Showing 2215 items
matching machinery
-
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - IAN DYETT COLLECTION: AUCTION CATALOGUE - POSEIDON - DIVIDEND GOLD MINING CO
Auction catalogue with a dark red cover for a sale on 15th February, 1938 on the mine, Poseidon, (via Newbridge), of Mining Machinery, Plant and Equipment of Dividend Gold Mining Co. N. L. By Order of the Liquidator, Mr. E. E. Connolly, Legal Manager. J. H. Curnow & Son were the auctioneers. Catalogue has a column down the right side of the page to write in the price of each lot. Contains a description of some of the machinery. Bolton Bros. Pty. Ltd. were the printers of the catalogue.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - poseidon - dividend gold mining co n l, mr e e connolly, j h curnow & son, bolton bros pty ltd -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - NEW CHUM & VICTORIA LINES OF REEF - NOTES ON NEW CHUM & VICTORIA
Handwritten notes on New Chum & Victoria. Winding Engine Pair 22 in cylinders. Two valves to each cylinder (Corliss?). One boiler - steel. 26 ft x 6 ft 6 ins diameter. Reference: T. M. Hooper, Mining Manager, Sth Bellevie United Mine in machinery. Report to His Directors probably 7 /11/1885. On the back with scribble over it, are some notes re Bendigo was making itrs own winding engines, air compressors and crushing machinery so efficiently that the Senior Inspector of Mines, Mr E. R. Neekison in a report to the Secretary for Mines in 1884 was emphatic that the best batteries, winding engines and gear have all been made in Sandhurst. Machinery made in Sandhurst was superior to any others in the colony for this class of work.document, gold, new chum & victoria lines of reef, new chum & victoria lines of reef, notes on new chum & victoria, t m hooper, sth bellevu united mine, mr e r meekison, new chum, garden gully, hustler's, sheepshead line -
Orbost & District Historical Society
iron chain, First half 20th century
This was probably used on a farming property and would have been attached to various horse-drawn farm implements and machinery.Horses were a vital part of the agricultural industry in Orbost before the mechanisation of farm machinery. This item is associated with that time.A heavy iron chain for attaching to a horse drawn implement. It has a strong hook at one end and a large ring at the other. It has several ring attachments and straps which have been added with wiring.chain farming -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Coffee Grinder
Possibly a pre 1930s model. Spong founded the company in 1856 making economic household utensils or domestic machineryUsed in the Kiewa Valley by a householder.Heavy black metal with red timber handle. Edges painted gold. Clamp at one end and a 'bell shaped' outlet at the other. There are 3 feet for standing the grinder up and bolting it onto a surface.'Founded 1856 / Spong / Made in England' - black print on golden oval shape. 'Spong & Co. Ltd' 'London' embossed either side and painted gold.spong coffee grinder, household utensil -
Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum
Book, Mayes Australian Builders Price Book
5th edition of book of prices and information on building materials, machinery etc. Used in CJ Mitchell's Store, TaturaHardcover, red, black lettering, decorative border. Gold lettering on spine.CJ Mitchell, Tatura. Beatrice A Mitchellironmongers, importers, books, technical -
National Wool Museum
Letter
Letter written by H. Moore of George Hodgson Limited to Collins Bros in Geelong confirming offer of machinery, with charges.26-Feb-25textile machinery, george hodgson limited, moore, mr h. - george hodgson limited -
Emerald Museum & Nobelius Heritage Park
Wooden Hub of Jinker Wheel
Bill Cuzen's grandfather had a dairy (Robertson) at Marysville, and he had a jinker dray and other types of machinery.Timber turned hub of jinker wheel. There are 16 oblong spoke holes. -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Slide - DIGGERS AND MINERS. DIGGERS AND MINERS, c1850
Diggers and miners. Diggers and Miners. Miners at Bendigo. Gold mining is carried out with elaborate and expensive machinery; . . . Photo shows miners at work drilling. Markings: 4 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MINING REPORTS - SEC'Y FOR MINES REPORT FOR 1899
Handwritten notes from Sec'y for Mines Report for 1899. W. Abraham, Inspector of Mines, Bendigo. Report lists nine fatal accidents, thirty two non-fatal accidents, boilers, machinery and ventilation.document, gold, mining reports, mining reports, sec'y for mines report for 1899, w abraham, accidents, princess dagmar coy, johnsons coy, golden age coy, dr gaffney, ar -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - 'YELLOW EXPRESS' SEMI TRAILER TRUCK, 1950's
Black and white photograph of 'yellow Express Carriers' vehicle carrying crated machinery. Two-storied motor garage in background together with street trees and two-storied dwelling. 'Westfield Transport' signage on crate.topic, objects, transport, see also 2001.156.01 -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Newspaper - NORMAN PENROSE COLLECTION: ROAD MAKING MACHINERY
