Showing 1000 items
matching british made
-
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Personal Effects, safety razor blade 'King Gillette'', 20thc
King Camp Gillette observed in 1902 that as existing, relatively expensive, razor blades dulled quickly and needed continuous sharpening, a razor whose blade could be thrown away when it dulled would meet a real need and likely be profitable. Safety razors had been developed in the mid-19th century, but still used a forged blade that dulled and rusted. In the 1870s, the Kampfe Brothers ( Germany) introduced a type of safety razor Gillette improved these earlier safety-razor designs, and introduced the high-profit-margin stamped razor blade steel blade. Gillette's innovation was the thin, inexpensive, disposable blade of stamped steel. Gillette's safety razor retailed for a substantial $5 half the average working man's weekly pay — yet sold by the millions. The most difficult part of development was engineering the blades, as thin, cheap steel was difficult to work and sharpen. This accounts for the delay between the initial idea and the product's introduction. To sell the product, Gillette founded the American Safety Razor Company on September 28, 1901 (changing the company's name to Gillette Safety Razor Company in July 1902). Gillette obtained a trademark registration (0056921) for his portrait and signature on the packaging. Production began in 1903, when he sold a total of 51 razors and 168 blades. The following year, he sold 90,884 razors and 123,648 blades, thanks in part to Gillette's low prices, automated manufacturing techniques and good advertising. By 1908, the corporation had established manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, England, France and Germany. Razor sales reached 450,000 units and blade sales exceeded 70 million units in 1915. In 1918, when the U.S. entered World War I, the company provided all American soldiers with a field razor set, paid for by the government, and as they were allowed to take them at discharge they continued their use of this product thus ensuring future sales. The company continues in the present day as the Gillette brand of Procter & Gamble, USA. Throughout the 20thC most men used this type of safety razor with disposable stainless steel razor blades to shave their beards prior to the introduction of affordable electric razors in 1960'sA blue packet of unused 'King Gillette' safety razor blades.on top of packet; Press with thumb / and snap end open / GILLETTE QUALITY THE / SAME THE WORLD OVER / FACTORIES IN / USA / CANADA , GREAT BRITAIN / MEXICO , FRANCE / COLUMBIA, GERMANY / BRAZIL, SPAIN / ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA / GILLETTE TRADE MARK / KING C GILLETTE / RED. TRADE MARKS / GILLETTE (AUST.) PTY. LIMITED / MELBOURNE / DE 2023 / MADE IN AUSTRALIA / shaving equipment, safety razors, gillette king, proctor & gamble, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Manufactured Object, Torch 'Eveready' c1950, c1950
George Reed was a draftsman living in the City of Moorabbin c 1950 1899, David Misell, invented this "electric device" ( torch / flashlight) powered by "D" batteries laid front-to-back in a paper tube with the light bulb and a rough brass reflector at the end. Misell assigned his invention over to the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company owned by Conrad Hubert. In 1905, Hubert changed the name again to The American Ever Ready Company, selling torches / flashlights and batteries under the trademark Ever Ready. In 1906 the British Ever Ready Electrical Company was formed for export of batteries; it became independent in 1914. The American Ever Ready Company became part of National Carbon Company in 1914. The trademark was shortened to Eveready. In 1986, Union Carbide sold its Battery Products Division to Ralston Purina Company becoming the Eveready Battery Company, Inc. and in 1992, it bought the British Ever Ready Electrical Company. Prior to March 1, 1980, the company's alkaline battery had been called the Eveready Alkaline Battery (1959–1968), Eveready Alkaline Energizer (1968–1974) and Eveready Alkaline Power Cell (1974–February 29, 1980). On March 1, 1980, it was rebadged under its current name, Energizer. 2019 production plant in Portage, Wisconsin, but the majority of batteries are made in China and there are also numerous production facilities outside the US. This is an industrial strength Eveready Torch made in England and was used by George Reed, a draftsman, who lived in Bentleigh , City of Moorabbin in mid 20th CLarge 'Eveready' industrial hand torch/ flashlight with rubber protective coverEVEREADY /MADE IN ENGLAND clothing, manufactured lace, dressmaking, blouses, theatrical props, lights, torches, lighting, early settlers, moorabbin shire, mechanics institute cheltenham, postworld war 11 settlers, housing estates moorabbin 1950, bentleigh, ormond, moorabbin, cheltenham, , clark judy, reed gladys, reed george -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Photograph, postcard "Boiling the Billy" c1900, Early 1900's "Boiling the Billy", c1900
Early 1900's. "Boiling the billy". The term billy or billycan is particularly associated with Australian usage, but is also used in the UK and Ireland. It is widely accepted that the term "billycan" is derived from the large cans used for transporting bouilli or bully beef on Australia-bound ships or during exploration of the outback, which after use were modified for boiling water over a camp fire. Postcards developed out of the complex tradition of nineteenth-century printed calling cards, beginning with the advent of the Cartes-de-Visite in France. In the 1850s, Parisian photographer Andre Adolphe Eugene Disderi invented a photographic process involving egg white, albumen, and silver nitrate to create inexpensive portraits on paper cards. These photographic Cartes-de-Visites were 2 1/2 (75mm) by 4 inches (98mm) and became a popular, collectable form of "visiting cards" world-wide. Photographers would reprint portraits of famous individuals they had taken at their studios or during travel and sell them as collectable cards. Postcards as we know them now first began in 1861 as cards mailed by private post. In the 1870s picture postcards