Showing 149 items
matching oil industry
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Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Functional object - Try Pot, n.d
A try pot is a large pot used to remove and render the oil from blubber obtained from whales. The blubber would be placed into these pots and melted down for further use. Early on in the history of whaling, vessels had no means to process blubber at sea and had to bring it into port for processing.Indian pot, circular, painted flat black 2 handles located opposite each other. Wire loop between handles (perhaps not original) 5 circular 'ribs' cast in sides of pot. Believed to be used for drying whale blubber.Nonewhaling, industry, trypot -
Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Photograph - Photograph - Vacuum Oil Co., Portland, n.d
Black and white photograph. Vacuum Oil Co Portland. Taken from elevated position. Fuel tanks, brick 3 bay shed, tower and pond, pumps and shelter, section of oval shaped lawn in centre. same premises as 8416, 8417Back: '89' in pencil. Round purple stamp 'Hunter's Same day service'portland harbour, industry -
Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Photograph - Photograph - Vacuum Oil Co., Portland, n.d
Black and white photo. Vacuum Oil Co. Portland. Oil tanks, brick shed, pumps and shelter, galvanised iron roof.Back: '89' - pencil. Round purple stamp 'Hunter's same day service'portland harbour, industry, trade -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Manufactured Glass, brown bottle 'Penicillin Lozenges', 20thC
F. H. Faulding & Co was a pharmaceutical company founded in Adelaide, South Australia in 1845 by Francis Hardey Faulding 1816 – 1868, a native of Swinfleet, Yorkshire, He arrived in Sydney on the Nabob in February 1842,and travelled on the brig Dorset to Adelaide in May, where he opened a pharmacy at 5 Rundle Street in 1845.The pharmacy flourished, so he purchased a warehouse in Clarence Place in the city and transferred the manufacturing and wholesale arms of the business there. In 1861 he entered into partnership with Luther Scammell (1826–1910).a Yorkshireman, who had received medical training at Guy's Hospital, and arrived in Adelaide in 1849. Faulding died in 1868 and Scammell took over the business, however he was forced to retire in 1889 when the Bank of Adelaide threatened foreclosure after a series of failed mining and pastoral speculations. Two of his sons, Luther Robert Scammell FCS LSA ( 1858 – 1940) and William J. Scammell ( 1856 – 1928) acquired the manufacturing and wholesaling operations, and the business name, in 1888; the retail shops were sold to reduce the debt to the bank.The company expanded under the two brothers and later two sons of each became directors of the company. In June 1921 Faulding & Co. became a private company, with L.R. Scammell as chairman and managing director. He continued to run the firm's affairs until 1935.Two of the Faulding company's major innovations were the development of a process for distillation of eucalyptus oil, and the development of the test for determining the eucalyptol content of the oil. Faulding's success was founded on eucalyptus oil, which formed the basis of an antiseptic marketed as "Solyptol" (for soluble eucalyptus oil). The test became the industry standard, and the British Pharmacopoeia standard method in 1898. Other well-known products were Milk Emulsion (a pleasant alternative to cod-liver oil), Solyptol Soap, (which won a gold medal at the Franco-British Exhibition in London in 1908), Solyptol disinfectant, junket tablets, cordials, essential oils for perfumery and reagents such as Epsom salts, most produced in its factory in Thebarton The Faulding Co. built success around optimising the delivery of oral dosage form drugs. A brown glass bottle with a plastic screw top that contained 'Penicillin Lozenges' made by F.H. Faulding Co. Ltd . AustraliaFAULDING / Penicillin Lozenges / ( Troch. Penicillin B.P.) /......... / F.H.Faulding & Co. Ltd. / Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, / Melbourne, Brisbane on back DIRECTIONS......pharmacy, medicines, f.h. faulding co. ltd, penicillin lozenges, antibiotics, dentists, glassware, bottles, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Brass Plate, Bruce & McClure Distributer, C early 20th century