Newspaper. Norman Penrose collection: newspaper cutting depicting road making machinery on a road near Warburton. The road is being widened and remade. It is a bush road with a truck, a grader and two tractor towed scrapers.person, bendigo, norman william penrose, norman penrose collection, road making equipment -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Document, Memorandum of Association, 1913
Memorandum of Association of the Commonwealth Art Pottery and Insulator Company Proprietary Limited, 1913.Memorandum of Association of the Commonwealth Art Pottery and Insulator Company Proprietary Limited, 1913. Mentions 2 original shareholders and price paid for land ( Springfield Road, Blackburn and Croydon Road, Ringwood), plant and machinery.Memorandum of Association of the Commonwealth Art Pottery and Insulator Company Proprietary Limited, 1913. commonwealth pottery pty ltd, springfield road, blackburn north, levy, henry wolff, staughton, robert allen -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - IAN DYETT COLLECTION: AUCTION CATALOGUE - TASMANIAN MINING AND CONTRACTOR'S AUCTION
Beige covered catalogue of Tasmanian Sales by Auction held over three days. On Tuesday 9th May 1944 was an auction of Mining machinery,pumps, plant, equipment and buildings at the Michael Moon Mine, Poimena (Blue Tier) and at the AZ Mine, Poimena (Blue Tier). Thursday 11th May 1944 was the sale of Contractor's Machinery, plant and equipment used in the Construction of the Hobart Bridge by order of the Hobart Bridge Co. Ltd. And Friday 12th May 1944 was the auction of machinery, equipment, motor vehicles etc. at the Public Works Depot at Moonah, Hobart. J. H. Curnow & Son were the Auctioneers. Booklet contains description of some of the machinery, Special Notice regarding travelling and freight, Conditions of Sale and an Auctioneer's Notice mentioning the sale is being conducted by permission of the Director of Machine Tools and Gauges under Regulation 59 of the National Security (General) Regulations. Principals only are allowed to bid and buy unless special permission is granted by DMT & G for some person to act on their behalf, and that person must be an employee of the Firm.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - tasmanian mining and contractor's auction, michael moon mine, a z mines, hobart bridge co ltd, public works department hobart, j h curnow & son, w c wedd, director of machine tools and gauges, national security (general) regulations, the prahran telegraph printing co, c j curnow, h j lowe, f c dyett, j l jamieson & co -
Federation University Historical Collection
Document, Transfer of Ownership of Prospecting Quartz Claim, under a Grant from the Ballarat Mining Board, 6 February 1860, 1860
Document outlining the change of ownership of a Quartz Claim, all machinery and buildings at Spring Hill near Creswick, Victoria. This ownership transfer was between Misters Ferguson and others to Misters Lamble and McCallum. Each person mentioned signed the document. All machinery and parts thereof are listed, plus any buildings, tools, blacksmith's shop and tools, ropes and paints/tar, etcLarge cream coloured thick paper, Hand written in black ink. Twenty-four seals Signatures of owners.james ferguson, edward david, thomas barnett, edward jones, james archibald, john phelan, william innis, james collins, dick collier, charles talbot, joseph stevens, x (his mark) william thomas, x (his mark) thomas walters, john powell, thomas collier, a bach, e milligan, thomas knowles, x (his mark) john edwards, x (his mark) david davies, john evans, william lamble, james mccallum, james faulkner, evan sloyd -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Square Headed Wrench
Used to tighten fasteners. This wrench is large so may have been used for fasteners on farm machinery or in the SECV workshop.Used by residents and workers in the Kiewa Valley.Cast iron or steel - 1 and three sixteenth of an inch embossed on one side and 8 and a quarter inches long on the other. This wrench has a square hollow (box ring) at one end which is used ro provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects - usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts - or keep them from turning.embossed measurement on the handlewrench, tool -
National Wool Museum
Letter
From A/B Sveriges Forenade Trikafabriker to Mr C.W. Asklund, textile engineer, Norrkoping, 1957; re: Befama machinery.textile machinery, a/b sveriges f??ade trikafabriker metalexport -
Lakes Entrance Regional Historical Society (operating as Lakes Entrance History Centre & Museum)
Album - Photograph, 1995
Also two colour photographs of toilets and two colour photographs of old machinery on concrete pad at New Workds areaSmall photograph album containing twenty three colour photographs showing relocation of Lady Harrietts Barge from Bullock Island to New Works precinct Lakes Entrance Victoriaenvironment, people, parks -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Machine - Diving Compressor, Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd, 1880-1890
