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. 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 its 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 have 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 1850s 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. 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. The Australian Race Vol 4 Author: Edward M Curr Publisher: Government Printer Melbourne Date: 1887 Further Information: Map in pocket at the back of vol Paste down front end paper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library. Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Warrnambool Public Museum. Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Public Museum.flagstaff hil, warrnambool, 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, the australian race vol 4

This large pastel drawing was created by Dr W.R. Angus in 1925, the year after he graduated as a doctor in South Australia. In 1926 Dr Angus was appointed as Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, in Nhill, Victoria, where he extended his experiences in radiology and pharmacy. Eventually, in 1939, he and his wife Gladys moved to Warrnambool, Victoria, with their children. The drawing is part of the W.R. Angus Collection, which includes another of the doctor’s pastel drawings and a box of used pastels. The picture was framed by W.H. Rogers & Co. of North Terrace, Adelaide. The business also framed maps and plans. This pastel drawing is locally significant for being the work of Warrnambool doctor, W.R. Angus. It is part of the W.R. Angus Collection, which 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 a historical example of medicine, administration, household equipment and clothing 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. The collection includes Army objects, which are examples of items issued to Doctors and Surgeons in the Medical Services of the Australian Army in World War 2. It also includes household items used by Dr Angus and his family from the 1920s in various locations including Warrnambool, together creating an understanding of the furnishing of an early to mid-20th century home.Pastel drawing behind glass in a rectangular wooden frame with an unusual oval wooden matt. The subject is a scene with a pink-tinted sky reflected in a river running between the foot of two hills with trees. The picture was created and signed by W R Angus in 1925. The back is covered in brown paper and has a mounting wire. Inscriptions are on the picture and the back. A remnant of the framer’s label is attached. The picture is part of the W.R. Angus Collection. Signature and date; “W.R.A. / 1925” Printed on label remnant; “—Rogers & Co. / - ORIA STREET / - way Station, North Terrace / “THE CORRECT FRAMERS” / -lise in Map and Plan Mounting / PHONE 5437”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, drawing, pastel drawing, pastel drawing by w.r. angus 1925, rogers & co., w.h. rogers & co., correct framers, w.r. angus collection

Life Death & Gold in the Whipstick, a story of Raywood and surrounds - retold in 2015, some short descriptions, obituaries and stories written in the 1860s and later by the correspondents of the day describing life in the goldfields of Bendigo's Whipstick, centred on Raywood, Neilborough, Sebastian and Myers Creek. 117 pages, spring bound with plastic cover, contains maps, illustrations and photographs.Ian Belmonthistory, australian, raywood

The Turbulent Years, A History of Australia 1770 - 1975 Soft cover with 136 pages with maps, black & white and some coloured illustrations. Poor condition, cover looseJ R J Grigsbyaustralia, history

The Winzar Family from Dorset to Australia, compiled by Peta Winzar printed and bound by Inscope Books, paperback,282 pages with black and white photographs & maps.genealogy, family, winzar

A book titled ' The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch, Historic Guide to Bendigo with map(Loose), of goldfields showing streets, lines of reef, principal shafts. Recommended for tourists, students, prospectors and historians. 1980.' Cambridge Press, Bendigo. Eighth Edition. Maps, photos, illustrations.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo history, history, victoria, victorian history, australian history, gold, gold fields, gold discoveries, place, the royal historical society of victoria bendigo branch

Five copies of ' The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch Historic Guide to Bendigo with map of goldfields showing streets, lines of reef, principal shafts. Recommended for tourists, students, prospectors and historians.' Cambridge Press, Bendigo. Third Edition. Maps, photos, illustratons. Only four copies have maps.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo, bendigo history, history, victorian history, victoria, australian history, gold fields, gold, gold discoveries, the royal historical society of victoria

Three books titled ' The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch Historic Guide to Bendigo with map of goldfields showing streets, lines of reef, principal shafts. Recommended for tourists, students, prospectors and historicans.' Sixth Edition. Cambridge Press, Bendigo. Maps, photos, diagrams.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo, bendigo history, victoria, victorian history, australian history, gold, gold fields, the royal historical society of victoria, gold discoveries

A copy of a book titled 'The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch Historic Guide to Bendigo with map of goldfields showing streets, lines of reef, principal shafts. Recommended for tourists, students, prospectors and historians.' Sandhurst Municipal Centenary Edition. 4th edition. Maps, photos, illustrations.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo, bendigo history, history, australian history, victoria, victorian history, goldfields, gold, the royal historical society of victoria

Five copies of ' The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch Historical Guide to Bendigo. Including Self Tours of Bendigo's Famous Goldfields' .Cambridge Press, Bendigo.' maps, photos, illustrations. Three copies do not contain maps, however, these three copies have number stickers on the bott left front ccover, 0064.2 PAR, 0064.3 PAR, 0064.4 PAR.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo, bendigo history, history, gold mining, mines, the royal historical society of victoria bendigo branch, victoria, goldfields, victorian history, australian history

Five copies of 'The Royal Historical Society of Victoria Bendigo Branch Historical Guide to Bendigo. Including Self Tours of Bendigo's Famous Goldfields.' Revised Edition. Printed by Cambridge Press, Bendigo 1968. photos, maps, illustrations. Two copies only have WITH FREE MAP stamped on the front cover.bendigo, history, gold mining, book, books, bendigo, history, royal historical society of victoria bendigo branch, gold, goldfields, victoria, victorian history, gold mines, gold, australian history, gold discoveries, mining. sticker bottom left front cover of two copies only 0064.5 par. 0064.6 par