Bruce & McClure were manufacturers of windmills and agricultural machinery including motor engines , pumps, tanks,and appliances for supplying and conserving water.Also included was brass,iron and steel foundry works. They won 11 first prizes at the Grand national Show of 1907 and in 1914 designed and manufactured a new water boring machine which could also be used for oil and gold exploration They operated from Lava Street well into the 1940's as well as from the geelong area. This plaque is possibly from one of their machines.A tangible link to one of Warrnambool's manufacturing businesses which was innovative and an essential part of the beginnings of machine use in farms and industry in the district. Cast iron plaque with moulded text which is coloured in gold. rectangular with rounded corners. Back is painted grey.Bruce & McClure Distributer Pat 2480.21warrnambool, bruce & mcclure, bruce & mcclure machinery -
Orbost & District Historical Society
black and white photograph, first half 20th century
The seed bean industry was a major industry in the Orbost district for the first half of the 20th century. The total area sown with beans for seed at Orbost was estimated to be about 1000 acres. Fisher Bros, grew or supervised the growing of approximately one quarter of the bean seed produced at Orbost, and, in addition, prepared for market and sold a considerable quantity for other growers. From Newsletter February 2015 : "the Fishers took over the old Butter Factory in Lochiel Street. They had sorting tables there in the 1920s. In Orbost, the Fishers had a Shell fuel depot at the back of the bean factory. The Fishers were very enterprising people, very smart. One of their uncles is supposed to have invented the knot that was used to tie the sheaves of hay in the fields. At their Lochend Barn, they had a Blackstone engine which ran on oil. They used to light a fire under it and hot it up to start it. This engine drove all the bean machinery in the barn" The seed bean industry was a major industry in the Orbost district for the first half of the 20th century. the Fisher Brothers were a significant part of that industry.A black / white photograph tajen from a river bank. On the right behind some trees is a barn. On the left between tres is a small building. Reflections can be seen in the water.on back - "Snowy River, Fisher barn on right. Mary Gilbert"bean-industry fisher-beans snowy-river -
Federation University Historical Collection
Book, Diary of R.W. Richards, c1960
Dick Richards was a member of the Shackleton Trans Antarctic Expedition Ross Sea Shore Party. He later became Principal of the Ballarat School of Mines. The text for this book was typed by Ballarat School of Mines librarian Heather Durant, who remembered that at times it was difficult to read the writing due to whale blubber oil from the lamps on the paper. Heather was told that Dick Richards only started keeping the diary when ther became a chance the Ross Sea Shore Party may not survive. Heather remembered Dick Richards affectionately - he always carried a pipe and called her 'girlie'.Blue hard covered book of 14 pages. It is the verbatim copy of the diary kept by Dick Richards from 23 February 1916 to 19 March 1918, during the Shackleton trans-antarctic Expedition 1914-17.Bookplate inside cover - "Ex Libris School of Mines and industries. Presented by Mr R.W. Richards"ballarat school of mines, dick richards, r.w. richards, antarctica, shackleton, heather durant, diary, bookplate, ballarat school of mines bookplate, scott's hut, richard w. richards -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Lamp Burner, Isaac Sherwood & Son Ltd, 1904-1920
Sherwood Ltd. Was a manufacturer of oil lamps and burners at the Nechells Park Works Birmingham UK and regarded at the time as a renowned name in the oil lamp and burner manufacturing industries in Birmingham during the early part of the 20th century. They started selling as ‘Isaac Sherwood & Son Ltd.’ in 1904, later around 1920 they merged with Linley and Co makers of American pattern lamps and became ‘Sherwood-Linley” moving to 44-50, Granville St. Birmingham. They became one of the largest manufacturers of lighting devices and burners in England. They produced all sorts of illumination devices and became famous for their oil burners. Apart from oil burners, they produced table and floor lamps, sconces, lanterns and chandeliers that made Sherwood unique. A Significant item as part of a kerosene lamp that was commonplace in homes and other premises during the early 20th century as a means of lighting before electric lighting became the standard. These types of items give a snapshot into domestic and social life during this period.Lamp Burner housing, brass with wick-screw (no wick). Made in England Sherwoods LTD Birminghamwarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lamp burner, sconces, kerosene lamp, wick adjuster, sherwood & son ltd, sherwood-linley -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Article - Ointment, Bates & Co. (William Usher), 1851 - mid-1900s