grew in popularity throughout the United States, Britain, Europe, and Japan. Cards were first permitted to have a "Divided Back," with text written on the left half of a dividing line and the address on the right half, beginning in England in 1902. Around 1900 the first postcards made of "Real Photos" rather than artwork began to circulate, aided in by advances in amateur photography equipment by companies such as Kodak. Kodak also introduced postcard paper for photographic development and photography studios began to offer portraits printed as postcards Many local town, countryside, and architectural images were captured during this period by local photographers, then printed and sold as postcards . Advances in amateur photography all contributed to a postcard craze that lasted from 1900 to the First World War. Postcards were the preferred means to send a quick note, whether across town or across a continent.Postcard with a black and white Photograph on the front and a 'Divided Back ' for the message and address. There are seven men surrounding the billy suspended over a camp fire. The ground has a lot of dead branches around. One man is bending down towards the billy. Two men on either side of the camp fire are carrying either a white bag across their shoulders or the fish in their hands. You can see, that there is some steam also coming out of the billy, which means that its hot. Court Post Card. / this space may be used for correspondence. / The address only to be written here.1900's, boiling the billy , postcards, photographers, england, hungary, america, cartes-de-visite, visiting cards, moorabbin, cheltenham, bentleigh, market gardeners, early settlers, pioneers, -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Tools, 'Carter' wood plane, c1900
Richard Carter Ltd is still making edge tools in Honley, near Huddersfield. Established in 1740 by Jeremiah Carter in High Burton: the 1834 Piggots directory list three edge tool CARTER - makers at Kirk Burton: Henry Carter, John Carter and Robert Carter. By 1870 the company was known by its current name. The Stanley Rule and Level Company was founded in 1857 by Henry Stanley in New Britain, Connecticut. In 1920, this company merged with the separate but related Stanley Works, founded by Henry Stanley's cousin Frederick Trent Stanley, and continued operating as its hand tools division.. 2010 merger of The Stanley Works with Black & Decker Subsequent reports by visitors to Vic. Collections are noted Geoff Thomas 2019, Mitchell 2019 , Bob Burgess 2022 The early settlers were resourceful and self sufficient so they made and repaired their tools as required.Early settlers were self sufficient and resourceful making and mending their tools, farm and household equipment.c1900 A 'Carter' hand wood plane, made of metal with an adjustable screw for blade thickness.early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, tools -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Medal - World War 1914-1918, Wartime medal, 1918
This medal is one of the type issued by the Victorian Education Department, EVD, and sold on behalf of the Australian Branch of the British Red Cross Society. The same medal was made in a variety of metals, including bronze, silvered bronze, (as with this one), silver and gold.Many Moorabbin Shire young men volunteered to serve in World War 1 and their families willingly gave financial support to Red Cross and similar aid agenciesA small silvered bronze medallion with a metal loop at the top.One side of the medallion has a flag embossed in the middle inscribed with the words, Gallipoli, France, Palestine. At the top of the medallion are the initials EVD. Around the lower edge is embossed ANZAC DAY 1918. On the reverse side fo the medallion is embossed an AIF soldiers bust, he is wearing his slouch hat. Around the edge of the medallion is embossed the words HONOR TO THE AIFarmy, badge, medallion, victorian education department, british red cross, australian red cross, world war 1918 gallipoli medal -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Tools, Set Square steel x2, Stanley c1900, c1900
In 1843, Frederick Stanley, started a small shop in New Britain, USA, to manufacture bolts, hinges, and other hardware from wrought iron. Among the early settlers in Moorabbin Shire were blacksmiths who made tools for the other settlers who were establishing the homes, market gardens, farms, orchards and various businesses. Early settlers were self reliant and repaired their own equipment for kitchen,dairy, farm, horses, carts using various tools . As manufacturing developed late 19thC high quality tools were imported from UK, USA and EuropeThese set squares are typical of the type used by early settlers in Moorabbin Shire c19002x Steel Set Squares a) 15cm (6") with wood handle b) 19cm (7") with a slotted steel handle. a) STANLEY Pat 12-29-96set squares, rulers, builders, trigonometry, mathematics, stanley tools pty ltd., bolts, hinges, hardware, early settlers, market gardeners, blacksmiths, tools, building equipment, hammers, moorabbin shire, bentleigh, mckinnon, highett, cheltenham,mcewan james pty ltd, melbourne, bunnings pty ltd, -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Functional object - Lamp fitting double holders, Middy's Aust, c 1930
Made in Australia by Middy's Used by a pioneer family in Moorabbin. Manufactured by Middy's: Arriving in Australia at age 19 by ship at Port Melbourne, Dutch immigrant Petrus Cornelis Nicolaas Middendorp (1891-1963) settled in Melbourne to apply his trade as a cigar maker for the British American Tobacco Co. Retiring from the cigar industry and following his work as an honorary orderly tending WW1 Australian casualties in Paris and Melbourne, Petrus began selling Dutch manufactured light globes, vacuum cleaners and other electrical products imported from Holland and England. Warehousing and sales of the goods were undertaken from 1928 by the ‘Middendorp Goods Supply Company’ initially located in Flinders Lane in Melbourne’s CBD, then moving to McKillop Street, followed by a basement store at 148 Queen Street. During the 1940s a manufacturing plant known as ‘Middendorp and Sons’ was established in the Melbourne suburb of Preston, where Petrus’ three teenage sons