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The Beechworth Burke Museum
Animal specimen - Gang Gang Cockatoo (male), Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Gang-gang Cockatoo can be found throughout much of south-eastern Australia. They reside in mountainous forests and open woodlands, often in small groups or larger flocks at sources of food and water. They eat mainly seeds from native trees and shrubs along with wattles, eucalypts and hawthorns. The Gang-gang Cockatoo is also known to incorporate berries, nuts, fruits and insects to their diet. The sound made by this type of Cockatoo is often described as a rasping screech which resembles the sound of a rusty hinge being moved.This type of call is made when the bird is in flight. These birds also fond of attention and can pick their own feathers if they are bored. The name "gang gang" derives from a New South Wales Aboriginal language, either the Ngunnawal or Wiradjuri. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.The male Gang Gang Cockatoo is standing stylised on a wooden perch. The Cockatoo has a dark slate-grey coloured body with a scarlet red/orange coloured head with a wispy crest. This specimen stands with its wings positioned to its sides and has round glass bead eyes. The bill has a hooked shape and is horn-coloured. The legs and feet of this specimen are dark grey.taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, cockatoo, gang-gang cockatoo, cockie -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Animal specimen - Gang Gang Cockatoo (female), Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Gang-gang Cockatoo can be found throughout much of south-eastern Australia. They reside in mountainous forests and open woodlands, often in small groups or larger flocks at sources of food and water. They eat mainly seeds from native trees and shrubs along with wattles, eucalypts and hawthorns. The Gang-gang Cockatoo is also known to incorporate berries, nuts, fruits and insects to their diet. The sound made by this type of Cockatoo is often described as a rasping screech which resembles the sound of a rusty hinge being moved.This type of call is made when the bird is in flight. These birds also fond of attention and can pick their own feathers if they are bored. The name "gang gang" derives from a New South Wales Aboriginal language, either the Ngunnawal or Wiradjuri. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.This female Gang-gang Cockatoo has a grey head and crest with brown glass eyes. The beak is hooked and a pale bone colour. The neck and torso of the cockatoo is patterned with orange and black stripes. The feathers of the underparts and back are slate-grey with an edging of pink and yellow. The female cockatoo has more yellow in their feathers than the males which gives them a further barred appearance. taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, australaisian shovelor, shovelor, cockatoo, gang-gang cockatoo, cockie -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Animal specimen - Azure King Fisher, Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Azure Kingfisher can be located throughout northern and eastern Australia. It can also been found in parts of Indonesia, New Guinea and surrounding islands. This species frequents the Kimberley region in Western Australia and and the Top End of Queensland. In Victoria, it resides inland near the Murray-Darling Basin. These birds prefer to make their homes near bodies of water such as creeks and rivers. They live in areas with shady vegetation. This particular species of Kingfisher are known for their bright and contrasting colouring and tiny stature. They are the smallest Kingfisher found in Australia. These birds feed on yabbies and small fish. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.The Azure Kingfisher is stylized perched upon a wooden stand and has a paper identification tag attached to one of its legs. This bird has a combination of blue, yellow/orange and black plumage. The orange colour is located upon its chest while the royal blue is upon the rear of the bird on its back and head. The blue has faded in places due to age. The specimen is a diminutive bird species with a wide torso and a long and slender black bill. It has a short tail and two glass black eyes. The feet are a pale cream colour.11a. / Azure Kingfisher See Catalogue, page 9. /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, kingfisher, azure, azure kingfisher, small birds, brightly coloured birds -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Animal specimen - Weasel, Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Weasel is the smallest carnivorous mammal in the world. They commonly reside in central and western Europe and in the Mediterranean region. They can also be found in North Africa, Asia and North America. This species was also later introduced to New Zealand. The Weasel prefers to live in locations which include grasslands, sand dunes, lowland forests, upland moors and towns which have a suitable food source. Collective nouns for a group of Weasels include a "sneak", a "boogie", a "gang" or a "confusion". This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum and the National Museum of Victoria, as well as individuals such amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.A light coloured weasel standing on a wooden platform. Two identification tags are tied to one of the specimen's back legs. The animal has a long and slim body with a small and triangular shaped head. The teeth are visible from close-up and the eyes have been replaced by dark coloured glass. The snout is pointed and the weasel has long whiskers. The ears are small and rounded.A.4491 ?. Weasel sp. / Catalogue, page, 48 /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, squirrel -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c.1914
This photograph depicts a soldier, credited on the reverse as Fred Foster. The young man is dressed in military attire and is standing tall with a gun beside him. He is located in the Australian bush and the date of the photograph is unknown. Frederick “Fred” Arthur Foster was nephew to famous Bushranger Edward “Ned” Kelly. He was born on the 15th of March 1889 in Forbes, New South Wales. He was the eldest son of Catherine “Kate” Kelly and William Henry “Bricky” Foster. After the death of his mother in October of 1898 from apparent drowning, Foster (then aged 9) was raised by his grandmother Ellen Kelly (née Quinn) at Eleven Mile Creek in Victoria. On the 29th of June 1915, 26 year old Foster travelled to Melbourne, Victoria and enlisted in the Australian Army. He was a Private in the 17th Infantry Battalion (originally C.Company, 47th battalion). He previously was attached to the 55th Battalion but transferred in 1916. Prior to enlisting in the army, Foster worked as a Bee Keeper and served in the 16th Light Horse regiment at Benalla. Foster had blue eyes, brown hair and was of Presbyterian faith. On the 28th of February 1917, Foster travelled to France aboard SS “Golden Eagle”. He was killed in action