Showing 83 items
matching early 20th century vessel
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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Toolbox, Laurie Dilks, shipwright, Mid-to-late 20th century
Caulking is a process used by shipwrights and other tradespeople to seal the gaps and cracks in boats and ships, buildings and plumbing fittings. It prevents water, air and pests from entering the through the gaps. The shipwright’s caulking box and a display of shipwright's tools are connected to the maritime history of Victoria through their past owner, user and donor, Laurie Dilks. Laurie began his career as a shipwright in the mid-1900s, following in the wake of the skilled carpenters who have over many centuries used their craft to build and maintain marine vessels and their fittings. Laurie worked for Ports and Harbours, Melbourne, for over 50 years, beginning in the early 1960s. He and a fellow shipwright inscribed their names on a wheelhouse they built in 1965; the inscription was discovered many decades later during a repair of the plumbing. Many decades later Laurie worked on the Yarra River moving barges up and down the river and was fondly given the title ‘Riverboat Man’ His interest in maritime history led him to volunteer with the Maritime Trust of Australia’s project to restore and preserve the historic WWII 1942 Corvette, the minesweeper HMAS Castlemaine, which is a sister ship to the HMAS Warrnambool J202.The shipwright’s caulking box containing caulking tools is an example of the equipment used by shipwrights in the early to mid-20th centuries. This box is connected to the maritime history of Victoria through its past owner, user and donor, Laurie Dilks. Laurie began his career as a shipwright at Ports and Harbours in Melbourne in the mid-1900s, following in the wake of the skilled carpenters who have over many centuries used their craft to build and maintain marine vessels and their fittings.Shipwright's caulking box, green wooden exterior with green and cream interior. Box has a Perspex face. A rope handle, knotted on each end, extends from one side to the other. A white rectangular plaque with rounded corners is screwed to the top and has yellow and black printed text. The donor was shipwright Laurie Dilks.Printed on plaque "SHIPWRIGHTS / CAULKING BOX / DONATED BY LAURIE DILKS [SHIPWRIGHT]'"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, caulking tools, caulking equipment, caulking box, shipwright's tools, laurie kilks, ports and harbours -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Lifebuoy, late 19th to early 20th century
This lifebuoy is part of the lifesaving equipment that would be carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century. The strips of cork wood have been joined together to make the ring shape. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device to keep a person afloat in the. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. The lifebuoy is thrown to a person in distress in the water, allowing the rescuer to pull the person to safety. The lifebuoy is a made from a buoyant material such as cork or rubber and is usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. From the early 20th century Kapok fibre was used as a filling for buoys. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The lifebuoy is an example of equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century to help preserve life. There were many lives lost in Australia’s colonial period, particularly along the coast of South West Victoria.Lifebuoy; round, cork filling of lifebuoy. The nails joining the layers are visible. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, life rings, lifebuoy, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Lifebuoy, late 19th to early 20th century
This lifebuoy is part of the lifesaving equipment that would be carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century. The strips of cork wood have been joined together to make the ring shape. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device to keep a person afloat in the. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. The lifebuoy is thrown to a person in distress in the water, allowing the rescuer to pull the person to safety. The lifebuoy is a made from a buoyant material such as cork or rubber and is usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. From the early 20th century Kapok fibre was used as a filling for buoys. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The lifebuoy is an example of equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century to help preserve life. There were many lives lost in Australia’s colonial period, particularly along the coast of South West Victoria.Lifebuoy, round cork filling inside white canvas cover with four reinforced bands. Four ropes are attached.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, life rings, lifebuoy, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Lifebuoy, Loch Ness, 1869-1909
This lifebuoy bears the name of the ship, its origin, the shipping company and the red ensign. These details mean that the lifebuoy was part of the lifesaving equipment on the sailing ship the Loch Ness, part of the Glasgow Shipping Company’s Loch Line (G.S.C. on the red pennant) and a British-registered ship (the red flag with the Union Jack on it). Lifebuoys were part of the emergency lifesaving equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century. The ring was made of strips of cork wood joined together to make the ring shape then covered in canvas and sealed usually with white paint. Four evenly spaced canvas reinforcing bands would be added for strength and for a place to thread a rope or line. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device often thrown to an endangered or distressed person in the water to keep them afloat while they receive help. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. Lifebuoys is a made from a buoyant materials such as cork or foam and ae usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. Cork lifebuoys were used from the late 19th to early 20th century. Kapok fibre was then used as a filling for buoys but wasn’t entirely successful. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The ship LOCH NESS 1869-1922 … The ship Loch Ness, of Glasgow, was the same ship what William Carmichael sailed on to Australia when he laid the commemoration stone on behalf of his sister Eva and himself, dedicated to their parents, brothers and sisters. The family members lost their lives on June 1, 1878, when their ship, the Loch Ard, was wrecked at Mutton Bird Island in south west Victoria. Eva Carmichael was one of the two survivors from that shipwreck, the other 52 tragically lost their lives. The ship Loch Ness was a three-masted sailing ship built in 1869 for the Loch Line owned by the Glasgow Shipping Company. The line transported cargo and passengers from Glasgow, Scotland, to Australian ports. The Loch Ness was sold in 1908 to Stevedore & Shipping Co, Sydney for use as a coal hulk. In 1914 the Australian Government took over the ship for naval defence purposeless. In 1926 the ship was sunk during gunfire practice by HMAS Melbourne, near Fremantle, Western Australia. The lifebuoy is an example of equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century to help preserve life. There were many lives lost in Australia’s colonial period, particularly along the coast of South West Victoria. The lifebuoy is significant for its connection to the ship Loch Ness on which William Carmichael, brother of Eva Carmichael, travelled to lay a memorial to their parents and all of their other siblings who lost their lives in the Loch Ard disaster of 1878 near Peterborough, Victoria. Lifebuoy, round, cork filling inside canvas cover, painted white, with rope attached. Lifebuoy has printed name of vessel Loch Ness, Glasgow. Symbols of red flag with white initials G S Co. There is also a red ensign."LOCH NESS", "GLASGOW" "G S Co"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, loch ness, loch ard, william carmichael, eva carmichael, lifebuoy, glasgow sailing ship, loch ness of glasgow, life rings, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment, g s c, glasgow shipping company -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Lifebuoy, John Murch, 1922
