade, the donor, has used the hat many times as a dress-up hat but doesn’t know the origin of it. The hat seems to fit the design of the Staff Officers in Victorian Volunteers in Colonial times, but the button on this hat was used for unranked volunteers. Also, military uniforms usually have very clear manufacturer’s labels, as they are made by reputable companies under contract to the Defence Department. The manufacturer’s mark is not discernible on this hat. The origin, original wearer and use of this particular hat is unclear. The military bicorn cockade hat belonged to Dr William Roy Angus and is part of the W.R. Angus Collection. It is significant for still being located at the site where it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Black bicorn cocked hat and case. It appears to be part of a 19th century Colonial full dress military uniform. The long, narrow crescent-shaped hat is made of beaver fabric and the crown is lined with crimson silk and finished with a hand stitched leather sweatband. On one flat side there is a pleated black silk, lace cockade woven in the pattern of oak leaves and acorns. The cockade is overlaid with a double row of gold lace braiding secure with a Victorian Volunteer’s gold button. Wide diagonal bands of black lace braid trim are on each side of the gold braiding. The other side of the hat is plain. The front and back points of the hat each have seven gold bullion tassels with nine underlying twists of crimson ‘eyes’. The fitted metal carry case has a catch and a metal plaque on one side. The button bears a crown and cross with five stars and a motto. Inside the hat is a white name tag with clear adhesive over it, with black printed text with the name “Mc Dade”. The hat is part of the W.R. Angus Collection. The hat has no maker’s marks although there is a darker colour in the centre where there could have been a label. Inside the hat is taped a printed label; “Mc DADE 801 1032” Button’s emblem- a cross with five stars, under a crown, all within a buckled belt with the motto “AUT PACE AUT BELLO”. The plaque on the case has no legible marks. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, dr w r angus, t.s.s. largs bay, berry mcdade, 19th century colonial military uniform, artillery staff officer’s cocked had, victorian volunteers, victorian colonial military forces, colonial militia, aut pace aut bello, cocked hat, cockade hat, bicorn hat, military bullion, oak leaves and acorns pattern, gold bullion tassels, military heraldry, w.r. angus collection. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Sealskin Cloak
Rolf Boldrewood (1826-1915) ‘Rolf Boldrewood’ is the pen-name used by Thomas Alexander Browne as a writer. Browne was the eldest child of Captain Sylvester John Brown and Elizabeth Angell nee Alexander. He was born in London on 6th August 1826 and arrived in Australia with his parents and siblings when he was 5 years old and grew up in Sydney. In the 1860’s Browne added the ‘e’ to his surname. As a 17-year-old Browne took up land in the Western District of Victoria between Portland and Port Fairy on a property named “Squattlesea Mere”. He remained there until 1858, enjoying the squatters’ life on his 32,000-acre property, growing potatoes and running cattle and horses. He sold in 1858 and purchased a sheep station on the Murray River near Swan Hill. He later sold this and bought another sheep station near Narrandera until bad seasons and severe droughts eventually caused him to change his career after 25 years as a squatter. Over the next 25 years, Browne held the position of Police Magistrate and as a gold commissioner in various locations. His third career as an author lasted approximately 40 years. In 1865 he wrote two articles on pastoral life while he was recovering from a riding accident. In the 1870s his writing was bringing in the income to support his family, changing his focus to the writing of novels. A series of these were written for the Australian market and published in The Sydney Mail and the Centennial Magazine. His later novels were aimed at the overseas markets. His best-known novel “Robbery Under Arms” was written from 1882 to 1883 and has been serialised on the radio in Australia and Britain. The novel was filmed in 1907, 1920 and 1957, and in 1985 it was made into a television series. It is now an Australian Classic. He also wrote short stories, several nonfiction graziers’ guides, and an autobiography named “Old Melbourne Memories” in 1884. [This information has been taken from Wikipedia; Australian Authors-Perry Meddlemiss; Australian Dictionary of Biography, Browne, Thomas Alexander (1826-1915)] WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and its Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items have become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850s to the late 1950s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr R. Pattison. Warrnambool Public Library The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, and to reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. As with many Mechanics' Institutes in Australia, the one which operated in Warrnambool was established and overseen for many years by key individuals associated with the development of the city itself. The WMI publication collection is historically significant because of its association with local people, places and the key historical themes in the development of Warrnambool of rural development, industry, farming, education, and community. The collection documents and illustrates the changing interests, focus and tastes of Victorians, especially those in regional cities. Generally, the individual items in the collection are not particularly rare, as examples of all probably exist in other public collections in Victoria. It is primarily