On a piece of paper subsequently glued near one end of its curved upper face, this length of planed and polished hardwood timber bears the inscription: “A [p]iece of w[r]ec[k] of the Loch Ard wrecked near Sherbroke River”. The timber is carefully worked with rich dark colouring and a uniformly moulded design, suggesting that it was part of a fitting or furnishing that was publicly visible and prominent. If the artefact is what it is declared to be, then it is possible that it formed part of the ship’s railings or companionway stairs. The LOCH ARD was a 1,693 ton, 3 masted barque, built on the Clyde in 1873. In an age of increasing competition for the emigrant passenger trade from steam-driven vessels, special attention was paid to her wooden furnishings and fittings. The Loch Line owners prided themselves on their attractive, distinctively painted, sailing ships. Below decks, where cargo and third class passengers were stowed, was made of iron. But everything above deck, and on show to the saloon and second class passengers, was carved and varnished timber. Captain Daish’s 1878 report for the ship’s underwriters notes “a quantity of general Cargo washed up in a confused mass” in the cove and “a number of Cases, Casks and Bales; also deals and boards floating about in some of the gorges” further west of the shipwreck. Contemporary newspaper accounts also reported a large quantity of cargo and timber washed ashore in the days following the LOCH ARD shipwreck, adding “but those were speedily removed by persons who came down from Port Campbell, Scott’s Creek and other places with carts and pack horses”. The appearance and good condition of this wood artefact, and the aged patina and dated hand-writing style of its pasted on inscription, support the suggestion that it was ‘souvenired’ from the floating debris of the LOCH ARD at or near the 1878 date of its foundering off Mutton Bird Island. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The Loch Ard wreck is of state significance – Victorian Heritage Register S417. However there is a lack of documented provenance that limits the interpretive value of this piece of timber (for example, its potential to interpret nineteenth century souveniring and scavenging from shipwrecks along the south west coast of Victoria). Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. A length of hardwood timber, planed and varnished to smooth finish on three sides, with two unfinished tongues protruding from each end (one broken off), possibly from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The front or upper face is moulded and routed to a regular, linear (skirting board type) design along its entire length, the two sides flat planed. One side contains two inserted dowel rods that have been broken off. The bottom face has not been finished to the same standard. The sample is good quality wood that has retained its density and weight and shows no evidence of having been submerged in seawater for any length of time. Glued on to the upper face of the length of timber near the right hand end is a deteriorated square of paper bearing an inscription. The paper, peeling back and with torn edges, is stuck over an original wood stain but under a subsequent layer of varnish. The faded ink words are indecipherable where paper is missing, but written carefully in an old fashioned cursive script.The inscription on the paper reads: “A [p]iece of w[r]ec[k] of the Loch Ard wrecked near Sherbroke River”. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, nineteenth-century souveniring, shipwreck scavenging, loch line sailing ships, wood sample

This design of ink bottle was commonly referred to as a ‘penny ink well’ because it was very inexpensive to produce. It is also known as a dwarf ink bottle. Pen and ink has been in use for hand writing from about the seventh century up until the mid-20th century up until around the mid-19th century a quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used. In the 1850s the steel point pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. In the 1880s a successful portable fountain pen was designed, giving a smooth flowing ink and ease of use replacing the quill or dip pen. History of the Loch Ard: The Loch Ard got its name from "Loch Ard" a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curle & Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen, and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead, and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Lochard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy that had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost families in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce, and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Lochard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Lochard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Lochard Gorge. Cargo and artefact's have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.This ink well is historically significant as it represents methods of hand written communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century, when fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefact's from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefact's from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collection's objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.Stoneware penny Ink bottle ironstone salt-glazed, stoneware cylindrical shape with small mouth and squat neck, broad shoulders brown colour, . with light coloured encrustation spots.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, penny ink well, writing equipment, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, ink well, inkwell, ink bottle, dip pen, ink, hand writing, business, vintage, dwarf ink

Reina Jansson later married Bill West. WWI history.Two hand written letters. One from Bob White to Reina West nee Jansson, written in France 14/1/1918. Also envelope from Field Post Office, dated January 18, 1918. Passed by Censor No. 4577. Second letter a bit unclear who it is from and also who to although looks like "Roheina". Writing is different from 1st letter so doesn't seem to be from Bob White. Envelope addressed to: Miss Reina Jansson, Rhyll, Phillip Island, Westernport, Victoriawwi, bob white, reina jansson, anne davie, bill west, reina west

One of a collection of photographs donated by Bruce Bennett.Sepia photograph of San Remo - Westernport Hotel on the right hand side with several vehicles and people in the foreground.On back: "WP Hotel - San Remo - milkbar (and what looks like - rooms at back where Mannix boarded ????) I. Mannix collection"san remo, westernport hotel san remo, street scene san remo, bruce bennett, motor vehicles

One of a collection of photos donated by Mr J. W. Gliddon and used in his book "Phillip Island in Picture & Story"Photograph of an Oil Painting of Charles Manton. Posed head and shoulder image."From an oil painting of Charles Manton in the hands of Mr Gerald Manton. mcHaffie Bros. wrote to C.M. in 1842 asking that he remove his pigs from P.I. This letter will be reproduced in our book. J.W.G." (Added to photo media)charles manton, j. w. gliddon, mchaffie bros, phillip island

One of 23 photographs from the Jessie Smith Collection. Donated by Stan McFee.Black & White Photograph of a group of people watching "Alvina" leave Cowes. Women are wearing hats. People to left in photo have their hands raised waving.On Back: "Alvina off to Stony Pt"phillip island, cowes, alvina ferry, jessie smith collection, stan mcfee

