These hand saws belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips (1875-1924). Born in Warrnambool, Ernest Phillips took up an apprenticeship in cabinet making at the Box Works in Warrnambool. By the late 1890s he had a furniture store and factory at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. By the early 20th century Phillips had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside Melbourne. His products were sold all over Australia. Phillips and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street. Today the site of the Phillips’ home contains flats for senior citizens in a complex known as ‘Heatherlie’. These tools are of interest as they belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. They are also examples of the type of tools used 100 years ago. These are two hand saws which belonged to Ernest Phillips of Warrnambool. They have a rounded wooden handle inserted via a metal plug into the end of a piece of wood which is slightly curved. Attached to the metal plug is a thin steel blade with a serrated edge. The blade is approximately the same size as the piece of wood. The blades are somewhat rusted.‘J. Marples & Sons, Sheffield’.ernest phillips, history of warrnambool

This is a booklet containing the newspapers published on board the ship, ‘General Wyndham’ during its voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne in 1857. The newspapers may be copies of the newspapers rather than original ones. Betsey(Betsy/ Betty) Smith, the wife of Thomas Smith of Warrnambool, came to Australia with their daughter Lizzie (Elizabeth) on board the ‘General Wyndham’ in 1857 on the particular voyage during which these newsletters were printed (the emigrant ships coming to Australia at that time usually carried printing presses of some kind). It is conjectured that Thomas Smith who had come to Australia on an earlier voyage and who was a printer in Koroit Street, Warrnambool in the 19th century, printed and bound the newsletters that his wife had kept. This book is of great importance as a good collection of the newsletters printed on board emigrant ships. If the newsletters came from Betsy Smith then the significance is even greater. The newsletters tell us so much about life on board the ‘General Wyndham’ ship – the range of articles, the light-hearted humorous touches, the accounts of the deaths on board, the picture of life on board that is conveyed and the overall professional look of the newsletters make the journal interesting to read and of great historical interest. This is a bound book of 44 pages containing a collection of nine newsletters printed on board the ship, ‘General Wyndham’ in 1857. The cover is light brown and is very stained. The contents of the newspapers include poems, news items, reports of the ship’s log and its progress, accounts of the activities and organizations aboard the ship, letters to the editor and editorials. The stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society is prominent throughout the book and some of the pages have been bound at the edges with white taping.‘general wyndham’ ship, 19th century emigration to australia, betsy and thomas smith, history of warrnambool

This book was given in 1886 as a prize to Annie Egerton from Allansford State School. The prize was for recitation. Allansford State School No. 3 was opened in 1856 as a National School and is still operating. Allansford is about ten kilometres from the Warrnambool city area and most of it today is within the boundaries of the City of Warrnambool. John Jones was the Head Master of the school from 1867 to 1891. No details have been found on Annie Egerton or her family This book is of interest because it concerns 19th century Allansford State School, Head Master John Jones and pupil Annie Egerton. It is also a book of antiquarian interest. This is a hard cover book of 436 pages. It has a green cover with gold and black ornamentation and black and green lettering. The pages are edged with gold colouring. The book has 36 chapters telling the story of the merchant, James Meetwell and some pages at the back giving details of other books available from the publishers, Ward, Lock & Co. The cover is somewhat soiled. There is an inscription inside the front cover with handwriting in black ink and the word ‘Reciting’ written in pencil on the second page. ‘Allansford S. School, 3, Presented to A. Egerton for Reciting, 19-4-86, J.E.Jones, teacher’ ‘Reciting’ annie egerton, allansford primary school, john jones,, allansford state school, history of allansford

