Clementston is a small gold town to the north of Creswick, Victoria. Formerly known as Beaconsfield, the Beaconsfield gold mining mullock heap is probably the sole remaining remnant of the village.Hand written noteClemontston 11/7/1910 Mr F.W. Martell Ser Sir, I am sending in a parcel of gold for smeling and sale with Mr Tolliday. Yours Faithfully F.W. Calaby. Clemontston, July, 18th 1910 Mr F.J. Martell Dear Sir I received your letter with cheque for 10 poinds 3 shillings 7 pence, also receipt for 5 shillings charges and I am very much obliged to you. Yours faithfully F.W. Calabyf.w. calaby, frederick martell, clementston, beacsonfield

Corbould Hall was named after Ballarat School of Mines alumni WIlliam Corbould. William Corbould was the son of a Ballarat tailor. He attended Ballarat College, and obtained certificates in assaying and metallurgy at the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) in 1883, studying under the revered Professor Mica Smith. Corbould was not a born student and remembered his first experience at SMB: 'From the Registrar's Office I was led to be introduced to the Professor of Chemistry, one Mica Smith. The initial encounter gave me little encouragement - his large laboratory was filled with hundreds of bottles bearing strange labels with queer symbols on them. My heart sank. At the first opportunity I grabbed my hat and made for the door, but the good professor called me back. I pointed out that I was never any good at school ... so it was no use pretending to be clever enough to understand all those weird symbols! The Professor told me not to worry about that and took me to one of the benches where he found a blowpipe and a charcoal block. Mixing together two powders from bottles on the shelf he transferred a sample to the charcoal and directed the bunsen flame onto it. Soon it began to melt and a white bead appeared in front of my eyes. He then took a test tube and added a little colourless liquid from each of two bottles. A beautiful dark blue colour appeared. My interest was won.' During Corbould's mining career he travelled to Europe twice, and visited most of Australia's main mining fields. Corbould started his career as an assayer at Pinnacle Silver Mine, Silverton, and was then a self-employed assayer at Broken Hill. Corbould became an assayer for the infant BHP mine, and later worked in Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, including managing Hannan's Reward, the oldest gold mine on the Kalgoorlie gold field. He spent 13 years at the Mount Elliott copper fields as general manager. In 1923, at the age of 57, Corbould went to Mount Isa and reported on options, experimented with new metallurgical processes and floated a company. John Carden of CRA said: 'Corbould was the man who brought Urquhart to Mount Isa. He was the man who made it all possible. He is tremendously important in the Mount Isa story, because he was the first technical man, the first professional man on the scene. He was responsible as I said, for bringing finance to the place, but I think even more importantly he was the first man to recognise the need to put all the little claims in the Mount Isa discovery together. I think perhaps his major contribution to Mount Isa was this amalgamation on the various claims. He recognised that the ore bodies at Mount Isa were not as rich as Broken Hill and they would never have survived had it been fragmented, so he was terribly important.' After completing major financial negotiations for Mt Isa Mine from London in 1927 Corbould remained in Europe where he remained until his death. Corbould was awarded the Legion of Honour of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurigical Engineers for fifty years service. Corbould died at Monaco in 1949 at the age of 82. He bequested 6000 pounds to the Ballarat School of Mines, his will stating 'for the purpose of founding a scholarship to commemorate the memory of the late Alfred Mica Smith'. The accumulated income from this sum provides the Mica Smith travelling scholarship, enabling successful students in mining, metallurgy or chemistry to undertake a year's travelling abroad. The first award was made in 1957. In the same year a general purpose hall at SMB was named the Corbould Hall as a tribute to a distinguished former student and generous benefactor.ballarat school of mines corbould building, corbould hall, corbould building