in Lagnicourt, France on the 15th of April 1917 at 28 years old. The Battle in Lagnicourt France, on the Western Front, occurred from the 1st of March to the 30th of April of 1917 and was the location of fierce fighting between Germany and the British Empire. Germany became aware of a weakness they had along the Hindenburg Line, one of these weaknesses was located in Lagnicourt which is a small village in Northern France. Therefore, the Germans decided to launch a counter-attack in this area on the 15th of April at dawn. During this fight, German forces captured several batteries of the 1st Australian Division’s artillery but the Australians led a strong counter-attack by four of their battalions and recaptured the village and most of the guns from the German forces. German forces were forced into a premature withdrawal. This battle was not undertaken in typical WW1 “trench” style warfare. Instead, the battle was up on the ground in what was described as “old open style warfare”. In this battle, slightly more than 1000 casualties were Australian, with 300 of these prisoners of war. German forces suffered a loss of over 2300 casualties with 360 taken captive. Foster was one of 43 in his regiment who died, 87 were wounded and 51 reported missing. Foster was buried at location in Lagnicourt and whilst the grave was initially marked, it is now unknown. Foster’s service, alongside those who fell at Lagnicourt, is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, France along with other national Australian memorial sites.Photography played an important part in World War 1. Photographs of men in their military uniforms served as propaganda during the Great War to reassure civilians back at home of the military prowess of their nation and the bravery of their men. It did this while hiding the true horrors which faced the men in battle. These photographs, which includes those taken at home prior to embarking overseas like Fred Foster’s, act as censored memory for those who have lost a loved one at war. It enables families to remember their relatives in their youth and standing proudly rather than having to face the actual danger and horror which faced these men at the front line. The battle of Lagnicourt France was a victory for the European Empire and therefore, men who lost their lives protecting their countries became heroes and were awarded posthumous medals for their service. Photos of soldiers in their uniforms, were undertaken by men like Foster, so their families would be able to retain their memories and likeness before they embarked for war. Many men were killed or horribly wounded so these images were important for reminding families about their sons/ husbands/ brothers/ cousins and friends. This photo is a part of the Burke Museum Kelly album which includes numerous photographs relating to the Kelly Gang. As the son of Kate Kelly and William “Bricky” Foster, Fred Foster is an important part of the Kelly story after the execution of Edward “Ned” Kelly which has information it can impart relating to the history of the family after 1880. Whilst an important element of the Kelly Album, Foster’s photograph is also historically important in its own right for its connection to the Great War and the experiences of a soldier at the Western Front.Original sepia rectangular photograph developed on matte photographic paper, unmounted.Reverse: (Top right corner of reverse:) FRED FOSTER/ (Top centre of reverse:) Kate Kelly's son.kelly album, fred foster, kate kelly, photograph, australian soldier, the kelly gang, australian bush, burke museum, sepia photo, gum trees, family of the kelly gang, world war i, langnicourt, france, great war, 1917, ned kelly, frederick foster, william "bricky" foster, ellen kelly, military history, australian military -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, American and Australasian Photographic Company, 1875
Taken in Beechworth 1875, this photograph depicts the Camp Street intersection looking east. This photograph was taken and produced by the American and Australasian Photographic Company which was founded by Beaufoy Merlin joined by his assistant, Charles Bayliss and Augustus Clinton, and operated between 1866-1873. The company traveled throughout Victoria and New South Wales before establishing a portrait studio in Sydney. There is no apparent connection to America. Black and white rectangular postcard. The image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 1997.2726 A02726 BEECHWORTH ABOUT 1875 Harvey Collection American & Australasian Photographic company. Victoria Branch. C. BAYLISS, Manager. NO.59 Extra copies may be had by sending Number to present Address.beechworth, burke museum, camp street, 1875, charles bayliss -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, American and Australasian Photographic Company, c1870
Taken in Beechworth c1870, this photograph depicts Ford Street taken from Church Street looking towards the Old Beechworth Gaol. This photograph was taken and produced by the American and Australasian Photographic Company which was founded by Beaufoy Merlin joined by his assistant, Charles Bayliss and Augustus Clinton, and operated between 1866-1873. The company traveled throughout Victoria and New South Wales before establishing a portrait studio in Sydney. There is no apparent connection to America. Black and white rectangular postcard. The image is printed on matt photographic paper and mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 5570 33 Beechworth about 1870 American & Australian Photographic Company. Victoria Branch. C. BAYLISS, Manager No. 62 Extra Copies may be had by sending Number to present Address. beechworth, ford street, old beechworth goal -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, Enterprise Photo Company, 1897
The photograph depicts eleven vignettes relating to the murders of Captain Lee Weller, Charles Burgess and Arthur Preston by Frank Butler (born Richard Ashe, alias Frank Harwood). Some historians consider Butler to be Australia's first serial killer. Butler submitted written advertisements to the classified columns of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper looking for people to join him in prospecting for gold. Butler took his victims into the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and told fabricated stories of gold mines worth thousands of pounds. He then made his victims dig their own graves under the guise that they were digging for gold. He would then shoot them, take their valuables, and bury them.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Obverse: 1897 / Butler's inseparable Friend / Cap ' Lee Weller / The Victim Burgess / A OT Preston / Frank Harwood / alias / Butler / J. Mulhall & Son / discoverers of Burgess grave / Butlers supposed Wife / Frisco / Examining Burgess corpse at Black Range near Parkes NSW / The Swanhda / His Prospecting Tools / Burgs Waggonette used for Prospecting sold Butler / (?) / The Butler Tragedies Reverse: BMMA03308 / Removal story of the / 1997.3119 / Butler murders near / Parkes NSW 1897 / 84 - 35 - 1 / Enterprise Photo Company, / 26 Elizabeth Street, / SYDNEY. /entertainment album, captain lee weller, charles burgess, arthur preston, frank harwood, frank butler, crime, blue mountains, new south wales, murder, tragedy, gold, gold mine, sydney morning herald, swanhilda, richard ashe -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, 1908