This is a New Testament in Chinese given to Thomas Wong Cheong on the occasion of his baptism in August 1886. Thomas Wong Cheong (also written Thomas Wong Tong) was a Christian Catechist appointed by the Foreign Missions Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria. He worked in Warrnambool, ministering to the local Chinese Christian community for 31 years. He died in 1923. A Chinese Church, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, was erected in Ryot Street, Warrnambool in 1892. By the 1930s the Chinese community in the Warrnambool area had dwindled to a very few in number and the Ryot Street building was demolished in 1979. This is a significant book because of its association with the Chinese community in Warrnambool and the catechist Thomas Wong Cheong. The Chinese Church and the work of Thomas Wong Cheong are of importance in Warrnambool’s history from the end of the 19th century to the early years of the 20th century and this book would have been well-used during this time. This is a hard cover book with a black cover and the words, ‘New Testament’ printed in gold lettering on the back page (probably the front page when being read in Chinese). The text is entirely in the Chinese language with the Chinese characters in columns ruled longways. The signature of Thomas Wong Cheong (Tong) is written four times in blue and red ink. There is an inscription on the back page (front of book) and a page with a yellow background and black printing. Some of the pages have been torn (silverfish damage) and the edges of some pages have been stained. Most of the pages have four or five holes on the inside edges, suggesting that the book has been re-bound from a previous binding. There is a pink sticker of the Castlemaine bookbinder on the inside front cover.‘Presented to Thomas Wong Tong on the occasion of his Baptism, Creswick, Victoria, August 1st 1886, T. Angwin, Wesleyan Minister.’ chinese in warrnambool, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This little book is very old, presumably 19th century, but the wording on the front cover is indecipherable, no date is evident and the first and last pages are missing. The book was owned by Mary Jane Freckleton with the main inscription written in an adult hand – ‘Mary Jane Frickelton, Mailers Flat’. The spelling of Mailers Flat with an ‘e’ was not a mistake but this was the common spelling in the 19th century and the early 20th century. According to the Freckleton family history ‘Freckleton’ was sometimes spelled ‘Frickelton’ or ‘Frickleton’. Mailors Flat is nine kilometres from Warrnambool and the Mailors Flat School, number 1210, was opened in 1872 in Caramut Road and closed in 1994. The first Head Teacher was Julian Castles. There were Freckelton families in the 19th century in Port Fairy, Caramut, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Mailors Flat. The Freckletons at Mailors Flat were engaged in farming. Mary Jane Freckleton was for a time a pupil teacher at Mailors Flat School. She was born at the Injemira property and married Henry Giles. This is an interesting book because of its age and because it belonged to Mary Jane Freckleton, a member of the Freckleton families, early settlers in the areas north of Warrnambool. She may have used the book when she was a pupil teacher at the Mailors Flat School. This is a hard cover book of 284 pages (some pages missing). The cloth cover is brown and much torn and stained. There are 86 chapters of prose and verse and a sprig of dried flowers is enclosed in the pages. There is the red stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society on the first page and several snippets of writing in black ink on the front and back pages.‘Mary Jane Frickelton Mailers Flat’mary jane freckleton, mailors flat school