Bates' Salve has been used as a home remedy for the treatment of boils, skin infections, splinters, pimples and insect bites for decades, from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. It is a drawing application for bringing out foreign bodies and pusses from a wound. There are still many families who remember using it and others who have been using it and are down to their last ‘inch’. One comment from a reader from Queensland tells how his Dad was a sleeper cutter in the 1950s and on school holidays his brother and he used to help their Dad. When doing this task after a wet season they would be confronted with spear grass about a metre high. Sometimes the spears would enter their skin, and when the spears were wet they would screw like a corkscrew into their flesh. If they left them for too long it was impossible to dig them out with a needle. That's when the Bates Salve was put into action to draw the spearhead out. "It worked wonders. It was a marvellous invention." Many people say that they would love to be able to purchase more of it today and hope that someone will produce a ‘safe’ version of it. There are several versions of a recipe for the salve available online. It appears that the salve is named after Daisy Bates, wife of the Bates’ Salve proprietor, William Usher. William’s son Victor continued making Bates’ Salve well into the mid-1900s, with the business being carried on by Victor’s only son, Alan. There are still descendants in the family home in Norwood, Adelaide. William’s great-grandchild has stated that, despite being subject to the salve during childhood, there have been no noticeable ill effects. A small notice in the Adelaide Advertiser in 1915 made a suggestion “It is said that Bates’ Salve is the popular line with OUR BOYS in Gallipoli. They recently sent to the Adelaide Red Cross for a supply, so it would be a good line to put in soldiers’ Christmas Billies.“ Over 700 ‘Christmas Billies’ were sent from generous Warrnambool citizens to our soldiers in the trenches in Gallipoli. The average cost of filling a billy with gifts was Ten Shillings, calculated at about Fifty-four Dollars in 2021. The contents included Christmas puddings and tobacco. The huge project was coordinated by a local Committee and involved generous businesses and hundreds of kind-hearted community members, with recognition sown by naming many of those involved in an article in the Warrnambool Standard. The project’s idea was initiated by Australia’s Department of Defence and all states were involved in supporting the soldiers in this way. Mr Bates (Theopholis) of Hull, England, was the original owner of the Bates’ Salve recipe. When he died he left his business to William Usher, his son-in-law. William arrived in South Australia in 1851 after he had sold his recipe to an English firm, giving them the rights to make and sell it all over the world, except in Australia. Bates then became the registered proprietor of Bates’ Salve for the Commonwealth and still had a large market for his product. William Usher made the salve at his Norwood home, in a wood-fired copper in the garden within a three-sided enclosure. The ointment was then taken to a room in the house where it was divided, labelled and packaged. It was then sent to Faulding’s Wholesale Chemist for distribution. William and his wife May (or Mary) had three children; Jack, Victor and Ivy. When May died, William married Mary Williams (May’s maid, from Tasmania, twenty years younger than William) and had seven more children. The treatment’s packaging labels it as a POISON. It seems that its active ingredient was lead oxide (22 per cent), which is no longer considered unsafe. A member of the public mentioned that in 2016 they found some Bates’ Salve in an old family medicine chest. Its label stated that the product “contains a minimum of 25.8 per cent of red lead oxide”. That particular sample was made at 470 Wallon Road, West Molesey, Surrey, England. Some people would love to be able to use the product still and even take the risk of poisoning. Instructions for its use are included on the wrapper. Here is a transcription - "Bates' Salve. Bee Brand. POISON. This Preparation contains 22 parts per centum [lead oxide]… Made by Descendants of the Inventor and Original Proprietor. For use as a medicated plaster. Melt over a slight flame or use a heated knife to spread the salve on a piece of linen. If away from a joint it will not need tying as, when put on lukewarm, the plaster will hold itself. When the salve adheres to the skin moisten it with oil and wipe it off with a dry cloth. Manufactured by the direct descendants of the inventor and the original proprietor since 1833."This package of Bates' Salve has been used as a home remedy since the mod-1800s and even up to now in 2019 by those who consider themselves lucky to still have some at home. It was promoted as a 'cure