Booknon-fictionThe masculine landscape tradition was seen as the 'true' national identity in the early 20th century while the new Modernist painting of women was seen as marginal and incidental. This text looks behind the commonly held narratives of art criticism to present a new reading of gender in Australian painting.grace cossington smith, thea proctor, margaret preston, grace crowley, hilda fix nicholas, sybil craig, ethel carrick

Reading spectacles found in hut belonging to Georgie Ah Ling, who operated a market garden for about 70 years on the edge of the township of Donald. Round glass, gold coloured wire framed spectacles in a hard covered case lined with dark blue material. Gold and dark blue suppliers sticker, partly torn, on inside lid of case.Sticker on inside of case partly torn, but probably reads "W. R. Swaby F.V.O.A. Jeweller Donald". reading spectacles, hut, georgie ah ling, market garden, donald

Originally located on large oak reading table in the Rowden White Library until the end of 2003. Replaced by brass versions made by Thomas Mintsenikos on 26th May 2004.In 1938 Dr Alfred E. Rowden White contributed 1,000 pounds and his own personal book collection to the University of Melbourne Student Union to establish the library that still bears his name. Rowden White's idea was that students should have access to materials beyond those prescribed for their courses. As Library Rule No. 7 stated, 'Except under exceptional circumstances, the room MUST NOT BE USED AS A WRITING ROOM'One of two white plastic signs mounted on a wooden base with black letteringSign reads 'Please do not study'. university of melbourne student union, rowden white library, signs

Sister Beryl Hawker is a District Nurse working for the Melbourne District Nursing Service (MDNS) and is leaving their Headquarters at 452 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne to give nursing care to a patient in their home situated in a Melbourne suburb. She is wearing the MDNS winter uniform grey wool coat over her grey cotton dress with white collar. A red Maltese cross is attached to the centre of her grey wool beret. Her nursing case contains an apron, hand towel, thermometer, instruments, dressings and lotions.The Trained nurses of the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS), later known as Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), visited patients in their home and gave best practice care in many fields of nursing and to people of many cultures throughout its 130 years of expansion. Initial visits not only assessed the specific nursing situation but the situation as a whole. Their patients ranged in age from babes, children, adults to the elderly and referrals were taken from Hospitals, General Practitioners and allied Health facilities. Some of the care provided was: – Post-Natal care given to mother and babe, Wound Care following various types of surgery, accidents, burns, cancer, leg ulcers etc. Supervising and teaching Diabetic Care, including teaching and supervising people with Diabetes to administer their own Insulin, and administering Insulin to those unable to give their own injections. Administering other injections and setting up weekly medication boxes. The Sisters performed Catheterizations on adults suffering from conditions such as Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Guillan-Barre Syndrome, and when required at school on children for e.g. those with Spina Bifida. The Sisters visited those requiring Cystic Fibrosis support and care; those requiring Haemo-Oncology care, including visiting children at school; those requiring Home Enteral Feeding care, and those requiring IV therapy at home and home Dialysis. Palliative Care was given including pain relief with the use of syringe drivers, personal care as needed, and advice and support to both patient and family. RDNS provided Stoma management to those needing Urostomy, Ileostomy and Colostomy care and those requiring Continence care. HIV/AIDS nursing care was provided; visits to Homeless Persons were made. Personal care was given to patients ranging in age and with varying mobility problems, such as those with MS, MND, Guillan-Barre Syndrome, Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Acquired Brain Injury, following a Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke), those with severe Arthritis and those with a form of Dementia. When necessary the elderly were assisted with personal care and advice given on safety factors with the use of hand rails, bath or shower seats, and hand showers. Rehabilitation with an aim towards independence remained at the forefront of the Sister’s minds and when possible using aids and instruction on safe techniques enabled the person to become fully independent. All care included giving advice and support to the patient and their Carers. The Sisters liaised with the persons Doctor, Hospital and allied Health personal when necessary.Sister Beryl Hawker, who has short dark hair, is smiling as she is leaving Melbourne District Nursing Service (MDNS) Headquarters. She is wearing the MDNS uniform of an ankle length double breasted grey wool coat and wool beret with a central Maltese cross. Part of the MDNS insignia is seen at the top of her left sleeve. In her right hand she is carrying a rectangular nursing case and a light colour soft material bag. She is standing in front of the open metal spike gate between the two square grey concrete pillars of the gateway; the black numbers '452' are written on a white background on the top section of each pillar. A spiked metal fence is attached and running to the right of the right pillar; attached to this and close to the pillar, is a white plaque with black capital letters reading: 'Melbourne District Nursing Service Headquarters'. In the background is a paved path leading to part of a building with part of three arches seen and above this some concrete balustrade. A large pedestal concrete flower urn sits next to the partially seen steps leading up to the building. Some low bushes are seen behind the fence and in front of the building.59134-11melbourne district nursing service, mdns, mdns uniform, mdns headquarters, sister beryl hawker, royal district nursing service, rdns

