This small metal item is a boot pull. Boot pulls were usually sold in pairs for pulling long riding boots on. Good quality long boots had a small leather loop inside near the top of the boot and this hook would assist the wearer to put the boot on. Both men and women would have used this useful item and wearers of long riding boots may still use one today. This small boot pull is retained as an interesting example of a household item from 100 years ago or more. This is a piece of metal piping with a flattened hook at one end and a cross bar handle at the other end. The metal is very rusty.household items of the past, history of warrnambool

This item appears to be a pie dish used in the early to mid 20th century. It would have been used in an oven and could have been used in an early gas or electric oven. Ceramic cooking dishes are still used but Pyrex glass dishes are also used. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of a cooking implement from the past.This is a glazed ceramic oval-shaped dish. It is light brown or beige in colour. It has a ridged rim and is somewhat stained. kitchen items

The people in these four photographs are unidentified. The quality of the articles suggests that the original owner of the frames was in affluent circumstances. Photographs dating back to the 1860s and the early 1870s are not common in our collection.These are two rectangular-shaped metal frames with brown leather coverings. The frames are hinged in the middle and the two sides are closed over with a metal clasp. (one of the metal clasps is missing). The frames have ornate gilt edges around the sides and an ornamental pattern on the leather fronts and backs. Inside the frames are four photographs (two in each folded frame) placed behind glass. The four photograph mounts have ornate gilt edges and three photographs are mounted in a round shape and one in an oval shape. The photographs are black and white and are of what appears to be three women and one child. The frames are somewhat stained and scuffed. 19th century photography

Clothes brushes are still used today but they were of more importance in the days when white collar workers, both men and women, wore suits and hats and tailored clothing to work and these required frequent brushing to keep them looking good as they were not washable items. Formal work clothes were more likely to be worn, particularly by men, in the 20th century up to about 1970. This case with two brushes would have been used particularly in times of travel. This item is retained as an example of a household item of the past and will be useful for display purposes..1 -This is a brown oval-shaped leather piece rolled over to make a container or case. It has a leather and metal strap and buckle stitched into the front of the case. The leather case is slightly worn and stained. .2 & .3. -The case contains two oval-shaped clothes brushes that have light brown wooden polished backs with yellow/light brown horse hair tufts attached to the back. .1 - L 14 cm. W 8.5 cm. D 8 cm. .2 & .3 - L 12. 5 cm. W 8 cm. D 3.5 cm. household items, history of warrnambool

This lead shot mould would have been used by those people wanting ammunition for shotguns. The moulds were probably originally used in a blacksmith’s forge. Although it has no known local provenance, this lead shot mould is of interest as an example of an early tool. This is a metal tool with handles in the shape of calipers with a rounded ball of metal at one end. The ball is split in the middle to allow molten material to be inserted for casting into lead shot. The object is heavily rusted.‘16’history of warrnambool, vintage tools

Horse harness is composed of a number of items some leather and other pieces are metal such as these particular ones. The loose attachments allow for the movement of the horse without its muscles being impinged or hampered. There are a number of different types of harness which relate to the type of work or recreation being engaged at the time and for different breeds of horse. Many of the leather straps were also adaptable allowing for different sized horses to use the same set of harness. These items are quite heavy are were possibly used by work horses of an earlier era. They were possibly made locally at one of the many blacksmiths in the town.Parts of a common item from earlier times and as such has historic significance. It opens the discussion of the use of horses in everyday life and work.Three similar oval shaped items with a wider flatter section at one end and a thicker heavier section on the other end. They are made of iron and heavily rusted.history of warrnambool, horse harness

