From 30 Sep and 27 Nov 1916, Bob and Harold Snape worked together in 2nd Division HQ, in the basement of Fricourt Château, snape collection

non-fictionThis book brings to life for many Australians, the close connection between Australia and East Timor. In 1941-42, Archie Campbell was a lieutenant in the 'Sparrow Force' the 300 men of the 2/2nd Independent Company in a 14-month campaign of ambushes and hit-and-run tactics which effectively pinned down more than 15,000 Japanese troops in East Timor. This book recounts the bloodless Australian landing in Portuguese East Timor, military actions against the Japanese, and eventual evacuation to Darwin. Central to Campbell's experience is the ambush and execution of a section from his platoon, shortly after the Japanese landing in Dili. In 1973, Archie returned to East Timor to meet Barana, the East Timorese man who, as a 12-year-old boy, helped and protected him during the campaign. Each Timorese boy who helped a commando and guarded him while he slept, was called that commando's Criado. Ken White accompanied Archie in the 1973 journey to East Timor to find Barana. He has used excerpts from Archie's own diary to tell the heart-warming story of their first meeting after 30 years. Historical background on the centuries of Portuguese rule, the Japanese occupation and the more recent Indonworld war ii, independent companies, australian commando, timor

As Australia commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli, it is both saddening and heart warming to pause and reflect on those who died serving their communities and their country as surf lifesavers.soldiers -- australia, surf lifesaving (aquatic sports)

Jane Annois had a long involvement with Potters Cottage in Warrandyte, where she taught for many years. Potters Cottage was established in the late 1950s in Warrandyte as an artist co-operative. Founding members included Reg Preston, Phyl Dunn, Gus McLaren, Artur Halpern, Sylvia Halpern and Elsa Ardern. These talented artists had the ingenuity and foresight to create a teaching studio, gallery shop and restaurant to experiment, make, promote and sell predominantly domestic wares of the time. These activities helped financially sustain each member’s individual creative practice. Potters Cottage was influential in the development of contemporary ceramics, building and developing practices that experimented with traditional ceramic processes, raw materials and locally sourced clay. The group mentored and nurtured many interested in the art of ceramics, producing alumni and teachers such as Peter Laycock, John Dermer, Greg Daly and Jane Annois. Jane Annois is a ceramic artist who has lived and worked locally in Warrandyte for many years. She focuses primarily on exploring the art of Japanese raku, adapting the technique to develop the typical characteristics of crackle glazes and lustres, with contrasting areas of black. Jane also applies a fine slip called terrasigillata which gives soft, warm ochre colours. This technique was once used by the Greeks over 2000 years ago to seal and decorate their pots. She is also strongly onfluenced by the French potters, particularly in the style of terre vernissee, a decorative form of terracotta tableware. Three piece stoneware and raku fired ceramic sculpture. The first piece is a hollow, dome shaped object. It is orange (terracotta slip) in colour with a copper metallic band and a black edge on one side with a small yellow glazed rounded triangle and metallic strip of colour on the otherside. The second piece is shaped like a traditional vase. It is orange (terracotta slip) in colour with white crackle on the inside. It has a yellow slip edge with a dark glazed square on one side and on the other side a black thick edge that mirrors the contour of this shape. The third piece is shaped loosley in the form of the letter 'z'. It compliments the second piece with a yellow slip edge and black glazed square to its lower left side and top right as well as on its' other side a black thick edge that mirrors the contour of this shape. This piece has a very small skewed square opening at its' top. All three pieces have elements of crazing and variations of colour and lustre, caused by the raku process. 2006.52.1VA has the artist name/signature 'J. Annois' inscriped small (with fine point ceramic tool?) on the front of the piece, bottom right; 2006.52.2VA has the artist name 'Jane'? inscribed (unlegible - with fine point ceramic tool?) underneath; 2006.52.3VA has the artist name/signature 'Jane Annois' inscriped (with fine point ceramic tool?) inside its hollow form. evolution, raku, stoneware, terrasigillata, terracotta, glazes, slip, terre vernissee