Lifebuoy is from the ketch Reginald M, built in Port Adelaide by John Murch in 1922. Lifebuoys were part of the emergency lifesaving equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century. The ring was made of strips of cork wood joined together to make the ring shape then covered in canvas and sealed usually with white paint. Four evenly spaced canvas reinforcing bands would be added for strength and for a place to thread a rope or line. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device often thrown to an endangered or distressed person in the water to keep them afloat while they receive help. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. Lifebuoys is a made from a buoyant materials such as cork or foam and ae usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. Cork lifebuoys were used from the late 19th to early 20th century. Kapok fibre was then used as a filling for buoys but wasn’t entirely successful. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The Reginald M 1922- The two-masted coastal trading ketch Reginald M was built by John (Jack) Murch in Port Adelaide, South Australia, in 1922 and it was launched there in Largs Bay in the same year. It is thought that the keel was hewn from two telegraph poles - its owner was a regular visitor to salvage yards. Its cargo at times included Guano, Barley, Wool, Horses, Cattle, Timber, Explosives, Potatoes, Shell Grit and Gypsum. At one time the vessel was used as a customs boat, renamed 'HMC No. 3, Pt Adelaide'. In 1969 she was used by a mining and railway company as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972 the vessel was renamed 'T.S. Macquarie' and planned to be used for sea cadet training.; this did not eventuate. It was sold again and went to Melbourne to be used for pleasure sailing, and again sold for use as a ferry. Late in 1975 Flagstaff Hill purchased the vessel to be used as an exhibit at the Maritime Village where many visitors enjoyed being able to board and explore a real ship with a long history. Sadly, in late 2016, the decision was made to 'decommission' the vessel due to the continuing high cost of maintenance and the risk to public safety. Many of the components of the vessel are held as part of Flagstaff Hill's collection.The lifebuoy is an example of equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century to help preserve life. There were many lives lost in Australia’s colonial period, particularly along the coast of South West Victoria. The lifebuoy is significant for its connection with the Australian built, 1922 coastal trader, Reginald M. Lifebuoy, round , cork, filled, white canvas cover with four red tabs. Text is printed in black on quarters 1 and 3. This lifebuoy once belonged to the vessel 'Reginald M' , Pt Adelaide. "REGINALD M / Pt ADELAIDE".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lifebuoy, lifesaving, ship equipment, reginald m, life rings, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment, coastal trader, john murch, reg webb -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Ship Rope Block, Russell & Co, Circa 1886
This double-sheaved wooden ship’s block or pulley is a mechanical device used for lifting and moving heavy objects. It has two grooved wheels joined together, each with an axle between the cheeks or sides of the grooved wheel. Blocks and tackle are included in a ship’s rigging. These pulleys and ropes are used for the mechanical advantage they provide for lifting, moving and re-arranging the setting of the sails, which are very heavy work. Blocks are also used to load and unload the ship’s cargo. The FALLS of HALLADALE- The sailing ship Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barbed wire, stoves, oil, and benzene as well as many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. The ship had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and was able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions.This artefact is important as it is an example of the materials and design of late-19th century ship’s rigging equipment. The object is also significant for its association with the historic sailing ship Falls of Halladale, wrecked in local waters in the early 20th century. The clipper ship Falls of Halladale shipwreck is of historical significance and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, No. S255. She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She was one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. The vessel is an example of the remains of an international cargo ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry.Ship's block; a double-sheave wooden block with thick concretion on it. The rope block was recovered from the wreck of the sailing ship, Falls of Halladale.Noneflagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, falls of halladale, shipwreck, peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, peterborough shipwreck, russell & co., greenock, wright breakenridge & co. glasgow, clipper ship, machine, mechanical advantage, block, wooden block, pulley, tackle, sheave, ship rigging, double-sheave, twin sheave, captain david wood thomson, iron ship, four-masted ship, sailing ship, windjammer, clyde, wright, breakenridge & co of glasgow, fore and aft lifting bridges -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book - Ledger Book, Warrnambool Harbour Board, Ships' Report Inward, ca. 1877 plus scrapbook entries to ca. 1953
The Ship's Report Inward contains entries from 1877 to 1917. It is a record of vessels that visited the Port of Warrnambool during that time and was filled in by the Harbour Master on behalf of the Warrnambool Harbour Board. The book has also been used as football scrapbook for both the Australian and Victorian Leagues, with articles and photographs from the early 20th century events and photos of players in 1953. A child has also used the book for drawing and writing.It appears that this historic ledger was once regarded as insignificant and used for other purposes such as a scrapbook and spare paper for drawing. However, the ledger is now considered to be of important locall significant for its accurate reports of all vessels inward bound to the Port of Warrnambool, giving a summary of activities during the forty year period from 1877 to 1917. It is also a reference to early Australian and Victorian football media.Ledger of the Warrnambool Harbour Board, containing the handwritten Ships Report Inwards for the Port of Warrnambool. First entry 1877. Last entry 1917. The book has also been used for a football scrapbook and contains newspaper cuttings of early 20th century AFL (Australian Football League) and VFL (Victorian Football League) events and photographs. There are several lose clippings between the pages throughout the book. The cover's spine has a gold embossed title and a pasted title, and the pasted front cover has figures relate to the scrapbook. There are also child's writing and drawings in pencil on some pages. A white label inside the back cover has a blue pen inscription. Embossed title "SHIPS' / REPORT / INWARDS" Pasted title "LEAGUE / GAMES" Label inside back cover: "R 759"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, book, warrnambool harbour board, ships' report inward, port of warrnambool, warrnambool harbour, harbour master, afl, vfl, australian football league, victorian football league, early 20th century, newspaper cuttings, maritime record, maritime history, 1877-1917, 1953 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Ship's Telegraph section, A. Robinson & Co. Ltd, Late-19th to mid-20th centuries
