In UK in early 1800's the word 'mechanic' was applied to a broader range of skills such as working man, tradesman or artisan. Mechanics' Institutes were formed originally for voluntary, self-funded organisations, to improve the education of working men and to instruct them on their various trades. The germ of the idea came from a class formed in 1799 by Professor George Birbeck in Glasgow, Scotland, for journeymen mechanics (apprentice trade workers), with the first Institutes being organised in London and Manchester in the 1820's. By then the original aim had broadened and the Mechanics' Institutes were established as popular agencies of adult education. The Mechanics' Institutes were run by committees that provided facilities for a meeting room, hall suitable for lectures, and a library. Funding was raised locally and often supplemented by grants from government agencies for the purchase of books and other resources. Activities were community based. In Australia, Mechanics' Institutes were set up in New South Wales and in Tasmania in the late 1820's. Mechanics' Institutes began in Victoria, with the first one in Melbourne dating from 1839, providing similar services but in time offered services tailored to their specific area. Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. "These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In q856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art., and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. In 1975 the original building was demolished and the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: - The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. - The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. - The Historic Society has some items - The State Museum has some items - Some items were destroyed - Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. NOTE: Pages of this book have been digitally recorded and archived.The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. Record book; School of Design Minutes and Institute 1883-1886 / Monthly Statement of Receipts & Expenditure 1898-1905 (Double purpose book). Card cover, red/blue/white pattern, red cloth binding, pages have ruled lines. Label on one cover reads "Monthly Statement of Receipts and Expenditure 1898-1899", label on other cover reads "Comparative Statement"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, warrnambool mechanics' institute, mechanics' institute records warrnambool, record book 1883

This blood pressure monitor (sphygmomanometer) belonged to Dr William Roy Angus, surgeon and oculist. It was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by his daughter, Berry McDade in January 2015. . It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. The approximate manufacture date of the blood pressure monitor coincides with the time when Doctor William Roy Angus had his practice in Warrnambool. The company Short & Mason Ltd. London used the brand name TYCOS between 1907-1969 and Rudolf Riester (the brand on the cuff) formed the company ‘Riester” in Germany in 1948, where he developed and produced the first mercury blood pressure monitors. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station.). Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (The duties of a Port Medical Officer were outlined by the Colonial Secretary on 21st June, 1839 under the terms of the Quarantine Act. Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne. In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. Their interests included organisations such as Red Cross, Rostrum, Warrnambool and District Historical Society (founding members), Wine and Food Society, Steering Committee for Tertiary Education in Warrnambool, Local National Trust, Good Neighbour Council, Housing Commission Advisory Board, United Services Institute, Legion of Ex-Servicemen, Olympic Pool Committee, Food for Britain Organisation, Warrnambool Hospital, Anti-Cancer Council, Boys’ Club, Charitable Council, National Fitness Council and Air Raid Precautions Group. He was also a member of the Steam Preservation Society and derived much pleasure from a steam traction engine on his farm. He had an interest in people and the community. He and his wife Gladys were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool.. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure meter), from the collection of W.R. Angus. Brand TYCOS by Short & Mason Ltd, London. The case is of black leather with press-stud closure, lined in brown leather with gilded maker's embossing inside lid. The meter has a grey fabric cuff attached to two black rubber tubes, one tube has a pump bulb on a short brown extension tube on the end, the other has a round meter with glass covered dial on the end. Dial registers 20 – 300. There are maker's details on both meter and box."Patent 9535. No. 39370". Gold maker's stamp " "TYCOS" "SPHYGMOMANOMETER / SHORT & MASON LTD. LONDON / company’s logo”. Cloth label sewn on cuff "GERMANY / RIESTER"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, sphygmomanometer, chemist equipment, dr w.r. angus, medical instrument, warrnambool base hospital, medical treatment, medical history

This novel, Jimmy of 'Murrumbar' by E.D. Oakley (Edward Daniel Oakley 1877-1962), is a children’s adventure story about an Australian indigenous boy who was educated in a mission and worked as a 'black tracker’ for the police to hunt down criminals in the bush and mountain region of the Grampian Ranges of Victoria. Oakely's parents, Thomas and Eliza, had a farm in Warrnambool called 'Oakbank'. Oakley worked at various jobs in the local district and later had his own wheat farms. When he returned to Warrnambool to build commercial premises and work in the retail industry. His influence encouraged Fletcher Jones to open a shop in Warrnambool. His novel - Jimmy of 'Murrumbar' - was written after he retired. The copy of the book in our collection does not have a publication date. The National Library of Australia lists two editions of this book, one dated 1938, the other is undetermined. It was published as part of a series called the Marcie Muir Collection of Australian children's books. No reference has been found to the author or any further works by him/her. The novel was reprinted as a reproduction in 2017 as a paperback and a leather bound edition 'Classic Reprint' by Forgotten Books. WARRNAMBOOL MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853, a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November 1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half-yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fundraising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however, it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former courthouse in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historical books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historical Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed artworks and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. This novel is historically significant for its story, representing the changes to Australian Indigenous culture and life after colonisation. The book appears to be that this is the only work written by E.D. Oakley. It is locally significant for being written by an early prominent Warrnambool family member. Jimmy of Murrumbar : A Story of the Amazing Ability and Fidelity of an Australian Black Tracker Author: E D Oakley (Edward Daniel Oakley) Publisher: Osboldstone & Co, Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia The label on the spine with typed text R.A. 823 OAK The front loose endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Children’s Library shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, warrnambool, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, jimmy of murrumbar, e d oakley, edward daniel oakley, novel, young adult novel, juvenile fiction, australian black tracker, law enforcement - police trackers, tracking and trailing in australia, australian bush, grampian ranges in victoria, warrnambool history, fletcher jones, oakbank, thomas and eliza oakley, indigenous literature, indigenous australians

