This is one of two cast brass nameplates of James & Alexander Brown in our collection. The Newcastle, NSW, firm was renowned for its coal mining and exporting business established in colonial Australia in 1843. The firm had an office in Melbourne and sold coal for commercial use and from the Wharf for the domestic market. The coal was then distributed along the southwest coast of Victoria in steamships or steam packets and into the regional areas of Victoria by cart and wagon. In 1890 there was a strike of coal workers but the Geelong Advertiser, September 1, 1890, announced that “a firm of coal merchants only recently received some large cargoes from Newcastle”. This supply of coal could have originated at the colliery of James & Alexander Brown. About James & Alexander Brown: - James (1816-1894), John (1823-1846) and Alexander Brown (1827-1877) migrated with their parents from Scotland to Sydney, Australia, in 1842. The next year James leased land and was assisted by his brothers Alexander and John in mining coal in the area near Maitland. The market was very competitive, with the government controlling prices. James was instrumental in a legal battle that resulted in the introduction of open competition for coal mining. James and Alexander had become business partners by 1852 and moved south of Newcastle where they established and worked a profitable mining enterprise. Their assets by 1857 included a ships’ chandlery, a fleet of steamships and an overseas trading business. They were the first firm to import rum, sugar and coffee into Newcastle. By 1892 they were exporting coal to New Zealand, China, North America, and various colonial ports. They had elaborate workshops to service their own steam engines and steamships. They were the first to use a steam collier vessel in Australian waters and they set up the second tug boat in Newcastle, the beginning of being owners of many more tug boats and performing a towing business. By 1868 James & Alexander Brown was the largest coal producer in the colony. James focused on managing the colliery and Alexander on overseas trade. It was estimated that the firm had produced over eight per cent of coal in New South Wales by 1914. James & Alexander Brown advertised in the Melbourne Herald in the early 1900s and kept an office at Queen Street, Melbourne as well as at the Wharf, stating their telephone numbers for both places. The coal was available for ‘Immediate Delivery’ for household and industrial purposes. The advertising claimed that their Pelaw Main coal was the famous household coal that met the highest test in Australia and burned bright and clean. Domestic customers could purchase the coal at the wharf or pay for delivery. Commercial customers could load their purchases into their steamships or wagons for further distribution into regional Victoria. After James’s death in 1894 his son John managed the firm, which was also known as J & A Brown. John passed away in 1930 and his sons took over. In 1931 the firm amalgamated with Abermain Seaham and the new name was J & A Brown & Abermain Seaham Collieries Ltd. commonly abbreviated to JABAS, which merged with Caledonian Collieries Ltd in 1960 and Coal & Allied Industries Ltd. was formed. The pair of nameplates is significant for its connection with the firm James & Alexander Brown. The firm was established in 1845 and became one of the largest collieries in colonial Australia. It was involved in trading within Australia and overseas. James was involved in the introduction of open competition for coal mining prices. They were the first to use a steam colliery in Australian waters and the first to import goods such as rum, sugar and coffee into New South Wales. The firm had a Melbourne office in the early 1900s, selling and distributing coal throughout Victoria, which likely included the Port of Warrnambool, which opened in 1890. The nameplates are likely to have originated from the Melbourne location.Brass Entrance Name Plate, one of a pair. Eight holes are formed through the plate; one in each corner, and four more holes are within the inscription area. The cast plate has three rows of text with the company’s name and type of business. The plate was owned by James & Alex. Brown. "JAMES & ALEXR. BROWN / COLLIERY PROPRIETORS / & STEAMSHIP OWNERS"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, nameplate, james & alexander brown, j & a brown, james & alexr brown, colliery proprietors, steamship owners, ship chandlers, coal mine, coal export, australian import, australian export, newcastle, colliers, coastal trade, steamships