This is a lump of beeswax that has been used to polish and clean old flat irons. Beeswax is a natural product made by bees to form the honeycomb in their beehives. It was used historically in many areas, including candle making, bow making, cosmetics production, bullet-making and modelling. It still has many commercial uses today. Flat irons were metal objects that had a flat polished surface and were heated to iron material and garments. The beeswax assisted in keeping the polished surface clean and shiny. This piece of beeswax comes from a local source but the full provenance is not known. It is important to keep it in the collection as an adjunct to the Historical Society’s collection of sad and flat irons from the past. This is a lump of beeswax in a round shape with one end broken across to reveal the inner part of the beeswax. The outer part is somewhat stained. flat and sad irons, household items from the past, history of warrnambool

This item is a souvenir of the Bi- Centenary of Australia (1988) It features the new Parliament House in Canberra which was opened in May 1988 and cost more than one billion dollars to build and contains four thousand seven hundred rooms. This item came from the estate of a well known Warrnambool lawyer and is retained as a high quality souvenir of the Bi-Centenary of AustraliaCircular ceramic plate. White concave surface with blue drawing of Parliament House, Australian Coat of Arms, flowers including banksia, Sturt Desert Pea, eucalypt and seven pointed stars. Reverse has raised inner rim and includes text in blue. Front 1988 Reverse ROYAL COPENHAGEN DENMARK and crown. COPYRIGHT THE A.B.A 1981 REG.TRADE MARK OF THE A.B.A. USED UNDER LICENCE BY ROYAL COPENHAGEN NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA Logo Australia 1788-1988 Signature " Gorn Uestezaul"(?)parliament house, bi centenary of australia

This item is a boot remover used by mounted military personnel, probably by a member of the Mounted Rifles or Light Horsemen units early in the 20th century. Similar boot removers, also known as boot jacks or boot pulls, were used by anyone wearing riding boots and would be still in use today. This item is of some interest as it shows the type of boot remover used by military mounted soldiers and other horsemen in days past. This is a wooden object with a top with two side handles. Attached to the top are two sticks or poles which are splayed at the end. Attached to the ends of the poles by screws is a piece of wood with an oval or spoon shape cut out at the end. The wood is worn at some of the ends. men’s accessories

The Morse telegraph system had its beginnings in 1836 when Samuel Morse, Alfred Vail and Joseph Henry developed an early model of the system. There are a number of variations on the machine but the operating system is very similar in all and the language is a standardised international code which has been in operation since the 1860's. Morse code consists of five elements, dots, dashes, and gaps of one , three and seven units in length. It is still in use to this day and has been applied to other systems of communication such as amateur radio, mobile phones and communication systems for disabled people. This particular telegraph key possibly has post office or naval origins.Morse code was an important invention in world communication systems and this machine therefore has important social and research significance. It is useful as an interpretive item.This instrument sits on a black rectangular base of black bakelite. The mechanism ids held in place by three larger metal screws and two smaller ones on the upright section from the base.The movable part is metal with the attached handle a similar black material as the base.ADMY.PATT No 7681 KEY MORSE SERN PL 23780 Rocker Front contact. Lift @ turn on one of the screws on the bar.history of warrnambool, rocker telegraph, telegraph key, morse code

This is a needle case produced in a novelty form. Sewing kits and needle cases were essential items for women to have in their houses, to take with them when travelling and to carry in their handbags for emergency repairs. Today needle cases are still used but less frequently as in past times, depending on the craft skills of the person and the hobbies pursued.This item has no known local significance but it is an interesting example of an early 20th century needle case and is retained for display purposes.This is a needle case in a wooden container made in a rectangular shape with a pointed top. The shape is in the form of a church with an affixed metal or paint shape of a church on the front of the container. The front of the container has been polished. The two sides of the container are affixed with two metal hinges and there is a metal clasp on one side. Part of the metal clasp is missing. Inside the container is padded with white/grey cotton material. On one side are two paper grey and black folders which once contained needles and on the other side there is a middle band to hold other needles or pins. This side has one rusty pin.‘Sharps 5/9 6, 7, Wartd. By Morris & Yeomans’household accessories, history of warrnambool

