Brown leather cover with embossed pattern on covers Gold embossed inscription on the front cover 138 pages ; 19 cm ; IndexHandwritten inscription on front page 'M. Figgins'agriculture, kilmore mechanics institute library.

3 Letters: a) Letter in perspex stand 08/07/1916. b) Envelope and letter 10/11/1915. c) Envelope and letter 15/07/1916.3 letters to Mrs. F. M. Gaudian.letters

significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culturePortrait of a man local Beaufort farmer Joe LambSigned: M Dannatt '94 (lower right)

significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culture Swagman (with puppy) and historical buildings of BeaufortSigned: M. VINCENT-RORI (lower centre)

This Bible and cover belonged to Ethel Ardlie, nee Ryan (1880-1967). In 1903 she married Arthur Stanley Ardlie of Warrnambool. Arthur Ardlie was the son of the prominent Warrnambool lawyer, William Ardlie and his wife Mary and the grandson of John and Mary Ardlie, pioneer settlers in Warrnambool. Ethel and Arthur Ardlie had three daughters, Olive (1905- 1912), Dorothy (1910-1993) and Agnes (1915-1993). They lived at Aroona, Princess Street, Warrnambool.These items are of great interest firstly because they are examples of the type of Bible and cover that families owned in the mid 20th century. Also they are mementoes of a prominent family in Warrnambool in the 20th century, with the Bible containing important information on this family. .1 This is a Bible with a black cover with gold lettering on the spine. The cover is stained. The pages contain the Old Testament (1086 pages), a Family Register section, the New Testament (306 pages) and some coloured maps. Amongst the pages are two pressed pansies and two loose sheets. .2 This is a brown tooled leather cover for the Bible with a brown silk lining and a brown cord attached to the top of the spine for use as a bookmark. The front cover has an embossed image of seven figures. The edges of the spine of the cover are torn. Ethel M. Ardlie (x2) Aroona, Warrnambool ardlie family, history of warrnambool

Photograph of the Kew and Malvern Depots football teams early 1930's. Photo undated. Has 25 players and team officials in the image. Photographed at an oval with a grandstand.Yields information about the members of a Kew and Malvern depots football clubs.Photograph mounted on heavy card within a printed border.Along the bottom edge in pencil "Q-M"tramways, sports, kew depot, football

Black and white Photo of Ballarat 36 and W7 1024 in advertising livery for Channel O. Tram 36 has destination of 36 and 1024, City, running route 67.. In the background is Addressograph Multigraph, Oxford Hotel and Kays Rent - A - Car office at 449 Swanston St.. September 1971. 2nd copy with details written on the rear by Keith Kings.On rear is the "M. Rowe Copyright Photograph No. 2"trams, tramways, swanston st, ballarat tourism, tourism, w7 class, advertising trams, tram 36, tram 1024

Rose Series postcard No. P 10703 titled "Spring Street looking north, Melbourne", looking North West from Parliament House. Has one City bound cable tram set In the view along with two horse drawn vehicles and some motor cars. In the photo are the Princess Theatre (Hugh J Ward Theatres) and the Salvation Army's Womens Hostel.Yields information about Spring Street c1930.Postcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear.Has in pencil on rear "KM-M-078"trams, tramways, cable trams, spring st

Rose Series postcard No. P 10765 titled "Spring Street Gardens, Melbourne", looking southwest. Has two cable trams in Macarthur Street, the first one with a destination of "Nth. Fitzroy" the second one "Spring Street," A lady is sitting on the lawn in Gordon Reserve while a gardener is watering the lawns. Note the Victorian terrace house on the corner of Collins and Spring streets to the right of General Charles George Gordon statue, this was demolished around 1928 to make way for Alcaston House built in 1929. Yields information about Spring St and Macarthur St late 1920'sPostcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear.Has in pencil on rear "KM-M-080"trams, tramways, cable trams, spring st, macarthur st

Rose Series postcard No. P 82, titled "Elizabeth Street, Melbourne", looking south from Little Collins Street along Eizabeth Street. Has a Brunswick line cable tram with bogie trailer No.184 southbound, along with three other cable trams, horse drawn vehicles and a number of motor cars. There are building adverts for Norman Bros Stationers, Craigs, Sargents House, Sunlight Soap, Brooks Yields information about Elizabeth St c1915Postcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear.Has in pencil on rear "KM-M-077"trams, tramways, cable trams, tram 184, elizabeth st