This plate was presented in 1900 to a Warrnambool lawyer, William Ardlie, on the occasion of his marriage to Maud Taylor. It was recovered from the fire which destroyed the Hotel Mansions building in Warrnambool in 1929. This building was opened in 1890 as the Grand Ozone Coffee Palace (a temperance hotel). It was at the corner of Koroit and Kepler Streets. In 1891 the Coffee Palace was granted a wine licence and in 1895 it was re-named the Ozone Hotel. The building was closed in 1915 and re-opened in 1920 as the Hotel Mansions. In 1923 the Hotel Mansions became a fully-licensed hotel and in 1929 it was destroyed by fire. The present-day Hotel Warrnambool was built on the site. William Ardlie, the son of a pioneer Warrnambool settler, John Ardlie, began practising as a lawyer in Warrnambool in the mid 1860s and dominated the legal scene in Warrnambool, continuing on his practice until he was over 80. He and his second wife, Maud, were occupying an apartment in the Hotel Mansions when it was destroyed by fire and this plate is a relic of the fire. The Warrnambool Bowling Club which presented the plate to William Ardlie, was established early in the 1890s and William Ardlie was an enthusiastic supporter and one-time office bearer.This plate is of great significance as it was one of the few items that still exist that was recovered from the 1929 Hotel Mansions fire and its story contains so much of Warrnambool’s history with its connections to:- 1. The story of the Hotel Mansions, the grandest building ever erected in Warrnambool 2. The story of William Ardlie, a dominant figure in the legal world in Warrnambool for over 60 years 3. The story of the Warrnambool Bowls Club, still existing today. This is a silver plate with an oval base with an inside ring and a rim of scroll patterning. The recessed edges of the plate are highly ornamented with scrolls and flower patterning. Parts of the edge of the plate are missing and jagged as this plate has been in a major fire. On the base of the plate are three silver studs for the plate to rest on a surface. The fourth stud is missing. On the rim of the plate are two small projections, suggesting the plate originally had a handle. On the base of the plate is an inscription.‘Presented by the members of the Warrnambool Bowling Club to William Ardlie Esq.re (ex President) on the occasion of his WEDDING, 10th January 1900.’ grand ozone coffee palace/ozone hotel/ hotel mansions, warrnambool, william ardlie, warrnambool bowls club, history of warrnambool

The buttons relate to tailors in Warrnambool and District and some are stamped with relevant names. The collection provides a good sample of buttons and the types of materials and uses which were prevalent in the period. Rows of buttons in colours black, brown, fawn, silver, white, and Mother of Pearl. Mounted on cream card and framed with cream mount. Rows are labelled with small card inserts with names of local tailors and/or application and uses. Materials used are metal, bakelite, shell and fabric.The metal buttons have names of tailors stamped into them and bakelite buttons are either stamped or have raised lettering or symbols. Names on buttons as follows: Cramond & Dickson, Youngers, Warrnambool, W. J. Taggart, S Taggart, Fletcher Jones, W. A Burnett, W McDonald, Thompson Terang, R Carey, J Torrance Camperdown, F Williamson, Salvation Army. Types of buttons : Military, Navy, coat, vest, boot and shoe,shirt, trouser, coat, Pearl shell, linen, and fabric covered.warrnambool, buttons, cramond and dickson, youngers, w.j. taggart, burnett mcdonald thompson, terang williamson, j. torrance, fletcher jones, warrnambool military

This album contains photos done on photographic paper while others are on exposed metal. Some are named, among them a Thomas or Edward Wickham, Fred Giles, Mrs. F Giles, Mary Humphrey Wickham, Jack Giles, Eliza Hornsby. Some of the photographs have been taken by Warrnambool photographers including Daniel Clarke. This album shows two different methods of photography which existed in the mid to late 19th century. With a number of the photos named it would suggest that there is some family connection between them which provokes an interest from a genealogical point of view. Red leather cover with circular pattern with black edging which sits around rectangle on front and back. Brass metal clasp. Pages are edged in gold. First pages has photo of woman leaning on back of couch and last page has cut out coloured picture of three children with garlands of flowers.Stamp inside front cover, Hider, Charles Liebig St, Warrnambool.warrnambool, photo album warrnambool, giles family album, 19th century album, giles, wickham, hornsby, daniel clarke

George Sutherland Mackay came to Warrnambool in 1891 and in 1893 joined his practice with that of James Fletcher and the firm became known as Mackay and Fletcher later changed to Mackay and Taylor. G S Mackay served for a long time on the Warrnambool City Council including 4 terms as Mayor. He was also an active member of the Presbyterian Church and worked to establish the Warrnambool Agricultural High School. He built the offices which still stand at 131 Kepler Street. He died in 1926. The firm celebrated its centenary in 1993.A commonly used office item which is well linked to both a long established business in Warrnambool and G. S. Mackay who contributed greatly to the community of Warrnambool and district. Cast iron painted black with rounded rectangular base. Circular seal and shaped handle which moves down 45 degrees. Trimmed with worn gold paint. Excelsior in gold on the front. The oval seal reads G. S. Mackay Warrnambool solicitor.warrnambool, g s mackay, mackay & taylor, mackay solicitor, company seal