In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consols at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age."[4] He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failed.[5] MINE MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION. Ballarat Branch. ... Mr R. B. Squire, manager of the West Berry Consols, at Allendale, submitted a paper detailing what he had done tor the betterment of ventilation in the alluvial mines of Smeaton and Mary borough districts- Members gave Mr Squire every credit for the results that he claimed to have effected; the adoption of his ideas had testified to their value to mine-owners. It was painted out, however, that for want of a thorough debate of the subject with experienced men the author had unwittingly included some general statements that required modifying in some points and extending in others, in justice to other workers among the earlier and the present day managers of mines. It was decided to invite the author to meet a sub-committee on this subject![6]Handwritten letters from Richard Squire to his son Tom and Family reporting happening at the mine richard squire, tom squire, engine trouble, basil, f.l. smythe broker, trembath, w. ryall, mt mercer, flu, plant, skids, pump, c. hayes, illness, poppet, carburetor, mum, ned, shaft, balance weight, hazel squire, pearson, pulleys, syndicate, goon, len hopkins, suction, dunstown, lease, jim squire, bannockburn, nina, albert, mrs trenery, connie, jay, judy squire, cohuna, bladder attack, reports, estimates, dunstan & coy, jelbarts, barrett, flat fields, brown, gold estates, berry leads, parsley roots, share book, meredith, reef, pay sheet, colin, mr gibbs, l.r.g plan, banagwanth, mcnaughton bores, glenfine, allan, william thomas, john lynch, crawford, shelford, liz the car, trucks, chandlers, ballarat trustees, cameron, elaine, mrs read, clark, j. hayes, dunlop, dr lawrence, eye specialist, reid, mullock bank, jack squire, herman, peter's legal inc. ballarat, freddie reid, j.r. whipp, a.b. reid, grenville, leigh river plan, johnstone's, premier petrol coy, chandler's, ballarat deep leads extension, harwood & pincott, a. rice, lillas, l. e. walker, secretary for mines, pipeclay, sandstone, mr saville, weymouth & carroll, suction pipe, valves, financiers, gold mines of australia, mr hanley hunter, sadowa coy, kerang shareholder, buninyong, stanley hunter, len, fran, max, dr jones, honeycomb rock, booth, sandy mcnab, emily shaw, john cock, ross creek, mitchell, rowe, neil cameron, walker, kidney disease, holst, nellie, ronaldson's, ronaldson & tippett, brokers, investors, lockett, miller & co, wellesly, john sharpe, elizabeht ellen, old lawaluk, mining

In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consuls at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age." He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failed. MINE MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION. Ballarat Branch. ... Mr. R. B. Squire, manager of the West Berry Consuls, at Allendale, submitted a paper detailing what he had done tor the betterment of ventilation in the alluvial mines of Smeaton and Mary borough districts- Members gave Mr. Squire every credit for the results that he claimed to have affected; the adoption of his ideas had testified to their value to mine-owners. It was painted out, however, that for want of a thorough debate of the subject with experienced men the author had unwittingly included some general statements that required modifying in some points and extending in others, in justice to other workers among the earlier and the present-day managers of mines. It was decided to invite the author to meet a sub-committee on this subject!Various letters written by Richard Squire to his son Tom on the topic of their Mine in 1936 richard squire, tom squire, hazel squire, jack squire, jim squire, ned, mt mercer, basil, plant, skids, pump, c. hayes, illness, poppet, carburetor, shaft, balance weight, pearson, pulleys, syndicate, goon, suction, lease, reports, estimates, flat fields, reef, trucks, pipeclay, sandstone, suction pipe, valves, honeycomb rock, mr kermode, yarrowee, ballarat, reef combs, cheques, yellow slate, leigh river, dyke, quartz, ballarat deep leads, ballarat deep leads extension, bore, reads, bedrock, cemented sand, g m of a, gold mines of australia, liz the car, geoff squire, lode, cameron and sutherland, lancaster, harman, hayes timber, t. hood, alan squire, catarrh, kidney disease, stomach issues, ethel, measles, scarlet fever, ross creek field, j. bourke, j. cock, ross creek gold mining co., frank herman, hogan & banagwanath, hogan, banagwanath, napolean deap lead, hanlons, lillas, martin, jack hayes, diptheria, anticline, mr mcnichol, ronaldson, bob allan, jenkins, hunter, wilkinson, eyres brothers, g.gay & co, buninyong, llewellen, glenfine, the star mine of avoca fields, talbot alluvials, g.e. dickenson, guildford plateau, a.b.c. special supply store, jelbart, geological branch, shell coy, mr horsefields, lawaluk, almanac, trenery, barry, mining