The pews (18 small and 1 large) with 3 fronts were donated by Mrs E.W. Outhwaite in memory of her father, Nicholas Maine, who died in 1915. Nicholas Maine biography was published in the Australian on 11 September 1915 : "Nicholas Maine, whose paternal grandfather was rector of the Church of England and Ireland, parish of Dunaghy, County Antrim, came of a family of very considerable repute as merchants in Belfast. He was born at Ballymena on New Year's Day, 1826, and received his earlier education at the Diocesan School, Ballymena, and at Dr. Bryce's Academy, Belfast. After a three years' apprenticeship in a merchant's office, in Belfast, he ventured forth into the world as supercargo in a vessel belonging to one of his brothers, and so performing two voyages to Brazil. Ashore once more, he joined a broker's office in Liverpool, and whilst there was specially chosen out of a large staff as the man to take charge of a fleet of ships on a guano quest on the coast of Patagonia. Having determined on a suitable rendezvous for his ships, he sailed for the River Plate in a handy vessel, and from Monte Video south- wards minutely searched and examined the coast, chiefly in boats, as far as Santa Cruz, near the Straits of Magellan. At Sea Bear's Bay, in lat. 48deg. S., he landed his men, and pitched his tents, &c. After 10 months of extreme hardship and risky adventure on the coast in open boats, and loss of many men from scurvy, he loaded up all the ships sent to him, and returned to the River Plate. While there he met Captain Hotham, R.N., of H.M.S. Gordon (afterwards Governor of Victoria), and also saw Garibaldi, who was then making himself famous by his daring adventures against the enemy, though with inadequate means. (There was war going on in the river at the time.) From Monte Video he returned to Brazil, where he opened a direct trade with Russia, by shipping the first cargo, of sugar and cotton from Pernambuco to St. Petersburg. For so doing the Emperor Nicholas allowed his vessel (the Urgent), belonging to his brothers, trading under he name of N. Maine and Sons, to enter Russia free of port charges. Shortly after this Nicholas Maine went ashore, spending three years in a Liverpool brokers office, when, sailing again as super cargo, he went on a trading voyage to Chili and Peru. He was present at Panama for six months during the rush to California, and crossed the isthmus on muleback and by canoe, a severe journey in those days. Thence he went to Jamaica, his ship's company carrying with them the cholera, which decimated the population. Then home again, visiting the United States by the way. After another year in Liverpool, he sailed again for Brazil, at one day's notice, bought a cargo of coffee at Rio Janeiro, took it to San Francisco, and settled there, where he had three years of a most exciting life — 1851-2-3 —also making speculative voyages down the coast to Mexico and Nicaragua, at which latter place he took the fever and so on to the South Sea Islands, where he suffered shipwreck, and thence on to Chili. He arrived in Melbourne from New Zealand in 1854; made one more voyage to Chili (his last venture at sea), and on his return sold his vessel. After refitting a dismasted clipper ship, called the Flying Arrow for his brother Crawford, with what was considered in those days unusual dispatch, when the port had not many conveniences for the purpose, he quietly went again into harness ashore. He managed Mr. T. S. Martin's large business in Melbourne for five years, till he broke down, from excessive work and anxiety. After winding up the business, he sailed for England in 1862, and idled at home, in Italy, and other parts of the Continent till, his health being restored, he returned to Melbourne in 1867, and went to Queensland to buy into a station along with his brother and others; but, not being satisfied, came back to Melbourne, and began to work as a mercantile broker. Soon after this he was induced to apply for the resident secretaryship of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and got it in 1868, though, at the time, several professionals thought him unfit, and prophesied failure. He retired after a long term of eminently profitable business transactions in 1895, owing to a rule of the society to retire secretaries at the age of seventy. He accordingly left on the 1st January, 1896, after twenty-seven years' service unbroken by a single holiday, save for a trip to Europe in 1891. A letter was written him by Sir Joseph Abbott, chairman of the board, in which he said:- "I need hardly assure you that the board is extremely sorry that the, society is obliged to lose your services, which have been so highly appreciated by us during your long connection with the society," and enclosed a grateful resolution passed by the board." Margaret Isabella Maine was born in 1871 and was the only daughter of Nicholas Maine. In 1897, she married Edward Walter Outhwaite, a layer from New South Wales who had studied at the University of Melbourne. Edward was the brother of Arthur Grenbry Outhwaite, husband of artist Ida Rentoul. Margaret and Edward had three children: a son, Maine Outhwaite and two daughters, Helen Margaret and Jocelyn. The pews on the left side of the nave have been moved to make room to a baby grand piano (date tbc.) therefore 2 of them have to be moved elsewhere in the mission and the pew front has been brought backwards..gifts, st peter chapel, pews, edward walter outhwaite, margaret isabella outhwaite nee maine (1871-1964), arthur grenbry outhwaite (1875-1938), nicholas maine (1826-1915), heritage listed, gifts-1917, kneelers, genuflection, praying

This pump is an Ajax Type L2 Series A model, made and sold by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s to 1940’s, is a mechanical, hand operated, constant flow pressure pump. It would have been used to pump fluids from one area to another, for example from a dam to a tank or used as a bilge pump on a small vessel, mounted on the vessel’s bulkhead, floor or deck. This type of hand pump is sometimes called a ‘Reciprocating Suction Pump’. It has a mechanical pumping action of the lever moves the piston inside the pump up and down. The water is lifted from below the pump through the inlet pipe and into the pump’s cylinder. This action causes the lower valve to close and the piston’s valve opens and the pressure within the pump forces the water out of the pump through the exit pipe. The limitation of this type of pump is that it can only raise the water a maximum of about 7 metres from beneath the ground and yields 24-26 Litres per minute. This type of pump could be used for many purposes such as pumping water or fuel. McPherson’s 1940’s advertisement proclaims “For all jobs on the land – irrigation, spraying, tank, plumbing, fire-fighting – there’s a suitable “Ajax” pump. Send us the details of you pumping problem. Our Expert’s advice will help you choose the right pump – the one that will give you most years of PROFITABLE PUMPING.” (The Australasian (Melbourne) Sat. 26th October 1940.) McPherson’s Pty Ltd, the manufacturer, advertised a similar pump to this one in The Australasian (Melbourne) in 1936, calling it the Ajax Double Acting Hand Pump. In 1942 another advertisement advised that a representative for a fire-fighting equipment supplier was visiting the western district of Victoria. The company could now supply double-action two-spray Ajax pumps at lower prices than similar pumps the district had recently purchased from Adelaide. McPHERSON’S FOUNDER and COMPANY TIMELINE 1860 – Thomas McPherson, a Scottish immigrant (c. 1853 ), founded McPherson’s in Melbourne, supplying pig iron (lead ingots imported as ballast in ships) to local manufacturers. 1882 – Thomas McPherson established a warehouse in Collins St Melbourne and included tools, steam fittings and machinery in his wares. The business expanded to include steam saw mills and became known as Thomas McPherson and Sons (William Murray and Edward). 1888 – Thomas passed away and his sons inherited the business. In 1896 William Murray became the sole proprietor after his brother Edward’s death. 1900 – The firm expanded, establishing Acme Bolt Company to manufacture nuts and bolts. 1912 – McPhersons Pty Ltd established a machinery warehouse and showroom in 554-556 Collins St Melbourne. McPherson’s went on to establish branches in Sydney (1911), Adelaide (1921) and Perth (1930) 1917 - McPherson’s supplied ‘dog spikes’ for the transcontinental railway, running from Eastern to Western Australia. 1918 – A tool works set up in Kensington, Melbourne, manufacturing Macson lathes and made machine tools that previously had to be imported. 