Peter, Nick and Hugh joined him. Peter and Hugh worked with a small team of staff to produce rubber plug tops, extension sockets, double adaptors and a small range of bakelite accessories, whilst Nick became the first sales rep calling on customers and construction sites. The products were sold under the brand name of ‘Middy’. A name change of the distribution business took place in the late 40s and Middendorp Electric Company Pty Ltd was officially registered in 1948. The manufacturing operation ceased during the late 50s due to the introduction and acceptance of plastic and injection moulding. However, the Middendorp family had positioned itself to further establish its electrical wholesale business with the first branch and Head Office opening in 1956, located at 520 Latrobe Street, Melbourne. By 1962 there were five trading branches, growing to 25 in 1986 and 101 by 2018 Australia wide. Middendorp Electric, more commonly known as Middy’s and readily identified by its trademark colour of Middy’s pink, has developed into the largest privately owned Electrical Wholesaler in Australia. In 2015 Middy’s acquired Mekolec lifts fire and electrical adding presence and sector expertise in Melbourne’s inner south. In Sep 2018 Middy's acquired Salmon Brothers Electrical, with 5 Branches in Sydney's Metro region and in 2019 they acquired Goulburn Electrical Wholesalers greatly adding to Middy's location coverage in NSW and providing Middy’s the ability to better service NSW contractors. Bakerlite electrical fittingMiddy - Made in Australiamiddy's, moorabbin pioneers, electrical, bakerlite -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Badge - WWI Red Cross Buttons
The International Committee of the Red Cross was formed in 1862. Initially its purpose was to try and find ways of overcoming the inadequacy of army medical services so as to alleviate the suffering of those wounded in armed conflict. Over time it has extended its work to include many forms of humanitarian aid in times of peace and war. The Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) was formed just after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, originally as a branch of the British Red Cross. It is especially remembered in the provision of “comforts” for soldiers overseas. Enormous sums of money were raised, and thousands of women volunteers contributed their time by making vast quantities of clothing: socks, vests, mittens, mufflers, pyjamas and a variety of linen. Items were sent to headquarters located in the state capitals, often using government houses as depots, where, after being sorted and packed by yet more volunteers, they were sent to Britain or the front. The effect of this work for the recipients was to bring comfort in its truest sense, for a seemingly trivial gift of a bar of chocolate of a pair of dry socks could bring the most profound relief for a soldier on the Western Front. From the date of its inception until the armistice the ARCS dispatched 395,695 food parcels and 36,339 clothing parcels Between 1914 and 1918 more than £3,500,00 was collected and spent on Red Cross services to the Australian Forces and Empire Forces. During WW1 and WW2 Red Cross raised funds selling buttons.Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire held fundraising events for the support of Red Cross Victoria and made cakes and knitted socks, gloves and scarves for distribution to serving men and women Metal buttons with printing on themRed Crossred cross, fund raising buttons, wwi, wwii, french red cross, british red cross, market gardeners, early settlers, moorabbin shire, bentleigh, cheltenham, caulfield repatriation hospital -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ceramic - Stoneware Bottle, Dundas Pottery, 1856-1910
This bottle is part of the John Chance Collection of shipwreck artefacts. The Dundas Pottery works were established in 1828 by William Johnstone in partnership with John Forsyth and John Mc Coll. Located where the Forth and Clyde Canal joined the Monkland Canal, North of Glasgow. Johnstone sold the pottery in 1835 to Robert Cochran and James Couper. Mc Coll was retained as manager until 1837when in 1839 Cochran & Couper sold the pottery and purchased the St Rollex Glass Works. George Duncan took over briefly but died in 1841, with the pottery possibly being run by his widow Helen and a potter named Alexander Paul. James Miller was the manager at the time and he bought the pottery in 1856, in partnership with John Moody. Miller's long and careful stewardship of the pottery saw success from the export market which allowed him to purchase the North British pottery in 1867 until 1874 when it was sold. In 1875, Miller, in partnership with John Young, leased part of Caledonian Pottery, naming it Crown Pottery, however, it burned down in 1879. In the early 1880s, Young extended the pottery and named it Milton Pottery. Miller’s son, James W., became a partner in Milton pottery in 1905. James Miller Snr died in 1905 and the company continued as a limited liability company, being sold to the Borax Consolidation Ltd in 1929, but it was unsuccessful and Possil pottery purchased some of the company's equipment before it finally closed in 1932. From 1828 until the James Miller period of circa 1856, the pottery produced salt-glazed stoneware for the local industrial trade; mainly bottles and drain pipes. James Miller produced various bottles, whisky and acid jars, casks, butter crocks, jam jars and domestic wares in Bristol glaze. He streamlined the water filter manufacturing, which had become a speciality of the pottery, and a dedicated section of the pottery was created solely for their production, which was exported worldwide. A significant item of salt-glazed ceramic stoneware made by the Dundas potteries in Scotland who were renowned for making quality ironstone pottery. The bottle that was in common use throughout the British colonies and America for the containment of ale The bottle is also significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver, from a wreck on the coast of Victoria in the 1960s-70s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime museum collection by his family Illustrating the level of historical value the subject item has.Beige salt glazed stoneware, bottle with discolorations above base. Manufacturer's oval Inscription lozenge stamped near base. Stamp: [symbol of concentric ovals], text within the symbol "PORT DUNDAS POTTERY COY." and "GLASGOW". Stamp:[Symbol - square with short vertical line in centre of base line]flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, john chance, stoneware bottle, pottery, port dundas pottery, william johnstone, bottles, shipwreck artefact, stoneware, ironstone, bottle, glasgow, antique bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Crucible, The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, circa 1873