Author Fred Joyce Schonell was born 3 August 1900 in Perth to school master Edward William Schonell and Agnes Mary (nee Mawer). Following his graduation (B.A) from the University of Western Australia in 1925 and his marriage to Florence Eleanor de Bracey Waterman in 1926, Schonell was awarded the Hackett Scholarship. The scholarship allowed schonell to complete a Ph.D. on the diagnosis and remediation of spelling difficulties at King's College and the London Day Training College, University of London; having travelled to England in 1928. From 1933 to 1950, Schonell acted as a lecture and researcher at Goldsmith's College, was appointed Professor of education at the University of Swansea (1942) and at the University of Birmingham (1947). Schonell returned to Australia ub 1950 as the Foundation Professor of Education at the University of Queensland and acted as head of the University's education department. Following a stint as President of the Professional Board, Schonell was named the first full-time, salaried, Vice Chancellor of the University of Queensland in 1960. During his career, Schonell oversaw many research projects and authored many published works including "The Happy Venture Playbooks" (1939 onward) which were developed as teaching materials for English speaking students throughout the Commonwealth. Professor Fred J. Schonell was knighted in 1962. Sir Fred J. Schonell died 22 February 1969 from Hodgkin's disease at Indooroopilly. The Fred and Eleanor Schonell Educational Research Centre was named after the pair in 1967. Schonell was posthumously inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame in 2001. (https://www.readinghalloffame.org/fred-schonell-inducted-2001) This specific copy of Saturday Play was a library book at the former Mandurang State School. A 64 page children's book made from stapled thick paper and a cardboard, red stripped, cover in 1965. The cover depicts an image of a woman sitting in a high back chair, reading to two children, a cat and a dog. The second in a series of books titled "THE HAPPY VENTURE PLAYBOOKS" written by Fred J. Schonell, "Saturday Play" was illustrated in colour by William Semple. The text is large and easy to read, the text black on a white background. Printed by Robert Cunningham & Sons Ltd. in Alva, Scotland. Published by Oliver and Boyd in Edinburgh, Scotland.On the cover is a handwritten price of 10c. On the title page is a stamp "State School No.1952" which also appears on the inside back cover "State School No. 1952 Mandurang". Several pages have words underlined or circled in either pencil or blue pen. fred j. schonell, the happy venture playbooks, state school no. 1952, mandurang, children book

Following the death of the Dorothy Rogers, a donation of material relating to the historian and her family was made to the Historical Society by her sons. The minutes of the Society record that they were originally placed with the City of Kew for safekeeping. The Society's minutes record gradual discoveries of items from the collection, including this scrapbook, by later researchers. Leather bound scrapbook, part of the Dorthy Rogers Collection, embossed in gilt with the initials "G.S. Melbourne" on the cover. The folding of the pages allows for reading from the font or back. The scrapbook includes early newspaper cuttings dating from the 1930s.scrapbooks, scrapbooks - 20th century, dorothy rogers collection