Taken in 1908, depicted is a large group of children and adults dressed in formal attire on a nature study. The group is standing on a granite outcrop listening to a man who is using a large boulder as a podium.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood. Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph (from negatives) printed on matte photographic paperObverse: AN ADDRESS/ ON NATURE STUDY/ Reverse: 6955 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)/entertainment album, burke museum, beechworth, nature study, nature, study -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c. 1900
Taken in c. 1900, depicted is a large group of adults and children dressed in formal attire gathered on a granite outcrop around a man giving a lecture on nature studies. Some members of the group are standing while others are seated or lounging.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 6954 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)/entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, nature study -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c. 1900
Taken in c. 1900, depicted is a group of adults and children dressed in formal attire standing and sitting on a granite outcrop that overlooks a valley surrounded by a cluster of eucalyptus trees. The group is participating in a nature study.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 6953 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, nature study -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, 31/08/1918
Taken on the 31st of August ,1918, this photograph depicts Gunner Wilson, Lieutenant Driscoll, and Lieutenant Clark (facing camera) of the 12th Battery of Australian Field Artillery, choosing a site for new battery positions, as members of the 52nd Australian Battalion move past to a new sector north of the Somme, before Mont St Quentin.The Battle of Mont St Quentin commenced on the 31st of August 1918 and ended on the 3rd of September 1918. The battle saw Australian troops storm, seize and hold the key height of Mont St Quentin (overlooking Peronne), a pivotal German defensive position on the line of the Somme.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph on matte photographic paperReverse: 5144/military album, beechworth, burke museum, ww2, world war two, france, somme, 12th battery of australian field artillery, 52nd australian battalion, military, mont st quentin -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Parallel Rule, Early 20th Century
John Bliss (1795-1857) was born in Norwich Connecticut, trained as a silversmith and clockmaker in Vermont, and began in business as a jeweller in New York around 1830. In 1834, now trading as Bliss & Creighton, he made and marketed a range of nautical instruments. The business subsequently became John Bliss & Son in 1855 and John Bliss & Co. in 1857. It remained in business until 1957 when it was acquired by West Marine. The Bliss company used to make a range of instruments supplied to a variety of customers including the US Navy. An object made as an aid for marine navigation, to plot a course on a nautical map for a vessel to follow. The item was made by a well known American maker of nautical instruments and is significant in regards to it's provenience and history of the maker and his family who over the years had been innovators and makers of various types of nautical instruments since 1795. Parallel map ruler. Bliss of New York & Nautical instruments engraved on face of ruler, ruler divided into degrees for use on nautical mapsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, parallel rule, map reading, nautical object, navigation instrument -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Falls of Halladale
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York on August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on the south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Model Falls of Halladale, good condition in a glass case. falls of halladale, wright, breakenridge & co of glasgow, californian blue roof slate, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, ships model, 1908 shipwreck, great clipper ships -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Drill Press, early to mid-20th century
This post drill press has been made by Melbourne business, Dawn Manufacturing Company. It can be operated manually or by a pulley driven flywheel, with the aid of an engine connected to a power supply. In the late 1800s early 1900s a drill press like this would have been driven by steam from a boiler, the main power source for manufacturer’s power at that time. Dawn’s Golden Anniversary 1917-1967 Catalogue describes this model 611 drill as … “Ruggedly constructed with accurately reamed bearings. The coupling between the main spindle and feed screw engages the full circumference of the spindle, and embraces a ball-bearing thrust race. The pillar, as in all “Dawn Drilling Machines” is a solid bright steel bar, in place of the usual light tubing. Adjustable automatic feed.” And “F. & l. Pulleys extra, if required”. DAWN MANUFACTURING CO. The Dawn Manufacturing Co. was founded in Coburg, Melbourne, in 1917 by the four Blake brothers, who were all engineers. After World War I Dawn was supplying drills Australia wide and the company was growing at a healthy rate. During the depression they remained busy, with employees working 60-80 hour weeks. Dawn was contracted to supply vices and clamps to the Australian Defence Department and munitions factory during the World War II. - 1959 the company was taken over by G.N. Raymond Group. - 1967 the Dawn Manufacturing Co. had distributors in Australia and overseas, including USA, Canada, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. - 1973 the Siddons Ramset Limited acquired Dawn. - December 1991, Dawn became a unit of the United States owned Stanley Works Pty. Ltd. - November 1998 Dawn became 100 per cent Australian owned. The drill is a typical tool of a blacksmith, cart wright, wheelwright and garage business. It is an example of the tools of the blacksmiths’ trade in Victoria in the early to mid-20th century.Post type drill press machine with gear driven flywheel. Drill press is attached to a post and is fitted with a pulley belt and will run at a speed of maxim 200 r.p.m. The machine can also be manually operated. It has an aperture in the centre, a chuck, for the drill bit and has two metal handles at the centre, on the right hand side. Gear ratio 2:1 main drive, 6" diam, 3:1 reduction gear. Made by Dawn of Melbourne, Australia. Model No. 611, Code No. 9157"DAWN MFG COY”, “MELB. AUSTRALIA", " 611"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, blacksmiths, blacksmith’s drill, blacksmith tools, dawn drill model no. 611, dawn drill code no. 9157, dawn manufacturing coy melbourne, dawn manufacturing coy coburg, dawn post drill, drilling machine, drill with gear driven flywheel, forging tool, metal working tool, post drill, steam powered drill, trade tool, warrnambool district 1900s -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, S.S. Orotava