1924 – The Bolt Works was transferred to a new building in Melbourne. McPhersons began making pumps. 1929 – McPherson retired. His son (Sir) William Edward McPherson (known as ‘WE’), was born in Hawthorne, Melbourne, in 1898. After his education he began work in his father’s Melbourne hardware and machinery business He took over as governing director when his father retired. 1929-1932 – McPherson’s supplied thousands of tons of rivets from its Richmond (Melbourne) Bolt Works for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 1936 – McPherson’s Pty Ltd is advertising Ajax Pumps in newspapers 1934 – McPhersons purchased the property adjoining the warehouse in Collins Street, and during 1935-1936 built a new office and showrooms on the site of 546-445 Collins St. 1939 - McPherson’s acquired the Tool Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd and Associated Machine Tools Australia Pty Ltd was formed to separate McPherson’s machine-tool manufacturing and merchandising interests. 1939 – Ajax Pump Works, a foundry and pump manufacturing plant, was established in Tottenham, Melbourne, and the Ajax Bolt and Rivet Co Pty Ltd began manufacturing in New Zealand. 1944 - McPherson’s became a public company, McPherson’s Ltd. 1948 - The Ajax Pump Foundry opened at Kyneton, Victoria and in the post war years it grew to became a large manufacturer. 1980’s – Ajax Pumps brochure lists the address as 6 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 with the Telephone number 03 669 3588 1988 - Ajax Pumps acquired the Forrers Company, which was established in 1921. Manufacturing in Ipswich, Queensland, specialising in submersible sewage pumps. 1991 – KSB Ajax was formed, bringing together the companies KSB and Ajax Pumps 1993 – Manufacturing was moved to state-of-the-art premises in Tottenham, Victoria 2001 - The Forrers facility was moved to Tottenham. 2007 - Company name KSB Ajax Pumps was changed to KSB Australia Pty Ltd. 2009 - KSB Australia opened a branch in Townsville, Queensland. 2011 - KSB Australia moved to its dedicated Water and Waste Water Competence Centre in Bundamba, Queensland. DISPLAY OF THIS AJAX PUMP This pump was installed at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as part of a working display in the village by the Friends of Flagstaff Hill, in acknowledgement of the dedicated involvement of one of its long serving members, Bob Crossman. The display was officially opened 31st March 2018 and incorporates a restored Furphy Tank and Water Pipe Stand. The pump is used to draw water from the lake, through the water stand pipe and into the reconditioned Furphy Tank. This Ajax pump made by McPherson’s Pty Ltd is significant for its association with McPherson’s, a prominent manufacturer of hardware in Victoria. McPherson’s is famous for supplying ‘dog-spikes’ for the transcontinental railway (eastern to western Australia, 1917) and rivets for the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1929-1932). The Ajax pump is also of significance because of its association with McPherson’s Governing Director (Sir) William McPherson, former premier and treasurer in Victoria 1928-1929. The former McPherson’s Pty Ltd building in Collins Street Melbourne is now on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR H0942 This pump is representative of mechanical pumps popular in the early to mid-1900’s and still used today. Hand operated pressure pump, double acting. Cast metal case, painted red, with steel hose attachments and long metal lever. Pump is bolted to wooden plank. Model of pump is AJAX, Type L2, Series A pump. Embossed on lower section of pump "L2 - 10", "L2 - -1", "AJAX" “(?) –2-1” Embossed on lower handle “3-7” “L – 4” Embossed on attached plate “FOR SPARE PARTS / TYPE L2 / SERIES A / PUMP ASSEMBLED BY T R” Manufactured by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s - 1940’s.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ajax pump works tottenham melbourne, ajax pump factory kyneton, william edward mcpherson, thomas mcpherson of melbourne, mcpherson’s pty ltd melbourne, acme bolt company, tool equipment co. pty. ltd, associated machine tools australia pty ltd, ajax bolt and rivet co. pty ltd new zealand, forrers company ipswich queensland, ksb ajax pumps, ksb australia pty ltd, macson lathes, tool manufacturer early to mid- 20th century, ajax double acting hand pump, ajax type l2 series a pump, qisjax pumps, water pump 1940’s, fuel pump 1940’s, hand operated constant flow pressure pump, reciprocating suction pump, agricultural hand pump, plumber’s hand pump, portable hand pump

Eldest daughter of Edna and Bon Barrie, born on 03 November 1943 in Melbourne, Victoria, Memoirs of Wendy Barrie, recalling the early formative years of life in Melton: In 1949 I started school at Melton State School no 430 and was driven the 2½ miles to there by my parents at first. Later we walked home in the afternoons or were picked up by car as we made our way home along the Western Highway. In 1956 I went to Bacchus Marsh High School. There were 4 students in grade 6 and 3 of us went to the High School. The students from Melton, Melton South and Toolern Vale State Schools went by bus to Bacchus Marsh High School as far a fifth form. My parents drove me to the pick up point and during the five years of travel to High School. The bus travelled via Toolern Vale and later went through Exford and through Parwan. On the return journey in the afternoon the bus went in the reverse direction. The bridge at Exford was an old narrow wooden one, and the students had to get off the bus and walk across, with the driver crossing in the empty bus for safety reasons. There was a travelling allowance paid to parents and it was estimated from the distance the crow flies, a straight line. We lived a Ferris Lane, just where the Harness Racing entrance is now situated about 2 ½ miles by road to school too close to qualify for the subsidy. While at State School Melton we would walk home in a group with the Nixon and Gillespie children, along the main road over the bridge near the Shire Offices and down a hill. I was being dinked on Joyce Gillespie’s bike while holding onto the seat, toppled off the bike striking my chin and teeth on the bitumen and cracking my jaw. I was about 9 years old and stayed a couple of days in the Quamby Hospital in Bacchus Marsh, it seemed like and eternity at the time and quite traumatic being separated from my family. I can remember contemplating how I could get out of the window and run away but realised it was too far to walk home. Often we would cut across the Common on our way home from school picking up stray golf balls and collecting them from the creek when it dried out. We were warned about not accepting lifts from strangers passing along the Melbourne/ Ballarat Road. The only danger we faced was being swooped by the magpies particularly on the open ground on the Common. We were also fairly cautious when the Gypsies camped on the Common in the area just about opposite the small reservoir. “Mum” grandma Myers loved to have us call in on our way home, and usually would cut a slice of Jongebloed’s bread and spread it with home made butter. Sometimes we waited there until we were collected by car, usually driven by our mother. Margaret Nixon and Joyce Gillespie were a few grades ahead of me and Barbara Nixon was born just two months earlier than me. Our mothers were great friends for over 6o years, born in the same month three years apart. They lived within a few days of the same age as each other at the time their deaths. Dad and George Nixon attended Melton school at the same time. Sarah nee Hornbuckle Nixon and my grandfather Frederick Myers Snr were at school together at the same in the 1880s. The Nixon family lived in Keilor Road just past the Toolern Creek near the turnoff. Tom and Ann Collins lived on the southern side of the Western highway and Keilor road intersection. Jim and Ruby Gillespie’s house was further long Keilor road on the right. They backed onto the Myers who lived on the north side of Western Highway east of Myers Gully (Ryans Creek). The Bridge over the Toolern Creek as very narrow and as truck traffic increased there were accidents. One truck took out the side railing and plunged upside down into the bank and into the shallow water. Another fatal accident happened between a car and a truck