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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Ship Log, 1880-1890
The John E. Hand & Sons Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1873, quickly gaining a reputation as competent manufacturers of nautical instruments and compass adjusters. In fact, John Enos Hand, the company founder, is recognised as the first man in America to adjust a compass aboard an iron ship. The Hand Company built navigational equipment for all varieties of floating vessels, and operated a chain of retail outlets with “service stations” in numerous port cities, including Baltimore and New Orleans, until 1956. Service stations sold Hand instruments as well as other nautical paraphernalia and provided compass adjusting services. Additionally, John E Hand and his two sons, John L Hand and Bartram Hand, were inventors in their own right who patented design improvements for numerous instruments that were employed in the company’s work. Commercial and private contracts dominated the firm’s business until the late 1930s when the United States military began preparations for World War II. Although the Hand Company never completely abandoned its involvement with private industry, after World War II, military contracts monopolised their business. The Company obtained contracts with the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines to develop new instruments, and to build military-engineered nautical equipment. Of note are the wrist compass, developed for the Navy beginning in the 1950s, and the Mark VII Model 5 Navy Standard Binnacle. Although it moved numerous times, the Hand Company headquarters and factory remained in the Delaware Valley, occupying several buildings in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Maintaining its central office in Philadelphia well into the 1900s, the factory was moved to Atco, New Jersey around the turn of the twentieth century and subsequently to Haddon field, New Jersey. It moved one last time in the 1960s to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 1997, California-based Sunset Cliffs Merchandising Corporation purchased the Hand Company and all its assets for $100,000. "HAND" brand taffrail log by John F. Hand and Sons Co. Register is enclosed in log, has a glass front and 3 dials on an enameled surface, the first dial registers the miles up to 100, the second registers the units up to 10 mile, the third registers quarters of a mile. The item is rocket shaped with a three blade rotor and a rope ring attachment at one end; the rotor will spin when a rope is attached, allowing the apparatus dials to measure the ship's speed when it is dragged behind a ship. Diagram of the 'Hand' trademark with a compass card in the middle, inscription reads "John F Hand and Sons Co" and "PHILA-BALTO" ( Abbreviation for: Philadelphia / Baltimore) flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bartram hand, john enos hand, john f. hand and sons co, john l hand, john hand & sons instrument makers, john hand & sons of philadelphia, marine instrument, marine service station, mechanical ship log, nautical instrument, nautical navigation, navigational equipment, scientific instrument, ship log, ship log register, ship’s speed, sunset cliffs merchandising corporation, speed log, rocket log, harpoon log, taffrail log, taff rail log -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Dutton's Navigation and Piloting
Dutton's Navigation and Piloting Author: Elbert Maloney Publisher: Naval Institute Press Date: 1978 warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, dutton's navigation and piloting -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Admiralty Navigation Manual Vol 2
Admiralty Navigation Manual Vol 2 Published: His Majestys Stationery Office Date: 1938warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, admiralty navigation manual vol 2 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Admiralty Manual of Navigation Vol 2
Admiralty Manual of Navigation Vol 2 Publisher: Her Majestys Stationery Office warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, admiralty manual of navigation vol 2 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Admiralty Manual of Navigation Vol 1
"Admiralty Manual of Navigation Vol 1 revised 1964" Publisher: Her Majestys Stationery Office warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, admiralty manual of navigation vol 1 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Geological specimen - Slate, c. 1886
This rectangular slate of 'beautiful, unusual, expensive, green' American roof tile was amongst tiles recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. Salvaging began in 1974 by volunteer divers, using local cray-fishing boats. An efficient system was devised that enabled the recovery of up to 4,000 of the still neatly packed slates a day. Many of 22,000 salvaged slates can be seen on roofs of eight buildings in the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The sought-after slate doesn't need any special treatment before use. Some of the slates have slight red staining that comes from over 70 years in the wrecked vessel's rusting hull. The four-mast iron barque 'Falls of Halladale' left New York in August 1908 and, due to a navigational error, floundered off the rocks at Peterborough, Victoria, in the following November. None of the 29 lives on board were lost. Crowds gathered for months to watch the tall ship slowly break up. The green American slates were carried on board as ballast. As well as over 56,000 of the American slates, the large cargo on the Falls of Halladale included benzine, costly timber, rolls of printing paper, coils of barbed wire, thousands of metal bolts, hardware items, tableware, American walnut desks and medicine. Some of the cargo was later recovered. The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roof tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roof tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on the south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. This slate tile is significant for its connection with the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Unusual beautiful green American slate, rectangular shape, recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, falls of halladale, green american roofing slate tile, roof tiles, slate, slate roof tiles, falls of halladale shipwreck, shipwreck cargo, russell & co. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Document - Poster, Warrnambool Steam Navigation Co, ca.1938
This poster is typical of posters displayed by steam packet companies of the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. It advertises the passage and freight available on a local coastal trader. The steamships operated between the major ports along the western coast of Victoria between Melbourne and Portland. The traveller was not guaranteed the passage times due to possible weather changes. Discounts were offered for return trips within a month of the ticket's issue. The price of freight included 'lighterage', which was the service of a smaller vessel called a 'lighter' expressly designed to transport goods between ship and shore. This particular poster advertises the services of the screw steamer SS Edina. The information on the poster applies to the years between 1871 and 1873. During that period the Master of the Edina was Captain John Thompson, the Edina was owned by the Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company and the secretary of the firm was Thos. Mackay. The passenger fares are in line with fares from that period, as seen in a display advertisement published in the Hamilton Spectator on January 17th, 1872. The 1853 Glasgow-built Screw Ship Edina had a long life. The ship served in both the Crimean War and the American Civil War. The Edina also traded in UK and European waters. The Henty family of Portland, Victoria, purchased Edina in 1863 for use as a coastal trader. The Edina had several owners and spent many years of service along the South West Coast of Victoria between Melbourne and Portland. The vessel transported passengers and freight in Port Phillip Bay, between Melbourne and Geelong, between 1880 and 1938. After 84 years of service, the Edina was renamed ‘Dinah’ and was stripped down for use as a lighter. The vessel was broken up in 1957 at Footscray, Melbourne. The remains of Edina’s hull can be found in the Maribyrnong River, Port Phillip Bay. The poster was owned by the donor's grandfather, Bruce Duff (1922-2003) who was an avid sailor and a lover of nautical history. He and his wife Mona (1924-2014) were buried in Portarlington Cemetery, Victoria. Duff would have been about 13 years old when the Edina was finally retired from service in 1938. His interest in the Edina could have come from a trip on the vessel or from watching it in operation in the ports along the coast. Duff has collected this poster as a memento of the Edina and is likely to have preserved it at a much later date when the lamination process was readily available. [Flagstaff Hill's collection includes a photograph of the Edina at the Moorabool Street Wharf, Geelong, which was in Duff's locality. The References for this poster include a link to Museum Victoria's photograph of two boys watching the Edina from a jetty.] Flagstaff Hill's Village has its own 'Examiner' Office where volunteers demonstrate the historic printing press in that building. They use original letter-type to create posters, print labels onto lolly bags and designs on fabrics. One of the volunteer printers has produced a poster closely resembling the donated poster. His replication includes a woodcut of the ship, which he skilfully crafted himself.This poster advertises the