Electrical telegraphs were point to point text messaging systems primarily used from the 1840's until the late 20th century. It was the first electrical telecommunications system and were sent by an operator or telegrapher using Morse code. Social telegrams were also encouraged and special pictorial forms and envelopes were designed such as the special purple form and envelope which was used when conveying condolence details during World War 2.(fn. Powerhouse https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/163103). There was a brief resurgence in telegraphy during World War I but the decline continued as the world entered the Great Depression years of the 1930s.  Although telegraph lines continued to play an important part in distributing news feeds from news agencies post World War 2, the rise of the internet in the 1990s and the widespread installation of the telephones in homes saw the need for telegrams to greatly decline. When the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Act was passed in June 1902, and a national Postmaster General's Department (the PMG) was established the responsibility for the nation's mail and telephone services fell on Post Offices. The Bendigo Post Office, built in 1887 and situated on Pall Mall was the central distribution centre for receiving and delivering telegrams and continued to deliver communication and postal services until 1997. Now a Visitor Centre, dedicated volunteers at the Post Office continued to demonstrate and educate the public about telegraphic services and the development of this unique form of communication up until 2019 when Covid 19 disrupted every day life, coupled with the death Ted Rankins (the last Post Master and a long term telegraph volunteer at the Post Office). This satchel was used by Junior Postal Workers in Bendigo to carry telegrams which were delivered by bicycle in the early years and is part of the postal collection donated by the Rankins family in memory of Ted. Small, dark coloured rectangle, leather satchel with attached belt and ornate buckle. Satchel is made of four pieces of leather: two side pieces, one piece which is folded to create the front, bottom, back and flap and one piece for the central strap. The central strap has a single hole through which a metal toggle is inserted to secure the flap closed. Stitching is evident around the side seams, around the metal toggle and inside flap where strap is attached and has been reinforced. Satchel has four metal tabs to secure the top front to the top sides and an internal pocket on inside. The leather belt is attached to the back outside of the satchel with four metal press studs. The left side buckle also has reinforced stitching. Both sides of the buckle have decorative elements with the words Post Office / Communications/ Australia on the left side around outer circular edge. Underside of right side of buckle end has the words AROS pressed into it. Inside flap of satchel; Australia / Post / Telegram / Boys written in marker. Buckle; Post Office / Communications / Australia. Underside of right side of buckle end; AROS Internal; Gold address sticker with Ted Rankins contact details.ted rankins collection, bendigo post office, bendigo tourism, city of greater bendigo tourism, post office collection

Collection McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for a gold mining company. Signs of red and gold painted decoration.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Documents: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet: contract ( 1938 ), two letters and two receipts detailing arrangements for electricity supply to Deborah Gold Mine NLElectricity Supply Department, Bendigo Branchorganization, mining, deborah gold mine nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet: deborah gold mine nl, gold mining, electricity

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet: South Deborah Gold Mines NL. Statement book from National Bank of Australasia Limited. Black cover.organization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet:, south deborah gold mines nl, gold mining, bank statements, national bank.

Document McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; Sun Insurance Office; Fire Policy; South Deborah Gold Mine NL, Number 17318164; 2 pagesorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, Central Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Company NL, Report and Statement of Accounts for Period Ending September 30, 1940.organization, mining, central nell gwynne gold mining co, mccoll rankin & stanistreet, central nell gwynne gold mining company nl report and statement of accounts for period ending september 30, 1940

Document: McColl, Rankin & Stanistreet Collection: Central Deborah Gold Mine list of shareholders for 1st. May 1950, with proxy forms returned by shareholders.organization, business, central deborah gold mine nl, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet collection: central deborah gold mine nl, mining, shareholders

Manilla Folder containing correspondence and applications for a mining lease on the Garden Gully Line known as Mumford's Claim, also contains maps of lease numbers 9993, 10173, and 10390 (all on the Garden Gully Line).McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, Charing Cross Bendigogold mining, miners' safety cage, central garden gully, mining, gold mines, bendigo, garden gully, mumfords claim

Manilla Folder containing Lease application and correspondence for lease No. 11007 (Tambour Major). Includes Map of lease. Also references to lease Numbers 10168 and 10899. Dated September 1939McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, Charing Cross Bendigo.gold mining, miners' safety cage, tambour major lease, gold mines, bendigo tambour major

Manilla Folder containing documents relating to Lease No. 10819. owned by My J. Hains of 46 Breen Street Bendigo. Mr Arthur Davies of 35 Sternberg Street wanted to prospect on the ground as the lease had not been worked for some considerable timeMcColl Rankin & Stanistreet, Charing Cross Bendigo.gold mining, miners' safety cage, concord lease, mining, gold mines, bendigo, mining leases

a. Hard cover journal, green cover, buff spine and corners. 'Share Register' written on spine. Handwritten entries of shareholders of two companies, names not written in. Loose between pages is a receipt for £2.0.0 naming the Prince Consort Tribute company indicating this may have been one of the companies (situated in California Gully, Eaglehawk). Index to shareholders in front. Company is listed in Government Gazettes online, showing names of original shareholders: http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/view.cgi?year=1870&class=general&page_num=117&state=V&classNum=G4&searchCode=5365496 b.MCCOLL, RANKIN & STANISTREET, Charing Cross, Bendigo.business, mining, prince consort tribute

