East side shops including Thompson's Pharmacy, Clinton's Hardware, Eltham Real Estate, N.H. Baxter Estate Agent, Willet's Food Centre, Bank of N.S.W., Chemist, Milk Bar, and Caltex Service Station on the corner with Luck Street. In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, shopping centre, bank of n.s.w., willet's food centre, thompson's pharmacy, n.h. baxter estate agent, milk bar, luck street, eltham real estate, clinton's hardware, caltex service station, chemist, clinton's hardware, eltham, eltham real estate, luck street., main road, milk bar, n.h. baxter estate agent, tt, thompson's pharmacy, willet's food centre, duplication, chemist

East side shops including Thompson's Pharmacy, Radio & TV, Home Heating, Eltham Real Estate, Bank of N.S.W., Wine Shop, Chemist, etcIn February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, shopping centre, bank of n.s.w., milk bar, luck street, eltham real estate, clinton's hardware, chemist, home heating

Shows position of under road water course, which also went under railway line to the Diamond Creek and Cecil Street sign.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, cecil street, railway line, watercourse, floods

Shows the pedestrian crossing to the Railway Station and car parking.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, carparks, railway station, post office, shopping centre

Shows the car parking on the west side of Main Road, part of the Post Office on left and the pedestrian crossing from the railway station.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, carparks, railway station, post office

Shows Eltham Post Office, Hairdresser and Tattersalls agency with Eltham Railway Station platform in background.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, railway station, post office, hairdresser, tattersalls agency

Shows the State Savings Bank on left and front part of the supermarket on the right.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, mac's meats, pryor street, state savings bank of victoria

Main Road shops from midway between Luck and Pryor Streets, looking south along the east side. Includes Browne's Self Service, Delicatessen, Dairy Queen, Commonwealth Bank, Mac's Meats and Thompson's Chemist.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, shopping centre, thompson's pharmacy, mac's meats, delicatessen, dairy queen, commonwealth bank, browne's self service

Shows the "Harris Blue" train at Diamond Street railway crossing.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, caltex service station, luck street, railway line, train

East side Main Road shops from Luck Street to Dudley Street. Includes Browne's Self Service, Milk Bar, Delicatessen, Chemist, Mac's Meats, Thompson's Pharmacy, N.H. Baxter Estate Agent.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, browne's self service, dudley street, milk bar, delicatessen, chemist, mac's meats, thompson's pharmacy, n.h. baxter estate agent

Shows the street sign for Luck Street intersection with Main Road.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, carparks, luck street, railway station

Shows Bryant Motors beside Railway Station.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, luck street, bryant motors, buses

Shows the Supa-Value self-service shop with Campbell's Meats and the TAB. In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, luck street, caltex service station, campbell's meats, supa-value self service, tab

Cecil Street to the right.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, cecil street, diamond street, railway line

Shows an early Judge Book building and the Diamond Street railway crossing.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, railway line, railway crossing, judge book village

Luck Street enters Main Road from the left behind the Caltex garage. Note the house on right hand land.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, railway line, railway crossing, caltex service station, supa-value self service

Shows houses on Main Road and Cecil Street across Main Road from Diamond Street.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, railway line, railway crossing, cecil street, judge book village

In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, railway line, railway crossing, cecil street

Shows street sign for Diamond Street on right with the railway crossing.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, cecil street, diamond street

The watercourse passes under the road and railway at this point. Significant flash flooding occurred along this water course on Christmas Day 2011 causing significant damage to the railway line and road and flooding of Judge Book Village. In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, bible street reserve, watercourse, drainage

The watercourse passes under the road and railway at this point. Significant flash flooding occurred along this water course on Christmas Day 2011 causing significant damage to the railway line and road and flooding of Judge Book Village. The drain was swept away including the support pillars of the rail lines timber framework. Judge Book Village had some 40 units flooded before the water entered Diamond Creek. The water had flowed down and flooded Valonia Drive then Grove Street before flowing down the watercourse to Main RoadIn February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, watercourse, drainage, railway line

In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, railway line, elsa court

In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, elsa court

In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, elsa court, railway line

Shows where the future duplication of Main Road ends just north of Elsa Court.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, elsa court, railway line

Location and significance not yet identified for this structure which was part of the series of 48 photos taken along Main Road, Eltham in February 1968In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road

View from northwest corner showing survey pegs for trees and two ponds. Main Road has been duplicated. Bridge Street intersection showing the rock wall on the east side of the original Main Road (Maria Street). Burgoyne's Store and Eltham Uniting Church in distance at centre right and Our Lady Help of Christians at centre left.In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, bridge street, burgoyne's shop, eltham uniting church, our ladys church, maria street

The Bryant and May Factory is located in the suburb of Cremorne in Melbourne, Australia. It was constructed in 1909 as the Empire Works to a design by prolific Melbourne architect William Pitt. It was purchased soon after by British safety match manufacturer Bryant and May who significantly expanded the building adding an additional level and the landmark clock tower. Bryant and May were unique in that they operated as a model factory providing workers with conditions and amenities which even today seem generous. These included a dining hall and sports facilities such as a tennis court and bowling green which were constructed in the 1920s. Bryant and May ceased Australian match manufacture in the early 1980s as a result of import competition. Their iconic Redheads matches are now imported from Sweden. The complex has since been converted for use as offices and showrooms but is extremely well preserved. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Source: www.wikipedia.org Local social history of Bacchus MarshMetal matchbox holder for a matchbox-one side has a photo of a local cricket team, the other side has a caricature of a man's face when held one way up is smiling and when turned up the other way the face is looking unhappy. The cover is blue with yellow. The matchbox cover is made of a thin veneer wood. The makers inscription is in blue and red.Cover/spine: Strike The Border Inn Bacchus Marsh for a good spot Phone 16 Cyril Jones, Proprietor. Cover/side: This man always calls in at the Border Inn. This Man wishes he did Matchbox:Bryant & May's "Crown" Safety Matchesbox, souvenir, sport, item, cricket, match, team, cyril, jones, border, inn, cover, novelty

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone in two pieces. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips