Joseph Henry Abbott arrived in Australia from Birmingham England in 1852 aged 22 hoping to make his fortune on the goldfields. In 1853 he opened a store in Bendigo, Abbott and Co and from there began a lengthy career as a business man supplying the local community with goods and services including owning and operating the New Times Boot Market & Factory in Pall Mall, Sandhurst, run by his wife, Anne (nee Deague). J H Abbott’s main ambitions were to serve on the local and state councils. He was elected Chairman of the Sandhurst Borough Council in 1860, Mayor of the City of Bendigo in 1891 and was gazetted a Justice of the Peace in 1864. Over his lifetime J H Abbott was closely linked to nearly all the leading institutions in Bendigo and worked for the benefit of local charities. He was trustee of the Bendigo Art Gallery and a Freemason and was said to be the first person in Bendigo to have a telephone installed in1882 between his residence and his business in Pall Mall. After JH Abbott died in 1904 he passed on his businesses to his son JH Abbott Jnr and adopted son RHS Abbott. These businesses continued to trade under the name JH Abbott & Co and today still operates under the name Abbott Supply although the last of the family interests ceased in 1986. Abbott and Co acted as agents for larger Melbourne based suppliers such as Briscoe & Co and the Australian Explosives & Chemical Co. Printed and handwritten paper invoice from Australian Explosives & Chemical Co to JH Abbott & Co dated 7th July, 1898 for the purchase of dynamite and gelignite. The invoice artwork/ letterhead and layout is especially notable due to its association with Troedel & Co, Master Printers and Lithographers and pioneers of the Melbourne printing industry.city of bendigo mayor, shire of strathfieldsaye, mayor abbott, city of greater bendigo commerce, making a nation exhibition, briscoe & co, australian explosives & chemical co

Ill, p.417fictionThe novel that T.S. Eliot called ;the first, the longest, and the best of the modern English detective novels ; Guarded by three Brahmin priests, the Moonstone is a religious relic, the centerpiece in a sacred statue of the Hindu god of the moon. It is also a giant yellow diamond of enormous value, and its temptation is irresistible to the corrupt John Herncastle, a colonel in the British Army in India. After murdering the three guardian priests and bringing the diamond back to England with him, Herncastle bequeaths it to his niece, Rachel, knowing full well that danger will follow. True to its enigmatic nature, the Moonstone disappears from Rachel & rsquo;s room on the night of her eighteenth birthday, igniting a mystery so intricate and thrilling it has set the standard for every crime novel of the past one hundred fifty years. Widely recognized, alongside the stories of Edgar Allan Poe, as establishing many of the most enduring conventions of detective fiction, The Moonstone is Wilkie Collins masterwork and one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. england - fiction, romantic fiction

p.350fictionWilliam Wallace encounters secret passageways, disguises, and a quintet of horrible villains as he fights for Scotland at the turn of the fourteenth century. english fiction - 19th century, romantic fiction

p.322.fictionA story of Mogul Emperor Shahjahanengland - fiction, shahjahan - mogul emporer - fiction

Ill, p.308.non-fictionAnecdotes from the First World warworld war 1914-1918 - fiction, world war 1914-1918 - anecdotes

Appendix, p.327.non-fictionI followed them on a journey into nightmares, as what seemed to be a simple escape plan (simple? A lunatic escape plan of infinite complexity and unlikelihood, more like) transmuted and transformed' Neil Gaiman, from the foreword Captured during the First World War, Lieutenant E.H. Jones and Lieutenant C.W. Hill are prisoners of war at the Yozgad prison camp in Turkey. With no end to the war in sight and to save themselves from boredom, the prisoners hit upon the idea of making of a makeshift Ouija board to keep themselves entertained. But Jones, it turns out, has a natural skill for manipula. world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - middle east, world war 1914-1918 - prisoners of war

Map, p.340.non-fictionAn account of the origins of the First World warworld war 1914-1918 - causes, world war 1914-1918 - diplomacy

Index, maps, p.502.non-fictionA right wing view of the Spanish civil warspain - civil war - 1936-1939, spain - politics and government - 1931-1939

Ill, p.285.fictionThe classic story of a mischievous 19th-century boy in a Mississippi River town and his friends, Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher, as they run away from home, witness a murder, and find treasure in a cave. adventure fiction, juvenile fiction

Newspaper clippings of the homesteadlocal architecture, local special interest groups

