This bottle was used in the Tawonga District General Hospital which was built in the 1950's specifically for the increase in population due to the Kiewa Hydro Scheme. It was used for first aid for the treatment of bruises and joints.Small clear brown glass hexagonal bottle with black screw lid. The lid is grooved for easier opening. On the 3 front sides is a torn white label with red writing, green borders and at the bottom (of the label) black back ground and white writing. On the back is heavily embossed 'Not To Be Taken' and on each side face embossed 4 vertical lines. (to indicate poison). The base is embossed.Label: A lot of small writing in red and 'Tincture of / Iodine'. Below in white writing 'Wholesale Drug Co. / Sydney' Back: 'Not to be Taken' Base: Common Seal / S 1006medical, tincture of iodine, bruises and joints, first aid

1879 - The Argus, Friday 11 July 1879, page 4. The Kew Borough Council having decided to initiate a fire brigade, invited volunteers to send in their names. About 40 complied with the invitation and met at the Town-hall to choose 12 of their number to form the brigade. The 12 elected then chose their officers as follows :— Councillor Gray, captain ; Mr. Thomas Greenhill, foreman ; and Mr. H. Loxton, secretary. The brigade decided to apply to the council for uniforms and a bell; and after adopting rules for their guidance the meeting separated. The brigade now possesses a reel and 500ft. of hose, and a shed is being erected in Little Walpole-street for a station. The council have applied for six additional fireplugs in the Main-road, so that the brigade may now be considered fairly established. 1886 - Globe (Sydney), Tuesday 16 March 1886, page 8 The Kew Fire Brigade, which obtained the pride of place at the recent fire brigades' demonstration, at Sandhurst, was met on their return at Spencer-street Railway Station by the Mayor and Councillors of that suburb, and were subsequently entertained at the Greyhound Hotel. 1886 - South Bourke and Mornington Journal, Wednesday 17 March 1886, page 2 It may be, deemed remarkable, but nevertheless a fact, 'that the Kew Fire Brigade, comparatively a new one, has gained premier place at the recent contest of brigades held at Ballarat, winning two first prizes and two second. On returning they were met at the station and escorted to Kew, preceded by the Borough banner. Certificate awarded to the Kew Volunteer Fire Brigade as an award for winning 'the best average time' in competition at Sandhurst. Surrounding the team's photo are a series of individual oval named portraits of the team. This version of the certificate, (there is two in the collection) is unframed and has a badly torn mount. It is also more faded than the framed version.The photograph without the mount (2016.0097a) has been digitally enhanced. Inscription: "Kew Fire Brigade U.F.B.D. Sandhurst. Kew 1886: Best Average Time, 16 points"kew volunteer fire brigade

Black fragile small thin notebook of handwritten recipes belonging to Lucy Sebire in the late 1800's. The covers are very worn and the pages are torn, faded stained and heavily tanned. It is tied together with string at the top left hand corner. Inside the front cover is a calendar printed for 1889 and 1890. The back cover has a Henderson's Merchants' Ready Reckoner table.non-fictionA handwritten recipe book belonging to Lily Sebire. There are only a few recipes as this is a thin notebook..recipe book, cooking

This is an early 20th Century photograph of the Warrnambool Pipe Band with the three men identified. The Band has been photographed at a recreation ground indicating that the Band was possibly performing at a Western Caledonian Games or gathering.The Warrnambool Pipe Band was established in 1906 and went into recess from 1916 to 1935. Today under the name of Warrnambool and District Pipes and Drums it performs regularly in the area.No other information is available on the men identified. This item is of considerable significance because it conveys a fine impression of members of the Warrnambool Pipe band in the early 20th Century. It is a rare item, redolent with history. A black and white faded.photograph attached to a piece of grey cardboard.The mount is torn in three corners. On the front and back of the mount are handwritten notes in ink. The photograph depicts members of the Warrnambool Pipe Band dressed in uniform with some pipes and drums. Some men are not wearing a band uniform. There are 39 men photographed.The photograph has been marked with three arrows pointing to those identified by the notes . Warrnambool Pipe Band Donald Bruce Uncle to Jim Bruce below Jas. Bruce son of Euphemia Bruce The Isle of Skye Jo Lucas "A louse" who married Maggie McDonald to her sorrow whose mother was Ann Bruce

