Clothing. A length-364 cms long of beautiful cream coloured silk satin ribbon, 4.5 cms wide, and finished with a picot hem stitched edge on each side. Possibly used as a vehicle decoration on the wedding vehicle of Aileen and John.costume, female, length of silk ribbon

The small, cylindrical steel airway is used to prop open the patient's mouth to allow air into the lungs. The opening has a wide, curved lip and is covered with T-shaped grating which prevents its use with an endotracheal tube as a bite block.mouth gag, mouth prop, bite blocker, c langton hewer, anaesthesia, endotracheal, airway, oral apparatus, tongue

The Spalding factory was located at the intersection of Ballarat Rd and McIntyre Rd in Sunshine (North East corner). The factory made sporting goods, and in 1972 Spalding acquired T. W. Sherrin Pty Ltd which was a major manufacturer of footballs used in Australian Rules football games. In the early 1990's the factory in Sunshine was demolished and replaced by the first Bunnings Hardware store to be erected in Victoria. In July 2003 Spalding was bought out by the Russell Corporation.The board is a historical record of the loyal employees who provided at least 25 years of service to Spalding or to T. W. Sherrin Pty Ltd.Brown stained wooden board with wave shaped top which is about 14 cm less wide than the base. The names of employees who have provided 25 years of loyal service are recorded on the board in gold coloured lettering. The board contains the names of 50 workers who had reached the 25 year service milestone at SPALDING, and also the names of 4 employees who did the same at T. W. SHERRIN Pty Ltd. The first people reached this milestone in 1950 and the last person is recorded as reaching this in 1981.honour board, spalding, t. w. sherrin pty ltd, 25 years service roll

Heavy duty hex wheel wrench, losely tied to a piece of flat steel with several turns of steel wire (perhaps for strengthening). Handle Offset 22cm deep by 14cm wide. Flat steel base is warped and has three holes

Cr. Willis was first to run a bus line from Vermont to Mitcham. Later his Ventura Bus Lines expanded throughout the Nunawading area.Black and white photograph of Councillor C.L.(Jim)Willis in his mayoral robes seated on a chair. At the lower part of the photograph frame is a wide silver plaque which is attached to a piece of thick board. Inscribed is - Cr.C.L.Willis, Mayor 1950 - 1951willis c.l.councillors of nunawading city of nunawading mayors of nunawading, bus line

Original Victorian Railways teapot, part of the silver service at Mt Buffalo Chalet. Part of Victorian Railways silver service. When the Victorian railways took over management of the Chalet from 1 October 1924, they ran their dining room and café in similar fashion to the dining cars on their trains and refreshment rooms on their stations, using the same ceramic hotel-ware and electro plated nickel silverware (EPNS), all made to order items that are clearly identified by the distinctive 'VR' monogram. The Chalet retains a good selection of the diverse range of EPNS item formerly used in the dining room..- which in all their variety and function help to interpret the dining room protocols of the 'tourist house' and the service provided by the Victorian Railways refreshment and Services Branch. Many of the items were manufactured by Stoke & Sons of Melbourne (est. 1856.)' (Pg. 103. Historica) Possibly once graced the chrome display cabinet.Listed in Draft Inventory of Significant Collection items. Appendix A.3.Tableware. (Pg 166 Historica).Large electroplated teapot with "VR" engraved on one side. Handle features holes at base either end of join. Lid features a circular knob and scroll handle at front with a wooden insert. Teapot has flat wide circular base."EPNSSRS / MADE IN AUSTRALIA / STOKES & SONS / MELBOURNE / BOOMERANG PLATE / WARRANTED / HARD SOLDERED / 745 / VICTORIAN RAILWAYS"

A single steel narrow design swingletree with a wide steel bar at the base and is made into a triangular shape. It has two steel loops at each end. It was used to balance the pull of a draught horse or other draught animals when pulling a vehicle.horse accessories, swingletree, horses, horse tack