A wooden racquet with a concave, laminated throat and a deep-grooved handle. Decal across throat on obverse: NAVAJO. Decal of company trademark across throat on reverse, reading: ASHLAND QUALITY LINE/ AMCO/CHICAGO. Materials: Wood, Gut, Metal, Ink, Lacquer, Gluetennis

A wooden racquet with a laminated, concave throat, brown whipping, and fine-grooved handle. Decal along throat on obverse: BLUE RIBBON. Decal of company trademark across throat on reverse, inscription in front of large 'W' reading: THOS.E.WILSON & CO. Hand carved name along stem on obverse: JACK. Hand carved initials along throat on reverse: MV. Materials: Wood, Gut, Metal, Ink, Lacquer, Glue, Leather, Cloth, Stringtennis

A wooden racquet with a blue painted throat, gold and white whipping, and cloth shoulder supports. Decal along throat on obverse: BLUE RIBBON. Inscription along throat on reverse: THOS. E. WILSON & CO. Imprint of company trademark across butt cover, inscription in front of large 'W' reading: .../THOS.E.WILSON & CO./NEW YORK CHICAGO/SAN FRANCISCO/... Materials: Wood, Gut, Metal, Ink, Lacquer, Glue, Leather, Cloth, String, Painttennis

A wooden racquet with a laminated throat, red and green whipping, and cloth shoulder supports. Decal along throat on obverse: ONWENTSIA. Inscription along throat on reverse: THOS. E. WILSON & CO. Remanant of imprint of company trademark across butt cover, inscription in front of large 'W' reading: .../THOS.E.WI[LSON & CO./NEW YORK CHICAGO/SAN FRANCISCO/...] Materials: Wood, Gut, Metal, Ink, Lacquer, Glue, Leather, Cloth, Stringtennis

Set of 3 white cotton table mats with decorative borders. Item 1 is rectangular, with square material section in centre, rounded decorative interwoven cotton ribbon as a decorative trim. Threads connecting ribbons. Items 2 & 3 identical, circular material mats with zigzagged ribbon and thread edges. all items decorated sparsely with embroidered floral motif.Each item has label reading 'ANDERS'handcraft, needlework, mat, decorative, table

A talking book player that allowed the user to change the tone and speed of cassettes played in it. Designed to handle both 4 track and 2 track cassettes, these players were the perfect solution to having both commercial (2 track) and recordings for the blind (4 track) materials without needing separate players. Tonal changes in particular were sometimes required by older listeners, as aging reduces the ability to distinguish high pitch sounds. Speed variability also allowed those who read faster to increase narration, and to slow down reading patterns for listeners with acquired brain injury or other conditions that affected cognitive processing of language.Blue plastic rectangular talking book player with buttons for navigational controls and 5 buttons.Model tbci serial no 8017. Machine number: 8157audio equipment, royal victorian institute for the blind