Crucibles are used for heating and pouring molten metal. The set of six crucibles was raised from the wreck of the Loch Ard and includes a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All were manufactured by the Morgan brothers who founded the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company in 1856, making crucibles in a small factory in Battersea London. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles this technique was pioneered by the Morgan Bros thereby making a significant technological advance in foundry technology and metallurgy. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm's manufacturing rights and began producing their graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the Loch Ard suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies or at Melbourne's International Exhibition to be held in 1880. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers' 'Black Potteries' at Battersea indicates: "All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilograms; a No. 3, three kilograms, and so on." These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed 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 recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It 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, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors 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 and was presented with a medal and some money. 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. 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 of which the subject items are a small part. The collection's objects give us a snapshot of how 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. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.This crucible is the smallest of three nested crucibles, or fluxing pots, numbered according to their size. These containers rise slightly from a smaller flat base to a wider open top with a lip for pouring. They were recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. The crucibles have a coating of sediment that obscures some of their numerical specifications of size and capacity. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London. The number on this crucible is obscured by the sticker.Stamped into side "MORGAN'S PATENT" Stemped into base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Sticker "L 96"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, loch ard, morgan potteries, crucible, fluxing pot, nested crucibles, heat proof container, metal worker, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, morgans crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, loch ard gorge, port campbell -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Scotch Eye Beam Auger, W M Ridgway, 1930s
William Ridgway and Sons company of Sheffield, manufacturers of augers, bits, wood-boring, and motorising tools, was founded in 1878 and became a Private company in 1909, their factory was founded in the 1930s. William Ridgway Tools merged first with Record Tools in 1974 to form Record Ridgway Tools Ltd. Record was another Sheffield company that was renowned for the quality of their vices and industrial clamps. Following the merger Record, Ridgway Tools Ltd was made up of fourteen UK Companies and five overseas companies. A later merger with a woodwork tools company called Marple (which was part-owned by Record and Ridgway respectively before their original merger) led to the company becoming known as Record Marples Tools. Record Marples was taken over by the Swedish hardware manufacturer AB Bahco in 1982. Despite a management buyout leading to the company reverting to British ownership in 1985 the company struggled financially and the following administration was acquired by U.S.-based Irwin Tools in 1998 who has since moved production to China in recent years. A vintage tool made in the 1930s when Ridgway began mass producing augers and other tools for export and sale. This item would have probably been used in Australia on a farm for drilling fence posts for wire to pass through or other tasks where a hole was required to be bored in timber. Scotch eye beam auger, with double twist and Lead screw. Ridgway Sheffield warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wood boring tool, scotch auger, carpenters tools, shipwrights tools, coopers tools, ridgway & sons, auger bits -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Spring Balance Scale, George Salter & Co, 1920s
Scales such as the subject item were used to measure commercial quantities, possibly grains and farm produce for quite large amounts of product. Bags of grain etc would have been hooked up and weighed. Salter has been a name long associated with weights and measures. The firm began life in the late 1760s in the village of Bilston, England when Richard Salter, a spring maker, began making the first spring scales in Britain. He called these scales "pocket steelyards", though they work on a different principle from steelyard balances. By 1825 his nephew George had taken over the company, which became known as George Salter & Co. George later established a manufacturing site in the town of West Bromwich, about 4 miles (7 km) from Bilston. West Bromwich Albion football club was formed from workers at this works site. From here the company produced a wide variety of scales including the UK's first bathroom scales. Other items were added to the range, including irons, mincers, potato chippers, coin-operated machines and the first typewriters made in the UK. The business thrived throughout the 1900s, and by 1950 it employed over 