In 1857 at the height of the gold rush, with people pouring into Central Victoria from all over the world, three brothers from Denmark – Moritz, Julius and Jacob Cohn – founded a small cordial factory in the booming town of Bendigo. They went on to build an empire and, through introducing lager, which is served cold, to the country, changed the drinking preferences of Australians. (Ref. Culture Victoria)A pale green clear glass codd neck marble bottle with a glass marble inside. It is seamed and has four dimples on the shoulder. It is indented to hold the marble. On side: lengthwise on both halves base at bottom on both halves COHN BROS LTD 5 BENDIGObottle cohn-bros bendigo cordial beverages

Broadbent's Official Road Guides Company took over George R. Broadbent's business in 1935. In 1963, it changed its name to Broadbent's Road Maps Pty. Ltd. George Robert Broadbent (1863-1947), cyclist and map publisher, was born on 3 November 1863 at Ashby near Geelong, Victoria. At various times Broadbent held most Victorian and Australian road cycling records. Broadbent became an active vice-president of the Good Roads Association of Victoria in November 1912 and was consulted regularly during the preparation of the country roads bill. That year he took over the Argus motoring column, wrote tirelessly on road improvements and maintenance, and became manager of the Automobile Club's new touring department in 1914.A 160 pp road guide book titled Broadbent's Official Road Guide Melbourne - Sydney. The front cover has a yellow background with a map of the coastline from Sydney to Melbourne, the Prince's Highway route marked. This is inset in a drawing of a car driving along the coastal road.The book contains speedometer readings, route maps, advertisements and photos of points of interest. In the top right is the logo of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria and at the bottom right is the price 1/-.traavel road-guides broadbent-george car-touring

These items are probably American ). A lot of carved bakelite jewellery/buttons/buckles were manufactured in the U.S.A. The orange (red?) one is especially reminiscent of American bakelite, due to its polished look. The other one is probably butterscotch bakelite. Originally it would have been white or cream, but the plastic oxidises over time and changes colour to a butterscotch colour. The rectangular one is probably a belt slide. Some types of belts don't have any holes in them. The belt is just slid through the clasp. There is no notch in the centre bar indicating that there was never a hasp. ( Info. from Button Bower)These two items are good examples of dress accessories typical of the first half of the 20th century era.Two buckles probably made of bakelite. 1950.1 is orange/ red, circular with a metal prong. 1950.2 is a slide, rectangular shape, light salmon pink (butterscotch) with no prong.buckles dress-accessories women's-clothing bakelite

An ink bottle was made of glass or ceramic and typically sat on a desk. The writer would dip the pen (or quill) into the bottle to put more ink on the pen. Because they sat on a desk, ink bottles were often decorative. 'Stephens' Ink' was invented by the British physician, Dr Henry Stephens (1796-1864), who in 1832 first developed his indelible "blue-black writing fluid" that became the basis of a successful manufacturing enterprise lasting over 130 years. Stephens' ink revolutionised office life in the latter half of the 19th century saving clerical workers much time previously spent mixing powdered inks and cleaning nibs. It was indelible and non-fading. After changes to the Australian import duties on inks, a local manufacturing works was established in the early 1930s by Stephens Inks (Australia) Ltd.We have mostly dispensed with ink bottles and quills. This item is an example of early stationery equipment commonly used in schools, households and commercial enterprises. A cylindrical brown glazed ceramic bottle with a pourer lip. This would have contained ink and had a cork seal. It would have had a paper label.Near base - This bottle is the property of Stephens' Inks Aust. Ltdcontainer ceramic stephens'-inks writing-equipment communication bottle stationery

Brothers Davis and Lowell Chamberlain, along with their sister Izanna, established what became known as the Chamberlain Medicine Company in 1873. The Des Moines, Iowa-based company eventually stretched to Australia, Canada and South Africa. Chamberlains Colic and Diarrhea Remedy used alcohol, ether, and chloroform to soothe upset stomachs. The company also sold a cough remedy, liniment, pain relief balm and lotion. Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera and Diarrhea Remedy was one of many thousands of patent medicines that made incredible, and often false, claims about their effectiveness, and became tremendously profitable. Eventually government regulations were put in place to prevent medicine manufacturers from making unfounded claims about their products.This item is an example of a typical "over the counter" patented medicine commonly used by families. It reflect the changes in public health, medical practice and research over the last century.Small green tinted medicine bottle. Writing on front. Cork is attached with wire handle.Front-Chamberlain's Colic & diarrhea Remedy Side- Sydney NSW Side Chamberlain's Ltd Bottom-1185bottle chamberlain's medicine remedies

Beecham’s Pills became one of the most popular ‘over the counter’ patent medicines after their introduction in the 1840s. Developed by Thomas Beecham, Beecham’s Pills were a standard family medicine for many generations. (Ref sciencemuseum.org)This item reflects changes in public health medical practice and research over the last century. Beecham pills were a commonly purchased home remedy.Small, round wooden container for Beecham's Pills. Still has original label and two pills inside.medicine beecham pharmacy

This item reflects the changes in Victorian medical practice and public health over the century. The container is of a type common in the early 20th century. Very small brown pill bottle with spiral neck. There is no lid.Underneath "RI" Sides Tabloid 542595 Sw & Cobottle tabloid glass medicine pharmacy