sailing of the steamer SS Edina and the information has local and State significance for its association with the trading ports of the Edina, and the associated names on the poster; Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company, Captain John Thompson and Thos. Mackay. This poster's message has a strong connection to the history of the businesses and community of Warrnambool and the people of Port Phillip Bay, where it was a passenger ferry for many years. The poster is an example of advertising used by shipping agents in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Its information includes the accurate costs to passengers and freighters and the type of timetable the vessels were likely to follow. The poster's connection with the Screw Steamship Edina is historically significant, as the vessel was the longest serving screw steamer in the world. The ship spent its first nine years overseas then arrived in Melbourne. The vessel's work included running the essential service of transporting cargo and passengers between Melbourne and the western Victoria ports of Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland. The Edina is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S199. Poster, A3 size, brown text on cream paper, laminated. Poster of the Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company (Limited) advertising passage and freight on its Screw Steamship, SS Edina. It states days, times and fees for passage and freight from Warrnambool to Melbourne, and return. It names the ship's Master, Captain John Thompson and the Company's Secretary, Tho. Mackay. It displays a line drawing of a 3-masted ship with full sails.Printed image [side profile of a 3 masted vessel, bow facing left] Printed text includes "The Warrnambool Steam Navigation Company (Limited). The Company's Steam Ship "EDINA", Captain John Thompson, Will leave Melbourne for Warrnambool on Tuesdays, returning from Warrnambool every Thursday, At Five o'clock p.m. (weather permitting). FARES: Saloon £2 0 0 Steerage £1 0 0 Saloon return £3 0 0 Saloon return £1 10 00 - Children under 13 years half fares - Refreshments supplied onboard at a moderate scale of charge. Freight, including lighterage, - From Melbourne to Warrnambool - 12s per ton; from Warrnambool to Melbourne, 15s per ton. Passengers are requested to obtain their tickets at the offers, and shippers to make early application for space. Return tickets available for one month from date of issue. - THO. MACKAY, secretary. "warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, fair maid of judea, steam navigation, pleasure steamer, ss edina a, trade 19th century, travel 19th century, warrnambool to melbourne, warrnambool to geelong, warrnambool to port fairy, warrnambool to portland, screw steamer, coastal trader, crimean war, american civil war, gold export, h r h duke of edinburgh, warrnambool steam packet company, stephen henty, captain john thompson, chief engineer john davies, lady bay, lighter edina, port phillip bay steamers, vhr s199, dinah, warrnambool steam navigation company, advertising poster, shipping agent, flier, maritime village, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, great ocean road, block printing, woodblock printing, relief printing, moorabool st wharf, western steam navigation company, tho. mackay -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Machine - Steering Gear, Carron Ironworks foundry, before 1922
The ship's steering gear was used for steering and navigation of a vessel - it was a very important part of the ship's equipment. This steering gear was part of the original vessel 'Reginald M', which became part of the exhibitions at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The steering gear was manufactured by the Carron Company. ABOUT THE CARRON COMPANY The Carron Company established its ironworks on the banks of the River Carron in Stirlingshire, Scotland, in 1759, and became an incorporated company in 1773. One of the notable items produced by the company was the Carronade, a short-barrelled naval cannon, being produced until the 1850s. The company was the largest ironworks in Europe during the 19th century. It supplied ammunition and armaments, steamboat engines, pig iron, cast iron goods such as balustrades fire grates and bath tugs, pillar boxes and telephone boxes, and even cast iron rings for underground tunnels. In 1982 it became insolvent and was taken over by the Franke Corporation, using the brand Carron Phoenix. ABOUT THE 'REGINALD M' The Reginald M’s purpose was to serve the coastal trade of South Australia, to carry cargo cheaply and efficiently. It is believed that the keel was in fact hewn from two telegraph poles! Its builder frequented all the salvage yards for materials and fittings. The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted coastal ketch, owned and built by Mr. Jack (John) Murch of Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. Its construction took approximately 6 months and it was launched at Largs Bay in 1922. Reginald M had a very shallow draft and a flat bottom that enabled it to come close to shore and to sit high and dry at low tide or to be beached on sand. The flat bottom was also to make the ship able to skim over reefs. Wagons could load and unload direct from her side. Her cargo included Guano, Barley, Wool, Horses, Cattle, Timber, Explosives, Potatoes, Shell Grit and Gypsum. On April 9th 1931Reginald M weathered a large storm in St Vincent Gulf, SA. The vessel suffered much damage; mast snapped and the crew laboured for four hours to free her by chopping off the past and rigging. The crew patched her up and slowly returned to Port Adelaide with only a portion of the insured cargo being damaged. Her crew members at the time were owner Mr John H Murch of Wells Street Largs Bay, Skipper Mr R Murch – John’s brother, Murray – son of Captain Murch and Seaman John Smith. Reg Webb purchased Carribie Station, at Marion in the Warooka District, south of Adelaide, in 1921. He cleared the land and farmed sheep and grain. In 1923 he shipped his own wool and grain from Marion Bay, having first carted 300 bags of the barley grain, 12 bags at a time, along the unmade track to the jetty. A photograph donated to Flagstaff Hill, dating about 1929 - 1942, shows two men on the Reginald M, holding between them their fishing catch of a large hammer shark. The photograph is stamped “GRENFELL STUDIO PORT LINCOLN PRINT” and titled “hammer shark caught on Reginald Emm”. The donor’s family lived on the Your Peninsular and despatched their grain from a chute at Gleeson’s Landing to the awaiting transport vessel. Reg knew the Murch Brothers from Port Adelaide. The brothers had been using their ketch REGINALD M to ship Guano from the Islands, led by Captain Richard Murch. Reg approached them in 1934 about shipping grain from Marion Bay. The brothers visited the bay and thought it was an ideal place. They showed Reg where to stack his grain and they measured up the cliffs. When Reg was ready, they brought down and installed a ninety foot wooden chute. The bags of grain were then individually sent down the chute, landing in a waiting small boat then rowed to REGINALD M, 14 bags at a time. After 10 hours REGINALD M would be fully loaded with 1300 bags of grain and shipped to waiting ports. At one time a wild storm destroyed the chute but it was rebuilt and strengthened. REGINALD M was involved in shipping the grain from there until 1938. In 1940 Able Seaman Allan H Lucas served on Reginald M between September and December, being engaged and discharged from Port of Adelaide. His Certificate of Discharge was signed by ship’s Master W S Murch. It seems that at some stage Reginald M was used as a Customs vessel, as one photograph in Flagstaff Hill’s collection shows “H.M.C. No. 3, Pt Adelaide” on the bow. In 1969 the last freight left Marion Bay on the ketch REGINALD M carrying grain, wool and explosives. In late 1970 she was sold to the Mt. Lyell Mining and Railway Company and was used by them as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972 the Navy League of Strahan, Tasmania, purchased her for use by the Strahan Sea Cadet Unit to use at Macquarie Harbour and renamed her T.S. Macquarie. However this plan for use of Reginald M did not come to pass. In 1974 Mr. Andrew Rennie, of East Brighton, Melbourne, bought her for a similar purpose. , paying $5,000 and donating a ‘Cadet of the Year” trophy to the Sea Cadets. He sailed her from Strahan to Melbourne, planning to use her for pleasure sailing. Also in 1975 Reginald M was sold to Melbourne Ferry Company at auction. Later in 1975 the Reginald M was bought by Flagstaff Maritime Museum for $20,000 . She has been restored and is now one of the exhibits in the Village lagoon or lake. It was restored in 2006 using funds from a $4,000 government grant. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection holds several other artefacts associated with Reginald M. They include photographs of the Reginald M, including one photograph of her in Outer Harbour, S.A. dated 1947, with Skipper- R.F. Dale and Owner- John Murch. Another shows her docked at Port Adelaide, with the lettering H.M.C. No. 3 Pt ADEL (standing for His/Her Majesty’s Customs). There is a black and white photo of her at a wharf and another showing a person on board.The steering gear is significant through its association with the Carron Company, the largest ironworks in Europe in the 19th century, and the manufacture of the short barrel, lightweight naval gun - the Carronade. The steering gear is significant for its association with the vessel REGINALD M is a coastal trading ketch from South Australia built in 1922. It is one of very few sailing coastal trading vessels still extant, and its flat bottom, single chine shape illustrates a very simple but robust method of construction, compared to other round bilged examples of trading vessels. She is now listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV Number: HV000562.) Ship's steering gear that was part of the original vessel 'Reginald M', which was constructed in 1922. Inscription on both sides. Made by the Carron Company, UK."CARRON COMPANY"flagstaff hil, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, coastal trader, trading vessel, vessel reginald m, ketch, john murch ship builder, reg webb, carribie station, mt lyell copper company, queenstown navy league, andrew rennie, melbourne ferry company, r.f. dale, port adelaide vessel reginald m, macquarie training vessel, grenfell studio port lincoln, ship steering gear, metal steering gear, ship's gear, ship's navigation, carron company -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Machine - Pulley Sheave, Circa 1886