John Thomas Farr was the son of James Edward Farr and Elizabeth Rankin. He died in September 1902,Portrait of J.T Farr, foundation member of the Old Colonists' Association of Ballarat. old colonists' association, ballarat, j.t. farr, medal, founders, john thomas farr

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet: lease documents. 12 pages of lease details, with attached map plan on no 9672 Bendigo. ( Abel and Eve Street marked )organization, mining, deborah gold mines nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet: deborah gold mines nl, gold mining, lease

Document; McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; South Deborah Gold Mines; Permission to grant a Tribute on lease 11141, Form K (clause 50); 3 pagesorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

Document; McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; South Deborah Gold Mines NL; Companies Rules and Regulations; original; Booklet 13 pages, including original certificate.Cook & Heathcote Pty Ltd, 404 Collins Street, Melbourne.organization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet - Deborah Gold Mines NL. and James Mackay & Charles William Leonard . Agreement with underwriters and ratifying agreement. 2 pagesorganization, mining, deborah gold mine nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet, deborah gold mines nl., gold mining, gold mining lease document

A mining firm was established by Hugh McColl in 1871. It was taken over by his son and later another son becoming McColl Bros. Prior to 1896 Ronald Alexander Rankin, who had worked as a clerk in the company from boyhood was made a partner and the firm became McColl and Rankin. In 1911, john J Stanistreet was also promoted to partner and the firm was called McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet. The partnership was dissolved in 1917 upon the retirement of McColl although the company continued under the same name. The company provided legal management of mines, insurance brokerage and legal services and eventually operated from their newly built premises, Commercial House, in Charing CrossBook: list of employees, address and number of dependents, presumed to be Red White & Blue Extended. Cardboard cover - patterned, red spine, loose pages inserted giving names, trade, or occupation, days worked, remarks.MCCOLL RANKING & STANISTREETorganization, business, gold mining staff, mccoll ranking & stanistreet, red white and blue extended gold mine

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet: South Deborah Gold Mines NL receipt book for call on shares in the above company. book. Buff coloured with yellow pages.organization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet: south deborah gold mines nl., gold mining, shares

Document; McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; South Deborah Gold Mines NL; Sun Insurance Office Ltd; Employer's indemnity policy; Number 214464, 1 Pageorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

Document; McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; South Deborah Gold Mines NL; State Accident Insurance Office Victoria; Mines Policy, Workers compensation, One pageorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet Collection. Book covered in brown card tied with string on spine. On front in pen 'Mines Act Victoria 1928' 225 pages.Victorian Governmentorganization, mining, mines act 1928, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet, mining, goldmines

Document: McColl, Rankin & Stanistreet, Central Deborah Gold Mine NL. Pink Manilla folder containing typed sheets of financial statements for years 1947 - 1956organization, business, central deborah gold mine, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, central deborah gold mine nl, goldmining, financial statements

Document: McColl, Rankin & Stanistreet Collection: Central Deborah Gold Mine NL - printed proxy forms returned for half yearly meeting 30 June 1969.organization, business, central deborah gold mine, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet collection: central deborah gold mine nl. gold mining, proxy forms

Letter from Ian [?]Rankin, "The Yanko", Jerilderie, NSW 1950 to W.R. Lang, Gordon Institute of Technology, Geelong re: wool samplessheep stations - management wool - testing, gordon technical college, lang, dr w. roy, the yanko, nsw, sheep stations - management, wool - testing

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet Collection - cash book, burgundy cover with leather edges and spine. Written on spine ' Pyrites Co.' and 'Cash Book'. Entries in book handwritten, dated 1871-1875, include share transactions, payments and receipts. Page 134 states 'Patent Pyrites Works Coy Limited'. Book in McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet collection, although dates in book predate the company's formation.organization, mining, pyrites co., mccoll, rankin and stanistreet, goldmining, accounting

Light buff coloured envelope addressed to Mr M. P. Kelly, Exchange, Bendigo. Envelope has McColl, Rankin & Stanistreet, Legal Managers, Accountants, etc. Bendigo.business, stockbroker, kelly & allsop, kelly and allsop collection - envelope, mr m p kelly, mccoll rankin & stanistreet

Document: McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet: South Deborah Gold Mines NL. Two pieces of buff cardboard held by string. Written on front in pen ' South Deborah Accounts'organization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl, mccoll, rankin and stanistreet: south deborah gold mines nl., gold mining, accounts

Document McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet; South Deborah Gold Mines NL; Sun Insurance Office; Fire policy; Number 17317981; Property insured description; 2 pagesorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl

Document McColl, Rankin and Stanistreet, 3 page plus Gazette cutting; South Deborah Gold Mine NL; Increase of capital register; treasury consent and Gazette announcementorganization, mining, south deborah gold mines nl