2000 people, still in the same area and owned by the same family.Salter is a British housewares brand developing products that span a wide range of core product categories, including scales, electrical, cookware. It is a market leader in kitchen and bathroom scales and one of the UK’s oldest consumer brands. Established in 1760, Salter has been developing precision products for over 260 years. It was acquired by Manchester-based consumer goods giant Ultimate Products in 2021 after they had previously licensed the brand for cookware and kitchen electrical since 2011.Scale, Salter's improved spring balance, warranted. Brass and iron. Weighs 0 to 60LBS. Long rectangular brass instrument with ring attached to top and hook attached below. Centre of rectangle has long vertical slot with short, horizontal bar that slides down the slot when an object is suspended from the hook, showing its weight on the numbered scale beside the slot.Marked ""SALTER'S IMPROVED SPRING BALANCE"" and "WARRANTED". Weighs 0 to 60LBS. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, salter balance scale, weight measuring scale, weighing dry goods, domestic object, kitchen scale -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Spring Balance Scale, George Salter & Co, 1920s
Scales such as the subject item were used to measure commercial quantities, possibly grains and farm produce for quite large amounts of product, also in a domestic situation. Bags of grain or other dry goods would have been hooked up and weighed. Salter has been a name long associated with weights and measures. The firm began life in the late 1760s in the village of Bilston, England when Richard Salter, a spring maker, began making the first spring scales in Britain. He called these scales "pocket steelyards", though they work on a different principle from steelyard balances. By 1825 his nephew George had taken over the company, which became known as George Salter & Co. George later established a manufacturing site in the town of West Bromwich, about 4 miles (7 km) from Bilston. West Bromwich Albion football club was formed from workers at this works site. From here the company produced a wide variety of scales including the UK's first bathroom scales. Other items were added to the range, including irons, mincers, potato chippers, coin-operated machines and the first typewriters made in the UK. The business thrived throughout the 1900s, and by 1950 it employed over 2000 people, still in the same area and owned by the same family.Salter is a British housewares brand developing products that span a wide range of core product categories, including scales, electrical, cookware. It is a market leader in kitchen and bathroom scales and one of the UK’s oldest consumer brands. Established in 1760, Salter has been developing precision products for over 260 years. It was acquired by Manchester-based consumer goods giant Ultimate Products in 2021 after they had previously licensed the brand for cookware and kitchen electrical since 2011.Scale, Salter's improved spring balance, warranted. Brass and iron. Weighs 0 to 25LBS. Long rectangular brass instrument with ring attached to top and hook attached below. Centre of rectangle has long vertical slot with short, horizontal bar that slides down the slot when an object is suspended from the hook, showing its weight on the numbered scale beside the slot.Marked ""SALTER'S IMPROVED SPRING BALANCE" "Number 2". Weighs 0 to 25LBS. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, salter balance scale, weight measuring scale, weighing dry goods, domestic object, kitchen scale, measure, weigh, measure ingredients, food preparation -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Spring Balance Scale, George Salter & Co, 1930s
Scales such as the subject item were used in a domestic situation. Salter has been a name long associated with weights and measures especially in the home kitchen. The firm began life in the late 1760s in the village of Bilston, England when Richard Salter, a spring maker, began making the first spring scales in Britain. He called these scales "pocket steelyards", though they work on a different principle from steelyard balances. By 1825 his nephew George had taken over the company, which became known as George Salter & Co. George later established a manufacturing site in the town of West Bromwich, about 4 miles (7 km) from Bilston. West Bromwich Albion football club was formed from workers at this works site. From here the company produced a wide variety of scales including the UK's first bathroom scales. Other items were added to the range, including irons, mincers, potato chippers, coin-operated machines and the first typewriters made in the UK. The business thrived throughout the 1900s, and by 1950 it employed over 2000 people, still in the same area and owned by the same family.Salter is a British housewares brand developing products that span a wide range of core product categories, including scales, electrical, cookware. It is a market leader in kitchen and bathroom scales and one of the UK’s oldest consumer brands. Established in 1760, Salter has been developing precision products for over 260 years. It was acquired by Manchester-based consumer goods giant Ultimate Products in 2021 after they had previously licensed the brand for cookware and kitchen electrical since 2011."Scale Salter's Spring Balance brass cylinder with ring at one end and a hook at the otherSalter trademark stamped on front. Made in England stamped on back. Weighs 0 to 4LBS showing ¼lb increments.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, salter balance scale, weight measuring scale, weighing dry goods, domestic object, kitchen scale -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Clothing - Leather Leggings, 1899 to 1920
