Used by President of Nunawading Historical Society, Valda Arrowsmith, during her term of Office as Mayor of City of Nunawading 5/8/1987 to 3/8/1988. Badge was worn on social occasions when representing the City of NunawadingGold plated Mayoral Badge of Office for City of Nunawading. 'City of Nunawading' and 'Mayor' on dark blue background and Coat of Arms in centre. Badge hangs from dark blue grograin ribbon.(on reverse) Cr. Valda Louise Anne Arrowsmith JP/5th August, 1987/to 3rd August 1988.numismatics, badges

Book titled "The Electric Tramcar Handbook written by W.A. Agnew. Book has dark red cloth covers, gold block titled on front only, with tipped in end papers, title page, contents pages, three introductory pages by author, 127 pages of text, five index pages and six folded sheets interspersed in book with wiring or controller diagrams. Book finished with red tinted edging. Book published by The Electrical Review Limited, London in 1920, 8th edition. On inside end paper, has ESCo Ballarat office stamp with date 30/9/1924, a glued in white sheet of paper with handwritten notation "To be returned to Mr. P. Bath Motorman No. 51, City Office 9.1.63" and on bottom left hand corner a "Tait Book Co. 90 William St. Melbourne" label that has also been glued in. Primary contents chapters include: The Electric Circuit Electric Tramways Electric Tramcars Controllers Brakes On the Road Faults and Breakdowns. See above for inside end paper.trams, tramways, tramcars, tramways, technical books, handbooks

Dark grey booklet, A4, 4 pages. On front 'Farmers and Citizens Trustees company Bendigo Limited. Incorporated A.D. 1908 and empowered by Special Act of the Parliament of Victoria ( No 2212) A.D. 1909. Prospectus, filed in the Office of the Registrat General of the State of Victoria. Registered Office, City Chambers, High Street, Bendigo'bendigo, banks, farmers and citizens trustees company

This building was constructed as offices for the Shire of Diamond Valley (1994) and was formerly the Greensborough service centre of the Banyule City Council, The office is now closed and the building sold. New Council offices are under construction (2016) at One Flintoff Street, above Watermarc.Part of the changing landscape of Greensborough.Digital image of colour photograph.banyule city council

Close up of plaque. This building was constructed as offices for the Shire of Diamond Valley and was formerly the Greensborough service centre of the Banyule City Council, The office is now closed and the building sold. New Council offices are under construction (2016) at One Flintoff Street, above Watermarc.Part of the changing landscape of Greensborough.Digital image of colour photograph.banyule city council, shire of diamond valley

Cash Tray underneath. ElectricUsed in the Kiewa ValleyCasio / AC 240V 5060Hz 27W / Model CE- 2104 / Serial No. 4412296 Casio CE-2108 DTC / Machine Sales - Service - hire / Daro Twin / City Pty Ltd / Office machines & supplies / 490 McCauley St Albury 2640

A series of five photographs of streetscapes in Kew in 1993, of which this is one, focus on footpaths and gutters, so while the provenance is uncertain, it is presumed that they were created in the office of City Engineer in the City of Kew.Colour positive print of Carson Street, which runs between Studley Park Road and Findon Crescent, dating from 1993carson street -- kew (vic.)

A series of five photographs of streetscapes in Kew in 1993, of which this is one, focus on footpaths and gutters, so while the provenance is uncertain, it is presumed that they were created in the office of City Engineer in the City of Kew.Colour positive print of the corner of Hodgson and Young Streets, Kew, dating from 1993."Corner Hodgson & Young Streets"hodgson street -- kew (vic.), young street -- kew (vic.)

A series of five photographs of streetscapes in Kew in 1993, of which this is one, focus on footpaths and gutters, so while the provenance is uncertain, it is presumed that they were created in the office of City Engineer in the City of Kew.Colour positive print of Carson Street, Kew, dating from 1993.carson street -- kew (vic.)

A series of five photographs of streetscapes in Kew in 1993, of which this is one, focus on footpaths and gutters, so while the provenance is uncertain, it is presumed that they were created in the office of City Engineer in the City of Kew.Colour positive print of a street in Kew, dating from 1993.streets -- kew (vic.)

A series of five photographs of streetscapes in Kew in 1993, of which this is one, focus on footpaths and gutters, so while the provenance is uncertain, it is presumed that they were created in the office of City Engineer in the City of Kew.Colour positive print of Carson Street in Kew, dating from 1993. Carson Street runs between Studley Park Road and Findon Crescent.carson street -- kew (vic.)

10-page Ringwood City News volume 1, number 8, 24th August 1984. Weekly circulation of 30,000 when combined with Croydon City News. Ringwood local office: Rossprint, 1st floor, 23 Ringwood St, Ringwood, 870-3666. 1 Devon St, Croydon - phone 725-2555. Free. Publisher Ash Long.

black and white photogrpah 'Queen's Reserve' showing statue of Queen Victoria, poppet legs of Hustlers Royal Reserve No 2 City Mine, chimney, post office tower. Early telephone wires on pole. On front 'Queen's Reserve' In biro ' Hustler's Royal Reserve No. s 2 ( city ) mine. On back RHSV, Bendigo Branch. Previous reg. no. Mng 12place, landscape view, queen's reserve, bendigo

10-page Ringwood City News volume 1, number 24, 14th December 1984. Weekly circulation of 30,000 when combined with Croydon City News. Ringwood local office: Rossprint, 1st floor, 23 Ringwood St, Ringwood, 870-3666. 1 Devon St, Croydon - phone 725-2555. Free. Croydon City News Vol. 2 No. 49. Publisher Ash Long.