This compressor was part of the E.G. Ward Collection. It is connected to the diving suit and boots also in our collection. Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company that developed diving equipment and breathing equipment and worked on commercial diving and marine salvage projects. The company advertised itself as 'Submarine Engineers'. It was founded by Augustus Siebe, a German-born British engineer chiefly known for his contributions to diving equipment. Siebe Gorman traded as an engineering firm for over 180 years from 1819 to 1999. The early success of the business was due to its founder, the Prussian immigrant Christian 'Augustus' Siebe (1788-1872). For business reasons, he applied for and was granted British citizenship in 1856. He was a gifted engineer who was able to translate theoretical problems into practical, working products. During the industrial Victorian period, the business traded as 'A. Siebe' at 145 High Street Holborn London, but in 1828 new premises were acquired at 5 Denmark Street, Soho. The family firm produced a wide range of manufactured goods including paper-making machinery, measuring machinery, water-pumps, refrigeration equipment and diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe specialised in submarine engineering early on and the company gained a reputation for the manufacture of safe, reliable diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe is best remembered for the development and manufacture of the ‘closed’ Diving Dress based on the ideas of Charles and John Deane, George Edwards and Charles Pasley. Apart from some small modifications to valves and diver communications, the basic 12 bolt ‘closed’ diving dress remained relatively unchanged after the 1870s. Later company successes were also based on innovation, with new products that could be successfully developed and manufactured to high standards. This was largely attributed to the inventive nature, foresight, engineering and entrepreneurial skills of Robert Henry Davis (1870-1965). In 1882, RH Davis joined the company of 'Siebe & Gorman' as a young 11-year-old office boy and he was to remain with the company until he died in 1965. Augustus Siebe retired in 1869 and handed over the company to a new partnership of Henry H. Siebe (1830-1885) and William A. O'Gorman (1834-1904). The new firm traded as 'Siebe & Gorman' (1870-1879) from premises in and around Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London. The two partners soon recognised the potential of R.H. Davis and in 1894, aged 24, he became General Manager of Siebe & Gorman. Davis increasingly ran the company until the surviving partner (W.A. Gorman) died in 1904. The firm was disposed of to the Vickers (armaments) family and a new company 'Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd.' (1905-1998) was formed. Under the chairmanship of Albert Vickers, R.H. Davis was kept on as Managing Director, and the company forged ahead. However, after WW1, the Great Depression caused manufacturing output and share prices to slump. In 1924 Robert Davis made a deal with the Vickers Board and acquired control of the company through majority shares. Under his leadership, the Siebe Gorman Company flourished and within time, four of his sons also joined the firm. The company gained a worldwide reputation for the manufacture of diving apparatus, decompression and observation chambers, and safety breathing apparatus of all types for use on the land, in the air and under the sea (including mine rescue, tunneling, aircraft, diving, submarine escape and in other hazardous environments). Close research and development links with the MOD (especially the Admiralty), also provided a lucrative outlet for the company products. In 1932, Robert Davis was knighted by King George V, principally for his invention of the ‘Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus’ (D.S.E.A.). Siebe Gorman essentially remained a family firm from the beginning (under A Siebe) until it became a public company for the first time in 1952. However, following WW2, British manufacturing stagnated through stifled investment and post-war austerity, and there was little innovation. Siebe Gorman fortunes began to decline as an ageing Sir Robert Davis failed to invest, or change the company business and management practices. In 1959, Siebe Gorman was acquired by the “Fairy Group” and the ailing Sir Robert was made Life President. Consequently, nothing changed and the slow decline continued until Sir Robert's death in March 1965. Around 1960, Siebe Gorman acquired the diving apparatus manufacturer C E Heinke, and for a brief period, it manufactured some diving equipment under the combined name of Siebe Heinke. Around 1964, Mr. E. 