Article retells the story of the rescue of the Scammell deckhouse which was incorporated into a Torquay home.A warm story of the survival of a significant part of the Scammell wrecked off Torquay in 1891.Black and white photograph

MonoprintNot signed. not datedold woman warming her feet

Whittingslowe Engineers Ltd of Adelaide was an Australian manufacturer. A patent for the 'Hot-Glow' water bottles was issued to the company in 1945. An advertisement in 1946 (Morning Bulletin, 19/06) describes the bottles as all metal and advertised their price as 11/6 each.These two hot water bottles are fine and rare examples of products produced by a major Australian engineering and manufacturing company.Two brass cylindrical hot water bottles, manufactured by Whittingslowe. The label of the manufacturer and distributor is on the from of each bottle on a red and gold label."HOT-GLOW' WATER BOTTLES / WHITTINGSLOWE MANUFACTURER / ? WOOD PTY LTD MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY / AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTORShot water bottles, domestic objects, whittingslowe - manufacturers

Trophy was for a pool table and darts competition; though it ran for only 2011, 2012, the naming of the trophy illustrated the esteem in which Dave Lewis was held at his untimely passing.The trophy despite being Retired, maintains a warm memory of one of the earliest Diamond Valley Vietnam Veterans - Dave Lewis.Metal trophy on plastic standFront: Diamond Valley Vietnam Veterans. Dave Lewis Memorial Trophy. Rear: Competition winners 2011 and 2012.diamond valley vietnam veterans sub branch, trophy