This book is one of the series of Royal Readers (Scotland) introduced into schools in Victoria in 1877 to replace the Irish Readers. They were in use until the 1920s and at first contained mostly British material (as does this copy which has no Australian content and features many articles on animals). By the late 19th century the Royal Readers used in Victoria contained some Australian material and it is presumed that this copy is an early edition. The Bonnett families were associated with farming in the Mepunga area and Jessie Edith Bonnett, the daughter of Frederick Bonnett and Charity Bonnett (nee Phillips) was born in Allansford in 1897. Jessie Bonnett spent her life on the family farm at Mepunga and was the last of the Bonnett families in that area. Mepunga East State School was established in 1886 with Ruth Broadway as the first Head Teacher. It has now closed. This book, though tattered, is of interest as an example of the Royal Readers used by pupils in Victorian schools in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also important as a book belonging to Jessie Bonnett, a member of the Bonnett family of farmers in the Mepunga area. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society holds in its collection some other items that belonged to Jessie Bonnett, including an important World War One scrapbookThis is a hard cover book of 186 pages. The cover was originally a dark blue-green colour but it is much faded and is now almost detached from the binding. The spine and several pages at the beginning and the end are missing. The text contains many black and white illustrations and some have been coloured in. Some of the pages are torn and stained. There is much scribble on the front and back covers. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink.‘Jessie Edith Bonnett, Mepunga East State School No. 2762’ jessie bonnett, mepunga east state school

This school text book, written by Dr William Davis, was one of several used by the Giles children at Wangoom State School. This arithmetic book has the name, ‘Henrietta Giles’. The Giles family lived on the Allansford Road. Wangoom State School, No. 645, was opened in 1865 on the Warrnambool/Wangoom Road as a Common School and became Wangoom State School after 1872. It is now closed. This book is of interest as an example of a 19th century arithmetic book (note that it has the caption, ‘for school and home use’). It is also of significance as a textbook used by the Giles family, early settlers in the Warrnambool area. This is a hard cover book of 114 pages. The cover is green-black with embossed lettering on the front cover (no longer fully decipherable). The pages are dog-eared and a couple of pages are splotched with ink. The cover is partly detached and very stained and the edges are torn away in some places. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink and there is scribble on some pages. There is a blue stamp of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society on the first page. ‘Henrietta’ ‘Henrietta R.V. Giles, Wangoom State School, No. 645’wangoom state school, history of warrnambool, giles family

This school exercise book belonged to Philip Ridgway Le Couteur, Warrnambool’s first Rhodes Scholar. Philip Le Couteur (1885-1958), the son of George Le Couteur, a Warrnambool chemist and Fanny Byron (nee Maling), began his schooling at Middle Park State School and continued it in Warrnambool at the Warrnambool Academy run by Richard Lawson and William Oakley. He matriculated at the age of 14 and completed an Arts degree at Melbourne University before studying first year medicine. At the university he excelled in sport – cricket, football and tennis. In 1908 he won the Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria and studied classics, classical history and philosophy at Oxford University. In 1913 he was appointed the foundation lecturer in Mental and Moral Philosophy at the University of Western Australia. Following this he was the Head Master at various secondary schools, including Methodist Ladies’ College for 11 years. This book is of great interest because it contains examples of the schoolwork of Warrnambool’s first Rhodes Scholar, Philip Le Couteur.This is a school exercise book of 40 pages. The cardboard cover is a mottled blue and red colour with brown binding. All the pages have handwritten school work including dictation, arithmetic, spelling, map work, grammar and composition. The pages are detached from the cover and the cover is partly torn away and bent. The cover has some sketches drawn presumably by the owner of the book Philip Le Couteur. ‘P. Le Couteur, commenced 22nd November 1898, Sixth Class, Warrnambool School.’rhodes scholars, philip le couteur

