This is a lump of beeswax that has been used to polish and clean old flat irons. Beeswax is a natural product made by bees to form the honeycomb in their beehives. It was used historically in many areas, including candle making, bow making, cosmetics production, bullet-making and modelling. It still has many commercial uses today. Flat irons were metal objects that had a flat polished surface and were heated to iron material and garments. The beeswax assisted in keeping the polished surface clean and shiny. This piece of beeswax comes from a local source but the full provenance is not known. It is important to keep it in the collection as an adjunct to the Historical Society’s collection of sad and flat irons from the past. This is a lump of beeswax in a round shape with one end broken across to reveal the inner part of the beeswax. The outer part is somewhat stained. flat and sad irons, household items from the past, history of warrnambool

This ink well is of the type used in the 19th and 20th centuries as a container for ink. Because of its smallness it is presumed it was used in a household or small business. Pens and ink wells were used in writing up to about 1950 when fountain pens became more common and the ink was stored more in bottles or cartridges. The advent of the ballpoint pen eliminated the need for ink. This is a green-tinted glass container with a rectangular body and a smaller rectangular neck with an open top. The top of the container near the neck is ridged. The opening is chipped and partly broken off. ‘3’vintage household items, warrnambool

This padlock is a heavy duty item but it is ornate enough to have been used on a large front door or other room in a household or business. The padlock is locked and there is no accompanying key. Today padlocks may still be made of metal but they are considerably more lightweight. This item is retained as an interesting example of a padlock used in the past.This is a metal padlock made in a shield shape with a raised ornamental piece of brass patterning surrounding the key mechanism. The padlock is very rusted.antiquarian household items, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This padlock and key are heavy duty items but were probably used in households or businesses for locking sheds and outhouses. Padlocks used today are more lightweight.These items have no known local significance but are retained as examples of padlocks used in the past..1 This is an iron padlock with a ridged circular bolt which is now fused into the lock. .2 This is an iron key with a circular handle. It fits into the end of the base of the padlock. Both items are very rusted. antiquarian household items, warrnambool

The bone from this shoe horn probably comes from the horn of a cow. It has been adapted for use in putting on tight-fitting shoes or boots. Animal horn was the original material used to make such an item – hence the name ‘shoe horn’. Today shoe horns are still used but they are usually made of plastic or metal. This item is retained as an example of a shoe horn made from animal bone, a relic of the past.This is an animal bone horn tapering to an end that has been shaped to a point to form a handle. The horn is brown and cream-coloured. The horn is chipped on the sides and slightly gouged out at the top. household items, shoehorn, shoe horn, shoespooner

This is a pocket spring balance. It would have been used last century in our district by market gardeners, hawkers and other itinerant workers and possibly also used in some small businesses. In households it could also be useful for weighing jam fruit, vegetables etc. Spring balances are still in use today.This item is retained as an example of a spring balance manufactured 80 or more years ago.This is a set of spring balance scales. The spring is fixed at one end with a hook attached to hold an object to be weighed. The top end has a ring to hang the scales up. The spring mechanism is enclosed by a steel cover. The front scale face is made of brass and both this face and the rear spring casing are fastened by three rivets. On the front is a spring-loaded blade which has equally spaced scale markings next to it on one side. This item is much rusted. ‘Hughes Pocket Balance’ ‘Patent’ Scale Markings:- ‘0 to 25’ pocket spring balances, household items of the past., history of warrnambool

The Box Brownie camera was developed by Frank Brownell in the late 19th century. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak of U.S.A. and was a camera with a simple lens. It provided snapshots at a low cost and was the most widely-used camera by families in the first half of the 20th century. This item was the No. 2 model which was sold from 1901 to 1935. This item was given to Olive O’Donnell when she was ten years old. The donor was Miss Florence Lake of ‘Lyndoch’ in Warrnambool. She was noted for giving presents, usually at Christmas time, to the children of her employees and other children in the Warrnambool area. Olive O’Donnell’s father worked for Miss Lake for 45 years. The property of ‘Lyndoch’ near the mouth of the Hopkins River in Warrnambool was established by a Melbourne businessman, George Rolfe, late in the 19th century and Miss Lake was one of the two stepdaughters of George Rolfe who inherited the property. Miss Florence Lake built a house at Lyndoch which today forms part of the aged care facility established when the property was sold. This camera is of interest for two reasons: 1. It is an example of the Box Brownie camera which was a very popular camera owned by many Australians in the first half of the 20th century. 2. It is an example of the type of present given to children by the Warrnambool philanthropist, Florence Lake. She resided at ‘Lyndoch’ and was well-known in the Warrnambool community in the 20th century. This is a rectangular-shaped black metal box. A metal clip acts as an opening and closing device for inserting a film. A yellow and black film is enclosed at one end of the box. A handle is on the top of the box and is attached by metal clips. There are several viewing panels on the box and a metal mechanism for winding the film. The box is scuffed and stained. ‘Brownie’ ‘No 2 Brownie Model F Patented in U.S.A. Patents Pending.’ photography, household items, lyndoch, warrnambool, florence lake, warrnambool, olive o’donnell, warrnambool

