This mid-19th century scientific reference book, Introduction to Modern Geography, explains geography and astronomy using the globe of the world as a teaching aid. The inscription connects this book to the Bobinawarrah Public Library but research to date has found no further details about the library. The rural area was settled in 1859, but in 2016 its population was only 87. It is situated about 21 kilometres south of the City of Wangaratta, in Northeast Victoria. In 2024 the local community received a grant for preservation of its almost 100-year-old Bobinawarrah Memorial Hall which displays an honour board of the Pioneers of Bobinawarrah 1859-1959. The donor of the book lived in Warrnambool. ABOUT THE AUTHOR, James Thomson (1786-1849): - James Thomson was a British Irish mathematician. He became Professor of Mathematics at the University of Glasgow. He wrote many school textbooks and reference books, one of which was Introduction to Modern Geography, first published in Belfast in 1827, and revised and published in over 20 more editions. Thomson tutored two of his several children at home. His older son James Thomson (1822-1892) became an engineer and physicist. His younger son William Thomson (1824-1907) became Professor of Natural Philosophy from 1846-1899 at the University of Glasgow, and later the 1st Baron of Kelvin, famous for his designs of nautical instruments such as the navigational compass and sounding equipment used in the transatlantic installation of sea cable. William was part of the firm that became famous as Kelvin & Hughes Ltd., suppliers of radar and echo sounders to the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Defence. The name continued on as Kelvin & Hughes. James Thomson (1786-1849) was a renowned British Irish mathematician and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Glasgow. He was a respected author of many important school books and textbooks that were widely used to provide understanding of arithmetic and geography. Thomson encouraged practical education and held extra classes for young ladies to learn mathematics and geography, which were a novelty at that time. Many of his works were known and used worldwide. This work was published in many editions. It is now considered as culturally significant as a basis for knowledge about our civilisation and has been made publicly available in overseas countries, and republished and reproduced in a readable format, including its diagrams and maps. Book; scientific textbook. The book has a black leather cover. The front cover is blank, but the spine has an embossed gold vertical title within a rectangular border boasting fancy corners. The fly page has a detailed title. The author is James Thomson. It is the Eighteenth edition, published in Simms & McIntyre of London and Belfast in 1845. An inscription connects it to the Bobinawarrah Public Library in Victoria.Spine within a gold border: "THOMSON'S GEOGRAPHY" Fly Page: "AN INTRODUCTION TO MODERN GEOGRAPHY, WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING AN OUTLINE OF ASTRONOMY, AND THE USE OF THE GLOBES. BY JAMES THOMSON, LL.D., PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW." "Eighteenth Edition" "LONDON: SIMMS AND McINTYRE, ALDINE CHAMBERS, PATERSOSTER ROW; AND DONEGALL -STREET, BELFAST.""1845"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, introduction to geography, james thomson, reference book, professor thomson's introduction to modern geography, bobinawarrah public library, james thomson mathematician, james thomson engineer, 19th century irish mathematician, irish presbyterian, william thomson 1st baron of kelvin, professor of mathematics, glasgow university, william thomson professor of natural philosophy, introduction to modern geography, outline of astronomy, use of the globes, james thomson ll.d., simms and mcintyre, 1843, scientific book, school book, lord kelvin, baron kelvin of langs, nautical instruments, marine instruments, transatlantic cable, kelvin & hughes, thomson’s geography, astronomy, geography, world globe, cartography, pioneers of bobinawarrah, textbook