The pulley sheave comes from the Falls of Halladale, a four-masted iron-hulled barque that was built in 1886 for the long-distance bulk carrier trade. The vessel was built for the Falls Line (Wright, Breakenridge & Co., Glasgow, Scotland) at the shipyard of Russell & Co., Greenock on the River Clyde, she was named after a waterfall on the Halladale River in the Caithness district of Scotland. The ship's design was advanced for her time, incorporating features that improved crew safety and efficiency such as elevated bridges to allow the crew to move between forward and aft in relative safety during heavy seas. The Falls of Halladale was the seventh vessel in a series of eight similar iron-hulled sailing ships, all built by Russell & Co and all named after waterfalls in Scotland. The Falls of Halladale was preceded by the Falls of Clyde (1878), the Falls of Bruar (1879), the Falls of Dee (1882), the Falls of Afton (1882), the Falls of Foyers (1883) and the Falls of Earn (1884). The Falls of Halladale was followed by a sister ship, the Falls of Garry (1886). The Falls of Clyde is afloat today and is a major attraction at the Hawaii Maritime Center in Honolulu. The Falls of Halladale is best known for her spectacular demise in a shipwreck near Peterborough, Victoria on the shipwreck coast of Victoria, Australia. On the night of 14 November 1908, she was sailed in dense fog directly onto the rocks due to a navigational error. The crew of 29 abandoned ship safely and all made it ashore by boat, leaving the ship foundering with her sails set. For weeks after the wreck, large crowds gathered to view the ship as she gradually broke up and then sank in the shallow water. Soon after the accident the ship's master, Capt. David Wood Thomson was brought before a Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne and found guilty of a gross act of misconduct, having carelessly navigated the ship, having neglected to take proper soundings, and having failed to place the ship on a port tack before it became too late to avoid the shipwreck. Capt. Thomson's punishment included a small fine and he had his Certificate of Competency as a Master suspended for six months. Today the Falls of Halladale is a popular destination for recreational divers. The wreck is easily accessible by scuba divers about 300 m offshore in 3 to 15 m of water. The hull lies on its collapsed starboard side. Some of the original cargo of 56,763 roof slates remains at the site of the wreck along with corroded masses of what used to be coils of barbed wire. Twenty-two thousand slates were salvaged in the 1980s and used to provide roofing at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. An anchor that was recovered in 1974 is on display at the village. The pulley sheave is significant as a salvaged item from the Victorian heritage-listed Falls of Halladale wreck. As an artifact from the wrecked ship, it helps us to remember today the story of the wrecking and is an important reminder of a marine incident in Victoria's maritime history. Wooden Pulley Sheave from the vessel Falls of HalladaleNoneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wooden pulley sheave, falls of halladale -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Admiralty Navigation Manual Vol 1
Admiralty Navigation Manual Vol 1 Publisher: His Majestys Stationery Office Date: 1938Pastedown front endpaper has a the name C. H. Noble, H.M.S. Conway hand writtenwarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, admiralty navigation manual vol 1, admiralty -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Compass, mid-19th Century
... of maritime navigational instruments manufactured and used in the mid ...Captain Robilliard: James Arthur Robilliard was a sea captain and tentmaker, born on the 19th April 1843 at Saint Helier, Jersey. He trained there in his father's sail loft as a sailmaker. His first job as a sailor was in Liverpool, England and 1875 James Robilliard migrated to Australia as mate on the "E.M. Young". James Robilliard and his family were amongst the early settlers that arrived along the Curdies River in the Heytesbury district of Western Victoria. In 1877 he became a Captain and would have used his compass from ship to ship. On 28th May 1877 in that same district a small 3-masted, schooner the "Young Australian" was wrecked. This schooner had been built 1864 at Jervis Bay, NSW. She had been on her way from Maryborough Queensland to Adelaide, under the command of Captain Whitfield, when she lost her mainmast in a heavy gale. She was beached at Curdies Inlet in Peterborough, Victoria, Captain Robilliard was placed in charge of the salvaging operation and recovered a good portion of the cargo. Not long after this incident a Warrnambool shop owner David Evans found employment for James Robilliard with Evan Evans, who produced tents, sails, tarpaulins and similar goods; James already had the necessary skills for this work. Evan Evans was the same sailor rescued from the “Young Australian” soon after his rescue Evan recalled he had a relative in Australia in a town called Warrnambool and while walking in Timor Street, Warrnambool, he saw a sign over a shop that said “David Evans” and once the two men met, Evan was warmly welcomed. David then helped his relative to establish a tent and tarpaulin-making business there. Evan later transferred his successful business to a shop in Elizabeth St, Melbourne, under the name Evan Evans Pty. Ltd.) James Robilliard, a committed Christian, and accredited Lay Preacher with the Methodist Church. He travelled around the local district leading the settlers in worship. On 14th November 1879, Captain Robilliard married Helen Beckett. Alfred and Selina Beckett and their family all attended the church at Brucknell where Captain Robilliard preached. He was said to have been taken by their young daughter Helen. James and Helen had ten children; James Arthur (Jnr), Henry William, Nellie Jessie, Alfred Albert, Rubena Nellie, De Jersy Norman, Clifford Beckett, Olive Ida, Frances Ridley Havergal and Nellie Elvie, all born in Victoria. In the 1880s James Robilliard captained the cutter "Hannah Thompson" into Port Campbell, Victoria. This vessel was the first coastal trader to operate between Melbourne and Port Campbell. At one time Captain Robilliard had to beach the "Hannah Thompson" for repairs. In 1923 she was blown ashore in a gale and wrecked at Oberon Bay, at Wilson's Promontory. In 1889 the compass was saved by Captain James Arthur Robilliard from his sinking brigantine "Mary Campbell" in 1889. This vessel was used to carry equipment for the Sydney Sugar Refinery's Mill in Southgate, NSW. The ship had been built in 1869 and traded for the next 20 years between Australian ports and rivers along the east coast as well as regular ports in New Zealand. She was recognised by the Sydney Morning Herald as one of the best "carrying vessel in the timber trade". She had several owners over this time, the last one being Captain James A. Robilliard. On 29th April 1889 the "Mary Campbell", with Captain James A Robilliard as captain and owner, was on her way from Clarence River, NSW to Melbourne, Victoria with a cargo of railway girders for the Melbourne Harbour Trust. Captain Robilliard encountered a storm off Port Macquarie. He sailed the vessel south to about 40km east of Cape Hawke, near Tuncurry. At around 7 pm, he discovered that the cargo had shifted during the storm and the heavy girders had damaged the hull, causing a leak. The pumps were inadequate to stem the fast-flowing leak water soon filled the hull during the next two hours. Some of the crew began throwing the cargo overboard to lighten the vessel, hoping to keep it afloat until daylight. When the water reached over 2 meters in the hull they realised their efforts were in vain. On the 30th April 1889, the crew left the vessel the ship was sinking fast, so they made for the shore. While still miles off Cape Hawke all seven crew members, including the Captain, were rescued by the Government Tug "Rhea" and taken to Port Macquarie Hospital and later returned to Sydney in the vessel "Wellington". No cargo had been saved and the consignment had been under-insured, only covered for half its value. The name of the last ship Captain Robilliard sailed is currently unknown, however, he sailed that ship from the port of Marlborough, Queensland, carting steel railway girders for the Geelong-to-Camperdown railway line. On this trip the ship hit a storm, the cargo shifted and the ship was wrecked along the NSW coast. After this, Captain Robilliard retired from the sea and began farming in Peterborough. In about 1897, verging on retirement, Capt. Robilliard superintended the Melbourne Sailors’ Home in Spencer Street, Melbourne, before being asked to leave this