The ship’s communication system that was used from the late 19th century to early-to-mid-20th-century is called an Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.) or ship’s telegraph. The system has two parts, the Bridge Section and the Engine Room Section. The Bridge Section is usually mounted on top of a pedestal, and the Engine Room Section is often attached to a vertical surface. The standard commands printed or stamped onto the dial are the directions of AHEAD and ASTERN, and the speeds of STOP, SLOW, HALF, and FULL. The ship’s pilot on the Bridge of a vessel sends his Orders for speed and direction to the to the Engine Room with the E.O.T. He moves the lever or levers, depending on the number of engines the ship has, to change the indicator on the Bridge Section’s dial to point in the new direction and speed of travel. This change causes the Orders to be duplicated on the Engine Room Section’s dial and a bell to signal the change at the same time. The engineer then adjusts the ship’s engines and steering equipment to follow the pilot’s Order. The manufacturer, A. Robinson & Co. Ltd of Liverpool, established his business in 1780 and continued until 1968 when the business was purchased by marine products maker Chadburns, established in London in 1870.This Engine Room section is part of a ship's telegraph communication system and represents marine technology used in the late-19th to mid-20th-century. Engine Room Section of a ship’s telegraph or Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.). The round brass dial has inscriptions stamped around its edge and centre. Red inlaid glass plates have inscriptions in white paint on them. The inscriptions are nautical terms for direction and speed and include the maker’s details. A rotating pointer is joined to the centre of the dial. The maker is A. Robinson & Co. Ltd of Liverpool. Stamped: “FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP / FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP”, “AHEAD / ASTERN” Printed: “FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP / FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP” Stamped on the dial: “A. ROBINSON & CO. LTD / MANUFACTURERS / LIVERPOOL”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, marine technology, marine communications, engine order telegraph, e.o.t., ship’s telegraph, bridge section, engine room section, ship’s engine telegraph section, marine telegraph, a. robinson & co. ltd, liverpool -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Photograph - Photographs of Highett Gasworks, Gasometer, Retort House and Coal Store at Highett Gasworks, 1974 and 1960
Gasometers resulted from complex engineering design evolving from primitive gasholders first used in 1824 in England to power street lights. The 20th century gasometer, (as used at the Highett Gasworks), was comprised of a series of large interconnected, telescopic, cylindrical vessels or lifts, which rose and fell depending on the volume of gas stored. The gasholder operated on a basic principle of a gas-filled floating vessel, rising and falling in a seal of water. The Highett Gasworks had its beginning in 1939 but its beginnings commenced sixty-two years earlier when the privately owned Brighton Gas Company was floated in 1877. By 1880 the company was performing well and making excellent profits. The company was welcomed by residents wanting to replace the shadowy light of a kerosene lamp with the bright luminescence of "modern" gas lamps. The land developers of the day were also keen supporters. But by 1884 people became disgrunted because either the gas had not reached them yet or because the quality of the supply had diminished due to the increasing use. In 1885 a second private gas company, the Central Brighton and Moorabbin Gas Co, Chaired by "Tommy" Bent was floated and for many years the two gas companies enjoyed a shared monopoly in supplying gas from their New Street Works. In the 1930s the company expanded its gas production facilities to Highett where it had purchased 45 acres of land adjacent to the Melbourne-Frankston railway line. A gasholder with a capacity of 750,000 cubic feet was erected on the Highett land in 1927 and connected with high pressure mains to the Brighton works. Three years later the company directors decided to proceed with the construction of a vertical retort house and coal store. Following a "lull" during the Great Depression work recommenced in 1936 and by 1939 the first complete gas-making plant was completed, and gas making commenced. Over the next twenty one years other significant extensions occurred, including an amenities block to accomodate 100 workers. In 1969 Esso commenced the introduction of natural gas to residents homes and the gradual decommissioning of the Highett Gasworks commenced. Part of the old Highett Gasworks site is now a council owned parkThe photos of the Higett Gasworks, now demolished, recall their long history, that originated in the 1800s with the production of gas to supply homes with a new, much improved light source, and later it's other applications such as for stoves etc. The arrival of gas in the Shire of Moorabbin was a huge step forward that encouraged further building and development in the area.Three Photographs of the Highett Gasworks. Two are coloured photos taken in 1974, and one is black and white taken in the 1960s. All are in good conditionOn the back of the two coloured photographs "Highett Gasworks 1974" No inscription on the black and white aerial photograph.brighton, moorabbin, highett, bent thomas, gasometer, highett gasworks, engineering design, brighton gas company, central brighton and moorabbin gas company, great depression, lamp kerosene -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Ship Rope Block, Russell & Co, Circa 1886
This double-sheaved wooden ship’s block or pulley is a mechanical device used for lifting and moving heavy objects. It has two grooved wheels joined together, each with an axle between the cheeks or sides of the grooved wheel. Blocks and tackle are included in a ship’s rigging. These pulleys and ropes are used for the mechanical advantage they provide for lifting, moving and re-arranging the setting of the sails, which are very heavy work. Blocks are also used to load and unload the ship’s cargo. The FALLS of HALLADALE- The sailing ship Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barbed wire, stoves, oil, and benzene as well as many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. The ship had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and was able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions.This artefact is important as it is an example of the materials and design of late-19th century ship’s rigging equipment. The object is also significant for its association with the historic sailing ship Falls of Halladale, wrecked in local waters in the early 20th century. The clipper ship Falls of Halladale shipwreck is of historical significance and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, No. S255. She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She was one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. The vessel is an example of the remains of an international cargo ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry.Rope block, wooden double-sheave mechanical device with a short length of chain attached and remnants of the metal frame. It was recovered from the Falls of Halladale.Noneflagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, falls of halladale, shipwreck, peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, peterborough shipwreck, russell & co., greenock, wright breakenridge & co. glasgow, clipper ship, block and rigging, ship’s block, iron ship, four-masted ship, sailing ship, windjammer, clyde, wright, breakenridge & co of glasgow, fore and aft lifting bridges, machine, mechanical advantage, block, wooden block, pulley, tackle, sheave, ship rigging, double-sheave, twin sheave, captain david wood thomson -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Lamp Glass, 1886-1908