This is a ship model of the SS Orotava, a British Screw Steamship built at Barrow-in-Furness, county of Lancashire, by the Naval Construction and Armaments Company (NC & A Co.) in 1889. Her gross tonnage was 5552.10 tons, length 430 feet, breadth 49.3 feet and depth 34.2 feet. She was built for Pacific Steam Navigation Company (of 31, James Street, Liverpool) and used as a passenger liner. She was launched 1889 and made 2 voyages for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company in 1889. Then under her new management of the Orient Line, she made her first sailing 6th June 1890 from Liverpool to Australia via Suez. During the Boer War (1889 – 1903) she served as a troop ship but apart from this she remained in the Orient Line’s Australia service until 1906. On 14th December 1896 the Orotava sunk at Trilbury Docks after being serviced on her return from Australia, becoming unstable and taking in water. Five men lost their lives. The ship was then raised to dry dock and repaired for service again and an investigation launched into the cause of the sinking. Between 1901 – 1906 the name ‘Orient-Pacific Steam Line’ was used due to the close ties between the Pacific and the Orient lines. In 1906 the Pacific Steam Line Australian service was taken over by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. and the alliance between them and the Orient Line was dissolved in 1909. Orotava was then used in the West Indies service of the Royal Mail Line In World War 1 (Dec 1914 – June 1916) she served as HMS OROTAVA, an armed merchant cruiser. She was broken up in 1919. Ship model of SS Orotava, 4 masts, 2 funnels, British passenger liner, launched in 1889.No case. Mounted on timber base. (some rigging broken, lifeboat now a separate piece)."OROTAVA" painted in white on each side of the bow. 'OROTAVA / LONDON" painted in white on the stern.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship model, ss orotava, naval construction and armaments co., n c & a co., pacific steam navigaiton company, passenger liner, orient line, orient-pacific steam line, royal mail line, hms orotava -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tyre Bender, 1884
A tyre bender is used to bend and shape metal rims for wooden wagon wheels. This tyre bender’s model first appeared in the Day Bros catalogue in 1884 as the “Giant” model. The catalogue of 1883 only showed a lighter duty model called the “Lion”. It can be assumed that this later “Giant” model was a heavy duty improvement over the 1883 "Lion" and other smaller models which were still being advertised for sale in 1884. The Day Bros foundry, makers of this tyre bender, was operating as the manufacture of wheel right and blacksmith tools and general machinery in the 19th century in the USA and successfully exported their goods all over the world. Wagon tyre benders would have been very common circa 1850-1920, so there were probably many makers over the years. Early on, it would have become clear to the blacksmiths about which designs worked best so, eventually, the various makers would have made similar products to each other. This tyre bender was once used by Harry Goodall of H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd. corner of McKinnon and High Streets, Terang. Victoria. Henry Goodall & Sons Henry Goodall (1870-1936) was proprietor of garages as H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd., at both Terang (McKinnon and High Streets) and Mortlake (Dunlop Street). His business was in operation in at least in 1916 and perhaps well before, considering the date of the tyre bender and its use for wagons with wooden wheels. It was still in operation in 1953, chasing up debtors in Mount Gambier Court. Amongst the employees of H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd. was Ernie Entwistle, a blacksmith (a soldier who died in 1916 ) and Alfred Hodgetts, radio expert (killed in a fatal accident in 1943, when he was in his early 30s ). Henry Goodall was involved in the community as a Justice of Peace, a deputy coroner, President of the Mortlake Hospital, trustee of the Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, and as a prominent Freemason. He and his wife had two sons (Charles and John) and one daughter (Mrs. Chas. Newton, of Skipton). The tyre bender is significant as it demonstrates how blacksmiths or wheelwrights could make new metal rims for wagon wheels for carts, wagons, stage coaches and carriages over a 135 years ago. The machine is a part of our social history as it demonstrates part of the process of making wagon wheels, which played an important part in aiding the continuation of daily transport needs that people had at the time, such as farming, personal transport and commercial activities. The machine or tool is locally significant as it was used by a local company in Terang and Mortlake in their blacksmith, wheelwright and garage business. Steel tyre bender mounted on timber base, used for wagon wheel steel rims. Made from cast iron and steel, double geared with four cogs to unite the upper and lower steel rollers. There are adjustable guide collars to keep the iron in line while it is being bent. It can also be used with two cranks for heavy duty work utilising the use to two operators. It is the Giant model, made in 1884 by Day Bros. of Philadelphia. This tyre bender once belonged to Harry Goodall & Sons, blacksmith's of Terang. Victoria. “DAY BROS. PHILAP. PA” cast into the side of machineflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, machinery, wagon wheel, wheelwrights, blacksmith, steel rim wheels, tyre bender, tire bender, the giant tyre bender, henry goodall (1870-1936), terang, wheelwright tool, blacksmith trade, blacksmithing equipment and supplies, wagon tyre bender, day bros. philadelphia pennsylvania, h. goodall & sons of terang, terang blacksmith, h. goodall & sons pty ltd, mortlake, ernie entwistle blacksmith, alfred hodgetts radio expert, charles goodall, john goodall, mrs. chas. newton nee goodall -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Vice, 1800s