AAP 7831.016-3 M (Issue 2)

A twin pack of Gordon quality playing cards made in Australia in the 1930s.Sticker on bottom of case with M. Fogarty in ink.paper

Black and white photo of Venga Guest House, Lakes Entrance, Victoria, showing front of guest house with signage, fenced garden, small veranda over front door, front bay window, side lane.Miss B M Hansen's Guest Houseguesthouses, architecture, fences

BHS CollectionSoftcover book. Sepia coloured photographic cover with yellow and cream printing. Photo of two nurses on front and the authors on the reverse. Contains 252 pages with contents and index, describes the history of Bendigo Hospital trained nurses.Yolande M J Collins and Sandra A Kippenhistory, bendigo hospital, nurses

The beginning of standardised weights and measures began In Victoria when the Melbourne Observatory received sets of standard weights and measures, which had been tested in Britain against the then British Imperial standards. These included the primary standard yard and pound for the Colony of Victoria. Other standards of weights and measure held by shires and the administrative body's within the colony could then be compared to these primary standards. A Weights and Measures Act was passed in Victoria in 1862, establishing local inspectors throughout the colony. By the 1870s each local council and shire in Victoria held a set of standards that were used to test scales, weights and dry measures used by wholesalers, factories and shops. Every ten years the councils’ standards would themselves need to be rechecked against the Victorian Standards. The checking was done by the Victorian Customs Department in the 19th century, but with the transfer of responsibility for customs to the Federal Government in 1901, weights and measures function was retained by the Victorian Government and was shifted to the Melbourne Observatory. In 1904, a new building was erected at the south end of the Great Melbourne Telescope House, where the standard weights and measures and testing equipment was installed. This room had a large whirling apparatus for testing air meters and became known as the Whirling Room. When the Melbourne Observatory closed in 1944, the Weights and Measures Branch was formed to continue and this branch remained at the Observatory site unit until 1995. J & M Ewan History: J&M Ewan was a Melbourne firm that began by selling retail furniture and wholesale ironmongery. They had substantial warehouses situated at the intersection of 81-83 Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, the business was established by James M Ewan in 1852. Shortly afterwards he went into partnership with William Kerr Thomson and Samuel Renwick. When Ewan died in 1868 his partners carried on and expanded the business under his name J & M Ewan. The business was expanded to provide a retail shop, counting-house and private offices. Wholesale warehouses adjoined these premises at 4, 6 and 10 Little Collins Street, West. This company provided and sold a large and varied amount of imported goods into the colony that consisted of agriculture equipment, building materials, mining items as well as steam engines, tools of all types and marble fireplaces. They also supplied the Bronze measuring containers in the Flagstaff Hill collection and the probability is that these containers were obtained by the local Melbourne authority that monitored weights and measures in the mid to late 19th century. The company grew to employ over 150 people in Melbourne and opened offices at 27 Lombard St London as well as in New Zealand and Fiji. The company also serviced the Mauritius islands and the pacific area with their steamship the Suva and a brig the Shannon. Robert Bate History: Robert Brettell Bate (1782-1847) was born in Stourbridge, England, one of four sons of Overs Bate, a mercer (a dealer in textile fabrics, especially silks, velvet's, and other fine materials)and banker. Bate moved to London, and in 1813 was noticed for his scientific instrument making ability through the authority of the “Clockmakers Company”. Sometime in the year 1813 it was discovered that one Robert Brettell Bate, regarded as a foreigner in London had opened a premises in the Poultry selling area of London. He was a Mathematical Instrument maker selling sundials and other various instruments of the clock making. In 1824, Bate, in preparation for his work on standards and weights, leased larger premises at 20 and 21 Poultry, London, at a rental of four hundred pounds per annum. It was there that Bate produced quality metrological instruments, which afforded him the recognition as one of one of the finest and principal English metrological instrument-makers of the nineteenth century. English standards at this time were generally in a muddle, with local standards varying from shire to shire. On 17 June 1824, an Act of Parliament was passed making a universal range of weights, measures, and lengths for the United Kingdom, and Bate was given the job of crafting many of the metrological artifacts. He was under instruction from the renown physicist Henry Kater F.R.S. (1777-1835) to make standards and to have them deposited in the principal cities throughout the United Kingdom and colonies. Bate experimented with tin-copper alloys to find the best combination for these items and by October 1824, he had provided Kater with prototypes to test troy and avoirdupois pounds, and samples with which to divide the troy into grams. Bate also cast the standard for the bushel, and by February 1825, had provided all the standards required of him by the Exchequer, Guildhalls of Edinburgh, and Dublin. In 1824, he also made a troy pound standard weight for the United States, which was certified for its accuracy by Kater and deposited with the US Mint in 1827. Kater, in his address to the Royal Society of London, acknowledged Bate's outstanding experimentation and craftsmanship in producing standards of weights, measures, and lengths. An example of a dry Bronze measuring container made specifically for J & M Ewan by possibly the most important makers of measurement artefacts that gives us today a snapshot of how imperial weights and measures were used and how a standard of measurement for merchants was developed in the Australian colonies based on the Imperial British measurement system. The container has social significance as an item retailed by J & M Ewan and used in Victoria by the authorities who were given legal responsibility to ensure that wholesalers and retailers of dry goods sold in Victoria were correct. The container was a legal standard measure so was also used to test merchants containers to ensure that their distribution of dry goods to a customer was correct.Maker Possibly Robert Brettell Blake or De Grave, Short & Co Ltd both of LondonContainer brass round for measuring quantities- Has brass handles & is a 'Bushel' measurement. 'Imperial Standard Bushel Victoria' engraved around container. Container bronze round shape for measuring dry quantities has brass handles & is a 'Bushel' measurement"IMPERIAL STANDARD BUSHEL" engraved around the top of the container. VICTORIA engraved under "J & M Ewan & Co London and Melbourne" engraved around the bottom of the container.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, standard measure, bushel, bushel measurement, j & m ewan, dry measurement, victorian measurement standard, bronze container, melbourne observatory, robert brettell bate