Two Pictures of 1972 Premiership Player John O'ConnellCareer : 1970 - 1976 Debut : Round 3, 1970 vs Richmond, aged 18 years, 361 days Carlton Player No. 818 Games : 111 Goals : 0 Guernsey Nos. 50 (1970-71) and No. 19 (1972-76) Last Game : Preliminary Final, 1976 vs North Melbourne, aged 25 years, 149 days Height : 183 cm (6 ft. 0 in.) Weight : 82 kg (12 stone, 13 lbs.) DOB : April 22, 1951 Premiership Player 1972 After starting his career at Carlton as a centreman or ruck-rover at Under-19 and Reserves level, John Michael “Jack” O’Connell found his niche in defence for the Blues and was a creative back pocket in Carlton’s record-breaking 1972 Grand Final victory over Richmond. A dasher who loved to take off on bouncing runs, Jack spent much of his career alongside champion full-back Geoff Southby, with either Vin Waite or David McKay in the opposite pocket. Together, they created a full-back line regarded as among the best in club history. O’Connell’s journey to Premiership glory began during his school days at St Mark’s in Melbourne’s outer north, then at Glenroy YCW and Fawkner. In 1967, aged 17, he joined Carlton’s Under-19s, and by midway through 1969 he was playing Reserves football in guernsey number 50. Early in the following year, a couple of strong showings saw him banging on the door of senior selection, and he was duly rewarded by being named on the bench for his senior debut against Richmond at the MCG in round 3, 1970. For the Blues and their supporters, the game was a forgettable one, because Carlton surrendered a big half-time lead to be beaten by 13 points, and O’Connell wasn’t called on until the dying minutes. Sent back to the Reserves after that one brief taste if the big time, Jack honed his skills and bided his time - for more than a year – while Carlton went on to win the 1970 Premiership. Eventually, he earned a recall midway through 1971, but with a bevy of stars standing in his way, he was a regular reserve until late in the year, when coach John Nicholls – aware that incumbent Ian Collins intended to retire – offered O’Connell a chance in the back pocket. Jack grasped his opportunity with both hands. At 183 cm and 82 kg he was bigger than the average specialist back-pocket of that era, but he gave nothing away in agility. An excellent mark and an accurate kick off either foot, he had settled in beside Southby by the end of that season, playing the last ten games straight. As season 1972 dawned and Collins retired, O'Connell inherited the Blues’ number 19 guernsey and began marking his mark in the Carlton defence. Inspired by Southby’s creativity and Waite’s aggression, Jack was soon a headache for every opposition club. An ankle injury sustained in round 5, 1972 against Collingwood cost him five matches, but he was back to top form by finals time, when Carlton finished the regular season on top of the ladder. In their first final together – the Second Semi Final - O’Connell, Southby and Waite were resolute in a thrilling draw. Richmond won the replay, then Carlton conquered St Kilda in the Preliminary Final to earn another crack at the Tigers in the Grand Final. Opting for a strategy of all-out attack in the flag decider, the Blues blasted off the blocks to kick 8 goals in the first quarter, 10 in the second and 7 in the third to put the game right out of Richmond’s grasp with a full quarter remaining. After coasting to the final siren, the Blues collected their eleventh VFL Premiership by 27 points. Waite was missing from the match, having been injured in the Preliminary Final, but David McKay was a more than adequate replacement, and all three defenders on the last line completed an excellent final series. On the way to another consistent season in 1973, O’Connell strained a thigh in Carlton’s surprise loss to Fitzroy at the Junction Oval in round 16, and wasn’t recalled to the senior side until the Grand Final, when Carlton and Richmond met once more in the 48th match of Jack’s career. A few days beforehand, Barry Armstrong had been ruled out when he was hit by appendicitis, so O’Connell took over Armstrong’s assigned role of negating the Tigers’ star centreman Ian Stewart. Jack stuck to his task all match, but neither he nor his team could hold back a ferocious Richmond side that crashed and bashed its way to victory. O’Connell went on to play in two more finals campaigns in 1975 and ’76 but was denied the joy of another September victory. He brought up game number 100 at Princes Park in June 1976, when Carlton ended a five-game losing sequence to beat Essendon, before calling time on his VFL career after the Blues suffered a heart-breaking 1-point loss to North Melbourne in that season’s Preliminary Final. In 1977 O'Connell was cleared to WAFL club Subiaco. Later he came back to Victoria and coached Diamond Creek to a Premiership in the Diamond Valley League. Then in 1987, the football world was rocked by the news that Jack had been diagnosed with a virulent form of cancer. He fought hard for 18 months, but tragically passed away on the 5th November, 1989 aged just 38. Career Highlights 1971 - 3rd Reserves Best & Fairest 1971 - Reserves Most Improved Player 1972 - Premiership Player Milestones 50 Games : Round 2, 1974 vs Geelong 100 Games :Round 13, 1976 vs Essendon Footnotes Off the field, O’Connell was a quiet, reserved character who, by 1973 had struck a warm friendship with another man of few words in his champion team-mate Bruce Doull. The pair could often be seen together sharing a beer after Sunday morning recovery sessions, and club folklore has it that the only regular conversation to be heard between them was, “it’s your shout.” In 1997, John's son Luke O'Connell joined Carlton, playing eight Reserves games and kicking three goals.2 x Black & White PhotosThe Sun Articles pasted on back of each photo

Swiss origin. Used and donated by the Burgi family.Cream Calico bag with cherry pips inside. Violet writing in German script printed on outside.Chriefi Steine

Teapot awarded to Mrs Thomas Quayle at the Melbourne Exhibition of 1866 for an exhibit. From the home of the late Mrs. W.J. Sebire.Ornate silver teapot551 on basefood warmers, teapots

stoneware hot water bottle, generally a cylindrical shape with an opening at the top and a round knob on one end which presumably functions as a holder. The main part of the body is cream, with the knob end brown.Stoneware hot water bottle with a screw in lid. Generally a cylindrical shape with an opening at the top and a round knob on one end which presumably functions as a holder. The main part of the body is cream, with the knob end and lid, brown.hot water bottles., bed warmers

This book has been written by Vanda Savill and is about the settlers in the Wallacedale area in Western Victoria. Wallacedale is 28 kilometres south west of Hamilton and was created by the draining of the Condah Swamp. Vanda Savill (1913-2005) and her husband ran a dairy farm and the Bower Birds Nest Museum and History Centre at Heywood. Vanda Savill was passionate about keeping alive the personal histories of local people and for 20 years she wrote and published many books about the areas in which she lived. This book is of interest because it tells the stories of settlers in the Wallacedale area of Western Victoria. It also has appeal because of the warm, conversational style of the author.This is a soft cover book of 216 pages. The cover has a white background with a black and white image of a hand holding a pen and, on the front cover, five black and white photographs and, on the back cover, nine black and white photographs. The title of the book is in red cursive writing. The information in the book is printed from the original handwriting of the author (Vanda Savill). The book also has many black and white photographs. The book is bound with red tape.wallacedale, history of western victoria, vanda savill, warrnambool