A plumb bob or plummet is a weight suspended from a string or rod and used as a vertical reference line or plumb line. It is the vertical equivalent of the water level. It is used to ensure constructions are plumb or level. It has been in use since Egyptian times and is also used in surveying. It is still in use today. This plumb bob weighs 910 grams and was probably used in the building trade. This item is retained as an interesting example of a trade tool from the past.This is a brass weight with a bulbous-shaped body rounded on the bottom, a slender neck and an enclosed top. The top has a metal ring to which is attached a metal rod with a ring at the end. The item is a little stained.building accessories, history of warrnambool

The bone from this shoe horn probably comes from the horn of a cow. It has been adapted for use in putting on tight-fitting shoes or boots. Animal horn was the original material used to make such an item – hence the name ‘shoe horn’. Today shoe horns are still used but they are usually made of plastic or metal. This item is retained as an example of a shoe horn made from animal bone, a relic of the past.This is an animal bone horn tapering to an end that has been shaped to a point to form a handle. The horn is brown and cream-coloured. The horn is chipped on the sides and slightly gouged out at the top. household items, shoehorn, shoe horn, shoespooner

This is a pocket spring balance. It would have been used last century in our district by market gardeners, hawkers and other itinerant workers and possibly also used in some small businesses. In households it could also be useful for weighing jam fruit, vegetables etc. Spring balances are still in use today.This item is retained as an example of a spring balance manufactured 80 or more years ago.This is a set of spring balance scales. The spring is fixed at one end with a hook attached to hold an object to be weighed. The top end has a ring to hang the scales up. The spring mechanism is enclosed by a steel cover. The front scale face is made of brass and both this face and the rear spring casing are fastened by three rivets. On the front is a spring-loaded blade which has equally spaced scale markings next to it on one side. This item is much rusted. ‘Hughes Pocket Balance’ ‘Patent’ Scale Markings:- ‘0 to 25’ pocket spring balances, household items of the past., history of warrnambool

The brush in this case could have been used as a hair brush or a clothes brush. It is enclosed in a leather case and was probably an item made for travellers. The brush and case belonged to George Tomlinson of Ballangeich. Ballangeich is a small settlement on the Hopkins Highway about 27 kilometres from Warrambool. George Tomlinson’s grandfather, William Tomlinson , established a farming property at Ballangeich in 1865 and opened a hotel, ‘Half Way House’ on part of the land. George Tomlinson’s father, also William, continued to farm in the area and was known as a fine judge of cattle and sheep. This case and brush are of interest as an example of the brushes men used in the mid 20th century. The items are also of interest as they belonged to a member of a well-known Ballangeich family (Tomlinsons).1 This is a piece of brown leather rolled over and stitched with yellow thread to form a container or case. The case has a closing mechanism – a leather strap and metal buckle. .2 Inside the leather case is a brush with a brown Bakelite back with horsehair inserted. ‘G.E. Tomlinson Ballangeich Victoria’men’s toiletries, ballangeich, history of warrnambool

This is a marble stopper bottle from the Port Fairy aerated waters factory of the Webb brothers. A marble stopper bottle was filled upside down so that as soon as the filling stopped the stopper was forced down to seal the bottle against the rubber ring. Pressure inside the bottle would keep the marble pressed against the top of the bottle. To open the bottle the marble was pressed down where it would fall into the neck chamber below. The marble would stay inside the chamber when the bottle was tilted up for drinking. The Webb brothers operated the Port Fairy Aerated Water and Cordial Factory in William Street (no 29) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This bottle is of interest as an example of a marble stopper bottle from the aerated waters factory of the Webb brothers in Port Fairy. Cordial manufacturing was an important industry in Warrnambool and district for over 100 yearsThis is a marble stopper glass bottle. It has a rounded base with a rounded body tapering to a deeply-indented section which forms a narrow neck chamber. The top is rounded moulded glass with an opening. The green marble is loose inside the neck chamber and the rubber ring has been displaced and is at the bottom of the bottle. There is some discolouration inside the bottle from the original contents.‘Webb Bros. Aerated Waters Port Fairy’ cordial manufacturing in warrnambool district