This booklet was given to subscribers to the Warrnambool Standard newspaper as an almanac for the year 1891. These Standard Almanacs were produced from 1875 to 1930. They contain much local information on Warrnambool and district about the businesses, government officials, harbour management, churches, banks, schools, societies and organizations etc. The Warrnambool Standard was established in 1872 and continues to this day. This booklet is of high significance as it contains much information about Warrnambool and district for the year 1891. It is an important resource tool for those studying and writing the history of Warrnambool and district. The name ‘Barber’ is on the front cover of this booklet and this appears to refer to George Barber, the son of George Barber, a well-known solicitor who opened a legal practice in Warrnambool in 1855. He died in 1879 and it appears a member or members of his family went to live in the Maryborough district as this booklet came into the collection of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society via the Midlands Historical Society. This is a soft cover booklet of 135 pages, plus pages at the back containing a gardener’s almanac and advertisements. The cover is pale green with black lettering and a decorative black and white border. The cover is a little frayed at the edges and the spine cover is partly torn away. The booklet contains a fold-out sheet with a map of Victorian railway routes and many sketches and illustrations. The name on the front cover is handwritten in pencil. ‘Barber’ warrnambool standard newspaper, history of warrnambool, standard almanac 1891

These plans have been drawn up in 1883 by the Warrnambool architect, William Patterson. They show six sections of plans for the erection of a Church of Christ at 12 Spence Street Warrnambool. The mason was William Kellas and the builder was Harold Dawkins. Church of Christ adherents began meeting in Warrnambool in 1875 and bought land in Spence Street in 1877. The church was opened in 1885 with visiting pastors until a resident minister, A. J. Fisher, was appointed in 1915. This church was closed early in the 21st century when a new church, Gateway Church of Christ, was opened in Ragland Parade in Warrnambool. These plans are of great interest as original ones of the Church of Christ In Spence Street Warrnambool. The plans have come from the present-day Warrnambool Church of Christ. The building still exists but is no longer is use as a church. These are two sheets of cream-coloured thick paper with scaled drawings of plan sections of the Church of Christ in Warrnambool. The drawings are in black ink with some sections coloured in. Both pages have a black line margin drawn around the edges. The pages are torn at the edges in several places and the sheets are much stained. The sheets have been reinforced at the back (left side) with thick brown paper.‘Plan of Christ Church Warrnambool’plans church of christ warrnambool, william kellas, harold dawkins warrnambool

The Hollywood film stars pasted on to one side of this paper are of no historical interest to our Society. The four paper items attached to the other side relate to the pioneer aviator, Basil Watson. He flew the first aeroplane to come to Warrnambool in January 1917. Watson flew from Point Cook to Warrnambool in one hour 55 minutes, an Australian cross-country flying record at the time. He had built his own aeroplane which was 18 feet long with a wing span of 26 feet and it had a 7 cylinder 50 H.P. rotary Gnome engine. In Warrnambool he amazed the crowds with his dare-devil aerial acrobatics, looping the loop 14 times over the Warrnambool Racecourse. Watson also brought several letters with him, making him the bearer of the first aerial mail to Warrnambool. Sadly Basil Watson died when his plane crashed at Point Cook in March 1917, just two months after his record-breaking flight to Warrnambool. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society has in its collection the small galvanized bucket seat which came from Watson’s plane and the original first air letter written by the Mayor of Melbourne to the Mayor of Warrnambool. These four items are of considerable historical interest as they are souvenirs issued at the time of Basil Watson’s aviation exploits in the early 1900s and Watson is of great importance in the aviation history of Warrnambool.This is a piece of paper (possibly from a scrapbook) with one torn edge. Pasted on to the paper on one side are newspaper photographs of early Hollywood female film stars. On the other side are four items relating to the pioneer aviator, Basil Watson – an airmail post card, a newspaper black and white photograph, a souvenir black and white photograph and a card with an illustration of an early aeroplane (pictured upside down). ‘The Aerial Postman Basil Watson’ ‘Official Souvenir Australian Aerial Mail’ basil watson, pioneer aviator, aviation in warrnambool’s history, history of warrnambool