This item reflects the changes in public health, medical practice and research over the last century.Small narrow wooden tube with lid holding a vial for mountain oil medicine. Original label.medicine mountain-oil quackery

Women wore frames characterized by an upsweep on the top rim, a style that was very popular until the end of the 1950s, while men tended to sport gold wire frames. These glasses are probably men's glasses. By the latter half of the 20th century, spectacles were considered part of a person's wardrobe. Similar to clothes, eyeglasses needed to be continually updated or a person could be perceived as old-fashioned. More and more celebrities were influencing spectacle fashion.These items reflect how glasses styles have changed over time and are becoming a fashion accessory as well as a prosthesis and support for lenses, Six pairs of assorted glasses and 4 cases. spectacles

This collection of glasses and cases was donated by Miss Connie Cruickshank. She was part of the family of Orbost's first doctor, Dr James Kerr. As the 19th Century came to a close, more and more people wore their eyeglasses everyday. A popular style of inexpensive, everyday spectacles was the pince-nez. French for "pinch nose," the pince-nez was first developed in France circa 1840 and began to be imported after the 1850s. Pince-nez have no temples, but are fit snugly on the bridge of the nose. Pince- nez could be uncomfortable to wear and broke often from falling off the nose. These items demonstrate how glasses' styles have changed over time. One pair of pince-nez glasses and its brown leather case shaped to fit. One solid black wooden case with a small hinged door at one end. One blue/black case with the words A A Abotomey 14 Carpenter Street Middle Brighton in gold lettering. Five pairs of spectacles, one with blue coloured glass with crack in one lens.A A Abotomey 14 Carpenter Street, Middle Brightonspectacles spectacles-cases pinz-nez

This image shows the approach to Beechworth from the south-west via the Newtown Bridge. Numerous early buildings line the road as it bifurcates to become Ford and High Streets on the ridge above Spring Creek and Newtown Falls. The sloping, rocky terrain and water course along the gorge show evidence of the intense mining activity that occurred at the site. The Ovens Gold Rush at Beechworth started when gold was found at Spring Creek in February 1852, prompting an influx of miners from around the world. The population grew over 20,000 by 1857. While the earliest mining at Beechworth was similar to that in other Victorian goldfields like Ballarat and Bendigo, Beechworth is notable for its use of hydraulic sluicing as a major method of removing wash-dirt. Hydraulic sluicing employs high pressure jets of water to blast away large areas of earth and wash it down to be run through a sluice box. Gold gets caught in the sluice and the remaining slurry is washed away. This method of mining is extremely effective but causes significant environmental impacts and damage to waterways. Large water quantities were required for large-scale sluicing, and the long water races and deep tailraces that were constructed in the Beechworth area in the nineteenth century are nonetheless considered feats of engineering. The site in the photograph is associated with the Rocky Mountain Mining Company who constructed an eight hundred meter tunnel under the township between 1876-1880 to reduce water levels at Spring Creek, which had been subject to diversions since the earliest days of alluvial mining. Over four million ounces of gold (115 tones) were found at Beechworth between 1852 and 1868, and the wealth from the gold rushes built Beechworth and the nationally significant buildings that remain standing today.This image shows the early development of the Beechworth township above Spring Creek, where gold was discovered in 1852. Evidence of hydraulic sluicing, a uniquely predominant method at Beechworth, and water-works engineering are present in the landscape. By the 1870s, alluvial gold deposits were depleted and increasingly complex engineering was required so deeper shafts could reach bedrock. This image is significant for understanding changes to the landscape and the evolution of mining methods and engineering practices related to the extensive construction, manipulation and management of water networks. The shift from smaller scale alluvial mining to larger company dominance in the mining industry has implications for understanding wider social, economic, political and industrial changes in the region of Beechworth and within the context of the Victorian Gold Rush more broadly. A black and white rectangular reproduction photograph printed on photographic paper. burke museum, beechworth museum, beechworth, gold fields, gold rush, victorian gold rush, hydraulic sluicing, rocky mountain mining company, spring creek, netwown falls, mining tunnels, water races, tailraces, colonial australia, australian gold rushes, mining technology, beechworth historic district, indigo gold trail, migration, indigo shire, gold mining, gold mining history