Alice McGREGOR Born: 1908; unknown parents. Possibly adopted by the Salter family? Electoral Roll 1936: Highland Terrace Kangaroo Flat. Alice Mary Salter and William Robert Salter living together; presumed to be sister and brother. William Robert Salter was killed in a MVA in Bendigo in 1937 aged 26. In Victoria in 1938, Alice Mary Salter married James Thomas McGregor (born Victoria 1917, died Victoria 1983, buried Fawkner Cemetery) Lived: 1968; 22 Wade Street Golden Square Alice McGregor Died: 1999 aged 91 at Anne Caudle Centre, Bendigo Buried: Kangaroo Flat Cemetery See additional research. Postcard Album of Alice McGregor contained 86 post cards.Postcard Album of Alice McGregor containing 86 postcards. See 1400 Colour photo of Lord Street, Southport, S.W. A wide street with tram tracks. Tram in the distance. Shops on the right and trees on left. Lady crossing the street in the foreground. Addressed to Miss A Rawson, "Smedley", Te Hernui, New Plymouth, New Zealand Sender - Rita Porter Date stamp Oct 18 1905 postcard, collector, alice mcgregor

Clothing. Owners initials prominent on outside. Rectangular in shape, fine grained black leather. The leather forms an external shape, white inside a smaller watermark, black silk pouch has a silver frame and clasp to hold the required items. This is lined with a dark cream watermark silk, and has an outer section with side pocket, containing a mirror, and a smaller inner section divided into purse-like compartments. Each swection has a silver frame and clasp. A small piece of light card -red on one side, and possibly glued as a label on the otherside is the same shape as the handbag, and has printed in capital letters ''NOTE THE POINTS''. This may or may not relate to the bag. The outer leather section is slightly tapered-wider at the bottom, forming slight peaks. The top reflects these peaks, with a 3 cm wide band of leather, shaped wider at the top. 23 cm long at top, 21 cm long at lower edge. Silver metal, upper-case lettering:M-A-B, indicate the owners initials. .7 cm high, 7cm long. Two 1 cm wide, 28 cm long handles complete this stylish bag. Mirror has bevelled edges, and is backed with the same fabric, as the bag lining.costume accessories, female, black handbag with silver initials m-a-b

Three orange covered auction catalogues with black printing for a sale on the 8th and 9th August, 1984 at McNiece Bros. Factory Midland Highway, Epsom, Via Bendigo. For sale were Fork Lifts, Guillotine, Pan Break Folder, Air Compressors, Horizontal Boring Machine, Arc Welders, Machine Tools, Stores Assort. Valves, Modern Office Machines and Furniture, Drafting and General Equipment and Aluminium Site Office. Some lots in the catalogue are underlined. J. H. Curnow & Son Pty. Ltd. Were the auctioneers.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - mcniece bros factory - epsom, j h curnow & son pty ltd, mr bill doxford, f c dyett, i m dyett, n f dyett, bolton bros pty ltd print

Diggers & Mining. The gold licence. The Government Camp. The licence system aroused much hostility among the diggers. They objected to the principle of the fee - a tax on their labour levied by a government in which they were not represented. They objected to the incidence of the tax, which bore equally on the fortunate diggers who could afford it, and the large number of unfortunate diggers who could not. But the most objectionable feature of the licence system way the method by which, on most fields, it was generally enforced. Markings: 34 994.LIF. 4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

