The Bowler hat, characterised by its dome-like crown, was invented in 1849 by a pair of hat-makers: brothers Thomas and William Bowler. They were commissioned by the famous London hat retailer “Lock & Co” to invent a close-fitting, low-crowned hat for their customer Mr. Edward Coke. It would be sturdy and not easily knocked or blown off the wearer’s head. The difference between a Bowler hat and a Derby hat is simply that Bowler hats are British, Derby hats are American. The Bowler / Derby hat was devised in London during a time when the top hat was the upper-class men’s hat of choice and the lower social class wore soft, cloth caps. However, the top hat was impractical and inconvenient for those on horseback as it easily toppled over and was easily damaged. Bowler hats were termed “stiff” hats– they were given a coat of shellac in the construction process and therefore never conformed to the shape of the wearers head. While very stiff, the hat is lined in a beautiful, soft silk to ensure comfort. The Bowler hat marked the first middle ground between formality and casual wear. c1900 The Derby hats were very popular for all classes in USA including criminals like Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid and c1920 many fashionable women also wore them. In England and Commonwealth the Bowler hat remained popular throughout the 1800s and through the first half of the 1900s, being worn by everyone from politicians, actors, accountants, bankers, and the 'everyman' on the street.The family of Nance Blackman were early settlers in Moorabbin ShireA black felt Bowler hat with cream silk lining and black ribbon bandInside Crown & Band ; The Cobweb Felt / easiest/ fitting / extra light / Inside Band Best Quality / 6111hats, hatters, blackman nance, clothing, suits, fashion wear, bankers, actors, politicians, bowler hats, derby hats, top hats, social classes, moorabbin, cheltenham, bentleigh, brighton, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, bowler thomas, bowler william, lock & co. ltd. london, england, america, canada

In around 1924 a band of Gija people crossed fences onto their traditional land near Bedford Downs Station in the East Kimberley 2000 km northeast of Perth and killed nine head of cattle. This act precipitated one of the massacres to become known as the 'killing times'. Paddy Quilty, the station owner of Bedford Downs had his men collect wagon loads of firewood which was distributed around the camp. He then invited everyone to assemble for their rations. The food, laced with strychnine, was handed out. As the Gija people fell down dying in agony, they were shot. The firewood was used to burn the bodies. One boy escaped to the the story. Paddy Jamin Jaminji (c.1922-1997) painted The Hills of Bedford Downs Station as part of a series of painting about the Killing Times. It depicts the story and sites of the massacre. At least twelve killing sites are recorded within a radius of 150 km of Turkey Creek, WA. The painting was possibly discarded due to its damage in one corner and later collected from an old shelter at Warmun on a field trip by collector Neil McLeod in 1995.Large painting on board of symbolic landscape. Brown, yellow, cream and white. Framed.bedford downs station, massacre, killing, gija, paddy quilty, turkey creek, warmun

Family members are from right to left: Alfred George NIGHTINGALE (b.1885; d.1946) John NIGHTINGALE (b. 1853; m1878; d.1943) Emma Augusta THOMPSON (b. 1859; d.1949) Alfred George Nightingale (b.1885; d.1946) was a well known nurseryman who after working for Nobelius Nurseries started Nightingale Nursery in Avonsleigh near Emerald. The nursery specialised in fruit trees and general nursery stockNightingale Nursery Copy of photograph of Nightingale Family, mid 1930's pasted on cream cardFront: Handwritten Nightingale Family, mid 1930's Back: Mr. and Mrs. Nightingale and Familynightingale, thompson

Julia Eaton was the daughter of George Thomas who lived with his family at Newmerella on Grand View Road until the 1950's. The family was a very well-respected local Aboriginal family.This item is an example of a common domestic item hand made by an Orbost local. It reflects the needlework skills of women in the early to middle 20th century. White/cream coloured soft thread macrame cloth with tassels around the edge.cloth tablewear domestic linen

Donated by daughter of Alan Richardson, sawmiller at Tabbara. Helped build and held ticket for paddle steamer "Curlip".Most people don’t use handkerchiefs anymore, either for personal hygiene or as a fashion statement, but at one time they were prized possessions.Prior to making their move to the breast pockets of men’s suits and sport coats, handkerchiefs were kept in pants pockets.When two-piece suits came into fashion during the 19th century, no “gentleman” was seen without one. This item reflects that custom.Man's cream coloured silk handkerchief with blue and red stripes around border.handkerchief costume-male silk richardson-alan

Chamber pot ceramic cream and red floral decoration. Repaired chip in rim.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, chamber pot, ceramic chamber pot

Mixing bowls of this design were a common item in Austrailan kitchens in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Women worked largely in the kitchen producing three meals daily for their families and, on farms, for the workers or casual labourers.Local significance for the history of women's work, especially the domestic duties of baking and cooking. Round, cream-coloured, ceramic mixing bowl with pouring lip, fluted design.baking, cakes, mixing bowl, kitchenware, women s work, domestic utensils, home cooked meals

Frank Wright was the adjudicator The Gloucestershire Brass Band Assoc. Annual concert at the Trinity College, GlocesterBlue print on cream glossy paper. 5 page double sided bookletbrass band, frank wright, adjudicator

The Ballarat School of Mines dance was held in the Ballarat Civic Hall. Original poster - black on cream, including an image of a woman about to kiss a man. ballarat school of mines, dance, civic hall, ballarat civic hall, poster, smb

Coloured photograph mounted on cream card. Names of students printed under the photograph.