This image is a reproduction of an 1899 original depicting the 'Williams Good Luck Mine' on the Mopoke Reef (also called 'Morepork Gully') in the Dingle Ranges, approximately three miles from Beechworth. The foreground of the image is littered with piles of smashed rock and detritus, known as ‘mullock’, beside a reinforced mine shaft, a vertical access passageway allowing miners to enter the mine and haul ore out using lifting technology such as a poppet heads, whims or windlasses. A group of miners and a dog appear close to an open-sided miner’s hut. Following the discovery of gold at Beechworth in 1852, rushes quickly followed at surrounding creeks and gullies in the district. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, small syndicates of miners continued to work old or abandoned quartz reefs, often persisting without the assistance of heavy machinery to remove the large amounts of rock, in order to obtain yields at ever greater depths. The group of miners in this photograph are Mr. Roger Williams and Sons, who revived operations at the ‘Old Good Luck’ mine on the Mopoke Reef in the Dingle Range near Beechworth around 1892, working the site for more than two decades. An emigrant from Cornwall with experience in the tin mining industry, 19 year old Roger Williams senior sailed to New Zealand in 1840, then to Australia where he spent time in the Bendigo Gold Fields before settling in Beechworth in the early 1860s. Mr Williams senior worked on various mining activities in the district, including the Rocky Mountain Tunnel project. Conversant with the character of gold-bearing reefs in the area, the syndicate dug an eight hundred foot tunnel, digging down as far down as two hundred feet with little capital save their labour, to connect and provide better working access to the mass of reefs and veins in the vicinity. Progress was hampered by poor air quality charged with fumes from dynamite and large quantities of rock had to be crushed to obtain payable yields. The Victorian Goldfields are filled with ruins and remnants of the area's rich mining history, ranging from small alluvial diggings to the remains of huge mining companies. Site names often changed several times throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Some sites were abandoned and forgotten, others were worked continuously over many decades. The names of mines were often repeated at different locations throughout the Victorian Goldfields. For example, there is a Mopoke Gully heritage mine near Fryers Creek, Victoria. 'Mopoke' is a common onomatopoeic name for Morepork and Australian Boobook owls. This image has historical, social and research significance for patterns of emigration during of the Victorian Gold Rush, and the historical, social and environmental impacts of mining at Beechworth at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As gold became scarce and government support and large company investment waned, poor hard-working miners laboured intensively to make a living through periods of high unemployment. This image can be compared and studied alongside other historical mining photographs and objects in the Burke Museum Collection. It has potential to improve our understanding of miners working conditions and the shifting character of mining in the Beechworth district. Black and white rectangular reproduction photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Obverse: Williams Good Luck Mine Beechworth / Roger! / Reverse: 6858 / burke museum, beechworth museum, beechworth, gold fields, gold rush, victorian gold rush, gold ming history, colonial australia, australian gold rushes, mining technology, beechworth historic district, indigo gold trail, migration, indigo shire, good luck gold mine, victorian goldfields, mining syndicates, gold fever, quartz-mining, small-scale mining, old good luck mine, mopoke gully, quartz reefs beechworth

This image taken between 1920-1930 depicts open-cut hydraulic sluicing at the Three Mile Mine, located about five kilometres south of Beechworth. Alluvial, or surface, mining began on this site in the 1850s, but was soon replaced by hydraulic sluicing methods. By the start of 1880 it is estimated that nine hundred miles of water races had been cut though soil and rock in the Beechworth district. Hydraulic sluicing employs high pressure jets of water to blast away large areas of earth and wash it down to be run through a sluice box. Gold gets caught in the sluice and the remaining slurry is washed away. Large water quantities were required for hydraulic sluicing, and the long water races and deep tailraces that were constructed were considered great engineering feats. This method of mining is extremely effective, but causes significant environmental damage and impacts to waterways and agricultural operations. Miners at Beechworth built extensive networks of races and dams to secure reliable supplies of water on a scale far greater than elsewhere in Victoria. By the 1880s Beechworth's water barons continued to hold more than half of all the water right licences on issue and undertook sluicing operations on a massive scale. The manipulation of surface and ground water via race networks was well planned and recorded in detail by local mining surveyors. The maps that were created, combined with modern geo-spatial technologies, provide a vital key in understanding the great lengths to which miners went to capture and control critical water resources. Today, Three Mile mine is called Baarmutha. The Three Mile Mine was unproductive until 1865 when John Pund and three other miners secured a fifteen year license and constructed a water race from Upper Nine Mile Creek to Three Mile Creek. In the early twentieth century Pund & Co. averaged over one thousand ounces of gold per year from the mine. After Pund's death in 1915, GSG Amalgamated Co operated the site, continuing sluicing until 1950. This image of hydraulic sluicing methods shows the extent of water-works engineering in the landscape. This photograph has historic and research potential for understanding changes to the landscape, the evolution of mining methods, and the extensive construction, manipulation and management of water networks in the Beechworth district. Black and white rectangular photograph on matte paperReverse: 7597-1 / Sluice Mining / Copied from original on loan from Webb (Qld) / Donated Nov 2009 / Baarmutha Three Mile Mine c1920-1950 / Managed by the Plain Bros then Parkinsons / Current Location is: Beechworth Animal Shelter / used for Baarmuthaburke museum, beechworth museum, beechworth, gold fields, gold rush, victorian gold rush, hydraulic sluicing, spring creek, netwown falls, mining tunnels, water races, tailraces, gold ming history, colonial australia, australian gold rushes, mining technology, beechworth historic district, indigo gold trail, indigo shire, john pund, water manipulation, water engineering, three mile creek, three mile mine, water race, large-scale mining methods, historical mining construction, alluvial mining, mining environmental impacts, baarmutha, water barons

