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Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Certificate, Friends of the Penguins Certificate, Unknown
Penguin Parade - "Fairy" Penguins Certificate to indicate "A Lifelong Friend of the Penguins"HistoricalCertificate for "Friends of the Penguins"certificate, friends of the penguins, phillip island -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, St Paul's Training School Chapel and School, 1947
Photos from various sources added to an album on the Boy's homeHistorical3 black and white photographs of buildings and interior of chapel86-15 has Photo Shop Series Chapel st Paul's Newhaven Phillip Island. 86-16 has in handwriting St Paul's Church of England Boy's Home Newhaven Cowes 6/3/47.on back is written -' We were taken over this.Part in photo is chapel, everything in chapel was made by boys. building at right dormatories."newhaven boy's home phillip island, photographs -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Harry Bradley - Phillip Island Identity
Harry Bradley was a local Identity. Born in Yorkshire, England, 8/4/1916. Joined the Australian Army 19/5/1941 living in Cowes Phillip Island Victoria.Historical491-01: Harry Bradley an Australia Army Portrait - WWII 491-02: Harry Bradley & Ted Walton, very close fishing mates 491-03: Original House of Bradleys, opposite Race Track?? Ford Vehicle. Now Beachcomber Estate 491-04: Harry Bradley working on the 1st Phillip Island Bridge 491-05: Harry Bradley's parents - Father - Edwin and Mother who was killed by a bull 491-06: Harry Bradley - Equal 1st Competition at the Lang Lang Gun Club 491-07: Elsford Guest House - Post Card 491-08: Map of Phillip Island - Post Card Also DVD supplied with 491-01 to 06 on it.As Above with Harry's details listed on 491-01harry bradley, ted walton, edwin bradley, lang lang gun club, elsford guest house, phillip island map -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Newspaper, Eagle star ferry sinks, 30 December 1978
The Eagle Star left from Stony Point to take in Tankerton on the way to Cowes. It carried about 160 passengers of all ages, many of whom were probably planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve or start their holidays on the Island. The 48-year-old ferry had only recently been bought by a co-operative of French Island residents. Fortunately no one was drowned, and only two people were hurt.HistoricalBroadsheet front page from The Herald Saturday, December 30 1978.Headline is "Ferry sinks."Fleet" plucks 160 from bay" Large black and white photo showing half submerged ferry and three smaller motor boats pulling people from the water. other people are standing on the front of the ferry.Headline is "Ferry sinks."Fleet" plucks 160 from bay" ferries, eagle star, transport, cowes yacht club -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Churchill Island cannon, 1973
This cannon was always called the Shenandoah cannon as it was believed to be from the Confederate warship, Shenandoah. However recent research has shown this was not true. In 1981 the American Civil War Round Table of Australia claimed the cannon was not government issue.It was older than the Shenandoah warship.It is possibly a 4 lb that was sent from Sydney in 1826 when Western Port was settled and had been left behind.Historical3 small coloured photographs mounted on cardboard of Churchill Island homestead, 2 men standing beside the cannon and the cannon.Churchill Island homestead, Shenandoah cannon, S.J.McFee, F. Jansson, Shenandoah cannon. 1973churchill island, churchill island - homestead, cannon, stan mcfee, frank jansson -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, At home on the hill - Stories of Pioneers in the first 30 years of Phillip Island cemetery 1870-1900 Written by Pamela Rothfield, 2018
Stories of the first 73 occupants of the Phillip Island Cemetery describing the lives and history of the early residents of Phillip Island. Written by a Cleeland descendant, Pamela Rothfield.HistoricalLarge, soft covered book with large black and white and coloured photos and text.ISNN 978-0-646-99552-6phillip island cemetery, genealogy, forrest, jenner, richardson, cleeland, dixon, mcgregor, reid, walton, west, cox, underdown, mcillwraith, woolcock -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, At home on the hill. Vol. 11 : the story of those buried in the Phillip Island Cemetery between 1901-1920 : everyone has a story by Pamela Rothfield, 2020
Detailed information on people buried in cemetery from 1901-1920HistoricalLarge soft covered book with text numerous black & white and coloured illustrations ISBN 978-0-6487351-0-6phillip island cemetery, rev. alexander robb, richardson, walton, grayden, forrest, leeson, lock, mcfee, george smith, west, cleeland, eliza cochlan, findlay, jenner, mckindlay, jeury, walpole, george cox, pamela rothfield -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Article, The first Islanders - Thompson Family French Island, 4 October 2006
HistoricalLaminated article from The Weekly Times, October 4, 2006 describing settlement of French Island in 1894 by Thompson and Broderick families.Includes 2 sepia photographs.The First Islandersthompson family, french island, farming, chicory farming, broderick farming -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Drawing, Chicory kilns by D. Leversha