all' treatment and kept handy for use at home and away. It represents our early industry and health management when medical treatment was often difficult to access. The product is the part of many childhood memories of those alive today.Bates’ Salve ointment; oblong stick of firm, brown waxy substance wrapped in waxed paper, with an outer printed wrapper. Text on wrapper warns that it is POISON and includes instructions for use as a medicated plaster, to be heated and spread onto linen then applied to the injury. Made by Bates & Co., Adelaide. The wrapper shows an emblem of a bee. The formula has been used since 1833.Text on wrapper includes "POISO[N]", "BATES' SALVE", "BEE BRAND", "BATES & CO., ADELAIDE". "This Preparation contains 22 parts per centum [lead oxide]" There is an emblem of a bee with wings outstretched.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, bates’ salve, bates’ salve medicated plaster, bates and co adelaide, bee brand, medicated plaster, medical treatment, remedy, drawing treatment for infection, medicine cabinet, home remedy, pharmacy treatment, mid 1800s – mid 1900s remedy, topical application, treatment for boils, bites, splinters and infections, poison, preparation for treatment, ointment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone in two pieces. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070. Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Tools, Blowtorch 'Sievert', 20thC
A blowtorch or blowlamp is a fuel-burning tool used for applying flame and heat to various applications, usually metalworking. Early blowlamps used liquid fuel, carried in a refillable reservoir attached to the lamp. Modern blowtorches are mostly gas-fuelled. The blowlamp is of ancient origin and was used as a tool by gold and silversmiths. They began literally as a "blown lamp", a wick oil lamp with a mouth-blown tube alongside the flame. This type of lamp, with spirit fuel, continued to be in use for such small tasks into the late 20th century. In 1882, a new vaporizing technique was developed by Carl Richard Nyberg in Sweden, and the year after, the production of the Nyberg blow lamp started. It was quickly copied or licensed by many other manufacturers. Carl Richard Nyberg (May 28, 1858, – 1939) was the founder of Max Sievert’s Lödlampfabrik, then one of the largest industries in Sundbyberg, Sweden. After school he started working for a jeweller and later he moved to Stockholm and worked with various metalworks. 1882 and set up a workshop at Luntmakargatan in Stockholm making blowtorches. However the business didn't work well because it took too long to both manufacture and sell them. In 1886 he met Max Sievert (1849 - 1913) at a country fair and Sievert became interested in Nyberg's blowtorch and started selling it. In 1922 the company was sold to Max Sievert who continued to own it until 1964 when it was bought by Esso. The blowtorch is commonly used where a diffuse high temperature naked flame heat is required but not so hot as to cause combustion or welding: soldering, brazing, softening paint for removal, melting roof tar, or pre-heating large castings before welding such as for repairing. It is also common for use in weed control by controlled burn methods, melting snow and ice from pavements and driveways in cold climate areas, road repair crews may use a blowtorch to heat asphalt or bitumen for repairing cracks in preventive maintenance. It is also used in cooking; one common use is for the creation of the layer of hard caramelised sugar in a crème brûlée. A brass blowtorch, 'Sievert' with a wooden handleSIEVERTtools, blow torches, blow lamps, welding, brazing, jewellery, cookery, soldering, nyberg carl, sievert max, stockholm, sweden, spirit fuel, kerosene, gas fuel, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, plumbing, carpenters, -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Painting - Oil painting, John Dollery, The Chase, c. 1980s
... industry whale oil blubber John Dollery the chase Corinella ...This painting shows a historic depiction of Australian whalers in action at sea, and shows the scale of man to whale. Whaling was one of the first industries in early Victoria. John Dollery was born in London in 1933. As a child he loved to draw and was a frequent visitor to the National and Tate Galleries. In 1957 Dollery came to Australia, settling in Queensland in 1965. After receiving a prize in a drawing exhibition, he began painting in oils, and is entirely self-taught. Whilst in Queensland he painted most of his canvases strictly from life and in 1977 he moved to Melbourne where he established himself as a full-time artist. John was very interested in Australia’s history, and most of his work represents this theme. Many of his pieces