This wooden cardholder has been made from the wood of the screw steamer S.S. Edina, most probably after she was broken up in 1957, but could have been made after one of several renovations during her lifetime. The slotted design of the cardholder allows a card to stand vertically and the base is made wider to stableise the holder. It could be used for holding items such as place cards, menus, table numbers. ABOUT THE S S EDINA The three masted iron screw steamer SS Edina was built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1854 by Barclay and Curle. She was adorned with the figurehead of ‘fair maid of Judea’. The many years of service made SS Edina famous worldwide as the longest serving screw steamer. (The term screw steamer comes from being driven by a single propeller, sometimes called a screw, driven by a steam engine.) SS Edina’s interesting history includes English Chanel runs, serving in the Crimean Ware carrying ammunition, horses and stores to the Black Sea, and further service in the American Civil War and later, serving in the western district of Victoria as well as in Queensland and carried gold, currency and gold prospectors Australia to New Zealand. SS Edina had the privilege of being an escort vessel to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to Australia in 1867. In March 1863 SS Edina arrived in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, and was bought by Stephen Henty, of Portland fame, to work the cargo and passenger run from Melbourne – Warrnambool – Port Fairy - Portland. After a short time of working the run from Australia to New Zealand, with passengers and cargo that included gold and currency, she returned to her Melbourne - Warrnambool – Port Fairy run, with cargo including bales of wool produced in the western district of Victoria. The Warrnambool Steam Packet Company purchased SS Edina in 1867; she was now commanded by Captain John Thompson and Chief Engineer John Davies. She survived several mishaps at sea, had a complete service and overhaul, and several changes of commanders. In 1870 SS Edina was in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, when a gale sprung up and caused a collision with the iron screw steamer SS Dandenong. SS Edina’s figurehead was broken into pieces and it was not ever replaced. SS Edina was re-fitted in 1870 than was used as a coastal trader in Queensland for a period. She was then brought to Melbourne to carry cargo and passengers between Melbourne and Geelong and performed this service 1880-1938. During this time (1917) she was again refitted with a new mast, funnel, bridge and promenade deck, altering her appearance. In 1938, after more collisions, SS Edina was taken out of service. However she was later renamed Dinah and used as a ‘lighter’ (a vessel without engine or superstructure) to be towed and carry wool and general cargo between Melbourne and Geelong. In 1957, after 104 years, the SS Edina was broken up at Footscray, Melbourne. Remains of SS Edina’s hull can be found in the Maribyrnong River, Port Phillip Bay. [Reference: A Brief Review of Steam Navigation in Victoria; C Dickson Gregory; Centenary Maritime Exhibition catalogue, 1934; published by Shiplovers' Society of Victoria Dandenong, Passengers in History, http://passengersinhistory.sa.gov.au/node/924034 Edina, Victorian Heritage Database VHR S199 http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/shipwrecks/heritage/199 SS Edina, Coastal Trader and Passenger Ship 1853-1938, Museum Victoria Collections, https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/articles/6227 SS ‘Edina’ – the Longest Serving Screw Steamer in the World, POI Australia, https://poi-australia.com.au/ss-edina-the-longest-serving-steamer-in-the-world/ ]This card holder is made from wood from the SS Edina and is significant for its association with that vessel. The SS Edina is heritage listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S199. She had endeared herself to the people of Port Phillip Bay as a passenger ferry, part of their history and culture. She played a significant role in the Crimean War, the American Civil War and the gold rush in New Zealand. She also served western Victoria for many years in her cargo and passenger runs. The SS Edina is famous for being the longest serving screw steamer in the world. After spending her first nine years overseas she arrived in Melbourne and her 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 SS Edina was purchased in the late 1860’s by local Warrnambool business, the Warrnambool Steam Packet Co. and continued trading from there as part of the local business community. The SS Edina’s original ‘fair maid of Judea’ figurehead was broken to pieces in a collision with another vessel (the SS Dandenong) in a gale off Warrnambool, Victoria, in 1870. Card holder, made from the wood from the SS Edina (screw steamer ship). Holder is cylindrical shape, wider turned wood base. Top is divided with a space in the centre tor inserting a card. Rectangular metal plaque, gold coloured, has a printed inscription within black border. Made c. 1854 - 1957.Printed in black lettering on gold coloured plaque "MADE FROM / THE WOOD OF / S.S. EDINA"warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwrecked artefact, barclay & curle, figurehead 'fair maid of judea', centenary maritime exhibition 1934, a brief review of steam navigation in victoria, pleasure steamer edina, trade and travel late 19th and early 20th century, trade melbourne to geelong, screw steamer edina, coastal trader edina, lighter dinah, cargo carrying for cremean war, cargo carrying for american civil war, passenger and trade in western district of victoria, export gold and currency and gold diggers to new zealand, export vessel to h r h the duke of edinburgh, melbourne - warrnambool - port fairy - portland cargo run, warrnambool steam packet company, stephen henty, captain john thompson, chief engineer john davies, lady bay warrnambool, lighter edina, shipping victoria, port phillip bay steamers, steamship great britain, edina, vhr s199 victorian heritage database, card holder, menu holder, table number holder, souvenir of the ss edina