position in 1902 for trying to shut down a local hotel. On 6th May 1917 Captain James Arthur Robilliard J.P. died at Blackwood Park, in the Cobden district of Brucknell, the first Robilliard family homestead in Australia. He was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Victoria. His wife Helen passed away in 1947. This compass, once belonging to Captain James Arthur Robilliard, is of local and state historical significance for its use by the Captain with his vessel the "Mary Campbell", a trading vessel that was bringing railway girders to the Melbourne Harbour Trust. He also used this compass on the "Hannah Thompson", listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and known as being the first coastal trader to operate between Melbourne and Port Campbell. The compass is also a very fine example of maritime navigational instruments manufactured and used in the mid-19th century. Marine compass, brass, in wooden box with separate, fitted lid. The compass card has sixteen points. The four principal points are marked; North with a star shaped, South with an “S”, East with and “E” and West with an “O” (French word OUEST). Each quadrant of the circle is numbered from 0 – 90 degrees. The card is floating in a liquid. The compass gimbal is attached to the sides of the box and to the front and back of the compass’ cylindrical brass frame. The mahogany coloured timber storage box is joined with brass nails. The centre of the lid has a folding decorative brass handle. The lid fits over base and closes with a brass screw and hook on both front and back. Maker; Dubas Watchmaker Optician, Nantes, France, c 1860-1870. Compass came from the ship “Mary Campbell”, which sank off the NSW coast in 1889, near Forster. The compass, as well as the ship, belonged to Captain James Arthur Robilliard and was donated by his family. “DUBAS MANTES” stamped into side of gimbal. “DUBAS HORLOGER OPTICIEN. NANTES.” printed around centre of card. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, marine compass, navigation instrument 19th century, marine instruments, dubas mantes, captain james arthur robilliard, j.a. robilliard, helen beckett, ship young australian, ship young australia(n), ship hannah thompson, ship mary campbell, melbourne sailors home, david evans, evan evans, curdies inlet, brucknell church, curdies railway, great lakes museum -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Mast Collar, c. 1886
The husband of the donor of this mast collar chanced to be staying a night at a motel in Peterborough, along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. He had a keen interest in maritime items and recognise the mast collar at the motel’s back fence line. The motel owner told his guest the story of a customer, a doctor, who had organised and paid for divers to raise the mast collar from a local shipwreck, the Falls of Halladale. Shortly afterwards the doctor passed away, so the mast collar had remained at the motel site. The owner was leaving the motel the following week and wasn’t at all interested in the artefact. He was very happy for his guest to remove it. It took five men to load the mast collar up for the trip to the new owner’s two storey shed in Ballarat. It stayed there undercover, in the company of his collection of 5 buggies, for the next 40 or so years until the property was for sale. A friend, who realised the significance of the mast collar, suggested that it be donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village where other artefacts from the Falls of Halladale, such as the slate tiles, were on display. This mast collar, or masthead, from the Falls of Halladale would have been used to join two sections of one of the tall masts. As sailing ships became larger there was a need for taller masts or spars, which became difficult or impossible to find. To overcome this problem mast was divided into sections; lower and top or upper mast (on some of the ‘tall ships’ a mast could be divided into three or even four sections). The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted British barque built-in 1886. On what turned out to be her fatal journey, she had left New York for Melbourne in late 1908. She ran aground on a reef close to the shore west of Peterborough, South West Victoria, on November 14th. All 29 crew eventually landed safely onshore. The wrecked ship stayed on the reef for several months as locals watched the sails slowly deteriorate. The salvaged cargo included slate tiles, as mentioned above, and many of these have been used on the roof of buildings at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on the south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. This mast collar is significant due to its association with the ship FALLS OF HALLADALE, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, VHR S255 The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). Mast collar, steel, salvaged from the shipwreck FALLS OF HALLADALE, wrecked off the coast of Peterborough, South West Victoria. Oval shaped a band of metal with a straight band of same heights attached between the long sides. Two metal loops are attached to the outside of the oval shape, next to the crossing band. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shipwreck peterborough vic, sailing ship mast collar, masthead of sailing ship, falls of halladale mast collar, masthead, mast collar, ship rigging 1908, russell & co. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Nicholls's Concise Guide to the Navigation Examinations Vol 2
Nicholls's Concise Guide to the Navigation Examinations Vol 2 Front loose end page has hand written "F.J.S.Morse, Red Ensign Club, Wells Street, Aldgate, London, England" Author: Charles H Brown F.R.S.G.S. Publisher: Brown, Son and Ferguson Ltd Date: 1942warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, nicholls's concise guide to the navigation examinations vol 2, charles h brown -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Planisphere, Early 20th Century
The word Planisphere (Latin planisphaerium) was originally used in the second century by Claudius Ptolemy to describe the representation of a spherical Earth by a map drawn in the plane. This usage continued into the Renaissance: for example Gerardus Mercator described his 1569 world map as a Planisphere. The word describes the representation of the star-filled celestial sphere on the plane. The first star chart to have the name "Planisphere" was made in 1624 by Jacob Bartsch. Bartsch was the son-in-law of Johannes Kepler, discoverer of Kepler's laws of planetary motion. A significant item of celestial mapping used by marine navigators This particular item was made and used in the first quarter to half of the 20th centuryPlanisphere of northern hemisphere, with canvas bag. Planisphere consists of a circular star chart attached at its centre to an opaque circular overlay that has a clear elliptical window or hole so that only a portion of the sky map will be visible in the window or hole area at any given time. The chart and overlay are mounted so that they are free to rotate about a common pivot point at their centres. The star chart contains the brightest stars, constellations and (possibly) deep-sky objects visible from a particular latitude on Earth. The night sky that one sees from the Earth depends on whether the observer is in the northern or southern hemispheres and the latitude. A Planisphere window is designed for a particular latitude and will be accurate enough for a certain band either side of that. Planisphere makers will usually offer them in a number of versions for different latitudes. Planispheres only show the stars visible from the observer's latitude; stars below the horizon are not included. A complete twenty-four-hour time cycle is marked on the rim of the overlay. A full twelve months of calendar dates are marked on the rim of the starchart. The window is marked to show the direction of the eastern and western horizons. The disk and overlay are adjusted so that the observer's local time of day on the overlay corresponds to that day's date on the star chart disc. The portion of the star chart visible in the window then represents (with a distortion because it is a flat surface representing a spherical volume) the distribution of stars in the sky at that moment for the Planispheres designed location. Users hold the Planisphere above their head with the eastern and western horizons correctly aligned to match the chart to actual star positions. "Made in Germany for GEORGE PHILIP & SONS Ltd. Geographical and Educational Depot, 32 Fleet Street, London" Canvas bag has "Capt. H (Howard) Tyler from Captain H. F. Woolf" "Tyler 22 ? St East Brighton" also "13 Halls St Flinders"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, planisphere, star map, marine navigation, maps, george philip & sons -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Planisphere, Early 20th Century
