This fork is believed to belong to the household of Chiltern writer and historian, W.C. Busse. It displays a level of tarnish indicating it may be comprised of silver or silver plate. It has no evident hallmark to determine its maker or date of manufacture, but may pre-date World War Two as mass production methods and the growing popularity of stainless steel in cutlery and other tablewares saw a reduced reliance on silver in such goods after this period. The handle of the fork appears to display the initials 'WB', potentially indicating it was made to order. Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern in 1898. He went to school at Wesley College in Melbourne, studied law at the University of Melbourne and became a barrister. Additionally, after spending time on a Victorian station in his early twenties, he wrote two historical novels about bush life. His first novel was 'The Blue Beyond: a Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia', written in 1928 and published in 1930. Busse's second novel was titled 'The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties'. The judges of the Henry Lawson Society's T.E. Rofe competition to advance Australian literature unanimously awarded it the Gold Medal in 1931 for the best historical novel of 1930. Newspaper articles about the award mention the writer's meticulous documentary and oral history research regarding life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s. It became a best-seller. Busse also wrote a series of articles about local history for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern. He was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. He died in 1960.This fork is significant for the detail it conveys of ordinary domestic life in the household of a significant Victorian writer with special reference to Chiltern and the surrounding region.Fork with decorative pattern on handle and tarnished patina, design may include owner's or maker's initials. WB w.c. busse, chiltern, chiltern athenaeum, gold fields, indigo shire, gold mining, gold rush, henry lawson society, fork, silverware, cutlery, tableware, 1930s, 1850s, wilfred clarence busse, historical fiction, t.e. rofe, t.e. rofe gold medal, north-east victoria, federal standard, golden plague, blue beyond

This knife is believed to belong to the household of Chiltern writer and historian, W.C. Busse. It displays a level of tarnish indicating it may be comprised of silver or silver plate. The blade contains the mark 'EP' which may indicate silverplate over steel. The blade also contains the maker's mark 'Wingfield', which was the trademark of T. Turner & Co but could also refer to the company Wingfield Rowbotham. Both factories are located in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The trademark is ascribed to goods produced in approximately 1907. The handle of the knife displays the initials 'WB', potentially indicating it was made to order. Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern in 1898. He went to school at Wesley College in Melbourne, studied law at the University of Melbourne and became a barrister. Additionally, after spending time on a Victorian station in his early twenties, he wrote two historical novels about bush life. His first novel was 'The Blue Beyond: a Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia', written in 1928 and published in 1930. Busse's second novel was titled 'The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties'. The judges of the Henry Lawson Society's T.E. Rofe competition to advance Australian literature unanimously awarded it the Gold Medal in 1931 for the best historical novel of 1930. Newspaper articles about the award mention the writer's meticulous documentary and oral history research regarding life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s. It became a best-seller. Busse also wrote a series of articles about local history for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern. He was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. He died in 1960.This knife is significant for the detail it conveys of ordinary domestic life in the household of a significant Victorian writer with special reference to Chiltern and the surrounding region. Knife with tarnished patina and cream-coloured handle with owner's initials engraved or stamped.WBw.c. busse, chiltern, gold fields, gold mining, gold rush, north-east victoria, indigo shire, wingfield, t.turner & co, wingfield rowbotham, silver, silverplate, knife, cutlery, silverware, tableware, barrister, wesley college, melbourne, historical fiction, golden plague, blue beyond, henry lawson society, t.e. rofe, 1930s, 1850s