right in front of the Myers house. Grandfather Fred had been a bike rider all his life, as far as the Riverina in his younger years, wryly made the comment about the drivers the speeding along the Ballarat Road were setting out to kill themselves. The road was busy particularly after the Races at Ballarat when the crowds were hurrying home to Melbourne. Train travel had changed very little from the time my mothers generation to mine. The timetable meant the usual rush to Melton South by bike in her case and if she was running late the train pulled up on the crossing. I was driven to the Station from home past Keith and Mary Gillespie’s house near the Ferris Road rail crossing to Bridge road to Melton South for the 7.32 train. While attending Sunshine High School in 1961 I would meet up with three other students, two of whom I knew from Bacchus Marsh High School days. We usually got into the same compartment on the train, it was a typical country train with a corridor along the side and compartments with a door, roof racks and sometimes heated metal containers for the feet in the winter. Some of the trains came through from Horsham and Ballarat, and the Overland from Adelaide passed through in the evening, we could hear it in the distance from the Ferris Lane home. The carriages had 1st and economy class compartments showing photographs of county scenes and holiday destinations. The engine was the large A class diesel. They are still running to Bacchus Marsh 50 years later, due to the need for the greatly increased number of commuters travelling to work in the city. Sometimes the carriages were pull by a Steam engine, these were a problem in the summer time because the sparks caused fires along the train lines and then quickly spread into the dry grass, crops and stubble. The Motor Train left Spencer Street at 4.23 pm and was the best train for me to catch. Ferris Road was a designated stop and train pulled up on the road crossing. It had steps at the door and rungs to hold while alighting to the ground. The ballast along the tracks was rough and uneven and awkward to land on. The train was painted blue and yellow with the letters VR pained on the front. This saved may parents the afternoon trip to collect me from the Station. On the walk home on the gravel road I would pass Uncle Tom and Aunty May’s house before reaching home. Melva Gillespie was studying at Sunshine Technical School and we sometimes both got off the train at the same time. On other occasions the Motor Train was replaced with a diesel engine with carriages, it was also required to stop and the driver had to be notified in advance. This meant getting into the guards van a Rockbank. It was more difficult alighting from the carriage as the gap was greater and more precarious to swing out and land on the ground. A few times in my last year of study at Melbourne Teachers College in Grattan Street Carlton. I managed to catch the 2.30 pm train to Serviceton, it was express to Melton and was very quick trip. The last train, was the 5.25 pm diesel to Ballarat and I usually caught this train to Melton South Station. On one occasion after being held up on the tram in Bourke street I had to make a mad dash to the platform chasing the train as it was just moving off and yelling to the guard, fortunately I was noticed and the train ground to halt. I scrambled into the end door and took most of the journey home to recover. After the last year at High School I continued to travel on the train, 2 years to Prahran Technical School changing at North Melbourne. There were a lot school children travelling to private schools and some at the primary level and mainly from Bacchus Marsh. Rockbank children also travelled by train from the beginning of their high school years, quite a few went to Sunshine High School. During my third year of teacher training I travelled to Flinders Street to RMIT for ceramics classes and Grattan St Teachers College located in the grounds of Melbourne University. There were many teachers being trained at the Secondary Teachers College due to the baby bulge creating a great shortage of teachers. Sunshine High School was very well represented amongst the different courses in Primary, Secondary and Art and Crafts. I attended Melbourne University lectures, studying a Fine Art subject. Bernard Smith was the most notable of the lecturers. he replaced Professor Joseph Bourke who had taken leave for the years. In 1962 he published the art book “Australian Painting”. The secondary art and craft student teachers from the College were in the majority, taking this subject and were well regarded due to their practical art and craft methods and their teaching round experience. In December 1964 I graduated as a Trained Secondary Teacher – Art and Crafts. The graduating ceremony was held at Wilson Hall. I received my appointment to work at Maryborough High School. Uncle Max and Aunty Rosemary Myers arranged my accommodation. Uncle Max was a teacher at the Maryborough Technical School fat the time. The appointment was suddenly changed when just before the school year was about to start when I received notification that I was now required to move to Warracknabeal High School. I was subject to a bond for the three years of training and three years of teaching and was under an obligation to comply with the directive of the Education Department. My father stood as guarantor when I was accepted as student at the Melbourne Teachers’ College, thus enabling me to receive my teacher training, and a 5 pounds a week allowance for expenses. After teaching for two years at Warracknabeal High School I was fortunate enough the gain a transfer to Sunshine West High School, returning to live at home in Melton and travelling by car to work with a fellow colleague, Jock Smith who lived at Station road Melton. I completed bond obligation and resigned at the end of the year. The employment regulations at that time did not allow the option of leave of absence for, indefinite overseas travel. I returned to Australia in October 1969. Visiting Arthur Hart the Principal of Sunshine High School he arranged with the Education Department for my re-employment at Sunshine High School until the end of the year. In 1970 I was transferred, and returned to Sunshine West High School where I worked for the next three years. In January 1968 I sailed on the “Oriana” to South Hampton with two teaching friends from Warracknabeal High School on a travelling and working holiday. Doreen Kiely, a former Bacchus Marsh High student and fellow train traveller from Bacchus Marsh, was already working in London, had arranged our accommodation at the London Travellers Club Hotel, Braham Gardens, Earls Court SW5. We based our stay at this address in London and travelled around Scotland, Ireland and England. In the summer we took a four month trip around the Continent and the Mediterranean. I registered with The Royal Borough Of Kingston Upon Thames as a Supply teacher, and worked at Chessington School form autumn to spring the following year and living with Mrs Rose Gillies at Kinross Avenue, Worcester Park, Surrey. In the spring of 1969 visiting Norway, Sweden and Finland joining an organised camping group to the Artic Circle, entered Russia at Leningrad (St Petersburg) Moscow, Minsk, to Poland and Czechoslovakia. In August returning to Worcester Park for the flight to Montreal to stay with cousin Lynette and husband Jurgen. A side trip was taken to Toronto, Niagara Falls and New York. The flight home from Montreal to Melbourne took 52 hours. A ½ day break in Vancouver before boarding the Qantas boeing 707 via San Francisco, Honolulu, Fiji, Sydney to Melbourne. Around the world in 21 months. Photographs of Wendy local identities