This is a book by Vanda Savill giving information on the Lake Condah Aboriginal settlement, its inhabitants and its immediate neighbouring settlers. Lake Condah Mission settlement in Western Victoria was established in 1867. Vanda Savill (1913-2005) with her husband ran a dairy farm and the Bower Birds Nest Museum and History Centre at Heywood. She was passionate about keeping alive the local people’s personal histories and for 20 years, in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, she wrote and published many books on the areas around Heywood. This book is of interest as it gives information on the history of Lake Condah Aboriginal Settlement and the neighbouring settlers in this area. It is also of interest because of the author’s warm and conversational writing style. This is a soft cover book of 164 pages. It has a red cover with black and white images on the front cover of a church and a hand holding a pen. It has been stapled. There are many black and white sketches, illustrations and photographs in the book. The text has been handwritten in cursive script and then printed. lake condah aboriginal settlement, history of western victoria, vanda savill, warrnambool, history

This warm, personal document by an ordinary Australian girl who worked in Vietnam does not pretend to enter areas of speculation and reporting where experts are confoundedlong-xuyen (vietnam). binh-vien, hospitals - vietnam, vietnamese medical services, long xuyen hospital, 1961- 1975 - campaigns - vietnam - long khanh (province)., mekong delta, saigon

Twenty four page knitting pattern book featuring eight colour images of teenagers wearing knitwear, and sixteen pages of black and white printed text and graphics.front: [printed] 662 / PRICE / CODE / D / Patons Teenagers / in Totem or Bluebell / EASY / TO FOLLOW / PATTERNSknitting, pattern, fashion, knitwear, teenagers, leg warmers, patons and baldwins (australia) ltd

Jenna Lee dissects and reconstructs colonial 'Indigenous dictionaries' and embeds the works with new cultural meaning. Long obsessed with the duality of the destructive and healing properties that fire can yield, this element has been applied to the paper in the forms of burning and mark-making. In Without Us, Lee uses charcoal to conceal the text on the page, viewing this process as a ritualistic act of reclaiming and honouring Indigenous heritage while challenging the oppressive legacies of colonialism. Lee explains in Art Guide (2022), ‘These books in particular [used to create the proposed works] are Aboriginal language dictionaries—but there’s no such thing as “Aboriginal language”. There are hundreds of languages. The dictionary just presents words, with no reference to where they came from. It was specifically published by collating compendiums from the 1920s, 30s and 40s, with the purpose to give [non-Indigenous] people pleasant sounding Aboriginal words to name children, houses and boats. And yet the first things that were taken from us was our language, children, land and water. And the reason our words were so widely written down was because [white Australians] were trying to eradicate us. They thought we were going extinct. The deeper you get into it, the darker it gets. But the purpose of my work is to take those horrible things and cast them as something beautiful.’Framed artwork