This advertising card comes from the Warrnambool business of Swintons Pty Ltd. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool area. In 1865 he opened a store in Timor Street, Warrnambool, selling groceries, hardware, glassware and china. By 1888 the business was known as William Swinton and Sons. Branch stores were opened in Cudgee, Nullawarre, Wangoom, West Warrnambool and South Warrnambool. After William Swinton died in 1901 his son Robert became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split with George Swinton and Sons selling furnishings, clothing and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling seeds, produce and hardware. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street. This card is of interest as it is a memento of the Warrnambool business of Swinton Pty Ltd. The current Swinton business in Timor Street is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and with the name Swinton associated with Timor Street businesses for over 150 years, it is amongst the oldest family businesses in Australia. This is a piece of cardboard torn in half but joined together with adhesive tape. The cardboard originally had a pink or white background but it is now very stained. The card has a red border with ornamental corners and a black and white photograph of a woman using a telephone and a young girl. The card also has dark blue printing. The card has had printing on the back but this is now covered over with a paper backing. ‘Phone 36 With Compliments from Swinton’s Pty Ltd Universal Providers Timor Street Warrnambool’ ‘Branches: Raglan Parade and at Cudgee’ ‘Grocery Drapery Ironmongery Crockery’ swintons pty ltd, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

.1) The Herald 8.1945. Japanese Surrender. Broad sheet newspaper. .2) Bendigo Advertiser 8.1995. Special supplement commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII. Broadsheet. .3) The Age 7.1968. Pages 9/10, map showing Australia's place in Asian Defence 1967 - 68. Broadsheet. .4) The Sun 8.1973. Torn sheet showing photo of 3 marksmen from Bendigo & their rifles.documents - newspapers, military history, supplements.

Used for polio patient for sleeping. Polio disability aid. Callipers were fitted to lock up the knee joints of weakened leg to enable a person to walk without their legs collapsing and to pick the foot up from the ground when foot drop had occurred due to paralysed skin muscles. The polio patient found these devices restrictive and uncomfortable. See KVHS 1796, KVHS 1798Used by Wilma Davies, a Kiewa Valley resident, who suffered from polio from the early 1950s.Metal frame for each leg to fit in a 'V' shape from the waist to the feet. Supported by canvas straps - 3 on the left side, and 2 on the right (1 has been torn off and replaced with leather straps). 2 flat foot shaped steel plates are at the foot end and are adjustable for the feet to be at several angles. The frame has a supporting frame attached giving depth to the calliper.polio, calliper, pandemic

This is a program of a concert organized by the Soldiers’ Christmas Comforts Group and the Red Cross in Warrnambool to raise funds for the soldiers on active service in World War One. The concert was held in the Warrnambool Town Hall in September 1916 and featured a Melbourne artist, Horace Wood, who gave several violin solos and the local Warrnambool orchestra of Miss Gertrude Rooney. The Rooneys were early settlers in the Dennington area and had the property, ‘White Rock’ in Dennington and a produce store in Warrnambool. Miss Gertrude Rooney was an accomplished musician and was prominent in musical circles in Warrnambool during the first half of the 20th century. This program is of interest as an example of the fund raising activities in Warrnambool during World War One and of the type of entertainment offered at concerts at that time. There are many well-known names listed among the orchestra members at the back of the program. This is a sheet of buff-coloured paper folded in two to make four pages. The front page has an ornate red edging and there is dark blue printing on the front and back pages. The front page has a large Red Cross emblem The inside two pages have the printed program of concert items in black print. There are also advertisements for local Warrnambool businesses. The edges of the program are torn and ragged. world war one, warrnambool in world war one, gertrude rooney, musical entertainments in early 20th century, warrnambool