because there are so very few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections in Victoria, which lends this overall collection its significance. Many items in the WMI Collection have the potential to support further research, both as individual objects and through the collection in its entirety. This material is significant for its ability to assist in the interpretation of the history of the area and adds to the general understanding of the development of the township. Many components of the WMI publication collection complement and reinforce the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Collection, the Warrnambool Art Gallery Collection, and that in the Warrnambool Historical Society, and also contribute to a clearer understanding of the original Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute collections. This will greatly enhance the appreciation of the few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections across Victoria, and also in New South Wales. The similarities and differences between the small number of collections that have survived can provide further insights into how the people of Victoria in general, and Warrnambool in particular, constructed a civic culture of adult learning to foster an informed citizenry. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Sealskin Cloak Author: Rolf Boldrewood Publisher: MacMillan & Co Date: 1896 The label on the spine with typed text R.A. 823-8 BOL Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Public Librarywarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, the sealskin cloak, rolf boldrewood -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, My Run Home
Rolf Boldrewood (1826-1915) ‘Rolf Boldrewood’ is the pen-name used by Thomas Alexander Browne as a writer. Browne was the eldest child of Captain Sylvester John Brown and Elizabeth Angell nee Alexander. He was born in London on 6th August 1826 and arrived in Australia with his parents and siblings when he was 5 years old and grew up in Sydney. In the 1860’s Browne added the ‘e’ to his surname. As a 17-year-old Browne took up land in the Western District of Victoria between Portland and Port Fairy on a property named “Squattlesea Mere”. He remained there until 1858, enjoying the squatters’ life on his 32,000-acre property, growing potatoes and running cattle and horses. He sold in 1858 and purchased a sheep station on the Murray River near Swan Hill. He later sold this and bought another sheep station near Narrandera until bad seasons and severe droughts eventually caused him to change his career after 25 years as a squatter. Over the next 25 years, Browne held the position of Police Magistrate and as a gold commissioner in various locations. His third career as an author lasted approximately 40 years. In 1865 he wrote two articles on pastoral life while he was recovering from a riding accident. In the 1870s his writing was bringing in the income to support his family, changing his focus to the writing of novels. A series of these were written for the Australian market and published in The Sydney Mail and the Centennial Magazine. His later novels were aimed at the overseas markets. His best-known novel “Robbery Under Arms” was written from 1882 to 1883 and has been serialised on the radio in Australia and Britain. The novel was filmed in 1907, 1920 and 1957, and in 1985 it was made into a television series. It is now an Australian Classic. He also wrote short stories, several nonfiction graziers’ guides, and an autobiography named “Old Melbourne Memories” in 1884. [This information has been taken from Wikipedia; Australian Authors-Perry Meddlemiss; Australian Dictionary of Biography, Browne, Thomas Alexander (1826-1915)] WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and its Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items have become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850s to the late 1950s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr R. Pattison. Warrnambool Public Library The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, and to reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. As with many Mechanics' Institutes in Australia, the one which operated in Warrnambool was established and overseen for many years by key individuals associated with the development of the city itself. The WMI publication collection is historically significant because of its association with local people, places and the key historical themes in the development of Warrnambool of rural development, industry, farming, education, and community. The collection documents and illustrates the changing interests, focus and tastes of Victorians, especially those in regional cities. Generally, the individual items in the collection are not particularly rare, as examples of all probably exist in other public collections in Victoria. It is primarily because there are so very few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections in Victoria, which lends this overall collection its significance. Many items in the WMI Collection have the potential to support further research, both as individual objects and through the collection in its entirety. This material is significant for its ability to assist in the interpretation of the history of the area and adds to the general understanding of the development of the township. Many components of the WMI publication collection complement and reinforce the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Collection, the Warrnambool Art Gallery Collection, and that in the Warrnambool Historical Society, and also contribute to a clearer understanding of the original Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute collections. This will greatly enhance the appreciation of the few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections across Victoria, and also in New South Wales. The similarities and differences between the small number of collections that have survived can provide further insights into how the people of Victoria in general, and Warrnambool in particular, constructed a civic culture of adult learning to foster an informed citizenry. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute publication collection is of both local and state significance. My Run Home Author: Rolf Boldrewood 1st Published in 1874 This book does not have a flypaper The label on the spine with typed text RA 823.8 BOL Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Public Librarywarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, my run home, rolf boldrewood -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Print - Vessel - Sailing Ship, Loch Vennachar, 1875-1905
This framed print of the Loch Vennachar has been framed as a gift given by McPherson's Ltd. of Melbourne Sydney Brisbane Perth, as per the inscription below the print. Loch Vennachar made many journeys from Britain to Australia and was well-known in Australian ports. On one of its homeward-bound journeys from Australia, the ship sank in the River Thames. Its cargo included 850 tonnes of preserved canned rabbits from Warrnambool's Western Meat Preserving Company. The ship was raised and continued trading for another four years. On 14th June 1905, Loch Vennachar departed Glasgow for Adelaide and Melbourne. The last known sighting of it was on 6th September 1875 when overtaken by the SS Yongala; the captains exchanged the “all well” signals. After that, the ship disappeared with loss of all 27 lives, according to a list that was received by Fremantle through the English mail. The list indicated that there were no passengers on that voyage. Sadly, other Loch Line ships med with similar disasters. The list of lost crew on the Loch Vennachar included Thomas. W. Pearce, apprentice, Southampton. His father was Tom Pearce, one of the two survivors of the Loch Ard, wrecked in 1878. Also, Thomas’ grandfather, James Pearce, was the captain of SS Gothenburg at the time of her wrecking in 1875. Consequently, the wrecking of the Loch Vennachar and the Loc Sloy near the southwest point of Kangaroo Island, a lighthouse was erected, officially opening in June 1907. The northern headland of West Bay was named Vennachar Point in memory of the ship in 1908. The wreck was discovered in 1976 by divers from the Society for Underwater Historical Research, over seventy years after being lost off Kangaroo Island. The Loch Vennachar performed a significant role in Australia’s colonial trade, taking goods between Great Britain and Australia. These goods included locally preserved tinned rabbits processed at a factory in Warrnambool for overseas trade.Print of painting clipper ship Loch Vennachar. (aka Loch Vennacher, as spelled on this print). Print is under glass in white painted timber frame. The vessel was wrecked on Kangaroo Island September 1905 with the loss of all hands. There is an inscription below the print"Loch Vannacher" on right below print, "Compliments from McPherson's Ltd. Melbourne,Sydney, Brisbane, Perth" on left below printflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, loch vennachar, loch vennacher, loch line ship, glasgow shipping co, mcpherson's ltd. melbourne sydney brisbane perth, loch vennachar image., kangaroo island shipwreck, 1905 shipwreck, mcpherson's ltd. melbourne sydney brisbane perth, canned rabbits, preserved rabbits, western meat preserving company -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Ship's Wheel, 1871 or earlier
The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built many ships that had wheels with the same decorative, starburst pattern on them as this particular wheel segment, including the Eric the Red. The wheel was manufactured by their local Bath foundry, Geo. Moulton & Co. and sold to the Sewall yard for $100, according to the construction accounts of the vessel. Eric the Red was a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn". “The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA) Segment of a ship's wheel, or helm, from the wreck of the sailing ship Eric the Red. The wheel part is an arc shape from the outer rim of the wheel and is made up of three layers of timber. The centre layer is a dark, dense timber and is wider than the two outer layers, which are less dense and lighter in colour. The wheel segment has a vertically symmetrical, decorative copper plate inlaid on the front. The plate has a starburst pattern; six stars decorate it, each at a point where there is a metal fitting going through the three layers of timber to the rear side of the wheel. On the rear each of the six fittings has an individual copper star around it. The edges of the helm are rounded and bevelled, polished to a shine in a dark stain. Around each of the stars, front and back, the wood is a lighter colour, as though the metal in that area being polished frequently. The length of the segment suggests that it has probably come from a wheel or helm that had ten spokes. (Ref: F.H.M.M. 16th March 1994, 239.6.610.3.7. Artefact Reg No ER/1.)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship's-wheel, eric-the-red, helm, shei's wheel, ship's steering wheel -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Decorative object - Sword, 1871 or earlier