The lamp glass was recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. It was blown into a mould, as evidenced by ripples in the base of the glass. The frosted inside area is likely to be from abrasive sediment inside the glass on the sea bed. The encrustations has also come from the sea. The Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barb wire, stoves, oil, and benzene as well as many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in 1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breckenridge & Co of Glasgow. She was one of several designs of Falls Line of ships named after waterfalls in Scotland. The company had been founded between 1870- 1873 as a partnership between Joseph Russell, Anderson Rodger, and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co. standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships during that time. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes from Europe and the Americas. Also of significance is that the vessel was one of the first ships to have fore and aft lifting bridges as a significant safety feature still in use on modern vessels today. The subject model is an example of an International Cargo Ship used during the 19th and early 20th centuries to transport goods around the world and representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. Lamp glass, scalloped pattern around top lip, bulbous body. Slight encrustation on body. Glass has ripples in base area. Inside body is opaque in about a 1/5 ofr the area.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, falls of halladale, glass, russell & co., wreck, artifact, lamp glass, kerosene lamp, lighting -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Lifebuoy
... with lifesaving equipment used on board vessels in the early 20th century ...This lifebuoy is part of the lifesaving equipment from the sailing ship the Falls of Halladale. It is filled with cork and covered with canvas and reinforcing bands. The name of the ship and its origin is printed on the lifebuoy. It has been sealed with several coats of white paint. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device to keep a person afloat in the. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. The lifebuoy is thrown to a person in distress in the water, allowing the rescuer to pull the person to safety. The lifebuoy is a made from a buoyant material such as cork or rubber and is usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. From the early 20th century Kapok fibre was used as a filling for buoys. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The Falls of Halladale 1886-1908 The vessel ‘Falls of Halladale’ was a four-masted iron-hulled barque, launched in July 1886, by Russell & Co of Greenock, Scotland and owned by the Glasgow Falls Line, which named its ships after Scottish waterfalls. The ship was built for long distance cargo trade. The Falls of Halladale was one of the last windjammers that sailed the Trade Route. The ship was on its way from New York to Melbourne via the Cape of Good Hope when, after 102 days at sea, its journey suddenly ended. During the night of November 14, 1908, in calm seas with some coastal fog, an ocean swell raised the vessel up then let it down on a submerged reef wrecked at Curdies Inlet, Peterborough. The ship was stranded and the Port Campbell Rocket Crew were sent for, to perform a rescue. However by the time they arrived, all on board had already travelled by lifeboat to the nearby beach at the Bay of Islands. The sight of the slowly disintegrating ship on the rocks attracted many sightseers. This lifebuoy is significant for its association with the famous ship the Falls of Halladale. It is significant for its association with lifesaving equipment used on board vessels in the early 20th century. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Lifebuoy; round white canvas ring, joined with hand stitching. Stencil with inscription is printed in black on first and third quadrant. The canvas has been repainted in white but avoiding the inscription in the lifebuoy. A hanging board for display is attached with white rope. Lifesaving equipment from the Falls of Halladale.“FALLS OF HALLADALE” “GLASGOW”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, life rings, lifebuoy, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment, falls of halladale, glasgow falls line, rocket crew, lifeboat, peterborough -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Kerosene Lamp, Bef. 09-02-1984
The kerosene lamp was one of the most common oil lamps used and was manufactured until the 1980s. This particular lamp has the design of the early kerosene lamps. Its gimbal bracket and counterweight heavy base allow it to swing with a vessel's movement and still stay horizontal. The lamp is significant for its design which is an example of a 19th and early 20th-century kerosene lamp with a wall-mounted gimbal bracket and counterweight base. These features were important to vessels at sea, allowing the lamp to swing with the vessel's movement and stay vertical on rough seas.Kerosene lamp; round electroplated metal top and base, both shaped inward to join together. The base is a solid counterweight to work with the gimbal wall attachment bracket. There is no glass cover.shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, warrnambool, flagstaff hill, kerosene lamp, lighting, marine lamp, kerosene lantern, lamp, lantern, marine equipment, wall gimbal, wall mounted lamp, ship lamp -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Porthole Frame, Russell & Co, Ca. 1886
This restored porthole frame was recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale at Peterborough Victoria. The Falls of Halladale- The ship was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barbed wire, stoves, oil, benzene, and many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. She was one of several designs of the Falls Line of ships named after waterfalls in Scotland. The company was founded between 1870- 1873 as a partnership between Joseph Russell, Anderson Rodger, and William Todd Lithgow. During 1882-92 Russell & Co. standardised designs sped up their building process so much that they could build 271 ships during that time. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and was able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previously, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions. This artefact is important as it is an example of the materials and design of late-19th century ship’s rigging equipment. The object is also significant for its association with the historic sailing ship Falls of Halladale, wrecked in local waters in the early 20th century. The clipper ship Falls of Halladale shipwreck is of historical significance and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, No. S255. She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She was one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. The vessel is an example of an International Cargo Ship's remains and represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. Porthole frame; cast brass circular frame with several fixing holes, and hinged frame for holding the glass window. The frame has two screw dogs and a solid hinge. The porthole frame has been recondition and the layer of concretion has been removed. The porthole frame was recovered from the wrecked FALLS OF HALLADALE.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shippwreck, shipwreck artefact, porthole, pprthole frame, ship's window, ship construction, shipwreck, peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, peterborough shipwreck, russell & co., greenock, wright breakenridge & co. glasgow, clipper ship -