The subject leather leggings are associated with mounted troops known as the Australian Light Horse that served in the South African War from 1899 to 1902. After the war, Britain wanted to use fewer mounted troops and restructured its force around a style of combat that needed more infantry. But the defence of Australia still relied upon mounted military units as these were more mobile than infantry and could travel faster over long distances. Light Horse brigades in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) mostly contained recruits who served in the Light Horse regiments of the Citizen Forces. Many young men from rural areas of Australia volunteered for the Light Horse regiments. They had to pass a riding test to join, this test was easier for men from the bush because horses were still the main method of transport on farms and in country towns. The army did not officially accept First Australians into the AIF until May 1917 when enlistment standards were relaxed to include 'half-castes' with a parent of European origin. Indigenous soldiers served as valuable members of the Light Horse and many possessed excellent horse handling skills and specialist tracking knowledge.The subject items are part of the uniform for the Light Horse Units that served in the Australian army from 1899 until 1918. These leggings were worn by soldiers on horseback and are significant as they represent a noteworthy time in Australia's early military history. It was a time when many young men gave their lives during the South African and First World Wars in the defence of the then British Empire as part of the Imperial Forces that were gathered from many British-controlled Colonial countries.A pair of two Leather Leggings used by Mounted Australian soldiers during the first world war. The leggings are dark tan in colour with stitching to attach buckles and fastener straps. The strap buckles are made of brass and the leather legging straps are of same leather as leggings. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, leggings, leather leggings, protective leggings, protective clothing, australian mounted light horse units, military equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Butter Knife, Barker Brothers, Ca. 1885-1895
... that are a combination of letters and symbols used by British silversmiths... 1895. It was made for the British, or British colonial, people ...This butter or cheese knife is a decorative example of electroplated cutlery that had become an affordable alternative to more expensive silver cutlery in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The knife has stamp marks in the back of its handle that are a combination of letters and symbols used by British silversmiths to identify their workmanship. The design and type of this knife was not normally used by everyday people but rather those of a higher social class with time and money to have a particular decorative knife to serve butter or cheese. The marks on the handle tell that it was made of nickel silver, and electroplated with superior quality Stirling silver. The Barker Brothers of Birmingham made the knife between 1885 and 1907, but most likely before 1895. It was made for the British, or British colonial, people, connected with a government department such as the navy or defence. This story may be slightly inaccurate, as some silversmiths added extra ‘pseudo marks’ to their wares to disguise the quality. THE MARKS and their meaning – - ‘A1’ The silver used in electroplating this knife was the highest level, ‘superior quality’, measured in grams of silver per table spoon or table fork, with ‘A1’ being 2 2/3 grams, and ‘D’ being 0 1/2 grams of silver. - ‘BB’ The Baker Brothers used these initials from 1885 to 1907. - ‘[crown symbol]’ – This symbol is used for Sterling silver but this knife is a metal alloy. The crown is also the town mark of Sheffield (appointed by the Sheffield Assay Office) but this knife was made in Birmingham, which has the town mark of an anchor. The Barker Brothers may have added the crown mark to this electroplated silverware as a ‘pseudo hallmark’, leading the buyer to think that it was actual Sterling silver. The use of pseudo hallmarks by electroplaters of the Victorian era was common practice but it was illegal. In 1895 the unlawful practice was seen as imitating the Sheffield Silver Mark and the law was firmly applied to eradicate the deception, so items with this mark probably date before 1895. - [EPNS] Electro Plated Nickel Silver, called nickel silver or German silver, is a metal alloy that usually combines copper, nickel and zinc (60 percent copper, 20 percent nickel, 20 percent zinc). It has a silver-white appearance and is sometimes referred to as ‘white ware’. It does not contain any silver but is often used as a base for electroplating, when the item is covered with a thin layer of silver to give it the polished appearance of pure silver. It became popular in the late 19th and early 20th century as an affordable substitute for sterling silver. - Broad Arrow - an official stamp that indicates it was once the property of Britain government, either in Britain or one of its colonies, and used in the defence force. In Great Britain, from an 1875 government act, it was, and still, is a crime to forge or wrongfully use, the broad arrow symbol. The BARKER BROTHERS of Birmingham - Barker Brothers were one of the earlies firms of Birmingham silversmiths, established in 1801 by Mary Barker. They became Barker & Creed, then William and Matthias Barker, then from 1885 they were the Barker Brothers. They were operating in Paradise Street in 1871 until in 1903 they moved to Unity Works, Constitution Hill, in Birmingham. The firm also had a showroom at 292 High Holborn, London, from the early 1900s to the 1980s. In 1907 the firm became Barker Brothers Silversmiths Ltd, then in the 1960s they merged with Ellis & Co, becoming Barker Ellis Silver Co. Ltd. In 1979 they were registered in USA as Ellis & Co., Barker Ellis, and Ellis Barker. The business went into administration in 1992, after almost 200 years of production. The firm advertised as specialists in electroplating, and used the trademarks BRITANOID, UNITY PLATE and THE HYGENIA.This knife is historically significant, dated from 1885 to 1907 but most likely pre-1895, and made by the longstanding Birmingham silversmiths, the Barker Brothers, established in 1801. The knife is an example of decorative flatware used by people of ’class’. It also has the broad arrow stamp, connecting it to the British government, in particular the ordinance department. The stamp also connects it to other items in our collection with that stamp. It may have been connected to pre-Federation