This photograph was captured sometime between an estimated 1940s-1950s. It depicts the Beechworth Benevolent Asylum (later the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged) which was built in 1862. It is located on an elevated site in Beechworth, Victoria because it was believed the height was beneficial to the health of the patients at the Benevolent. Later wings were added to the original building between 1867 and 1890. The building was constructed in an unusual Flemish Gothic Revival style which contrasts with the classical style of the Mayday Hills Hospital in close proximity to the Benevolent. The Hospital was designed in Italianate Revival architecture. The appearance of buildings like the Mayday Hills Hospital and the Ovens Benevolent Asylum are representative of the importance of Beechworth as a town shortly after the goldrush. During the 1850s and 1860s, administration buildings were erected alongside churches, shops and structures of justice. This marks a movement away from the "chaotic" structure of life on the goldfields and towards a more civilised and cultural lifestyle. This social phenomenon is also witnessed in Melbourne with the creation of buildings like the State Library and the University of Melbourne. The Beechworth Benevolent Asylum was renamed the Ovens Benevolent Home in 1935. The Asylum had been set up to provide accommodation and care for permanently injured gold miners, and for women and children who were penniless, homeless, or whose parents were guests of the state. In 1954 it was renamed as The Ovens and Murray Home (as pictured in this photograph). The purpose of this building was to provide a refuge for the poor and destitute, homeless older men, deserted women and children along with providing care for the mentally ill. These buildings were built at the government's expense and are of great historical and architectural significance.This photograph depicts the Ovens and Murray Home (previously the Ovens Benevolent Home) during the 1940s or 1950s. Since this building is of great historic and architectural significance, photographs like this are especially valuable in reconstructing the use history and any changes/additions to the building over a period of time. This building is important for what it can reveal about society in Beechworth and also architectural styles. This building is made in the Flemish Gothic Revival style which is quite unusual for the 1860s. It is important as an early example of a building constructed for a specific purpose, in the case of this particular building: caring for the aged/destitute. This building is important for research into the civic development of Beechworth as an early Gold Rush town located in Victoria's North-East. During this period, Beechworth was developing as the main center of administration in this region which made it a very influential and quickly developed town. Photographs like this one which depict a building during one period in history can reveal important information for the use and alterations of a building and for preferences in architectural style. It can also be studied for what it reveals about society in Beechworth and compared and contrasted to similar institutions across Australia and with additional photographs in the Burke Museum collection.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paperObverse: OVENS & MURRAY HOME / Reverse: KODAK PAPER / 727 / J. Collins BMM 8689.1 /mayday hills, beechworth benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home, asylum, refuge, poor and destitute, goldrush, flemish gothic revival, architecture

This photograph was captured sometime between an estimated 1940s-1950s. It depicts the Beechworth Benevolent Asylum (later the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged) which was built in 1862. It is located on an elevated site in Beechworth, Victoria because it was believed the height was beneficial to the health of the patients at the Benevolent. Later wings were added to the original building between 1867 and 1890. The building was constructed in an unusual Flemish Gothic Revival style which contrasts with the classical style of the Mayday Hills Hospital in close proximity to the Benevolent. The Hospital was designed in Italianate Revival architecture. The appearance of buildings like the Mayday Hills Hospital and the Ovens Benevolent Asylum are representative of the importance of Beechworth as a town shortly after the goldrush. During the 1850s and 1860s, administration buildings were erected alongside churches, shops and structures of justice. This marks a movement away from the "chaotic" structure of life on the goldfields and towards a more civilised and cultural lifestyle. This social phenomenon is also witnessed in Melbourne with the creation of buildings like the State Library and the University of Melbourne. The Beechworth Benevolent Asylum was renamed the Ovens Benevolent Home in 1935. The Asylum had been set up to provide accommodation and care for permanently injured gold miners, and for women and children who were penniless, homeless, or whose parents were guests of the state. In 1954 it was renamed as The Ovens and Murray Home (as pictured in this photograph). The purpose of this building was to provide a refuge for the poor and destitute, homeless older men, deserted women and children along with providing care for the mentally ill. These buildings were built at the government's expense and are of great historical and architectural significance.This photograph depicts the Ovens and Murray Home (previously the Ovens Benevolent Home) during the 1940s or 1950s. Since this building is of great historic and architectural significance, photographs like this are especially valuable in reconstructing the use history and any changes/additions to the building over a period of time. This building is important for what it can reveal about society in Beechworth and also architectural styles. This building is made in the Flemish Gothic Revival style which is quite unusual for the 1860s. It is important as an early example of a building constructed for a specific purpose, in the case of this particular building: caring for the aged/destitute. This building is important for research into the civic development of Beechworth as an early Gold Rush town located in Victoria's North-East. During this period, Beechworth was developing as the main center of administration in this region which made it a very influential and quickly developed town. Photographs like this one which depict a building during one period in history can reveal important information for the use and alterations of a building and for preferences in architectural style. It can also be studied for what it reveals about society in Beechworth and compared and contrasted to similar institutions across Australia and with additional photographs in the Burke Museum collection.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paperBack of photograph. Handwriting: "For John Beckingsale"mayday hills, beechworth benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home, destitute, gold town, beechworth, victoria, north-east vic

Black and White photograph taken of the Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum. The museum is named in honor of explorer and former Beechworth Superintendent Robert O'Hara Burke following his death in 1861.This item is significant because it shows the historic Burke Museum in a historic context, which can be used to document the changes in the building and the surroundings which have occurred over time.Copy of a black and white landscape photograph on photographic paper.burke museum, robert o'hara burke, robert o'hara burke museum