This children's eating utensil is believed to belong to the household of Chiltern writer and historian, W.C. Busse. The level of tarnish and the mark 'EPNS' may indicate it is electroplated. The blade also contains the maker's mark 'APEX', which was used by John Biggin & Co, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Pushers such as these were a common utensil in Victorian and early twentieth-century households. They were used to help children too young to use knives learn to eat politely at the table - the blunt blade was used to push food onto the fork. Pushers could also be used to pull food from a serving platter onto an individual plate. Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern in 1898. He went to school at Wesley College in Melbourne, studied law at the University of Melbourne and became a barrister. Additionally, after spending time on a Victorian station in his early twenties, he wrote two historical novels about bush life. His first novel was 'The Blue Beyond: a Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia', written in 1928 and published in 1930. Busse's second novel was titled 'The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties'. The judges of the Henry Lawson Society's T.E. Rofe competition to advance Australian literature unanimously awarded it the Gold Medal in 1931 for the best historical novel of 1930. Newspaper articles about the award mention the writer's meticulous documentary and oral history research regarding life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s. It became a best-seller. Busse also wrote a series of articles about local history for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern. He was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. He died in 1960.This child's eating utensil is significant for the detail it conveys of ordinary domestic life in the household of a significant Victorian writer with special reference to Chiltern and the surrounding region. It may also be significant in understanding the customs and practices of English-speaking nations in the early Twentieth Century. The object is a metal food pusher, a child's eating utensil with a blunt lozenge at right angles to the handle. The metal is tarnished, indicating that it may be silver or silverplated. APEX EPNS AI w.c. busse, wilfred clarence busse, chiltern, indigo shire, north-east victoria, gold fields, gold mining, gold rush, table manners, etiquette, children, childhood, john biggin & co, sheffield, golden plague, blue beyond, historical fiction, 1930s, 1850s, t.e. rofe, henry lawson society, electroplate, tableware, cutlery

This medal from the estate of W.C. Busse is believed to have been awarded to a recipient at the Rutherglen Agricultural Show in 1885. Due to degradation of the embossed markings, it is uncertain what the medal was awarded for or whom it was awarded to. It may have been awarded to a member of the Busse family prior to W.C. Busse's birth. Rutherglen is located approximately 18 kilometres from Chiltern. European agriculture and horticulture in the area was well established prior to the discovery of gold in the region in the 1860s. It held its first yearly Agricultural Show in 1880; in the present day it has a sister event focusing on showcasing the region's wines. Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern in 1898. He went to school at Wesley College in Melbourne, studied law at the University of Melbourne and became a barrister. Additionally, after spending time on a Victorian station in his early twenties, he wrote two historical novels about bush life. His first novel was 'The Blue Beyond: a Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia', written in 1928 and published in 1930. Busse's second novel was titled 'The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties'. The judges of the Henry Lawson Society's T.E. Rofe competition to advance Australian literature unanimously awarded it the Gold Medal in 1931 for the best historical novel of 1930. Newspaper articles about the award mention the writer's meticulous documentary and oral history research regarding life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s. It became a best-seller. Busse also wrote a series of articles about local history for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern. He was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. He died in 1960. This item is significant for the information it provides about the development of industry and local culture in Victoria in the 1880s. Bronze coloured medal attached to single large-format chain link; embossed medal markings are indistinct but appear to show Coat of Arms on reverse side. Inscription on obverse: Illegible Indistinct inscription on reverse may read: Rutherglen Agricultural Society medal, rutherglen agricultural show, chiltern, north-east victoria, gold fields, gold mining, gold rush, 1885, heirloom, farming, horticulture, rutherglen historical society, indigo shire, wilfred clarence busse, golden plague, authors, writers, victorian writers, victorian literature, historical fiction, blue beyond, wesley college, federal standard

PHOTOGRAPH OF FATHER AND SON CLIMBING OUT OF A MINE. THE MINE IS STILL OF INTEREST TO FOSSICKERS 120 YEARS LATERBLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF FATHER AND YOUNG SON CLIMBING OUT OF A MINE. THE MINE IS STILL OF INTEREST TO FOSSICKERS 120 YEARS LATERlocal history, photography, photographs, mining

PHOTOGRAPH - GROUP OF SEVENTEEN MEN AND THREE YOUNG BOYS STANDING IN FRONT OF SHED AT CLUNES GOLD FIELDS LTD. 1913 ORIGINAL AND 2 COPIESTHE CLUNES GOLDFIELDS LTD 1913local history, photography, photographs, mining

BLACK AND WHITE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPH. VICTORIA QUARTZ MINING COMPANY, CLUNES. LARGE POPPET HEAD ON RIGHT OF PHOTOGRAPH, BUILDING WITH TWO CHIMNEYS IN CENTRE, SMALLER POPPET HEAD ON LEFT OF PHOTOGRAPH.VICTORIA QUARTZ MINING COMPANY, CLUNESlocal history, photography, photographs, mining

