The historic Victorian ‘couta boat “Viator” was built by renowned boat builder J.R. Jones of Williamstown in Melbourne, between 1890 and 1920. He was one of the early builders of this design. The features of Viator - carvel planked, open cockpit, vertical stem and straight keel, single mast and a pivoting centreboard - are all characteristics of an early Bass Strait ‘couta boat. This has been confirmed by experienced Victorian ‘couta boat restorer Tim Phillips. Viator served as a ‘couta fishing boat in the Warrnambool area until the mid-1930s, then some say she served as a mail ferry across to Portland. Later it was used as a fishing and recreation boat for local families. For years Viator sat in a paddock in East Warrnambool until purchased in 1975 and donated to Flagstaff Hill. ‘COUTA BOATS - The ‘couta design for vessels is believed to have originated at Port Phillip, Victoria, for the purpose of the Barracouta (‘couta) fishing industry, being both fast and seaworthy. , The 'couta fish was an important food fish in Australian waters, supplying Melbourne with plenty of inexpensive fish. VIATORY’S OWNERS - Some of Viator’s history is known: - 1940, registered Port Fairy and owned by G.J. Richards. - 1941-1945, registered in Port Fairy and owned by Jens “Peter” Petersen. - 1950’s “Brusher” Richards of Warrnambool and Port Fairy used it for fishing. - Peter Watson and his son also went fishing in Viator. - Frank Ferrier, boat builder, was an owner (son of ‘La Bella’ hero, William Ferrier) - Arthur Rogers owned Viator too, then sold it to Terry Pridmore and Wayne Moorefield - The Viator was stored in a paddock, unused, in Fairmont Avenue, Warrnambool, where it was gradually deteriorating. - 1975 Viator was purchase at a very reasonable price from Pridmore, then donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. RESTORATION - Shipwright Erik Mikkelsen soon started restoration on the Viator after it arrived at Flagstaff Hill in 1975. In 2006 the Maritime Museums of Australia awarded a grant to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village to assist with the restoration and renovation of the Viator. Its restoration continues today in the care of Flagstaff Hill’s boat builder. J R. JONES - boat builder The photograph of the EVA MYRL shows the builder J R Jones with his team of workers. The other photograph shows a vessel built by J R Jones' son, J B Jones of Footscray, and his team of boat boulders. The photograph of the EVA MYRL was taken by E. A. Dond---. The other photograph is of the Sturrock Coot, taken a Albert Park Lake in St Kilda.The Viator is the most significant boat in the Flagstaff Hill's fleet, being the last remaining local 'couta boat and one of few existing examples of this craft. Viator received Heritage status with the Australian Maritime Museums Council and is listed on the Australian Register of Historical Vessels in 2006 (ARHV Number: HV000561). Viator was built in Victoria in the early days by renowned boat builder J.R. Jones, and sailed by fishermen for many years, both local and on the coastal waters of Victoria, and was possibly used for the mail service. It is significant for being used for the fishing trade, for government service, perhaps as a mail boat, and for recreation by local families.Vessel, the ‘Viator’, an historic Victorian ‘couta boat, handmade by renowned boat builder This J.R. Jones 'couta boat, the Viator, was built in Williamstown, c.1890-1920. The single mast vessel has a Caravel hull built from New Zealand Kauri, blackwood, with a red gum keel and a jarrah stem and stern. It has a pivoting centreboard. Two photographs are included; one of the builder with his team, the other is of his son J B Jones, with his team. Marked "Viator" Photograph 1759.2: "E. A. Dond---" (indecipherable". Handwritten on back "Grandfather / J R Jones / Built" Photograph 1759.3; sign within photograph "J B JONES / BUILDER / FOOTSCRAY", stamped in the card, bottom right " ----- / MELBOURNE" and handwritten on the back "I think this is Mr Abel Sturrock Coot Albert Park Lake"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, arhv hv000561, arthur rogers, bass strait ‘couta boat, “brusher” richards of warrnambool and port fairy, clinker hull boat, ‘couta crafted boat c 1890-1905, ‘couta fishing boat, erik mikkelsen shipwright, g.j. richards of port fairy, jens “peter” petersen, john lindsay, old mail boat, pivoting centerboard boat, peter watson, single-masted ketch, terry prodmore and wayne moorefield, vessel viator, viator a historical vessel, victorian ‘couta boat, victorian barracoota boat, warrnambool ‘couta boat, western victoria fishing boat, western victoria mail boat, hv000561, australian register of historical vessels, erik mikkelsen, j b jones, j b jones boat builder, footscray, sturrock coot, sturrock, j r jones, j r jones boat builder, williamstown, eva myrl