In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consols at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age."[4] He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failed. MINE MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION. Ballarat Branch. ... Mr R. B. Squire, manager of the West Berry Consols, at Allendale, submitted a paper detailing what he had done tor the betterment of ventilation in the alluvial mines of Smeaton and Mary borough districts- Members gave Mr Squire every credit for the results that he claimed to have effected; the adoption of his ideas had testified to their value to mine-owners. It was painted out, however, that for want of a thorough debate of the subject with experienced men the author had unwittingly included some general statements that required modifying in some points and extending in others, in justice to other workers among the earlier and the present day managers of mines. It was decided to invite the author to meet a sub-committee on this subject!A variety of Letters written by Richard Squire to his son Tom Squire about the goings on at Mt Mercer Mine 1937richard squire, tom squire, hazel squire, jack squire, jim squire, ned, mt mercer, plant, skids, pump, poppet, carburetor, shaft, balance weight, pulleys, syndicate, suction, lease, reports, estimates, flat fields, reef, trucks, pipeclay, sandstone, suction pipe, valves, honeycomb rock, yarrowee, ballarat, reef combs, cheques, yellow slate, leigh river, dyke, quartz, ballarat deep leads, ballarat deep leads extension, bore, reads, bedrock, cemented sand, g m of a, gold mines of australia, liz the car, geoff squire, lode, cameron and sutherland, hayes timber, alan squire, ethel, ross creek field, ross creek gold mining co., frank herman, lillas, jack hayes, eyres brothers, g.gay & co, buninyong, glenfine, the star mine of avoca fields, talbot alluvials, guildford plateau, a.b.c. special supply store, geological branch, shell coy, lawaluk, almanac, mcbinny, bingley's paddock, cargaire valley and lead, stand and deliver demands, sheehan's, smeaton hotel, john charleson, aleck charleson, ted brown, billy jordan, mr banks, ballarat main lead, binney, goon, illabrook, mrs trenery, bre, max, june, mary, len, barry, hunter, herman, martin, aunt annie, bella, pitfield coy, mcnaughtons, donaldson, dereel, hogan, the bay leads, avoca field, ballarat alluvials, neil cameron, haddon field, courier, tom cotton, llewellen, stanley hunter, mr leonard, tom mitchell, school of mines, bryant, a.c. connely, dodson, constable mcmullins, adam ronaldson, bewick mining & co., reginald murray, r.c. selwyn, craig's hotel, broken hill syndicate, morrison's lead, wilkinson, j. hayes, mr nichol, burglary, baragwanath, wilkinson ross, creswick, seville, mr. ross, o'connor, c. mcgrath, alfred mica smith, henderson ross, angus kelly, a. r. dodson, duke of wellington plant, the moorabool lead, williams, paralysis, woodlock, squire, whipp, joe williams, peacock, moran, buchanan, hoare, bree kutchel, kohinoor band and alluvian, star of the east, bonshaw, epidemic, polio, mining

In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consols at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age."[4] He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failed. MINE MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION. Ballarat Branch. ... Mr R. B. Squire, manager of the West Berry Consols, at Allendale, submitted a paper detailing what he had done tor the betterment of ventilation in the alluvial mines of Smeaton and Mary borough districts- Members gave Mr Squire every credit for the results that he claimed to have effected; the adoption of his ideas had testified to their value to mine-owners. It was painted out, however, that for want of a thorough debate of the subject with experienced men the author had unwittingly included some general statements that required modifying in some points and extending in others, in justice to other workers among the earlier and the present day managers of mines. It was decided to invite the author to meet a sub-committee on this subjectHandwritten letters written by Richard Squire to his son Tom Squire 1938 on lined paperrichard squire, tom squire, hazel squire, jack squire, jim squire, ned, mt mercer, plant, skids, pump, poppet, carburetor, shaft, balance weight, pulleys, syndicate, suction, lease, reports, estimates, flat fields, reef, trucks, pipeclay, sandstone, suction pipe, valves, honeycomb rock, yarrowee, ballarat, reef combs, cheques, yellow slate, leigh river, dyke, quartz, ballarat deep leads, ballarat deep leads extension, bore, reads, bedrock, cemented sand, g m of a, gold mines of australia, liz the car, geoff squire, lode, hayes timber, ethel, ross creek field, ross creek gold mining co., frank herman, lillas, jack hayes, eyres brothers, g.gay & co, buninyong, glenfine, the star mine of avoca fields, talbot alluvials, guildford plateau, a.b.c. special supply store, geological branch, shell coy, lawaluk, almanac, mcbinny, bingley's paddock, cargaire valley and lead, stand and deliver demands, sheehan's, smeaton hotel, john charleson, ballarat main lead, goon, dereel, the bay leads, avoca field, ballarat alluvials, haddon field, courier, school of mines, bewick mining & co., broken hill syndicate, morrison's lead, baragwanath, creswick, duke of wellington plant, the moorabool lead, kohinoor band and alluvian, star of the east, bonshaw, epidemic, polio, k.w. steedman, mr newman, allendale mines, professor mica smith, alfred mica smith, mr hodge, w. taylor, mcpherson's reward coy, mr mitchell, billy thomas, john bull, albert, nina, stanley hunter, frederick the great, ross creek south, bislolo, brilolo, birlolo, ballarat east coy, maxwells, reginald murray, bob allan, vendetta, john lynch, dodson, mnster of mines, e.j. hogan, jonah ward, mcnaughton's paddock, bellesby, alec peacock, jenkins, h.c. jenkins, conspiracy, argus, mr ellerby, dr lawrence, occulist, mining