The word Planisphere (Latin planisphaerium) was originally used in the second century by Claudius Ptolemy to describe the representation of a spherical Earth by a map drawn in the plane. This usage continued into the Renaissance: for example Gerardus Mercator described his 1569 world map as a Planisphere. The word describes the representation of the star-filled celestial sphere on the plane. The first star chart to have the name "Planisphere" was made in 1624 by Jacob Bartsch. Bartsch was the son-in-law of Johannes Kepler, discoverer of Kepler's laws of planetary motionA significant item of celestial mapping used by marine navigators This particular item was made and used in the first quarter to half of the 20th century.Planisphere consists of a circular star chart attached at its centre to an opaque circular overlay that has a clear elliptical window or hole so that only a portion of the sky map will be visible in the window or hole area at any given time. The chart and overlay are mounted so that they are free to rotate about a common pivot point at their centers. The star chart contains the brightest stars, constellations and (possibly) deep-sky objects visible from a particular latitude on Earth. The night sky that one sees from the Earth depends on whether the observer is in the northern or southern hemispheres and the latitude. A Planisphere window is designed for a particular latitude and will be accurate enough for a certain band either side of that. Planisphere makers will usually offer them in a number of versions for different latitudes. Planispheres only show the stars visible from the observer's latitude; stars below the horizon are not included. A complete twenty-four-hour time cycle is marked on the rim of the overlay. A full twelve months of calendar dates are marked on the rim of the star chart. The window is marked to show the direction of the eastern and western horizons. The disk and overlay are adjusted so that the observer's local time of day on the overlay corresponds to that day's date on the star chart disc. The portion of the star chart visible in the window then represents (with a distortion because it is a flat surface representing a spherical volume) the distribution of stars in the sky at that moment for the Planispheres designed location. Users hold the Planisphere above their head with the eastern and western horizons correctly aligned to match the chart to actual star positions. "Sold by J DONNE & SON, Booksellers & Stationers, 349 Post Office Place Melbourne 349. Admiralty Chart Agents" and " Made in Germany for George Philip & Son Ltd" England . Signature "Capt E. B. ?..id, 22 Baund St"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, star map, marine navigation, maps, george philip & sons -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Ship Log, Early 20th Century
In times past the only way to measure a ship’s speed was to throw a wood log into the water and observe how fast it moved away from the ship. In the 16th century, the log was fastened to a rope knotted at set intervals. The log was thrown over the stern (back) of the vessel and a crew member counted the number of knots that were paid out in a set time. From this, they could estimate the vessel's speed through the water. This was known as streaming the log and is also the derivation of the knot as a measurement of nautical speed. Various manufacturers of nautical equipment had sought over the years to perfect the operation of determining a ship's speed and it wasn't until Thomas Walker and his son Ferdinand developed a mechanical system that eventually made this task became easy for marine navigators. Thomas Walker & Son were internationally renowned in the manufacturing of ship logs the founding father, Thomas Walker (1805–1871), an engineer in Birmingham, patented his mechanical log in 1878 which was a recording instrument that attached to a rail at the stern of a vessel connected by a long cord with a rotor which was towed behind the ship. The instrument dial then recorded the distance travelled. Thomas Walker first went into business to manufacture stoves at 58 Oxford Street Birmingham. Walker’s self-feeding stove was widely lauded at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, winning a prize medal and kickstarting the first of many notable innovations for the Walker family's manufacturing business. However, it wasn’t until working on an earlier ship’s log model invented by his Uncle that Thomas Walker became interested in the further development of this device, used to ascertain a ship’s speed. Walker continued to improve on the common log for the company of Massey & Sons and these improvements were deemed revolutionary. This log became a firm favourite of the West India Association (a British-based organisation promoting ties and trade with the British Caribbean), being the most common log in use for two generations. It took until 1861 for Thomas Walker and his son, Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1831-1921) to patent the first Walker log of many. Together, with the introduction of the A1 Harpoon Log two years later, they established the Walker Log Business as a force to be reckoned with. By his passing in 1871, Thomas Walker Snr had not only founded a family business with considerable staying power but also instilled a tradition of public service. Having sat as a representative on the Birmingham Town Council for 15 years and played an active role in public works, he was soon given the nickname of ‘Blue Brick Walker’. Much like his father, Thomas Ferdinand Walker changed the face of the maritime industry. His patent of 1897, the ‘Cherub’ log, was a notable departure from the past providing a far more accurate reading and replacing the majority of logs of the age. They were the first to produce an electric log (Trident) and the Walker factory was one of the first to introduce the 48-hour work week for employees.The ship log was invented and made by a significant marine instrument maker and innovator of machinery. It demonstrates the huge leap taken to improve navigational accuracy at sea with an instrument that was in use for decades.Ships Log, Walker Trident electric motor, in wooden box with instructions inside box. The motor dial with electric cord is still inside box.Inscription "Admiralty patent number 3332" and "Walker Trident Electric Ship Log (Mark III), 15-25 volt". On top of lid, hand written, is "G TAYLOR"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ships log, thomas walker & son, electric ships log, marine navigation, thomas ferdinand walker, ship log -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Captain F Chapman SS Dawn
The Dawn steamship was a 522-ton coastal trader built in 1876 and it’s original captain Jones operated the vessel around the Victorian west coast from 1877 until 1898 for the Portland & Belfast Steam Navigation Co, the vessel was then owned in October 1885 by the renamed company, Belfast & Koroit Steam Navigation Co., until March 1896 when it’s ownership moved to W Howard Smith & Sons Ltd., This Melbourne company used the ship to service most ports around Australia. Captain F Chapman took over from captain Jones and served on the SS Dawn from 1898 until 1900 when he took command of the SS Casino operated by the Belfast & Koroit Shipping Company at Port Fairy and became the captain from 1900 until 1922 when he retired after twenty-two years becoming the ships longest-serving captain. Captain Roberts took over command until 1924 followed by captain Middleton until 1932 when the Casino was sunk off Apollo Bay and captain Middleton collapsed and died in the surf. Picture of a long serving sea captain connected with a significant ship that was involved in a significant historical incident prior to his taking command of the vessel also his long time association with Port Fairy's Belfast Steam Navigation Company until 1922.Photograph of Captain Chapman framedCaptain F Chapman SS Dawnflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, captain chapman, ss dawn -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Porthole Glass
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on the south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Porthole Glass, from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale, little encrustation. "Falls of H" written in black texta penporthole glass, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shipwreck peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, great clipper ships, russell & co. -
Orbost & District Historical Society
sextant, W. Sutherland
... . sextant maritime navigational W. Sutherland ...RIDGE PARK, Length: 65.2 m.; Owned by H. Simpson & Sons; Built at S. P. Austin & Sons in 1878. Registered at Adelaide. On 10 February 1881, RIDGE PARK (Capt. Heslop) was on voyage from Adelaide to Sydney with a cargo of brandy, wine and flour, when she was lost after running aground.Beware Reef is located south east of Cape Conran in east Gippsland. This is the sextant from the Ridge Park which, on10 February 1881, was wrecked on Beware Reef , just south of Cape Conran in east Gippsland. An old wooden sextant from the ship, Ridge Park. It is black with yellow measuring stripes.sextant maritime navigational -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Plate (Belfast & Koroit S.N. Co.), Late 1920s
This plate was made by the Calyx Porcelain and Paint Company which was based in Western Australia and made china for commercial establishments from the 1920s to the 1990s when the company was then known as Australian Fine China. The plate was used by the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company based in Port Fairy. It was founded in 1882 and operated two ships, the Casino and the Bellinger, servicing the Western Ports between Melbourne and Portland. The Casino was wrecked at Apollo Bay in 1932. Later the company operated the ship, Dawn and survived as a shipping company until the late 1930s.This plate is of interest because it was used by the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company in the 1920s and 30s. This company was important in the maritime history of Warrnambool, especially in the transportation of potatoes from the Warrnambool region. The Casino, the most important ship operated by the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company, was also important as a passenger and cargo ship prominent in Warrnambool’s maritime historyThis is a circular-shaped cream soup bowl or dinner plate. On the edge of the plate there is a blue embedded stamp in the shape of a circle with the flag of the steamship company inside. On the base of the plate is the maker’s information in green print. The base of the plate is much crazed and discoloured‘Belfast & Koroit S.N. Co. Ltd.’ ‘Made in Australia, Calyx, W.A.’ belfast & koroit steam navigation company, history of warrnambool -