This book contains verses written by Tilly Aston. Matilda Ann (Tilly) Aston was a blind writer and teacher who was born in Carisbrook, Victoria in 1873. She became totally blind at the age of seven. She learned Braille and gained her Matriculation Certificate, spending a short time at Melbourne University. She helped to establish the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and to found the Association for the Advancement of the Blind. She was the first Secretary and later President of the latter association. She was appointed the Head of the School for the Blind in Melbourne and retired from this position in 1925. She published several books of verse and prose. There is a Parliamentary electorate in Victoria called Aston. This book is of considerable interest because the author, Tilly Aston, has an important place in Australian literature. The book, ‘Maiden Verses’ has a local Warrnambool connection as it contains a poem written about Warrnambool, a town which Tilly Aston visited on occasions.This is a hard cover book of 146 pages. It is a book of poems written by Tilly Aston. The cover is dark red with the printing on the spine and on the cover in gold lettering. There is at least one page at the front of the book torn out. There is a receipt for the purchase of the book pasted on to the inside of the front cover. The date of the receipt made out to ‘John F. Watts’ is for three shillings and sixpence (1900). The book is bound with glue and string.Signature on the first page: ‘John F. Watts, Nov. 18th 1900’ (or maybe ‘1901’)tilly aston, australian literature, history of warrnambool

‘Dawnings of Genius’ by the Rev. Theodore Alois Buckley contains chapters on the lives the many distinguished men in history. Our copy of this work was given to Jane McMeekin as a prize at the Koroit Street School some time in the 1870s. The Koroit Street School was a Denominational Board School opened by the Wesleyan Church in 1859 with William Nettleton as the Head Teacher. It was later known as Common School No. 673 and closed in 1876 when the Warrnambool State School in Jamieson Street was opened. There is no date to tell us when Jane McMeekin received this book but we know that Caleb Collyer, who married Ann Brown in 1869, was Head Teacher of Warrnambool Common School No. 673 in 1875. Jane Taggart McMeekin was born in Mepunga in 1864 to John and Isabella McMeekin. She may have been about ten or eleven when she received this prize. This book is of considerable interest as it was a school prize in the 1870s and concerns Jane McMeekin, Caleb Collyer and Common School No. 673 – all of relevance and importance in the history of education in Warrnambool.This is a hard cover book of 408 pages. It has a dark red leather cover with gold and black ornamentation and red lettering on a gold background. It has an introduction and thirty chapters on the lives of eminent men. It has many black and white illustrations. The cover is torn in places and somewhat stained and ragged around the edges. On the first page it has an inscription and a stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society. ‘Second Prize, Fifth Class Girls, Awarded to Jane McMeekin, Koroit Street School, No. 673, Warrnambool, C. Collyer, H. Teacher.’ warrnambool common school 673, caleb collyer, jane mcmeekin, history of warrnambool, schools in warrnambool

This is a book given in 1860 to Miss M. Davidson by L.H.R Miss M. Davidson would most likely be Margaret Milne Davidson (1839-1928) who was born in Kirremuir, Scotland and was the daughter of James and Isabella Davidson of Woodend near Cassadys Bridge on the outskirts of Warrnambool. She never married. The identity of ‘L. H. R.’ is unknown. This book is significant firstly because of its antiquarian interest (an 1857 publication) and secondly because of its connection to Margaret Davidson. Her father and uncle and their families were pioneer settlers in Warrnambool and thus of great importance in our history. This is a hard cover book of 53 pages. The cover is brown with an ornamental pattern impressed into the front cover and gold lettering on the spine. The book has a Preface, an Introduction, 21 chapters of text by Rev. Albert Barnes and an Index. It has a colour fold-up map of Palestine. There is a stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society on the first page and an inscription in black ink. The cover is partly broken away and torn. ‘Miss M. Davidson from L.H.R. Warrnambool 4 May 1860’. margaret davidson, history of warrnambool

Quarterly British Magazine for Gentlemen. "Entirely new series". December - May 1869. Hardcover book with marbelled cover, leather corners and spine. Cover worn with loss of colour. Leather corners worn, leather spine torn. Green ownership label on front cover. Front cover partially detached from body. Binding loose. Evidence of previous insect damage to front flyleaf & inside back cover (non-active).Foxing throughout. 748 pp. Fair condition.Flyleaf, '050/R69'/'159' handwritten & underlined/Kilmore Mechanics Institute stamp.british gentleman's magazine, kilmore mechanics institute library.