Certificate issued for the registration of the New Garibaldi Gold Mining Company by the Court of Mines Ballarat. This was published in the Government Gazette , 13 March 1866 and in the Ballarat Star newspaper on 12 March 1866. These items were submitted to the Court of Mines and the registration certificate issued on 15 March 1866. It was under the Mining Companies Limited Liability Act 1864 (Frasers Act)Yellowing paper (vellum), hand written in black inkDate:15 March 1866 Certificate No: 2/66 Stamp of Court of Mines Ballarat Signed by the Clerk of the Court of Minescourt of mines ballarat, new garibaldi gold mining company, frasers act, certificate, mining

Black and white photograph on worked at the Victoria United Gold Mine.victoria united gold mine, mining

John Kennedy was born on 04 April 1862, the son of ship carpenter Robert Kennedy and his wife Florinda (Aitken), and the brother of Malcolm and Colin Kennedy. In 1860 the family migrated to Melbourne where Kennedy senior set up as a shipwright. In 1879 Malcolm and John, who trained as a naval architect, joined their father as Robert Kennedy & Sons, shipbuilders and shipsmiths. On 27 December 1883 at North Melbourne, Malcolm married Ann White with Presbyterian forms. Next year Robert Kennedy & Sons removed to Hobart where with John W. Syme and W. J. Duffy, partners until 1889, they took over the Derwent Ironworks & Engineering Co., a foundry formerly owned by the (Alexander) Clark family. The Kennedys also acquired the patent slipyard, formerly Ross's, at Battery Point. After the shipbuilding industry in Hobart began to flag John also turned to mining: he attended the Ballarat School of Mines, and reopened the Hobart smelters which had been an adjunct of the Derwent Ironworks in the 1870s. He made several voyages overseas on smelting business and as mining promoter, and was a member of the London Stock Exchange. In 1913-14 he was manager of Tongkah Compound (1910); Robert Kennedy & Sons was reputed to have contributed to the success of the Hobart-run Tongkah Harbour, Thailand, tin mines by developing a suitable dredge. The brothers also held shares in the Irrawaddy Burma Co. John was a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers and from 1932 an honorary life member of the American Institute of Mining & Metallurgical Engineers. John died in Hobart on 10 January 1937. (Ann G. Smith, 'Kennedy, John (1862–1937)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kennedy-john-7092/text11963, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 24 April 2020.) A book covered in black leather with 'John Kennedy' embossed on the front in gold. The book contains notes from the time he studies at the Ballarat School of Mines. The beginning of the book has an alphabetical section where John Kennedy has created an index.Inside front cover 'John Kennedy Nena Wharf Hobart Tasmania.' john kennedy, australasian institute of mining engineers, ausimm, american institute of mining metallurgical engineers, ballarat school of mines, lecture notes, lecture notebook, antinomy, brick clay, carbon, coal, copper, chemistry, clay, chrome, electricity, fire clay, gas, gold, gold bullion, glass, gold test for, iron metallurgy, light, lead, metallurgy, mica, mineralogy, pyrites, sulphur in pyrites, sugar, slags, wolfram, preparation of pure gold, scorification, gold bullion assay, petrography, melting poinys of bodies, metric system, geology, mount morgan, queensland, rock salt, assay of tailings, classification of rocks, muffle furnace, ballarat school of mines wind furnace, assay of antinomy, recovery of silver from solutionsheat pyrometer, spectroscope, organic acids, metallurgy of iron, assat of copper, cornstock lode nevada, mount morgan queensland, scarification, elmwood, metallurgy of lead, specific gravity, copper assay, seperation of gold from other metals, test for gold, wet assay, mercury

In 1905 Richard Squire was manager of the West Berry Consols at Allendale, and developed an improved system of mine ventilation, which was supported in "The Age."[4] He was successful in combating and remedying the gas and ventilation troubles of the Deep Mines of Creswick and Allendale Districts after all had failedTyped Report and Memorandum relating to The Ararat Grand Junction Deep Leads Gold Mining CompanyCopy written in top lefthand corner.richard squire, ararat grand junction deep leads gold mining company, t.h. thompson, t.g. grane, mining