A wheelwright’s spoke vice was used to hold the wheel hub firmly while the spokes were hammered into the wheel hub, then the spokes would be joined to the wooden wheel felloe before finally the metal flat tyre, or later the rubber tyre, would be attached to the felloe. A wheelwright’s spoke vice would have been very necessary for blacksmiths circa 1800s-1920s as it would have been used in the manufacture and repair of carts, wagons, coaches and other horse-drawn vehicles. This wheelwright’s spoke vice was once used by Harry Goodall of H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd. corner of McKinnon and High Streets, Terang. Victoria. Henry Goodall & Sons Henry Goodall (1870-1936) was proprietor of garages as H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd., at both Terang (McKinnon and High Streets) and Mortlake (Dunlop Street). His business was in operation in at least in 1916 and perhaps well before, considering the date of the tyre bender and its use for wagons with wooden wheels. It was still in operation in 1953, chasing up debtors in Mount Gambier Court. Amongst the employees of H. Goodall & Sons Pty. Ltd. was Ernie Entwistle, a blacksmith (a soldier who died in 1916) and Alfred Hodgetts, radio expert (killed in a fatal accident in 1943, when he was in his early 30s). Henry Goodall was involved in the community as a Justice of Peace, a deputy coroner, President of the Mortlake Hospital, trustee of the Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, and as a prominent Freemason. He and his wife had two sons (Charles and John) and one daughter (Mrs. Chas. Newton, of Skipton). The wheelwright’s spoke vice is significant as it demonstrates how blacksmiths or wheelwrights could make new metal rims for wagon wheels for carts, wagons, stage coaches and carriages over a 135 years ago. The machine is a part of our social history as it demonstrates part of the process of making wagon wheels, which played an important part in aiding the continuation of daily transport needs that people had at the time, such as farming, personal transport and commercial activities. The tool is locally significant as it was used by a local company in Terang and Mortlake in their blacksmith, wheelwright and garage business. Vice; wheelwright’s wheel spoke vice. Manufactured in 1800s. This was once belonged to Harry Goodall & Sons, blacksmith's of Terang. Victoria.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, machinery, wagon wheel, steel rim wheels, henry goodall (1870-1936), terang, wheelwright tool, blacksmith trade, blacksmithing equipment and supplies, h. goodall & sons of terang, terang blacksmith, h. goodall & sons pty ltd, mortlake, ernie entwistle blacksmith, alfred hodgetts radio expert, charles goodall, john goodall, wheel hub, wheel spoke, wheel felloe, wheel tyre, wheel tire -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Gramophone, 1911
Until late 1925, all record players reproduced sound by purely mechanical means and relied on a so-called "amplifying" horn to efficiently couple the vibrations of the stylus and diaphragm to the space occupied by the listeners. In 1906, the Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia's arch competitor, introduced a line of models in which the horn and other hardware were concealed within a cabinet, made to look like fine furniture rather than a mechanical device. They named the new style a "Victrola". It quickly proved to be very popular and successful. Other makers, adopting the distinctive suffix, introduced their own "-ola" internal horn machines, such as Edison's Amberolas and Columbia's Grafonolas. They were soon outselling the external horn models. At first, like nearly all other early record players, all Grafonolas were driven by a spring motor that the user had to wind up with a crank before playing a record. In 1915, Columbia began to introduce electric-motor-driven models, as a majority of urban areas had been wired to electrical grids. The electrified Grafonolas supported both alternating and direct currents from 110 to 220 volts. Electrified Grafonolas never gained the popularity enjoyed by the spring motor-driven versions due to substantially higher prices and a lack of electrical service in rural areas. Grafonolas were manufactured under the 1886 United States Letters Patent No. 341,214 which Columbia Graphophone company acquired through its predecessor American Graphophone Company. Two models were available; a portable table model and bigger stationary floor model, offering limited mobility through the application of casters. The most notable table models included Grafonola Favorite introduced in 1911 and Grafonola Savoy introduced in 1915. The most notable floor models included Grafonola Symphony Grand introduced in 1907, Grafonola Regent introduced in 1909, Columbia Mignon introduced in 1910, Grafonola Princess introduced in 1911, Columbia Colonial introduced in 1913. Various period Grafonolas were introduced in 1917 to cater to an increasingly prosperous clientele. Columbia Phonograph Company began to manufacture a series of ornate, limited edition period machines. These were highly priced (some as high as US$2,100 ) special orders that provided consumers with options to choose styles which matched their interior décor. Although the Gramophone does not have a large monetary value, it is of social significance as it demonstrates the progress made in audio reproduction from the first Edison cylinder machines to improvements that allowed ordinary people to be able to buy music discs and enjoy music in their own homes. Gramophone with internal horn, floor model, mechanically operated by a crank handle. Colombian Grafonola Princess (Type F2) brand. Gramophone is in a wooden display cabinet with room for record storage underneath and is complete with handle. Manufactured in 1911 by Columbia, USA."Columbia Grafonola Type 2 Made in USA"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, record player, gramophone, mechanical gramophone, floor model gramophone, gramophone record, columbia graphophone company, american graphophone company, columbia, grafonola, grafonola princess, music, playing music, audio reproduction, sound equipment, domestic entertainment, 1911 gramophone -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Print - Picture, The Apothecary, late 19th to early-20th century
This framed, coloured picture of The Apothecary shows a chemist at work in a room with scientific equipment nearby. It's inscription confirms that it was once on display in the waiting room of Dr. W.R. Angus, at his rooms in Koroit Street, Warrnambool, Victoria. According to the daughter of Dr Angus the picture most likely originated from the collection of Doctors Edward and Tom (Thomas) Ryan of Nhill, where Dr Angus trained and practiced before moving to Warrnambool in 1969. This picture was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he would take time to further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . The organisation began in South Australia through the Presbyterian Church in that year, with its first station being in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill where he’d previously worked as Medical Assistant and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what was once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr L Middleton was House Surgeon to the Nhill Hospital 1926-1933, when he resigned. [Dr Tom Ryan’s practice had originally belonged to his older brother Dr Edward Ryan, who came to Nhill in 1885. Dr Edward saw patients at his rooms, firstly in Victoria Street and in 1886 in Nelson Street, until 1901. The Nelson Street practice also had a 2 bed ward, called Mira Private Hospital ). Dr Edward Ryan was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1884-1902 . He also had occasions where he successfully performed veterinary surgery for the local farmers too. Dr Tom Ryan then purchased the practice from his brother in 1901. Both Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan work as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He too was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. Dr Tom Ryan moved from Nhill in 1926. He became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1927, soon after its formation, a rare accolade for a doctor outside any of the major cities. He remained a bachelor and died suddenly on 7th Dec 1955, aged 91, at his home in Ararat. Scholarships and prizes are still awarded to medical students in the honour of Dr T.F. Ryan and his father, Dr Michael Ryan, and brother, John Patrick Ryan. ] When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery states “HOURS Daily, except Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday afternoons, 9-10am, 2-4pm, 7-8pm. Sundays by appointment”. This plate is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Tom Ryan had an extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926 and when Dr Angus took up practice in their old premises he obtained this collection, a large part of which is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. During his time in Nhill Dr Angus was involved in the merging of the Mira Hospital and Nhill Public Hospital into one public hospital and the property titles passed on to Nhill Hospital in 1939. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. ). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (The duties of a Port Medical Officer were outlined by the Colonial Secretary on 21st June, 1839 under the terms of the Quarantine Act. Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. Their interests included organisations such as Red Cross, Rostrum, Warrnambool and District Historical Society (founding members), Wine and Food Society, Steering Committee for Tertiary Education in Warrnambool, Local National Trust, Good Neighbour Council, Housing Commission Advisory Board, United Services Institute, Legion of Ex-Servicemen, Olympic Pool Committee, Food for Britain Organisation, Warrnambool Hospital, Anti-Cancer Council, Boys’ Club, Charitable Council, National Fitness Council and Air Raid Precautions Group. He was also a member of the Steam Preservation Society and derived much pleasure from a steam traction engine on his farm. He had an interest in people and the community He and his wife Gladys were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The W.R. Angus Collection 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 an historical example of medicine 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. Picture, coloured print, wooden behind glass. Titled "The Apothecary". Image of robed chemist standing at a desk with scientific equipment such as bottles and flasks nearby. The picture has been reframed and the original inscription has been copied onto the new backing paper. The picture is from the W.R. Angus Collection, and was once displayed in his waiting room..Inscription: "From the waiting room of Dr. Angus, 214 Koroit St, Warrnambool"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, the apothecary, dr w r angus, dr ryan, medical equipment, surgical instrument, ophthalmology, t.s.s. largs bay, warrnambool base hospital, nhill base hospital, mira hospital, flying doctor, medical treatment, medical history, apothecary, chemist, waiting room, print, picture -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Wood moulding Plane, Auburn Tool Company, 1870 to 1893
Moulding Plane: A moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings that are used to decorate furniture or other wooden object. Traditionally, moulding planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape of the intended moulding. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended moulding profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other worker to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. Auburn Tool Company: The Auburn Tool Company is known to exist from 1864 to 1893. George Casey reorganized the firm of Casey, Clark and Company as a joint-stock company in 1864, under the company name of Auburn Tool Company. The 1865 New York State Census noted the firm as a manufacturer of the plane, plane irons, and skates. The production that year was listed as 30,000 pairs of skates and 35,000 planes along with 25,000 dozen plane irons. The plane irons carried the trademark "Thistle". Both skates and plane irons were made from welded wrought iron and cast steel. The Auburn Tool Company was among the five leading plane manufacturing firms existing in the mid to late 19th century USA. Others were: H. Chapin's Son; Greenfield Tool Company; and Sandusky Tool Company. Auburn Tool Company, with these others, was also a founding member of the Plane Makers Association, organized around 1858 to fix prices. Most of the companies tools were manufactured by prisoners and in 1866 the firm was outbid for prison labour by J M Easterly and Co. After losing the contract with the prison authority they constructed a new building and continued in the plane manufacturing business with private labour. The 1870 US Census reported the firm had 21 machines, driven by water power, employing 66 males, producing annual products valued at us$70, 000. After A. Howland and Company was dissolved in 1874, the Auburn Tool Company again resumed using contract labour at the State Prison until 1877. The Auburn Tool Company merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus, Ohio, on Nov 14, 1893. Although plane manufacturing was continued at Auburn until after 1907, after this merger the firm went under the name of the Ohio Tool Company. A significant item from the mid to late 19th century that today is quite rare and sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture was made predominately by hand and with tools that were themselves hand made shows the craftsmanship used to make such a unique item. It also gives an insight into how many manufacturing companies bid for the rights to use prison labour to make their products at this time in our history. Decorative wood Moulding, plane Round type Auburn New York. Owner A Neudt Size 14 flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson
This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually, the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower areas of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However, he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. 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. 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 Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson Author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson - Poet Laureate Publisher: Macmillan And Co Date: 1892The label on spine cover has typed text PAT 821 TEN Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Public Museumshipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, warrnambool, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, 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 works of alfred lord tennyson, alfred, lord tennyson, poet laureate, alfred tennyson -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Footwear - Boots, Rossiters Ltd, 1908-1920