This photograph was taken by James Bray who worked as a professional photographer in Camp Street Beechworth from 1870-1891. He was one of four men who photographed the Kelly gang after the siege in Glenrowan in 1880. He is also renowned for his previous work photographing members of the Kelly gang. The photograph depicts pieces of the Kelly gang's armour crafted from plough mouldboards which are arranged on the ground. The exact relation of each piece of armour to the Kelly members was unclear for many years following the siege because the suits were disassembled without documentation and rearranged by guesswork. It was through photographs like this one, which depict the armour very soon after the siege that enabled researchers, in 2002, to reunite each of the suits with their correct pieces. This image is identified as a "Cabinet Portrait". This refers to a photograph mounted on a hard piece of cardboard. They are larger and thicker than the Carte de Visite and gradually replaced the latter in popularity after the 1860s. Identifying features of the Cabinet Portrait is on the front of the image which is generally embossed (or printed) with the details of the photographer. In the case of this image, James Bray is identified as photographer. The image is yellow in tone which compliments the gold coloured mount of the photograph.This photograph is part of the Burke Museum "Kelly album" which includes a significant collection of photographs and artefacts connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly and his gang have become ingrained in Australian popular culture and thus many museums, art galleries and private collections house material connected to the Kelly story which allows the events and people to be researched and interpreted. Artefacts and photographs pertaining to the Kelly gang are particularly valuable for Australian museums. This particular photograph is significant for its connection to Beechworth photographer James Bray who is responsible for many images depicting members of the Kelly gang. The photograph is also of artistic significance as an example of a Cabinet Portrait dating to 1880. This image was commissioned by the police shortly after the defeat of the Kelly gang at Glenrowan. The armour was collected and placed on the ground for photography. No care was taken to retain the correct grouping of the armour and therefore, the identity of each piece to the correct owner was unclear for many years. Photographs of the armour taken at the time, like this one, helped researchers to reconstruct the correct armour and identify which pieces belonged to which member of the Kelly gang which is significant for Australian history. This photograph has the capacity to provide important information about the construction of the armour used by the Kelly gang at Glenrowan and importantly dates to 1880.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on cardReverse: Mrs. E. E. Smith / Loch St. / Beechworth / 1880 / JAMES E. BRAY / Photographer / BEECHWORTH / R. & M. HARVEY / AUTHORISED NEWSAGENTE / AND GIFT SHOP / BEECHWORTH PHONE 114 / (upside down) P/C Neg / 41 --np of armour & / (torn sticker with)fle. Ned Kellys Riflekelly album, ned kelly, kelly armour, armour, rifle

This book was part of a large group of books referred to as the Pattison Collection, which belonged to the Warrnambool Public Library, part of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. About RALPH ERIC PATTISON and the ‘PATTISON COLLECTION’ The ‘Pattison Collection’ is a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, 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 WMI was led to ask the City Council to take it over in 1911 due to lack of financial support. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Public Library as it was then called. 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 when Pattison accepted the 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 areas 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 from 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 NEW WARRNAMBOOL LIBRARY 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 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. 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. Locksley Hall Sixty Years After Author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson Publisher: MacMillan & Co Ltd Date: `1886 The label on spine cover with typed text 821 TEN Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library, this is partly torn away Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute flagstaff 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, locksley hall sixty years after, alfred, lord tennyson, alfred tennyson

This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. The bowl is in fragile condition, torn with frayed edges. Five makers marks on rear of handle are indistinguishable.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks

