E3000.30.1 White card printed invitation to the Mayor and Mayoress of Brighton to the opening of the domestic economy school at the Methodist Homes for Children, Point Nepean Road, Cheltenham. E3000.30.2 Copy of reply sent. Typed on pink paper.methodist homes for children, tuckfield j w mrs, tate frank

On 18th June 1853 the 839 ton ship 'Earl of Charlemont' was wrecked near Barwon Heads. Her 450 passengers and crew struggled ashore without loss of life. Among them were John and Anne Morton, their 3 sons and 5 daughters. Before leaving Ireland, their eldest son George Pickering Morton, had married Anne Eliza Burrowes. Their son, Thomas Richard Burrowes Morton, born in Melbourne on 12 March 1854, was usually known as ' T.R.B.' Aged 26 he married Louisa Mary Esther Morgan. In 1909 Louisa Morton had a cottage built at Points Lonsdale and named it 'Dorrington', surname of her Welsh Grandmother. During previous holidays the family stayed at the 'Terminus'. They travelled by train from Blackburn to Port Melbourne, paddle-steamer to Queenscliff and horse-bus to Point Lonsdale.Black and white copy, No. 6 of set of 27 - Stan Holder, at back of swing, Rene Morton and Tommie (son of Frank Holder) on swingholder, stan, tommie, frank, morton, irene burrowes

On 18th June 1853 the 839 ton ship 'Earl of Charlemont' was wrecked near Barwon Heads. Her 450 passengers and crew struggled ashore without loss of life. Among them were John and Anne Morton, their 3 sons and 5 daughters. Before leaving Ireland, their eldest son George Pickering Morton, had married Anne Eliza Burrowes. Their son, Thomas Richard Burrowes Morton, born in Melbourne on 12 March 1854, was usually known as ' T.R.B.' Aged 26 he married Louisa Mary Esther Morgan. In 1909 Louisa Morton had a cottage built at Points Lonsdale and named it 'Dorrington', surname of her Welsh Grandmother. During previous holidays the family stayed at the 'Terminus'. They travelled by train from Blackburn to Port Melbourne, paddle-steamer to Queenscliff and horse-bus to Point Lonsdale.Black and white copy, No. 7 of set of 27 - Stan Holder, Doll (Mrs Frank Holder), Rene and Miss Davey (music teacher) at the beachholder, stan, doll, morton, rene, davey, miss

On 18th June 1853 the 839 ton ship 'Earl of Charlemont' was wrecked near Barwon Heads. Her 450 passengers and crew struggled ashore without loss of life. Among them were John and Anne Morton, their 3 sons and 5 daughters. Before leaving Ireland, their eldest son George Pickering Morton, had married Anne Eliza Burrowes. Their son, Thomas Richard Burrowes Morton, born in Melbourne on 12 March 1854, was usually known as ' T.R.B.' Aged 26 he married Louisa Mary Esther Morgan. In 1909 Louisa Morton had a cottage built at Points Lonsdale and named it 'Dorrington', surname of her Welsh Grandmother. During previous holidays the family stayed at the 'Terminus'. They travelled by train from Blackburn to Port Melbourne, paddle-steamer to Queenscliff and horse-bus to Point Lonsdale.Black and white copy, No. 9 of set of 27 - Stan B. Holder holding Tommie Holder, son of Dolly and Frank Holderholder, stan b., dolly, frank, tommie