are in collections both in Australia and overseas. Dollery’s daughter is also an artist and has exhibited both her father's and her own works together in an exhibition 'Now and Then, Father and Daughter'.The painting is a significant work by artist John Dollery. Its subject of whaling shows an early Australian industry and shows the scale of man to whale. The decorative frame is appropriate for the era in which the scene would have taken place.Painting in oil on canvas, in gilt carved timber frame. Seascape, depicting a whale hunt. A spouting whale is behind a whale boat with six whalers aboard. A tall ship with seamen aboard is behind the whale. Two other tall ships and another whale boat are in background. An embossed plaque in bottom centre of lower frame has inscription.. Artist is J. Dollery. Stamped on the sticker “John Dollery / ARTIST / Crown Lot 16 The Esplanade Corinella, Victoria 3984 / Telephone: (056) 78 0644 “ Hand written on sticker “THE CHASE $xxx” Embossed in the wooden frame “30 / ART / Specturm” Signed “J DOLLERY”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, whales, whaling, industry, whale oil, blubber, john dollery, the chase, corinella, historic art work, australian art work, australian historic artwork -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Sewing machine in cabinet, Ward Brothers (G & S Ward), ca. 1933
The donor inherited this Wardana machine from her mother, who bought it in about 1933 and used it to sew garments for her sister's dressmaking business in Frankston, Victoria. The donor often used this machine until she purchased an updated model. There were originally three Ward Brothers who owned the North Melbourne sewing machine business but they had a falling out. This machine's decals on the map of Australia only include the two remaining brothers. The Ward Brothers, G & S Ward, established their sewing machine business in North Melbourne in 1888. The cabinets and ironwork of the machines were made in Australia and the Ward Bros. imported their machines from overseas manufacturers in England, America and Germany. The assembled machines were sold under brand names that included Ward, A.N.A. the patriotic-sounding Australian Sewing Machine Company. The "Wardana" was one of their brands.This sewing machine was fabricated in Australia from imported parts from England, giving a snapshot into the early manufacturing industries that were operating at the time just after Federation.Sewing machine in a wooden cabinet with iron foot-operated cast iron treadle mechanism. The hinged cabinet top opens out to form a worktop. The sewing machine lifts out of the cabinet to sit level with the worktop, resting on two supports within the cabinet. The lockable cabinet door opens from right to left revealing fitted shelves and spikes for spools and bobbins. The gold-painted maker's name is cast into the black treadle. The machine has its original instruction book, oil can, and eighteen accessories in an enclosed cardboard box. The round shallow oil bottle has a rubber dispensing tube. Colourful decals decorate the black body of the machine. Inscriptions include a Serial Number stamped on the bed of the machine. The Wardarna Central Bobbin machine was made in England for the Ward Brothers of North Melbourne.TREADLE: cast into metal ACROSS THE TOPE AND ON THE FOOTPLATE "WARD", "WARD" SERIAL NUMBER stamped into oval plate "28383" DECAL: (Map of Australia ) with images of [two brothers] , "WARDANA" above (logo of the rising sun) DECAL: (Decorative floral design with heraldic-like emblems) above "MADE IN ENGLAND" ARM: "WARDANA" PEDESTAL: "C.B." (representing Central Bobbin) "MADE IN ENGLAND" "MADE IN ENGLAND / FOR / WARD BROS / NORTH MELBOURNE" BOOK TITLE: "Instructions for Treadle Machine" ACCESSORIES: some have indecipherable embossed stamps OIL BOTTLE base: (image of log and short lines radiating from a central inscription (indecipherable)sewing machine, domestic, wardana, ward bros., central bobbin, made in england, north melbourne, c.b., flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, treadle sewing machine, home industry, clothing, dressmaking, clothing manufacturer -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Painting - Fire, William A. Delecca, "Stramit Industries fire at Golden Square 1961"
Bill Delecca was born in Bendigo, Victoria in 1929. A Bendigo-based teacher and painter, he has exhibited widely in the local area from 1951, including a retrospective in Bendigo Art Gallery, 1990. He has twice won the Bendigo Art Prize for watercolour and his work is represented in galleries and private collections throughout Australia and overseas. Instrumental in the establishment of degree courses in Art at Bendigo College of Advanced Education, he is also the author of an Education Department report to the Australia Council, 1987.Oil painting. The painting is done in dark grey and white with some splashes of orange. William Delecca Collection.In pencil on the back Stramit Industries fire at Golden Square 1961, painting by William A. Deleccagolden squrae, stramit industries, fire -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - J HARRISON PICTURE FRAME MANUFACTURER, 64 PALL MALL, SANDHURST