This book has the stamp of ‘Ecker’s Hotel’. This hotel was on the east side of Liebig Street between Lava and Koroit Streets and was opened in 1875 by James Dooley. It was take over in 1885 by James Taylor and then by Joe Ecker in 1910. When Joe Ecker left the hotel in 1923 the licensees following retained the name ‘Ecker’s’. The hotel closed in 1962. It is the only hotel in Warrnambool to have had no other name except that of three of its owners. This book is only of interest because of its connection with Ecker’s Hotel, well-known in Warrnambool for 90 years as a comfortable, well-managed place to stay or visit. No doubt many of the clientele were farmers and this would explain the reason for the book being retained at the hotel. This is a hard cover book of 408 pages. It has a green cover with black lettering on the front cover and on the spine. It has a Preface, a Contents page, 25 chapters of Text, a Gestation Table and an Index. There are many black and white photographs and illustrations scattered throughout the text. The back page is torn and the cover is scuffed and the book is a little warped out of shape. There is some pencil scribble on the first page and a black-coloured stamp. ‘Ecker’s Hotel’ ecker’s hotel, warrnambool, joe ecker, warrnambool history

This book was given as a prize in 1892 to Joseph Cassady from the Cassady’s Bridge State School. This school, once located near Cassady’s Bridge on the present-day Caramut Road, was opened on 19th January 1891 and closed in December 1892. The first teacher was Janet Ada McDougall and the teacher when the school closed was J. H. Delahenty. The Cassady family had the farm, Boughton and this was established about 1845 on the Merri River near where the bridge is today. Joseph was born in 1882 to William and Elizabeth Cassady.This book is of considerable importance as it is the only memento we have of Cassady’s Bridge State School. This school only existed for two years.This is a hard cover book of 208 pages. The cover is green with coloured borders and a coloured sketch of a stream and a bridge. The lettering on the front cover and the spine is gold and the pages are gilt-edged. The cover is much faded. Some of the back pages are partly torn away. The book has two black and white sketches at the front of the book and 28 chapters of story. The inscription is handwritten in black ink and the inscription page is stained. ‘State School Cassady’s Bridge Xmas 1892 Presented to Joseph Cassady 3rd Class for Good Progress. J.H. Delahenty Head Teacher’ cassady family, boughton, history of warrnambool

This is a first edition copy of the Victorian School Readers (Eighth Book) issued by the Education Department of Victoria. These readers were first published in 1928 and became standard texts for all school children up to Year Eight. They complemented the School Paper which had been published monthly for different year levels since the end of the 19th century. Both the Readers and the School Papers were in widespread use until the late 1940s and the early 1950s. William McCullagh and his wife Margaret had the property Oak Grove at Yangery at the end of the 19th century and in the early decades of the 20th century. Yangery is an agricultural area situated between Woodford and Koroit. There is a record of Silvie Jean McCullagh (parents – William and Margaret) born in 1914 and this is probably the person who owned and used this reader. This book is of interest not only because it is a first edition copy of one of the well-known Victorian School Readers but also because it was connected to the McCullagh family of Oak Grove, Yangery. This is a hard cover book of 260 pages. The cover was originally a burnished brown colour but the book has been covered with a mottled patterned cloth material (red, green and brown). The cover is partly torn off at the bottom of the spine. The book has poetry and prose extracts and includes many black and white sketches, maps, photographs and illustrations. The inscription and some other annotations throughout the book are handwritten in pencil. ‘Sylvia McCullagh, Oak Grove, Yangery, Dennington P. Office’ history of warrnambool, oak grove, yangery, mccullagh family, school readers