William Crabb was later a well respected manager of the Victoria United GMC, Ballarat after leaving the Bucca Bucca region in Queensland.Digital copy of an illumination presented to William Crabb, mine manager at Beacon Gold Mine, Bucca Bucca. We also wish to record our appreciation of the interest you have always shown in the progress of the District, and more particularly the Mining industry. As a Mine Manager, we have found you to be equitable and just to your Employees, whilst at the same time faithfully serving our Employers. We know that you have always had the welfare of your men and the District at heart, and we are as heartily sorry at our loss, which your departure necessitates." (signed) William S Bryce James Demming Thos. G. Fraser, A. Griffith, A. Moncrieff, John Parry, N. Danvers Power, H Skinner, G. Strathen, Trevor W. Alley, William Peter J.P., James Marles, Joseph Smith and 45 others.illumination, william crabb, victoria united gold mine, beacon gold mine, upper bucca bucca, william s. boyce, james dennings, thomas f. fraser, a. griffith, a. moncrieff, john parry, n. daery-porter, h. skinner, c. strather, trever w. alley, william peter, james marles, joseph smith

Transverse section of the North Prince Extended Co,north prince extended, mining company, gold

Raywood is in the State of Victoria.Gold mining lease blocks at Raywood. Thought to be from The Gold-Fields of Victoria Reports of The Mining Registrars for the Quarter Ended 30th June 1886raywood, raywood botanical gardens, pound, raywood state school, buxton, new buxton, new perserverance, pioneer, new nil, south pioneer and may reef, london

This book was part of a large group of books referred to as the Pattison Collection, which belonged to the Warrnambool Public Library, part of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. About RALPH ERIC PATTISON and the ‘PATTISON COLLECTION’ The ‘Pattison Collection’ is a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the WMI was led to ask the City Council to take it over in 1911 due to lack of financial support. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Public Library as it was then called. Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 when Pattison accepted the position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council his huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower areas of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However, he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. THE NEW WARRNAMBOOL LIBRARY When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Pattison. Eventually, the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. Ion Llewellyn Idriess was born in Waverley, Sydney, New South Wales on 20th September 1889 and passed away on 6th June 1979 in Mona Vale, Sydney, New South Wales at the age 89. After Idriess finished school he worked in the assay office of Broken Hill Proprietary mine. Both Idriess and his mother had typhoid fever when Ion was about 15 years old and it caused his mother’s death. After spending time with his Grandmother in Sydney he found work on a paddle-steamer and had a relapse of the fever. He then went into the western district of New South Wales where he worked in many different itinerant jobs, including rabbit poisoner, boundary rider, drover, sandalwood harvester, shearer, dingo shooter and opal miner. While opal mining at Lightning Ridge he wrote short stories, about life on the opal fields, for the Bulletin using the name “Gouger”. Idriess then moved to North Queensland in search of gold, tin and sandalwood. He travelled over a great deal of the Cape York Peninsula spending a lot of this travel time with local indigenous people; thus began his lifelong interest in their customs. He then spent time on cattle stations in the Gulf of Carpentaria. In 1914 Idriess travelled to Townsville and enlisted in the 5th Light Horse as a trooper. He became a specialist in sniping and was a spotter for the noted sniper Billy Sing. He saw service in Palestine, Sinai and Turkey. Idriess was wounded at Beersheba and after fighting the Battle of Gaza he was invalided home in March 1918. After recovering from his wounds Idriess again travelled to the Cape York Peninsula where he worked with pearlers and missionaries in the Torres Strait Islands. He then went gold mining in Papua New Guinea, buffalo shooting in the Northern Territory of Australia and then exploring in Central and Western Australia. LITERARY WORKS OF IDRIESS In 1928 Idriess settled in Sydney and published the first of his 47 books. In 1931 - “Lasseter’s Last Ride”, became his first best seller. In the years 1932 and 1940, he published three books in each year. “The Cattle King” (1936) and “Flynn of the Inland” (1932) have gone through reprinting forty to fifty times. His last book was published in 1969. Idriess’ books were in general non-fiction and were written in a colourful and immediate story style, taken from life experiences gained during his travels. Idriess was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his service to literature in 1968. WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and it's Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items has become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850’s to the late 1950s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr R. Pattison. 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. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. 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. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. Over The Range Author: Ion L Idriess Publisher: Angus & Robertson Date: 1937 The label on spine cover with typed text PAT 919.53 IDR Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Public Library Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute The top of the text block has a stamp from Warrnambool Public Library flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, 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, over the range, ion l idriess