This plan is associated with former Ballarat School of Mines Student Richard Squire (1875-1876). Gift of the Squire FamilyPlan of Berry Bank Estates. Coloured plan on cream paperberry bank estates, mining, happy valley, lake rosine estates, strathvean estates proprietary, w. luplaupitfield plateau, british banner, federal mint, moller, morrow, south pitfield consols, east banner, new lallah rookh, bull dog company, mindai, j. morpoh, poliah, f. j. morrow, piggoreet east, w. m. acheson, grand trunk, field's claim south grand trunk, south grand trunk, woady yalloak creek, mount misery creek, fitzpatric's creek, illabrook creek, great western, mount bute syndicate, narringhill creek, little woady yalloak creek, piggoreet east preemptive right, southern birthday, new birthday, prince of wales, collins, brassey birthday, howarth's lead, w. price, royal birthday, a. clinton, victoria express, patons, williams fancy, hennessy, queen of the south, n, pandora proprietary gold estate, lyonbank lease, rowe's southern, rowe's extended, w. t. rowe, wallinduc company, glenfine horseshoe company, rowe's glenfine junction, wallinduc syndicate, pitfield estates, rowe's estate, southern glenfine, h. fields, christies & fields, balmoral company, glenfine united, hallett, great glenfine, rowe consuls, nicholls, london & melbourne gold mine, j. w. pascoe, christies, glenfine central, j. king, j. durston, great western extended, oswald, woadyyaloak, berringa, squire

Pink paper covered book by Stanley Hunter, Engineer in Charge of Boring Operations. Contents include tunnelling, deep sinking, the Chiltern Method, the Ballarat Method, Stawell, Ararat, Moyston, Raglan, Wimmera, Landsborough, Avoca, Ballarat West Leads, Berry-Moolort-Loddon Lead System, Clunes, Creswick, Bullarook Affluent, Corinella, Daylesford-Castlemaine Tributary, Majorca-Carisbrook tributary, Huntly, Coliban, Campaspe, Rutherglen., Smythesdale, Durham Lead, Tanjil, Evolution of Mining Machinery, size of claims, Definition of a Deep Lead, Discovery of Gold in Victoria, Geographical Position of Deep Leads, Water in Deep Leads, Methods of Deep Lead Mining, Cost of Deep Lead Mining, Stawell, Ararat, Moyston, Raglan, Wimmera, Landsborough, Avoca, Ballarat West, Berry, Springs Hill, Loddon Valley, Charlotte Plains, , Timor, Burn Creek, Huntly, Colinan, Goulburn, Ovens Valley, Chiltern, Indigo, Morrison's Lead, Plans include: geological Map of Stawell, ararat, Raglan and Landsborough; Kempson's Freehold Mine, Stawell; Geological Map of Beaufort, Avoca, Maryborough, Ballarat west, Berry-Moolort, Loddon, Creswick, Marong, &c; Cardigan Propriety Gold Mine; Working Miners United Gold Mine, Homebush; Hepburn Deep Lead Plan; Madame Berry West Mine; West Berry Consols Mine; Spring Hill and Central Leads; Berry Consols Extended Mine; Loddon Valley Goldfields; Chalk's No 3 Mine; Charlotte Plains Considated Mine; Duke United Mine; Geological Map of Bendigo, Huntley, Campaspe, Malmsbury, Kyneton, trentham, &c; Geological Map of Chiltern, Rutherglan, Eldorado, Beechworth, &c; Chiltern Valley Gold Mine; Wallace Chiltern Valley Consols Mine; great Southern and Chiltern Valley United Mine; great Northern extended Consols; Prentice and Southern deep Leads; Glenfine South Gold Mine; Geological map of Pitfield, Rokewood, Mt Mercer, Ballark, Meredith, &c.; McEvoy Mine; Dargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mining, deep leads, squire, tools, gold panning, gold cradle, cradling, puddling, tubbing, mining shaft, shaft sinking, whip, horse whip, whim, horse whim, chalk's no. 1 mine, maryborough, mining cage, shaft, mining trucks, maryborough, washdirt, puddler, tunnelling, deep sinking, chiltern method of working, ballarat method of working, sampling washdirt. gravels, balmoral, mt william, stawell, moyston, great western, ararat, raglan, wimmera valley, landsborough, cardigan, haddon, beaufort, waterloo, avoca, lamplough, caralulup, ballarat west, ballarat, smythesdale, glenfine, illabarook, durham lead, morrison's lead, bullengarook, berry-moolort-loddon system, clunes, creswick, spring hill, bullarook, castlemaine - daylesford, majorca, carisbrook, timor, burnt creek tributary, tarnagulla, marong, rheola, inglewood, huntly, coliban, campaspe, goulburn lead system, ovens valley system, mitta mitta, kiewa valley, tarago, tanjil, moondarra, bogong, dargo high plains

Paper booklet of 35 pages, held together with metal staples, detailing the Mining by-laws under the Mines Act 1915, no.2698. The index is located at the front of the booklet. Includes Abandonment, Alluvial Claims, Machinery, Quartz Claim, Race and Water Rightoccasional pencil markings throughoutmining, by-laws, victoria

Front: 1855 Portland Coat of Arms (frontice piece). Donated by Mrs. Dunne, History House (sticker inside front cover).