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
Tool - Metal tongue depressor
Believed to have been acquired from Dr Frank Forster. Eupnine Vernade was a product used in the early 20th century for the treatment of bronchitis, asthma, emphysema and bronchiectasis adjuvant in the treatment of sequaelae of influenza. It contained 10% caffeine iodide, and "exerts an intense action on the respiratory tract, stimulating the bronchial secretion and facilitating expectoration. It regulates and strengthens the heart, contracts the blood vessels of the splanchnic area, but dilates those of the heart and lung. It "also exerts a powerful diuretic action, thus diminishing the strain on the heart." This tongue depressor, therefore, also functions as a form of medical advertising.Metal tongue depressor with rounded ends and a slight convex curve. Inscribed "EUPNINE VERNADE"."EUPNINE VERNADE"examination, advertising -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Cannulae, Transfusion
Blood was long thought to be the essence of life and the centre of the soul; it was believed to provide a person with physical strength and mental abilities. In 1677, Richard Lower and Jean Baptiste Denis, in separate experiments, attempted animal-to-man transfusions to treat mental disorders. They had mixed success but didn't appear to cure the ailment. In 1818, James Blundell became interested in blood transfusion after witnessing the many deaths resulting from post-partum haemorrhage. He began with experiments in dogs and soon established it was possible to transfuse using a syringe if he worked quickly. Blundell established that cross-species transfusions didn't work and were dangerous. The early part of the 20th Century saw major developments in blood transfusion. Blood groups were identified by 1907 and the Kimpton Brown vessel (see 3675) slowed coagulation. These transfusion needles were used to collect and administer blood for transfusions.Two glass tubes, one with straight and one with a curve at the base. The tubes, known as cannualae, were used to facilitate blood transfusions.transfusion, cannula, kimpton brown, blood, blood transfusion, blundell, lower, denis -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Document - Poster, Warrnambool Steam Navigation Co, ca.1938
This poster is typical of posters displayed by steam packet companies of the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. It advertises the passage and freight available on a local coastal trader. The steamships operated between the major ports along the western coast of Victoria between Melbourne and Portland. The traveller was not guaranteed the passage times due to possible weather changes. Discounts were offered for return trips within a month of the ticket's issue. The price of freight included 'lighterage', which was the service of a smaller vessel called a 'lighter' expressly designed to transport goods between ship and shore. This particular poster has been recreated; it advertises the services of the screw steamer SS Edina. The information on the poster applies to the years between 1871 and 1873. During that period the Master of the Edina was Captain John Thompson, the Edina was owned by the Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company and the secretary of the firm was Thos. Mackay. The passenger fares are in line with fares from that period, as seen in a display advertisement published in the Hamilton Spectator on January 17th, 1872. The 1853 Glasgow-built Screw Ship Edina had a long life. The ship served in both the Crimean War and the American Civil War. The Edina also traded in UK and European waters. The Henty family of Portland, Victoria, purchased Edina in 1863 for use as a coastal trader. The Edina had several owners and spent many years of service along the South West Coast of Victoria between Melbourne and Portland. The vessel transported passengers and freight in Port Phillip Bay, between Melbourne and Geelong, between 1880 and 1938. After 84 years of service, the Edina was renamed ‘Dinah’ and was stripped down for use as a lighter. The vessel was broken up in 1957 at Footscray, Melbourne. The remains of Edina’s hull can be found in the Maribyrnong River, Port Phillip Bay. The poster was owned by the donor's grandfather, Bruce Duff (1922-2003) who was an avid sailor and a lover of nautical history. He and his wife Mona (1924-2014) were buried in Portarlington Cemetery, Victoria. Duff would have been about 13 years old when the Edina was finally retired from service in 1938. His interest in the Edina could have come from a trip on the vessel or from watching it in operation in the ports along the coast. Duff has collected this poster as a memento of the Edina and is likely to have preserved it at a much later date when the lamination process was readily available. [Flagstaff Hill's collection includes a photograph of the Edina at the Moorabool Street Wharf, Geelong, which was in Duff's locality. The References for this poster include a link to Museum Victoria's photograph of two boys watching the Edina from a jetty.] Flagstaff Hill's Village has its own 'Examiner' Office where volunteers demonstrate the historic printing press in that building. They use original letter-type to create posters, print labels onto lolly bags and designs on fabrics. One of the volunteer printers has produced a poster closely resembling the donated poster. His replication includes a woodcut of the ship, which he skilfully crafted himself.This poster advertises the sailing of the steamer SS Edina and the information has local and State significance for its association with the trading ports of the Edina, and the associated names on the poster; Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company, Captain John Thompson and Thos. Mackay. This poster's message has a strong connection to the history of the businesses and community of Warrnambool and the people of Port Phillip Bay, where it was a passenger ferry for many years. The poster is an example of advertising used by shipping agents in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Its information includes the accurate costs to passengers and freighters and the type of timetable the vessels were likely to follow. The poster's connection with the Screw Steamship Edina is historically significant, as the vessel was the longest serving screw steamer in the world. The ship spent its first nine years overseas then arrived in Melbourne. The vessel's work included running the essential service of transporting cargo and passengers between Melbourne and the western Victoria ports of Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland. The Edina is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S199. Poster, A3 size, brown text on cream paper, laminated. Re-created poster of the Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company (Limited) advertising passage and freight on its Screw Steamship, SS Edina. It states days, times and fees for passage and freight from Warrnambool to Melbourne, and return. It names the ship's Master, Captain John Thompson and the Company's Secretary, Tho. Mackay. It displays a line drawing of a 3-masted ship with full sails.Printed image [side profile of a 3 masted vessel, bow facing left] Printed text includes "The Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company (Limited). The Company's Steam Ship "EDINA", Captain John Thompson, Will leave Melbourne for Warrnambool on Tuesdays, returning from Warrnambool every Thursday, At Five o'clock p.m. (weather permitting). FARES: Saloon £2 0 0 Steerage £1 0 0 Saloon return £3 0 0 Saloon return £1 10 00 - Children under 13 years half fares - Refreshments supplied onboard at a moderate scale of charge. Freight, including lighterage, - From Melbourne to Warrnambool - 12s per ton; from Warrnambool to Melbourne, 15s per ton. Passengers are requested to obtain their tickets at the offers, and shippers to make early application for space. Return tickets available for one month from date of issue. - THO. MACKAY, secretary. "warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, fair maid of judea, steam navigation, pleasure steamer, ss edina a, trade 19th century, travel 19th century, warrnambool to melbourne, warrnambool to geelong, warrnambool to port fairy, warrnambool to portland, screw steamer, coastal trader, crimean war, american civil war, gold export, h r h duke of edinburgh, warrnambool steam packet company, stephen henty, captain john thompson, chief engineer john davies, lady bay, lighter edina, port phillip bay steamers, vhr s199, dinah, warrnambool steam navigation company, advertising poster, shipping agent, flier, maritime village, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, great ocean road, block printing, woodblock printing, relief printing, moorabool st wharf, western steam navigation company, tho. mackay, re-created poster -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Chronometer or Marine Clock