Gold was discovered in Ballarat in 1851 when many people rushed to the diggings. A monument commemorates the centenary of the finding of gold at Poverty Point and is dedicated to the memory of pioneer miners of Ballarat. It records gold yields, nuggets and the richest recorded yields of both alluvial and quartz mines. The replica gold nugget on the monument is the `Welcome Nugget`, found in Ballarat in 1858, weighed 2,217 ounces and was sold for £10,500. The memorial, known as the Pioneer Miners’ Monument, was made to commemorate Ballarat's gold centenary. It was proposed that part of the Pioneers' Memorial Fund might be used. This fund was started with £1300 profit from the 1938 centenary celebrations. (Age (Melbourne), The monument was created by John Edward Skilbeck, a toolmaker with Ronaldson and Tippett. John Skilbeck had a deep interest in Ballarat History, and undertook much research with Bert Strange and Keith Stacpoole. Councilllor William Ernest Roff provided the copper for the memorial from scrap copper obtained during his plumbing business. The copper was reworked by John Skilbeck, and was soldered in the kitchen of his home at 14 Frank Street. Colour photograph of the gold monument on the corner of Sturt Street and Albert Street, Ballarat. It commemorates the discovery of gold at Poverty Point in August 1851, and was The monument was unveiled in 1951 and is mainly constructed of large piecesof quartz, with a miniature popper head on the top made of copper. Mounted on the side is a replica of the Welcome Nugget, which was unearthed on the corner of Humffray and Mair Streets, Ballarat on 09 June 1858.FRONT This monument was erected by the Ballarat Historical Society to commemorate the finding of gold at Poverty Point 21st August 1851 and is dedicated to the memory of/ pioneer miners of Ballarat LEFT SIDE Richest recorded yields alluvial mines Band of Hope 303269 Ozs Prince of Wales 168929 Koh I Noor 164157 Great Redan Ex 110111 Albion 107125 Bonshaw Fr 96520 Park 94699 St George 86702 Sir Wm Don 76830 Hand in Hand 76830 Sir Henry Loch 43562 Quartz Mines Star of the East 256758 Ozs Band of Hope 158299 Victoria United 152013 N Woah Hawp 129562 New Normanby 127562 Britannia 103225 Llanberris No 1 100533 Black Hill 91665 Last Chance U 83766 Llanberris 71364 Speedwell 66000 South Star 64444 Sulieman Pasha Companies 62666 RIGHT Recorded gold yield 20606000 ozs Nuggets Alluvial Welcome 2217 ozs Saraha Snads 1619 Lady Hotham 1177 Canadian 1 1117 Canadian 2 1011 Koh 1 Noor 834 Eureka 625 Lady Loch 617 Prince of Wales 606 Bakery Hill 571 Native Youth 540 Faboulous yields of earliest diggings not offically recorded Quartz Nuggets N Woah Hawp 5-- 300 200 Ozs White Horse 500 Woah Hawp 444 266 262 Canton 257 200 Q Victoria lease 410 U Black Hill Coy 315 Tinworths 250 Parade Coy 245gold monument, ballarat, skilbeck, poppet head, j.e. skilbeck, john skilbeck

An description of the first picnic for 260 war orphans (boys) and their mothers at Ricketts Point (Black Rock) in 1926, who were transported in two charabancs by Legatees, some of whom were in fancy dress. Pages 5-16 recounts anecdotes of Syd Birrell unrelated to the picnic. The writer is anonymous but by the hand writing it is possibly L/- Frank Doolan, a founding member of Legacy, who was part of a committee to capture the history of Legacy and create an archive of material.First hand account by a participant on the trip, which details some highly irresponsible activities which were seen as perfectly acceptable at that time. Some of the anecdotes about Syd Birrell would now be regarded as polically incorrect, but the anonymous writer expresses his amusement and admiration, and references ‘Legacy - the story of the Melbourne Legacy Club' by Claude Blatchford.13 handwritten A5 sheets, numbered 1-16 (missing 9, 10, and 15) in red print on top right hand corner, blue biro on white lined paper, probably torn from a notepad.junior legatee outing, founding legatee