Photocopy of pages 2, 3, 4, 6 to 10 of The Mining Record, Feb. 1862. Items mentioned are:- Epsom and Huntly Leads, Pottery Flat, & c, Parliamentary Intelligence, Deep Sinking On Quartz Reefs, The Comet Company (Formerly Cooper's Little Redan), Hustler's Reef Quartz Mining & Drainage Company, Sailors' Gully Quartz Mining Company, Star Reef, Sailor's Gully, Bendigo, Star Reef Quartz Mining Company's Claim, Wilson & Co's Claim, Murdoch and Co's Claim, Hollick and Co.'s Claim, Cook and Co.'s Claim, Coote and Co.'s Claim, Sailor's gully quartz Mining Company's Claim, Garden Gully Reef, Knobel & Co.'s Claim, Ladams and Co.'s Claim, Southern Cross Company, The Rainbow Company, Barry and Co.'s Claim, Union Company's Claim, Winterbottom and Co.s Claim, Jury and Co.'s Claim, Piles and Co.'s Claim, Steers and Co.'s Claim, Watson and Co.'s Claim, Coles and Co.'s Claim, James and Co.'s Claim, Morgan, Kirchner and Co.'s Claim, Boyd and Co.'s Claim, Shanks and Co.'s Claim, Day and Co.'s Claim, Brown and Co.'s Claim, St. Mungo Quartz Mining Company and the Nelson Reef Quartz Mining Company.document, gold, mining reports, mining record feb 1862, bell's life, wellington hotel, botanical gardens, mitchell gardens, bird-in-hand, independent co, ballarat co, perserverance co, north star co, all england co, macleod co, mather and co, gold washing co, bendigo valley co, robey and co, hobbs and co, taylor's, lewis and co, henwood and co, bullock and co, davey and co, webb and lathlean, the welshman's, bon accord, john thomas's, caledonian co, webster, hrdy bros, mcewen and co, the big engine co, epsom huntly and ironstone hill co, 'the thames' steamer, whitely and co, cambridge co, victoria co, dower m'intosh and co, thomas and davies, aurora co, brett's, thomas bros, mitchell brothers, ballarat co, north star co, all england co, mr b g davies, mr ramsay, dr evans, tarrangower times, mr humffray, clunes co, mr courtin, mr lawrence, port phillip and colonial gold mining co, mr bland, r brough smith, john s mcnair, john mathieson, mr r o smith, joseph millen, thomas kaye, john basset, william cook, james cousley, john hill, robert hollinger, thomas houston, george loudon, william manning, john matthews, john mcewen, thomas milligan, john moorhead, robert moorhead, david murdoch, andrew murdoch, joseph nevin, edward o'malley, wm newton paul, james reid, samuel robinson, jesse selwood, james shand, william woods, catherine united claimholders, star reef co, sailor's gully co, churchill davidson, wm wilson, john jervis, james patterson, john carmont, george m'naughten, alexander wiseman, james houston, m'lennan, clark, thomas hollick, james alfred bowles, john lampert, francis palmetser, nichols, little pumping engine co, m'niely, morrison, waight, john coote, robert hamilton, william wilson, john jervis, southern cross co, ladam's claim, knobel, bird, philip ladams, james anderson, cordon, ashley, godwin, burkamp, john lomasney, james bryant, matthew langridge, benjamin exley, j r finlayson, wormold, mccartney, schrade, schumacher, george barry, james patten, peter speares, thomas caley, shadbolt, john lomasney, peat, kenely, mcgenely, egan, exwell, james winterbottom, john winterbottom, william jury, jonathan laidman, john pile, simon howard, peter morris, bignall, charles robison, ferguson, thomas steers, adolphe witts, albert berchdolt, richard urand, thomas watson, klemm, boyd, abbot, peterson, taylor, henry day, walter wallan, brown, grennan, day, young, mr beckwith, joseph thomson, nelson reef quartz mining co

Birthday Books are personal record books for names and birth dates of friends and relatives. This book includes a quote from Charles Dickens for each day of the year. The books were published in many editions, with different publishers, illustrators, covers and designs. This Dickens Birthday book was presented as a gift to fifteen-year-old Clara Skirrow on January 19th 1911, by Mr and Mrs B Watson, perhaps the 'Benji Watson' in the book, whose birthday was July 1st, 1887. The entries in the book include several with the surnames Watson and Skirrow. Interestingly, names are entered in various writing styles, perhaps because each entry was written by the person of that name, similar to an autograph book. Curiously, there are two entries for Connie Watson, one in brackets on March 16th, the other on March 23rd, without brackets. The artist, Pilford Fletcher Watson (1892-1907), was born in London. He moved to Sydney, where he became a prominent and well-established artist and a founding member of the Academy of Arts, Australia, established in 1891. His works included local scenery, architecture, and the interiors of historic buildings. Many of his pieces were bequeathed to the State Library of New South Wales. The firm, Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd, was a printer and publisher that operated in London from 1866 to 1960. Its logo was the artist's easel, palette and brush. The firm that specialised in greeting cards and produced puzzles. It also became the world’s largest postcard publisher. In 1960, the firm amalgamated with others to become the British Printing Corporation. The fly page states that Ralph Tuck & Sons, Ltd. was the publisher to Their Majesties, the King and