``Newspaper clipping from "The Mail" 18-5-94. Angry traders seek inquiry into project by CHRISTINE McTIGHEAngry Ringwood traders will this week demand a State Government public inquiry into Ringwood Council's handling of it's $9.9 million Lot 2 development. Civic Place traders claim they have suffered massive losses because of the council's actions.`

``Newspaper clipping from "The Post", 24-3-93, P3. Council shops development proposal Ringwood Council is considering building 25 specialty shops at a claimed cost of between $5 and $7 million on the public car park in front of Eastland shopping centre to cpmplement the proposed redevelopment of Eastland.`

Newspaper Clipping from "The Mail", 20 April 1993, Page18, "Set for trust"'Ringwood Council appears set to transfer a $275,000 surplus into the Ringwood Trust despite strong protests from two North Ward Councilors. Councillors Sylvia Phillips and Neil MacDonald have lobbied strongly against having the surplus from council's 1991/92 budget transferred into the trust. They claimed that by doing so, council was using general revenue to finance legal fees for the Eastland deal, which the public was told would be financed from payments from Coles Myer

Newspaper Clipping from "The Mail", 25-7-95. P3. Fury as developer clears sub-division. By Leonora Elliot-BruceConcerned conservationists have accused a developer of almost destroying vegetation to make way for a North Ringwood subdivision. The group, Friends of Loughie's Bushland, wants Maroondah City Council to investigate the developer's action which it claims has devastated the area. The developers are Barnsdale Forest

White metal medal issued to commemorate Melbourne’s centenary 1934-35. This medal was given out to Victorian school children; 325,600 white metal medals were struck. The medal references Portland, the location of Victoria’s first settlement. The Henty brothers, entrepreneur farmers and whalers, established the state’s first permanent European settlement in Portland in 1834. Melbourne was established the following year by a party of settlers led by John Batman. In 1934, as Melbourne planned to celebrate the centenary of European settlement, it seemed to some that there was little to celebrate. The financial strains of the depression, unemployment and the scandal of the city’s slums all undercut claims of unbridled progress. Perhaps because of such troubles, the organisers of the centenary celebrations tried doubly hard to be positive. The themes of the celebrations were conservative, reflecting the desire of some Melburnians for security in troubled times. The widely promoted image of the ‘Garden City’ and ‘Queen City of the South’ emphasised the idea of Melbourne as a very British city. White metal badgeCentenary of Melbournemelbourne centenary, victorian school children

Pink copy of a letter to Mr R Duimovich from T H Williams, dated 20/6/1979. It was ruled that a dispute existed within the Industry and ordered the parties concerned into a Conference to attempt to conciliate, as much as possible, all aspects of the Log of Claims presented in the Courts.bendigo, council, cattle markets, bendigo saleyards collection - letter to mr r duimovich, commissioner connell, arbitration court, the municipal association of victoria, t h williams

Map of mines - calico scroll showing locations of various claims .printed in black ink on off-white Calico with turned wooden ends on scroll -missing one wooden end , some stains and creasing / Plan showing the various Claims on the New Chum Victoria , St Mungo & Devonshire reefs BendigoW Holmes , printer & lithographer , Sandhurstorganization, mining, industrial, w holmes , printer & lithographer , sandhurst/new cum , victoria st mungo & devonshire reefs bendigo

Handwritten, detailed account of Hospital Sunday at Sandhurst. It mentions the crowds coming into town, the procession, and the day’s entertainment at the Reserve. Also mentions the donations raised for charity. Also a number of small pages titled Facts & Scraps. Mentions a number of daily happenings and the bells at St. Paul's Church.event, entertainment, sandhurst, the australian sketcher 1873, rev mr croxton, the bendigo advertiser, hallas' band, northcott's regimantal band, captain moorhead, captain boyd, lieutenant sibley, lieutenant henderson, mr morrison, bendigo rifles, major taylor, captain joseph, lieutenant blackham, bendigo hotel, bank of victoria, prince alfred, mr abbott, st paul's church bells, hustlers mine, prince bismarck, james park, bell, william hartlett, mr williamson, mr purcell, connell watson & hogarth, mr j b watson, the engineers engine-drivers and blacksmiths association, melbourne botanical gardens, mr hodgkinson, baron von muellerus, patrick hugo mchugh, golden fleece mine, orpheus c kerr, jones, the victorian racing club, mr walker, spencer, robert chambers's index to heirs-at-law legatees missing friends and persons advertised for during 150 years past, mr higinbotham, mr d r morrison, mr mccosh, mr hicks, carlisle company, james hamilton, samuel rochford, royal hustlers claim, william mycroft, rifle brigade hotel, mr randall, the right rev dr gould, r m s s china, james kennedy

