Pattison Collection 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 areas 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 from 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 it's 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 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent 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 1950s 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 Old Curiosity Shop Author: Charles Dickens Publisher: Oxford University Press Date: 1841 The label on the spine with typed text PAT 823.8 DIC Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Public Library covered by a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Servicebook, the old curiosity shop, charles dickens, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, warrnambool, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, 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

This book was part of a large group of books referred to as the Pattison Collection, which belonged to the Warrnambool Public Library, part of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. About RALPH ERIC PATTISON and the ‘PATTISON COLLECTION’ The ‘Pattison Collection’ is a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, 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 WMI was led to ask the City Council to take it over in 1911 due to a lack of financial support. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Public Library as it was then called. Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up a home in Warrnambool. In 1935 when Pattison accepted the 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 areas 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 from 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. THE NEW WARRNAMBOOL LIBRARY 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 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. 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 Old Wives Tale Vol 1 Author: Arnold Bennett Publisher: Jonathan Cape Date: 1931 Further Information:The label on the spine cover with typed text PAT FIC BEN Paste down front end paper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library covered by a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service. Front loose end paper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service. Front loose end paper has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute.flagstaff hil, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, 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, the old wives tale vol 1, arnold bennett

Jemmys Point showing an old dead grey box tree trunk many limbs lying on ground near base trunk stabilized by two long poles straight ladder from ground to fork at top Lakes Entrance Victoria. This tree eventually fell down in 2024. East Gippsland shire have placed a garden bed around it.Black and white postcard of Lookout on Jemmys Point showing an old dead grey box tree trunk many limbs lying on ground near base trunk stabilized by two long poles straight ladder from ground to fork at top Lakes Entrance VictoriaLookout Tree Lakes Entrancejetties, waterways, jemmys point lakes entrance, topography

A colour photograph of Marie and Jill Wallace in Marysville in Victoria.A colour photograph of Marie and Jill Wallace in Marysville in Victoria. Jim Wallace was born in Dumfries in Scotland and emigrated to Australia with his family at age 6. He arrived and settled in Marysville in 1922 and ended up working for the Barton Brothers looking after their touring cars and their garage. He met Marj in 1928 and they married in 1930. Jim and another well-known local, Clarrie Smith, had spoken about showing the 'talkies' in the local hall and then subsequently had local builder, Harold Cuzens, build the Marysville Theatre in 1932. The Marysville Theatre was located on Murchison Street. The solid concrete building was used as a Theatre from 1932 to 1970. The building was then purchased by The Darmody Family and was used as an Arts and Crafts Centre for two years from 1975. The building was then purchased by Norman and Rosemary Fiske in 1977 and converted into a restaurant called The Pumpernickel. This building, along with most of the town, was destroyed in the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. The Wallaces departed Marysville in 1980 for a new life in Ringwood, Victoria.Marie + Jill Standing/ in front of our old home.marysville theatre, marysville, victoria, harold cuzens, jim wallace, darmody family, norman fiske, rosemary fiske, the pumpernickel, 2009 black saturday bushfires, marj wallace, marie wallace, jill wallace, barton brothers, clarrie smith

From Jessie Smith's collection showing road along foreshore and small Jetties.Sepia print. Gravel road at left - Beach front with low scrub and little Jetties at middle and right. Horse tethered at left middle."Old Coal Jetty - San Remo" - written on back.local history, photographs, foreshore san remo, sepia photograph, jessie smith collection, stan mcfee

Ringwood Town Hall was demolished in 1971. Photo shows "Whelan the Wrecker is here" sign.Written on back of photograph, "Old town hall". No date

Written on backing sheet, "Opening of old Town Hall."

Frank Wright as a young man in an army (cadet) uniform. Hat is badged "71". Taken on the verandah of his home "Laura Villa", Smeaton.Cadet Frank Wright, Smeaton. 15 years oldfrank wright, cadet, armed forces, smeaton

Coloured photographPhotograph shows old Club buildings being demolished.

Coloured photographPhotograph shows old Club buildings being demolished.

black and white photograph, mounted, original, fair conditionOn back: Presidents Ball at the Old Skating Rink, Deniliquin

Crafty Carson and his nasty friends started a grass fire which started to spread. The flames were raging and the bush children watched in horror. Granny Goanna was unwell and in the homestead. The bush children tried to call the Dogtor but flames had damaged the radio. The fire then reached their store of fireworks and 'Boom!'.The Flying Dogtor" series was broadcast on Australian Television Network (later becoming the Seven Network) between February and April 1964 (see item D254 for schedule).Typewritten, carbon copy, foolscap, 4 pages.Page 2, 'Man' handwritten in between 'Old' and 'Redback'.the flying dogtor, robin boyd, crawford productions

b&w photographs, maps, reproductions of old materials

Otway Bush Humour. Carmen Koper. 1st ed. No imprint. vi, 54 p.; illus. Soft cover.Signed. "Carmen Koper. Just like old times."otways; humour; bush stories;carmen koper;

Two Workmen in Front of Partly framed buildingEileen New Citadel 1934 - Moving old Hall?religion

Book with an index or table of contents, listing all the documents relating to the establishment of the Ballaarat Tramways (the horse tram operator) including, references to Legislation and orders in council, original tender conditions, the contract between the Council and Edward Thomson, Specifications for the construction, delegation to the operator, and plan of routes. Last document dated 17/1/1888.Yields information about the establishment of the Ballarat horse trams, Councils and the operator.Bound book, with end papers, 20 pages, patterned covers, titled with a label on the front cover - "Ballaarat Tramways"Has an old ownership note on the inside front cover.secv, tramways, horse trams, city of ballaarat, ballaarat tramway company, tenders, specifications, operations, maps

