Alan WATT (1941- ) Born Melbourne, Victoria Alan Watt studied at RMIT from 1961 to 1965, and he completed a Fellowship Diploma in 1973-4. Alan Watt travelled and studied pottery in Europe and Japan, and lectured in three State a Colleges in Victoria since 1964. in 1984 Alan Watt was a guest lecturer at Spotkanie held at the Gippsland Campus of Advanced Education.Slab built blackfired stoneware. The sculptural form is inspired by the cuts in open cut coal fields. alan watt, ceramics, jan feder memorial ceramics collection, gippsland campus, spotkanie, strezlecki spotkanie

Manufacturing History Museum Victoria|Commentary: Australian manufacturing history Philip Wollen|Many years ago, when I was an ambition young man, I took over a company called Hecla. This business was formed in 1872, long before Federation was even contemplated. The company established a rich tradition in the Australian manufacturing industry. The prodigious product range included kettles, mixers, toasters, hairdryers, urns, pie warmers, bain maries, and electric blankets for the domestic and commercial market. During the war it even manufactured parts for aircraft. It was one of Melbourne's largest employers.|Hecla was one of the pioneers in TV advertising, led by icons like Bert Newton, Bobby Limb, Evie Hayes and Graham Kennedy who ad Jibbed his way through irreverent and unscripted naughtiness about Hecla electric blankets and foot warmers. The slogan was 'By Hecla, its good.'. One can imagine the fun Bert and Graham had with their double entendres.|In the 60's Hecla entered into a partnership with General Electric and expanded rapidly. The massive factory, on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Chapel Street overlooking the Yarra River was a Melbourne landmark.|The business was formed by one of the scions of Melbourne industry. Mr Marriott was a metal worker of some repute, building the lights in front of Melbourne's Parliament House, the first steam car, the sideboard at the RACY Club, and the first factory to run on electricity.|By the time I acquired the company it was a shadow of its former self, incapable of competing with cheap Chinese imports. Wandering around the warehouse late one night I discovered a large, boarded up storeroom which appeared not to have been opened in decades.|Over several months I combed through the room, unearthing a treasure trove of products from a bygone era. Dusty files, engineering drawings, wooden prototypes, patent records, and correspondence from distributors on every continent.|I decided to track down an old man, Ray, long retired after 50 years with Hecla. He was not well off financially and welcomed the paid work. It turned out that he had done his apprenticeship with the company and there wasn't much he didn't know about it. He had been personally involved in the manufacture of almost every type of product on the Hecla smorgasbord's of products.|So for over 2 years he methodically assembled a mini museum of Hecla products, painstakingly polishing them and ensuring they were in working order. He attached the original brochure of each product and their respective warranty cards. For him it was ,a labour of love. For me it was a fascinating, if vicarious journey, into Australia's manufacturing past.|My colleagues complained that I was wasting money on his salary, our time and factory space on stuff that should have been dumped years ago. I tried to explain that I was merely a steward of the Hecla tradition, not merely an owner. Besides, the look on Ray's face convinced me that there was another dynamic at work. One I could see, but didn't really understand.|After he Passed away I faced a dilemma. What to do with this 'museum' of Hecla history. Nobody was interested.|So I kept the 'stuff' in private storage, hoping that same day someone would be interested in it. And the years passed.|Finally, I had a brainwave. Perhaps the Melbourne Museum would be interested. It was a long shot but I made the call. I had a nagging suspicion that they would think I was simply trying to get them to relieve me of paying for this huge collection to be taken to the tip.|To my surprise they said they would be willing to take a look, I secretly hoped that they would take the whole collection and not leave me with an incomplete jumble of appliances that I would indeed have to take to the tip.|On the appointed day, four serious looking young people showed up. Armed with digital cameras, note books and poker faces they spent four hours analysing the goods and the supporting materials. I asked them if they had any interest and their response was decidedly non-committal. It depends on the acquisitions committee, I was told. I was disheartened and packed up the exhibits to go back into storage.|Imagine my surprise when months later they telephoned to say that they had researched the history of the company, and yes, they would like to take the whole collection. And a truck with 'handlers' would arrive the following day to pick it up. Two years ago all Hecla's archives left me forever and went to the Museum's warehouse.|Well, to my delight I received a call yesterday inviting me to a private viewing of the exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. These young historians had meticulously assembled an impressive display of Melbourne's industry and technology going back to the 1800's. They thanked me like a significant benefactor when it is I who should have thanked them.|I saw the excitement in the eyes of these young people who had somehow managed to dig out and assemble memories from Australia's past. If this is the standard of care that the curators of the Melbourne Museum show all their exhibits, our history is in safe hands.|Their meticulous work took me back to those years long ago when I saw an old man lovingly assembling and cataloging a lifetime of his work.|It took me back to the day when Australians actually made things. Long before we became a nation of quarrymen. Before we became animal-factory 'farmers'. Of a time when products didn't break down, or dumped and replaced before the warranty expired. When men like Mr Marriott cared deeply about what their hands produced.|It reminded me of the call I received from an elderly lady in Tasmania asking for the electrical element for a Hecla K7 kettle. I searched the archives and called her back. The K7 was produced decades earlier and we no longer carried that spare part. She was quite disheartened and told me her kettle had finally 'given up the ghost' and she couldn't bear to part with it. It was a present from her husband on their wedding day 45 years ago. Her final words were 'they don't make them like that, do they? By Hecla they were good.'|I'm glad I followed my instinct and put Ray back on the payroll all those years ago..|I like to think Mr Marriott would have been pleased.Large electric heater with two radiator bars and a protective grille at the top and false coals at the bottom.Replacements for this fire - Elements No. F314 - Illuminators No. 3P. Berry's Electric Ltd - Volts 230 - 240 -Watts 2000 V/AD/Cat No. 454 . Made in Australia by Hecla Electrics Pty Ltd Melbournedomestic items, heating

Black and white phoptograph of works in progress at the open cut brown coal mine at Morwell Victoriamines and mining

8375.1 - High-grade black coal; has very glass-like or obsidian-like fracturing and faces.

This sugar bowl was manufactured by the firm Stewart Dawson & Co. The firm was active as jewellers and watch manufacturer at Hatton Garden London, with premises in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. In 1907 the firm was converted to Stewart Dawson & Co Ltd under which name in traded until c1935.This item is from Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper. It belonged to her mother, Mrs. Yardy.A sugar bowl fashioned in the shape of a coal shuttle with a scoop-shaped spoon. Made from silver plateOn underside of bowl: "EP SD & Co. LTD in shield BM/ 4662'sugar bowl, plate silver

Black and white photograph of a steam locomotive with coal tender engine number H220, in a timber frame under glass.photograph, train, steam train

8441.1 - Hessian bag full of coal, presumably for effect; sides of the bag have drawstrings of rope with metal handles.

8371.1 - Like a squat, oval-faced cylinder; flatted ends; edges 'lipped'; black coal; high-grade.

8374.1 - Small piece of high-grade black coal; thin; Rhombus shaped. Shows fracturing on one face.

8373.1 - Fairly polyhedral (and roughly elongated tetrahedral). Small piece of high-grade black coal with dull shine.

Belonged to Dot McKean’s parentsHistorical —- used to fill coal fires. Metal structure with a wide base tapered to a scooped neck. Two handles Top and bottom for lifting coal in scuttle None visable

Metal toy train engine painted yellow and red with black coal scuttle at rear. (Despite inscription there is no Noddy)A Budgie toy/Noddy and his train.toys, general

Document. Progress Report. Of the Select Committee of the Legislative Council on the State Coal Mine; Together with the Minutes of Evidence and Plan.

MININGTIMBER LOOK FRAMED PHOTOCOPY OF ENGRAVINGS OF COAL MINING AND METALLIFERROUS MINING. MOUNTED ON MATT CARD, UNDER GLASSNOTE ADDED ON FRONT (POSSIBLY FOR EXHIBITION PURPOSES) SMALL STICKER ON BACK "409 MINING ENGRAVING 305X220MM INCL. SEVERAL FIGURES FROM BLACKIES POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA 1877 #39003.coal mining, metalliferous mining

This is an original copy of Richard Osburne’s book on the history of Warrnambool from 1847 to 1886. It is a hard cover blue-coloured book of 284 pages with additional Melbourne and Warrnambool advertisements at the end of the book. There is one fold-up insert (four of the original are missing). There are a Preface and Notes From the Author (‘To the public in general’ and ‘To my personal friends in the Warrnambool district’). richard osburne, history of warrnambool, warrnambool history, warrnambool 1886