Hand written data on the safety cage. The first page is a memorandum to Mr J H Seymour from the International patent & Trade Marks Office informing Mr Seymour that the Provisional Specification of his invention has been accepted in Victoria, dated 17 Oct 1892. The second page is a copy of a card from John H Seymour, City Foundry, Wattle St. Sandhurst outlining the safety cage, the lives it has saved and orders will receive prompt attention and further information may be had from the above address. W. Holmes, Printer. The third page is to Miss Kingerlee from Allan Llewellyn with reference to the memorandum and card dated Sept 1, 1972. He says he copied the memorandum and card for her and Mr F Fitzpatrick has the originals. The fourth page is a typed copy of Claim Holders and expenses.document, gold, safety cage, memorandum - safety cage, edwd waters, j h seymour, international patent & trade marks, city foundry, w holmes, miss kingerlee, mr frank fitzpatrick, allan llewellyn, jno t caldwell, geo staley, neil walker, a n hamilton, william holland, j w weddle, jas lawes, wm hopwood, jas lawes, wm parker, r w pollard, wm nan & co, hope & co, mrs morgan, j w & g williams

''No Mean City'' (author George Doenau - written in 1960 - see last page for this - and maybe referenced in Marunari - see handwritten note on first page) Document consists of 36 typed pages covering Bendigo history with two final pages being handwritten. Covers the period from 1850s to 1901. Interesting coverage of history with a focus on council involvement. No references or bibliography.George Doenaubendigo, history, city history. the goldfields., bendigo history. goldfields, sandhurst, mr wright chief commissioner goldfields, ravenswood sheep run, burke & wills, mr king, long gully, ironbark, quarry hill, back creek, duke of edinburgh, galatea, queen victoria, shamrock hotel, corporate high school, mr aspinall, the camp, rosalind park, mr vahland, fortuna, coliban scheme, school of mines, red store, mayor cr. bayne, camp hill state school, juvenile industrial exhibition, sanders & finn, harneys bridge, new chum reef, ellesmere company, lansell's 222 claim, mr harkness, sir henry lock, mr cohn.

black and white image mounted on yellow board, part of a joined series of three, image shows open cut, the United Garden Gully claim, looking towards Victoria Hill.business, mining, united garden gully, united garden gully, bendigo, mining, mine, victoria hill

Blue slip signed by H. L. Atkinson, Court Surgeon, saying Adolphus Witt is unable to follow his employment and dated July 4/1865. White note from Adolphus Witt. Claiming sick allowance, signed by Adolphus Witt. Victoria Hill and dated July 4/1865. A second white note from Adolphus Witt declaring himself off the sick fund, dated July 15 1865. Signed by Adolphus Witt and H. L. Atkinson.Bro Clarke, Printer, 84 Moor St. Fitzroy, Adolphus Witt?, H L Atkinsonsocieties, aof, correspondence, ancient order of foresters no 3770 collection - adolphus witt, court king of the forest, adolphus witt, h l atkinson, bro clarke

Black and white photograph of original. Large excavation in foreground. Weatherboard building at left with wood pile and brick chimney. 3 poppet heads in middle distance. 1 poppet head on horizon. Total of 4 chimneys visible. Im inage on original photo ' …. Reef near Ironbark Hill' In margin at bottom ' Mr. Lansell's No. 180 claim/North Old Chum/Victoria and New Chum/Old Chum Claim'Original photo by N.J. Caire, 1875, looking south New Chum or Victoria Reef'organization, business, lansell's 180 claim

Printed 40 page booklet with a pale green cover titled 'Mining By-laws of and for the State of Victoria with an Appendix Containing Extracts from the Mines Act 1928 relative to Residence Areas, Claims on Private Land, &c. Published in the 'Government Gazette,' 19th February, 1931 pp. 617 - 640. Purple stamp on the front: 'W. Gordon Hampton, Bendigo, Vic. Bookseller, Librarian, Newsagent, Stationer.' A Richardson 29 Harrison St Bendigo written in blue pen on the front. Booklet contains advertisements relating to the mining industry.book, mining reports, mining reports, mining by-laws of and for the state of victoria, a richardson, w gordon hampton, government gazette