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the F19 (later renamed Eastern) Freeway through the Yarra Valley in Kew over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Photograph of works involved in construction of the F19 (now Eastern) Freeway involving rerouting the River Yarra in Kew."Eastern Freeway / pumping out old river bed"ron setford, eastern freeway, f19 freeway

at rear of Carpenter family home. Second photp showing tanks which collected drinking water for campers 04377.1Black and white photograph showing Betty and Victoria Carpenter Lakes Entrance Victoria. Also a black and white photograph of garden and pear tree at rear of Carpenter family homeNana and Betty at back door of old kitchen on reversegenealogy, houses, caravan parks, carpenter family

Ringwood Hall was located near the Club Hotel in Mount Dandenong Road prior to construction of Mechanics Institute/Town Hall in Maroondah Highway in 1909.Black & white photo of crowd gathered at original Ringwood Hall, Mount Dandenong Road, Ringwood. "Old Ringwood Hall nr. Club Hotel, later burnt down approx 1909". "Old Ringwood Hall prior to Mech Inst of 1909".

Photograph taken from Grenville St looking southeast along Sturt St, c1912 Has ESCo tram towing a trailer, ESCo 20 and another two trams in the photograph. Many people are crossing the road. Wal Jack notes - "Original electric and trails, Summer car No. 20 passing bandstand about 1920" - note windscreens have not been fitted to the trams, possibly around 1910. Negative would be a copy negative of an original photograph. See item 8954 for a print of this image.Yields information about the trams and trailers in use c1912.Digital image from the Wal Jack Ballarat Album. Negative also held.On rear of photograph in ink "T30 Ballarat Tramways / Old Types in Sturt St, Summer Tram 20 passing old bandstand / W. Jack"trams, tramways, sturt st, grenville st, esco, trailers, tram 20

The Children's Cottages at Kew were first opened in 1887 as the "Idiot Ward" of Kew Asylum. Located on the asylum's grounds, the children's cottages were established to provide separate accommodation for child inmates who had previously been housed with adult patients. Although the Cottages only admitted children as patients, many of those children remained in residence at the Cottages as adults. The function of the institution was to provide accommodation and educational instruction for intellectually disabled children. Some Wards of the State and other various "difficult" children were also admitted.Shortly after opening, the Idiot Ward began functioning separately from the Kew Lunatic Asylum, and became known as the Kew Idiot Asylum from 1887 until c.1929. From 1929 they have been known as the "Children's Cottages, Kew" or alternatively "Kew Cottages Training Centre". The institution was finally closed in July 2008. [Source: Wikipedia, 2016]One of a series of framed historical photographs of the Kew Cottages that once formed part of the collection of the Kew Cottages Historical Society, founded by Dr. Cliff Judge and Fran Van Brummelen in the 1980s. The set contains both copies of originals in other collections such as the Public Record Office Victoria and photographs taken by Dr Judge for his books on intellectual disability in Victoria. The significance of the set of framed photographs is that they provide a curated collection of images of the development of the Cottages over a one hundred year period.Framed photograph, forming part of the Kew Cottages collection, donated by Dr Cliff Judge in 1993. Dr. Judge was a consultant psychiatrist at the cottages for 14 years, as well as an author and vocal advocate for the intellectually disabled and their families. [Conservation note: Glass to be replaced]"Kew Cottages - Old Ward 21 (The Nursery). Old Ward 21, previously the 'nursery', and demolished in 1973 to make way for units 4 and 5. "kew cottages, dr cliff judge, kew cottages historical society 1987-1993

Colour print of the ex MMTB scrubber tram 8W and the BTM tower truck at the old loop, Wendouree Parade, following the arrival of the tram in Ballarat on 10/9/1999 . Appeared in the November 1999 issue of Trolley Wire on Page 30 - see also caption for further details. Photo on Kodak paper. Photo by Simon Jenkins. Photo has Alastair Reither cleaning the tram and Andrew Mitchell looking on. Mark McKay in the tower truck, with Warren Doubleday relocating the overhead.In blue ink "Scrubber 8W and Overhead Tower Wagon No. 14 at old loop 10/9/1999" In centre of photo on rear is label with "Photo / Same Size", crop marks and a yellow sticker with "39" written on it.btm, wendouree parade, scrubber tram, tower truck, tram 8w

Photograph of Jo Barber wearling the presidents collar on the night she was elected President of the Old Colonists' Association of Ballarat proposing a toast to John Lewis, newly elected President of the Old Colonists' Club.jo barber, old colonists' association of ballarat, president, john lewis

Two copies of a poem titled "The Old Home" reflection by one who passed by. The poem has been cut from an old newspaper and glued to an A4 paper with fruits printed on. Author unknown. martin family, family history, genealogy

Celebrating the launch of a book about the experiences of nurses at war as well as tracing the history of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps from 1902-[1988]. Book was launched by the author at the Returned Nurse Club in ANZAC House, Victoria.Newspaper clipping with publication title and date at the top and a photograph above three columns of text. Black and white photograph is of three older women and one older man holding copies of a book in their hands.nurses, army nurses, royal australian army nursing corps, raanc, rupert goodman, our war nurses, wilma young [oram], betty jeffrey, margaret o'bryan