Andy Clapham owned and operated a boat yard on the Maribyrnong River in Footscray, Victoria. The river runs into Port Phillip Bay (sometimes known as Hobson’s bay) at Williamstown, an area with a history of trades associated with the shipping and construction industry. Andy Clapham’s photographs include those of the Reginald M and one of Polly Woodside, another vessel restored and used as a maritime exhibition. Andy Clapham’s letter of 1972 was posted in a and envelope with an early Australian decimal currency stamp showing the profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and valued at 7 cent. Andy offered invaluable advice to the Flagstaff Hill Historic Park Planning Board regarding the purchase a vessel suitable for use as an exhibit once Flagstaff Hill was opened. The Planning Board was set up by the Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce and approved by the City Council and State Government. Flagstaff Hill was investigating vessels in Adelaide and Tasmania as well as Melbourne. Andy looked at several vessels in 1972-1973. He also serviced the Reginald M among other vessels belonging to Captain Julian Dyson of Yarra Ferries, who had casually offered the vessel to Flagstaff Hill as a price that was unattainable at the time. Flagstaff Hill later requested photographs of the hull to discern the dimensions and also the condition of the timbers as well as wanting advice on its seafaring capability. In 1972 the Flagstaff Hill Historic Park Planning Board – Chairman J. (John) S. Lindsay (1972-1980), Secretary J. (James) Mark – wrote a letter of appreciation to Mr A. (Andy) Clapham of 3 Charles Street Footscray ... “Dear Mr. Clapham, The Board has asked me to write to you to express our appreciation for the assistance you have offered us through our Chairman John Lindsay. The information you have already given us has been invaluable, in that is shows us that we have not been setting out to do something that is impossible. We look forward to receiving further information from you as it becomes available and we appreciate that you must be busy enough without our problems. Members of our Board hope to call and see you on a trip to Melbourne in the near future. The Board is optimistic about the future of Flagstaff Hill as a Maritime Museum and look forward to you visiting Warrnambool to examine what we believe will be an ideal site. Yours faithfully, James Mark.” ABOUT the vessel “Reginald M” The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted, timber coastal vessel built by John Henry Murch in Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. It was named after Reginald Murch. (It was occasionally referred to as the Reginald “Emm”). Its construction took approximately 6 months using many materials and fittings from salvage yards. It is believed that the keep was hewn from two telegraph poles! Reginald M was launched at Largs Bay in 1922. Reginald M was approximately 30 metres long and was fore-to-aft ketch rigged with an ‘auxiliary’ motor to support any loss of sail power. The Reginald M was built to service the coastal ports of South Australia to Port Victoria on the York Peninsular, Spencer Gulf. It freighted cargo from port to port cheaply and efficiently. It had a very shallow draft and a flat bottom, enabling it to come close to shore and sit high and dry at low tide, or to be beached on the sand. It could easily skim over reefs due to its flat bottom. Wagons could be loaded and unloaded directly from the side of the vessel. Over the years her cargo included guano, barley, wool, horses, cattle, timber, explosives, potatoes, shell grit and gypsum. The Murch brothers from Port Adelaide were owners of the Reginald M and Richard Murch as the Captain. On April 9, 1931, Reginald M weathered a large storm in St. Vincents Gulf, SA, suffering much damage; the mast snapped and the crew laboured for four hours to free it up by severing the mast and rigging. The crew patched it up and slowly returned to Port Adelaide with only a portion of the insured cargo being damaged. The crew members at that time were owner Mr John Henry Murch of Wells Street Largs Bay, Skipper Mr R Murch – John’s brother, Murray – son of Captain Murch and Seaman John Smith. At some stage it seems that the Reginald M was used as a Customs vessel “H.M.C. No. 3, Pt Adelaide” as shown in a photograph in Flagstaff Hill’s collection. In 1969 Reginald M’s last freight trip left Marion Bay, carrying grain, wool and explosives. In late 1970 it was sold to the Mount Lyall Mining and Railway Clompany and used as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972 The Navy League of Strahan, Tasmania, purchased the vessel for use by the Strahan Sea Cadet Unit at Macquarie Harbour; it was renamed “T.S. Macquarie”. (This plan did not come to pass.) In 1974 Mr Andrew Rennie of East Brighton, Melbourne, brought Reginald M for shipping purposes, He sailed it from Strahan to Melbourne, planning to use it for pleasure sailing. The Reginald M was later sold at auction to Captain Julian Dyson, owner of Yarra Passenger Ferries in Melbourne. Later in 1975 funds became available to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village to purchase the Reginald M. It was then restored and used as an exhibit here for many hears. Flagstaff Hill’s collection also includes various objects related to the Reginald M: - Photographs of Reginald M over the years in various aspects of its use - a life buoy with the inscription of “Pt. Adelaide” - helm section that was removed and replaced during restoration - a bullet found in pieces of timber during the 1979 restoration ABOUT THE POLLY WOODSIDE On the bow in the Polly Woodside's photograph is the word "RONA". the Polly Woodside was built at Belfast in 1885. In 1904 the vessel was sold to A.H. Turnbull of New Zealand and renamed "RONA". The letter and photographs are significant for their association with the Reginald M, an Australian built coastal trader now on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (number HV000562). The letter and photographs are also significant as part of both the history of Flagstaff Hill and the history of the vessel “Reginald M” that has been on display in the lake for many years. Objects retained from this boat are included in Flagstaff Hill’s collection of maritime history.Packet with photographs and negatives in a KODAK envelope. The photographs are of two sail and steam vessels; twelve (12) black and white photographs of the 'Reginald M', and one (1) colour photograph of the Polly Woodside, plus six (6) negative strips. Included int he packet is a letter in stamped and postmarked envelope addressed to Mr A Clapham of Footscray. The envelope postmarked 9 Dec 1972, with the Warrnambool postcode 3280, A 7c Australian postage stamp in attached to the envelope. They are associated with Flagstaff Hill’s acquisition of the vessel “Reginald M”. Envelope "9 DEC 1972 / 3280" Postage stamp "7c" "Australia" Inscriptions on one Reginald M;; "REGINALD M" and "Pt ADELAIDE H.M.C. No. 3" Inscriptions of the Polly Woodside; "RONA / MSC" "MHI / NO. 1" Ball point ink, reverse of photograph "POLLY WOODSIDE"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, vessel reginald m, reginald emm, t. s. macquarie, h.m.c. no. 3, pt adelaide, australian register of historic vessels (number hv000562), boat building trade, jack murch, john henry murch, birkenhead, port adelaide sa, largs bay sa, coastal trader south australia, 1920 ketch reginald m, marion bay produce, mount lyall mining and railway company, navy league of strahan, tasmania, melbourne ferry company, flagstaff hill historic park planning board, john lindsay, james mark, andy clapham of footscray, andy clapham boat builder, kodak photograph packet envelope, kodak super-size prints, kodak australia pty ltd, australian postage stamp 1972 - 7c