government organisations and officials such as the army Garrison, government naval vessel, police, lighthouse keepers, harbour masters. The knife is the only example of its kind in our collection, being a decorative silver butter or cheese knife, made by the Barker Brothers of Birmingham. Butter knife, or cheese knife, electroplated nickel silver (EPNS). Upper blade edge has decorative shape and engraved motifs, lower blade edge is bevelled to a cutting edge, and narrow plain handle flares out to a wide, rounded end. Maker’s marks are stamped on the reverse. Made by Barker Brothers of Birmingham in the late-19th century. Stamps: “flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, butter knife, cheese knife, electroplate, electro plate, nickel silver, nickel alloy, alloy composition, copper nickel zinc, german silver, epns, barker brothers, birmingham, london, silversmiths, victorian era, 19th century, a1, bb, crown inside square, broad arrow, flatware, tableware, cutlery, cutler, dining utensils, eating utensils, superior quality, pseudo hallmark, stirling silver, silver-white metal, mary barker, barker & creed, william barker, matthias barker, barker brothers silversmiths, barker ellis silver co, ellis & co, barker ellis, ellis barker, britanoid, unity plate, the hygenia, british, colonial, government use, defence department use, naval use, knife, serving knife -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Draw knife, C Johnson (Christopher Johnson), 1855-1879
A draw knife is a hand tool that has a long straight blade between two handles. As implied by its name. it is drawn like a knife across the wood. It is used to prepare the timber for the next step of the process, removing loose wood and bark and giving a start to making the wood into a round or cylindrical shape. Then a finer smoother finish is given with a spokeshave, which has a shorter, curved blade. A draw knife could be used for the wooden spokes for cart, wagon and carriage wheels as well as for ladder staves and ship wheels. Features of a good draw knife include tight handles, a blade with plenty of metal to it and a blade length of 20 to 24 centimetres. This draw knife was likely made at least 150 years ago by C Johnson of Sheffield, who used the Trade Mark “C.J.” within a flag. Christopher Johnson began work as a cutler, making knives, pocket knives and tableware in his works at Howard Street in Sheffield. In the book ‘Hand-Saw Makers of Britain by Schaeffer and McConnel, Johnson is listed in 1855 as a saw maker. A later reference has the business name of Johnson & Company, Sheffield in 1879-1882. Australia was one of the company’s markets. The company continued until its closure in 1955.This draw knife is significant for being made in Sheffield, a location famous for steel and silver manufacturers. It is significant because of its age, being made no later than 1879, which is the time period of our maritime Village. It is a tool most suitable for the blacksmith's or a ship' smith's workshop for making spokes for the wheels of wagons and carts, and for making ship's wheels.. It is also significant for being made by C Johnson, who was well known for his good workmanship. Draw knife; flat cast steel fixed blade with rotating wooden handles each end. Round bulbous handles have two parallel scored lines around the end furthest from the blade and a brass collar between the handle and blade. A logo and inscription are cast into the centre front of the blade. Made by C Johnson. of Sheffield.Cast into steel blade: Sideways Image “C.J.” within {flag}, “JOHNSON / CAST STEEL”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, spokes, wagon maker, blacksmith, cart maker, cart wheel maker, blacksmith tool, wagon wheel, c johnson, sheffield, wheelright, craftsman, woodwork, carriage wheel, ship wheels, shipwright, wooden spokes, ladder staves, draw knife -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
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 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
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 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Scotch Eye Beam Auger, W M Ridgway, 1930s
William Ridgway and Sons company of Sheffield, manufacturers of augers, bits, wood-boring, and motorising tools, was founded in 1878 and became a Private company in 1909, their factory was founded in the 1930s. William Ridgway Tools merged first with Record Tools in 1974 to form Record Ridgway Tools Ltd. Record was another Sheffield company that was renowned for the quality of their vices and industrial clamps. Following the merger Record, Ridgway Tools Ltd was made up of fourteen UK Companies and five overseas companies. A later merger with a woodwork tools company called Marple (which was part-owned by Record and Ridgway respectively before their original merger) led to the company becoming known as Record Marples Tools. Record Marples was taken over by the Swedish hardware manufacturer AB Bahco in 1982. Despite a management buyout leading to the company reverting to British ownership in 1985 the company struggled financially and the following administration was acquired by U.S.-based Irwin Tools in 1998 who has since moved production to China in recent years. A vintage tool made in the 1930s when Ridgway began mass producing augers and other tools for export and sale. This item would have probably been used in Australia on a farm for drilling fence posts for wire to pass through or other tasks where a hole was required to be bored in timber. Ring Auger, Double Twist with Lead Screw, square shaft (which has had a welded repair), socket set at right angle. Broad arrow mark Ridgway Sheffield and DO stamped. warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wood boring tool, scotch auger, carpenters tools, shipwrights tools, coopers tools, ridgway & sons, auger bits -
Running Rabbits Military Museum operated by the Upwey Belgrave RSL Sub Branch
Firearm
Lee Metford .303 Cavalry Carbine. British SN 1073 Bolt 3497 made by Enfieldweapon, boer war, army -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - BARBARA MAMOUNEY COLLECTION: IMAGE AND OBITUARY OF ANNIE MAVIS WEBSTER MBE