In this photo, taken in around 1875, is depicted the exterior of the Beechworth Mental Asylum buildings, with the administration buildings far right of the photo. A sunken boundary wall in the foreground and some people in view, sitting at the pavillion in the centre of the image. The two-storey buildings, designed in Italianate style, and the three-storey towers at the front, influenced by the asylum at Colney Hatch in England. The architecture of the buildings shares key features with other contemporary institutions, like Aradale at Ararat, and its design is attributed to the Public Works Department architect, J.J. Clark, whose name is connected with the construction of many other important public buildings, such as the Asylums at Kew and Ararat, the front block of the Royal Mint, Melbourne and the Melbourne Customs House. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. Large masses of granite were excavated for its foundation and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The building, divided into six sections, was comprised of dormitories, doctors` rooms and plenty ancillary rooms and facilities, such as laundries, reading rooms, a concert hall and cooking areas. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but during the centenary celebrations in 1967 the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the location, surroundings and the exterior of the Mayday Hills Hospital at the end of the 19th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history and is acknowledged as a unique construction, being one of three identified as the largest of their kind.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse: 37/ 3443/ Beechworth Asylum about 1875/ American & Australasian/Photographic Company/Victoria Branch./C.Bayless, Manager./ No./beechworth mental asylum, aradale, public works department, j.j. clark, melbourne customs house, colney hatch, italianate style, mayday hills hospital, royal mint, granite, benevolent asylum, dormitories, ovens lunatic asylum, ancillary rooms, centenary celebrations, three-storey towers, countryside, mental health conditions, kulin nation, concert hall

The photo is taken in 1890 and a man is depicted, entering the main gates of the Mental Hospital at Beechworth, with the lodge on his right side. The man is dressed according to the australian fashion of that time, wearing a dark suit and a top hat. The countryside surrounding the Hospital is in the background. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. It was designed in Italianate style and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the location, surroundings and the exterior of the Mayday Hills Hospital at the end of the 19th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history. Moreover, it adds information to the scientific research and the way mental health conditions were treated at that time.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper unframed.Obverse: Asylum Gates & Lodge/ Reverse: 3451-1/mental hospital, beechworth, australian fashion, dark suit, top hat, countryside, mayday hills hospital, ovens hospital, benevolent asylum, institution, mental disturbances, social welfare, living conditions, goldfields, workmen, italianate style, kulin nation, mental health, ovens lunatic asylum, patients

The photo is taken in 1934 and illustrates the internal view of a ward in the Mental Hospital at Beechworth. Some patients in beds and three nurses are in view. Beds were arranged in lines alongside the walls and there were no partitions or screens to create privacy for patients. Furniture was simple and humble; bed frames were made of metal or wood and pillowcases and covers for the attendant`s tables were sometimes made of blue-striped canvas or calico. Large windows in the walls were offering ample light and the room was well-tended, with Christmas decoration, flowers, pots and carpets on the floor. The nurse in the foreground is Miss Neary. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation. This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the living conditions of patients admitted to the Mayday Hills Hospital at the beginning of the 20th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history. Additionally, it provides important information about the way mental health conditions were perceived at that time and how patients were treated. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper. Reverse: 1997.2665/ To Miss JA.Peach/ [hallmark: Printed by Harringtons]/ With best wishes/from/H.Jeanes/for 1934.mayday hills hospital, benevolent asylum, ovens hospital, ovens lunatic asylum, kulin nation, beechworth, patients, nurse, social welfare, goldfields, melbourne, mental health, living conditions, blue-striped canvas, calico, bed frames, miss neary, mental disturbances, traditional land, centenary celebrations

The photograph is a copy of the original one, with the latter been captured in 1870. The man depicted is Doctor Thomas Thomson Dick, who was the first Medical Superintendent at Mayday Hills Hospital. He was born in Scotland in 1840 and he died in East Malvern in 1919. He obtained his degree of Doctor of Medicine from Melbourne University in 1864 and, later in his career, he became Inspector-General of the mentally ill. Dr Dick promoted the hospital`s self-sufficiency by engaging patients in various forms of work, such as clothing alterations and cultivation of the farm. He also introduced monthly balls, which could be attended by patients, staff and guests, and they were later replaced by concerts. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients.The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides information about the staff served at the Mayday Hills Hospital when it first opened. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history and adds valuable information about the changing approaches to the treatment of mental health conditions.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper.Obverse: (7)/ Reverse: 1997.2452/ Dr Dick/No(7) Pioneer Board/doctor thomas thomson dick, superintendent, mayday hills hospital, scotland, east malvern, doctor of medicine, melbourne university, inspector-general, clothing alterations, cultivation of the farm, self-sufficiency, balls, concerts, ovens hospital, benevolent asylum, beechworth, goldfields, kulin nation, panoramic view, mental health conditions

The photograph, created in 1998, is a copy of the original one, depicting a nurse in uniform at the Mental Hospital in Beechworth, with a fern house behind her. In the background, the two-storey building is in view, along with the covered walkway. The institution had to operate with serious shortage of female nurses for long periods of time. During the 1880s, small houses (cottages) were built to offer accommodation for the nurses living in the hospital and in 1937 began the construction of a nurses` hostel. In 1962 the upper level of the Nurses` Home was converted into a Nurses` Training School. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The two-storey buildings, designed in Italianate style, and the three-storey towers at the front, were influenced by the asylum at Colney Hatch in England. Large masses of granite were excavated for its foundation and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The building, divided into six sections, was comprised of dormitories, doctors` rooms and plenty ancillary rooms and facilities, such as laundries, reading rooms, a concert hall and cooking areas. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the everyday life of staff living within the walls of the Mayday Hills Hospital. It also offers important information about the location and the exterior of the Hospital and contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper unframed.Reverse: 3445/mental hospital, beechworth, fern house, female nurses, nurses` home, nurses` training school, nurses` hostel, mayday hills hospital, ovens hospital, colney hatch, two-storey buildings, italianate style, benevolent asylum, ovens lunatic asylum, kulin nation, workmen, covered walkway, granite, hilltop atmosphere, mental health