This cup and saucer set was issued as a souvenir of the opening of the Federal Parliament in Canberra in 1927. The building was opened by Prince Albert, the Duke of York who was accompanied by Elizabeth, the Duchess of York. The Duke of York later became King George VI of England. The colonies in Australia became Federated States in 1901 and from that date to 1927 the Australian Federal Parliament sat in Melbourne. When Canberra became the capital of Australia a Parliament House building was erected at a cost of £600,000 but it is now known as Old Parliament House as the present Parliament House was opened in 1988. This cup and saucer set is of interest as a memento of an important event in Australia’s history – the creation of a capital city and the opening of the first Federal Parliament House. It will be useful for display. This is a white china cup and saucer set. Both the cup and saucer have two gold bands around the rims and are decorated with black ornamentation and the portraits of the Duke and Duchess of York contained within gold oval patterns. There is also black lettering on both objects. The name of the maker is printed on the bottoms of both objects. On both objects: ‘The Federal Parliament opened by H.R.H. The Duke of York at Canberra 1927’ ‘Foley China E.B. & Co. Made in England’ opening of federal parliament 1927, history of warrnambool

This item would have been used in an office or business for holding stamps of various kinds. It would have been particularly useful in a legal business or a Government Department such as a Post Office where several different kinds of stamps and seals were needed. Stamps are still used in some business and office circles and an object such as this could still be useful. This item is of interest as an example of office equipment in frequent use in the years gone by. It will be useful for display.This is a black metal object. It has a metal stand with a circular column inserted in the centre of the stand. The top of the column has an oval-shaped handle. A circular piece of metal is attached to the column by a series of radiating spokes. Attached to the outer rim are twelve metal clips for holding office stamps (usually held by the handle of the stamp). The metal clips are held in place by metal studs. The ends of the metal clips clamp over to hold the stamps. The metal clips are all slightly misshapen. history of warrnambool, vintage office equipment

This cup is a souvenir of the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England. It was probably bought locally as sentiment for all things British was strong in the 1930s. King George VI became King of England when Edward VIII abdicated and the coronation ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937.This cup is kept as an example of the type of high quality souvenir sold in British Empire countries as a memento of the coronation of King George VI of England in 1937.This is a cream- coloured cup with images on one side of six British flags, a crown, photographs of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in oval frames and some lettering. The images are multi-coloured. The top rim of the cup has several chips and the china is a little crazed, especially inside.‘H.M. King George VI H.M. Queen Elizabeth Coronation 1837’ ‘ Made in England’ coronation of king george vi of england, history of warrnambool

This cup was sold as a souvenir of the Coronation of King George VI of England in 1937. It was probably bought locally as devotion to the British Empire was strong in the 1930s. The coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth took place on 12 May 1937 at Westminster Abbey. This followed the abdication of Edward VIII. This cup is retained as an example of the high quality souvenirs of the 1937 Coronation of King George VI sold to those in British Empire countries. It will be useful for display.This is a white china cup with a gilt edge around the top rim and on the handle. On one side of the cup are images of a crown, British flags, photographs of King George and Queen Elizabeth in oval frames and some lettering.‘H.M. King George VI H.M. Queen Elizabeth Coronation 1937’ ‘Made in England’ coronation of king george vi of england 1937, history of warrnambool

The firm of W.D. & H.O. Wills is a British firm which first began making tobacco and cigarettes in Australia in 1913. This tin is a reminder of the times when many people (especially men in rural areas) used to make their own cigarettes (‘rolling your own’). This tin is retained as an example of a tobacco tin in the times when smoking was more popular in society and when pipe smoking and ‘rolling your own’ cigarettes were more common.This is a round tin, originally painted brown, with a vacuum-sealing lid and a red and black painted label on the lid. The label has an image of a farm scene with a log cabin. The base of the tin has a ridge in the middle on to which the lid fits. The tin is empty and very rusty. ‘Log Cabin Fine Cut Tobacco’ ‘To open insert coin under lid and twist’ tobacco tin, log cabin tobacco tin, vintage tobacco tin