A King James version of the Bible presented to the Allansford Congregation in 1881 by J H Atkinson who was a chemist from 1848 to 1876 on the corner of Sackville and Bank Streets Port Fairy . In January 1878 he opened a pharmacy in partnership with Warrell in the Apothecaries Hall in Timor Street. Rev. Swinburn was an assistant at St Paul’s Church in 1880.St Paul’s Church, Allansford opened in 1882 and this donation would have been one of the earliest donations to the congregation.Olive green/ brown leather cover with imprinted rectangular pattern on front and back covers. Spine has Holy Bible in gold lettering. It has dark blue ribbon page marker and gold on edges of pages.Presented to the Church of England Allansford by J.H Atkinson, Warrnambool, September 1881. Also letter from Mr Atkinson to Rev. Swinburn.allansford, st paul's allansford, j h atkinson, rev swinburn, bible, 1881

Henry Longfellow (1807-1882) was an American poet, the most popular one of his day. With poems such as ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ he helped shape the American character. He was also popular in the British Empire countries and many people in places such as Warrnambool would have had a copy of his published works. The recipient of this volume, Albert Henry Lawson, was the son of Thomas and Susan Lawson, shopkeepers in Warrnambool in the 1870s and 80s. Albert Lawson became a pupil teacher in Cobden in 1903 and from 1904 to 1907 it appears that he was an assistant teacher at his brother’s school, Warrnambool College. This was a private school established by Richard Lawson and William Oakley in 1900. Albert Lawson was given the copy of Longfellow’s poems when he left Warrnambool College in 1907. He then embarked on a teaching career with the Victorian Education Department, married Susan Oakley, the daughter of William Oakley, and died in Melbourne in 1972.This beautiful book of Longfellow poems is worth keeping as an example of an antiquarian book. But it is most significant because of its inscription, telling us of its association with both the Lawson and Oakley Warrnambool College and Albert Lawson, a member of the Lawson family which had many members important in Warrnambool’s history. The inscription tells us that Albert Lawson worked as a teacher for some years at his brother’s school, a fact that was not fully documented until the acquisition of this book. This is a leather bound book of 698 pages. The cover is mottled brown in a raised pattern and the pages are edged with a red-gold tinge. The insides of the cover are edged with a red and gold border and have a blue, brown and cream mottled pattern. There is a sketch of Longfellow in the front with a tissue page covering the sketch. The pages of the book are of fine paper typical of a late Victorian publication. The book has a thin blue ribbon page marker which has become detached from the book. The book is edited by William Michael Rossetti.Front Cover: ‘Longfellow’ Spine: ‘Longfellow’ Inside on a blank page: ‘To Mr A.H. Lawson from his pupils at the W’bool College, with best wishes for his future welfare, April 15th 1907’. warrnambool college (lawson & oakley), albert lawson

This album contains a number of photos taken around the Otways. They depict a number of people with horses, buggies and tents along bush tracks. There are scenes of Lochard Gorge and the Curdies River at Peterborough, as well as farming scenes. The Otway Ranges was a popular place for day trips and small holidays for the people of the district. Warrnambool and District Historical Society has albums from the Swinton family which depict similar scenes. Dress of the people in the photos would indicate that this trip occurred around the turn of the 20th century. This album has artistic and aesthetic significance as the photos contained within this album are quite beautiful. It also has historical and social significance as it is depicts a typical activity of the time. Brown cover with black floral pattern on front. Back cover is plain. Rectangular in shape. Contains photographs mounted on heavy card.warrnambool, album, photo album, otway ranges, the otways, loch ard gorge,, warrnambool photographs of the past, warrnambool photos

John Oman sitting for portrait wearing a suit. He has facual hair common to the era. Circa late 18th century.Typical dress of the period. Common portrait sitting and pose.Rectangular in shape, sepia tones, studio portrait picture.On back in grey pencil, " J T Oman" & $2-. On the front in black ink the words, "Ja's Hooper, West End Portait Parlors 239 Victoria Street W. Melbourne. portrait picture photography j t oman