Early form of home heating and because of the copper dish was considered one of the better models|Manufacturing History Museum Victoria|Commentary: Australian manufacturing history Philip Wollen|Many years ago, when I was an ambition young man, I took over a company called Hecla.|This business was formed in 1872, long before Federation was even contemplated. The company established a rich tradition in the Australian manufacturing industry. The prodigious product range included kettles, mixers, toasters, hairdryers, urns, pie warmers, bain maries, and electric blankets for the domestic and commercial market. During the war it even manufactured parts for aircraft. It was one of Melbourne's largest employers.|Hecla was one of the pioneers in TV advertising, led by icons like Bert Newton, Bobby Limb, Evie Hayes and Graham Kennedy who ad Jibbed his way through irreverent and unscripted naughtiness about Hecla electric blankets and foot warmers. The slogan was 'By Hecla, its good.'. One can imagine the fun Bert and Graham had with their double entendres.|In the 60's Hecla entered into a partnership with General Electric and expanded rapidly. The massive factory, on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Chapel Street overlooking the Yarra River was a Melbourne landmark.|The business was formed by one of the scions of Melbourne industry. Mr Marriott was a metal worker of some repute, building the lights in front of Melbourne's Parliament House, the first steam car, the sideboard at the RACY Club, and the first factory to run on electricity.|By the time I acquired the company it was a shadow of its former self, incapable of competing with cheap Chinese imports. Wandering around the warehouse late one night I discovered a large, boarded up storeroom which appeared not to have been opened in decades.|Over several months I combed through the room, unearthing a treasure trove of products from a bygone era. Dusty files, engineering drawings, wooden prototypes, patent records, and correspondence from distributors on every continent.|I decided to track down an old man, Ray, long retired after 50 years with Hecla. He was not well off financially and welcomed the paid work. It turned out that he had done his apprenticeship with the company and there wasn't much he didn't know about it. He had been personally involved in the manufacture of almost every type of product on the Hecla smorgasbord's of products.|So for over 2 years he methodically assembled a mini museum of Hecla products, painstakingly polishing them and ensuring they were in working order. He attached the original brochure of each product and their respective warranty cards. For him it was ,a labour of love. For me it was a fascinating, if vicarious journey, into Australia's manufacturing past.|My colleagues complained that I was wasting money on his salary, our time and factory space on stuff that should have been dumped years ago. I tried to explain that I was merely a steward of the Hecla tradition, not merely an owner. Besides, the look on Ray's face convinced me that there was another dynamic at work. One I could see, but didn't really understand.|After he Passed away I faced a dilemma. What to do with this 'museum' of Hecla history. Nobody was interested.|So I kept the 'stuff' in private storage, hoping that same day someone would be interested in it. And the years passed.|Finally, I had a brainwave. Perhaps the Melbourne Museum would be interested. It was a long shot but I made the call. I had a nagging suspicion that they would think I was simply trying to get them to relieve me of paying for this huge collection to be taken to the tip.|To my surprise they said they would be willing to take a look, I secretly hoped that they would take the whole collection and not leave me with an incomplete jumble of appliances that I would indeed have to take to the tip.|On the appointed day, four serious looking young people showed up. Armed with digital cameras, note books and poker faces they spent four hours analysing the goods and the supporting materials. I asked them if they had any interest and their response was decidedly non-committal. It depends on the acquisitions committee, I was told. I was disheartened and packed up the exhibits to go back into storage.|Imagine my surprise when months later they telephoned to say that they had researched the history of the company, and yes, they would like to take the whole collection. And a truck with 'handlers' would arrive the following day to pick it up. Two years ago all Hecla's archives left me forever and went to the Museum's warehouse.|Well, to my delight I received a call yesterday inviting me to a private viewing of the exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. These young historians had meticulously assembled an impressive display of Melbourne's industry and technology going back to the 1800's. They thanked me like a significant benefactor when it is I who should have thanked them.|I saw the excitement in the eyes of these young people who had somehow managed to dig out and assemble memories from Australia's past. If this is the standard of care that the curators of the Melbourne Museum show all their exhibits, our history is in safe hands.|Their meticulous work took me back to those years long ago when I saw an old man lovingly assembling and cataloging a lifetime of his work.|It took me back to the day when Australians actually made things. Long before we became a nation of quarrymen. Before we became animal-factory 'farmers'. Of a time when products didn't break down, or dumped and replaced before the warranty expired. When men like Mr Marriott cared deeply about what their hands produced.|It reminded me of the call I received from an elderly lady in Tasmania asking for the electrical element for a Hecla K7 kettle. I searched the archives and called her back. The K7 was produced decades earlier and we no longer carried that spare part. She was quite disheartened and told me her kettle had finally 'given up the ghost' and she couldn't bear to part with it. It was a present from her husband on their wedding day 45 years ago. Her final words were 'they don't make them like that, do they? By Hecla they were good.'|I'm glad I followed my instinct and put Ray back on the payroll all those years ago..|I like to think Mr Marriott would have been pleased.Pedestal radiator. Base is cast iron with three feet with rose design on each. Pedestal supports a copper spherical reflector plate which has an electrical connection box at its base. The connection box is joined to the pedestal by a screw and nut to enable the reflector to be tilted. The element is cone shaped and is in the centre of the plate. The element is protected by a wire guard.Hecla Firedomestic items, heating