This hand tool would have been used either in the home for making small items of furniture or small building projects or it could have been used by a tradesman working on small jobs in the building industry – window sills, doors, cupboards etc. Planes are still used today to whittle down wood. This tool has no known local provenance but it is a good example of hand tools of the past and will be useful for display. This is a metal plane used for shaving wood. It has a rectangular base curved at the ends and the end of a steel blade is visible near one end of the base. The handle is dome-shaped and attached to the handle by a screw is a ridged metal wheel that rests on the blade which has been inserted on an angle. This wheel can be turned to adjust the blade, keep it in place or remove it for replacement. The plane is much rusted (it may have been painted black) and no manufacturer’s marks are visiblhousehold tools, wood plane

This item is a bronze German MotherCross. The MotherCross was given to German mothers of pure Aryan heritage before and during World War Two. Adolf Hitler wanted to encourage population growth and keep the German mother at home. Mothers were awarded these crosses according to the number of children they had – gold crosses for eight or more children, silver for six or seven children and bronze for four or five children. The crosses were presented to mothers on 4th August, the birthday of Hitler’s mother and also on Mother’s Day. They could only be worn on special occasions around the neck on a blue cord with two white stripes. This German MotherCross is a bronze one and has on one side ‘Der Deutschen Mutter’ and on the other side ‘16 Dezember 1938’ and Adolf Hitler’s signature. The date indicates when the award was first instituted. There were at least 8 million recipients of the medal.The recipient and donor of this medal are not known but it is a very interesting and unusual memento of World War Two.This is a metal medal in the shape of a cross with a bronze ridged background in the shape of a rectangle. The cross is enamelled in blue and white and has a round bronze disc in the centre and lettering with a blue swastika on a white background. There is lettering on the back of the cross. A metal catch is attached to the top of the cross and remnants of a blue and white cloth cord are looped over the catch. One small fragment of the cord is detached. The medal is in a box which is not the original container. ‘Der Deutschen Mutter’ ‘16 Dezember 1938’ plus Adolf Hitler’s signature world war two, german mothercross

This booklet was issued to householders in Australia giving information on meat rationing during World War Two. Meat was rationed because much of the meat processed in Australia was sent overseas to Britain and to soldiers in war areas. The booklet includes hints on how to make the most of the meat ration. Meat and other key foods such as tea, sugar and butter were rationed during World War Two. Each person in Australia was allowed two meat coupons a week and, depending on the type of meat, this equated to one pound to two pounds of meat per coupon. Products such as sausages, brains, tripe, poultry, rabbits, bacon and ham were not rationed (but few people could afford poultry). This booklet is of interest because it is a memento of the times in World War Two when several food items were rationedThis is a small booklet of 10 pages. The front cover has a beige background with an orange border, red and black printing, a Commonwealth Government crest and a sketch of a casserole dish. The back cover has red and black printing on a beige background. The cover is slightly faded. The pages have red and black sketches and black print. The contents include recipes, meal plans and hints for cooking and storing meat. The booklet has been bound with metal staples. world war two, food rationing in world war two, history of warrnambool

This pot contained ointment made by Thomas Holloway. The ointment was invented and produced by the Englishman Thomas Holloway from 1837 on. This particular pot was produced about the 1920s. The ointment was popular for those suffering from variety of ailments including gout, rheumatism, ulcers and bruises. The sales of Thomas Holloway’s patent medicines made him a wealthy man and amongst his endowments is the Holloway College in Surrey, England, now part of London University. This ointment pot has no known local provenance but is kept as an interesting example of patent medicines of the past. It will be useful for display. This is a white china pot with a lid fitting into a grooved top. The lid has a black and white image of the trade mark of the ointment firm – said to be the figure of the Muse, Hygeia and her brother Telesphorus. The child is holding a banner with the address of the Holloway business and the prices of the ointment jars. There is some slight chipping around the rim of the upper part of the pot. ‘113 Southwark Street London’ ‘in Pots at 1/3, 3/-, 5/-, 12/-, 24/- & 36/- each’ ‘Holloway’s Ointment Trade Mark 3s 0d.’ holloway’s ointments, patent medicines