"Although horse breeding and racing was an established and popular tradition in the district by the 1900s, one horse is credited with raising the profile of the industry in Melton during this period. The Welkin was bred in England and brought to Melton in 1910 as the foundation sire of Ernest Clarke’s Melton stud. Clarke, brother of Sir Rupert, enjoyed remarkable success with his champion stallion. By the time of the horse’s death in 1925, The Welkin had sired individual winners, with total winnings of almost £600,000. His most celebrated offspring, Gloaming, achieved 57 wins from 67 starts and won a then-record of £86,000 in prize money. The Welkin was buried at the entry gates to Clarke’s Melton stud under an inscribed marble headstone, as the racing world mourned the loss of ‘one of the most successful sires that ever did stud duty in Australia".Articles about Welkin the Champ featured in The Mail Express and Melton Express local identities

Works being undertaken at the Willows Homestead article featured in the Express Telegraph local architecture, council, local special interest groups

Brown leather spine and corners, blue hardboard cover with embossed detailing on cover and spine 'The cyclopedia of Victoria Vol 1' 12 unnumbered pages; 611 pages ; Illus; Photo; 29cm;encyclopedia, victoria, kilmore mechanics institute library.

Brown leather spine and corners, blue hardboard cover with embossed detailing on cover and spine 'The Cyclopedia of Victoria Vol 2' 12 unnumbered pages; 559 pages ; Illus; Photo; 29cm;encyclopedia, victoria, kilmore mechanics institute library.

Brown hardboard cover with gold embossed detailing on cover and spine 'Whiston's Josephus, The Excelsior Edition' 11 unnumbered pages; 684 pages ; Illus; 24cm;Stamped inscription on front page 'Glenaroua Public Hall and Library No, 181' Stamp on various pages 'Public Hall and Library Glenaroua'kilmore mechanics institute library.

Faded brown cloth cover with embossed detailing on cover and spine 'Josephus' Whole Works by Whiston' 4 unnumbered pages; 856 pages ;Index 13; Illus; 23cm; Handwritten inscription on front page '169' Stamp on various pages 'Kilmore Mechanics Institute'kilmore mechanics institute library.

Red leather cover with gold writing on spine and cover 'Pictures from the battle fields' Loose pages xxxi ; 319 pages ; 32 pages; 19 cm ; IlluHandwritten inscription on first page 'H Grover' Stamp on multiple pages 'Kilmore Mechanics Institute'kilmore mechanics institute library.

Large hardcover book with picture of children playing in the snow on cover. Contains many coloured plates and line drawings.fictionBoys annual containing many short stories by different authors. children's books, fiction, annuals

Blue hardcover book, Penfold. A Story of the Flower Mission, by Ruth Lynn. Has black floral design all over covers and spine, with gold lettering for title on front and spine. Black and white illustrations throughout. Black and white decorative illuminated style lettering is at the beginning of each chapter. Gold lettering for title on caver and spine.fictionA Children's religious fiction book about a father whose daughter ran away with a young man and the troubles fraught by this as she bears a child and leaves it at a workhouse door.children's fiction, religious fiction, family fiction

Red fabric hardcover book of three short stories, The Cheery Chime of Garth and Other Stories by Mrs Sophie Amelia Prosser, with a floral design in black on front cover with gold lettering for title. And Other Stories and author printed in black. Ornate Illumination style lettering for the first letter of each new chapter with some black and white illustrations throughout.fictionThree Short Stories with strong religious themes, the Cheery Chimes of Garth set in a small village in England where a new vicar has been appointed. Mrs S. A. Prosser was known for her sentimental morality tales and fables.religion fiction, morals fiction, young people's fiction

Brown hardcover vintage book, The Universal Home Doctor - Illustrated, with sun style blind tooled decoration on the front cover and gold title on the spine. It is arranged in alphabetical order with black and white diagrams, photographs and illustrations. A coloured Diagnosis Diagram: The Male Anatomy is opposite the Contents page and a black and white one is on page 619 Diagnosis Diagram: The Female Anatomy.non-fictionA medical dictionary and encyclopaedia A to Z with special supplements for the health and well-being of the nation. It incorporates the latest possible information on ew medical discoveries and developments and is a practical reference book for the time.health, human body, biology, medical reference

small dark green hardcover book with an illustration imprinted on the front in black ink of men and a woman standing on the shore retrieving items from a shipwreck. A barrel, ropes and anchor are shown on a wharf at the bottom left. The back cover has the initials of the publisher RTS ( Religious Tract Society) ornately written in black on a lifebuoy with the ocean bed below. The title, The Old Endeavour is imprinted with a gold coloured rope style lettering. The frontispiece illustration opposite the title page depicts rescue boats, a man saving a child in the sea with his mother close by. Some black and white illustrations throughout and ornate floral strips of decoration at the top of each new chapter. 158p.fictionAn adventure story of a shipwreck and rescue. ships fiction, adventure stories, stories for boys