Rossi Boots started in 1910 when Arthur Edward Rossiter resigned from his position as a supervisor at the Adelaide Boot Company and started Rossiters Ltd in a small tin shed in his backyard. A larger factory was needed so the first of three stages of a factory was built. During the Second World War Rossi Boots was a major supplier to the military making hundreds of thousands of boots that saw service in various theatres including New Guinea. The war years saw the number of employees peak at around five hundred. As methods of manufacturing footwear changed as petroleum-based products such as glues, rubbers and plastics have replaced the traditional ones of leather, nails, and threads. More modern machinery was introduced to directly mould soles to the bottom of the boot. At the end of 1987, the company moved from Unley to Hilton this move allowed production to be carried out in a more modern, fit-for-purpose factory. Since then the company has continued to change; introducing computer-controlled machines for cutting, sewing, and attaching soles. These changes occurred whilst many of Rossi's competitors moved offshore. Whilst the introduction of these machines reduced the number of local staff, it has enabled Rossi Boots to continue to manufacture in Australia. In March 2019 Rossi Boots relocated the factory, warehouse, and headquarters from Hilton to Kilburn, South Australia. This move to a new, expansive location allows Rossi Boots to continue manufacturing in South Australia housing all operations under one roof. The items are significant as they show the beginnings of an important manufacturer and innovator that is still in the original founding family's ownership and is producing boots today with exports to many countries. Boots leather lace up brownNonewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Ewer and Bowl, J & G Meakin, 1912 - 1925
J & G Meakin was an English pottery manufacturing company founded in 1851 and based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. In the 19th century, J & G Meakin was known for the vast quantities of cheap ironstone china it produced for the domestic English market and export to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. From around 1970, designs included Liberty, Sterling, Trend, Classic, and Heirloom. Some of these were influenced by earlier designs. The newer wares can be distinguished by back stamp markings such as 'permanent colours', 'everlasting colour', or 'dishwasher proof'. J & G Meakin had close family and corporate affiliations to the potteries Johnson Brothers, and Alfred Meakin Ltd, which explains why many patterns are similar, if not almost the same. There was a takeover by J. & G. Meakin in 1968 of Midwinter Pottery. The firm was then taken over by the Wedgwood Group in 1970. In 2000 production under the Meakin name ceased and their long-established works, Eagle Pottery, was then used for the production of Johnson Bros pottery. Eagle Pottery closed in 2004 when production was transferred abroad; the works were demolished in 2005.Item is significant as it is believed to be an early example of the SOL trademark made between 1913-1925.Ironstone wash jug and bowl set, white, often referred to as a ewer and bowl. Both jug and bowl have matching raised embossing of panels with floral motifs within them.Both items have marks "Ironstone China Reqd SOL 39/4/3 STG Meakin England" Trademark of J & G Meakin with sun emblem .flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, jug china white and basin, jug, jug and basin, jug & bowl, ewer, bowl, ewer & bowl, j and g meakin, ironstone ware, bathing, washing, personal hygiene -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ceramic - Serving Plate, Alfred Meakin, 1930s
J & G Meakin was an English pottery manufacturing company founded in 1851 and based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. In the 19th century, J & G Meakin was known for the vast quantities of cheap ironstone china it produced for the domestic English market and export to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States and one of these pottery lines was called "EMPRESS" and was in production through the 1930s. From around 1970, designs included Liberty, Sterling, Trend, Classic, and Heirloom. Some of these were influenced by earlier designs. The newer wares can be distinguished by back stamp markings such as 'permanent colours', 'everlasting colour', or 'dishwasher proof'. J & G Meakin had close family and corporate affiliations to the potteries Johnson Brothers, and Alfred Meakin Ltd, which explains why many patterns are similar, if not almost the same. There was a takeover by J. & G. Meakin in 1968 of Midwinter Pottery. The firm was then taken over by the Wedgwood Group in 1970. In 2000 production under the Meakin name ceased and their long-established works, Eagle Pottery, was then used for the production of Johnson Bros pottery. Eagle Pottery closed in 2004 when production was transferred abroad; the works were demolished in 2005.Item is significant as today the "EMPRESS" china pattern from the 1930s by Meakin is today a collectable item and a good example of the Meakin range of china.Plate china white oval with a pattern inscribed along the edge Inscription to base "EMPRESS" warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, alfred meakin, staffordshire potteries, iron stone pottery, serving dish -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Sewing Machine, Singer Sewing Machine Company, 1922
In 1867 the Singer Company decided that the demand for their sewing machines in the UK was sufficiently high to open a local factory. Glasgow was selected for its iron-making industries, cheap labour, and possibly because at the time the General Manager of the US Singer Sewing Machine Company was George McKenzie, who was of Scottish descent. The company obtained a lease on land near Queen Street Station and machinery and machine parts were shipped over from the US. Demand for sewing machines outstripped production at the new plant and by 1873 a new larger factory was completed near Bridgeton Cross. By now Singer employed over 2,000 people in Scotland but still, they could not produce enough machines. In 1882 George McKenzie, the soon to become President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company undertook the ground breaking ceremony on 46 acres of farmland at Kilbowie, Clydebank and the largest Singer factory in the world started to be built. Originally two main buildings were constructed. Built above the middle wing of the factory was a huge clock tower with the 'Singer' name displayed for all to see from miles around. Many miles of railway lines were laid throughout the factory to connect the different departments and to aid in the shipping of their goods. Railway lines