The Chinese Imperial Commissioner, Hwang How Cheng, visited Australia at the request of the Chinese Emperor for the purpose of establishing Chinese consulates in the Commonwealth. He visited Ballarat at the request of Ballarat’s Chinese community. The newspaper reported that it was hoped the Commissioner would visit the Ballarat School of Mines “where the knowledge he would get would probably be of the utmost usefulness in the development of the great resources of China.” The Commissioner was accompanied by interpreter Ah Ket (Melbourne barrister and solicitor), and met by members of Ballarat’s Chinese community, including Dr Wong Chock Son. Apparently the Chinese Commissioner wanted to visit SMB because of its international fame relating to education in mining. From the SMB Letter book (Cat. No. 436) comes the following which suggests the Commissioner was based in Adelaide) '17th November 1906 His Excellency, Hwang How Cheng Chinese Commission Adelaide May it please your Excellency By this post I have the pleasure in forwarding for your Excellency's kind acceptance (and one for Mr. When) copies of the photograph taken of your recent visit to the School of Mines. I trust they will serve a pleasing memento of what, I hope, was a pleasant visit to our Golden City. Yours Faithfully Fredk Martell Director' The visit was reported in the Ballarat Star in 14 November 1906:- The Chinese Imperial Commissioner, Hwang Hon Cheng, who recently arrived in Victoria on behalf of the Chinese Government, paid a visit to Ballarat last evening, and was entertained by his fellow countrymen at a dinner at the Bow Leong rooms, Main street. The commissioner, who came up by the express, was accompanied by his secretary and Mr Ah Ket, the well-known Chinese barrister, of Melbourne; but some disappointment was expressed by the fact that he did not wear his official robes, being attired in the more sombre European dress. Mr W. D. M’Kee presided at the dinner, on the invitation of the Bow Leong Society, and in addition to representative Chinese residents, three were also present the mayor of the city (Cr. J. J. Brokenshire), Crs. R. Pearse, G. Crocker (City), J. R. Elsworth, A. Mackenzie, J. A. M’Neil, A. Levy, G. Bunting, F. Penhalluriack (Town), Col. Williams, Mr. J. Gent, Messrs. F. J. Martell (director of the School of Mines), A. W. Hager (president of the Orphan Asylum), A. Kenny (superintendent), R. G. Fitzgerald (clerk of courts at Ballarat East), J. Trethowan, A. A. Buley, Serg Dalton, and others. Apologies were received from the mayor of the town Revs. J. West Lau, Dr Cairns, Hon. J. Y. M’Donald, L. Lederman, C. C. Shoppee and others. The gathering was a very cordial one, and the hospitality of the Chinese was greatly appreciated. After the loyal toasts, “The King” and “The Emperor of China,” had been honoured, the chairman extended a hearty welcome on behalf of the society and others to the commissioner. Mr M’Kee said he was privileged to speak in behalf of the Chinese. There was a warm feeling of friendship between them and himself, and his services were always at their command. If he were in China he would desire that a similar compliment would be extended to him. They were all pleased the Emperor of China had sent the commissioner to establish consulates in Australia with a view of the empire understanding the feelings of Australasia better than they did at present. He hoped the commissioner would have opportunity of visiting some of their industries, as they desired him to gain all the scientific and practical knowledge of those industries that he could. The toast of “The Commissioner” was proposed by Col. Williams who expressed pleasure at the visit of a gentleman of education and attainments to look into the condition of the scions of China in Australia. He hoped the commissioner would carry away a correct impression. In Australia they had nothing to conceal; they hoped to be understood. (Applause.) No intelligent man had the temerity to condescend to patronise China, one of the richest countries in the world, with a civilisation dating back thousands of years. In the matter of population alone it was equal to one-third of the world. They heard a lot about the “awakening of China.” They hoped it would be humane, just, and considerate if it had power. He hoped the commissioner would be satisfied with what he saw. The law of filial relation to the children was strictly observed in China, and he did not know whether it would not be a good thing if they had a little more of that religion here. It would be a fair thing to tell the commissioner that while he might inquire into the labour laws, the basis of these laws was not a desire to oppress but to enable every man to obtain the same conditions they expected from their own people. If he gained that impression he felt they would be fairly treated. (Applause.) Mayor Brokenshire supported the toast. They had, he said, in the Chinese a most law-abiding people. Their behaviour was an example to the British citizens. They were quiet, inoffensive men, and they toiled hard, even on Sundays. (Laughter.) Mr Ah Ket; That is what the government does with the railway employees. (Laughter.) The Commissioner replied through Mr Ah Ket, who in a graceful speech acknowledged the toast. The commissioner had, he said been delighted with what he had seen of the country – he believed it to be one of the finest in the world – and he greatly appreciated the hospitality extended to him. (Applause.) The Chairman proposed the toast of “The health of Mr Ah Ket,” and paid a tribute to his ability. It was satisfactory to see that he had risen to such a position, and it might be that in the future he would be asked to occupy a position on the bench. (Applause.) Mr Ah Ket, in response, said he had not come prepared to make a speech. He had come to Ballarat to have a quiet evening with his friends, and as soon as he arrived he had been whirled away in a motor car to a place where he found an aggregation of East and West. He was pleased to see them commingled at the festive board. That suggested the idea that East and West could meet together without friction. Misunderstandings arose only because men were superficial. If they threw off outer garments they would know each other better. He looked forward to the time when nations would understand each other. It was by an interchange of visits that such things could be accomplished, and nations would then live at peace with each other. (Applause.) Other toasts were also honored. Twelve men pose for a photograph on the stairs of a building at the Ballarat School of Mines. Back row left to right: A.D. Gilchrist (Prof. of Engineering), B. Whittington (Mathematics, Physics), Thomas S. Hart (Prof. of Geology and Mining), J.M. Sutherland (Electrical Engineering) Front row left to right: Dr Wong Chock Son (Ballarat), Fred. J. Martell, Alfred Mica Smith, Ah Ket esq (Melbourne Barrister), His Excellency Hwang How Cheng (Chinese Commissioner), Wen Esq (Secretary), Alderman Grase (mayor of Brisbane), Grase Esq (Ballarat).ballarat school of mines, alfred mica smith, fred martell, j m sutherland, a d gilchrist, b whittington, thomas hart, wong chock son, ah ket, hwang how cheng, chinese, chinese commissioner, international, new classrooms, administration building, a building

THE DISCOVERY OF STAINLESS STEEL Harry Brearley Since the dawn of man colonies have raced against each other to uncover new technologies, to be the first to stamp their names on a discovery, and although we’ve evolved over millions of years, the urge to be the first remains at the very core of our nature. This sense of passion and pride can lead some of the more unscrupulous humans to claim others discoveries as their own. Of course many breakthroughs are genuinely made in tandem, or are simultaneously occurring, but unless you can categorically prove that you were the pioneer of these incredible findings, then the other party involved will always dispute the fact. And so we come to stainless steel. The first point to note is that ‘inventor’ is a very ambiguous term. Is this the first person to think, to document, to patent, or to produce? The second point is that stainless steel wasn’t truly defined until 1911, so are we to cast aside those chromium-iron alloys that don’t quite meet the minimum requirement of 10.5% chromium? It seems like anyone and everyone has a different claim to being labelled the ‘inventor’ of stainless steel; from Britain, Germany, France, Poland, the U.S.A., and even Sweden. The cogs were set in motion by Englishmen Stoddart and Faraday circa 1820 and Frenchman Pierre Berthier in 1821. These scientists, among others, noted that iron-chromium alloys were more resistant to attack by certain acids, but tests were only carried out on low chromium content alloys. Attempts to produce higher chromium alloys failed primarily because of scientists not understanding the importance of low carbon content. In 1872 another pair of Englishmen, Woods and Clark, filed for patent of an acid and weather resistant iron alloy containing 30-35% chromium and 2% tungsten, effectively the first ever patent on what would now be considered a stainless steel. However, the real development came in 1875 when a Frenchman named Brustlein detailed the importance of low carbon content in successfully making stainless steel. Brustlein pointed out that in order to create an alloy with a high percentage of chromium, the carbon content must remain below around 0.15%. Thus ensued two decades of stagnation for the development of stainless steel, and while many scientists attempted to create a low carbon stainless