Bung borer are a class of tools that bore a tapered hole in a wooden barrel, cask or flask, the tool makes a graduated tapered hole called a bung hole. The bung that goes into the hole can be made from wood, rubber or cork to make a tight seal or a tap is used to dispense the liquid inside the barrel. Often two holes would be made the first in the middle of the barrel and its highest location when laying on its side, this is use to fill the barrel. The second one, with the barrel now standing up, would be bored on one side of the head, near the rim, opposite the filling bung. That would be the one that would receive a tapered wooden or metal tap for dispensing liquid. There have been many models of bung borer used, the age old pattern is of a simple tapered spoon, later more sophisticated models would appear to do the same job and over the years numerous types of design have been patented.The subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Bung borer threaded with wooden handle. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel bung hole borer, barrels, coopers tools

Bung borer are a class of tools that bore a tapered hole in a wooden barrel, cask or flask, the tool makes a graduated tapered hole called a bung hole. The bung that goes into the hole can be made from wood, rubber or cork to make a tight seal or a tap is used to dispense the liquid inside the barrel. Often two holes would be made the first in the middle of the barrel and its highest location when laying on its side, this is use to fill the barrel. The second one, with the barrel now standing up, would be bored on one side of the head, near the rim, opposite the filling bung. That would be the one that would receive a tapered wooden or metal tap for dispensing liquid. There have been many models of bung borer used, the age old pattern is of a simple tapered spoon, later more sophisticated models would appear to do the same job and over the years numerous types of design have been patented.The subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Bung borer threaded with wooden handle. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel bung hole borer, barrels, coopers tools

Rectangular; khaki coloured; metallic zip that runs along two sides and the top; one outside pocket with press stud; carrying strap at back; two flaps both sides of strap with metal attachments for securing. Contents inside include shoe horn; pocket knife with two blades; two packaged large field first-aid dressings; two vials (in cardboard packaging) of Morphine Tartrate; one bottle of drinking water purifying tablets; one packet of 8 wound tablets; two packets sulfanilamide wound powder; one box 4” bandage compresses; one box eye dressing containing 3 cotton pads, 3 sets adhesive strips, 2 tubes boric acid ointment and 1 tube ointment; one packaged small first-aid dressing; one package containing two tubes of boric acid ointment. There is also a small piece of foil which was found deep inside the kit but it is unknown if it actually belonged here. Contents in outer pocket - one package containing ten iodine applicators; one package of adhesive 1” bandage gauze.On outside of kit - “Kit, First Aid Aeronatic U.S.” Underneath kit - red painted cross Pocket knife - Inscription on both sides with logo (M inside circle) “McEwan-Younger Ltd. Edinburgh”

The beach cart was hand drawn by a team of six people; two in front, one on each side and two behind. The wide iron tyres on the the wheels helped prevent the cart from sinking into the sand. The load of heavy beach apparatus equipment was held in place by the hand worked rope net cover. It would be stored in the Rocket House packed and ready to use for practice or rescue. Beach apparatus equipment - In the mid-1800s the equipment could include a line throwing set, coiled line in wooden carrying case, rockets, cartridges, breeches buoy, hawser and traveller block, line-throwing pistol, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, crotch pole, and tools such as spade, pick, mallet and hawser cutter. Around the 1860s Warrnambool had a Rocket House installed beside the Harbour. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. This cart and cover set is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Beach cart; a blue and white painted, wooden cart with two, red coloured metal wheels. The wheels have twelve spokes and wide iron tyres. The cart has a long draw bar with T- handles at the end. It was pulled by two people, usually steered by another two and pushed by a further two. It was supplied by the Government of Victoria. There is an inscription on the front end panel. The cart has a removable hand worked rope cover. Stencilled in white paint “G of V” flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, rocket crew, beach rescue, rescue equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket equipment, marine technology, lifeboat, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, lifesaving rescue crew, rocket apparatus, shore to ship, stranded vessel, rocket rescue apparatus, line thrower, beach apparatus, breeches buoy, life jacket, rocket house, rocket shed, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, beach rescue set, rocket set, beach cart, hand barrow, welsh hand barrow, harbour board, government of victoria, harbour master, l.s.r.c., lsrc