Depicted is James Ashton (also known as Jim Ashton), a circus proprietor, crouched beside a seated small girl (or a lady with dwarfism). The two are dressed in formal attire, James is wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and together with the girl holding a small bouquet of flowers.James Ashton was the son of James Henry Ashton. James Henry Ashton founded Ashton Circus in the early 1800s, well before Federation. For over 160 years Ashton Circus has travelled to both regional towns and big cities, bringing joy to the people of Australia. Generations of the Ashtons crossed desserts and flooded rivers, drove over snow-covered mountains, fended off bushrangers, and even ventured where there were no roads to reach the communities that have loved and inspired our family of performers for over a century. People came from all around to enjoy Ashton Circus. In the 1800s, Ned Kelly watched our show on a number of occasions and even enjoyed tea with the performers after the show. The Ashton Family has grown and changed over eight generations since James Henry Ashton started his circus. Our family continues this great tradition, proud that we still bring affordable family entertainment to our fellow Australians. Today, the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th generations of the Ashton family are still on tour, operating three individual circuses throughout Australia- each of having grown from the same roots.Black and white oval reproduced photograph printed on rectangular paper mounted on cardboardObverse: Jim Ashton was the first generation in Aus-/ tralia. His father came out in the 1840's and/ established a circus that toured the country. (printed)/ Reverse: 1997.2560 (in pencil)/ about 1860 (in blue pen)/ A02560 (in pencil)/entertainment album, burke museum, beechworth, circus, ashton circus, james ashton, jim ashton

The Syracuse Chilled Plough Company was created in 1876 and specialised in the manufacture of agricultural ploughs. Harry Wiard invented the chilling process in plough manufacture. The company was originally founded as the Robinson Chilled Plough Company in 1876 and changed its name 3 years later. At its peak, in the early 20th century. The company made more than 100,000 horse-drawn ploughs and road scrapers of various designs that were sold from the Syracuse plant each year and exported around the world. The company slogan of the day was, “The sun never sets on a Syracuse plough." Eventually, other farming implements were added to the line. The company employed more than 300 people in its local plant, which covered a square block on the cities Near West Side. In 1910-11, Deere and Company began expanding its holdings, and with the success of the Syracuse Chilled Plough Company, Deere sought to acquire the company. The management of the Syracuse operation after John Deere took over remained in the hands of Wiard and Chase, and the manufacturing operations were left in Syracuse. The only change from previous Syracuse operations was the selling of the companies products through Deere retail outlets instead of directly to the trade. The factory in Syracuse continued to produce ploughs until 1955. The subject item in the Flagstaff collection is an early model Syracuse Chilled plough with a wooden beam frame it is very much lighter in weight and was adapted to work sandy or light loamy soil. This plough has a sloping landside, which tends to keep the clods and dirt from falling into the furrow, making the ploughman's work much more comfortable and easy. This design was made in eight sizes for both right and left-handed ploughing and became very popular in the far West and South of the USA. Note: The definition of a chill plough means : a plough having the share and mould-board of chilled semi steel or cast iron.The subject item is believed to be a very early plough given its wooden beam frame and was made before 1900 probably around 1880. This makes it a significant example of the types of plough that early settlers were using in Victoria. There would not be very many of this type of vintage plough left with a wooden beam and frame, making it today a desirable collector's item. Syracuse Wood Beam Chilled single furrow plough metal wheel in front. Syracuse Chiller Co Syracuse & 50 L stamped on ploughshare.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, plough, syracuse chiller co, chiller plourh, farm equipment, furrow