steel, none succeeded. Hans Goldschmidt It wasn’t until 1895, when Hans Goldschmidt of Germany developed the aluminothermic reduction process for producing carbon-free chromium, that development of stainless steels became a reality. In 1904 French Scientist Leon Guillet undertook extensive research on many iron-chromium alloys. Guillet’s work included studies on the composition of what would now be known as 410, 420, 442, 446 and 440-C. In 1906 Guillet went on to analyse iron-nickel-chrome alloys, which would now be considered the basics of the 300 series. However, while noting the chemical composition of his alloys, Guillet failed to acknowledge the potential corrosion resistance of his materials. Albert Portevin In 1909 Englishman Giesen published an in-depth work regarding chromium-nickel steels, while the French national, Portevin, studied what is now regarded as 430 stainless steel. However, it wasn’t until 1911 that the importance of a minimum chromium content was discovered by Germans P. Monnartz and W. Borchers. Monnartz and Borchers discovered the correlation between chromium content and corrosion resistance, stating that there was a significant boost in corrosion resistance when at least 10.5% chromium was present. The pair also published detailed works on the effects of molybdenum on corrosion resistance. It is at this point we introduce Harry Brearley, born in Sheffield, England in 1871, he was appointed lead researcher at Brown Firth Laboratories in 1908. In 1912 Brearley was given a task by a small arms manufacturer who wished to prolong the life of their gun barrels which were eroding away too quickly. Brearley set out to create an erosion resistant steel, not a corrosion resistant one, and began experimenting with steel alloys containing chromium. During these experiments Brearley made several variations of his alloys, ranging from 6% to 15% chromium with differing levels of carbon. On the 13th August 1913 Brearley created a steel with 12.8% chromium and 0.24% carbon, argued to be the first ever stainless steel. The circumstances in which Brearley discovered stainless steel are covered in myth; some enchanted tales of Brearley recite him tossing his steel into the rubbish, only to notice later that the steel hadn’t rusted to the extent of its counterparts, much like Alexander Fleming’s experience 15 years later. Other more plausible, (but less attractive), accounts claim it was necessary for Brearley to etch his steels with nitric acid and examine them under a microscope in order to analyse their potential resistance to chemical attack. Brearley found that his new steel resisted these chemical attacks and proceeded to test the sample with other agents, including lemon juice and vinegar. Brearley was astounded to find that his alloys were still highly resistant, and immediately recognised the potential for his steel within the cutlery industry. The Half Moon Brearley struggled to win the support of his employers, instead choosing to produce his new steel at local cutler R. F. Mosley. He found difficulty producing knife blades in the new steel that did not rust or stain and turned to his old school friend, Ernest Stuart, Cutlery Manager at Mosley’s Portland Works, for help. Within 3 weeks, Stuart had perfected the hardening process for knives. Brearley had initially decided to name his invention ‘Rustless Steel’, but Stuart, dubbed it ‘Stainless Steel’ after testing the material in a vinegar solution, and the name stuck. And that’s how Harry Brearley discovered stainless steel…. well, not quite… During the 5 year period between 1908 and Brearley’s discovery in 1913 many other scientists and metallurgists have potential claims to Brearley’s title. In 1908 the Germans entered the fray, the Krupp Iron Works in Germany produced a chrome-nickel steel for the hull of the Germania yacht. The Half Moon, as the yacht is now known, has a rich history and currently lies on the seabed off the east coast of Florida. Whether the steel contains the minimum 10.5% chromium content remains inconclusive. Employees of the Krupp works, Eduard Maurer and Benno Strauss, also worked from 1912-1914 on developing austenitic steels using <1% carbon, <20% nickel and 15-40% chromium. Not happy with Europe hogging the glory, the USA got in on the act. Firstly, Elwood Haynes, after becoming disenchanted at his rusty razor, set out to create a corrosion resistant steel, which he supposedly succeeded in doing during 1911. Two other Americans, Becket and Dantsizen, worked on ferritic stainless steels, containing 14-16% chromium and 0.07-0.15% carbon, in the years 1911-1914. Elwood Haynes During 1912 Max Mauermann of Poland is rumoured to have created the first stainless steel, which he later presented to the public during the Adria exhibition in Vienna, 1913. Finally, a recently discovered article, which was published in a Swedish hunting and fishing magazine in 1913, discusses a steel used for gun barrels, (sound familiar?), which seems to resemble stainless steel. Although this is purely speculation, the Swedes have still made an audacious claim that they were in fact responsible for the first practical application for stainless steel. That concludes the shambolic discovery of stainless steel! Although there is much mystery and speculation behind the discovery of this wonderful material, there is no question that without the combined effort of all the above scientists and metallurgists, (and all the many more that were not mentioned), we would not have such a rich and versatile metal at our fingertips. https://bssa.org.uk/bssa_articles/the-discovery-of-stainless-steel/#:~:text=On%20the%2013th%20August%201913,the%20first%20ever%20stainless%20steel. This stainless steel container was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he would take time to further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . The organisation began in South Australia through the Presbyterian Church in that year, with its first station being in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill where he’d previously worked as Medical Assistant and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what was once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr L Middleton was House Surgeon to the Nhill Hospital 1926-1933, when he resigned. [Dr Tom Ryan’s practice had originally belonged to his older brother Dr Edward Ryan, who came to Nhill in 1885. Dr Edward saw patients at his rooms, firstly in Victoria Street and in 1886 in Nelson Street, until 1901. The Nelson Street practice also had a 2 bed ward, called Mira Private Hospital ). Dr Edward Ryan was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1884-1902 . He also had occasions where he successfully performed veterinary surgery for the local farmers too. Dr Tom Ryan then purchased the practice from his brother in 1901. Both Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan work as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He too was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. Dr Tom Ryan moved from Nhill in 1926. He became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1927, soon after its formation, a rare accolade for a doctor outside any of the major cities. He remained a bachelor and died suddenly on 7th Dec 1955, aged 91, at his home in Ararat. Scholarships and prizes are still awarded to medical students in the honour of Dr T.F. Ryan and his father, Dr Michael Ryan, and brother, John Patrick Ryan. ] When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery states “HOURS Daily, except Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday afternoons, 9-10am, 2-4pm, 7-8pm. Sundays by appointment”. This plate is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Tom Ryan had an extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926 and when Dr Angus took up practice in their old premises he obtained this collection, a large part of which is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. During his time in Nhill Dr Angus was involved in the merging of the Mira Hospital and Nhill Public Hospital into one public hospital and the property titles passed on to Nhill Hospital in 1939. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. ). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (The duties of a Port Medical Officer were outlined by the Colonial Secretary on 21st June, 1839 under the terms of the Quarantine Act. Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. Their interests included organisations such as Red Cross, Rostrum, Warrnambool and District Historical Society (founding members), Wine and Food Society, Steering Committee for Tertiary Education in Warrnambool, Local National Trust, Good Neighbour Council, Housing Commission Advisory Board, United Services Institute, Legion of Ex-Servicemen, Olympic Pool Committee, Food for Britain Organisation, Warrnambool Hospital, Anti-Cancer Council, Boys’ Club, Charitable Council, National Fitness Council and Air Raid Precautions Group. He was also a member of the Steam Preservation Society and derived much pleasure from a steam traction engine on his farm. He had an interest in people and the community He and his wife Gladys were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Medical box; rectangular stainless steel base and separate lid, from the W.R. Angus Collection.warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, great ocean road, dr w r angus, dr ryan, surgical instrument, t.s.s. largs bay, warrnambool base hospital, nhill base hospital, mira hospital, flying doctor, medical treatment, stainless steel medical container, medical container, stainless steel