Chicory farming was popular on the Island. Chicory was sent to Melbourne to be mixed with coffee, especially during WW2Historical2 copies of black & white sketches of chicory kilns drawn by D. Levershachicory farming, chicory kilns, f. b. morgan-payler, d. leversha -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Aerial photo Cowes 1931, 1931
Cowes in the era of guesthouses with large tennis courts and open space.HistoricalBlack & white photo mounted on cardboard of Cowes jetty with boats, Thompson Ave, The Esplanade, Isle of Wight, The Continental Guesthouse, Erewhon Guesthouse, Yackatoon Guesthouse.Cowes 1931cowes, aerial photos, jetty, isle of wight, continental, yackatoon, guesthouses, bass avenue -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Cowes Football Team 1922, 1922
HistoricalMedium framed black & white photo of Cowes football team, premiers 1922. Three rows of players, front row seated, with a trainer at each end. Middle player at front holding a football saying Premiers 1922.Names of players and trainers. Back says H.A.B. West 1983cowes football team 1922, pretty, charley craft, les walton, ernie walton, bill mclardy, clarry williams, andy morrison, guy borton, bryant west, frank hatfield, alex mclardy, arnie brown, newton mclardy, reg justice, harold west, bernie smith, ken west, ernie matthews, bert west, black & white photograph -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Phillip Island Football Teams, Unknown
Clubs and players unknown. Photo 1100-01 - middle row on left, Jack Cleeland. Front row, 4th left, Keith McIlwraith. [Named by Bev Forrest] 1100-03 is possibly Ventnor as jumpers have V on them.Historical4 A4 sepia and black & white photocopies of old photos of football teams. No explanations or writing. Players are wearing 4 different jumpers. phillip island football team, sport, photograph, cleeland, mcilwraith, forrest, mcfee, ventnor, jack jenner -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Booklet, Allan Box, Index Phillip Island in Picture and Story, 1999
Gliddon's book of this name is not indexed so this is a valuable for research purposes.HistoricalSmall spiral bound booklet with photocopied typed pages.Compiled by Allan Box 1999 Warley Avenue Bookshopj w gliddon, allan box, index, phillip island in picture and story -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Debutante Ball 1949 and names of debutantes, 1949
The origin of debutante balls was that the woman was old enough to be married, and part of the purpose of her coming out was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select circle. These balls were popular on the Island and held at the Shire Hall in Thompson Ave.HistoricalBlack and white photo of group of debutantes in white gowns with posies, dance instructor and Mrs Leggatt, wife of local MP Sir William Leggatt. Allan Murray was the photographer.List of names of debutantes, dance instructor, dignitary and photographer. Also notes re problems with photos from the night.Charlotte Cleeland's deb photo 1949. also names as above.photograph, charlotte cleeland, debutantes phillip island, allan murray, john claringbold, val spokes, joan westley, ruth grayden, heather burton, gwen jackson, margery forrest, fay redpath, mrs mcadie, mrs dorothy leggatt, verna gawith, eileen jones, mrs anderson -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, Index for Phillip Island in Picture and Story by J.W. Gliddon, compiled by Bernard Charles Grayden
The Gliddon book does not have an index. This index was based on edition 1.HistoricalA4 spiral bound typed bookletPhillip Island in picture and story. Compiled by Joshua Wickett Gliddon. Index compiled by Bernard Charles Graydenbernard grayden, joshua wickett gliddon, index -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Mrs Jansson, John on the McHaffie buggy
McHaffie family were early settlers on Phillip Island. Mrs Frank Jansson, wife of a fisherman from Rhyll.HistoricalSmall black & white photograph of a rural outlook with house and water in the background. Foreground has a wooden buggy on a grassy area with a woman and small child.The McHaffie buggy. Mrs F. Jansson and son, John.mchaffie family, mrs frank jansson, buggy -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Programme, Annual Report and statement of "Warley" Cowes Bus Nursing Hospital 1972 and Diamond Jubilee celebrations 1983
HistoricalReport is an A4 cream sheet with black and red print., folded in half. Office bearers are listed and financial, secretary's and Ladies Auxiliary reports are included. Two single sheets inside have meeting information and prices of subscriptions. Celebration is cream cardboard, folded in half with blue print and photo of the original hospital on cover. The program for the day is inside.Annual Report and statement of "Warley" Cowes Bush nursing Hospital for the year ended 31st March 1972. "Warley" Bush Nursing Hospital Diamond Jubilee celebration Sunday, December 4th ,1983hospital, warley hospital -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Postcard, Beauty spots in Victoria
Tourist photographs of Phillip IslandHistoricalSmall black and white photos of scenes of Phillip Island including the jetty, beach, Nobbies and ferries. Enclosed in a beige paper envelope.Beauty spots in Victoria. 12 Real Photographs for your Snapshot Album. Produced in Australia by The Rose Stereograph Co. Price 1/6 1. The Pier, Cowes, 2. Front beach, Cowes, 3. Alvina & Genista at pier, $. Koala in tree, 5. beach near Nobbies, 6. The Nobbies, 7. The Pinnacles, 8. Looking out at Forest caves, 9. Lovers Walk - Cowes, 10. Forest Cave, 11. The road to back beach, 12. The beach & pier, Cowes.the nobbies, ferries, cowes jetty, forrest caves, phillip island, black & white postcard copy, photographs -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Isle of Wight Hotel 1980