Black and white photograph of mine site. Mullock heap in background with various mine buildings. Chimney stack and corrugated iron buildings on right. Mine shaft holes in foreground. Whims centre back. Hand written on back 'Gold Mines Bendigo. Probably New Chum Hill. Looking North. Phoenix, later Old Chum Mine at summit. JB Lazarus' claims in foreground. RT. 'Johnsons No. 2' on back - Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch. Circular stamp. History: Prev. ACC. No. MNG 2Batchelderplace, mining site, new chum

Photograph 12. Sepia toned photograph of Garden Gully Amalgamated claims. Printed below photo: Welch Type, Carlisle Company’s Claim, North Garden Gully Claim, Pass-by Company's Claim, J.W. Forbes, Agent. Purple stamp on back RHS of Victoria, Bendigo Branch, 1959, 157. Nicholas CaireN.J. Caire - Sandhursttopic, mining, garden gully

Photograph 11: Sepia photograph of View as seen from the Camp Hill, near the Lodge. Noted in print below photo: 'Shamrock Hotel', Camp Hill Rotunda', Bank of Australasia', 'City of Sandhurst Claim', Williamson Street, St James' Hall, St Paul's Church, Welch Type, J W Forbes, Agent. History of photo: written in blue ink on back: 'See photo 1959/198 taken from same spot before St Paul's spire was erected. W Davey? 24.10.59. Purple stamp of RHS of Victoria, Bendigo Branch. 1959, 156. Nicholas CaireN J Caireplace, landscape view, bendigo

Photograph 10. Sepia photograph of View of North Old Chum Claim, showing surface Excavations. Printed below photograph: J.W. Forbes, Agent, Lansell's No. 180 Claim, Welch Expo. 'New Chum and Victoria Company's Quartz Crushing Battery', 'the dividing range between Happy Valley, Victoria Hill and Iron Bark'. Nicholas CaireN J Cairetopic, mining, old chum mine

Two page handwritten document titled 'Victoria Hill Mines, Dickers M.R. 23.11.1861. Wittschiebe and Co. Claim. Next north to No. 2, Midway Company' Transcribed by Albert Richardson. Extract from text: 'There are reefs passing through this ground at small intervals in every part of this claim, they all dip north. The mass of leaders struck in No. 4 (shaft) yielded, on an average about 1 1/2 ounces to the ton to the amount, in all, of about 12,000 pounds. From the eastern Victoria, the present proprietors extracted in nine months 55,000 pounds worth of gold.' Owners of mine. Messrs A. Witrtschiebe, A. Sagasser, F. Meison, A. Urban, H. Koch, C. Killian and A. Rudolf. Document details the claim, the shafts sunk, their depth, issues re workings and gold found.Albert Richardsonbendigo, mining, wittschiebe & co. claim

Three page handwritten document transcribed by Albert Richardson. On top of document: The Victoria Reef, Victoria Spurs, East Victoria Reef, Try McWell Reef and the Hercules Reef. Reference Dickers Mining Record, Vol 1, No. 1 Page g. November 23, 1861. Document details the location of the reef lines and some of the mines and claims along them. For example, page one: 'The main Victoria, really a continuation of the South Victoria, commences at a point to the west of the Mt Korong Road, where the high portion of the ranges is intersected by the head of the Iron Bark Gully, the southern most claim being Ballerstedt and Son's. This line of reef is remarkable from the extraordinary richness of the lodes, not less than from the singular manner in which the gold has been distributed'.Albert Richardsonbendigo, mining, victoria reef line

Victoria Police Gazette No. 25 dated Thursday, June 18, 1863, containing notices about: murder, arson, highway robbery and stealing from the person, housebreaking and stealing from dwelling houses, felonies and offences not otherwise described, miscellaneous information, inquests, courts, property lost, property found, horses and cattle, escaped prisoners, deserters from merchant vessels, ticket of leave holders and extracts from Otago Police gazette. Also a list and description of horses and cattle reported to the police as stolen during the week ending 16th June, 1863, a list and description of horses and cattle reported to the police as found or those recovered by the police and not claimed during the week ending 16th June, 1863, a list of prisoners to whom tickets of leave have been issued and a list of prisoners reported as discharged from the penal establishments during the week ending 17th June, 1893.Victoria Policeessential services, police, victoria police gazette, victoria police gazette, law and order