John Hastie Engineer and millwright John Hastie opened small manufacturing works in Greenock in 1845 and 1853 patented the first self-holding steering gear. The firm became known as John, Hastie and Co. Ltd. in 1898 after taking on limited liability status and their main works were at Kilblain Street, Greenock, where they specialised in ships' steering gear. The company also occupied works at Rue End Street, Greenock. Plans of this unit depict a stockyard to the east, with areas for welding; fitting and assembly; flame, cutting and fabrication; and a machine bay. The company was dissolved in 1991. Brown Brothers Brown Bros Rosebank Ironworks made the steering gears for many large ship's, including The Titanic. Andrew Betts Brown the founder was born in 1741 and closely associated with many improvements in marine engineering. He was educated in his native city and served his apprenticeship as an engineer in the locomotive works of the North British Railway Company at St. Margaret's. During his apprenticeship, he attended the evening classes at Watt College. subsequently going to Manchester to study chemistry. He went to London around 1863 and took over an old brewery, which he converted into an engineering works. During his time there he invented an overhead travelling crane, which was used on the construction of Blackfriars Bridge London. He went on to develop plant which used steam and hydraulic power for discharging ships as a result the company was contracted to install this equipment in Hamburg Docks. ​ By around 1870 he continued to construct machinery in London but realised that conditions were more favourable in Edinburgh. He acquired land at Rosebank adjoining the North British Railway Company's line to Granton, and the necessary infrastructure was completed allowing him to finish the Hamburg contract. The works at Rosebank were eventually extended and added to until they became one of the largest engineering works in the East of Scotland. ​ Mr Brown was a member of numerous engineering institutions, the best known at the time being the Institution of Naval Architects. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and of the Institution of Marine Engineers he died in 1906 at the age of 67.An item made by two marine innovators of marine auxiliary machinery, equipment and itemsShip's wheel, brass, attached to brass pillar. The base has six holes in it for securing it in place. Top of the ship's wheel pillar has a brass, adjustable arrow pointer that is positioned over a dial etched into the flat brass surface. The dial reads " PORT STABD". Lines and degrees are marked, with '0' in centre and every 5 degrees, from 0-35, in both Port and Starboard sidesInscription to wheel hub "Brown Brothers & Co. Ltd, Rosebank Ironworks, Edinburgh"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, john hastie, john hastie, andrew betts brown, ships wheel, ship steering gear, marine equipment, instrument, navigation

Navigation charts are used by mariners around the world for navigating waterways. This chart was created for Otago Harbour in New Zealand. A ship "Otago' was named after this harbour and was once commanded by renowned maritime author Joseph Conrad. That ship now lies in Otago Bay, in the Derwent River, Tasmania.This navigation chart was published by the British Admiralty cartographer, to aid mariners to navigate the world's water bodies. Navigation charts are still used today, along with other navigational instruments.British Admiralty Navigation Chart - Otago Harbour, South Island, New Zealand. Chart shows insets with finer detail of important sections.warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, british admiralty navigation chart, navigation chart, british admiralty, otago harbour, south island, new zealand, otago bay, derwent river, tasmania, joseph conrad

A.M Astro Compass MKII 6.A/1174 2 x

The navigational computer was a circular slide rule used for calculating height and air speed corrections when flying an aircraft. The front cover lifts to reveal a further calculator used to solve vector triangles and plot course alterations. The device was intended to be strapped to a pilot's leg. The instrument was made by White and Gillespie (Melbourne) Pty Ltd c 1940 for the RAAF and used during WW2.Black metal box with silver metal flap top cover affixed with rotating circular rule . Two adjustable belts are affixed to the base of black box. A small spiral bound note book is contained beneath the flap top. RAAF Computer Navigational system MK. III. D. Serial No WG 2833navigation, raaf, computer, aircraft, ww2, 1940

The Mark II Pilot Balloon Slide Rule was made of wood laminated with heavy white plastic with a length of 24.5-in. and width of 2.5 inches. Mark II rules were manufactured in Australia by W & G (Melbourne). The W & G rule differs only slightly from the English A. G. Thornton LTD rule. The W & G rule uses serif fonts and has some fiducial marks that the English rule lacks. Exact dates of production are not known but the MK II is known to have started production by 1927. The printed scales are engraved in the plastic faces. The slide rule has 4 captive cursors (glass windows and brass guides) that ride in slots on the top and bottom edges. Each can be moved independently of one another. The cursors are missing from this item. Brass knobs at both ends of the slide facilitate its movement. The case is fabric covered wood with felt lining. No known history for this item as located in a property after purchase. The Pilot Balloon slide rule is used to convert the observed azimuth and elevation readings into wind velocity and direction records. The use of slide rules was abandoned with the wide spread adoption of computers and programs to do the calculations, as well as the decline in the use of optical pilot balloon theodolites.Made in Australia by White & Gillespie (Melb) Pty Ltd. Established in 1910, the firm was involved mainly in printing plate manufacture, but during the Second World War it manufactured a variety of navigational aids and range finding devices for the military. About 250,000 instruments were made during that period. After the war the company produced, among other items, drawing instruments and slide rules. The long narrow case is fabric covered wood with felt fabric lining containing a long black laminate ruler with numerous white markings and numbers. Top of the ruler is in three sections with the centre section movable by small gold metal knobs at either end. This slide rule contains a engraved notation on the rear face "IMPORTANT. NORMALLY NUMBER OF GRATICULE SCALE DIVISIONS PER RADIAN (K) X LENGTH OF TAIL IN FEET (I) = 12X 105. IN OTHER CASES MULTIPLY GRATICULE READINGS BY 1.2/KI BEFORE CALCULATION ON RULE" Top of Slide Rule - RAAF Ident No G268/480 Serial WG/22pilot balloon slide rule, raaf