This chronometer was made around 1936 and has been on display at Flagstaff Hill for over 40 years as part of the exhibit of the ‘Reginald M’, an Australian-built, 19ss, coastal trader vessel. A chronometer is an accurate mechanical instrument used for measuring time. It is constructed carefully to remain stable even under the changing conditions of seafaring life such as temperature, humidity and air pressure. The Master or Navigator of a ship could use the chronometer and the positions of celestial bodies to calculate the ship’s latitude at sea. In 1905 the business Chronometerwerke GmbH was formed in Frankfurt, Germany, to supply the country with high-quality mechanical chronometers and ship clocks for their maritime trade, making the country independent of other international suppliers such as those in England. In 1938 the firm was renamed Wempe Chronometerwerke. The business continues today. Its products now include its well-known chronometers, battery-powered ship clocks, ship’s bell clocks, barometers, barographs, thermometers, hygrometers, comfort meters to measure temperature and humidity, and wristwatches. The company also performs chronometer testing facilities for the State’s Weights and Measures office. The article written by Givi in July 2022 “The Basics of Marine Meteorology – a Guide for Seafarers” refers to the weather’s signs and patterns being repeated over and over, and the recording of these observations helps forecasters predict changes in the weather. The chronometer is an example of a mechanical navigational marine instrument in use in the early to the mid-20th century. The maker is significant as part of a German government initiative to be self-sufficient in the production of good quality marine technology. This chronometer is significant as part of the exhibit, the Australian-built vessel, 1922 coastal trader ‘Reginald M’, listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels and on display for over 40 years.Marine chronometer or marine clock, brass case, glass cover, Roman numerals, 24-hour numbers beside them. Two black hands, a keyhole for winding and ventilation holes in the side. The base has a collar with four machined mounting holes. Inscriptions are on the clock’s face."Made in Germany" and "WEMPE / CHRONOMETERWERKE / HAMBURG"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, marine meteorology, horology, chronometer, marine technology, latitude, marine navigation, mechanical instrument, scientific instrument, ship clock, chromometerwerke gmbh, wempe chronometerwerke, marine clock -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Ship's Wheel Hub, 1886-1908
The Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barb wire, stoves, oil, and benzene as well as many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. She was one of several designs of Falls Line of ships named after waterfalls in Scotland. The company had been founded between 1870- 1873 as a partnership between Joseph Russell, Anderson Rodger, and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co. standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships during that time. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes from Europe and the Americas. Also of significance is that the vessel was one of the first ships to have fore and aft lifting bridges as a significant safety feature still in use on modern vessels today. The subject model is an example of an International Cargo Ship used during the 19th and early 20th centuries to transport goods around the world and representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. Wagon wheel hub with spoke butts. Holes for hardware fittings are visible. Recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wheel hub, falls of halladale, russell & co., wreck artifact, cart wheel, ship's wheel, navigation, ship's wheel hub -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Print of S. S. Rowitta, A.V. Gregory, 1912
S. S. ROWITTA: - The 1909 steam ferry, S. S. Rowitta, was installed as an exhibit at Flagstaff Hill in 1975 and was enjoyed by many visitors for 40 years. S. S. Rowitta was a timber steam ferry built in Hobart in 1909 using planks of Huon and Karri wood. She was a favourite of sightseeing passengers along Tasmania’s Tamar and Derwent rivers for 30 years. The Rowitta was also known as Tarkarri and Sorrento and had worked as a coastal trading vessel between Devonport and Melbourne, and Melbourne Queenscliff and Sorrento. In 1974 the S. S. Rowitta was purchased by Flagstaff Hill to convert into a representation of the Speculant, a historic and locally significant sailing ship listed on the Victorian Heritage Database. (The Speculant was built in Scotland in 1895 and traded timber between the United Kingdom and Russia. Warrnambool’s P J McGennan & Co. then bought the vessel to trade pine timber from New Zealand to Victorian ports and cargo to Melbourne. She was the largest ship registered with Warrnambool as her home port, playing a key role in the early 1900s in the Port of Warrnambool. In 1911, on her way to Melbourne, she was wrecked near Cape Otway. None of the nine crew lost their lives.) The promised funds for converting the S. S. Rowitta into the Speculant were no longer available, so she was restored back to her original configuration. She represented the importance of coastal traders to transport, trade and communication in Australia times before rail and motor vehicles. Sadly, in 2015 the time had come to demolish the Rowitta due to her excessive deterioration and the high cost of on-going repairs. She had given over 100 years of service and pleasure to those who knew her. Arthur Victor Gregory (known as A. V. Gregory) was born in Melbourne in 1867. He was the son of George Frederick Gregory who was an established marine painter with a studio in South Melbourne. A. V. Gregory worked with his father and his elder half-brother (George Frederick Junior). They made numerous photographic reproductions of their ships' portraits, selling the originals to captains and owners and the photographic prints to the crews. A. V. Gregory inherited the business on the death of his father in 1890 and continued to paint until World War 2 when he stopped for wartime security reasons. Gregory worked mainly in watercolour and gouache. He kept all his working sketches so he could repeat earlier paintings and make more copies of the same ship. His carefully detailed portraits of every kind of vessels seen on Port Phillip Bay created a body of work regarded as a valuable record of the maritime traffic of that period.This print is a significant example of the work of the well-known and well-respected marine painter A. V. Gregory who created a detailed record of shipping in the Port Phillip Bay area in the years before W.W. 2. It is