Sauce came in bottles bought at the local grocery store or at a large city store on a shopping expedition. The shape and size of the bottles changed as did the stopper used to seal it.Historical: Change of bottles - shape, size, stopper, embossing Aesthetic: Display showing shape and embossing.Medium sized clear glass sauce bottle with straight sides two thirds of the way up then tapering to the neck and opening. Sealed by cork which is loose inside the bottle. Embossed at the base. Base: Common Seal 'A' with 'G' at top and 'M' below inside the A. Underneath and across the middle 'M559' and beneath 'M' '211' on edgeglass bottle, sauce, household

This bottle was bought at a chemist shop either locally or at a bigger city on a shopping expedition. The lattice pattern was used for poisonous contents. It was sealed with a cork.Historical: Bottles changed in size, seal and use. Aesthetic: Display showing embossing, shape and size of the bottleRound, amber bottle with small neck and sealed with a broken cork. Heavily embossed with lattice design covering one side of the bottle above which and at the shoulder of the bottle is embossed print in capital letters. On the back at the shoulder of the bottle is embossed 'poison'. Front: 'Not To Be Taken" Back: "Poison" Base: "L 670" above "M' in the middle and "A" with 'G' and 'M' inside the "A" (common seal) underneathamber glass bottle, chemist, poison

In 1906 and 1907, students were taught to write with the letters joined. To achieve this booklets were designed to enable the student to copy the example and to repeat this, often to gain perfection. A student could be practising his/her writing while the teacher attended to other students and/or classes.Oliver Fisher lived at Mongan's Bridge a small, remote, rural area in the Kiewa Valley.Soft covered small booklet - grubby blue on back and very faded 'blue' on front with black writing. Held together with 2 staples. "For Tracing with lead pencil or pen. / Introductory Book, Price One penny" Writing surrounded by fancy graphics. Border is thick but not solid black line.Inside book letters have been copied but joined up to practice writing eg. m m m and then mu mu mu Each page is different. On some pages the date has been writteneducation, writing, mongan's bridge, oliver fisher, school