Hollis Brothers were first recorded trading from 11 Weaman Row in 1840 but appear to have started trading a little earlier. The firm later became Isaac Hollis & Sons and claimed establishment from 1814. Richard & William Hollis were recorded trading in Bath Street Birmingham from 1814 to 1818 so it may be that the Hollis brothers were descended from them. The brothers were Isaac Hollis (1815) and Frederick Hollis (birth date unknown), but Frederick died 20 December 1839. Isaac was recorded in the 1841 census living in Weaman Row. He was a 25-year-old gun and pistol maker, married to Emma 1821. They had two children, Isaac (1837), and Henry (1839). After Frederick died, Isaac carried on trading under the name of Hollis Brothers until 1845 when he re-named the business Hollis Brothers & Co who traded up to 1848. In 1844 Isaac entered into a short term partnership with William Tranter at 10 & 11 Weaman Row, presumably to complete a particular contract or supply certain parts, this partnership lasted until 1849. In 1848 Isaac took in Isaac Brentnall Sheath as a partner, and the firm of Hollis & Sheath was established, expanding into 10 Weaman Row. Hollis & Sheath were licensed makers of percussion breech-loading guns. in 1861 the firm changed its name to Isaac Hollis & Sons on the departure of Isaac Brentnall Sheath. Isaac Sheath died in July 1875 By about 1870 Isaac Hollis and Henry Hollis had taken over the day to day running of the business. Isaac Hollis was responsible for the overall management and the marketing of the firm's products. Henry was responsible for manufacturing. The firm became volume producers of inexpensive trade guns and sporting guns for the South African and the British colonies. In 1870 the firm opened a shop at 44a Cannon Street in London; in 1871 this moved to 83 Cheapside. Isaac Hollis Jnr died October 1875 in Birmingham aged 37. He was never married and in 1876/1877 Henry registered a limited liability company, Isaac Hollis & Sons Ltd, but by 1879 they were again trading as Isaac Hollis & Sons. From 1879 the London shop was at 6 Great Winchester Street. From 1932 to 1933 the London business traded as Hollis, Bentley & Playfair Hollis, Bentley & Playfair finally closed in Birmingham in 1953.The shotgun is not in pristine condition and is not very significant historically or valuable, although made by a well known and respected manufacturer of firearms there are many better examples of Issac Hollis and Sons shotguns in collections and for sale. This particular example is of a standard pattern for utilitarian use of which many were made.Shotgun, double barrel, 12 gauge, with cleaning rod. Right barrel has been cut shorter and has sharp edges on the muzzle. Metal stock extension, cleaning rod comprising 3 pieces that screw together. Gun is stored in a black painted, wooden case with hinged lid. Inscribed "I. HOLLIS & SONS", SN 84245. "I. HOLLIS & SONS". SN on stock “84245”. Badge on both sides “Crown [symbol] / BV”. “Crown [symbol] / NP”, “12G inside Diamond [symbol]”, “NITRO PROOF”, “STEEL 84245” Paper note included with gun, written in felt tip pen “ENTERPRISE”. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shotgun, double barrel shotgun, isaac hollis and son, birmingham, i hollis and sons, gun makers, sporting firearm, south african firearm market, rifles for british government, hollis, bentlely and playfair

Bostock & Manifold were all from pioneering families in the Western District of Victoria almost from the time of settlement. Family history: The Bostock family were prominent in Warrnambool from the 1850s to the 1880s. Patriarch Robert Bostock had in 1813 been transported to Sydney from Sierra Leone for having 'felonious traded in slaves' and sentenced to 14 years transportation. He moved to Tasmania in 1821 where he died in 1847. A number of his children came to Port Phillip. Edward Robert Bostock held the Jellabad run from 1849 to 1853. George Bostock (1826-1858) was a Warrnambool Shire Councillor in 1856. Thomas Edward Bostock (1828-1874) was a Shire Councillor in the late 1860s. Augustus Bostock (1833-1920) lived in Warrnambool. Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert and Rachael Bostock of Vaucluse Epping Forest, Van Diemen's Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vaucluse in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool, where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. The Wagon is significant locally and state wide for its association with Augustus Bostock who was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District of Victoria, racing, cricket, and social activities to name a few. Bostock & Manifold were all from pioneering families in the Western District of Victoria almost from the time of settlement. The wagon is significant for its historical and economic association with the local Warrnambool business of Manifold & Bostock. These men had leased and owned vast tracts of land and operated businesses around the district together at various times often associated with the farming industry. One example is the Manifold & Bostock store and flour mill from which the wagon dray is believed to have been associated with for the delivery of goods. Their flour mill began operation in 1850 in 7-17 Stanley St South Warrnambool and was known as “Jetty Mills” Manifold and Bostock in 1858 purchased the Mill from John and G Elliot (brothers) with half an acre of ground and a cottage for £1600. It appears addresses of the company changed over the years as the town grew. These are listed in “Jones, Lewis & Peggy flour mills of Victoria” showing the company operating from, Fairy Street and later at the Merri River near the cutting, known as Banyan and Merri Streets. The company ceased trading in 1870. The Wagon Dray is also an example of agricultural freight and general transportation during the 1800 and 1900 century.A four-wheeled wooden horse-drawn wagon with flat top described as a Wagon Dray in historical writings. Painted brown and black. The wagon has rear brakes, wooden, operated from a metal handle at the front of the Wagon. Front wheels are attached to a turnstile to allow easy turning of the wagon. This flat-topped, horse driven, four-wheeled Wagon was used for cartage by the business of Manifold & Bostock, Warrnambool. The original sign writing of the wagon is obscured or painted over. There is a feint mark of lettering to the sides and back edges of the cart Manifold & Bostock. "Manifold and Bostock" very feintflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, cartage, manifold and bostock of warrnambool, manifold family of western victoria, bostock family of western victoria, four wheeled wagon, wagon, horse drawn wagon, farm wagon, aitkin, aitkin bostock manifold, dray, aitkin family, cart, aitken, flour mill

This photograph of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT would have been taken prior to Feb 10th 1911, when the ship was wrecked on the south coast of Victoria at a place called Cape Patton. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). Peter’s great-grandson, also called Andrew, is a Security Officer in Warrnambool. The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The SPECULANT is historically significant as the largest ship to have been registered in Warrnambool, and is believed to have been the largest barquentine to visit Melbourne. It is evidence of the final days of large commercial sailing vessels involved in the Victorian and New Zealand timber trade. The SPECULANT is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S626Photograph, black and white. of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT on board the ship holding two 'Speculant Warrnambool' lifebuoys. Taken early 1900's flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, warrnambool historical photograph, la bella, speculant, cumming and ellis, international timber trade, p. j. mcgennan and co. warrnambool, peter mcgennan, capt. james jacobsen, warrnambool maritime history, h. pengilley apollo bay