This bean slicer is one of the household labour-saving devices that became increasingly popular in the early to mid 20th century. In those times vegetables such as beans were often grown in the backyard of a house or farm and bean-cutting was a laborious task, especially when providing for a large family. Processed sliced beans were not then freely available.This bean slicer has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of a 20th century household labour-saving device. This is a metal object with a round disc with three metal blades underneath on a turntable for slicing. The blades are attached by six screws. There are two funnels on the top of the disc for inserting the beans. A handle that turns the blades is attached by a screw to the round disc. Attached to the disc also is a vice that enables the slicer to be bolted to a bench or table. The slicer has been painted green but the paint is wearing off and the whole object is rustywarrnambool, bean slicer, household items

The containers in this set would have held salt, pepper, and perhaps two types of vinegar. When bought some time in the 20th century it was a high quality item and would have been found in the home of a person of some means and perhaps used when visitors were being entertained. Today a simple salt and pepper set is more likely to be used during meals. This cruet set has no known local provenance but it is a very attractive item and is kept as a memento of the past. This cruet set has a metal base with four round metal knobs on the bottom. The base has a handle in a bowed shape with a circular top and midway across the handle are attached four rectangular metal shapes for holding the condiments. Four cut glass containers slot into the four holders. The containers are all rectangular-shaped, two with a narrower neck and a glass stoppers, one with a narrower neck and a metal top with a perforated lid and one with a metal top with a hinged lid. The metal base and handle are somewhat rusted.household items, history of warrnambool

Commercial tin openers first appeared in the mid 19th century and this model dates from the early 20th century. An improved version when a second serrated wheel was added came into operation about the mid 1920s. Tins (now cans) of food with sealed tops became popular in the 20th century and all households needed a tin opener. Today the can opener is still used but increasingly the can lids have an inbuilt clip that is pulled out to open the can. This tin opener has no known local provenance but it is retained as an early model of a tin opener from the past. It will be useful for display. This is a cast iron tin opener with a cutting blade attached to a piece of metal with a screw. The metal handle curves out from the metal piece holding the blade. The opener is a little rusty in parts. The name ‘Guard ’ is on both sides of the handle in raised metal letters.‘Guard’ household items, history of warrnambool

These sulphur fumigator cubes were used in the past to fumigate areas in such places as hospitals, plant nurseries, farms and homes. The cube was placed in a tin containing soil and the top wick was set alight and the cube would burn overnight and kill off insects, mites and germs. One cube was sufficient for a room six feet square. This is a square cardboard box with no lid. The box is brown with orange, red and black printing. The box contains three cubes of sulphur fumigators. There should be four but one cube is missing. The cubes are square-shaped with beige-coloured sides and yellow tops. The tops have raised sections which serve as wicks. ‘Light This’ ‘Johnson’s Sulphur Fumigator prepared by Johnson & Johnson, Manufacturing Chemists’ household items, history of warrnambool

This glass dish would probably have been used at the dining table to hold salt, mustard or another condiment. Or it could have been used in an office to hold small pins etc. or it could have held a flower or flowers but it is a little shallow for this purpose. This item has no known local provenance but is retained for display purposes as an item more likely to have been used in past days. This is a small oval-shaped glass dish. The base is made of plain glass but the sides are patterned with plain glass interspersed with ridged glass. household items, history of warrnambool

Condiment sets were more a feature of a table setting 100 years ago than they are today. The condiment sets, some very elaborate, have been mostly replaced by simple salt and pepper shakers. This item has no known local provenance but it is an attractive set and is suitable for display as an example of a household This is a condiment set. It has a metal stand with a looped handle and three metal rings for holding a salt container, a pepper container and a mustard dish. The three containers are made of china and are yellow with a decorative border of blue and red flowers. The tops of the salt and pepper containers are made of electro plated nickel silver and these are slightly tarnished. The mustard dish has a silver spoon. household items, history of warrnambool