The Optacon OPtical-to-TActile-CONverter is a compact, portable reading aid for the blind. It is about the size of a textbook, and weighs less than 2kg. It works by converting a printed image into a tactile image that a blind person can feel with one finger. After a period of training and practice, a blind person can use the Optacon to read ordinary books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials. The Optacon was developed after intensive research at Standford University, California, USA and was trialed by clients of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (now part of Vision Australia) in 1973. It has three main sections: 1 a miniature camera, 2 an electronics section, and 3 a tactile stimulator array. The miniature camera, about the size of a pocket knife, is mounted in a housing that has rollers for easy movement along a line of print. The camera is connected to the electronics section by a lightweight cable. The electronics section and the tactile stimulator array are in the main chassis. The array consists of 144 tiny metal rods arranged in six vertical columns and 24 horizontal rows. Each of the rods can vibrate independently. The tips of these rods protrude through holes in a concave finger plate where the index finger is placed flat in order to read. These three components act together to convert the image of a printed letter or other shape into a pattern of vibrating rods, a tactile image of the letter or shape. The letter shape is tactually perceived as an image that moves from right to left on the finger, showing the left or leading edge of the letter first. Letters are felt sequentially rather than all at once, and the image should be kept moving. The Optacon converts a printed O into a tactile form that resembles a crater with a vibrating rim -- a completed circle. C would have a gap or opening on the right side of the curve. The letter F would be felt, sequentially, as a vertical line with two trailing horizontal lines. Because it can convert any ordinary printed image into a corresponding tactile image, the Optacon is not restricted to any special typestyle or language. The camera has a zoom lens that compensates for differences in the size of type. The standard Optacon lens can accommodate type sizes from 6 point to 20 point. With the optional F4A magnifier lens, type sizes as small as 4 point can be read. Powered by a rechargeable battery, and comes with its own battery charger. The battery is contained within the main chassis, and is not removable by the user. There are four basic controls on the Optacon: the Magnification Adjustment zoom button located on the camera section on the side opposite the rollers; and the On-Off switch, the Stimulator Intensity Adjustment knob, and the Threshold Adjustment knob located on the right side of the front panel. The Circuit Breaker protrudes from the right-hand wall inside the chassis compartment. From left to right when the back panel is facing you, are located: the jack for connecting the battery charger; the Battery Check button; the Normal-Invert switch; and the Input/Output I/O connector for use with the Visual Display, when using the Repeater Cable to connect two Optacons to one another or with other accessories. Designed not be removed from the leather case during normal operation, the On-Off switch is a slide switch located on the right side of the front panel. It slides up and snaps into place in the on position. 1 black with orange front, rectangular device in leather case assistive devices, audio equipment

The duplication of services between state based blindness and low vision agencies was not viable in the long term, with telecommunications and technology improving rapidly in the late 20th century. In 1999, a decision was made to merge the library and alternative production services of the RVIB and RBS, as a precursor to a possible larger merger in the future. Thus the National Information Library Service (NILS) was created. As part of establishing a new culture between staff who had retained their positions, a vision, mission and values statement was created under the new service name.1 digital imageNational Information Library Service Mission statement: NILS provides a recognised and specialised gateway through which people who are blind, vision impaired or who have a print disability access dynamic information and recreational reading. Vision: to enable unhindered access to knowledge, information and recreational reading for people who are blind, vision impaired or who have a print disability. Key strategic themes: Know our clients current and future needs and expectations. Explore opportunities for collaboration with other agencies, government and enterprises to source, organise and make available materials and resources of an acceptable quality. Optimise digital technology for the production and delivery of materials in an equitable, cost effective and timely way, identify opportunities for innovation by anticipating social and technological trends in the wider community. Enhance our internal capability. Establish and develop a positive and healthy NILS culture. Values: our values inform our policy, work practices, recruitment and service delivery ethic. Integrity - we are open and honest with all our stakeholders. Excellence - we strive to be superior in all we do. Innovation - we learn continuously in order to lead the way. Responsiveness - we actively listen to all our stakeholders. Equity - we focus on inclusiveness and participation for all our clients and staff. A joint venture between the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind and the Royal Blind Society of New South Wales. royal blind society of new south wales, royal victorian institute for the blind, national information library service

The Hamilton-Smith collection was donated by the children of Grace Mary Hamilton-Smith nee Ellwood (1911-2004) and John Hamilton-Smith (1909-1984) who settled in Wodonga in the 1940s. The Ellwood family had lived in north-east Victoria since the late 1800s. Grace’s mother, Rosina Ellwood nee Smale, was the first teacher at Baranduda in 1888, and a foundation member of the C.W.A. Rosina and her husband Mark retired to Wodonga in 1934. Grace and John married at St. David’s Church, Albury in 1941. John was a grazier, and actively involved in Agricultural Societies. The collection contains significant items which reflect the local history of Wodonga, including handmade needlework, books, photographs, a wedding dress, maps, and material relating to the world wars. This item has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of social and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history and social history. A deep forest green bookmark with gold embossing of a floral motif.On bottom centre of bookmark: "MADE IN ITALY".hamilton-smith, hamilton-smith collection, ellwood, wodonga, book, books, reading, book mark, italy