This wooden sword is said to “possibly be the only remaining part of the figurehead from the sailing ship Eric the Red.” It was previously part of the collection of the old Warrnambool Museum and the entry in its inventory says “Wooden sword, portion of the figurehead, held by “Eric the Red” at the bow.” A large part of the ship’s hull was found on the rocks and a figurehead may have been attached or washed up on the shore. The shipping records for E. & A. Sewall, the builders, owners and managers of Eric the Red, are now preserved in the Maine Maritime Museum. There is no photograph on record of Eric the Red but photographs of other ships built around that time by the same company show that these did not have figureheads, and there is no record found of a figurehead for Eric the Red being ordered or paid for. Further research is being carried out. The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built Eric the Red, a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn".The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse. (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA)This carved wooden sword, recovered from the Eric the Red, is possibly the only portion of the figurehead recovered after the wreck. There are spirals carved from the base of the handle to the top of the sword. The hilt of the sword is a lion’s head holding its tail in its mouth, the tail forming the handle. The blade of the sword has engraved patterns on it. Tiny particles of gold leaf and dark blue paint fragments can be seen between the carving marks. There are remnants of yellowish-orange and crimson paint on the handle. At some time after the sword was salvaged the name of the ship was hand painted on the blade in black paint. The tip of the sword has broken or split and the remaining part is charcoal in appearance. On both the tip and the base of the handle are parts made where the sword could have been joined onto the figurehead There is a white coating over some areas of the sword, similar to white lead putty used in traditional shipbuilding. The words “ERIC the RED” have been hand painted on the blade of the sword in black paint sometime after it was salvaged.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, sword, wooden sword, eric the red, carved sword, figurehead, snake head on sword -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Deadeye, circa 1873
This example of a sailing ship’s ‘dead-eye’ is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, which sank near Port Campbell in 1878. The vessel was an iron hulled clipper ship constructed for the Loch Line in 1873. It was part of a fleet of similar merchant ships owned by that company, which specialised in bringing passengers and goods from London via the Great Circle route to Melbourne, and returning to Britain via Cape Horn with the colony’s wool clip. Deadeyes were a common feature of sailing ship technology in the nineteenth century. They were a simple, cheap, and hard-wearing device that, in conjunction with another deadeye, provided an effective means of levering, or tightening, attached ropes and stays. Lower deadeyes were fixed to the sides of the ship by an encircling metal collar (inset in a flattish groove chiselled around the outer circumference of the disc), which was bolted to iron bars attached to the hull (called chain-plates). Upper deadeyes were looped by a strong hemp or wire rope (inset in a rounded groove carved around the outer circumference of the disc), which was joined to the bottom ends of the rigging which reached up to secure the masts into position (called shrouds or stays). Connecting a Lower deadeye to its corresponding Upper deadeye was a rope (called a lanyard) which looped up and down through the three “eyes” of each disc, to form a pulley system. The hitching of the two deadeyes with a looped lanyard provided the means of tightening, or loosening, the tension on the mast rigging ― essentially by pulling against the chain-plates bolted to the outside of the hull. It was a procedure that could be performed by sailors at sea and in emergencies. For example, after a gale the stays may have stretched and the masts worked loose, requiring retightening. Or, in the extreme circumstance of shipwreck, the lanyards might need to be released on the weather side, so that the masts fall away from the stricken vessel. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance. Victorian Heritage Register S417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD 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 LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. A reasonably well-preserved ship’s deadeye with rust-stained wire loop-rope still attached. It retains portions of its original hemp cord and hessian wrapping. The flat sides of this thick wooden disc have three holes drilled through in a triangular configuration. The artefact is from the shipwreck of the LOCH ARD (1878). The survival of the loop-rope (wire cable) indicates it was an Upper Deadeye, connected to the shrouds (mast rigging).flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, deadeye, rigging -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Furniture - Headpiece, ca. 1873
The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch which lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Loch Ard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Loch Ard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition in. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck, it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. Ref: LA 6 64 264 The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( 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 social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Carved wooden furniture headpiece from the wreck of the Loch Ard. Inscribed plaque on underside. Hand writing on round sticker on edge.Plaque inscription "From Loch Ard wreck Port Campbell 1878 given by Haworth Bros to James Martin Snr Scarsdale" Diagonally on round sticker in pen "R 222A" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, carved headpiece, furniture, haworth bros, james martin snr, scarsdale