This item is a boxed set of teaspoons from the Rodd Silverware Company. G. & E. Rodd Pty Ltd was founded in Melbourne in 1919 and by the 1930s it was the leading manufacturing jewellery business in Australia. In 1948 the business was taken over by Max Rodd, the son of one of the founders and by that time it was known mostly for its household silverware. Rodd products were very popular wedding presents in the mid 20th century. This item has no known local significance but is retained as an excellent example of the Rodd Silverware that was found in so many households in Australia in the early to mid 20th century. It will be useful for display.This is a black leather-bound box with a gilt rim around the edge of the lid. The lid is attached to the box by two metal clips. One of these is broken. The box has a gilt metal clasp for closing the box. The box is lined inside with purple satin material and contains five electro plated nickel silver teaspoons. There should be six in the set but one spoon is missing. The spoons are held in grooves cut into a purple block across the middle of the inside of the box (perhaps made of wood). The box is somewhat stained and the leather is scuffed in places. The teaspoons are in excellent condition.Back of spoons: ‘Rodd E.P.N.S. A1’ rodd silverware, household items

These items are of a high quality and would have come from a household where the occupants had considerable means. It was not common to have silver plating on both of these items. Shaving brushes and strops were essential items for men shaving their faces regularly until the mid to late 20th century when electric shavers became more common. These two items are attractive ones and are retained because they represent a household item of the past and they are a rare example of a shaving strop enclosed within a case. They will be useful for display. .1 This is an extending razor strop made of brown leather. It has a heavily patterned silver handle attached to the leather by metal studs and it is contained within a cylindrical case of plated silver. The case has a heavily-patterned curved base and top and on one side there is an oval outlined space in which to put initials or an inscription. The case has a handle on one end to match the strop handle but this handle is for hanging the item on a hook to keep it upright and stable. This would then enable the user to pull hard on the other handle to use the strop to sharpen a razor .2 This is a shaving brush made of horsehair or other animal hair. It has a silver-plated handle with a double ridge in the middle. It was used to lather a person’s face or skin with cream or soap to lessen chafing during and after shaving. The silver on both items is a little tarnished. ‘British Made Ziff Sterilised’ ‘Falcon Silver Plate Co. Made in England 3533’ household items, history of warrnambool

This butter cooler was used in households to prevent butter from melting in the warmer weather. Ice would have been used in the butter container. The top of the container is domed, indicating the shape of the butter at that time (late 19th century). This butter cooler would have been a costly item and would have graced the dining table of a family that had considerable means. It would have been used on a dining table even after the invention of refrigeration in the 1880s as the eating rooms would have had little or no cooling mechanisms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This butter cooler has no known local provenance but it is a very attractive item and is retained as a good example of a household item no longer in use. It will be very useful for display.This is a silver butter cooler with a circular base with an ornamented edge. The base has a stem holding two highly ornamented arms branching out from the sides. These arms hold an oval container which has a chased silver base and an overhanging chased silver top. Inside the container is the space to hold ice or cold water. On top of the inside of the container sits a small round lid which holds the butter and the ice. The lid has several small holes for the ice water to drain underneath. The base of this lid is impressed with moulded fruit and leaves. The oval container has an over-arching handle attached. This is highly ornamented in fretwork. The sides of the container have two projecting pieces for holding the butter cooler and two other smaller projecting pieces with chains attached for hanging the object. One of these pieces has an oval holder for turning the hinged top of the container to close the container. This top has a chased silver patterning on its top. When the lid is closed the container adapts to a globe or egg shape.‘Made and Guaranteed by Meriden B. Company 5085 U.S.A. household items, history of warrnambool, silver butter cooler

This container is one of high quality and would have been found either in a bedroom containing small articles belonging to a woman or in an office or parlour containing small items used by the householder. The container would have been a relatively expensive item to purchase. This container has no known local provenance but it is a very attractive item from times past and one not common even when first purchased. It will be useful for displayThis is a round silver container with a plain base and the sides heavily-impressed with patterns of flowers, fronds and tendrils. There is an oval blank space on one side to insert a name or inscription. The lid is a detached one that fits over the top of the container. The lid has a curved top with the same impressed floral patterns. The name of the maker is on the base but it is difficult to decipher.‘quadruple plate’ Torun (?) …Company household items, history of warrnambool