also significant as it connects the history of the S. S. Rowitta, which was a large exhibit on display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from the museum’s early beginnings until the vessel’s end of life 40 years later. The S. S. Rowitta represents the importance of coastal traders to transport, trade and communication along the coast of Victoria, between states, and in Australia before rail and motor vehicles and is significant for its association with Tasmanian history from the early to mid-1900s. The vessel was an example of a ferry built in the early 20th century that served many different roles over its lifetime of over 100 years.This is a photograph of a watercolour painting of the S. S. Rowitta. It shows a steamer moving through the water. The ship has a blue, metal hull, a wooden lower and upper deck, a lifeboat and smoke coming out of a chimney. Flags are flying from the bow, the stern and the mast. Seven figures can be seen on the decks. A second boat can be seen in the distance in the far left of the picture. It has the signature "A. V. Gregory - 12" in the bottom left corner and the title "S. S. Rowitta - 121 tns" in the lower right corner.Signed "A. V. Gregory -12-" Titled "The S. S. Rowitta / -121 tns" Printed on the ships' bow - "ROWITTA"flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, s. s. rowitta, rowitta, a. v. gregory, painting, marine painting, marine painter, steamer, steam ferry, passenger ferry, alfred gregory, tarkarri, sorrento, speculant, print, photograph -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Vessel, Sail and Steam Ship, S.S. Warrnambool
... -known early 20th century marine artist Charles Keith Miller ...This photograph and a matching earlier photograph are the images of a painting of the British steamship SS Warrnambool at Dover Strait in the English Channel. The photographs were donated by the painting’s owner, who acquired the 30” x 56” (76 x 142.5 cm) oil on canvas painting in 1998. Both photographs were accompanied by a letter, one written in 2001, and the other in 2003. The letters confirm that the artist of the painting was Charles Keith Miller, signed with the initials “CKM” and dated “1893”. The painting shown in the photographs was a gift to the Town Council of Warrnambool, presented to Warrnambool folks in Melbourne on December 1, 1892, by the Captain of William Lund’s ship SS Warrnambool. The painting was given by Lund in appreciation of the Ladies of Warrnambool who had presented the ship with a ‘house’ flag bearing the Blue Anchor Line’s symbol of a diagonal blue anchor on a white background; the ladies had made the decision to present the flag only a month earlier. A few days later, December 6th, the SS Warrnambool was on its homeward journey to Britain, sailing via Adelaide. It anchored for a short time off the Port of Warrnambool. A boat was launched from Lady Bay to take a group of friends to the ship with a delivery of gifts. After cheers were roused for both the ship and the Captain, the ship continued on its way. The photograph shows the gifted white flag with a diagonal blue anchor flying from the masthead. The same symbol is painted on the ship’s black funnel. The signal flags on the foremast display ‘M’ ‘R’ ‘V’ ‘B’. These letters are most likely the ship’s call number ‘MRVB’. Although the painting was given as a gift in December 1892, it is post-dated “1893”. Perhaps the painting was given earlier than anticipated; or the date added later, but whatever the reason, the provenance of the painting was confirmed at auctions of this painting and other works by the same artist. CHARLES KEITH MILLER 1836-1907:- Captain Charles Miller left his home in Scotland at the age of 15 years for a life at sea. He earned his Master’s Certificate ten years later. After being the captain of sailing ships he moved over to the steamships because they were faster. In 1866 he married and settled in Glasgow. Over the following eleven years he and his wife had five children, then sadly his wife passed away. Captain Miller returned to the sea for a while but in 1888 he gave up his sea life to spend his time as a marine artist. His understanding of seafaring life and vessels, combined with his artistic skills, gave him the ability to produce fine art and several galleries and museums have collections of his sought-after works. S.S. WARRNAMBOOL 1892-1925:- The steamship SS Warrnambool was built in 1892 by the Sunderland Ship Building Company for the Lund Line of London, founded by William Lund in 1869. It efficiently carried both passengers and cargo across the world to Australia, under the command of her master Captain Joshua Edward Iibery, who had many years of experience with the Blue Anchor Line. The company, referred to as the Blue Anchor Line or BAL, owned a fleet of both sail and steamships. The funnels of all of the steamships were painted black, with a white band around the top bearing a diagonal blue anchor and chain. The company’s house flag was also white with a diagonal blue anchor. The SS Warrnambool carried passengers and cargo in a ‘no frills’ service to and from Europe around the Cape of Good Hope, stopping at some ports in between. The ship was involved in bringing home returned solders in 1895. At one time it carried a doctor from Victoria, Australia, to assist at the war front in South Africa. The ship had a very good reputation for its cargo arriving ‘almost always in excellent condition.’ Exported goods from Australia included iron safes, flour, wool, apples, frozen rabbits, butter, cheese, pork, cattle, poultry and sheep. One remarkable delivery contained Ostriches for Queen Victoria and they survived the journey well. The SS Warrnambool was sold in 1900 to the British and South American Steam Navigation Co. Ltd of Liverpool and was renamed ‘Harmodius’. The company was managed by R.P. Houston & Company of London and its Houston Line funnels were red with a black top. The Harmodius was sold in 1919 to K.S.S. Co. Ltd, managed by Kaye Son & Co. Ltd. of Liverpool, and was renamed ‘Kut’. The line had black funnels with a white ‘K’ in a diamond or between white stripes. In 1926 it was purchased by T.W. Ward Ltd. and broken up. NOTE- other vessels named “Warrnambool” Two other vessels carried the name “Warrnambool” (1)- HMAS Warrnambool J202 (1941-1947), a Bathurst Class corvette vessel owned by the Royal Australian Navy, destroyed by a mine. The photograph is significant for its association with the painting "SS Warrnambool" by well-known early 20th century marine artist Charles Keith Miller, whose paintings are well valued. The painting and the photograph of it are namesakes of Warrnambool and are connected through the gifts exchanged between the ship company owner, the City of Warrnambool and the Ladies of Warrnambool; the House Flag and the painting by C K Miller. The image is a good likeness to original photographs of the late-19th to early-20th century steam and sale vessel. Coloured photograph of a painting, the steamship S.S. Warrnambool. The three-masted ship has lowered sails. It is in calm water, land on one side, and other vessels in the water. The ship has four raised signal flags, a house flag and a blue ensign. The funnel also bears the house flags symbol. Smoke emits from the funnel. Figures are visible onboard. There is a signature and a title on the lower edge of the photograph. (Artist of the painting in the photograph was Charles Keith Miller)House flag symbol, [diagonal blue anchor on white background] Text "CKM" and "1893" Text "S. S. WARRNAMBOOL."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, photograph, steam ship warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, ss warrnambool, captain, charles keith miller, ckm, 1893, william lund, warrnambool town council, blue anchor line, lund line, ladies of warrnambool, house flag, diagonal blue anchor, captain miller, sunderland ship building company, migrant ship, 1892 ship, home flag, bal, australian export, s.s.warrnambool, dover strait, english chanel, port of warrnambool, lady bay, mrvb, captain charles miller, captain joshua edward iibery, ostriches, queen victoria, british and south american steam navigation co., harmodius, r.p. houston & company, houston line, k.s.s. co. ltd, kaye son & co. ltd, kut, t.w. ward ltd -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Vessel, Steam Ship, S.S. Rowitta, Early 20th century