Milk was produced at the local dairy and then delivered to the stores and / or each household. The shape of the bottles changed as did the stopper used to seal it. The cardboard one predating the aluminium seals. Milk bottles were recycled by the dairy for re use. Liquids were measured in pints pre 1966.Historical: Change of bottles - shape, stopper, embossing Aesthetic: Display showing embossing and shapeClear glass milk bottle with straight sides half way up tapering to the top where there is a thick lip on the outside. Opening is wide. There is an inner rim inside the opening. A cardboard disc fitted on to the inner rim to seal the contents. Heavily embossed.On side near base: 'One Imperial pint' On base: Common Seal: 'A' with 'G' and 'M' inside the 'A'. 'F 1297' is across the middle and 'M' is underneath. In front of the 'M' one bottle has '2' and the other '6'.milk, diary, glass bottle, household, farmer

This photograph was taken during the flood of 1934 in Orbost. The people in the photograph are related to Billie and Ilma Nixon and Charlie Johnston. Damage estimated at £500,000 was caused by the 1934 floods in the Orbost district. This 1934 flood was devastating, destroying a section of the 1922 Orbost bridge, wrecking fences, bridges and roads, dumping silt and debris on the rich river flats and drowning cattle.This item is a pictorial record of a significant event in Orbost's history. It is associated with local families.A black / white photograph / postcard of floodwaters. On the right is a young man with four young boys sitting on a log. In the bckground is a rowing boat with one man rowing and three others sitting on the edges . A field of maize / corn is in the background and a large willow tree on the right.on back - "M. C. Rice Orbost 19 /1/20 M Gilbert. Mostly Billy Nixons & Charlie Johnstons 1934" [Note alteration: W C Rice rather than M C Rice].floods-orbost-1934 nixon-william johnston-charles

Item donated in the memory of Regt No 3188 Sgt John Joseph MILBURN, Unit 15th M G Company, 5th M G Battalion, 1st AIF. Saw service in Egypt and on the Somme 1915 - 1919.Display of unit colours of WWI in the form of a Rising Sun. Printed on white background with drawings of Belgium, France, Gallipoli & Egypt in each corner. Decorations are listed each side of display. All decorations & unit badges are in regimental colours. Display has glass front & brown wooden frame with gold inner edge, fawn cardboard backing.Printed top: “Souvenir of the Greatest War” Printed at bottom: “Australian Commonwealth Military Forces” Stamped on back: “Passchendaele Barracks Trust”military history-army, documents-posters, passchendaele barracks trust

Sr E Chalmers; Sr M Peck; Sr S O'Shannessy; Sr D Evans; Sr L Danson; Sr Robinson Sr M Morrison. Nursing staff from 28 Camp Hospital Black and White photograph of seven nurses from 28 Camp Hospital Taturanurse, 28 camp hospital, tatura, chalmers, peck, o'shannessy, evans, danson, robinson, morrison

The Ladies C Grade championship starting in 1991. Winners were: 1991 P Bradshaw, 1992 D Smith, 1993 D Irvine, 1994 N Wills, 1995 D Delaney, 1996 E Spies, 1997 K Bul, 1998 M Smith, 1999 J Bogner, 2000 A. Deppeler, 2001 M O'Connor, 2002 M Bacon, 2003 Jenny Stevens, 2004 M Smith, 2005 Jenny Cunnington, 2006 L Norton, 2007 J Nesseler, 2008 M Price, 2009 J Irwin, 2010 H Finlayson, 2011 H Finlayson, 2012 K Matheson, 2013 K Matheson, 2014 K Morrison, 2015 L Norton, 2016 L Norton, 2017 L Norton, 2018 A Thompson, 2019 F Groves.Significant as it provides a record of C grade winners over the years. Also provides a snapshot of playersSmall silver cup on a pedestalInscribed with the competition title and the names and year of the winnerspeterborough golf club, peterborough, women's golf, women's golf championships

Previous owner: J. McL. EmmersonNo. of volumes: 47 Volume range: 1967-1974 (large) & Vol. 1 (1975) - Vol. 40 (2013) Later title: Fleet street reports of industrial property cases from the Commonwealth and Europe Editors: Lunzer, R. ([1967] - 1969) Haywood, R. (1969 - 1972) Fysh, M. (1973 - 1994) Vitoria, M. (1995 - 2011) Clark, F. (2012 - 2013)industrial property -- europe -- cases, industrial property -- great britain -- cases, patent laws and legislation -- great britain -- cases, patent laws and legislation -- europe -- cases