A photocopy of newspaper publication of obituary for Annie Mavis Webster, MBE 21/5/1914 - 8/4/2000 An exceptional singer who contributed greatly to local Bendigo and Australia as well as abroad Bendigo born and raised by Edwin and Annie Webster, Education was at Camp Hill. A life long participation in and commitment to local music and Competition Society provided opportunities for performance. The ultimate prize for amateur singers at the time was the Sun News Pictorial Aria Competition, which Mavis attained as runner up in 1938 and as winner in 1939. Outbreak of WWII curtailed early opportunities for overseas travel but there was much call for her as recitalist, artist and teacher such as at The Sisters of Mercy at St Mary's Convent, Bendigo where she taught singing. Mavis gained impressive reputation and experience in numerous roles including as chorister (and founder of the all female choir and the Benola singers which she also named, after her home), and later (1960) included male voices; she was also conductor; musical director; and adjudicator at Eisteddfords. She laso taught at Girton, St Killian's. During the 1950s Mavis went on a very successful 9 month overseas trip on which she was inspired in many respects including the formation of the choirs. In 1978 Mavis was made a Member of the British Empire for her services to music.City of Greater Bendigo acknowledged Mavis contribution and skills by establishing the Mavis Webster Vocal Collection at the City library.bendigo, history, obituary and biography of annie mavis webster mbe, forest st methodist (now uniting) bendigo, girton, st killian's, herald sun aria, the eisteddford, sisters of mercy at st mary's convent, mavis webster vocal collection, city of greater bendigo, margaret watters. -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - LYDIA CHANCELLOR COLLECTION: FREE-TRADE AND PROTECTION: THESTORY OF THE ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE
A book titled ' Free-Trade and Protection : the story of the Anti-Corn-Law League. A record of the efforts made and the difficulties conquered, in obtaining a '' cheap loaf'' for the Nation.' London : Ward, Lock & Co., Salisbury Square, E.C. New York : 10 Bond Street. 1-16 pgs. (ill.). This booklet is one of a series of 37 ' Ward & Lock Penny Books for the People.' ' Historical Series.' Price one penny. There are also advertisements of note.books, biography, english history, lydia chancellor, collection, ward & lock's penny biographies, biographies, ward & lock's penny books for the people, historical series, history, anti-corn-law league, corn laws, british history, english history, england, sir robert peel, book, books, penny books, advertisements -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Clothing - TABLE CENTRE, 1914-18
Cream cotton table centre. Silk World War 1 embroidered motif in centre. (maybe added later? From old silk postcard) Silk embroidered floral motifs surrounding centre motif. Cotton machine made fringing machine stitched. Motif: British and ?flags. Forget me not. Old Box 85.2 flags - Union Jack and red flag with 'Forget me Not' Union Jack in corner., Blue floral forget-me-not embroidery.manchester, table linen, cotton and silk table runner -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Domestic Object - VERITAS GAS MANTLE
Veritas inverted mantle for a gas light in original cardboard box with green writing which reads, Veritas XXX quality inverted mantle, made from superior quality ramie thread strongest and therefore cheapest, British manufacture.Veritas Gas Mantle Works, Wandsworth London S.W.lighting, gas, mantle -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Financial record - COHN BROTHERS COLLECTION: HANDWRITTEN VALUATIONS OF HOTELS
394 c, Six handwritten pinned pages including abstract and Valuation of Hotel Properties on behalf Cohn Bros Brewery Company made by Messrs G M Hobson & Co licensed valuers Hargreaves St Bendigo dated 10/11/91 and signed G M Hobson. Nineteen hotels are valued. 1. Albert Hotel. 2. Fire Brigade Hotel. 3. City Hotel. 4. British & American. 5. Hustlers Reef. 6. Garden Gully. 7. Universal. 8. Brougham Arms. 9. Victoria. 10. United Kingdom. 11. West End. 12. View Bend. 13. Sparrowhawk. 14. Greyhound. 15. Normandy. 16 Noahs Ark. 17. Saw Mill. 18. Royal. 19. South Elmore. Total value £14305.00bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Newspaper - ABBOTT COLLECTION: BARBED WIRE FOR FARMERS
Newspaper clipping, Bendigo Advertiser Tuesday June 24 1947. Photo shows a load of 'Barblock' wire being unloaded in Bendigo for distribution by the Abbott Supply Company. Advice has also been received 'Barblock' has been adopted as standard wire for the Australian Military forces and the British Imperial Forces, and efforts are being made to produce it in England.rural industry, fencing, barbed wire, h. a abbott -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Programme - Bendigo Community Theatre The Mikado
"The Mikado" is a two act comic opera with the music by A. Sullivan and the libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is a satire of late 19th century British society set in a fantasy Japan. It opened in March 1885.Bendigo Community Theatre & Arts program for 'The Mikado' production Green coloured program, title of The Mikado in red ink on front cover Red ink details of The Story, Characters & Cast names on inside page. No photos of cast members A4 size program folded in half (2 double sided pages), Program made from light cardboard. No dates mentioned souvenir programme, bendigo community theatre -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MALONE COLLECTION: RELIGIOUS CARD, 1910
... Made in Great Britain.... ORNAMENTS Paper Malone Collection Religious card Made in Great ...Malone Collection. Religious Card. Card for hanging with Psalm in silver lettering & coloured floral decoration.Made in Great Britain.ornaments, paper, malone collection, religious card -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MALONE COLLECTION: RELIGIOUS CARD, 1910
... Made in Great Britain... ORNAMENTS Paper Malone Collection. Religious Card Made in Great ...Malone Collection. Religious card. Card for hanging with Psalm in silver lettering & coloured floral decoration.Made in Great Britainornaments, paper, malone collection. religious card