The beginning of standardised weights and measures began In Victoria when the Melbourne Observatory received sets of standard weights and measures, which had been tested in Britain against the then British Imperial standards. These included the primary standard yard and pound for the Colony of Victoria. Other standards of weights and measure held by shires and the administrative body's within the colony could then be compared to these primary standards. A Weights and Measures Act was passed in Victoria in 1862, establishing local inspectors throughout the colony. By the 1870s each local council and shire in Victoria held a set of standards that were used to test scales, weights and dry measures used by wholesalers, factories and shops. Every ten years the councils’ standards would themselves need to be rechecked against the Victorian Standards. The checking was done by the Victorian Customs Department in the 19th century, but with the transfer of responsibility for customs to the Federal Government in 1901, weights and measures function was retained by the Victorian Government and was shifted to the Melbourne Observatory. In 1904, a new building was erected at the south end of the Great Melbourne Telescope House, where the standard weights and measures and testing equipment was installed. This room had a large whirling apparatus for testing air meters and became known as the Whirling Room. When the Melbourne Observatory closed in 1944, the Weights and Measures Branch was formed to continue and this branch remained at the Observatory site unit until 1995. J & M Ewan History: J&M Ewan was a Melbourne firm that began by selling retail furniture and wholesale ironmongery. They had substantial warehouses situated at the intersection of 81-83 Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, the business was established by James M Ewan in 1852. Shortly afterwards he went into partnership with William Kerr Thomson and Samuel Renwick. When Ewan died in 1868 his partners carried on and expanded the business under his name J & M Ewan. The business was expanded to provide a retail shop, counting-house and private offices. Wholesale warehouses adjoined these premises at 4, 6 and 10 Little Collins Street, West. This company provided and sold a large and varied amount of imported goods into the colony that consisted of agriculture equipment, building materials, mining items as well as steam engines, tools of all types and marble fireplaces. They also supplied the Bronze measuring containers in the Flagstaff Hill collection and the probability is that these containers were obtained by the local Melbourne authority that monitored weights and measures in the mid to late 19th century. The company grew to employ over 150 people in Melbourne and opened offices at 27 Lombard St London as well as in New Zealand and Fiji. The company also serviced the Mauritius islands and the pacific area with their steamship the Suva and a brig the Shannon. Robert Bate History: Robert Brettell Bate (1782-1847) was born in Stourbridge, England, one of four sons of Overs Bate, a mercer (a dealer in textile fabrics, especially silks, velvet's, and other fine materials)and banker. Bate moved to London, and in 1813 was noticed for his scientific instrument making ability through the authority of the “Clockmakers Company”. Sometime in the year 1813 it was discovered that one Robert Brettell Bate, regarded as a foreigner in London had opened a premises in the Poultry selling area of London. He was a Mathematical Instrument maker selling sundials and other various instruments of the clock making. In 1824, Bate, in preparation for his work on standards and weights, leased larger premises at 20 and 21 Poultry, London, at a rental of four hundred pounds per annum. It was there that Bate produced quality metrological instruments, which afforded him the recognition as one of one of the finest and principal English metrological instrument-makers of the nineteenth century. English standards at this time were generally in a muddle, with local standards varying from shire to shire. On 17 June 1824, an Act of Parliament was passed making a universal range of weights, measures, and lengths for the United Kingdom, and Bate was given the job of crafting many of the metrological artifacts. He was under instruction from the renown physicist Henry Kater F.R.S. (1777-1835) to make standards and to have them deposited in the principal cities throughout the United Kingdom and colonies. Bate experimented with tin-copper alloys to find the best combination for these items and by October 1824, he had provided Kater with prototypes to test troy and avoirdupois pounds, and samples with which to divide the troy into grams. Bate also cast the standard for the bushel, and by February 1825, had provided all the standards required of him by the Exchequer, Guildhalls of Edinburgh, and Dublin. In 1824, he also made a troy pound standard weight for the United States, which was certified for its accuracy by Kater and deposited with the US Mint in 1827. Kater, in his address to the Royal Society of London, acknowledged Bate's outstanding experimentation and craftsmanship in producing standards of weights, measures, and lengths. An example of a dry Bronze measuring container made specifically for J & M Ewan by possibly the most important makers of measurement artifacts that gives us today a snapshot of how imperial weights and measures were used and how a standard of measurement for merchants was developed in the Australian colonies based on the Imperial British measurement system. The container has social significance as an item retailed by J & M Ewan and used in Victoria by the authorities who were given legal responsibility to ensure that wholesalers and retailers of dry goods sold in Victoria were correct. The container was a legal standard measure so was also used to test merchants containers to ensure that their distribution of dry goods to a customer was correct. Bronze round container with brass two handles used as a legal standard for measuring dry quantities & is a 'peck' measurement. "IMPERIAL STANDARD PECK" engraved around top of container with " VICTORIA" engraved under.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, standard measure, bronze, peck measurement, j & m ewan, victorian standard dry measurement, bronze container, victorian standards, melbourne observatory, robert bettell bate