This item was donated as a display item for the Slab Hut (Orbost Information Centre). Quadruple silverplate items were four times as heavily plated with silver as standard items. Quadruple plate hollowware was some of the highest quality made during the latter part of the 19th century.This item clearly has an aesthetic significance as silver cake baskets were a common sight in upper-class households in the 18th and early 19th centuries.A silver plated cake plate on a pedestal with a handle. It has a pattern of flowers and birds etched into the top of the plate.SIMPSON HALL MILLER & Co. Quadruple platesilver-plate cake-stand tableware domestic

Bendoc is in the far east of the State close to the border. Benduck is Aboriginal for plain, Wagra meaning `black-eyed crow' and Wagra Benduck means ‘noise in the trees'. On the 13th of December 1872 the Bendoc people had 2 roods of land reserved for a school and again on 22nd of May 1874 1 acre was also reserved. It was not until 7th of July 1876 that the Government authorised the building of the school. It was 24ft x 16ft with quarters (three rooms) for the teacher, total cost £446 1s 6d. The teacher paid £9 per year rent. School began on 11th of July 1873 which suggests that classes were held prior to the erection of the school building. The head teacher then was Frederick Jones. In 1962 the Department erected a new school of two rooms and the following year a new residence was provided. (info. from Schools East Gippsland) Bendoc Primary School closed mid 1980s.This item is associated with education in Far East Gippsland.A black / white photograph of 21 students standing outside a wooden school building.education-bendoc-state-school

Iron fountain used on open fires etc. Donated by Mrs Norah Osborne, wife of Bruce , principal of High School. Early homes often had an open fire containing a fountain, buckets and kettles that hung from a hook in the fireplace. These containers supplied hot water for cooking, washing and cups of tea. Fountain was placed on hob until needed and then hung over fire.This kettle is an example of a common domestic item used in early Orbost before electricity was widespread.Large black iron fountain with swing handle and hook for using over a fire. Large brass tap and handle. Lid - Clark & Co * 4 Galls. Bottom - Clark & Co - 4 Gallons FINEST QUALITY T & C CLARK & COcooking domestic kettle fountain-iron ironware

Anne Dawson was a sister of Mrs Wally Gibbs and Mrs Alan Richardson. She was an aunt of the Slatters.This item has aesthetic significance and demonstrates the skill and craftmanship of the women of the earlt settler families.Fan-shaped oil painting on tin. Olive green background with 8 colourful flowers on front - 1 yellow,2 red with white tips, 1 dark red, 4 white and 1 variegated apricot. tin-painting art-craft

The butter stamp rolling pin was used in The Orbost Butter factory.It was rolled across the butter in a wooden box, lined with a wax paper.Bicarbonate of soda was added to the butter to stop it from going rank.The first shipment in about 1893 to England went rank and was only good for axle grease on wagons and carts.The milk was brought to the factory by horse and dray.Most people would take the whey home for their pigs,which were abundant on the farms in the Orbost district. The Orbost Butter and Produce Co. Ltd was registered on June 1st 1893 and was an important source of income to the Orbost district. Large, hand carved, round wooden roller with handle at each end. There is a central carved word, with a pattern of raised squares either side of the carved word and an uncarved area at either end of the roller. The stamp rests on a wooden plinth. "AUSTRALIA" carved in reverse around the width.orbost-butter-factory dairy butter

Domestic water filters would have been used in Orbost before water was reticulated to all town houses and on rural properties using tank water.This is an example of a domestic ceramic container used to hold and filter water in the early 20th century."The Abbot Filter" used to cool water. Tall, stoneware, cylindrical, cream coloured with handles and tap. Tap is stainless steel."The Abbot Filter" - Australianwater-supply abbot-filter container water-cooler