Common every day items food used by the ADF in combat situations. This shows the combat ration one man that has been used by the ADF since the Vietnam War era. The CR1M consists of two main meals, various light snacks, sundry and beverage items. The CR1M is designed to provide the daily nutritional value to sustain a soldier over a 24 hour period. Failure to consume all food items with this period will impact upon functional energy levels due to an unbalanced nutrition intake. Excluding tea and coffee aal food items are consumable either hot or cold. It is advised to fill one cup canteen with water, immerse one 250g main meal pouch and heat for 10 - 15 minutes. For heat source use use issued hexamine stove and tablets. residual boiled water is safe and may be used for hot beverage makingCombat Ration One Man (24 hour). Sealed in a clear plastic bag with the letter 'C' printed in blue on the front (indicating that contents are menu 'C'). This pack includes small packages of supplies in various shapes and sizes, including: M and M's chocolate, potato with onion powder, sweetened condensed milk, cream spread, tea bags, safety matches and toilet paper. Front - Blue text - C / NOT FOR PRIVATE RESALE TO PUBLIC ration pack, consumables, supplies

Folded cardboard folder to contain printed materials for Metcards and appropriate publicity materials. Has a Metcard ticket front and information on the card, a new advertising campaign, new fares, comparisons with previous fares. Printed about 12/2000 as notes new fares and Metcards. has the logos of M>train, M>Tram, connex, Yarra Trams and Victorian Bus Industry.trams, tramways, metcard, metlink, publicity, tickets

Poster printed on off white heavy A3 size paper titled "Service Alterations", produced by M>Tram, for May 2003, detailing the changes for buses on route 69 during the Glenferrie Traders Festival Sunday May 4 and tramway overhead renewals Sunday and Monday May 11 and 12, on route 79. Has the M>Tram logos, with contact details.trams, tramways, m>tram, timetables, melbourne, information, service changes

Clothing rationing was gazetted in May 1942 and continued until June 1948. It allowed each person 112 coupons per year and each item of clothing had a coupon value. eg. A man's suit was worth 38 coupons and a pair of socks were 4 couponsWW11 Clothing Ration Card: Pink card with blue fleck and black print to G. M. Grylls of Dingee. Civilian Identity No or Alien Registration No. V4F30498. Particulars of supplementary Issues. Ration book or Sheet No. V41D01. Date of Issue 23/10/45. Nature of Issue Special. On the back are Directions for use and signature of Holder Gwenyth M. Grylls. Box 625H.E. Daw, Gov. Print. Melb.government, federal, clothing ration card