The beginning of standardised weights and measures began In Victoria when the Melbourne Observatory received sets of standard weights and measures, which had been tested in Britain against the then British Imperial standards. These included the primary standard yard and pound for the Colony of Victoria. Other standards of weights and measure held by shires and the administrative body's within the colony could then be compared to these primary standards. A Weights and Measures Act was passed in Victoria in 1862, establishing local inspectors throughout the colony. By the 1870s each local council and shire in Victoria held a set of standards that were used to test scales, weights and dry measures used by wholesalers, factories and shops. Every ten years the councils’ standards would themselves need to be rechecked against the Victorian Standards. The checking was done by the Victorian Customs Department in the 19th century, but with the transfer of responsibility for customs to the Federal Government in 1901, weights and measures function was retained by the Victorian Government and was shifted to the Melbourne Observatory. In 1904, a new building was erected at the south end of the Great Melbourne Telescope House, where the standard weights and measures and testing equipment was installed. This room had a large whirling apparatus for testing air meters and became known as the Whirling Room. When the Melbourne Observatory closed in 1944, the Weights and Measures Branch was formed to continue and this branch remained at the Observatory site unit until 1995. J & M Ewan History: J&M Ewan was a Melbourne firm that began by selling retail furniture and wholesale ironmongery. They had substantial warehouses situated at the intersection of 81-83 Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, the business was established by James M Ewan in 1852. Shortly afterwards he went into partnership with William Kerr Thomson and Samuel Renwick. When Ewan died in 1868 his partners carried on and expanded the business under his name J & M Ewan. The business was expanded to provide a retail shop, counting-house and private offices. Wholesale warehouses adjoined these premises at 4, 6 and 10 Little Collins Street, West. This company provided and sold a large and varied amount of imported goods into the colony that consisted of agriculture equipment, building materials, mining items as well as steam engines, tools of all types and marble fireplaces. They also supplied the Bronze measuring containers in the Flagstaff Hill collection and the probability is that these containers were obtained by the local Melbourne authority that monitored weights and measures in the mid to late 19th century. The company grew to employ over 150 people in Melbourne and opened offices at 27 Lombard St London as well as in New Zealand and Fiji. The company also serviced the Mauritius islands and the pacific area with their steamship the Suva and a brig the Shannon. Robert Bate History: Robert Brettell Bate (1782-1847) was born in Stourbridge, England, one of four sons of Overs Bate, a mercer (a dealer in textile fabrics, especially silks, velvet's, and other fine materials)and banker. Bate moved to London, and in 1813 was noticed for his scientific instrument making ability through the authority of the “Clockmakers Company”. Sometime in the year 1813 it was discovered that one Robert Brettell Bate, regarded as a foreigner in London had opened a premises in the Poultry selling area of London. He was a Mathematical Instrument maker selling sundials and other various instruments of the clock making. In 1824, Bate, in preparation for his work on standards and weights, leased larger premises at 20 and 21 Poultry, London, at a rental of four hundred pounds per annum. It was there that Bate produced quality metrological instruments, which afforded him the recognition as one of one of the finest and principal English metrological instrument-makers of the nineteenth century. English standards at this time were generally in a muddle, with local standards varying from shire to shire. On 17 June 1824, an Act of Parliament was passed making a universal range of weights, measures, and lengths for the United Kingdom, and Bate was given the job of crafting many of the metrological artifacts. He was under instruction from the renown physicist Henry Kater F.R.S. (1777-1835) to make standards and to have them deposited in the principal cities throughout the United Kingdom and colonies. Bate experimented with tin-copper alloys to find the best combination for these items and by October 1824, he had provided Kater with prototypes to test troy and avoirdupois pounds, and samples with which to divide the troy into grams. Bate also cast the standard for the bushel, and by February 1825, had provided all the standards required of him by the Exchequer, Guildhalls of Edinburgh, and Dublin. In 1824, he also made a troy pound standard weight for the United States, which was certified for its accuracy by Kater and deposited with the US Mint in 1827. Kater, in his address to the Royal Society of London, acknowledged Bate's outstanding experimentation and craftsmanship in producing standards of weights, measures, and lengths. An example of a dry Bronze measuring container made specifically for J & M Ewan by possibly the most important makers of measurement artefacts that gives us today a snapshot of how imperial weights and measures were used and how a standard of measurement for merchants was developed in the Australian colonies based on the Imperial British measurement system. The container has social significance as an item retailed by J & M Ewan and used in Victoria by the authorities who were given legal responsibility to ensure that wholesalers and retailers of dry goods sold in Victoria were correct. The container was a legal standard measure so was also used to test merchants containers to ensure that their distribution of dry goods to a customer was correct.Maker Possibly Robert Brettell Blake or De Grave, Short & Co Ltd both of LondonContainer brass round for measuring quantities- Has brass handles & is a 'Bushel' measurement. 'Imperial Standard Bushel Victoria' engraved around container. Container bronze round shape for measuring dry quantities has brass handles & is a 'Bushel' measurement"IMPERIAL STANDARD BUSHEL" engraved around the top of the container. VICTORIA engraved under "J & M Ewan & Co London and Melbourne" engraved around the bottom of the container.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, standard measure, bushel, bushel measurement, j & m ewan, dry measurement, victorian measurement standard, bronze container, melbourne observatory, robert brettell bate