The School of Mines Ballaarat Annual Report 24 January 1882, Additional Examination Statute, Certificates Granted by Council, Copy of letter received from the Honble. Francis Ormond MLC, Extracts from Visitors' Book, Fees, Form of Bequest, Life Governors, Museum open to Visitors, Office Bearers, Paper of Particulars, Report of the Curator of the Museum and Library (with plans), Report of the Superintendent of Laboratories, Report of the Lecturer in Telegraphy, Report of the Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the year 1881, Subjects and Lecturers, Subjects and Examiners, Subscriptions and Donations from 1 January to 31 December 1881, The Lignite Deposit at Skipton (with Section and Plan)Ballarat School of Mines Annual Report. Pale brown booklet of 64 pages. A plan of the Ballarat School of Mines shows the position of the Botanical Gardens, and the Ballarat School of Mines Museum. Geological Sketch Map of Country in the Neighbourhood of Skipton and Plan showing site of Coal Discovery. Skipton Coal Discovery - Section of Windlass Shaft. .2) is a leatherbound copyballarat school of mines, coal, plan, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, ballarat school of mines museum, museum, annual report, james oddie, w. p. bechervaise, s. e. friggis, f. j. martell, w. h. nicholls,, e. i. rosenblum, h. r. caselli, thomas mann, theos. williams, f. m. krause, alf. mica smith, walter d. campbell, w. h. shaw, charles kent, andw. berry, robert adam, wm. lant carpenter, henry parkinson, h. b. de la poer wall, w. h. brockenshire, arthur parker, c. davies, simon richards, c. r. blackett, david jones, wilberforce dyke, kr. r. krauel, duncan love, william ralph heaton, edward dowling, octavius vaughan morgan, william denton, e. h. grimwade, james hunter, the honble. francis ormond, ferdinand krause, a.a. buley, j. cosmo newberry, w.c. kernot, john lewis, j.m. bickett, james bickett, fees, annie barnett, annette budden, isabel clinton, john dimsey, agnes pobjoy, charlotte shaw, bernard o'dowd, bernard patrick o'dowd, josiah wasley, ferdinand von mueller, william kernot, john lynch, william henderson, henry richards caselli, w.p. berchervaise, e.i. rosenblum, w.h. nicholls, lignate, samuel figgis, mary drury, w. longley, botanical reserve, botanical gardens, francis ormond, george russell, william foster stawell, w.j. clarke, rivett henry bland, john warrington rogers, j. lonie, s.e. figgis, r.f. hudson, w. robertson, e.l. rosenblum, theophilus williams, andrew berry, henry sutton, h. rosales, state school classes, calcutta international exhibition, examinations, h.b.m ship bounty, certicates, walter charles kernot, william tunbridge, mary skelton, cartherine moran, mary rose usher, margaret ellen brophy, william burbridge, andrea tuxen, elizabeth curnow, francis campigi, james s. morrison, arthur hogue

8461.1 - Rusty rail pin in plastic container. 8461.2 - Rusty rail pin in plastic container. 8461.3 - Coal fragments

Copy of photo looking north in Bay Street from Beach and Bay, Morley's Coal Depot cart in foreground, c1873On back: view up Bay St circa 1872-3business and traders, william morley

8364.1 - Quite large piece of high-grade black coal; yellow paint on a significant portion of surface; overall roughly rhomboid.

Post card advertising Buckell and jeffrey Wood, coal, Mallee roots and coke. Picture of a woman, a child and a cat in front of a fire place.

8437.1 - Coal auger bit with handle missing. Tip is forked and double pointed; point of attachment for handle is square, but it narrows and tapers into the bit.

Boiler ships coal fired boiler all metal J Bartram and Son Melbourne black. 1030mmH x 490mm diam Circa 1880flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Sign on lamp post in Ross Street - "Timber, coal, briquette traffic is prohibited in this street", also information re sign (Digital image on database)engineering - roads streets lanes and footpaths, ross street

8369.1 - Medium-sized piece of coal, high-grade; small specks of 'rust' can be observed; long narrow, with a generally square cross-section.

6302.1 - 3 cross sections through the Korumburra coal field area, showing topography, surface features, boreholes and elevation. Seems to be a copy of original.