The Hamilton-Smith collection was donated by the children of Grace Mary Hamilton-Smith nee Ellwood (1911-2004) and John Hamilton-Smith (1909-1984) who settled in Wodonga in the 1940s. The Ellwood family had lived in north-east Victoria since the late 1800s. Grace’s mother, Rosina Ellwood nee Smale, was the first teacher at Baranduda in 1888, and a foundation member of the C.W.A. Rosina and her husband Mark retired to Wodonga in 1934. Grace and John married at St. David’s Church, Albury in 1941. John was a grazier, and actively involved in Agricultural Societies. The collection contains significant items which reflect the local history of Wodonga, including handmade needlework, books, photographs, a wedding dress, maps, and material relating to the world wars. This item has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of social and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history and social history. A small black cloth bound first-aid book with title and St John Ambulance logo printed in white. first aid, book, first aid training, reading, community, charity, wodonga, hamilton-smith, hamilton-smith collection

Part of a photo album (Cat.No. 01588) of material about the life of Legatee Donovan Joynt. This photo shows Donovan Joynt and Queen Elizabeth II reading from a pamphlet he is holding. This is a larger copy of the photograph Cat. No. 01590.1, and records the date of when it was taken as 17 March 1977. Queen Elizabeth visited Melbourne as part of her Silver Jubilee tour of Australia and attended a children's rally in Royal Park wearing this outfit. A crowd of 18,000 people greeted her. Footage of the visit can be seen in National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NSFA-ID 44325). There is no indication of who the veteran on the right was. He is a VC winner and has medals from the second world war. A note on the reverse page mentions a photo in the album of Captain M. Moon V.C with Sir Alfred Kemsley and Colonel Joynt. It was removed by Legatee K.D. Green on 29.9.86 and does not seem to have been returned.Part of the collection of material held by Melbourne Legacy on Legatee Donovan Joynt, a prominent Australian.Black and white photo of Queen Elizabeth and L/ Joynt and another VC recipient in 1977.Stamped on the back of the photograph in aqua: "Copyright The Herald & Weekly Times Ltd., Melbourne Australia. Not to be reproduced or displayed without written permission." Stamped in purple: "The property of Melbourne Legacy. Please return this correspondence to Executive Officer." Hand written in blue biro: "17-3-77" royal visit, donovan joynt

Series of documents recording the second progress payment to W.B. Russell for writing 'There Goes a Man', his signed receipt, outline of progress and the way in which the first progress payment was used. He notes four main fields of activity - sifting and arranging Savige's own records, interviewing friends and relatives, background reading (newspapers etc.), and making notes from interviews and source material. Most of the first progress payment was directed to reimbursement of salary lost whilst working full time on the book.Part of the story of how the book 'There goes a Man' came to be created.Typed documents, black on white. Stamp Duty stamp fixed to 00903.2.00903.2 Signed and dated in blue ink 'W.B.Russell 9-8-57' 00903.3 Signed 'W.B. Russell' in blue ink, pencilled annotations: "Wilf, Thank you. Just like (illegible)! 13.viii.57' 'Read to J.G. Gillespie 14/8/57'savige book, w b russell