These letters from 1978, record the first known attempts by Melbourne Legacy to preserve and store their history and what "The Wardens" of the archives believed was the most appropriate way to proceed with the project. Legatees Brian Armstrong and Frank Doolan were appointed by the Board of Management to scope the work to establish and archive as 'The Wardens'. They mention in their report to the BOM that many original files were lost in a fire 'many years ago' and they had collected material from many sources. They felt that a proper storage facility and indexing was required and were not able to complete those tasks. It would appear most of their work remained in their envelopes and storage system until the Victorian Collections archive was created. Came from an envelope labelled 'P2 Archives Origin' in red pen as per the archive system used by the original archive.Significant in that the Board of Melbourne Legacy understood and valued the importance of preserving and documenting the history of Melbourne Legacy. A record that Frank Doolan and Brian Armstrong had done considerable work at creating the initial archive for Legacy in 1978.Two letters about the original attempt to create an archive. 00456.1 Copy of a letter typed on Legacy A4 letterhead, dated 7 February 1978, to the Legacy secretary from Legatees Frank Doolan and Brian Armstrong. 00456.2 Letter typed on quarto Legacy letterhead, dated 10 March 1978, from the secretary advising their letter had been tabled at the Board Meeting.00456.1. Handwritten, "L/tee Brian Armstrong" in blue ball point pen. Stamped COPY ONLY, in purple ink. Signed Frank Doolan and HB Armstrong. 00456.2 Signed Legatee L. F. Johns. Hon Sec Melbourne Legacy.history, frank doolan

shipwrecks at Corsair Rock VictoriaFishing boat, shipwreckBlack & white photograph of [possibly] The THISTLE lrior to running aground & the newspaper articles about that & the survivor.Reverse - " possibly 'THISTLE' - lost Point Nepean / see Frank Ferrier for details ".historical references

Photocopy of an article in the 'You asked us' section about 'Flanders Fields, and the man who wrote it' published in The Toronto Star 13 November 1971. The article discusses the controversy surrounding the wording of the first and penultimate lines and claims that poet John McCrae originally originally wrote 'grow' but changed it to 'blow' when asked to by the editors of 'Punch'. The photocopy of the article was supplied by Legatee Ken Rabling. Legatee Frank Doolan signed the note he wrote to accompany the photocopy and dated it 7/8/73. An item from Legatee Frank Doolan, who was on the archive committee and made attempts to collate the history of Legacy. An example of the ongoing controversy surrounding the disputed wording. The poem 'In Flanders Field' was the inspiration for the torch of the Legacy Badge with McCrae's call to the reader to take up The Torch, as the organisation did by looking after the widows and families of fallen soldiers.01302.1 Handwritten signed note in blue ball point, address stamped in black. 01302.2 Photocopy of a page from 'The Star Weekly', Toronto, Canada dated 13 November 1971.01302.1 Top right hand side 'Box 16'poem, history

A set of notes compiled by L/ Frank Doolan about the Intermediate Legacy Club (ILC). He spoke at the 1974 reunion and perhaps these notes formed part of his speech. Background: The ILC was formed in 1929. The idea of the club sprang from those boys who had outgrown the Junior Legacy Club. In the early days it fielded a lacrosse team and it was this that mainly held the members together. Enthusiasm wained after a few years as it lacked a solid objective. The answer came from one of its members and in 1938 they founded the Don Esses Club. This was a club for the children of incapacitated ex-servicemen which met every Thursday night at 7.30 run by the ILC members. The name came from the signallers' code Disabled Servicemen's Sons. During the second world war 80% of the members of the ILC enlisted in the services. Leaving only 8 members that could not join due to ill health or reserved occupations. They continued the Don Esses and whatever aid they could to Legacy. ILC members had always helped Legacy where possible including being camp leaders or camp staff, with the annual demonstrations, and coffee stalls at the ANZAC dawn service. Post second world war some ILC members were nominated into Legacy, others drifted away in civil occupations. It was found difficult to recruit new blood into the ILC and eventually membership waned when the boys from the Don Esses clubs found other youth activities to join. The ILC ceased to meet regularly in the mid fifties. However a strong comradeship still existed between members and they would meet in one anothers homes. Members were always ready to help the senior Legacy Club in any way in their power and still helped at Christmas parties and summer camps. ILC was a service rendering organisation and was self governing. Non-sectarian and non-political, the members were ex-junior legatees over 18 years of age. After serving in World War 2 members were eligible to become members of Legacy. Was in a folder of material collated about the ILC by an early archive committee. A record of the activities of the ILC from the point of view of L/ Frank Doolan who was on the archive committee in the 1970s and started collecting historical information.White note paper of various sizes handwritten by L/ Frank Doolan about the ILC.Handwritten in red pen ILC18 which was part of an early archive project numbering system. Stamped with 'Frank J Doolan' and his address in grey ink.ilc, junior legatee