'Barry' Stephens was appointed as the new Managing Director to modernise Siebe Gorman. Changes were made, including a move to a new factory in Wales in 1975. The new company concentrated on fire fighting breathing apparatus and escape equipment, and the move coincided with the loss of many of the older, traditional craft skills. Between 1985 and 1998, Siebe expanded through acquisitions, and several other companies were acquired. The Siebe Gorman (diving apparatus) company has therefore traded as A. Siebe (1819-1870); Siebe & Gorman (1870-1879); Siebe Gorman & Co (1880-1904); Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd (1905-1998).The compressor is a very significant item as it gives a snapshot into marine history and the development of diving equipment generally especially that used for salvage operations before and during WW2. Siebe & Gorman the company that made the equipment was a leading inventor, developer and innovator of marine equipment with its early helmets and other items eagerly sought after today for collections around the world. The items in the Flagstaff Hill collection give us an insight as to how divers operated and the dangers they faced doing a very necessary and dangerous job during the early days of marine exploration.A single cylinder divers' pump by Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd, London, eccentric hand cranked in brass mounted mahogany case with instructions to the underside of the lid, brass covered pressure gauge and air outlet, brass makers plaque to the front, water inlet and outlet to the rear, green painted lifting rings. Machinery has some blue painted areas on the metal.Plate on the back 'WATER SUPPLY" "WATER OVERFLOW" "WATER DRAIN-IN" Pressure gauge dial "BOURDON'S PRESSURE GAUGE" STEBE GORMAN & CO. LONDON", "LBS PRESSURE" "FEET OF SALT WATER" Plate on the front " PATENT, Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd Submarine Engineers" below emblem (Lion, Crown, Horse)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, maritime-museum, diving compressor, london, siebe gorman & co ltd, marine technology, life saving, deep sea diving, maritime museum, maritime village, manine history -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photographs/Slides, Laurie Dixon, 1961
Five of a collection of slides donated by Laurie Dixon. Water was pumped from Candowie Reservoir to nearby Almurta Basin and gravity fed to Wimbledon Heights Storage Basin. These open water basins were two main components of the water distribution of the day and supplied the area from 1964 to 1989. The Almurta and Wimbledon Heights Storage Basins were decommissioned in 1999 when the San Remo Basin was improved an now is the vital link in the transfer of water from Candowie via the Purification Plant.Five of a collection of slides taken by Laurie Dixon. (Photographs scanned by E Alexander). The photographs are of the machinery used to clear the land for the reservoir constructed at Wimbledon Heights in September 1961 273-08 Robert Cleeland on TractorInscriptions of slides 273-09. Tourerpull & crawler at reservoir Sep. 61 273-10. Reservoir Sep 61 273-11. Reservoir Sep 61 273-12. Building reservoir Sep 61wimbledon heights reservoir, laurie dixon -
Lakes Entrance Regional Historical Society (operating as Lakes Entrance History Centre & Museum)
Photograph, Fish Marie, 2005c
Black and white photograph showing heavy machinery clearing the site of Pecks fish processing factory on Bullock Island, photo also shows dumped sand on island and Kalimna Heights in background. Lakes Entrance Victoriaislands, waterways, topography -
Lakes Entrance Regional Historical Society (operating as Lakes Entrance History Centre & Museum)
Photograph, 1888 c
Black and white photograph of timber piers at Entrance showing dredge Wombat and rail line to Western Pier. No machinery on either pier. Person standing on sand dune beside rail line Lakes Entrance Victoriaislands, waterways -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Spanners - Open ended x2
Spanners are used to tighten nuts of different sizes. These spanners are large and were used on larger items eg. H.V. McKay machinery. Used by residents of the Kiewa Valley.Both spanners are straight and made of steel. The 'H.V. McKay' spanner has '824' on the back (at the 'knob' end) and has a 'knob' at one end. The other spanner has the same type of opening at each end (no knob) and has embossed '55A' on one side at one end.H. V. McKay embossed (at the knob end) on one spanner and 824 on the back of it. 55A embossed on one side of the other spannerspanners, h.v.mckay -
Orbost & District Historical Society
screw driver, first half 20th century
This screwdrivers is a woodwork toolused for driving screws into materials or for securing or loosening parts on machinery. It was probably used on a rural property in early Orbost...This is an example of a domestic tool commonly used in the first half of the 20th century before the widespread use of power tools.A large steel flat head screw driver with a rounded, wooden grooved handle.tool screwdriver woodworking -
Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum
Document, Eildon Dam
Written by an engineer to give details of Eildon project and the part played by Ex German POW's in using German produced machinery (Krupp)Olive green cover, black spine. White label on fronteildon damtatura, burns f, tatura, irrigation, engineering, documents -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Daniel Harvey Headstone