A very small grey covered paperback book titled - Order for the Administration of The Lord's Supper and Other Services for the use of the Methodist Church of Australasia. At the bottom of the front cover is printed the publishing details. On the back cover is printed underneath a symbol of the printer - Epworth Press 218 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Pp.56.non-fictionOrder for the Administration of the Lord's Supper and Other Services for the use of The Methodist Church of Australasia. Prayers included are - The Holy Communion, Baptism of Infants, Reception of Members and Covenant Service. religious books, religious services, prayer books

A brown hardcover book with the title printed in black text, The Weekly Times Farmers' Handbook on the front cover. Compiled from the Farmers' Information Bureau with Practical Information from the Rural Section of The Weekly Times. Second Edition is printed in a black rectangular shape at the bottom with the price - 2/6. Three black lines decorate both sides and across the cover information. Ink stains on the front. The spine has the faded title written. The title page is missing, but there remains A Forward and Preface. An index is at the back, along with advertising for farming products and equipment. Diagrams, illustrations are included. 286Pp. Stains and foxing on the edges of the pages are visible. Some damage to the spine top and bottom.non-fictionA handbook for farmers compiled from articles from practical information from the Rural Section of the Weekly Times in Australia. It has informed generations of farmers on the way of the land, with useful tips and invaluable advice. Few farms would have been without a well-thumbed copy.farming australia, the weekly times, farmers

A very small grey covered paperback book titled - Order for the Administration of The Lord's Supper and Other Services for the use of the Methodist Church of Australasia. At the bottom of the front cover is printed the publishing details. On the back cover is printed underneath a symbol of the printer - Epworth Press 218 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Pp.56.non-fictionOrder for the Administration of the Lord's Supper and Other Services for the use of The Methodist Church of Australasia. Prayers included are - The Holy Communion, baptism of Infants, Reception of Members and Covenant Service. religious books, religious services, prayer books

A slim white square hardcover book with text by Harold J. Pollock and a record of Menura the Lyrebird. The cover has the title written at the top - Menura the Lyrebird with a round photograph of a Lyrebird in the bush with its tail fanned. Jacaranda Nature Series is printed in blue at the top right hand corner of the front cover. At the bottom is printed in black lettering - EP RECORD INSIDE FRONT COVER. Inside the left front cover is a pocket with an EP record recorded by Harold J. Pollock. The book has explanations of the sounds recorded as well as coloured photographs of the lyrebirds in their natural habitat. At the back of the book is a list of recordings on each side of the record. The back cover has a black and white photograph of Harold feeding a lyrebird by hand on his knee. A paper card illustrated with a coloured lyrebird on the front with an inscription inside is inserted at the front of the book. 20 pp.non-fictionA book and recording of Menura the Lyrebird. It was recorded in the lyrebirds' natural habitat in the Dandenong Ranges Victoria. The book describes the life of two birds, Theresa and Wanderer with coloured photographs depicting them in the bush.australian birds, australian animals, records

A vintage early 1800's brown hardcover children's book with the title The Adventures of a Three Guinea Watch printed in gold diagonal letter on the front cover with a black lined illustration of two boys playing with a fob watch sitting inside a large barrel. The spine has the title and RTS symbol for the publisher printed in gold lettering. The back cover has a black lined drawing of a boy reading a book in front of a bookcase with the heading: THE BOYS OWN BOOKSHELF printed in a banner above. There are flowers and butterflies too. The frontispiece illustration depicts a woman and a man with a boy in football clothes talking. It is covered with faded tissue paper. The title page has the title, author, publisher details and the same black lined illustration as is featured on the back cover. Throughout the book are many black lined illustrations. At the back is page of further Books for Boys published by The Religious Tract Society. The author,Talbot Baines Reed wrote school stories for boys. Pp. 226.fictionA vintage early 1800's adventure story for teenage boys with black lined illustrations. A boy is given a watch for his 13th birthday as he goes off to school. The watch narrates his own story as he changes 'owners' and travels to London, a pawn shop, a university, to the seaside, India and back to..... There are strong religious themes throughout.children's books, books, children's stories, adventure stories, teenage stories, boys' stories