This cap gun was found by a local Warrnambool resident in about 1971. Cap guns first appeared following the end of the American Civil War in the mid-1860s, when firearms companies experimented with toy guns to stay in business. Cap guns became especially popular when the heroes of cinema and television rode through the West ridding the territories of villains. Many cap guns were named after or endorsed by leading matinee idols like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, Tonto, Dale Evans, Marshal Matt Dillon, or any of countless others. Cap guns became popular after the second world war and children all over the world emulated their heroes and collected and played with these toy guns. Eventually all of the famous cap gun manufacturers either sold out to other toy companies or started manufacturing other types of toys. Before it was deemed dangerous or politically incorrect for young children to point pistols at each other and fire at will, cap guns were a staple of toy chests. The item demonstrates how society has changed its attitudes and now regard these types of toys as morally unacceptable as they tend to promote violent attitudes towards others. The item demonstrates significantly how our societies social attitudes have changed since world war two from general societal acceptance of such toys to one of distaste.Toy gun; cap gun. Cast iron toy pistol with metal trigger. Name "National" in raised embossing in the casting on the handle on both sides of the gun. Made in 1911."National" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, toys, cap gun, national fireworks distrubuting company, toy guns, toy pistol

Photograph shows the ship FIJI where she met her demise, in Wreck Bay, on the shipwreck coast of South West Victoria. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the captain being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a slate pencil, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Black and White Photograph of the ship "Fiji" taken from Wreck Creek. warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwrecked artefact, pocket watch, fob watch fiji, william vickers, william robe, bill robe, gebauhr, stansmore, carmody, wreck bay, moonlight head, fiji shipwreck 1891, port campbell rocket crew, wreck bay victoria

The funnel colours on the model indicate the ship it represents was one of the early ships of the Allan shipping Line designated as a Royal Mail Carrier. Funnel colours are used to identify a ship's owners while at sea from a distance by other vessels. The Allan Shipping Line was started in 1819, by Captain Alexander Allan of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, trading and transporting between Scotland and Montreal Canada, a route which quickly became synonymous with the Allan Line. By the 1830s the company had offices in Glasgow, Liverpool and Montreal, with all of Captain Allan's five sons actively involved with the business. But his second son, Sir Hugh Allan, spearheaded the second generation. In 1854, Hugh launched the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company as part of the Allan Line, and two years later ousted Samuel Cunard to take control of the Royal Mail contract between Britain and North America. By the 1880s, the Allan Line was the world's largest privately owned shipping concern. In 1891, the company took over the State Line, founded in 1872, and was often referred to as the Allan & State Line. In 1897, Andrew Allan amalgamated the various branches of the Allan shipping empire under one company, Allan Line Steamship Company Ltd., of Glasgow. The company by then had added offices in Boston and London. In 1917, under Sir Montagu Allan, who represented the third generation of the Allan family, the company was purchased by Canadian Pacific Steamships, and by the following year, the Allan name had disappeared from commercial shipping. The Allan Line fleet had evolved for decades, changing as new ships were added, lost at sea, sold, or scrapped. The model in Flagstaff Hill's collection could be the SS Canadian or Indian; both were early Allan steam packets that had helped the Allan company secure the Royal Mail Atlantic contract in 1856.The model is of a Royal Mail steamship, with the probability the original ship was owned by the Allan Shipping Line in the mid-19th century and primarily used for the Atlantic mail run between England and Canada. Given the funnel colours and ship design, the model could be the SS Canadian or the Indian; both were the first ships for the company. The Allen line became the most successful shipping company of the time used for emigration and the transporting of mail.Ship model; steamship and sail vessel in use around the 1860s. Handcrafted model steamship with twin funnels painted black, white and red and three masts with square-rigged sails. The ship model is mounted on a gold-painted board. The ship was donated with a fitted wooden case.warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, ship model, steam and sail vessel, handcrafted ship model, steam vessel, model making, handmade, red with narrow white band below black top., red shite and black funnel, allan shipping line, steam and sail ship, two funnels, wooden sailing shipo, three-masted ship

This photograph of the SPECULANT was taken while she was in dock at the Warrnambool, Victoria, Breakwater in the early 1900's. Crew seem busy on her decks and others are watching from the breakwater. There are also 2 steamships in the photograph. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). Peter’s great-grandson, also called Andrew, is a Security Officer in Warrnambool. The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The SPECULANT is historically significant as the largest ship to have been registered in Warrnambool, and is believed to have been the largest barquentine to visit Melbourne. It is evidence of the final days of large commercial sailing vessels involved in the Victorian and New Zealand timber trade. The SPECULANT is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S626Photograph. black and white, of the three-masted barque SPECULANT in dock at the Warrnambool Breakwater in the early 1900's. A steam ship is docked behind her and another steamship is in Lady Bay on her left. There are people on the SPECULANT and others walking nearby. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, la bella, speculant, cumming and ellis, international timber trade, p. j. mcgennan and co. warrnambool, peter mcgennan, capt. james jacobsen, warrnambool maritime history, h. pengilley apollo bay