A serviette ring such as this one would be part of a set of four or more. It would usually hold a starched white serviette and be used for formal dining. It is an object this is still in common use today.This serviette ring has no known local provenance and is kept for display purposes. This is a silver-coloured serviette ring. It is a hollow circle of metal curving slightly outwards at one end. The outer sides are impressed with an ornamental patterning of flowers and tendrils.household items, history of warrnambool

These tacks, made in U.S.A., would have been used in carpentry and small building processes and would most likely have been for household use. In many cases they have been replaced by clips and adhesive materials but are still used today. This box of tacks has no known local provenance and is kept for display purposes as an example of a household item from the past.This is a buff-coloured cardboard box containing metal tacks. The box is torn away at the top and has black printing on two sides. The box has been covered with clear cellophane to keep the contents safe. The tacks have a blunt head and taper to a point. They are rusted. ‘When you get a good thing remember where you got it’ ‘This trade mark is your protection. It guarantees the greatest quantity of quality at the price. Atlas Tack Corporation. Fairhaven Mass. St. Louis Mo.’ household items, history of warrnambool

This jug is decorative and attractive and may have been used on special occasions to hold water or cordial. It could also have been used as a vase. There may have been a set of glass tumblers to match the jug. This vase is retained as an excellent example of a jug used in a household in the past. It is a timeless piece and would grace any table in a house todayThis is a glass jug with a round base and a body tapering slightly to a fluted rim and opening. The handle is clear glass. The upper section of the jug has a white raised decorated pattern with a band of pink raised decorations above it. There are six small red dots in the white decorated section. household items, history of warrnambool

This item is a container that would have been used by a woman to hold small items such as pins. It may also have originally contained some lotion or powder but there is no trade name to indicate this. It would have been found in a bedroom. Such items as these would have been given as presents to members of the more affluent families in the early 20th century. This container has no known local provenance but is retained as an attractive item from the past. It will be useful for display.This is a round-shaped cut glass container with a plain glass base and a metal lid which fits over the top of the container. The top of the lid has an enamel circular piece inserted into the metal. This piece has a white background with a painted image of the head and shoulders of a woman in brown and flesh-coloured tonings. The lid has some dents and some discoloration.household items, dressing table containers

This vase would have been used to hold five small flowers or fronds and would have been a decorative item on a dining table or mantelpiece. Today a vase holding one or a small number of flowers is called a specimen vase and the style of these tends to be less decorative than the item described here. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of a household item from the past.This is a white china vase with a central pillar representing the trunk of a tree and (originally) four pillars branching out from the main pillar to represent the branches of a tree. One of these pillars is now missing. The china stems holding the branch columns have embossed flowers and fronds. The main pillar and the branch pillars have irregular-shaped openings for flower insertion.household items, history of warrnambool

This is a heavy duty chamber pot and may have been produced for use in a hospital or ship. This item has no known local provenance and is retained for display as an interesting memento of the past.This is a white china bowl, round in shape, with an overhanging top. Inserted in a groove in the top is a lid which has a white decorative pattern around the outer rim. There is a round handle in the middle of the lid in a recessed section. There is also a metal handle for carrying the bowl and the lid together. There is some staininghousehold items, history of warrnambool

This iron would have been used mostly by women either travelling, in hotel rooms etc, or on an occasion when only one or two small items were needed to be ironed. It has been superseded by electric irons. This is an attractive item and is retained as a fine example of a travel iron used about 90 years ago. This has a rectangular-shaped metal base with pointed ends (in the shape of a conventional ironing plate). The top of the plate is indented. A piece of metal (chrome-plated), with a hinged lid, partially slides out from the top of the plate and this is used to hold the meta tablets (methylated spirits) or coal. The top of this plate is used to extinguish any coals or flames. This piece of metal is partially enclosed in an open metal container. The wooden handle of the iron is affixed to the top of this container. ‘British Boudoir Iron’ ‘World Pats Granted or Appd for BCM WS4C’ household items, history of warrnambool

