The fireplace was the main heating source for small houses before 1900, so a bellows to coax a flame from a dying fire was important. They would also be used to keep the fire going in a woodfire oven for cooking. In later cooking ranges, domestic water supply was also heated through the cooking range so bellows helped to maintaing a supply of hot water.An item of local and social signifance throughout Australia, bellows were usedin homes to coax a domestic fire into flame for heating and cooking purposes. It was probably used in late 19th to early 20th century homes.A small set of wooden and canvas bellows with metal tip commonly used in households in the 19th and early 20th centuries.bellows, domestic tools

This item is representative of grinding stones used throughout Australia to enable people to maintain farm and domestic utensils.A large circular grinding stone with metal handle. It was used on a stand and also with water to shapen blades such as knives, axes and hand shears. The wheel is a large cirle of sandstone. These were common in the late 19th and early 20th Century. It would have been used on a wooden frame.domestic tools, household utensils

The first issue of The Young Englishwoman was published in December of 1864 and was directed toward a young, female, middle-class audience and treated mostly household matters such as needlework, recipes, house-hold management tips and fashion. The Young Englishwoman started out as a weekly magazine but, as editors and publishers changed over time, it became a monthly periodical.This items is used to illustrate the popularisation of fashion styles in the 19th centuryFramed fashion plate - 'The Newest French Fashions': modelled for the Young Englishwoman. fashion illustration, young englishwoman

Nineteenth century brass bookstand or table lectern used to hold book for reading or display purpose often deemed an essential item for the nineteenth and early twentieth century library. Also used as altar lectern in church items. This example was purchased to enhance reading in a household private library and also used to display books when on loan in the public domain in libraries and other repositories.brass, bookstand, book-rest, altar lectern, reading, library, display, 19th century. church.

This nightgown is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. This nightgown is machine sewn by Eliza Towns and she has added a detailed design of pintucks and broderie anglaise lace to the front yoke and cuffs as a decorative element. The 1800's bought a shift in attitude towards modesty as the Victorian era progressed and by the mid to late 1800's it had become more acceptable ladies to wear simple, modest nightgowns. They tended to have a very loose fit and were usually made of linen, cotton or flannel, which had the advantage of providing warmth and also being easy to wash - a necessity for a garment worn next to the skin. Although the basic design of the nightgown was fairly simple, the wearer was free to add various types of trim e.g. lace, crochet, pintucks, embroidery etc.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the late 19th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personalise and embellish a practical item of clothing. It is also significant as an example of a practical solution to the difficulties that women of this era faced with regard to the washing of clothes and household linens.Lady's long, white, cotton nightgown with a V shaped bodice decorated with bands of nine pintucks alternating with strips of broderie anglaise lined with pink ribbon. The opening front placket and neckline are bordered with a simpler broderie anglaise lace. The long sleeves are gathered into cuffs with a matching V shape, pintuck and broderie anglaise design. The front placket fastens with three cream buttons although one is missing. The back of the nightgown has gathered fabric on a plain, narrow V shape yoke. A narrow gusset has been added to the both sides at the bottom of the nightgown.Noneflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, victorian era clothing, victorian era nightgown, nightgown, nightdress, eliza towns, nhill, wimmera, textiles, clothing, machine sewing, hand sewing, pintucks, broderie anglaise, sewing