16-page Ringwood City News volume 1, number 21, 23rd November 1984. Weekly circulation of 30,000 when combined with Croydon City News. Ringwood local office: Rossprint, 1st floor, 23 Ringwood St, Ringwood, 870-3666. 1 Devon St, Croydon - phone 725-2555. Free. Croydon City News Vol. 2 No. 46. Publisher Ash Long.

16-page Ringwood City News volume 1, number 23, 7th November 1984. Weekly circulation of 30,000 when combined with Croydon City News. Ringwood local office: Rossprint, 1st floor, 23 Ringwood St, Ringwood, 870-3666. 1 Devon St, Croydon - phone 725-2555. Free. Croydon City News Vol. 2 No. 48. Publisher Ash Long.

Demonstrates a typical street view following the delivery of the bogie trams following the second world war and the street scape at the time. Able to determine the tramcar numbers. Yields information about the era of the photograph.B&W print, postcard print of Sturt St Ballarat, looking towards the Town Hall from the Post Office, City terminus. Photo taken by Murray Views to form "Murray Views No. 26, City Hall and Sturt St, Ballarat Vic." No. 22 on south side and No. 34 on north side - see Hi-Res scans. Has the National Mutual, Town Hall and Myers and other buildings in the view. Photo taken c1950, prior to renumbering of No. 22. 2nd copy added 28-12-2021 - most likely a reproduction of the original as it does not have a postcard back.On reverse side - black ink stamp "E.G.Butland" On reverse of 2nd copy - "Ballarat, Sturt St, west from Lydiard Sts" and Keith Kings stamp.tramways, trams, sturt st, bogie trams, tramway centre, town hall, tram 22, tram 34

Dark green hard cover book, buff binding on spine and corners of cover. . Two hundred and seventy pages of which thirty five are used. Inside front cover, label affixed to marbled page: ' Sands and McDougall, Manufacturing Stationers, 365 Collins Street, Melbourne' Handwritten on page one' The Southern Garden Gully and Deborah Company N.L.' Handwritten entries of first meeting held on 16th August 1906, to last meeting July 1907. Meetings held at Messrs McColl and Rankin's office, City Chambers, High Street, Bendigo. Minute book forms part of the Margaret Roberts Collection of Mining records.bendigo, margaret roberts, , goldmining, mccoll and rankin, city chambers bendigo, southern garden gully and deborah company, james hiers mccoll

Yields information about the period leading up to the last day of SEC tramway operations in Ballarat including the voices of four long term BTM members. Includes video of many aspects of the tramway - produced by BTV6 originally.Digital Movie made produced by Sam Boon for the 50th anniversary of closure of the Ballarat SEC system 19/9/1971. Features voices of Warren Doubleday, Carolyn Cleak, Graeme Cleak, Richard Gilbert and film from the BTV6 / WinTV archives. Includes trams 41, 27, 42, 36, 28, 21 (as the Showboat tram), 11, 26, 33, 40 and 39. Includes scenes in Sturt St, City, Gardens, Post Office, Bridge St, Lydiard St. Includes shots of Graeme Evan and Gavin Young Night photos of the last tram to Sebastopol Inspector checking tickets Towing trams from the old to the new depot 18 as the Neon tram Movie - 698Mb, See AV Files/Reg Item 8192 for the movie itself Image 8192i used as a reference point.trams, tramways, btm, closure, btv, win tv, last day, moving trams

All July 1969 - no route numbers shown. .1 - Box Hill - Heidelberg - Templestowe .2 - East Kew - Box Hill - Doncaster .3 - Deer Park - Sunshine Park - Sunshine - Footscray - City .4 - Fishermen's Bend - City .5 - Williamstown Rd - Footscray Railway Stn - Ballarat Rd .6 - Garden City - City .7 - La Trobe University - Northland - West Heidelberg - City .8 - Box Hill - North Blackburn .9 - Bulleen - North Kew - City .10 - Clifton Hill - Elsternwick .11 - Box Hill - East Doncaster - Mitcham - Ringwood .12 - Deer Park - Sunshine Park - Sunshine - Footscray - City - Saturdays and Sundays - printed on pink paper. 13 - Warrandyte - Donvale Post Office - City 14 - Warrandyte - Park Orchards, Ringwood.Yields information about MMTB Bus services July 1969Set of 14 MMTB Bus timetables, folded sheets, providing timetables for specific routes, day of week giving information on tram times at specific time points, route map, sections and fares and organisation address - 616 Little Collins St. Melbourne.trams, tramways, timetables, tickets, bus services, fares, mmtb