Over 150 years old in 1970. Donor,Joe Herman was a blacksmith, painter and signwriter in Orbost. Local footballer. Married Elsie Winchester This item is an example of a handcrafted item and reflects the needlework skills of women in the families of the early settlers.Cloth of fine hand-woven linen. all white with fine hem.linen manchester-table-linen handcrafts weaving

By the 19th century, porcelain had become the favored material for doll heads, and starting in the 1830s, high-quality china dolls hit the market. Most of these were made in central Europe, and often the assembly work was done by individual families, which is why many antique china dolls are not marked. German-made china dolls usually have black molded hair and blue eyes. The most common china dolls are Low Brow china dolls, made in the millions in the 1890s (so called because their hairdo has bangs and lays low on their forehead, giving them a "low brow").This doll is a good example of a late 19th century china doll.China-headed doll with soft body. It has a low brow,moulded black hair and is wearing a black dress with a white collar and cuffs. Over the dress is a white pleated, embroidered pinafore. It has a broderie Anglaise petticoat.doll toys china-doll

In 1896 Albert Richardsonand his bride, Lettice, came to the mill at Tabbara. Their daughter, Mrs Mary Barclay, was born at Marlo in 1897. Her Scottish great-great grandmother who was born about 1800, kept silk worms. When she was about 12, she collected and spun the silk to later make this shawl.This item is an example of a handcrafted item and reflects the needlework skills of women in the families of the early settlers.A handmade shawl of beige silk. Edge is fringed.shawl costume-female handcraft silk

English blue and white plate. Floral design border and plain centre.Back -Worcester E.F.A. & Son -Bodley & Sonplate domestic crockery china bodley

Small rectangular platter with cream background and native floral design of wattle and heath - green and cream.Back-Doulton Burslem , england N0 188386 F.G.& Co Sydneyplatter domestic-items crockery doulton

This blouse shows excellent workmanship and is very decorative. It is not every-day-wear, but would have been worn for special occasions.This blouse is an example of the needlework skills of women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.A woman's black blouse or top made of shot silk and with panels of black lace. It has long sleeves which are trimmed with lace at the wrist. Down the front of the garment is a pleated panel with the fine pleats travelling cross-ways. Inside are metal stays which preserve the shape and are now rusty. women's-clothing silk-lace

This dress was handed down through the family of Harry Cameron, Orbost. It was likely worn by a member of the family.Associated with the Cameron family, Orbost.A full length black satin dress with long sleeves. It has two rows of 6 buttons across the bodice and lace applique on the shoulders. The neck and sleeves are trimmed with a fine white lace. There are metal stays inside the front of the dress.women's-clothing

This item is an example of a food processing appliance used in the late 19th century long before electricity came to Orbost.A cast iron raisin stoner. It has a clamp for attachment to a bench and has a wooden handle on a turning arm.On arm-PAT.APP. Aug 20.95 Oct 5-97 On one side- WET THE RAISINS On other side-ENTERPRISE M.F.C. PHILADELPHIA. P.A. U.S.A. On chute- No. 38raisin-stoner food-preparation

This domestic kitchen appliance is typical of the period when food processing was done at home. It would have been before the time of mass food processing factoriesA cast iron raisin stoner with a clamp. It has a wooden handle on a turning arm.On arm-PAT.APP. Aug 20.95 Oct 5-97 On one side- WET THE RAISINS On other side-ENTERPRISE M.F.C. PHILADELPHIA. P.A. U.S.A. On chute- No. 38raisin-stoner food-preparation

This horseshoe was found at the Richardson Saw Mill at Tabbara.A very large horseshoe with indentations down the sides with nail holes. horse-shoe transport horses richardson

Livestock bells were once used extensively throughout the Australian countryside. The first ones were imported from England and America, but gradually local blacksmiths started turning out their own bells. These bells were used on a leader in a bullock team or on other stock so they could be easily located.A very corroded metal bullock bell with a handle and a small round gong.bullock-bell rural-industry livestock