This tin contains tool bits that would have been used in conjunction with drills. Most handymen would have had such a collection amongst his tools and many still do today. This tin of tool bits is kept as a memento of the type of tool kit a handyman would have had in the past. Although rusty the tin itself is of interest as one from the early 20th century.This is a rectangular-shaped tin with embossed patterns on the sides and top. It is completely rusted. It contains 39 tool and drill bits of various shapes and sizes.household tools, history of warrnambool, drill bits

This letter holder could have been used in the past in an office or business or even in the home. It could have been used to hold letters that were to be answered or posted. Its size made it suitable for a small office. The item is of interest because of the testimonials on the label pasted on the base. One is from the British Prime Minister, William Gladstone and the other is from another British Prime Minister, the Marquis of Salisbury. Both testimonials indicate that they were written when the men were in office as Prime Ministers. This item has no known local significance but it is retained as an interesting example of office equipment in the past. This letter holder has a rectangular piece of wood acting as a base with a small hole at one end. The bottom of the base has a paper label pasted on. The label, a little torn, has black and yellow printing with details of the manufacturer. Affixed to the top of the base with metal clips is an arched piece of metal in a spiral shape. The spaces between the rings on the spiral metal piece are sufficiently taut to hold over 30 letters. The spiral rings are a little rusty.‘Iles’ Patent Premier Letter Rack’ office equipment, history of warrnambool

This wood plane would have been used in the past both in industry and in the home. It is an early example of a plane and has antiquarian interest. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as a good example of a vintage tool used in the past by carpenters and handymen. This is a metal tool for planing wood. It has a rectangular wooden base and two side bars for adjusting the length and angle of the blade. The tool has several metal wing nuts and screws and a wooden handle. The metal is much rusted. ‘Trade Mark 45’carpentry tools, history of warrnambool

This tin of gramophone needles was produced to be used in conjunction with a Decca Gramophone. The Decca company was founded in 1914 by Barnett Samuel and Sons and their gramophone as patented as the world’s first portable gramophone. The company became known as the Decca Gramophone Company in 1928. Portable gramophones became very popular, especially with the soldiers in World War One. Today the gramophone is largely a collector’s item and has been replaced by more sophisticated sound systems. These needles and their box are of interest as an example of a recreation product in the past. Gramophones were found extensively in homes up to the 1950s. This is a small rectangular-shaped tin with rounded edges. It has a hinged lid painted green on the top. The top has printed material in green, black and white lettering. Inside the tin is black paper lining and inside the lining are about 50 gramophone steel needles. This is not a full tin. The needles are in good condition but the tin is a little rusty‘Decca Soft Gramophone Needles Finest Sheffield Steel Use Once Only’ gramophones, history of warrnambool

This shaving set was used, mostly by men, to lather the face prior to shaving. Ornamental mugs such as this one were often given as presents. Today most men use electric shavers. This shaving set has no known local provenance and is kept for display purposes.This is a shaving set with a white china mug in the shape of a fish with a mouth where the excess water and lather are ejected and it has a handle in the shape of a fish’s tail. The top open section that contains room for the lather and water has white ornamentation around the outer section and has three holes inside for drainage. There is evidence of some gilt decoration around the mouth and eye of the fish and the open top section but this is now mostly rubbed away. The brush has a wooden handle with cotton braiding and hair (probably horsehair). The brush is a little worn. bathroom accessories, history of warrnambool