White cardboard mount, 35mm slide, from the Association of Railway Enthusiast's film strip titled "Provincial Tramway Film Strip" of Ballarat Trams No. 17 and 30 at the intersection of Sturt and Lydiard St. North with the Town Hall in the background. The film strip notes (Reg. Item 2560), provided the following caption details: ""CITY" in Ballarat was at the intersection of Sturt St. and Lydiard St which included the Post Office and City Hall, seen here, on diagonally opposite corners. Single Trucker No.30 will soon round the curve to Lydiard St. Nth. whilst No. 17 will proceed straight ahead to Victoria Street. -.Sept. '71 (Graham Evans)" See image btm2561p.tif for high level scan of image. Stamped on base of slide "11769" and written in ink on top edge "17 & 30 Lydiard St. Ballarat"tramways, trams, are, film strip, sturt st, town hall, tram 17, tram 30

Set of 12 colour views of Geelong on a folded strip, glued within a colour printed cover, titled "A Souvenir of Geelong", printed on both sides of the strip. Booklet printed with an address area on rear. Produced by Nulcolorvue Productions, Mentone, Victoria. The rear has a slit on the rear cover that allowed the folder to be secured. On the inside of the front cover, has an introduction to Geelong, notes "modern tram and bus routes" Pictures are: 1. Gheringhap St showing Geelong City Hall and Post Office 2. The Barwon River, Geelong 3. T&G Building, Ryrie St - shows tramway overhead 4. Christ Church, Moorabool St 5. Malop St Geelong 6. Art Gallery and Park 7. St Marys Roman Catholic Cathedral 8. The Geelong Post Office with buses in background and a Safety Zone sign 9. Moorabool St Geelong - has overhead and a bar traffic light/ 10. Queens Park Geelong 11. The Waterfront at Geelong. 12. Eastern Beach Swimming Pool. Made during the early 1950's, given motor cars in the photo. trams, tramways, geelong, moorabool st, ryrie st

This glass slide presents an image of the Old Beechworth Post Office and was taken in the year 1900. The building displayed within the image is not that of the post office in its original form; the post office originally consisted of only a simple wooden building. With the establishment and growth of new towns across Victoria, as well as an increased need for more consistent communications with the City of Melbourne, this modest building was soon deemed inadequate. In 1858 it was brought into the style of the changing times, with the tall clock tower added in 1865. This transition aligned with a pattern of refurbishment and conversion of many Beechworth buildings (which could be seen during the 1860s-70s), aiding in the growth and prosperity of the town. Early makeshift homes were turned into more substantial dwellings, featuring elements such as weatherboard, brick, and granites materials, and gabled or hipped roofs with iron lacework fringing the verandah. These refurbishments were temporarily halted in March of 1867 when a fire swept through the town, damaging many buildings including the post office. This led to further reconstructions on the building, including heightening of the clock tower, and in 1870 the two-storey Italianate style building was completed. The Old Beechworth Post Office itself also holds significance due to its connection with one of Australia's most infamous families. It reportedly played an important role in communicating the news of the 1880 murders of police at Stringybark Creek by the Kelly Gang. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques. This glass slide captures social and historical significance as it displays the Old Beechworth Post Office in 1900, a building that demonstrates the prosperity and growth of Beechworth as a town during this time period. This slide also holds a level of aesthetic significance due to the Italianate style building that is featured in its image; a style that became very popular during the nineteenth-century. Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metal strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: x / burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, beechworth post office, beechworth post office kelly gang, 1900, 1900 beechworth, growth of beechworth, 1867 beechworth fire, old beechworth post office, beechworth post office reconstructions, italianate style, italianate style buildings, italianate style beechworth post office

Mayor Cr Bill Wilkins of City of Ringwood, Chief Executive Officer, Alan Robertson, architect Ivan A Anderson & Associates

45 photocopied pages including - Plan of Subdivision No.LP80718, Parish of Ringwood, Victoria, Crown Portion 12(Part) and part of a former government road Ref Vol 8668 Fol 745. - Vendors Statement, Planning Certificate and Heritage Council (Victoria) Certificate issued for 20 Melbourne Street, Ringwood. - Maroondah City Council Land Information Certificate for 149 149A and 149B Maroondah Highway; number 8 Civic Mall; and numbers 16, 20, 22 & 24 Melbourne Street Mall. - Yarra Valley Water statements relating to encumbrances for Shop 11, 149 Maroondah Highway; Shop 10, 149A Maroondah Highway; Shop 9, 149B Maroondah Highway; numer 8 Civic Place; Unit 3, 20 Melbourne Street; Office 4, 20 Melbourne Street; Shop 7, 22 Melbourne Street; and Shop 8, 24 Melbourne Street. - Land Tax Certificate pertaining to Commonwealth Bank, Civic Place, Ringwood. - Certificate of Title Vol 8892 Fol 906, Lot One on Plan of Subdivision No. 80718, Parish of Ringwood - Hanover Developments P/L - 29th June, 1971.

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. Approximately 30%of original electroplating remains. Small amount of concretion on stem.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 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. Only 10% of original electroplating remains with some verdigris. No marks visible.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