Photocopy of an article from the July 1948 issue of Truck and Bus Transportation titled "Salute to the Cable Tram", about the author's view on the closure of the cable tram, a child's view point, first services, photos by Wal Larsen, route details, winding down, take over, conversion and finally closure. Based on Reg Item 3908, would have been written by Frank Sheenen.trams, tramways, cable trams, tramcars, lights, depots, closure, melbourne

Presented to 168 CSM F. Brent for 2nd Aust Inf Bde Sports - France - 11.6.17168 CSM Frank Thomas Brent served in the 6th Battalion in WW1 . He was awarded a DCM for conspicuous gallantry and devotion in an attack. He took command of a party and attacked an enemy strong point, capturing 20 prisoners and 2 machine guns. He also rendered valuable assistance in consolodationg the captured position and set a splendid example to his men.A stylised cross in a circular pattern with a single suspension point and ring Obverse - ' 2nd Aust Inf Bde Sports France 11.6.17 ' Reverse - ' 168 CSM BRENT 6th Batn AIF' Hallmarked Diameter - 33Obverse - ' 2nd Aust Inf Bde Sports France 11.6.17 ' Reverse - ' 168 CSM BRENT 6th Batn AIF'ww1, 5/6 rvr, 2nd australian infantry brigade

Alexander Russell Simpson, the nephew of James Young Simpson, invented these forceps, which are also known as axis-traction forceps.Possibly collected by Dr Frank Forster. Examined and identified by Bryan Hibbard.Set of A.R.Simpson style forceps. Consists of two plated metal forcep blades with ebony handles. The inside of the handle of one blade is engraved with the text 'Left Lower first'. The inside of the handle of the second blade is engraved with the text 'J.GRAY & SON/SHEFFIELD'. The number '12' is engrave on both blades at the point where they interlock. 'Left Lower first' , 'J.GRAY & SON/SHEFFIELD'forceps, obstetrics