The subject of this photograph is the S.S.Rowilla, a passenger steam ferry built in Hobart for use in Tasmania's rivers, the Derwent and the Tamar. The photograph shows her docked at the Charles Street Wharf in Launceston. The S.S. Rowitta was built by Purdon & Featherstone, at Battery Point, Hobart (Tasmania) in 1909 from Huon Pine and Kauri planking. Her final configuration included three masts and a ship rig. S.S. Rowitta took its first voyage from Hobart to Launceston in 1909 and operated for 30 years as a passenger ferry on the Tamar and Derwent Rivers. She also served as a freighter, an army supply ship, a luxury charter ferry and a floating restaurant as well as a prawn boat at Lakes Entrance. (She has also been named “Sorrento” and “Tarkarri”.). In the very early days of Flagstaff Hill ‘Rowitta’ was purchased from Lakes Entrance by Warrnambool City Council and the Victorian State Government for $20,000. The Rowitta had a hull configuration very similar to a local boat named the SPECULANT, which played a key role in the Port of Warrnambool in the early 1900s. The Speculant was the largest ship ever registered with Warrnambool as her home port. Local owner and trader P J McGennan & Co, (Peter McGennan) used her as a freight carrier to Melbourne and timber trader between New Zealand and Victoria. She sunk at Cape Otway in 1911 on a voyage to Melbourne. In 1974 Rowitta was delivered to Port Fairy and then later sailed to Warrnambool’s Breakwater where she was lifted out of Lady Bay and loaded onto the back of a long transport truck and slowly and carefully driven along Pertobe Road, through the Surfside Caravan Park and over the railway line, into Flagstaff Hill’s Maritime Village. Transfer arrangements were coordinated by Jack Morse, of Morse Engineering, a member of the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board, and Ken Goyen, a local crane operator. The ‘Rowitta’ was originally acquired to be rebuilt to match the original SPECULANT. When finances became tight in 1976 a review of all plans ended in the decision to restore the “Rowitta” to her original configuration. She was then restored, renamed the original name of “Rowitta” and installed in the Village’s Harbour Lake to become one of the popular vessels on display for visitors to enjoy. It was the decision of the Advisory Committee to Flagstaff Hill to have Rowitta demolished in April 2015 due to extensive deterioration. Items associated with the Rowitta continue to be held in Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection.The photograph of the passenger ferry S.S. Rowitta.is significant for its association with Tasmanian history from the early to mid-1900s. It is also connected to the history of the Rowitta, which was a large exhibit on display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from the museum’s early beginnings until the vessel’s end of life 40 years later. The Rowitta represents the importance of coastal traders to transport, trade and communication along the coast of Victoria, between states, and in Australia before rail and motor vehicles. The vessel was an example of a ferry built in the early 20th century that served many different roles over its lifetime of over 100 years. Black and white photograph of the steamship S.S. Rowitta at Charles Street Wharf, Launceston. It shows the vessel docked at the Charles Street Wharf in Launceston. Smoke is coming from its funnel and there are people on board. There is a handwritten inscription on the top edge of the photograph. The vessel was built in 1909 by Purdon & Featherstone, Hobart. Blue-green handwriting on top left margin "ROWITTA AT LAUNCESTON"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, s.s. rowitta, charles street wharf,, launceston., purdon & featherstone, rowitta, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909, sorrento -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Joseph Conrad, 20th century
The ship model of the Joseph Conrad represents the craft of ship model making, which has been enjoyed by many people over the years. Although the model is made from modern materials, it shows the elements of a sailing ship of a bygone era. About the sailing ship JOSEPH CONRAD: - The vessel Joseph Conrad began as the Danish iron-hulled sailing ship Georg Stage, launched in 1882. It was used as a training ship for Danish sailors. In 1905, while docked in Copenhagen, the ship was rammed by a larger ship, and 22 boys were killed while sleeping in the hull. The ship was later raised and on guard during World War I. Alan Villiers was an Australian author of seafaring books as well as a sailor. He bought the wooden sailing ship George Stage and renamed it Joseph Conrad in honour of the renowned Polish-born maritime author and once the captain of the barque Otago. In 1934 Villers sailed the ship on a two-year voyage around the world. In 1936, it was sold to an American, who later donated it for use again as a training ship. After World War II the ship was no longer used, and in 1947 it was transferred to the Mystic Seaport Museum for training use again as well as an exhibit. JOSEPH CONRAD (1857-1927): - Joseph Conrad was Polish-born and became a British subject in 1886. He was a renowned marine fiction writer and also, for a short time, a mariner and Captain. As a boy of 13 years old, Joseph Conrad desired to be a sailor. At 19, he joined the British merchant marines, working in several roles. He eventually qualified as a captain but only served in this role once, from 1888-89, when he commanded the barque Otago sailing from Sydney to Mauritius. In 1889 he also began writing his first novel, Almayer’s Folly. He retired from life as a mariner in 1894, aged 36. Conrad’s visits to Australia from 1878 to 1982, and his affection for Australia, were later commemorated by a plaque in Circular Quay, Sydney. Conrad continued as an author. It is said that many of the characters in his books were inspired by his maritime experiences and the people he had met. By the end of his life, he had completed many stories and essays, and 19 novels, plus one incomplete novel titled ‘Suspense’ that was finished and published posthumously. Shortly before he passed away, in 1924, Conrad was offered a Knighthood by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald for his work but declined the offer. The ship model represents the design of sailing ships built in the 1880s and can be used as a reference in understanding the construction of the ships of the Victorian era. The model is important for its connection to the vessel Joseph Conrad which was used as a training ship for seafarers, and even now is used to teach maritime skills, as well as an exhibit, in the maritime museum, Mystic Seaport. The model's name is significant for its association of its name with the famed early 20th-century maritime author, Joseph Conrad.Ship model; A three-masted sailing ship named the Joseph Conrad, with cabins on deck, lifeboats, a ladder on the side and a figurehead on the bow. The hull is black at the top and red below. The ship's name is painted on both sides of the bow. JOSEPH CONRADflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, joseph conrad, captain joseph conrad, maritime author, marine author, nautical author, sailor, seafarer, ship model, two-masted ship, iron hull, sailing ship, georg stage, 1882 ship, danish ship, training ship, boys killed, alan villiers, ship joseph conrad, mystic seaport, museum ship, otago