The Work “The Birds of Australia; containing over 300 full-page illustrations, with a descriptive account of the life and characteristic habits of over 700 species” by Gracius J. [Joseph] Broinowski – Australian author, artist and ornithologist - was created in 40 parts for subscribers and sold for 10s [shillings]., These parts were later published in six volumes, which were later published and bound in pairs to make three volumes, each of which contain two of the six original volumes, numbered volumes, “I”, “III” and “V” on their fly page, but numbered “Vols. I-II”, “Vols. III-IV” and “Vols. V-VI” on their respective spines. The volumes were all published by Charles Stuart & Co. (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, New Zealand, and Tasmania). All of the beautifully drawn and coloured illustrations in The Birds of Australia were illustrated by Broinowski. They were printed using a new 19th century method called chromolithography. This is the art of making multi-coloured prints. The skilled lithographer would work from an original coloured painting and create a copy for every one of the many layers of colour used to build the painting. These layers were then printed carefully over each other to re-build the picture. Gracius J. Broinowski’s Work “The Birds of Australia” was described by Jean.Anker as “a semi-popular but comprehensive treatment of the subject” in the book “Bird Books and Bird Art: an outline of the Literary History and Iconology of Descriptive Ornithology” 1979. It may be that these books were donated to, or ordered specifically for, the Warrnambool Public Museum, due to the embossing on the spine “WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY”. The acquisition of these books would most likely to have made 1891-1910, between the date the books were published and the date that the Museum amalgamated with the Mechanics Institute, which then became part of The Museum and Art Gallery. These three books were part of the collection of books belonging to the Warrnambool Public Museum, established 1873 by Joseph Archibald. The Museum moved into the back of the Mechanics’ Institute in 1885, along with the Art Gallery and School of Dancing. In 1886 it was officially opened as The Warrnambool Museum and Art Gallery, with Joseph Archibald as its curator. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street, with Joseph Archibald as Curator until 1897. In 1910 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian. He developed his own sorting and cataloguing system and organised the collection of books accordingly. In the 1960’s the Warrnambool City Council closed down the Museum and Art Gallery and the books and artefacts were redistributed to other organisations in Warrnambool. Each spine of this book set, The Birds of Australia by Gracius Broinowski, shows a space on which a previous cataloguing label may have been affixed. The volumes are amongst the many books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village that display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. Some other Australian Libraries also include these books in their collections; Australian National University, University of NSW, University of Western Australia, State Library of Western Australia, Deakin University, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, University of Adelaide, University of Queensland, University of Tasmania. The Library of Congress and the University of British Columbia also have sets of these volumes. These books are considered as Rare Book; a set of Broinowski’s 3 volumes was advertised in Melbourne’s Rare Book Fair 2012, “for ornithological collectors”. (See the more detailed information below in “Warrnambool Public Museum and Mechanics Institute” and the “Pattison Collection”.) GRACIUS JOSEP BROINOWSKI Gracius Joseph Broinowski (7/3/1837 – 11/4/1913), artist and ornithologist, was born in Walichnowy, Poland, son of a landowner and military officer of the same name. He was educated privately then later, at the Munich University, he was a student of languages, classics and art. To avoid conscription into the Russian army, he migrated to Germany. At the age of about 20 years he migrated to Portland (Victoria, Australia), working his passage as part of the crew of a windjammer. Broinowski worked in the country for a few years then found employment working for a Melbourne publisher and later sold his own paintings. In about 1863, while on one of his many travels in eastern Australia painting landscapes and scenes, he married Jane Smith in Richmond, Victoria (her father was captain of a whaler). In 1880 he settled in Sydney where his work involved teaching painting, lecturing on art and exhibiting his own work at showings of the Royal Art Society. Also in the 1880s he began to publish illustrated works on Australian natural history, including; - illustrations of the birds and mammals of Australia, commissioned by the Department of Public Instruction, New South Wales, and mounted, varnished and hung on walls in many classrooms - "The Birds and Mammals of Australia"; a bound collection of illustrations with appropriated text - 1888 "The Cockatoos and Nestors of Australia and New Zealand" - 1890-1891, "The Birds of Australia" Broinowski died in 1913 at Mosman, Sydney, survived by his wife, six sons and a daughter. His son, Leopold, became a significant political journalist in Tasmania. WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC MUSEUM & MECHANICS INSTITUTE Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in December 1854 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year, 1873, Joseph Archibald established the Warrnambool Public Museum [Warrnambool Museum], however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established and he served as Curator 1882-1897. In 1885 a new building was added to the back of the Mechanics’ Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. It was officially opened as the Warrnambool Museum and Art Gallery on 26th July 1886 with Mr Joseph Archibald as Curator. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished). In 1910 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until 1963 when the Museum and Art Gallery was closed and the contents removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. The Museum has never been re-opened. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historic Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library (which included books from the Warrnambool Public Museum), ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. THE PATTISON COLLECTION These books “The Birds of Australia” by Broinowsky, are also listed as part of the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library, as the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute was then called. When the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. References: Archibald Street, Discover the History of Warrnambool Streets, https://www.warrnambool.vic.gov.au/sites/warrnambool.vic.gov.au/files/images/Property/roads/The%20story%20of%20Warrnambool's%20streets.pdf Broinowski, Bird Books and Bird Art etc, Jean Anker 1979, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=B5TpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=the+birds+of+australia,+broinowski,+bird+books+and+bird+art&source=bl&ots=nQroxqePdY&sig=a3lnn-_FqB-ZcFAwqRYVK6Y7ZeM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5sL7-2JTSAhWIyLwKHaCHAJcQ6AEIUTAN#v=onepage&q=the%20birds%20of%20australia%2C%20broinowski%2C%20bird%20books%20and%20bird%20art&f=false Broinowski, Gracius Joseph, by A.H. Chisholm, Australian Dictionary of Biography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/broinowski-gracius-joseph-3061 Chromolithography, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromolithography Document, Flagstaff Hill, ‘Mechanics’ Institute Collection’: Books on Dean, Melbourne Rare Book Fare 2015, BookFare Newsletter #5, www.anzaab.com/newsletters/BookFare_1207.pdf Flagstaff Hill archives; document “Re: Ralph Eric Pattison”] Gracius Broinowski, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracius_Broinowski Gracius Joseph Broinowski, Design & Art Australia online, https://www.daao.org.au/bio/gracius-joseph-broinowski/biography/ Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria Pg ix, 283; Significance Assessment, Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Books, FHMV, 2010 The Birds of Australia by Gracius J. Broinowski, Libraries of Australia, Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12425131?q&sort=holdings+desc&_=1487246530281&versionId=210683608 The Birds of Australia, Broinowski; www.Librarything.com The History of Warrnambool, R. Osburne, 1887, p.72, p. 283 The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute – FHMV datasheet Warrnambool Art Gallery History, Warrnambool Art Gallery Foundation Information Booklet, http://www.wagf.com.au/cms/downloads/WAGF-Information-Booklet.pdf Warrnambool Museum and Art Gallery, The Argus, 29th July 1886 Web; The Birds of Australia (Broinowski), Wikipedia The Birds of Australia by Gracius J. Broinowski is a respected source of scientific information. It is also significant for its rarity and as an early Australian Work. The book is significant for its association with the Warrnambool Public Museum, which played an important educational and social role in the early settlement of Warrnambool and District. The book is also significant for its association with the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection, which is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The book is also significant for its inclusion in the Pattison Collection, a collection that as a whole shows a snapshot of the types of reading material offered to the local public at that point in time The Birds of Australia Vol 1-2 Author and Illustrator: Gracius J Broinowski Publisher: Charles Stuart & Co Date: 1890 - 1891Label on spine cover with typed text RA 598.2 BRO Embossing added to spine “WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC MUSEUM" Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Librarythe birds of australia vol 1-2, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, the birds of australia, gracius joseph broinowski, charles stuart & co, joseph archibald, warrnambool public museum, warrnambool museum, warrnambool library, warrnambool art gallery, warrnambool city librarian, pattison collection, ralph eric pattison, samuel hannaford, warrnambool mechanics’ institute and free library, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, rare books, australian bird illustrations, australian bird text, australian natural history