A few Alfred nurses who trained in the 1880's and 1890's presented this bell, on August 3, 1931, to the Alfred Hospital Nurses League. List of names Emma F. Rice (Graduated 1888) E.M. Farie-Wright (1888), J.May (1891), Rosa J.M.Snodgrass (1897), Florence B.Lloyd-Wilson (1891) Agnes Dale-Smith (1891) Annie Russell (1889) Annie E.H.Thomson (1892)The Nurses League was founded in 1918 for 'nurses to socialize and exchange ideas'. The League was very active and the social events notoriously noisy. The bell was presented in 1931 with a note, 'hoping it will be useful and also to show warm appreciation of our very pleasant Reunions from a few of the Trainees of the Eighties and Nineties'. The thought was to help bring the gatherings to order long enough to make announcements. It has been used extensively for this purpose over the years and most recently, at the League's centenary lunch in 2018.A small, engraved electroplated nickel silver metal bell. A double rim around the base and leaf shaped handle with graded spaces along the length of the handle.'Presented to the Alfred Hospital Nurses League from a Few Trainees of the Eighties & Nineties.' engraved on front of body of bell. EPNS at top of back of handlehand bell, alfred nurses hospital league

non-fictionFor 25 years of his working life he worked as a Shire Engineer in West Gippsland and developed a reputation for competence and efficiency. Passionate about both trees and golf, he was a careful and measured man with an entrepreneurial spirit who worked behind the scenes He was seen by many as aloof and a hard man and by the very few who became close to him, as warm and fun loving and fond of children. Ross formed a business association with Wally Lawson in Warragul and together they embarked on a number of projects to advance the town and the district. As a young man, Ross had studied geology and working with quarries was familiar to him in his role as a Shire Engineer. In 1959 he established Bayview Quarries in partnership with Wally Lawson. When, in 1968, Bayview Quarries was taken over by Boral Ltd., Ross approached Tom Maw who had an operational quarry at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. Ross and Maw became partners in what became Hillview Quarries. Ross also became the largest individual shareholder in Western Mining. Those shares formed the major part of the legacy he left to establish The R. E. Ross Trust and The Trust now operates on its income from assets acquired following the disposal of the Western Mining shares and from the earnings of Hilhnew Quarries. It is the only trust in Australia which owns a quarry as one of its investments.engineering, philanthropy, quarryman, investor, r.e. ross trust, hillview quarries, wally lawson, roy everard ross