From the Argus, Friday 18 July 1879:- SAFETY MINING CAGES. The report of the board on safety mining cages was laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly fortnight The board, which has tested the following inventions Nances, Williams patent, Jackson and Middleton's patent Sesmours patent, Allans patent, and Hassan a patent, reports as follows - 1. That the preponderance of evidence given by miners and others qualified to form an opinion is strongly in favour of the adop-tion of a safety cage for general use in the mines of this colony, provided that a reliable invention can be brought forward, and its practical utility satisfactorily determined 2. That in view of the rapid increase of cage accidents, and supported by the evidence before them, the board are of opinion that some special provision should be made to check such a prolific source of danger as is shown to exist in the working of the shaft and machinery employed for winding purposes. 3. That this check could be imposed by means of such a regulation as that at present contained in the statute, i e -" Every cage used in a mine shall be fitted with special and suitable appliances to prevent its sudden fall down a shaft and also to prevent its coming into contact with the poppet heads." The board, however, consider that mine proprietors should be permitted to exercise their own discretion in the selection of safety cages, but safety hooks and balance catches must be used in connexion with every case 4. That the board have witnessed trials of all the inventions brought under their notice, and from the result of their observations the members are of opinion that the adoption of these safety appliances will afford additional security to the large section of the community engaged in mining operations.48 foolscap pages report stitched together. safety cages, safety mining cages, george collins levey, mining, mitchell and osborne's patent safety catches for mining cages, mining cages, seymour's patent safety cage, pryor's safety cage, white's safety cage, mining accidents, dyke's freehold gmc creswick, angelo mining co castlemaine, britannia qmc ballarat, alexander kennedy smith, george r. fincham, henry roberts williams, robert clark, r. richardson, allan's patent balalrat, hassan's patent daylesford, david white, charles stewart, w.h. grainger, h.b. nicholas, t. hassan, r. allan, a.k. smith, james thomson, william collard smith, j.h. seymour, john s. delbridge, william buttle, james davidson, j.p. carolin, r. clark, thomas eyre, george marshall, g. thureau, william bottoms, robert carr, j.c. march, john keam, david park, j.a. lewis, lester's hotel, ballarat, robert allan, nancarrow saftey cage, robert malachi serjeant, robert henderson, g.f. smith, r.w. newman, william benson, f. bennett, john sharp, thomas couchman, john a. wallace, john small, william h. grainger, james cowling, tools

Perak or State of Perak one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Kedah and the Thai Yala Province to the north; Penang to the northwest; Kelantan and Pahang to the east; Selangor to the south, and the Straits of Malacca to the west. The state's administrative capital of Ipoh was known historically for tin-mining activities until the price of the metal dropped, severely affecting the state's economy. A vice is a tool with 2 jaws between which an object is gripped, usually by tightening a screw, so as to leave the hands free for working upon it. The vice is usually firmly attached to a bench . A steel vice THE PERAK TIN MINING COMPANYtools, vice, steel , clamps, metalwork, woodwork, carpentry, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, blacksmiths, perak tin mining co.

This gold miner's pick from the Ballarat Goldfields c 1920 was donated by Mr David Hopcraft, a dealer at the Arkuna Market Berwick, Victoria in December 2010. When Gold was discovered in Victoria c1853 most of the labourers and some landowners left the market gardens and farms to try their luck on the goldfields. Local Blacksmiths made picks similar to this one for them. There was a great shortage of labour in Melbourne and at the same time, due to the huge influx of people lured by the Gold, there was an increased demand for food. The market gardeners were getting very good prices for their produce and many increased their wealth considerably and many of these tenant farmers were able to purchase their blocks of land and live a profitable life. There was such a shortage of labour that J.B.Were applied for Irish immigrants to work the farms. This pick is an example of the hand made tools many pioneers took with them when they abandoned their farms and market gardens in the District of Brighton to try their luck at prospecting when gold was discovered in Ballarat and Bendigo c1853. Some were successful , most were not and retuned again to the hard life of farming. A forged steel pick with a wooden handle. The steel pick-head was hand-forged by a blacksmith. This miner's pick was used on the Ballarat gold-fields c1920gold mining, ballarat, bendigo, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, mining equipment, gold rush, immigrants, blacksmiths, forges, tools