Port Fairy Historical Society Museum and Archives
Functional object - Steam Whistle, c.1880
This steam whistle is part of the salvage of the wreck of the "S.S.Casino" It was given to the Tyler family because of their association with the ship.Large brass cylindrical steam whistle ('Casino')maritime technology, communications, belfast and koroit steam navigation company, signals, local history, s.s.casino, port fairy, ship, steamer, coastal steamer -
Port Fairy Historical Society Museum and Archives
Furniture, c. 1882
Saloon chair on the S.S.Casino. Removed for refurbishment to celebrate fifty year anniversary of the ship and the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company. The ship sank on the 9th July 1932 at Apollo Bay. This chair which had not been reupholstered chair registration 555 was presented to Capt. Thomas Boyd the first Captain of the Casino. The legs were added at some time after the sinking.Wooden chair with decorative carved back. Seat velvet upholstered. Wooden legs added after 1932local history, maritime technology, ship furniture, s.s.casino, belfast and koroit steam navigation company, b.k.s.n. -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Print - Vessel - Steamship, A.V. Gregory, SS Casino off Point Lonsdale, ca. 1899-1932
Print of a picture of the S.S. Casino, This print is from an original painting by the Australian marine artist A V Gregory (1867-1957), also known as Arthur Victor Gregory. Gregory lived and worked in South Melbourne. He took over the Gregory Studio owned by his father, George Frederick Gregory, painting actively between 1899 and 1932. He usually signed his works as ‘A V Gregory’. Some of his original works have been sold for thousands of dollars. The S.S. Casino was a passenger and freight steamer built in Dundee, Scotland, in 1882 for the Newcastle and Hunter River Steam Navigation Company of N.S.W. She weighed 425 tons gross with a length of 160.4 feet, beam of 24.1 feet and a depth of 10.2 feet. She had saloon accommodation for 35 people, a fore cabin for 25 more people, and she carried 300 tons of cargo. While on her delivery journey on May 30th 1882 the S.S. Casino called in at the Port of Warrnambool for coal ., narrowly escaping going ashore in gale force winds due to the quick action of the pilot. At that time, still at anchor, she impressed the directors of the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company so much that they bought her immediately; she was ideal for trade along the West Coast of Victoria. (The Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company was first managed by Messers. Saltau and Osburne and after the passing of Mr. Osburne, by produce merchants Messers H. Sautau and Sons, who had a hay and corn store and shipping agency on the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets in Warrnambool. ) The S.S. Casino became “the most famous steamer to operate in Victorian waters along the West Coast” by author Jack Loney. Captain Boyd was her first Master, followed by Captain Chapman, who stayed with her from 1890 until 1924. Captain W. Robertson followed for a short term, and then Captain Middleton then took command from 1925 - 1932. The S.S. Casino had several mishaps during her life. One was on 3rd January 1898 when she collided with the S.S. Flinders in Apollo Bay with minor damage. Another was on 24th October 1924 when she grounded on a reef at Point Hawdon near Grey River and most of her cargo (of Christmas goods) had to be dumped into the sea. Then in February 1929 she was ‘holed’ when she struck a submerged object as she entered Lady Bay, Warrnambool. On the morning of 10th July 1932, after attempting to berth at Apollo Bay jetty in heavy seas, Captain Middleton decided to take her out into the bay and wait until the seas abated. It was not realised that the anchor used to steady her as she manoeuvred to her berth had pierced her hull. She put about and headed for the beach but sank. Captain Middleton and nine others lost their lives; nine people were rescued including the two female passengers. Captain Middleton had been in charge of the S.S. Casino for seven years. He was the first ship’s Master to lose his life in a shipwreck in the West Coast trade. In the years following the turn of the century, the S.S. Casino remained the only regular trader with normal passenger accommodation along the West Coast. From 1882 she had made at least 2,500 voyages on the one run. Flagstaff Hill’s collection has a photograph of a portrait of Captain Chapman, , a ship model of the S.S. Casino that shows both forms of power under which she sailed, steam and sail. The ship is painted green and flies three flags. The inscription across the case of the ship model, incorrectly dated, tells the sad story of the wreck of the ship and the loss of lives on July 10th 1932 at Apollo Bay. A print in the Collection shows S.S. Casino underway in the heavy sea off Point Lonsdale, another two photographs show her at the Port of Warrnambool, leaving from the Breakwater in Lady Bay and another identifies the S.S. Casino as a ship from the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company. (Belfast is the original name for the township of Port Fairy).This print of the S.S. Casino is of significance for its association with the coastal trader S.S. Casino. The wreck of the S.S. Casino is considered an important part of Victorian and Australian cultural heritage and as such has been declared and protected as an Historic Shipwreck under State and Commonwealth Law in the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). The detailed image of the vessel depicted in this print shows one of the many sail and steam vessels painted by the renowned Victorian marine artist A V Gregory, whose original works are highly valued today by marine collectors.Print with hand-painted watercolour highlights depicting the port side steamship SS Casinounderway in a heavy sea, merchant flag flying at the stern. Mounted in a decorative wooden frame behind glass. The original painting was by A V Gregory. The title of the picture is repeated in handwritten words on the matte below the artist's signature on the print.Signed "A V Gregory" Hand painted title "SS Casino off Point Lonsdale"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, newcastle and hunter river steam navigation company, belfast and koroit steam navigation company, h. sautau and sons, s.s. casino, west coast trader s.s. casino, victorian coastal trader, captain boyd, captain w. robertson, captain chapman, captain middleton, apollo bay shipwreck, s.s. casino at lady bay warrnambool, saltau and osburne, a v gregory, arthur victor gregory, melbourne artist -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph, post 1889
The photograph shows the three-masted iron and steel bark "Newfield" sailing in open seas. It event would have been between 1889-1892 during the ship's working life. ABOUT THE NEWFIELD The Newfield was a three-masted iron and steel barque, built in Dundee, Scotland, in 1889 by Alexander Stephen and Sons. It was owned by the Newfield Ship Company in 1890 and later that year It was registered in Liverpool to owners Brownells and Co. The Newfield left Sharpness, Scotland, on 28th May 1892 with a crew of 25 under the command of Captain George Scott and on 1st June left Liverpool. She was bound for Brisbane, Australia, with a cargo of 1850 tons of fine rock salt, the main export product of Sharpness. At about 9pm on 28th August 1892, in heavy weather, Captain Scott sighted, between heavy squalls, the Cape Otway light on the mainland of Victoria but, due to a navigational error (the ship’s chronometers were wrong), he assumed it to be the Cape Wickham light on King Island, some 40 miles south. He altered his course to the north, expecting to enter Bass Strait. The ship was now heading straight for the south west Victorian coast and at about 1:30am ran aground on a reef about 100 yards from shore and one mile east of Curdie’s Inlet, Peterborough. The ship struck heavily three times before grounding on an inner shoal with 6 feet of water in the holds. Rough sea made the job of launching lifeboats very difficult. The first two lifeboats launched by the crew were smashed against the side of the ship and some men were crushed or swept away. The third lifeboat brought eight men to shore. It capsized when the crew tried to return it to the ship for further rescue The Port Campbell rocket crew arrived and fired four rocket lines, none of which connected with the ship. A local man, Peter Carmody, volunteered to swim one mile to the ship with a line to guide the fourth and final lifeboat safely to shore. Seventeen men survived the shipwreck but the captain and eight of his crew perished. One of the men, apprentice William McLeod, was rescued by local woman Margaret E. MacKenzie. The Newfield remained upright on the reef with sails set for a considerable time as the wind slowly ripped the canvas to shreds and the sea battered the hull to pieces. The Marine Board inquiry found the wreck was caused by a "one man style of navigation" and that the Captain had not heeded the advice of his crew. According to Jack Loney ‘… when the drama was over . . the Newfield was deserted except for the Captain’s dog and two pigs.’ Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum has several artefacts that have been salvaged from the wreck. The report from SHP documented the following in regards to the Newfield collection: Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Newfield is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level, because of its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register. The collection is significant because of its relationship between the objects. The Newfield collection is archaeologically significant as it is the remains of an international cargo ship. The Newfield collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 (Living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the shipwreck. Black and white photograph of the three-masted sailing ship “Newfield” in the open sea, sails unfurled. The ship was built in 1859 by Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited of Dundee, Scotland. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barque newfield, photograph, 1880s sailing ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Vessel, S.S. Warrnambool, 1998-2003