A coffee-coloured lace bertha collar which is wide, round, flat collar designed to accent a woman's shoulders. It has a long history stretching back to Victorian fashion. It can be worn as an accessory to a dress or a top, and it is sometimes removable like a shawl.lace accessories collar bertha

Australian Army Ordnance Corp pennant from c. WWII.Triangular shape - blue felt with red felt strip and two blue felt attachment strips at wide end. Australian Commonwealth Military Forces Rising Sun badge printed on left hand side and A.A.O.C in red print across pennant.pennant, memorabilia, aaoc

The donors of this fur collar believe the collar to be between 80-90 years old. It was worn by the donor’s grandmother and mother as an accessory to Warrnambool and district balls and dances. It may have also been worn for warmth! The donors believe the fur would have been purchased in either Melbourne or Toorak. This fur could have been worn by either men or women. This fur collar is representative of fashion accessories in Warrnambool and District in the 1930’s.Fur collar, 1930’s. Rabbit fur collar, wide lapels, very soft fur with dyed pattern of light and dark brown stripes. Collar is lined with a heavy dark green woollen fabric. Between the fur and the lining there is a felt interfacingflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, fur collar, fur stole, fur accessory, clothing 1930’s, fashion 1930’s, fashion accessory, rabbit fur

Milk was produced at the local dairy and then delivered to the stores and / or each household. The shape of the bottles changed as did the stopper used to seal it. The cardboard one predating the aluminium seals. Milk bottles were recycled by the dairy for re use. Liquids were measured in pints pre 1966.Historical: Change of bottles - shape, stopper, embossing Aesthetic: Display showing embossing and shapeClear glass milk bottle with straight sides half way up tapering to the top where there is a thick lip on the outside. Opening is wide. There is an inner rim inside the opening. A cardboard disc fitted on to the inner rim to seal the contents. Heavily embossed.On side near base: 'One Imperial pint' On base: Common Seal: 'A' with 'G' and 'M' inside the 'A'. 'F 1297' is across the middle and 'M' is underneath. In front of the 'M' one bottle has '2' and the other '6'.milk, diary, glass bottle, household, farmer

This medical / hospital instrument was used in the Tawonga District General Hospital which was built in the 1950's specifically for the increase in population due to the Kiewa Hydro Scheme.Historical: Shows the development of scientific hospital equipment. Provenance: Used in the Tawonga District General Hospital which was remote and therefore required good equipment. Good condition and good interpretation capacity.Cardboard box with a label on the lid. Inside is a rubber bulb pump attached to a clear glass 'receiver'. The glass is a cylinder opening to an almost flat wide circular disc. On one side of the cylinder is a sphere opening to the cylinder presumably where the milk is collected. Label: (Top Left):'Ingram's / London' / (On the right): 'Omega Breast Reliever / The finest quality / Rubber Bulb fitted / with a Glass Receiver / of approved design.' (Bottom left): Recommended by the / Medical & Nursing / Professions On rubber: Ingram's / London / Omegaomega breast reliever, baby's feeding, breast feeding, medical, nursing

