This is a book given in 1860 to Miss M. Davidson by L.H.R Miss M. Davidson would most likely be Margaret Milne Davidson (1839-1928) who was born in Kirremuir, Scotland and was the daughter of James and Isabella Davidson of Woodend near Cassadys Bridge on the outskirts of Warrnambool. She never married. The identity of ‘L. H. R.’ is unknown. This book is significant firstly because of its antiquarian interest (an 1857 publication) and secondly because of its connection to Margaret Davidson. Her father and uncle and their families were pioneer settlers in Warrnambool and thus of great importance in our history. This is a hard cover book of 53 pages. The cover is brown with an ornamental pattern impressed into the front cover and gold lettering on the spine. The book has a Preface, an Introduction, 21 chapters of text by Rev. Albert Barnes and an Index. It has a colour fold-up map of Palestine. There is a stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society on the first page and an inscription in black ink. The cover is partly broken away and torn. ‘Miss M. Davidson from L.H.R. Warrnambool 4 May 1860’. margaret davidson, history of warrnambool

This book contains World War One cartoons drawn by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather. It is one of a series of books by Bairnsfather showing that humour can be found even on the battlefields of France. The cartoons were originally published weekly in ‘The Bystander’ magazine. World War One was an horrific conflict that took so many lives and affected adversely so many others. This book is of antiquarian interest as a book dealing with World War One, a conflict that affected Warrnambool in the same way as it affected every other place in Australia. This is a soft cover book of 42 pages. It has a green cover with a cartoon sketch in sepia tones on the front cover and an advertisement on the back page. The printing on the covers is in black. The book has advertisements on the inside covers, a Foreword and pages of cartoon sketches of soldiers in World War One. The pages have been stapled but the staples have been removed.world war one, captain bruce bairnsfather, warrnambool history

This is a Grade V Arithmetic book used by George Bonnett at Allans Forest School. The Bonnett family farmed in the Mepunga area on the Childers Cove Road. The Allans Forest State School, number 1086, was established in 1871 and closed in 1993. The first Head Teacher was Mr Bradhurst. The school closed in 1903 and re-opened in 1905 as a half-time school with Mepunga East and in 1908 it resumed as a full time school. This book is significant because it was used by George Bonnett at the Allans Forest State School and is a memento of both the Bonnett family of Mepunga and the Allans Forest State School, a school no longer existing. It is also of antiquarian interest as an example of arithmetic school text books used early in the 20th century. This is soft cover book of 128 pages. The cover is grey with black print and black lines around the edges of the front cover. The book has a prefatory note, arithmetical exercises and advertisements for other school text books published by Whitcombe and Tombs. The cover is torn and soiled and partly ripped away. There is handwriting in black ink on the first page.‘George H. Bonnett, Allans Forest State School’bonnett family, mepunga allans forest state school history of warrnambool

Henry Longfellow (1807-1882) was an American poet, the most popular one of his day. With poems such as ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ he helped shape the American character. He was also popular in the British Empire countries and many people in places such as Warrnambool would have had a copy of his published works. The recipient of this volume, Albert Henry Lawson, was the son of Thomas and Susan Lawson, shopkeepers in Warrnambool in the 1870s and 80s. Albert Lawson became a pupil teacher in Cobden in 1903 and from 1904 to 1907 it appears that he was an assistant teacher at his brother’s school, Warrnambool College. This was a private school established by Richard Lawson and William Oakley in 1900. Albert Lawson was given the copy of Longfellow’s poems when he left Warrnambool College in 1907. He then embarked on a teaching career with the Victorian Education Department, married Susan Oakley, the daughter of William Oakley, and died in Melbourne in 1972.This beautiful book of Longfellow poems is worth keeping as an example of an antiquarian book. But it is most significant because of its inscription, telling us of its association with both the Lawson and Oakley Warrnambool College and Albert Lawson, a member of the Lawson family which had many members important in Warrnambool’s history. The inscription tells us that Albert Lawson worked as a teacher for some years at his brother’s school, a fact that was not fully documented until the acquisition of this book. This is a leather bound book of 698 pages. The cover is mottled brown in a raised pattern and the pages are edged with a red-gold tinge. The insides of the cover are edged with a red and gold border and have a blue, brown and cream mottled pattern. There is a sketch of Longfellow in the front with a tissue page covering the sketch. The pages of the book are of fine paper typical of a late Victorian publication. The book has a thin blue ribbon page marker which has become detached from the book. The book is edited by William Michael Rossetti.Front Cover: ‘Longfellow’ Spine: ‘Longfellow’ Inside on a blank page: ‘To Mr A.H. Lawson from his pupils at the W’bool College, with best wishes for his future welfare, April 15th 1907’. warrnambool college (lawson & oakley), albert lawson

This soda syphon used for making carbonated drinks is a French bottle made about the beginning of the 20th century. This bottle is of considerable antiquarian interest but unfortunately has no known local significance. It may, however, be the one given to the Historical Society by Mr and Mrs S. Lindsay of Koroit Street, Warrnambool. It will be useful for display. This is a French soda syphon made of clear glass in a double bulbous shape. It is covered with wire mesh and has a pewter spout. The pewter is somewhat corroded and there is one small bend in the wire mesh. There is a small glass tube inside the bottle and a there is a crack in the glass on the top sphere. On pewter spout: ‘Veritable Seltzogene D. Fevre Paris’. Label pasted on: ‘80’ soda syphon, veritable seltzogene de fevre,, paris, warrnambool

This microscope belonged to James William Manifold Aitkin (1835-1905) who was born in Tasmania and came to Warrnambool in 1852. He was a shopkeeper, produce merchant and flour miller who came to live at the property of Carracoorte, Grasmere in the late 1880s. He was a member of the Warrnambool Municipal Council from 1861 to 1868 and was Chairman of the Borough in 1863 when Warrnambool was declared a town and an early Mayor. The microscope was an improved model of a design by Benjamin Martin, an 18th century instrument maker considered one of the greatest designers and manufacturer of microscopes of his time. This microscope is of great significance because: 1. It is a beautiful object with high antiquarian and scientific interest 2. It has strong local significance as it belonged to James William Manifold Aitkin, a prominent Warrnambool and district businessman and farmer 3. It has social significance as it demonstrates the interest in natural history by the more affluent and educated men of the time. This microscope is in a polished wooden box with a metal lock (no key). The microscope is an English Martin Improved drum microscope (c. 1850) and made of brass. Inside the box there are two divisions, one to house the microscope. The other has a drawer containing six slide samples made of ivory or bone and five glass slides (with the listed material missing) and five other small items. On top of the drawer is a section for the microscope attachments contained in ten small inserts. The ten attachments are made of brass. There are also six items not in any particular inserts. There are two small slots for the pincers and slides etc. The only writings are the names and information on the slidesjames aitkin, microscope, benjamin martin, benjamin martin microscope, warrnambool