Relates to the history of the development of the X-RayBrown/gold cover with cream tape on spine, figures and tables, 64 pagesWK Andersonmetallurgy, medicine, e. j. tunnicliffe, x-rays, radiography, xray

Wedding photograph of member of the Holmes family. Show the bride posing in the gardens.Black and white photograph mounted on cream card. Young woman in wedding dress.Photographer's name on mounting - John Proctor Ballaratholmes family, chatham-holmes collection, wedding, john proctor, ballarat, marriage, bride

J.K.McCaskill was a Ringwood MayorPale cream coloured card with blue printing with Law Department of Victoria Crest.

This lady’s fine cotton night cap is an example of the dressmaking skills of the women of the early settlers families in Moorabbin Shire in the early 20th C Early settlers and market gardeners established their families in Moorabbin Shire c1900 and this item shows the skill and craftsmanship of the women of these families Lady's cream voile night mop cap with 4 lacework panels and edging clothing, crochet, mop caps, brighton, moorabbin, pioneers, dressmaking, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork, bentleigh, lacework, moorabbin shire, hunt ailsa, dairy farms, fruit orchards

It is thought that natural pearls form under a set of accidental conditions when a microscopic intruder or parasite enters a bivalve mollusc and settles inside the shell. The mollusc, irritated by the intruder, forms a pearl sac of external mantle tissue cells and secretes the calcium carbonate and conchiolin to cover the irritant. This secretion process is repeated many times, thus producing a pearl. Natural pearls come in many shapes, with perfectly round ones being comparatively rare. In general, cultured pearls are less valuable than natural pearls, whereas imitation pearls have almost no value. Cultured freshwater pearls can often be confused for natural pearls Cultured pearls are the response of the shell to a tissue implant. A tiny piece of mantle tissue (called a graft) from a donor shell is transplanted into a recipient shell, causing a pearl sac to form into which the tissue precipitates calcium carbonate. Some imitation pearls (also called shell pearls) are simply made of mother-of-pearl, coral or conch shell A strand of pearls called a princess length, 43 to 48 cm in length, comes down to or just below the collarbone. A graduated strand of pearls most often has at least 3 mm of differentiation from the ends to the centre of the necklace. A lady's pearl necklace and 1 earring in a hinged, lined, cream Bakelite case .jewellery, necklace, earring, pearls, market gardners, early settlers, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, ormond

Small blue and cream vase with basket weave pattern and small opening in top.Made in Japanornaments, ceramic, vase

sepia portrait of woman and young girl mounted on off-white cream boardMassingham, Geelongperson, family

Hexagonal cream celluloid stud box with stud for handle & an assortment of studs inside.domestic equipment, containers, studs

Unopened cream and brown jug commemorating Australian Vietnam Forces National MemorialAustralian Vietnam Forces National Memorial Remembrance Tawny Port. A project under the auspices of Australian Vietnam Forces Welcome Home 1987commemorative jug, welcome home

cream coloured manual with black prit. In the centre of the cover there is a scetching of a Howitzer 105mm.united states - armed forces - service manuals, 105mm howitzer

A cream coloured copied manual with black writing on it. At the top of the manual is a metal staple.royal australian airforce - manuals, overvoltage protector pn 1623-6-a

Small plastic or bone, cream fan with each rib decorated with a different pattern.

Beaded evening purse with chain handle, metal clasp and cream silk lining.

This knitted layette including a bonnet, cardigan, and two booties was created by Mrs Lavinia Brown, a champion knitter who loved Churchill Island. Mrs Brown was born on 16 June 1913 in Regent, and she entered all of her knitting into the Royal Melbourne Show. Her daughter recalls that her knitting never won anything less than first prize, and was most often Champion. She remembers that once Mrs. Brown's work was disqualified as being 'machine knitted', and after an appeal in which she was required to knit a pattern in front of them, she was awarded the champion. Mrs Brown chose to use bicycle spokes with wax ends as she could not find needles small enough for use to make babies' clothing.Lavinia Brown loved Churchill Island, and this was donated by her daughter, A. Cattell. It represents a superb example of non-conventional hand knitting as well as being of the era for Churchill Island.Cream fine wool knitted layette comprising of bonnet, cardigan, and two booties. layette, churchill island, lavinia brown

Churchill Island has a large photograph collection dating from the nineteenth century. This series shows snippets of life on the Island after its acquisition by the Victorian Government in the late 1970s.Photograph of four people sitting inside and eating tea, and scones with jam and creamcatalogue number written on reverse in pencilchurchill island, photograph