Queen, and Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales. This would suggest that this book was published from 1901 to 1910, when King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and Prince George and his wife Princess Mary were permitted to use these titles. NAMES LISTED IN THE BIRTHDAY BOOK (the museum has photographs of every entry in the book, which are available on enquiry): - January 1 Mrs J (or S) Watson January 11 Wilfred Skirrow, 1904 January 16 Elsie Watson, 1897 January 17 Elsie Hartley, 23/06/2012 [error?] January 21 Frances Victoria Haieck January 29 Annie Skirrow, 1884 February 14 Willie Illingworth February 17 Bessie Watson February 19 Mrs Butterfield, 22 Apperley Rd, Idle [UK] February 27 William Ernest Futter ? March 13 Carrie Barker March 16 Connie Watson March 19 Hilda Graham March 20 Mrs W. Illingworth March 23 Connie Watson April 5 Mrs Ruth Ann Skirrow April 6 William Dickinson Goldsbrough April 11 Norman Goldsbrough April 16 May Jessen April 19 Mrs A Dixon April 20 Mrs S Watson April 23 John Fred Stansfield, 1912 April 24 Reginald Goldsbrough May 12 Bertha Ellis May 18 Gladys McInnes May 28 Mrs Arthur Watson June 3 Jack Watson, 1910 June 10 Mr James Watmough June 18 Miss Hilda Hodgson, 1895 June 26 Sarah Atkinson, 1894 June 30 Mary A Bannister, 1896 July 1 Benji Watson, 1887 July 1 Ester Watmough, 1896 July 2 Clara Skirrow, 1896 July 2 Aunt Jinni July 2 Aunt Hannah July 10 Ellen Gertrude Connolly July 11 Violet Mathieson July 23 Hady Rogers July 26 Sarah Atkinson August 2 Allan Watson August 3 George Skirrow August 6 Thomas Skirrow August 6 Gladys Patten August 8 John Waite, 1909 August 21 Lilian Pattison, 1909 August 25 Ethel Watson, 1889 August 25 Evellyn Goldsbrough September 4 Miss Frances Barker September 12 Ernest Hartley, 1888 September 14 Harry Stansfield, 1895 September 20 Harry Padgett September 25 Leslie Watson September 26 Florrie Wise, 1896 September 27 Dorothy Watson, 1909 October 1 Madge Ferrier October 3 Elizabeth Padgett, 1896 October 5 Violet Altridge, 1895 October 13 Elsie Hodgson, 1893 October 18 Arthur Watson October 21 Emily Bradshaw November 14 Mr A Dixon December 27 Laura Hartley, 1890 December 29 Arther Skirrow, 1894 December 29 Dolly GrahamThis early 20th-century Birthday Book is significant for containing quotes by the famous writer Charles Dickens. It is also connected to the popular and prolific publisher and printer, Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd, and the renowned illustrator and artist, Pilford Fletcher Watson. Ownership of a rare and beautifully presented book like this indicates the value placed on keeping records of family and friends, and remembering their birthdays, in the early 1900s. The book is highly significant for the entries of local family names, some with birth dates. Book: small book with padded maroon leather hard cover and embossed with gold text on cover and spine; cover also has a gold motif. The pages include coloured illustrations, sketches, and lines for personal entries. The first pages are about Charles Dickens. Title: The Dickens Birthday Book, with six illustrations in Colour by P. Fletcher-Watson Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd, Britain Printed in England 1901-1910 Artist: P. Fletcher-Watson This padded red leather hardcover book has embossed gold text on the front cover and spine. The six colour illustrations throughout the book were by artist P. Fletcher-Watson; one is a portrait of Dickens. Each day has a quote from Charles Dickens' works and blank lines below. The drawing on the fly page depicts a stone building with side pillars and a logo in the centre of the horizontal beam. It has a gift inscription for Clara Skirrow on January 19th, 1911. There are handwritten entries under many of the dates, some include years that range from 1884 to 1912, and one includes an address in the U.K.. Embossed on cover and spine: “The DICKENS Birthday Book” Handwritten in black ink: "From Mr & Mrs B. Watson / To Clara Skirrow / With Best wishes / January 19th 1911" Illustration on fly page: Logo [artist's palette, brush and easel] Publisher information: “Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd, London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Montreal,” “Publishers to their Majesties the King and Queen, and T.R.H. the Prince and Princess of Wales” “Printed in England” Handwritten entries with names, some dates, and one address. flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, birthday book, p. fletcher-watson, raphael tuck & sons ltd, 1901-1910, illustrated, 19-01-1911, mr & mrs b. watson, clara skirrow, red cover, british printing corporation, king and queen and trh prince and princess, king edward vii and queen alexandra, antique book, rare book, atkinson, bannister, barker, bradshaw, butterfield, connolly, dixon, ellis, ferrier, futter, goldsbrough, graham, hartley, hodgson, illingworth, jessen, mathieson, mcinnes, padgett, patten, pattison, rogers, stansfield, waite, watmough, watson, wise, dickens birthday book, charles dickens, dickens quotes, skirrow