Manufacturing History Museum Victoria|Commentary: Australian manufacturing history Philip Wollen|Many years ago, when I was an ambition young man, I took over a company called Hecla. This business was formed in 1872, long before Federation was even contemplated. The company established a rich tradition in the Australian manufacturing industry. The prodigious product range included kettles, mixers, toasters, hairdryers, urns, pie warmers, bain maries, and electric blankets for the domestic and commercial market. During the war it even manufactured parts for aircraft. It was one of Melbourne's largest employers.|Hecla was one of the pioneers in TV advertising, led by icons like Bert Newton, Bobby Limb, Evie Hayes and Graham Kennedy who ad Jibbed his way through irreverent and unscripted naughtiness about Hecla electric blankets and foot warmers. The slogan was 'By Hecla, its good.'. One can imagine the fun Bert and Graham had with their double entendres.|In the 60's Hecla entered into a partnership with General Electric and expanded rapidly. The massive factory, on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Chapel Street overlooking the Yarra River was a Melbourne landmark.|The business was formed by one of the scions of Melbourne industry. Mr Marriott was a metal worker of some repute, building the lights in front of Melbourne's Parliament House, the first steam car, the sideboard at the RACY Club, and the first factory to run on electricity.|By the time I acquired the company it was a shadow of its former self, incapable of competing with cheap Chinese imports. Wandering around the warehouse late one night I discovered a large, boarded up storeroom which appeared not to have been opened in decades.|Over several months I combed through the room, unearthing a treasure trove of products from a bygone era. Dusty files, engineering drawings, wooden prototypes, patent records, and correspondence from distributors on every continent.|I decided to track down an old man, Ray, long retired after 50 years with Hecla. He was not well off financially and welcomed the paid work. It turned out that he had done his apprenticeship with the company and there wasn't much he didn't know about it. He had been personally involved in the manufacture of almost every type of product on the Hecla smorgasbord's of products.|So for over 2 years he methodically assembled a mini museum of Hecla products, painstakingly polishing them and ensuring they were in working order. He attached the original brochure of each product and their respective warranty cards. For him it was ,a labour of love. For me it was a fascinating, if vicarious journey, into Australia's manufacturing past.|My colleagues complained that I was wasting money on his salary, our time and factory space on stuff that should have been dumped years ago. I tried to explain that I was merely a steward of the Hecla tradition, not merely an owner. Besides, the look on Ray's face convinced me that there was another dynamic at work. One I could see, but didn't really understand.|After he Passed away I faced a dilemma. What to do with this 'museum' of Hecla history. Nobody was interested.|So I kept the 'stuff' in private storage, hoping that same day someone would be interested in it. And the years passed.|Finally, I had a brainwave. Perhaps the Melbourne Museum would be interested. It was a long shot but I made the call. I had a nagging suspicion that they would think I was simply trying to get them to relieve me of paying for this huge collection to be taken to the tip.|To my surprise they said they would be willing to take a look, I secretly hoped that they would take the whole collection and not leave me with an incomplete jumble of appliances that I would indeed have to take to the tip.|On the appointed day, four serious looking young people showed up. Armed with digital cameras, note books and poker faces they spent four hours analysing the goods and the supporting materials. I asked them if they had any interest and their response was decidedly non-committal. It depends on the acquisitions committee, I was told. I was disheartened and packed up the exhibits to go back into storage.|Imagine my surprise when months later they telephoned to say that they had researched the history of the company, and yes, they would like to take the whole collection. And a truck with 'handlers' would arrive the following day to pick it up. Two years ago all Hecla's archives left me forever and went to the Museum's warehouse.|Well, to my delight I received a call yesterday inviting me to a private viewing of the exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. These young historians had meticulously assembled an impressive display of Melbourne's industry and technology going back to the 1800's. They thanked me like a significant benefactor when it is I who should have thanked them.|I saw the excitement in the eyes of these young people who had somehow managed to dig out and assemble memories from Australia's past. If this is the standard of care that the curators of the Melbourne Museum show all their exhibits, our history is in safe hands.|Their meticulous work took me back to those years long ago when I saw an old man lovingly assembling and cataloging a lifetime of his work.|It took me back to the day when Australians actually made things. Long before we became a nation of quarrymen. Before we became animal-factory 'farmers'. Of a time when products didn't break down, or dumped and replaced before the warranty expired. When men like Mr Marriott cared deeply about what their hands produced.|It reminded me of the call I received from an elderly lady in Tasmania asking for the electrical element for a Hecla K7 kettle. I searched the archives and called her back. The K7 was produced decades earlier and we no longer carried that spare part. She was quite disheartened and told me her kettle had finally 'given up the ghost' and she couldn't bear to part with it. It was a present from her husband on their wedding day 45 years ago. Her final words were 'they don't make them like that, do they? By Hecla they were good.'|I'm glad I followed my instinct and put Ray back on the payroll all those years ago..|I like to think Mr Marriott would have been pleased.Large electric heater with two radiator bars and a protective grille at the top and false coals at the bottom.Replacements for this fire - Elements No. F314 - Illuminators No. 3P. Berry's Electric Ltd - Volts 230 - 240 -Watts 2000 V/AD/Cat No. 454 . Made in Australia by Hecla Electrics Pty Ltd Melbournedomestic items, heating