This book belonged to Charity Lamerton Phillips and may have belonged to her parents before her. On the inside front cover are the names of George Phillips and Jessie Kerr, giving their marriage date and the birth dates of four of their children. Charity Lamerton Phillips (1872-1942) was the daughter of George and Jessie Phillips of Nirranda and she married Frederick Bonnett and farmed in the Mepunga district. This book is of interest because of its age and because it contains family information on the Phillips family of Nirranda. Many 19th century people recorded family information in a Bible or other old book kept in the home. This is a hard cover book of 325 pages. The cover is brown leather with some sections eroded away. The spine has gold lettering. The book contains several black and white illustrations. Some of the pages are stained and torn at the edges. There are two loose sheets – an undated newspaper cutting and a notice regarding an anniversary service at the Westdown Congregational Chapel. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink. There is also pencil scribble on some pages. Inside front cover: Details of the marriage of George Phillips and Jessie Kerr and the birth dates of four of their children. charity phillips, george and jessie phillips of nirranda, history of warrnambool

This ledger is a Warrnambool Swintons Store stock book and contains the sales of stock from September 1869 to an unknown date (perhaps to the end of 1870) and entries for 1871, 1872 and 1873, 1889, the 1890s and some dates early in the 20th century. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool area, erecting many buildings, including the Wangoom Presbyterian Church. In 1865 he opened a store in Timor Street, Warrnambool selling groceries, glassware and china. In 1888 the business was known as William Swinton and Sons. Branch shops were opened in Cudgee, Nullawarre, Wangoom, South Warrnambool and West Warrnambool. When William died his son Robert became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split in two with George Swinton and Sons selling furnishings, clothing and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling seeds, hardware and produce. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street. This ledger is very important as an early memento of the Swinton Stores in Warrnambool. It gives details of sales in the 19th century and has material relating to the assets of the founder of the business, William Swinton at the time of his death. It is of great interest to researchers. The current family business in Timor Street Warrnambool is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and, with the Swinton name associated with businesses in Timor Street for 152 years, is among the oldest family businesses in Australia. This is a dark green hard cover ledger with light brown leather bindings on the spine and cover edges. There is gold lettering on the spine. The cover is stained and the leather is torn and partly detached in places. The insides of the cover have a blue and white mottled patterning. The pages are blue with printed red lines. The entries are handwritten in black ink. There are four loose pages and two pieces of a plant dried and preserved between two pages. ‘Day Book’ ‘Stock Book Warrnambool September 2nd 1869’ swinton family, warrnambool

This ledger is a Warrnambool Swintons Store stock book and contains the sales of stock from January to August 1869. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool area, erecting many buildings, including the Wangoom Presbyterian Church. In 1865 he opened a shop in Timor Street Warrnambool, selling groceries, china, glass and hardware. In 1888 the business was known as William Swinton and Sons. Branch shops were opened in Cudgee, South Warrnambool, West Warrnambool, Wangoom and Nullawarre. When William died his son Robert became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split in two with George Swinton and Sons selling furnishings, clothing and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling seeds, hardware and produce. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street.This ledger is of great importance as it is a very early memento of the Swinton stores in Warrnambool. It dates from only four years after the founding of the Swinton store in 1865 and gives us lists of products sold, the names of the buyers and the prices of the goods – a great source of information for researchers and all those interested in Warrnambool’s business history. The current Swinton business in Timor Street is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and, with the Swinton name associated with businesses in Timor Street for 152 years, is among the oldest family businesses in Australia. This is a ledger with a cover of brown paper lined with heavy-duty cardboard. The insides of the cover have a mottled brown and blue patterning. Both the cover and the inside patterning are much torn and parts of the cover are missing. The cover is almost detached from the body of the book. The pages are blue and have red lines for entry purposes. The entries are handwritten in black ink. The pages are mostly intact but they are very stained and the edges are tatteredswinton family, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

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 from 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. 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 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. Captain Cook's Voyages Round The World For the Discoveries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, by the order of the Majesty. Containing A Relation of all the Interesting Transactions which occurred in the /coufe of the Voyages Publisher: Newcastle on Tyne: Printed by M. Brown, at the Bible in the Fresh Market. Date: 1790 Further Information: Not an official printing, lacks pages 673 to 680 & page V-V1 torn in half & missing. Very poor copyThe label on spine cover with typed text RH 910.41 COO Paste down front end paper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library flagstaff 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, captain cooks voyages round the world, james cook