This Record Book was printed and published in Melbourne by Sands & McDougall Limited and distributed to be sold by stationers for 1s. 6d (1 shilling and 6 pence) or with Blottings (blotting paper to soak up excess wet ink) for 2s. 6d..The back cover has advertising from the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, an insurance company based in Collins Street Melbourne.Inside the front cover is a Calendar for the year 1897 and a table with dates for Eclipses of the Sun and Phases of the Moon for that year. Contained within the diary is a loose page listing products and an order form for Sands & McDougall. There is also a section titled "Miscellaneous Information" that includes Weights and Measures, Postal Tarriffs, Holidays, Population of various towns and states, education and a Ready Reckoner for Hourly Wages. In UK in early 1800's the word 'mechanic' was applied to a broader range of skills such as working man, tradesman or artisan. Mechanics' Institutes were formed originally for voluntary, self-funded organisations, to improve the education of working men and to instruct them on their various trades. The germ of the idea came from a class formed in 1799 by Professor George Birbeck in Glasgow, Scotland, for journeymen mechanics (apprentice trade workers), with the first Institutes being organised in London and Manchester in the 1820's. By then the original aim had broadened and the Mechanics' Institutes were established as popular agencies of adult education. The Mechanics' Institutes were run by committees that provided facilities for a meeting room, hall suitable for lectures, and a library. Funding was raised locally and often supplemented by grants from government agencies for the purchase of books and other resources. Activities were community based. In Australia, Mechanics' Institutes were set up in New South Wales and in Tasmania in the late 1820's. Mechanics' Institutes began in Victoria, with the first one in Melbourne dating from 1839, providing similar services but in time offered services tailored to their specific area. Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. "These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In q856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art., and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. In 1975 the original building was demolished and the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: - The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. - The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. - The Historic Society has some items - The State Museum has some items - Some items were destroyed - Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. NOTE: Pages of this book have been digitally recorded and archived.The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. Record book, Warrnambool Mechanics Institute Curator's Diary, 1897,June to Dec (Donations). Printed and published by Sands & McDougall, Melbourne. Australian Rough Diary 1897 No 4, Card covers printed with advertising, 7 days to an opening, lined with cash columns.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, warrnambool mechanics' institute, mechanics' institute records warrnambool, record book c. 1897

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red ribbed skirt with elastic waistband.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red wide ribbed pleated skirt with a plain yoke, navy blue band at bottom edge and elasticated waistband. A purple x is located inside to mark centre back of skirt.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Franco Liburti was wearing this coat when he farewelled his wife Assunta in Naples, Italy in 1957, the day she departed for Australia. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Men's coat featuring a charcoal herringbone weave, with three buttons down the front and on each sleeve cuff.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community, naples

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red and green plaid children's pinafore with green hem binding and in-built petticoat with lace edging.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Maroon skirt with curved wrap detail with maroon and navy striped ribbing halfway around bottom. The skirt is shaped with darts, has an elastic waistband, and centre back opening with a zip and skirt hook. Maroon lining.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Emerald green jumper with wide rib detailing, triangular detail at cuffs and hem and curved v neck. Shoulder seams are reinforced with woven tape.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Children’s moss green knitted jumper with a peter pan collar, centre back zip and raglan sleeves.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Sleeveless beige vest with four front self covered buttons. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red jumper with rounded v neck collar. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Teal glittery top with short sleeves, fake tie at the front and in-built bodice panel. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Teal knitted skirt shaped with darts and with a back vent. Skirt has a silky lining in slightly darker green with an elastic waistband. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Two-tone brown jumper with vertical ribbed pattern, raglan sleeves, ribbed collar and cuffs. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red princess seam coat dress with ten self covered buttons down centre front and crew neck. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Grey marle princess seam dress with v neck, centre back zip and long sleeves. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Lilac glittery knitted ribbed dress, with elbow length sleeves and collar.front [label]: PURE / NEW WOOL back [label]: DRY CLEAN / ONLY / A (60) / 072829knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Teal knitted ribbed beanie with gathered crown.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. This garment was owned and worn frequently by Assunta herself, as part of an ensemble. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Forrest green skirt shaped with darts and has an elastic waistband. Has a brown silky lining. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. This garment was owned and worn frequently by Assunta herself, as part of an ensemble. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Forrest green long sleeved crew neck jumper with black horizontal stripes on lower half. Button at the back of neck. knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. This garment was owned and worn frequently by Assunta herself, as part of an ensemble. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Forrest green cardigan with black edged scallop detailing on collar, button band and faux pockets.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Standard size cream business card with black embossed lettering.front: TELEPHONE: 596 1489 / TINA KNITWEAR / FOR ALL MEN'S AND LADIES' WEAR / 17 ORCHARD STREET, NORTH BRIGHTON, 3186knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community