Receipt from Anglesea Bowling Club to Mrs. J. Murch for a 4 year subscription paid in advance. It is stamped and signed: Victorian Stamp Duty by L. McMahon. Letter attached from Anglesea Bowling Club explains that the Bowling Club will be open for play on 10th December 1961 and play will begin at 1.45 pm.Receipt - Mrs. J. Murch, 26 Eastern Beach, Geelong. / Rec. cheque 10/10. / 4 years subscription in advance / Dated 7/8/61. / No. 10. / Signed : L. McMahon. Stamp with "Victoria Stamp Duty".anglesea bowling club, j. murch, 1961, l. mcmahon

Two black and white photo of men playing musical instruments. The first photo is three men wearing wide brim hats. One is playing a banjo, one an accordion and the third is watching them. The second photo is six men, one has a concertina, four have accordions and the sixth has drum and cymbals.photo, group, musicians, peter ellis collection, musicians

Paperback. Brown cover. Front cover has an illustration of four Brownies playing a game of what appears to be Blind Man's Bluff.non-fictionA book that was produced by The Girl Guides Association for use in Brownie Packs for games.girl guides, brownies, games, girl guide association

This item is from 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. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI 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 WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI 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. Warrnambool Public Library The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and its Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr. R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 percent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 percent reference and 40 percent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items has become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850’s to the late 1950’s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr. R. Pattison. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. 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 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 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 Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. 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 collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, and to 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. As with many Mechanics' Institutes in Australia, the one which operated in Warrnambool was established and overseen for many years by key individuals associated with the development of the city itself. The WMI publication collection is historically significant because of its association with local people, places and the key historical themes in the development of Warrnambool of rural development, industry, farming, education, and community. The collection documents and illustrates the changing interests, focus and tastes of Victorians, especially those in regional cities. Generally the individual items in the collection are not particularly rare, as examples of all probably exist in other public collections in Victoria. It is primarily because there are so very few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections in Victoria, which lends this overall collection its significance. Many items in the WMI Collection have the potential to support further research, both as individual objects and through the collection in its entirety. This material is significant for its ability to assist in the interpretation of the history of the area and adds to the general understanding of the development of the township. Many components of the WMI publication collection complement and reinforce the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Collection, the Warrnambool Art Gallery Collection, and that in the Warrnambool Historical Society, and also contribute to a clearer understanding of the original Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute collections. This will greatly enhance the appreciation of the few surviving Mechanics' Institute collections across Victoria, and also in New South Wales. The similarities and differences between the small number of collections that have survived can provide further insights into how the people of Victoria in general, and Warrnambool in particular, constructed a civic culture of adult learning to foster an informed citizenry. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute publication collection is of both local and state significance. Three Plays The Great Broxopp, The Dover Road, The Truth about Blayds Author: A A Milne Publisher: Chatto and Windus Date: 1923Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 822 MIL Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Public Library Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Servicewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, great ocean road, three plays, the great broxopp, the dover road, the truth about blayds, a a milne

Large mounted photograph depicting a dance at the Flinders Street Mission with three couples dancing in front of the stage where a band is playing.Written n black ink: Bill Eldridge-Doyle / Chaplain / 1960 Written in pencil: P3 / Dance Pichlg, seamen, sailors, reverend c.j. eldridge-doyle, dances, stage, music, band, drums, flags, microphone, saxophone, flowers

Document. A collection of Original plays , one by Alex Hood. Re-written by John Williams - teacher at Maple Street , 1989-1972.document, memo, collection of plays

Coloured - Children playing games at Wisteria Festival 2002. Held, Schwerkolt Cottage, October 2002, by Nunawading & District Historical Societywisteria festival, schwerkolt cottage, nunawading & district historical society, suto, joyce

Footballers from the Hepburn Football Club play football in the snow during the Grand Final of the Central Highlands Football Leaguem in Ballarat.hepburn springs, hepburn burras, decorations, grand final, footy, supporters, pride, snow, cold, weather, afl, central highlands football league, heburn football club

"JCR" in blue ink, "Common Room 1959 at HH" written in script in pencil, stamped "Archives International House"

Scene of school children sitting on the ground outside the Mt Dandenong State School building. Perhaps playing a game. Taken in 1938On back of photograph: Mt Dandenong School 1938mt dandenong school, school children, mt dandenong school

The first Mt Dandenong State School opened in a shed on the property of William Ferguson on the corner of Blythe and Old Coach Roads. The first teacher was Miss Ethel Gruber who opened the school on May 11th, 1897. It wasn’t until 1901 that the school shifted over the road into an old school building that was moved up to the new site from Ringwood. All the buildings were demolished to make way for a new school that opened in 1991. Up until the later 2000s snow fell at the school several times a year. Three children playing in snow at the front of Mt Dandenong Primary School 5th September 1995. The snow lasted three days.mt dandenong school, snow, mt dandenong

Black and white photograph of Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser playing doubles. Place and date unknown. Materials: Paper, Photographic emulsiontennis

Souvenir Program: Federation Cup World Group One Play-off July 1997. Newspaper format. Materials: Paper, Inktennis

Colour photograph. Band members playing in darkened room. Stage lighting. Feather in hat. Man on right slightly out of focus.entertainment, music, musicians

Colour photograph. Emu Creek Bush Band play in marquee. Couples dancing in period style dress on wooden stage flooring.entertainment, music, bush dance and music club

Colour photograph. Emu Creek Bush Band play in marquee. Couples dancing in period style dress on wooden stage flooring.entertainment, music, bush dance and music club

Coloured photo of Andy Rodoni playing the button accordion to his three grandchildren, Trevor Hirst, Paul Rodoni and Judith Hirst.photo, group, mixed group, peter ellis collection, andy rodoni, trevor hirst, paul rodoni, judith hirst

Coloured photo of boys wearing blue and yellow jumpers and shorts playing football in the Golden Square under-12s. No names or dates.education, primary, golden square laurel st p.s., golden square primary school 1189 collection - newspaper cuttings, golden square football players

Black and white photo of Tom O'Brien playing a banjo. Typed on a sticker on the back is: O'Brien, Tom, Aberdeen. B. 1903 18.4.83.photo, individual, tom o'brien, peter ellis collection, tom o'brien

Book: 'How To Play Tennis'. 174 pages. Hardcover. Third edition (first published 1933). Materials: Paper, Ink, Cardboardtennis

Book: 'How To Play Tennis'. 174 pages. Hardcover. Fourth edition (first published 1933). Materials: Paper, Ink, Cardboardtennis

Book: 'Ping Pong: The game and how to play it'. 115 pages. Hardcover. Authorized American edition. Materials: Paper, Ink, Cardboardtennis