Hickory wood is hard and heavy. Owned and used by Wally Deans.Used by SECV employee, Wally Deans who worked on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme.Wooden skis made of hickory wood with metal binding and leather straps. Cane stocks with wide baskets. Ski boots are black, lace up with a steel plate screwed onto the front of the sole. The boots are in a steel hanging device for storage and transportation. Skis: "S.E.C. -3" inscribed on side. "66 / Hickory / 1742" on front of ski. Binding: 'Northland'. "Kanadar". Steel Carrier: "Tyrol / Can.Pat.1962 / U.S.Pat. 3074085 / Made in Canada"wally deans, ski equipment, skis, ski boots, ski stocks

This is a SPRA, or Schermuly’s Pistol Rocket Apparatus. The large firearm type pistol would have been used to throw a line between ships, usually in the event of saving lives. The line throwing pistol consists of a long barrel with handle attached, a pistol grip and trigger, which fires a short blank cartridge. Accessories for the pistol included: flares, 12 gauge adaptor (to shoot 12 gauge flares), a wood plunger, and boxes of faked line. The stamp on the handle, Crown over "NP" is a Birmingham Proof House mark that dates the pistol between 1904 and 1954. However Schermuly's line throwing pistol was invented in the 192s and used on British Naval Ships from 1929. The serial number '22507' is only 806 numbers later than one on sale as a British Military WWII issue SRPA '21701'. This pistol appears to be made 125-1945. The apparatus was used as a life saving device for crew and passengers on vessels in distress that were only a few hundred metres from shore, often eliminating the need to launch a boat and risk lives to go out to the vessel in dangerous conditions. It could also be used from ship to ship rescue. The pistol would launch a line from shore to the vessel. The line would be attached to the vessel, then shore crew would send out equipment, including a breeches buoy, in which the stranded people could be pulled to shore. It has saved many lives at sea. The cartridge is loaded into the breech of the pistol and the rocket is inserted into the muzzle. On pulling the trigger, the gases generated by the fired cartridge eject the rocket on its correct line of flight, and at the same time, burst through the waterproof disc and ignite the propellant mixture, which carries the rocket and line on the remainder of the flight. The rocket consists of a weldless steel case filled with propellant mixture sealed in by a waterproof disc. Fixed to the rocket case is a direction bridle, to the end of which a short length of flexible steel wire is attached, this in turn being connected to the end of the line to be thrown. A complete rocket set, or line throwing kit. would include a wood carrying case, two coils of faked line in separate compartments, three rockets and a can of six cartridges. William Schermuly (1857 – 1929) - Founder of the Schermuly business. In 1897 he invented a trough-fired, line throwing apparatus. In 1920 he and his third son, Alfred James Schermuly, invented the pistol rocket apparatus and promoted this overseas during the 1920s. The system was approved by the British Navy in 1929 through an Act of Parliament, which made it compulsory for ships over 500 tons to carry this equipment. The company, Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus Ltd., grew quickly during and after World War II but business eased off during the 1970s before it eventually closed in the 1990s. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. This line-throwing pistol is part of he Rocket Launching Equipment used to perform life-saving rescue at sea from the 1920s. It is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Pistol, line-throwing, SPRA (Schermuly's Pistol Rocket Apparatus). This line throwing pistol has a wooden pistol grip, brass trigger mechanism, and a long, wide, steel barrel with Bakelite handle attached to the top. Inscriptions are stamped onto the pistol.Stamped on handle: "5" and "[symbol of a Crown] above NP" , "22507", "[within oval] SPRA" Stamped on barrel: "L22507".gun, pistol, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, line throwing, line throwing pistol, spra, schermuly's pistol rocket apparatus, sea rescue, pyrotechnicks, marine technology, schermuly pistol rocket apparatus ltd., william schermuly, alfred schermuly, pistol line thrower, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, maritime village, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket equipment, rescue boat, lifeboat, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, life saving rescue crew, lifesaving rescue crew, rocket apparatus, rocket rescue method, shore to ship, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, line throwing mortar, rocket rescue apparatus, line thrower, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, beach rescue set, rocket set, schermuly, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, pistol rocket apparatus, line throwing cartridge, line-throwing rocket, firearm, life saving, lsrc