Photos taken by Gary Parnell in 1980Historical2 large black and white photos showing the Isle of Wight Hotel taken from the jetty area. Showing the war memorial, sea wall and surrounding area. One darker than the other.isle of wight hotel, cowes, phillip island, gary parnell -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Letter, Eliza Cochlan, information on spelling of her name, 1986
The spelling of Eliza's surname varies between Coghlan and Cochlan in various sources.The letter does not provide proof of either. List of applicants for land at Schnapper Point [Mornington, including Phillip Island], early settlers and their date of arrival. An extract from "Early History of Mornington" showing residents of Schnapper Point in 1858.HistoricalHand written letter from the secretary of the Mornington Peninsula Historical Society re the spelling of Eliza Cochlan's name . Dated 8/5/1986 Also 3 typed pages containing a list of applicants for Phillip Island land grants and extract from The Early history of Mornington.Letter addressed to Mr Harris, secretary PIDHSeliza cochlan, land grant, early phillip island settlers, land ballot -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, Victoria's Playground The Westernport Region. A guide to Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula and Westernport, 1971
Description of Tourist Resorts on Mornington Peninsula and Westernport BayHistoricalBook - soft cover - 117 pages, First edition published 1971 by The Advisory Committee on Recreation and Tourism to The Westernport Regional Planning Authoritymornington peninsula, westernport bay, phillip island -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Souvenir, Australian tea towel, About 2005
One of the most popular souvenirs bought by tourists from local shops.HistoricalColoured linen tea towel with yearly calendar, drawings of Australian birds and native plants.Australian Birds Calendar 2006. With compliments Jim & Margaret Ellis Cowes Newsagency 5952-2046tourism, souvenir, jim & margaret ellis -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Card, Christmas greetings card, 1930
D. Robb was a member of the band.HistoricalSmall cardboard card with cord tie and insert window with a picture of a waratah. Best wishes. An Australian wish. The boys of the Phillip Is. Band, To Mr & Mrs Robb+ Family Xmas 1930philip island band, d.h.robb, greeting card -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Framed Panorama Cowes Jetty & Booklet, Prior to 1938
Neil Robinson believes the photo was taken prior to 1938, based on the existence of a small shed on the east side of the jetty.HistoricalFramed Panorama of Cowes Jetty taken from the jetty showing the jetty shed, Isle of Wight hotel and other Cowes buildings. Photo is lightly coloured. Plus Booklet - Research Data of Buildings etc. in PanoramaCowes Phillip Island Victoria. The Valentine Publishing CO. PTY.LTD. Melbournepanorama cowes jetty, the isle of wight hotel cowes phillip island, cowes sea baths, bayview house, neil robinson, maggie robinson, george cox -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Article, Newspaper article including Phillip island events in 1948, 1948
Name of the paper is unknown but is probably a Mornington publication. Frank Ryan was the National Bank Manager who had arrived in Cowes in 1951 as a junior banker. The paper was found by him when he was clearing the estate of Mrs Sue Strudwick.HistoricalSection of newspaper with articles on both sides describing news of people and events on Phillip Island and Mornington Shire. Also 2 A4 sheets of typing with comments by Frank Ryan about the people and events mentioned. Second Minstrel show huge success. Ventnor State school closed. Remarks and commentary by Frank Ryan. frank ryan, sue strudwick, phillip island band, mr pomeroy, , r. grayden, cowes state school, ventnor state school, bayview guesthouse fire, s.j.mcfee, cwa, minstrel show, measles outbreak, rothsay guesthouse -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Letter, Letter re Rhyll Presbyterian church controversary over funds raised. G. McIllwraith to Mr Robb, 8/11/1936
Controversy over money previously raised to build a Presbyterian church at Rhyll, discussion of trustees and whether the money was for the building or furnishings eg hymn books. It discusses the future of the Island including a proposed Kraft cheese factory, a new bridge and shipping coal from San Remo.Historical6 pages of cream writing paper handwritten in black pen. Letter from Gwenda McIllwraith to Mr. Robb re use of monies raised to build a Presbyterian church at Rhyll."Heath Hill", Rhyll. Nov 8th, 1936. Dear Mr. Robbheath hill, gwenda mcillwraith, mr robb, presbyterian church, mr& mrs percy mcfee, mr johnston, mr bryce, mr gliddon, robert mcillwraith, rhyll, mr lock, kraft cheese co., chicory, coal mines -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Letter, Letter from Gwenda McIllwraith to Mr Robb re Rhyll church 1936, 24/11/1936
Rhyll church controversy was over money raised by the local people. Historical4 pages of cream writing paper hand written by Gwenda Mciiwraith to Mr Robb re the Rhyll Presbyterian Church, farming on the Island, the Phillip Island Band competition, fishing industry and the health of various islanders.Heath Hill, Rhyll, Nov. 24 1936, Dear Mr Robb,rhyll, presbyterian church, agriculture, better farming league, phillip island band, gwenda mcillwraith, mr robb, mr dawson davie, san remo pier, fishing industry, san remo, mr & mrs joe smith, jack leeson, viv hazelwood, cecil andrews -