The Birds of Australia is a 12 volume work, in a total of 14 books. The books were used as an ornithological handbook. They contain scientific text as well as over 600 hand-coloured lithographed plates by J.G. Keulemans, H. Grönvold, Roland Green, H. Goodchild and G.E. Lodge. The work was written, sponsored and organised by Gregory M. Matthews, F.R.S.C. Erc. who was a wealthy Australian and an amateur ornithologist. His titles included – -Fellow of the Linnean and Zoological Societies of London -Member of the British Ornithologists’ Union -Corresponding Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union The volumes in our collection were originally donated to the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute and Free Library by William Lindsay. THE LINDSAYS (quoted from the book Of Many Things – A History of Warrnambool Shire by C.E. Sayers) The Lindsays were amongst the most prominent families in the Shire of Warrnambool, as pastoralists, sportsmen, municipal councillors, community leaders. The first of the family William arrived in Melbourne in 1841 and started business as a livestock agent. The gold rushes sent him to the central Victoria diggings dealing in cattle. This was a business that boomed in the early 1850s, and he prospered. In 1859 he took over the Quamby run near Woolsthrope from Paul de Castella, the Yarra Valley Swiss vigneron who had brought the leasehold and improvements in 1853 from George Youl, who had pioneered the run. Quamby was originally 25,000 acres. It was heavily timbered, rough country, much of it swampy, a characteristic of the district. Lindsay used it to fatten cattle which gave large returns with the booming gold diggings towns paying high prices for beef. In 1862 purchases at auction made Quamby a freehold. In the next six years a further 20,000 acres of Crown land were brought at auction to make the run one of the largest in the south-west district. The great profits from his cattle trading enabled Lindsay to make improvements to the holding, and to Union which was added in 1864. Much of the thick timber was cleared and the worst of the swamps drained. Union was 15,000 acres of freehold when Kennedy sold it to Lindsay. It was heavily timbered, mostly blackwood, with large belts of wattle and honeysuckle. Much of the heavy native was ringbarked and cleared; much more was swept away by bushfire. It was expensive work, but Lindsay’s bank passbook was heavy with credit, and he did not spare money to make both Quamby and Union heavily developed stock runs. He was as lavish in social living; the bluestone Quamby homestead was one of the most hospitable in the district when William Lindsay was host there; its paddocks carried high quality thoroughbreds: its stables housed steeplechasers and flat racers which won many races on Warrnambool and other courses; its coach houses were filled with carriages which took his guests to the great racing carnivals of the district. After William Lindsay died in 1897, in his eighty-fifth year, his two sons, William and James, managed Union and Quamby as a joint venture. This partnership ended in 1906 when William took over Union and James kept Quamby. The following year 10,000 acres of Union were subdivided and sold in lots of 100 acres to 700 acres for dairying and general farming. It was well improved country, much of it alluvial flats. By then many of the paddocks were sheltered with blue gum belts, and they carried good pastures. The three Lindsays, father and two sons, gave many years of service to the Shire, and to many charitable, sporting, social and community organisations in the Warrnambool district. William Lindsay senior, was a Shire councillor for 15 years, and President several times. James Lindsay followed his father as a north riding councillor. He served nineteen years, from 1887 until his death in March 1908. He was President four times. Jimmy Lindsay was one of the most popular men in the south-west of Victoria. He was a fine sportsman: horse breeder, owner and a dashing amateur rider. He lived lavishly and played hard. For many years he guarded a herd of kangaroos, as many as 100 head, at Quamby. Descendants of the Lindsay kangaroos are still in the district. James Lindsay’s wife, Margaret Esther was a daughter of Samuel Shaw Parker, the first engineer of the Shire. Nell Lindsay, a daughter, lives in the Bluestone Quamby homestead. Only a little more than 60 acres of the original run still belongs to the property. William Lindsay junior succeeded his brother as a Shire councillor. He served for 25 years from 1908 until his death in 1934. So, the Lindsays, father and two sons, served as Shite councillors for an unbroken period of sixth-five years. William Lindsay junior had a life-long interest in horse racing, as breeder, owner and enthusiastic amateur steeplechase rider. He was elected a member of the Warrnambool racing club in 1901 and was president of the club for thirty-two years. He raced and rode horses for the love of the sport. He won the Villiers and Heytesbury Hunt Cup in the 1870s on his own horse, Ventura. In the year he died his horse Flavedo won the Warrnambool Grand Annual steeplechase. It was a sensational race. All of the contestants fell, or lost their riders. When Flavedo baulked at a jump, its jockey R. Sweetman, remounted and completed the course to win the race. All of the Lindsays were passionately fond of the thoroughbred horse. Nell Lindsay talking to the author in the drawing room of Quamby homestead - with many memories for her of its lavish years – said of a brother that he was put on a horse when he was two years old and never got off. William Lindsay junior made Union into a fine, high-producing property, breeding cattle and horses. He added to the bluestone house that David Kennedy started, established plantations of pines and gums, and made an attractive garden. 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 meeting room in November1854 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 fund raising 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 court house 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 historic 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 Historic 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 art works 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 This book is also part of 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. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library, as the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute was then called. When the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute 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 Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute 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 area 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 during 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. The Birds of Australia by Gregory M. Matthews is now considered a rare and valuable scientific and historic work on its own. These 12 volumes were donated in 1934 to The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute and were included as part of the Pattison 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 Birds of Australia Vol 9 Author: Gregory M Mathews Publisher: H F & G Witherby Date: 1921-1922 Tan leather bound illustrated work.Label on spine cover with typed text RA 598.2994 MAT Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library that reads “Presented by W. Lindsay Esq. ‘Union’ Woolsthrope” Accession Number: 15240 Date Received: 3-34 “W. Lindsay” embossed in gold on front cover, bottom right of book flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, the birds of australia, gregory m. matthews, witherby & co., h.f. & g. witherby, w lindsay, william lindsay, quamby woolsthorpe, union woolsthorpe, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool art gallery, joseph archibald, warrnambool mechanics’ institute and free library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, the birds of australia vol 9, quamby station, union station, woolsthrope