Daniel Harvey was born in the Mallee. He came to work in an orchard owned by Kurt Hillman. He was known as "The Father of Farm Machinery.Three black and white photographs of Daniel Harvey's headstone at Box Hill Cemetery.daniel harvey, gravestones, box hill cemetary -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - NEW MOON MINE - COPIES OF NEGATIVES OF THE NEW MOON MINE
Four copies of negatives, three showing mining machinery and the fourth, a table. (a) shows machinery driven by a large flywheel. A man is operating the machine. (b) shows the crushing machine and tables. They are driven by long belts being driven by a long overhead shaft. Two men are at the machine. A tub is in the foreground. (c - shows a view of the fitting shop at crushing machine. Picture is not very clear. There are four men in the picture. (d) shows a reverse image table of gross total of tons, gold, dividends and calls to June 30th, 1906.photo, new moon mine, copies of negatives of the new moon mine, mine machinery, crushing works, a richardson -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - CENTRAL DEBORAH GOLD MINE: HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
2 typed copies of history and description of the Central Deborah Mine. Document describes the Historical Record, Historical Background, Brief Chronological History, Some Facts (a brief description of the machinery), Miners' Wages, Price of Gold, Huge Mining Machinery of Other Days, Some Notes on the Geology and the Central Deborah Reefs. Written by A. Richardson. One copy has 1235 D in a circle written on the top left corner and the second copy has Mr John Arthur 15/11/71 30c written across the top.mine, gold, central deborah mine, central deborah gold mine, history of central deborah gold mine, victoria hill, mining machinery, a. richardson, central deborah gold mine geology, central deborah gold mine reefs, price of gold -
National Wool Museum
Film - Hirst Family Films, Cedric L Hirst, 1950s
Copy of Godfrey Hirst family videos/photograph on CD. Including 1951 floods at Mill. All video content filmed at Godfrey Hirst Woollen Mill, Swanston Street, South Geelong. Godfrey Hirst's children. Family home in Newtown and holiday home in Eastern View.Compact disc (CD) containing colour video footage. Film has no audio content. Visual content outlined below: 00:00 – 00:05 – External view of brick building – Godfrey Hirst & Co. Pty. Ltd. 00:05 – 00:10 – Exterior garden setting, three men in suits with fabrics and object 00:10 – 00:28 – Exterior garden setting showing eight women, most likely on a break from working at the Godfrey Hirst factory. The footage shows them all getting up and walking back towards the building at the end. 00:28 – 00:38 – Exterior garden setting, showing seven men in white shirts and ties seated and standing around a table, turning pages on a folder on the table. 00:38 – 00:52 – Interior factory setting, showing four men in coats handling green and red wool. 00:52 – 1:08 – Three men in suits in an exterior garden setting looking at paperwork. 1:08 – 1:23 – Four men in coats in a garden handling coloured wool samples. 1:23 – 1:42 – Four men in suits in a garden setting handling woven fabric. Two of the men are holding pipes. 1:42 – 1:57 – Interior factory setting showing men operating machinery. 1:57 – 2:05 – Exterior factory setting showing a man driving machinery carting wool bales. 2:05 – 3:14 - Flood scenes, showing the exterior of the Godfrey Hirst building with a man rowing a boat down the street, and a horse and cart in flood waters. There are scenes of flooded streets, exterior of flooded buildings and people standing in flood waters. 3:14 – 3:40 - Interior building views of flood waters in factory with people, machinery, equipment and textiles in flood waters. 3:40 – 4:03 - Exterior views showing a tractor, boat, horse and people in flood waters. 4:03 – 7:02 Exterior setting showing crowds of people watching a fashion parade. The fashion parade is of women in various clothing, including suits jackets, skirts, coats and hats. 7.02 - END"Hirst family films 1936-1964 Incl. Godfrey Hirst and co P/L Woollen mills"geelong, godfrey hirst & co. pty. ltd., family films, factory, flooding, 1950s, wool processing, fashion, textiles, horse and cart, wool bales, transport, machinery, fashion parade, working life -
Moorabbin Air Museum
Administrative record (item) - CAC Documents Relating to the Depreciation of Factory Equipment and Proposal for a Taxpayer-Funded Allowance, Depreciation - Special
Documents make the case for an allowance provided to wartime industries to pay for new machinery, owing to consistent wear and tear. The articles refer to this as depreciation. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Engineers Sketch-Book
This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Engineers Sketch-Book of Mechanical Movements, Devices, Appliances, Contrivances and details employed in the design construction of machinery for every purpose. Author: Thomas Walter Barber Publisher: E & F N Spon Ltd Date: 1897Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 620 BAR Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Librarywarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, great ocean road, the engineers sketch-book of mechanical movements, thomas walter barber