from the factory connected Glasgow, Dumbarton, and Helensburgh stations. The factory was regarded as the most modern facility in Europe at that time. As different departments in the factory were completed, the workers moved from the old sites to the new one at Kilbowie and the factory was finally finished in 1885. With nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees producing on average 13,000 machines a week, making it the largest sewing machine factory in the world. The Clydebank factory was so productive that in 1905 the US Singer Company set up the Singer Manufacturing Company Ltd. as a UK registered company. The invention of the sewing machine had several very significant impacts on the lives of many people. It changed the domestic life of many women as more households began to own sewing machines, women as the ones who traditionally stayed home to do chores including making and repairing clothing, found themselves with more free time. Previously several days a week would be dedicated to sewing clothing for herself and her family, a housewife could now complete her sewing in merely several hours, allowing for more free time to pursue hobbies and attain new skills. Sewing and clothing production, in general, became more industrialized activities, taking place less in the home and more in large factories. Industrial sewing machines, in combination with the cotton gin, the spinning jenny, and the steam engine, made clothing production much easier and much cheaper. Sewing machine, treadle operated, "Branded Premier" 5-7-9-2-0-0-" Serial Number Y6243048 (denotes 1922 year of manufacture) flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sewing machine, hand operated, dressmaking, textile machinery, portable, premier sewing machine, premier, singer treadle sewing machine -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Sewing Machine, Singer Sewing Machine Company, 1907 -1920 (see note section this document for further information regards model identification)
In 1867 the Singer Company decided that the demand for their sewing machines in the UK was sufficiently high to open a local factory. Glasgow was selected for its iron-making industries, cheap labour, and possibly because at the time the General Manager of the US Singer Sewing Machine Company was George McKenzie, who was of Scottish descent. The company obtained a lease on land near Queen Street Station and machinery and machine parts were shipped over from the US. Demand for sewing machines outstripped production at the new plant and by 1873 a new larger factory was completed near Bridgeton Cross. By now Singer employed over 2,000 people in Scotland but still, they could not produce enough machines. In 1882 George McKenzie, the soon to become President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company undertook the ground breaking ceremony on 46 acres of farmland at Kilbowie, Clydebank and the largest Singer factory in the world started to be built. Originally two main buildings were constructed. Built above the middle wing of the factory was a huge clock tower with the 'Singer' name displayed for all to see from miles around. Many miles of railway lines were laid throughout the factory to connect the different departments and to aid in the shipping of their goods. Railway lines from the factory connected Glasgow, Dumbarton, and Helensburgh stations. The factory was regarded as the most modern facility in Europe at that time. As different departments in the factory were completed, the workers moved from the old sites to the new one at Kilbowie and the factory was finally finished in 1885. With nearly a million square feet of space and almost 7,000 employees producing on average 13,000 machines a week, making it the largest sewing machine factory in the world. The Clydebank factory was so productive that in 1905 the US Singer Company set up the Singer Manufacturing Company Ltd. as a UK registered company. The invention of the sewing machine had several very significant impacts on the lives of many people. It changed the domestic life of many women as more households began to own sewing machines, women as the ones who traditionally stayed home to do chores including making and repairing clothing, found themselves with more free time. Previously several days a week would be dedicated to sewing clothing for herself and her family, a housewife could now complete her sewing in merely several hours, allowing for more free time to pursue hobbies and attain new skills. Sewing and clothing production, in general, became more industrialized activities, taking place less in the home and more in large factories. Industrial sewing machines, in combination with the cotton gin, the spinning jenny, and the steam engine, made clothing production much easier and much cheaper. Singer sewing machine treadle type wooden stand with six drawers plus instruction manual Lotus decoration to machinewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sewing-machine, clothes repair, singer sewing machine -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph, early 1900's
This photograph of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT would have been taken prior to Feb 10th 1911, when the ship was wrecked on the south coast of Victoria at a place called Cape Patton. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). Peter’s great-grandson, also called Andrew, is a Security Officer in Warrnambool. The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The SPECULANT is historically significant as the largest ship to have been registered in Warrnambool, and is believed to have been the largest barquentine to visit Melbourne. It is evidence of the final days of large commercial sailing vessels involved in the Victorian and New Zealand timber trade. The SPECULANT is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S626Photograph, black and white. of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT on board the ship holding two 'Speculant Warrnambool' lifebuoys. Taken early 1900's flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, warrnambool historical photograph, la bella, speculant, cumming and ellis, international timber trade, p. j. mcgennan and co. warrnambool, peter mcgennan, capt. james jacobsen, warrnambool maritime history, h. pengilley apollo bay -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., they standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today in the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Photograph of Falls of Halladale fully rigged wrecked sailing ship. Written on back. "Bill Kelson 75 Macquarie Ave Padbury 6025" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, falls of halladale -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Photograph
Black and white Photograph of the sailing ship British Empire in folder of card. Inscription reads to Miss Strom with Best Wishes for Christmas and New Year from an old boy from the British Empire Arthur Doling . 117 mm x 95 mm SH 031 Ships A - B.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, black and white photograph