Phillip Island RSL Sub Branch
black and white photograph, HMS Hood
HMS Hood was one of the most powerful ships in the Royal Navy during ww2. She was sunk by the German Battleship Bismark with a loss of all hands on board.The main threat of the Bismark was to allied convoys, so an all out bid was made to find and sink her. Unfortunately she was too powerfull for the HMS HoodBlack and White photograph of HMS Hood under way. Crew are lined up from bow to stern for leaving harbour. HMS Hood hand written in white ink just below forward guns controllerhood, hms, world war ii, royal navy -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Ship's Wheel, 1871 or earlier
The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built many ships that had wheels with the same decorative, starburst pattern on them as this particular wheel segment, including the Eric the Red. The wheel was manufactured by their local Bath foundry, Geo. Moulton & Co. and sold to the Sewall yard for $100, according to the construction accounts of the vessel. Eric the Red was a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn". “The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA) Segment of a ship's wheel, or helm, from the wreck of the sailing ship Eric the Red. The wheel part is an arc shape from the outer rim of the wheel and is made up of three layers of timber. The centre layer is a dark, dense timber and is wider than the two outer layers, which are less dense and lighter in colour. The wheel segment has a vertically symmetrical, decorative copper plate inlaid on the front. The plate has a starburst pattern; six stars decorate it, each at a point where there is a metal fitting going through the three layers of timber to the rear side of the wheel. On the rear each of the six fittings has an individual copper star around it. The edges of the helm are rounded and bevelled, polished to a shine in a dark stain. Around each of the stars, front and back, the wood is a lighter colour, as though the metal in that area being polished frequently. The length of the segment suggests that it has probably come from a wheel or helm that had ten spokes. (Ref: F.H.M.M. 16th March 1994, 239.6.610.3.7. Artefact Reg No ER/1.)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship's-wheel, eric-the-red, helm, shei's wheel, ship's steering wheel -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Decorative object - Sword, 1871 or earlier
This wooden sword is said to “possibly be the only remaining part of the figurehead from the sailing ship Eric the Red.” It was previously part of the collection of the old Warrnambool Museum and the entry in its inventory says “Wooden sword, portion of the figurehead, held by “Eric the Red” at the bow.” A large part of the ship’s hull was found on the rocks and a figurehead may have been attached or washed up on the shore. The shipping records for E. & A. Sewall, the builders, owners and managers of Eric the Red, are now preserved in the Maine Maritime Museum. There is no photograph on record of Eric the Red but photographs of other ships built around that time by the same company show that these did not have figureheads, and there is no record found of a figurehead for Eric the Red being ordered or paid for. Further research is being carried out. The ship building company E. & A. Sewall, from Bath, Maine, USA, built Eric the Red, a wooden, three masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, and was the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows that Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) - about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. On 4th September 1880 the ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. Eric the Red approached Cape Otway in a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Cries were heard coming from out of the darkness. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts and bravery, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and a medal for bravery. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn".The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse. (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA)This carved wooden sword, recovered from the Eric the Red, is possibly the only portion of the figurehead recovered after the wreck. There are spirals carved from the base of the handle to the top of the sword. The hilt of the sword is a lion’s head holding its tail in its mouth, the tail forming the handle. The blade of the sword has engraved patterns on it. Tiny particles of gold leaf and dark blue paint fragments can be seen between the carving marks. There are remnants of yellowish-orange and crimson paint on the handle. At some time after the sword was salvaged the name of the ship was hand painted on the blade in black paint. The tip of the sword has broken or split and the remaining part is charcoal in appearance. On both the tip and the base of the handle are parts made where the sword could have been joined onto the figurehead There is a white coating over some areas of the sword, similar to white lead putty used in traditional shipbuilding. The words “ERIC the RED” have been hand painted on the blade of the sword in black paint sometime after it was salvaged.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, sword, wooden sword, eric the red, carved sword, figurehead, snake head on sword