Port Arthur 1830 - 1877 by Ian Brand published by Jason Publications Tasmania, soft cover 77 pages with black & white photographs, illustration and maps.Ian Brandhistory, australian, convicts, tasmania-history-convicts-port arthur

Australia - Germany Two hundred years of contacts, relations and connections, soft cover 160 pages with black & white photographs, illustrations and maps.Johannes H Voigtaustralia, history, germany, australia-germany-history

A Brief History of the Kamarooka District, soft cover with 80 pages compiled by Geoff Pedersen edited by Barry Cail printed by D.G.Walker Printers with black and white photos & a map.Geoff Pedersenhistory, australian, kamarooka, victoria-history-kamarooka

A letter written in German from Johannes Menge to Karl Wilhelm Pauli from Hahndorf South Australia 3rd of February 1846, translated into English by Mrs Marta Birrell of Bendigo October 1997. In a spiral bound folder with plastic cover, Johannes Menge, Wanderer durch die Welt, Menge in the Hills presented to the German Heritage Society Bendigo by quentin C Binks 22.1.1998, 11 pages with a map and black & white illustrations.person, individual, menge, history-adelaide-german-menge-pauli

Soft covered book Paths of the Pioneers, A history of early Ten Mile Creek - Germanton - Holbrook , compiled from the files of the newspapers which have served Germanton, Holbrook, Albury and Wagga Wagga, 104 pages with a map and black & white photographs.John Lynchhistory, australian, new south wales, history-nsw-holbrook-germanton-ten mile creek

Soft covered book titled Burra - Burra, Reminiscences of the Burra Mine and Its Townships compiled and edited by Ian Auhl, 160 pages with maps, black and white photographs & illustrations.Ian Auhlhistory, australian, burra burra, history-south australia-burra-mining

Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 420 page history of South Australia (1836 - 1936). Illustrated with B & W photos, maps and a colour plate of a painting by Hans Heysen. Published in 1936 by The Royal Geographical Society of Australasia ( South Australian Branch). Printed by the Hassell Press, Adelaide. Chapters written by various contributors. Catalogue sticker ''2165 VAR'' on spine. A typed page stuck on the flyleaf indicates the book belonged to the Education Dept., Adelaide. Handwritten in ink on this typed insert ''Given to me by Adey's successor, Dr. C. Fenner. A H Chisholm''Variousbooks, collections, history, alec h chisholm collection, south australia, centenary, royal geographical society of australasia, history

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol III The AIF in France 1916 - by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1942, maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering, 475 illustrations and maps, signed Wesley Harry 1973.C.E.W. Beanbooks, military

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol III The AIF in France 1916 - by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1942, maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering, 475 illustrations and maps.C.E.W. Beanbooks, military

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol V The AIF in France 1918 December 1917-May 1918 by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1939 , maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering , inside cover signed Wesley Harry 1973 , 279 illustrations and maps , fifth edition ( first edition was 1937)C.E.W. Beanbooks, military

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol VI The AIF in France 1918 - The Armistice by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1942 , faded maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering , inside cover signed Wesley Harry 1973 , 530 illustrations and maps ,C.E.W. Beanbooks, military

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol VI The AIF in France 1918 - The Armistice by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1942 , faded maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering , inside cover signed A.E./ Emmerson , 74 Sternberg St Bendigo , 530 illustrations and maps ,C.E.W. Beanbooks, military, the aif in france 1918 - the armistice / c.e.w. bean

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol I The story of Anzac :The first phase , from the outbreak of war to the end of the first phase of the Gallipoli campaign , May 4, 1915 by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1939 , 21.6x14x6.5cm maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering , inside cover signed Wesley Harry 1973 , 111 maps 56 illustrations and , ninth edition ( first edition was 1921) the outbreak of war to the end of the first phase of the Gallipoli campaign , May 4, 1915 by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1939 , 21.6x14x6.5cm maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering , inside cover signed Wesley Harry 1973 , 111 maps 56 illustrations and , ninth edition ( first edition was 1921)C.E.W. Beanbooks, military

Official History of Australia in the war of 1914-1918 Vol IV The A.I.F. in France 1917 by C.E.W. Bean , published by Angus & Robertson 89 Castlereagh St Sydney 1939, maroon hard bound covered book with gold lettering, inside cover signed Wesley Harry 1973, 423 illustrations and maps, eighth edition (first edition was 1933).C.E.W. Beanbooks, military, c e w bean /

The Overlanders by Garry Hogg, the indomitable explorers who brave unknown horrors to open up the awesome continent of Australia. Published by Pan books Ltd London, printed by Cox & Wyman Ltd London, softcover 192 pages with black and white illustrations & a map.Garry Hoggbooks, natural history, exploration

Settlers and Convicts, recollections of sixteen years labour in the Australian backwoods by an emigrant mechanic, Foreward by Manning Clark, published by Melbourne University Press, printed by Dai Nippon printing Co, Hong Kong. Soft cover with 245 pages and a map.Printed by Dai Nippon Co., Hong Kong, International.books, natural history, australia

150 year anniversary Tin Pot Gully Costerfield 1861 - 2011, a short history of Costerfield 35 pages with black and white photographs & a map. Red unmarked cover.N L Harrishistory, australian, costerfield

B.I.T. Papers Summer 1970-71, articles by various contributors, contents include, Building the Melbourne-Bendigo Railway, Engineering in Colonial Times, Source-Bordering Sand Dunes along the Loddon River & others, 66 pages with black and white photographs and maps..history, australian

Mount Macedon, its history and its grandeur 1836 - 1978, 185 pages with maps and black and white photographs.Jean Milbournehistory, australian, mtmacedon, mtmacedon-history-properties