WARRNAMBOOL MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853, a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November 1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half-yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fundraising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however, it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former courthouse in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much - loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historical books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historical Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed artworks and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and its Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items have become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850s to the late 1950s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr R. Pattison. The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments 1871 Publisher: Oxford University Press for the British and Foreign Bible Society Date: 1871 Further Information: The label on spine cover with typed text RH 220 BIB Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Libraryflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, 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, the holy bible containing the old and new testaments 1871

A history of Diamond Creek from earliest records of white visitors (1836) to the 1970s. John Ryan was born in Diamond Creek and lived there all of his life.A detailed history and anecdotes of the Diamond Creek area and its early pioneers.55 pages. Soft cover, light brown with copy of early painting of Diamond Creek on front cover. Black and white illus. 3 copiesOn page one in pencil: John Mackeydiamond creek, john l ryan

Used for reference by the Terrill familyColoured brochure and colour card for Sapolin varnish stains, printed, on cartridge-type paper, both sides and folded in three.varnish, wood finishing, advertising

Black and white photographWritten on back of photograph: "New municipal offices being built".

Black and white photographWritten on back of photograph: "New municipal offices being built."

Written on back of photograph, "McEwans 1984. New shopping area."

Catalogue card reads, "Ringwood, 1982. Versteegen's, New Street".

Black and white photographRingwood Bowling Club- New Clubrooms at Miles Avenue, 1931.

This etching by British engraver Arthur Willmore was created from Russian born artist Nicholas Chevalier’s original watercolour landscape of Bontharambo, Wangaratta (Chevalier’s watercolour is held in the collection of the National Library of Australia). Chevalier moved to Australia during the Colonial period and is famous for his landscape paintings, which were most commonly commissioned by wealthy landowners or merchants wanting to record their material success. Bontharambo is a historic property located in Wangaratta which was made famous by pastoralist Joseph Docker who took up the Bontharambo run in 1838 and has remained in the family since. The historic homestead on the property was built between 1857-1859 and was designed by architect Thomas Watts.ColonialWangaratta Art Gallery CollectionA rectangular landscape etching of the homes on Bontharambo station printed in black ink on off-white paper.Obverse: N. Chevalier/ A. Willmore/ THE OLD & NEW HOME STATIONSwangaratta art gallery, arthur willmore, nicholas chevalier, bontharambo, wangaratta

Black and white photographTyped on backing sheet, "Something new in Ringwood's night scenery - the glamorous new showroom of H. G. McLean Motors, in Whitehorse Road, West end, Ringwood."

Large hand colour photograph depicting a driver on his sulky and horse.New Derby / Globe Derby New - Zealand Greta / Owner L. King - Trainer and Driver C. Robertson Jnr / Winner of Ascot £500 Trot 1932trotting, new derby, boort, jack king, globe derby, new zealand greta, ascot, 1932, charlie robertson jnr, c robertson jnr, charlie robertson, c robertson

In 1806, William Colgate, a soap and candle maker, opened up a starch, soap and candle factory on Dutch Street in New York City under the name of "William Colgate & Company". In the 1840s, the firm began selling individual cakes of soap in uniform weights. In 1857, William Colgate died and the company was re-organized as "Colgate & Company" under the management of Samuel Colgate, his son. In 1872, Colgate introduced Cashmere Bouquet, a perfumed soap. In 1873, the firm introduced its first toothpaste, an aromatic toothpaste sold in jars. His company sold the first toothpaste in a tube, Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream (invented by the dentist Washington Sheffield), in 1896. In 1896, Colgate hired Martin Ittner and under his direction founded one of the first applied research labs.[3] By 1908 they initiated mass selling of toothpaste in tubes.In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the B.J. Johnson Company was making a soap entirely of palm oil and olive oil, the formula of which was developed by B.J. Johnson in 1898. The soap was popular enough to rename their company after it - "Palmolive". Around the start of the 20th century Palmolive, which contained both palm and olive oils, was the world's best-selling soap. ). A Missouri-based soap manufacturer known as Peet Brothers merged with Palmolive to become Palmolive-Peet. In 1928, Palmolive-Peet bought the Colgate Company to create the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company. In 1953 "Peet" was dropped from the title, leaving only "Colgate-Palmolive Company", the current name.A metal cylinder with a screw top for a 'Colgate' shaving stick. Until the early 20th century, bars or sticks of hard shaving soap were used. Later, tubes containing compounds of oils and soft soap were sold. Newer creams introduced in the 1940s neither produced lather nor required brushes, often referred to as brushless creams.Soaps are used by wetting a shaving brush, which is made out of either boar hair or badger hair, and swirling the brush on the soap, then painting the face with the brush. Brushless creams do not produce a lather, thereby removing its ability to protect the skin against cuts.Cylinder : COLGATE & CO. / SHAVING / STICK / NEW YORK / USA Lid: C&Ccolgate company, colgate-palmolive pty ltd, morabin, bentleigh, cheltenham, razors, cut-throat razors, safety razors, early settlers, soap, shaving cream, toothpaste

This item is a souvenir of the Bi- Centenary of Australia (1988) It features the new Parliament House in Canberra which was opened in May 1988 and cost more than one billion dollars to build and contains four thousand seven hundred rooms. This item came from the estate of a well known Warrnambool lawyer and is retained as a high quality souvenir of the Bi-Centenary of AustraliaCircular ceramic plate. White concave surface with blue drawing of Parliament House, Australian Coat of Arms, flowers including banksia, Sturt Desert Pea, eucalypt and seven pointed stars. Reverse has raised inner rim and includes text in blue. Front 1988 Reverse ROYAL COPENHAGEN DENMARK and crown. COPYRIGHT THE A.B.A 1981 REG.TRADE MARK OF THE A.B.A. USED UNDER LICENCE BY ROYAL COPENHAGEN NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA Logo Australia 1788-1988 Signature " Gorn Uestezaul"(?)parliament house, bi centenary of australia

Elsies New Relations by Martha Finley Publisher George Routledge and Sons Date 1889flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, elsies new relations, martha finley, book

Architectural plan for the New Classrooms at the Ballarat School of Mines, later known as the Administration Building.ballarat school of mines, new classrooms, administration building, a building, architectural plans

Architectural plan for the New Classrooms at the Ballarat School of Mines, later known as the Administration Building.ballarat school of mines, new classrooms, administration building, a building, architectural plans

B&W Photograph of Teacher and pupils beside new trees next to building block. Written on back of photograph, "Ringwood Tech. trees".

Photograph of a number of infantry personnel in front of a multi-leveled barracks in Noumea, New Caledoniaarmed forces, new caledonia, noumea, barracks, military

Four coloured plans and one copy of the new trades building at the Ballarat School of Mines.ballarat school of mines, architecture, trades, plumbing, percy everett, architectural drawing

Letter from Douglas Scott to the Ballarat School of Mines concerning safe delivery of certificates. Correspondence on New Rietfontontein Estate Gold Mines Limited letterhead to the Ballarat School of Mines.new rietfontontein estate gold mines limited, letterhead, douglas scott, frederick martell, the rand, alumni, transvaal, south africa, rietfontein

The Ballarat School of Mines is now part of Federation UniversityPlan (blueprint) for electric hot water services to new Ballarat School of Mines workshops ballarat school of mines, new workshops, electric hot water service, public works department of victoria, archectural plans