BLACK AND WHITE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPH. BATTERY AT CLUNES QUARTZ MINING COMPANY.BATTERY, &C., CLUNES QUARTZ MINING COMPANYlocal history, photographs, mining, clunes quartz mining companny, battery clunes quartz mining

CLUNES WATER SHED SUPPLY MAP SHEWING THE POSITION OF WATERSHED ECT. FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WATER FOR DOMESTIC AND MINING PURPOSES TO THE TOWN OF & GOLDMINES IN AND AROUND CLUNES.PHOTOCOPY SECTION OF PHOTOGRAPH AND PLAQUE AND MAP OF CLUNES WATER SUPPLY. SHOWING THE POSITION OF WATERSHED, DAM, WEIR PIPEHEAD RESERVOIR PIPE TRACK.SEE PHOTOGRAPH ON BACK OF HISTORY OF OBJECT.local history, photographs, water supply

EARLY MINER'S COTTAGESEPIA PHOTOGRAPH OF WOODEN HOUSE IRON ROOF. BRICK CHIMNEY ON LEFT SIDE. SURROUNDED BY PICKET FENCE - STEPS LEADING UP TO GATE. GENTLEMAN STANDING AT BASE OF STEPS. FOREST ON RIGHT HAND SIDE. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY J F COOMB WALHALLAlocal history, photographs, mining

FRAMED PHOTOGRAPHS OF MODEL OF PORT PHILLIP & CLUNES MINE AND SIGN USED WHEN ON DISPLAY .1 PHOTO OF FULL MODEL .2 PHOTO OF BACK OF MODEL .3 PHOTO OF CLOSE UP OF BUILDING WHICH HAS NO OUTER WALLS OR ROOF TO ENABLE VIEW OF INSIDE. .4 HAND WRITTEN SIGN, FRAMED MODEL MADE IN 1858 BY CARL NORDSTROM ON SITE . MODEL NOW IN STORAGE AT SCIENCE MUSEUM OF VICTORIAlocal history, photographs, mining

THE MODEL OF THE PORT PHILLIP MINE - MADE IN 1858- NOW AT THE MUSEUM VICTORIA.BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF INFORMATION PLATE ATTACHED TO THE MODEL OF THE PORT PHILLIP MINE.local history, photography, photographs, mining, model

A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONUMENT INDICATING THE SPOT NEAR WHERE GOLD WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN CLUNES ON THE FIRST JULY 1851 BY JAMES WILLIAM ESMOND.ERECTED BY THE "CLUNES IN MELBOURNE" CLUB.local history, photography, photographs, mining, gold

A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE GOLD MONUMENT IN CLUNESlocal history, photography, photographs, mining, gold

.1 PHOTOGRAPH OF A SECTION OF THE MODEL OF THE PORT PHILLIP MINE MADE IN 1858. .2 THE MODEL IS NOW AT MUSEUM VICTORIA.local history, photography, photographs, mining, model

THE MODEL IS NOW AT MUSEUM VICTORIAA PHOTOGRAPH OF A SECTION OF THE MODEL OF THE PORT PHILLIP MINE MADE IN 1858.local history, photography, photographs, mining, model

A PHOTOGRAPH OF AN EARLY WORKING MINE WITH HOUSES IN FOREGROUND.local history, photography, photographs, mining

A PHOTOGRAPH OF A SECTION OF THE MODEL OF THE PORT PHILLIP MINE MADE IN 1858. THE MODEL IS NOW AT MUSEUM VICTORIA.local history, photography, photographs, mining, model

A PHOTOGRAPH OF NO. 3 SHAFT OF STATE MINE. POWLETTAS ABOVE WITH - LOOKING SOUTH- NO.1 GRUNDEL -5local history, photography, photographs, mining, powlett

ORIGINAL MONUMENT DEPICTING THE EXACT SPOT THE FIRST PAYABLE GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN CLUNES 1851 BY DONALD CAMERONBLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF ORIGINAL MONUMENT DEPICTING THE EXACT SPOT THE FIRST PAYABLE GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN CLUNES 1851 BY DONALD CAMERONNo. 1A; APRIL 1971local history, photography, photographs, mining