One of 16 photographs and postcards donated by Mary KarneyBlack & White photograph of Mr Cox - fisherman - seated at the front of his beach hut with large rope in his hands.cowes fisherman, mr cox beach hut, mr cox, phillip island, mary karney

Pumice sand soap is used to clean and/or restore a variety of materials and structures, as well as soiled hands.Two blocks of pumice sand soap in original wrappings (one damaged and roughly repaired)"Pearson's celebrated pumice sand soap" printed in black on orange paper wrappingsoap, sand soap, pumice soap

On 18 May 1937, Lord Huntingfield, Governor of Victoria (14 May 1934 – 4 April 1939) layed the foundation stone of the last of the missions built in Melbourne. The Mission to Seamen, Port Melbourne opened in December 1937, superceded the original 19th C building and service point in Port.Demolished in the late 20th C by developers the building was of architectural significance and funded originally by Alfred Nicholas who gifted 18,000 pounds. An indicator of the importance of shipping and seafarer welfare as regarded by Industry and business during the interwar years of the 1930s. This photograph is a record of the founding of the building. The stone is now part of the bluestone wall on Beach Road, Port Melbourne. The Mission was given the name: George V Memorial Institute, and the concert hall was given the name Huntingfield Hall.A black and white photograph depicting the laying of a foundation stone. Photograph of two clergymen standing to one side of the Governor of Victoria (1934-1939), Lord Huntingfield, who is holding a trowel in his left hand. A foundation stone, resting on a low brick wall is thought to be the granite foundation stone of the Port Melbourne Mission. A small crowd of approximately 21 people are gathered behind the wall. Back of photograph stamped, "Herald Feature Service Melbourne".port melbourne, beach road, lord huntingfield, art deco, alfred nicholas, foundation stone, trowel, harry a. norris, george v memorial institute, port melbourne mission, 1937

A modern detailed replica to scale 1:200 of the early 20th C battleship launched in 1906. " The dreadnought class defined the basic form of battleships up to the 2nd WW. Original specifications: Length 526 ft; beam 82 ft; speed: 21 knots cruising Crew complement: 657; Armament: 10 12inch guns; 18 12 pdr guns( 4 shown on model) ; Engines: two turbines driving 4 shafts; weight: 17,900 tons fully laden; coal capacity 2977 tons; The ship was broken up for scrap in 1920 - David Lumsden donor and modelmaker Detailed Model of the Dreadnought 90% cardboard model of early 20th C. battleship one white ensign; on a polished wood plinth with cardboard hand lettered labels. Decks painted pale gunship grey and below waterline bright red. Model on polished wood plinth with bevelled edge.two card labels adhered to plinth: "David Lumsden 2014 Scale 1:72" "H M S Dreadnought"model ships, h.m.s. dreadnought, battleships, ww1, david lumsden

co-produced publication serves as a record of 21st C. collaboration of the MTSV with associated organisations such as The Anglican Church and Australian Seafarers Welfare Centre.'Caring for the world's hardworking seafarers visiting our 28 ports' is printed in two rows along the bottom of the calendar with a Q logo in the left hand corner and the Mission to Seafarer's logo in the right hand corner.mts, aswc, anglican church, calendar, 2017

Elisabeth Moglia, volunteer at the Heritage, donated those mittens.Even though not made using one of the Mission's patterns, it is really similar in shape and probably closed to the colour chosen for seamen.Pair of woollen hand knitted mittensmittens, gloves, knitting patterns

Padre Oliver served aboard HMAS Australia 2 and visited several African ports including Aden and was a first hand witness to the battle of the Coral Sea in WW2. Given the tropical dress being worn by the seafarers this photograph may have been taken near one of these two theatres of conflict or on return to Sydney.Padre Oliver's service during both world wars and his experience as a newly ordained minister with the RAN made a significant impact on his life and forged close bonds with both the merchant and naval services.Large group of seafarers in tropical uniform aboard a battleship assembled beneath two large gun barrels with robed padre facing away from the photographer at what appears to be an improvised altar. padre oliver, frank leslie oliver, hmas australia ii, ww2, royal australian navy, chaplain, kate oliver

(GBR flag, regd Lowestoft, ON 386484, c/s MWUO5, 1641 GRT, 493 NRT)Howard Smith Presentation Certificate. Framed and illuminated certificate of appreciation for 'Joseph Twohig' for his service with the Howard Smith Company. [Original held behind the print in the frame]. Certificate is hand signed by several persons. Certificate consists of an oval image of a transition ship at the top with several other images of ships surrounding the text. A chain surrounds the outer edge of the certificate. Frame is heavily gilded and features raised 'C' scrolls and acanthus leaves around the outer border edge of the frame.Circa 1890.Joseph Twohig Esq./ Head Wharfinger,/ Howard Smith Company LTD/ Melbourne/ Dear Sir/ On the occasion of your voluntarily relinquishing the position/ you have held for the past 32 years as Head Wharfinger to the Howard/ Smith Company Limited, Melbourne, we, the undersigned of your fellow/ employees who have been long and closely associated with you, desire to/ express our appreciation of your sterling qualities/ Your high sense of honor and integrity have won the esteem of all/ of us, and in every way your life among us has been one calculated to/ improve all who are willing to take pattern by it/ we sincerely trust that, after your long and arduous labors, the/ Almighty will be pleased to spare you many years to enjoy the fruits/ of your toil/ We are, Dear Sir/ Yours most sincerely