This photograph and a matching earlier photograph are the images of a painting of the British steamship SS Warrnambool at Dover Strait in the English Channel. The photographs were donated by the painting’s owner, who acquired the 30” x 56” (76 x 142.5 cm) oil on canvas painting in 1998. Both photographs were accompanied by a letter, one written in 2001, and the other in 2003. The letters confirm that the artist of the painting was Charles Keith Miller, signed with the initials “CKM” and dated “1893”. The painting shown in the photographs was a gift to the Town Council of Warrnambool, presented to Warrnambool folks in Melbourne on December 1, 1892, by the Captain of William Lund’s ship SS Warrnambool. The painting was given by Lund in appreciation of the Ladies of Warrnambool who had presented the ship with a ‘house’ flag bearing the Blue Anchor Line’s symbol of a diagonal blue anchor on a white background; the ladies had made the decision to present the flag only a month earlier. A few days later, December 6th, the SS Warrnambool was on its homeward journey to Britain, sailing via Adelaide. It anchored for a short time off the Port of Warrnambool. A boat was launched from Lady Bay to take a group of friends to the ship with a delivery of gifts. After cheers were roused for both the ship and the Captain, the ship continued on its way. The photograph shows the gifted white flag with a diagonal blue anchor flying from the masthead. The same symbol is painted on the ship’s black funnel. The signal flags on the foremast display ‘M’ ‘R’ ‘V’ ‘B’. These letters are most likely the ship’s call number ‘MRVB’. Although the painting was given as a gift in December 1892, it is post-dated “1893”. Perhaps the painting was given earlier than anticipated; or the date added later, but whatever the reason, the provenance of the painting was confirmed at auctions of this painting and other works by the same artist. CHARLES KEITH MILLER 1836-1907:- Captain Charles Miller left his home in Scotland at the age of 15 years for a life at sea. He earned his Master’s Certificate ten years later. After being the captain of sailing ships he moved over to the steamships because they were faster. In 1866 he married and settled in Glasgow. Over the following eleven years he and his wife had five children, then sadly his wife passed away. Captain Miller returned to the sea for a while but in 1888 he gave up his sea life to spend his time as a marine artist. His understanding of seafaring life and vessels, combined with his artistic skills, gave him the ability to produce fine art and several galleries and museums have collections of his sought-after works. S.S. WARRNAMBOOL 1892-1925:- The steamship SS Warrnambool was built in 1892 by the Sunderland Ship Building Company for the Lund Line of London, founded by William Lund in 1869. It efficiently carried both passengers and cargo across the world to Australia, under the command of her master Captain Joshua Edward Iibery, who had many years of experience with the Blue Anchor Line. The company, referred to as the Blue Anchor Line or BAL, owned a fleet of both sail and steamships. The funnels of all of the steamships were painted black, with a white band around the top bearing a diagonal blue anchor and chain. The company’s house flag was also white with a diagonal blue anchor. The SS Warrnambool carried passengers and cargo in a ‘no frills’ service to and from Europe around the Cape of Good Hope, stopping at some ports in between. The ship was involved in bringing home returned solders in 1895. At one time it carried a doctor from Victoria, Australia, to assist at the war front in South Africa. The ship had a very good reputation for its cargo arriving ‘almost always in excellent condition.’ Exported goods from Australia included iron safes, flour, wool, apples, frozen rabbits, butter, cheese, pork, cattle, poultry and sheep. One remarkable delivery contained Ostriches for Queen Victoria and they survived the journey well. The SS Warrnambool was sold in 1900 to the British and South American Steam Navigation Co. Ltd of Liverpool and was renamed ‘Harmodius’. The company was managed by R.P. Houston & Company of London and its Houston Line funnels were red with a black top. The Harmodius was sold in 1919 to K.S.S. Co. Ltd, managed by Kaye Son & Co. Ltd. of Liverpool, and was renamed ‘Kut’. The line had black funnels with a white ‘K’ in a diamond or between white stripes. In 1926 it was purchased by T.W. Ward Ltd. and broken up. NOTE- other vessels named “Warrnambool” Two other vessels carried the name “Warrnambool” (1)- HMAS Warrnambool J202 (1941-1947), a Bathurst Class corvette vessel owned by the Royal Australian Navy, destroyed by a mine. The photograph is significant for its association with the painting "SS Warrnambool" by well-known early 20th century marine artist Charles Keith Miller, whose paintings are well valued. The painting and the photograph of it are namesakes of Warrnambool and are connected through the gifts exchanged between the ship company owner, the City of Warrnambool and the Ladies of Warrnambool; the House Flag and the painting by C K Miller. The image is a good likeness to original photographs of the late-19th to early-20th century steam and sale vessel. Coloured photograph of a painting, the steamship S.S. Warrnambool. The three-masted ship has lowered sails. It is in calm water, land on one side, and other vessels in the water. The ship has four raised signal flags, a house flag and a blue ensign. The funnel also bears the house flags symbol. Smoke emits from the funnel. Figures are visible onboard. There is a signature and a title on the lower edge of the photograph. (Artist of the painting in the photograph was Charles Keith Miller)House flag symbol, [diagonal blue anchor on white background] Text "CKM" and "1893" Text "S. S. WARRNAMBOOL."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, photograph, steam ship warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, ss warrnambool, captain, charles keith miller, ckm, 1893, william lund, warrnambool town council, blue anchor line, lund line, ladies of warrnambool, house flag, diagonal blue anchor, captain miller, sunderland ship building company, migrant ship, 1892 ship, home flag, bal, australian export, s.s.warrnambool, dover strait, english chanel, port of warrnambool, lady bay, mrvb, captain charles miller, captain joshua edward iibery, ostriches, queen victoria, british and south american steam navigation co., harmodius, r.p. houston & company, houston line, k.s.s. co. ltd, kaye son & co. ltd, kut, t.w. ward ltd -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - Diver, K Tregea, 1900s
This photograph of a deep sea diver on board a vessel is connected to T. Ward. It was possibly part of E.G. Ward's Collection of diving equipment. The photograph was produced in the local town of Timboon. This photograph of an early 1900s diving suit shows part of the history of diving. It is connected to local history through the inscriptions on the back of the photograph; the printer and the name. The south west coast has hundreds of shipwrecks that have been discovered and explored by many divers. Their discoveries have led to us interpreting and understanding more about our history; ship building, exports, immigration, navigation and much more.Black and white photograph, portrait orientation, of a diver dressed in full diving gear standing on board a sailing vessel at sea. Inscriptions on reverse.Handwritten in black pen "T. WARD" Stamped in black ink "REPRODUCED BY" above rectangular stamp. Text within stamp "[K. TREGEA / CALLOWAY ST / TIMBOON VIC"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, diving gear, diving suit, deep sea diving, deep sea diver, diver, south west victoria, diving photograph, t ward, k tregea, timboon, marine technology, life saving -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Octant, Mid to late 19th Century