Newspaper supplement to The Sun News Pictorial, Tuesday 30/9/1924 - "Victoria Country Centres - No. 4". Has extensive notes on Ballarat, its history, civic history, and personalities. or figures. Page 11 - photo from the Town Hall, Avenue of Honour Arch, rowing, Hospital including W J Hoare, R H Ramsey of the Ballarat Cricket Association, Mr Charlie Suffren, J R Jopling, R W Todd. Page 12 - Ballarat and district history, industry, statistics, School of Mines. Has a photo of the Lydiard St Methodist church. Page 13 - Civic Identities - A E Kenny, Frederick Brawn MLC, W R Elsworth, Frank Herman, Alex Bell MLC, notes on Ballarat Power supply ESCo and SECV - Yallourn vs local generation, and an advertisement for Tyler's men's clothing and house furnishings. Page 14 - Ballarat sports, Cr Robert Cooke, South St, Craigs Hotel, photo of Ballarat Woollen Mills, the observatory, and an advert for A M Heath, Booksellers, stationer. Page 15 - Advert for Barlow Motors, Mining exchange building, Buick and Vauxhall motor cars Page 16 - South St competition adverts, schools, Mayor Levy, W J Coghlan, railway and wheat traffic, Myer's woollen mill, J T Walker furniture. Page 17 - advert to T M Burke - real estate - Forest St estate Page 18 - photos of the Executive's office, the Water Board - F Brown, A Farrer, W Brazenor, J C Fletcher, F W Saunders and G M Searle. Football league - A A O'Dea, W R Elsworth, J R Cooke, Cr F Besemeres. Brind's Diestillery of Dunnstown - Frank Brind and Harold Gill. W Ware boxing. Photos of St Andrew's Kirk and live livestock market with Graeme Dowling, Gold diggings. Page 19 - Council officers - G F Morton, A Levy, H Finch, J Pascoe, C J Liddiard, W McIntosh, W P Pryor and E R Marchani. South St Society W W Harris, W H Pearson, W S Sampson, A A King, F J Martell, F S Herman, A A O'Dea. Photos of Woollen mill, Sunshine biscuits, Ballarat Water pipe, Golf Club, Ballarat High School, Bridge St with tram and Golden Point monument. Page 20 - notes on racing, red cross - Mrs James Coghlan, fire brigade, sewerage scheme. Photo of Ballarat Freezing Co meat works with adverts for Craig's Hotel and the Ballarat Trustees Executors & Agency Co. Page 21 - General items re Tylers, city of statues, George Hotel, Barlow's cars, Eva Chemist, Dr W A Spring - racing, with an advert for Millers the Clothiers, Page 22 - Ballarat streets, Adam Lindsay Gordon cottage in grounds of Craig's Hotel, Miller's clothing store, with adverts for the Annual Spring agricultural show, and EVA's pharmacy. Page 23 - Photo of Sturt and Lydiard St with two trams, one possibly 13 in an accident with a motor car, photos of McDonald gates, Loreto Abbey with a racing people - Dave Barry, C L Fox, andHarry McGoldrick. Has adverts for Gribble suits and J T Walker furnishers. Page 24 - notes on real estate, stock agents, with photos of Miss McDonald of Red Cross, Mr and Mrs James Allan, Mr H H Osborne, and an advert for Sunshine Biscuits. Page 25 - Photos of the School of Mines, Orphanage, football crowd and Miss D Balten and Miss K Kennedy tennis with adverts for Macleod and Booth stock and station agents and The George Hotel. Page 26 - advert for Melbourne Sub-division company - Capitol House Melbourne.Yields information about Ballarat, its civic history, and personalities in 1924.Newspaper, 16 printed pages with photographs.ballarat, ballarat history, civic history, tramways, accidents

Frank Scott No 2446 enlisted in 7th reinforcements 5th Batt on 29.4.15 age 33 years 4 months. Embarked for Eygpt 16.7.15, records are very vague with little detail from here, promoted T/Cpl at one point, court martial with loss of 59 days pay, returned to Australia on 21.7.17 with Duodenal Ulcer and discharged from the AIF on 1.7.18.Medal set - court mounted - set (3) Re. F Scott. .1) 1914 - 15 star .2) War medal 1914 . 1918 .3) Victory Medal 1914 - 1919, replica not engraved"2448 Cpl F. Scott. 5 BN. A.I.F”medals, military, history, passchendaele barracks trust

Members of the Chelsea Fire Brigade, standing in front of the station which was situated on Point Nepean Road. Four members Have been identified: Standing on ground from the right, Captain J. J. Smith, Frank Jennings, Mr Frickie, Zeke Smith.Black and White phot of the members of the Chelsea Fire Brigade standing in front of the of the Fire station and on the bell and hose tower.firefighters, chelsea, chelsea fire brigade, fireman, fire equipment

Earlie was built for R G Brownlow of Eagle Point built at Sydney 1900 c sailed from Sydney to Gippsland Lakes by R G Gilbert Brownlow. To Renmark 1985A colour photograph of the motor launch Earlie on the Murray River Renmark South Australiaboats and boating, tourism

The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village