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and Miners. Your town has a history tool How much of its story can you write? Markings: 62 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Detaching Hook used in a gold mine. Used to detach the cage from the cable if the winder doesn't stop winding as the cage is being brought up Previously labelled #146 from mechanics Institute Eaglehawk. Consists of three large steel leaves bolted together. 35cm x 20cmcottage, miners

Miners Pick Head ; Steel, Approx 30cm. Previously #26gold, goldfields, mining

Thread die Stock (Previously in Box $45 from Mechanincs Institute Eaglehawk) Approx 35cmbusiness, mining

Hand Clamp. Broken thread mecahnism Approx 15cm. (Previously in Box $45 from Mechanincs Institute Eaglehawk)business, mining

Adjustable Steel Spanner with Offset Handle. Aprox 30cm long. (previously in Box #45 from Mehanics Institute Eaglehawk)business, mining

Adjustable Spanner, Twisted Rope Style Handle. Approx 20cm in size (Previously from Box #45 Mechanics Institute Eaglehawk)gold mining, miners' safety cage

Star Drill. Large Metal Punch (Previously in Box #45 from Mechanics Institute Eaglehawk) Approx 30cmgold mining, miners' safety cage

Collection,McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for the South Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the South Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled body and handle with brass seal, painted in white South Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Co. N.L & on other side S.NG.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection: McColl, Rankin, Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for the Central Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the Central Nell Gwynne Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled body with gold floral decoration, lever with wooden handle & brass seal. Painted in white C.N.Gwy.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection: McColl, Rankin, Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for the South New Moon Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the New Moon Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled body and lever with wooden handle and decorated with gold and painted flowers.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for a gold mining company. Signs of red and gold painted decoration.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for the Central Napoleon Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the Central Napoleon Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled body and handle with brass seal, written in white paint C.Nap.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron hand press company seal for the East Clarence Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the East Clarence Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled body and handle with brass seal, written in white paint E.Clarance.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Collection McColl,Rankin,Stanistreet. Cast iron handpress company seal for the New Monument Gold Mining Company, used to seal all official documents pertaining to the New Monument Gold Mining Company. Black enamelled cast iron base and handle with Brass seal. Scratched into enamel New Mon & written in white paint New Monument.commerce, office equipment, company seal

Shovel. Shaft has Imprint with D - Arrow - D.gold mining

Small black enamelled cast iron tobacco cutter mounted on wooden base. K36 painted on the bottom. Letter located in correspondence file ( 21.5.2019 by curator) 'This cutter was used to cut plug tobacco suitable for smoking in a pipe. It belonged to John Temple Rileywo died at the age of 97 at Hobart, Tasmania, October 1970. John Temple Riley led an eventful life. As a youth he trained and rode race horses at the Higginbotham stables quite near the Morphetville racecourse. He won one South Australian St. Ledger and rode the famous Carbine at track training only. In 1967 he was the only living person who had been astride Carbine. He served in Africa with the Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen. He was a sergeant in the Australian Light Horse Regiment in the Egyptian and Eastern Desert and at Gallipoli. He won an Italian decoration as well as Australian citations, he was promoted to Lieutenant J.H. Riley. He met with success in the mining field with his tin strike at Heemskirk on the West Coast.' Written by M.M. Stone, Shelbourne, 3463, via Maldon.personal effects, smoking accessories, tobacco cutter, small tobacco cutter, smoking

Cast iron seal for Derbyshire Gold Mining Co registered Bendigo, black with gold and red decoration, wooden handle.LV 55organization, mining, derbyshire gold mining co

Sepia photograph. Twenty nine mine workers posed in three lines. High stone retaining wall behind. Timber and iron buildings behind. Some men holding tools - blacksmiths with leather aprons holding hammers. One man holding a shovel, one man holding a saw. Inscriptions: on board in front of men 'Lansell's Big 180'person, group, mining

Hand Made Miners Axegold mining

Metal mounted on wooden block. Image of mine poppet head with shed in left foreground. (Central Red White & Blue?).mining, marketing, printing block, mccoll rankin & stanistreet

Rubber Stamps; - Cash Box, missing handle, no key, contains rubber stamps as per attached, some stamp impressions on piece of paper in box.see attached.mining, equipment, deborah mine, mccoll rankin & stanistreet