19th Century J Harrison,Picture Frame Manufacture of Bottom Block, 64 Pall Mall Sandhurst stick-on advertising leaflet. Attached to brown paper fragment. J Harrison was thanking friends and public of Sandhurst and district of Bendigo for past favours. Kept a large choice at lowest prices of Oil Paintings, Oleographs, Lithographs, Chromos, Steel Engravings, Mottoes, Illuminated Texts, Choice Copies for Drawing and Painting, Birthday Cards, Scraps in Great Variety, & etc.News Office Sandhurst.bendigo, industry, printing, j harrison bottom block, 64 pall mall sandhurst. 19th century printing techniques. -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - SANDER & SONS EUCALYPT EXTRACT
... BENDIGO Industry eucalyptus oil Sander & Sons Bendigo. 19th ...19th Century The Genuine Sander & Sons advertising testimonial for Pure Volatile Eucalypti Exrtract from Thos Holderness, Dappil, Qu, 26th March 1909. A different product purporting to be Eucalyptus oil was sent to above person. Sanders analysed above product and established inferior.bendigo, industry, eucalyptus oil, sander & sons bendigo. 19th century advertising testimonials. eucalyps oil -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Demolition, various establishments on Port Melbourne foreshore, Ron Laing, 1986 - 1999
Part of Ron Laing's collection of photographs taken around Port Melbourne over a thirteen year period. Donated to the PMH&PS by the photographer.One of 104 colour photographs covering the demolition of all the establishments on the foreshore between Beacon Road and Princes Street (i.e. 'Bayside' site): BP, Engine Works, PMG (Telecom), Seamen's Mission, Centenary Bridge and Princes Street flats, from 1986missions to seamen, industry, manufacturing, centenary bridge, built environment - industrial, demolitions, ron laing, british petroleum oil co, commonwealth engine works, telecom -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Document - Forms of Contract, J Kitchen & Sons, The London Oil and Tallow Trades Association, Aug 1955
Green covered book of "Forms of Contract". Black binding along spine. Each form is numbered and headed with name of commodity for which a contract would be needed . Back of each page has "Rules of Arbitration and Appeal"The London Oil and Tallow Trades Association forms of contract 1955. 84 Leadenhall St, London, EC 3industry - manufacturing, j kitchen & sons pty ltd, coconut oil, vegetable oil, australasian tallow, english tallow, american spirits of gum turpentine, gum rosin, wood rosin, china wood oil, hardened oriental fish oil, linseed oil, south american matadero beef tallow, whale oil -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Book, BP - Fifty Years in Pictures, 1959
BP - Fifty Years in Pictures, a pictorial history of the development of the British Petroleum Group (formerly Anglo-Persian Oil Company to 1935, then Anglo-Iranian to 1954). between 1909 and 1959.industry, piers and wharves - princes pier, british petroleum group -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Bedford truck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Bedford trucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Fodentruck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Fodentrucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Bedford truck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Bedford trucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Bedford truck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Bedford trucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Leyland Comet truck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Leyland Comet trucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - Austin truck, COR, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a set of seven original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE of C.O.R. trucks in the 1950s: Austin trucktransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Photograph - COR Plant, 1950s
Doug SMALLPAGE worked for C.O.R. and did all of their photography. These originals were donated by his daughter, Ann SMALLPAGE.From a group of original photographs taken by Doug SMALLPAGE in the 1950s - shows C.O.R. planttransport - motor vehicles, industry, business and traders, bp australia, cor, doug smallpage, commonwealth oil refineries