An octant is an astronomical instrument used in measuring the angles of heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon and stars at sea in relation to the horizon. This measurement could then be used to calculate the altitude of the body measured, and then the latitude at sea could also be calculated. The angle of the arms of an octant is 45 degrees, or 1/8 of a circle, which gives the instrument its name. Two men independently developed the octant around 1730: John Hadley (1682–1744), an English mathematician, and Thomas Godfrey (1704–1749), a glazier in Philadelphia. While both have a legitimate and equal claim to the invention, Hadley generally gets the greater share of the credit. This reflects the central role that London and the Royal Society played in the history of scientific instruments in the eighteenth and nineteenth century's. There were also two others who are attributed to having created octanes during this period, Caleb Smith, an English insurance broker with a strong interest in astronomy (in 1734), and Jean-Paul Fouchy, a mathematics professor and astronomer in France (in 1732) In 1767 the first edition of the Nautical Almanac tabulated lunar distances, enabling navigators to find the current time from the angle between the sun and the moon. This angle is sometimes larger than 90°, and thus not possible to measure with an octant. For that reason, Admiral John Campbell, who conducted shipboard experiments with the lunar distance method, suggested a larger instrument and the sextant was developed. From that time onward, the sextant was the instrument that experienced significant development and improvements and was the instrument of choice for naval navigators. The octant continued to be produced well into the 19th century, though it was generally a less accurate and less expensive instrument. The lower price of the octant, including versions without a telescope, made it a practical instrument for ships in the merchant and fishing fleets. One common practice among navigators up to the late nineteenth century was to use both a sextant and an octant. The sextant was used with great care and only for lunar sightings while the octant was used for routine meridional altitude measurements of the sun every day. This protected the very accurate and pricier sextant while using the more affordable octant for general use where it performs well. The invention of the octant was a significant step in providing accuracy of a sailors latitude position at sea and his vessels distance from land when taking sightings of land-based landmarks.Octant with metal handle, three different colored shades are attached, in wooden wedge-shaped box lined with green felt. Key is attached. Two telescope eyepieces are in box. Some parts are missing. Oval ink stamp inside lid of box, scale is graduated to 45 degrees. Ink stamp inside lid of box "SHIPLOVERS SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. LIBRARY"instrument, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, octant, navigation, nautical instrument, navigation instrument, john hadley, sextant, astronomical instrument -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Carbide Lamp, Powell & Hanmer, 1920s
Francis Powell (1861-) and Francis Hanmer (1858-1925) founded Powell and Hanmer Ltd in the Summer of 1885 for the manufacturer of bike and carriage lamps. Their first advertisements began to appear in November of 1885. In 1890 they lodged a Patent for “velocipede” lamps to be used by lightweight wheeled vehicles propelled by a rider, such as a bike, tricycle and railroad handcar. In April of 1913, they were selling headlamps for cars and in 1914 built their second factory manufacturing dynamo lighting sets in Rocky Lane Birmingham, also for the production of dynamos for motor cars. Then in 1929 Powell and Hanmer Ltd, was acquired by the Lucas company which was at that time the main competitor for the manufacture of non-electrical equipment for cycles and motorcycles. When a director of Powell and Hanmer joined the board of Austin motor cars, Lucas feared that Austins might encourage Powell and Hanmer to start to produce electrical equipment for supply to the company and as a result this association might affect Lucas's business with other large vehicle manufacturers. As a result, Lucas made an offer to Powell & Hanmer and purchased the business for £500,000. Carbide lighting was used in rural and urban areas of Australia which were not served by electrification. Its use began shortly after 1900 in many countries and continued past the 1950s. Calcium carbide pellets were placed in a container outside the home, with water piped to the container and allowed to drip on the pellets releasing acetylene. This gas was piped to lighting fixtures inside the house, where it was burned, creating a very bright flame. Carbide lighting was inexpensive but was prone to gas leaks and explosions. Early models of the automobile, motorbike and bicycles used carbide lamps as headlamps. Acetylene gas, derived from carbide, enabled early automobiles to drive safely at night. Thick concave mirrors combined with magnifying lenses projected the acetylene flame light. These type of lights were used until reliable batteries and dynamos became available, and manufacturers switched to electric lights. Acetylene lamps were also used on riverboats for night navigation. The National Museum of Australia has a lamp made in about 1910 that was used onboard the PS Enterprise, an 1878 Australian paddle steamer, currently owned by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It is still operational, and one of the oldest working paddle steamers in the world, listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vehicles.Acetylene Carbide lamp, Model “Panther” distinct patterned side red and green lenses. These lamps were also known as acetylene gas lamps. They work off a chemical reaction between calcium carbide and water.Model 75flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, carbide lamp, motor vehicle, bike lamp, lighting, vehicle lighting, powell, hanmer, acetylene gas lamp, early lighting -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Rope
The encrusted rope probably used on rigging comes from the Falls of Halladale, a four-masted iron-hulled barque that was built in 1886 for the long-distance bulk carrier trade. The vessel was built for the Falls Line (Wright, Breakenridge & Co., Glasgow, Scotland) at the shipyard of Russell & Co., Greenock on the River Clyde, she was named after a waterfall on the Halladale River in the Caithness district of Scotland. The ship's design was advanced for her time, incorporating features that improved crew safety and efficiency such as elevated bridges to allow the crew to move between forward and aft in relative safety during heavy seas. The Falls of Halladale was the seventh vessel in a series of eight similar iron-hulled sailing ships, all built by Russell & Co and all named after waterfalls in Scotland. The Falls of Halladale was preceded by the Falls of Clyde (1878), the Falls of Bruar (1879), the Falls of Dee (1882), the Falls of Afton (1882), the Falls of Foyers (1883) and the Falls of Earn (1884). The Falls of Halladale was followed by a sister ship, the Falls of Garry (1886). The Falls of Clyde is afloat today and is a major attraction at the Hawaii Maritime Centre in Honolulu. The Falls of Halladale is best known for her spectacular demise in a shipwreck near Peterborough, Victoria on the shipwreck coast of Victoria, Australia. On the night of 14 November 1908, she was sailed in dense fog directly onto the rocks due to a navigational error. The crew of 29 abandoned ship safely and all made it ashore by boat, leaving the ship foundering with her sails set. For weeks after the wreck, large crowds gathered to view the ship as she gradually broke up and then sank in the shallow water. Soon after the accident the ship's master, Capt. David Wood Thomson was brought before a Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne and found guilty of a gross act of misconduct, having carelessly navigated the ship, having neglected to take proper soundings, and having failed to place the ship on a port tack before it became too late to avoid the shipwreck. Capt. Thomson's punishment included a small fine and he had his Certificate of Competency as a Master suspended for six months. Today the Falls of Halladale is a popular destination for recreational divers. The wreck is easily accessible by scuba divers about 300 m offshore in 3 to 15 m of water. The hull lies on its collapsed starboard side. Some of the original cargo of 56,763 roof slates remains at the site of the wreck along with corroded masses of what used to be coils of barbed wire. Twenty-two thousand slates were salvaged in the 1980s and used to provide roofing at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. An anchor that was recovered in 1974 is on display at the village. The encrusted rope is significant as a salvaged item from the Victorian heritage-listed Falls of Halladale wreck. As an artifact from the wrecked ship, it helps us to remember today the story of the wrecking and is an important reminder of a marine incident in Victoria's maritime history.Piece of encrusted rope. Artifact Reg No FoH/1.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shipwreck peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, great clipper ships, russell & co., rope -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph - SS Dawn
The SS Dawn steamship was a 522-ton coastal trader built in 1876 and it’s original captain Jones operated the vessel around the Victorian west coast from 1877 until 1898 for the Portland & Belfast Steam Navigation Co, the vessel was then owned in October 1885 by the renamed company, Belfast & Koroit Steam Navigation Co., until March 1896 when it’s ownership moved to W Howard Smith & Sons Ltd., This Melbourne company used the ship to service most ports around Australia. Captain F Chapman took over from captain Jones and served on the SS Dawn from 1898 until 1900 when he took command of the SS Casino operated by the Belfast & Koroit Shipping Company at Port Fairy and became the captain from 1900 until 1922 when he retired after twenty-two years becoming the ships longest-serving captain. Captain Roberts took over command until 1924 followed by captain Middleton until 1932 when the Casino was sunk off Apollo Bay and captain Middleton collapsed and died in the surf. Photograph of SS Dawn at Portland. Building in background Portland and Belfast Steamship CompanySS Dawnflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village