These stoneware jugs and bowl had been perennially popular in homes for many years and are still in homes today.These jugs are kept as mementos of household items popular in the past. One jug (VC001906.3) appears to have come from Scotland in the mid 19th century and may have belonged to a member of a McGregor family.These are four brown earthenware jugs and one small brown bowl. .1 This jug has filter holes near the top of the rim and a mottled pattern on the lower part of the body of the jug with an ornamental pattern separating this mottled section from the smooth upper half. .2 This jug has a light brown lower section (both body and handle) and a darker reddish-brown upper section .3 This jug is dark brown with lighter shadings at the top section. The lip is chipped. .4 This jug has a mottled brown lower section and a smooth brown upper section. .5 the small bowl has a stipled lower section and plain upper.‘3 PT’ ‘1PT” household items, history of warrnambool, stoneware jugs, pottery jugs

These glasses appear to be mainly sunglasses or ones for outdoors as the tinted glass and the shades indicate this. They would have been used commonly in the past (100 years ago or more) by those able to afford the cost of the item. Eye glasses were first used in the 13th century and bi-focals were invented in the late 18th century.These items have no known local significance and are kept as interesting souvenirs of eye glasses used in the past.This is a pair of spectacles or glasses in a case. The glasses are made of thin metal and contain dark tinted glass. The eye-glass pieces are oval in shape. On the outer rims of the eye-glass pieces are two curved metal mesh covers attached to the metal rims by two screws on each side. These act as shades for the sun and side protection for the eyes and fold down when not in use. One of the shades is detached from its metal rim. The glasses case is made of cardboard and has a black mottled outer covering and a light brown inside lining. The case is much scuffed. household items, history of warrnambool, spectacles

Miniatures such as these are still made today as collection pieces and can be seen on display in some houses. Some of these items might also be used as furnishing pieces in dolls houses though dolls houses with quality fittings are not bought or sold today as much as in the past. These china miniatures have no known local provenance but are retained for display purposes.These five items are miniature china pieces, used in a doll’s house or as collection pieces for display in a home. .1 Miniature house in red and cream colouring .2 Miniature basket in brown and cream colouring .3 Miniature jug or pot in brown and cream colouring (handle broken off) .4 Miniature jug in brown and cream colouring .5 Miniature brown urn .1 Englandwarrnambool, antiquarian household items, history of warrnambool

A match holder was a common item 100 years ago and more, as it was used by those who smoked and was often kept on the person for this purpose or as a handy object for lighting lamps etc. It has no known provenance. This container is of minor interest as an example of a household item of the past and is kept for display purposes.This is a small silver-coloured metal container with a lift-up lid. The metal is pressed into an ornamental pattern. Inside the container is part of an old matchstick.Rd. 168192warrnambool history, household items

This washing machine is an early model hand machine which came from Allansford, near Warrnambool.This item is an interesting example of an early washing machine with its primitive and simple parts.This is a cylindrical galvanised metal tub mounted on a metal stand. It has a metal ring around the top of the tub and a wooden handle serving as the washing mechanism. The name of the manufacturer is stencilled on the side of the tub.QUEENS HEAD AUSTRALIAvintage household items, washing machine, mechanical washing machine, warrnambool history

These hand crafted, crocheted table linen items are part of the many 19th century items of furniture, linen and crockery donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by, Vera and Aurelin Giles. The items are associated with Warrnambool and the Giles Family history. Items donated by the family have come to be known as the “Giles Collection”. Many items in the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage were donated by Vera and Aurelin Giles and mostly came from the home of Vera’s parents-in-law, Henry Giles and his wife Mary Jane (nee Freckleton) who married in 1880 and whose photos are on display in the parlour. Henry was born at Tower Hill in 1858, and was a labourer on the construction of the Warrnambool Breakwater before leaving in 1895 for around seven years to build bridges in NSW. Mary Jane was born in 1860 at Cooramook and she attended Mailor’s Flat State School and where she eventually was to become a student teacher. After which she became a governess at “Injemiara” where her grandfather, Francis Freckleton, had once owned land. Henry and Mary’s family consisted of six, some of the children were born at Mailor’s Flat and later some children at Wangoom. They lived with their parents at Wangoom and Purnim west, and this is where Henry died in 1933 and Mary Jane in 1940.The Giles family collection is of social significance at a local level, because it not only illustrates the level of material support the Warrnambool community gave to Flagstaff Hill during it’s establishment. But the Giles collection also gives us today a snapshot into what domestic life was like in early colonial times prior to Federation.Set of three lace doilies & a table runner white, rectangular pieces, hand crocheted wide borders with white linen hand stitched into the centre. (Part of the Giles Collection)Nonewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, giles collection, henry giles, tower hill, warrnambool breakwater, mailor’s flat, wangoom, textiles, victorian household items