The context in which the hat was made and worn assists in establishing its potential historic significance. 'Bailliere's Victorian Gazetteer and Road Guide containing the most recent and accurate information as to every place in the Colony' (1870), describes the village of Vaughan as being located on the road from Daylesford to Castlemaine. In 1870 the Vaughan was deemed to be entirely a gold mining area, gold having been discovered in the district in 1853. Intriguingly the entry in the Gazetteer claims that the electoral division of Vaughan began at the junction of the Middleton Creek and the Loddon River, so perhaps the cap might have belonged to a member of a significant local family. In 1870, Vaughan had a population of about 1000 persons and included almost 300 dwellings. Articles from newspapers, published on Trove refer frequently to a Mr Middleton as a litigant in court cases before the Vaughan Court in the 1860s. By the 1870s, the Mt Alexander Mail, in an article on ‘Mining: The Pioneer Wheel’ describes the success of Mr Middleton and his Middleton’s Reef Gold Quartz Mining Company, which had built the largest water wheel in the Colony. The wheel was 20’ in diameter and 2’ wide. Quartz mining as practiced by companies such as Middleton’s had become necessary after the exhaustion of alluvial quartz mining deposits in the 1860s. So we can probably establish a link between the cap and a significant mining identity in the period in which the article was made. The historical significance of the cap is only one part of the story. Caps such as the Middleton example can also be items of aesthetic significance as they were typically, examples of women’s work, using published patterns in magazines such as the Ladies Home Magazine. While women might follow or adapt a published pattern, their choice of materials reflected what was available locally. The fine hand stitching on this example is evidence of high quality domestic needlework. The maker crafted the cap from five triangular pieces of cotton cloth, each piece lined with a faded yellow net. The net provides some stiffening for the cap and has a functional purpose in that it anchors the hand-stitched, looped design of yellow silk ribbon that decorates the surface of the cap. Gentleman’s smoking (lounging) cap believed to have been made in c.1860-69. The conical hat is made of a dark green cotton fabric embroidered with narrow ribbon of a paler green silk. The unlined rimless hat is made of four pieces of fabric. There is no evidence of the hat at one stage featuring a tassle. The original donation record noted that the cap had been made for, and was worn by, a Mr Middleton, of Vaughan in Central Victoria. Nilhats, smokers hats, men's clothing

The initial partnership in a quartz crushing plant between Henry Koch, Simon Albert and Charles Wallin was dissolved in 1860 with Koch becoming the sole owner. In 1866 the crushing plant consisted of a 50 hp engine and 48 stamping heads capable of crushing 600 tons of quartz per week. By 1902 there were 72 stamps and this was by far the largest crushing plant in the area, serving many quartz mines. Henry Koch (1800-1889) was a German sailor who signed off when his ship reached Melbourne in 1851. Having heard of the gold discovery he proceeded to Bendigo where he was initially employed in puddling in the Myers Flat area. He was soon employed and then made partner in a quartz crushing plant that he became sole owner of in 1860. He was also landlord at the British and American Hotel and the Silver Mines Hotel. HE also started the Perseverance United gold claim. He married Anna Maria Theresia Heinz in 1857. In 1872 he sold the crushing plant for 75,000 pounds and took his family back to Germany. He resumed his trade as a ship builder although he maintained many Bendigo mining interests.Photocopy of an article from the Bendigo Advertiser, dated 5/5/1982 titled Fortunes carried in mine. Written above the photo is: Men from Kock's Mine Long Gully. One man is wearing a suit and the rest are in work clothes. The mine was worked, with some breaks, between 1857 and 1871 when the Pioneer Company took over, and was later known as Koch's Pioneer and Perseverance and worked continuously until 1924, a period of 53 years of uninterrupted mining.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - kock's mine workers, bendigo advertiser 5/5/1982, kochs pioneer mine, henry koch, havilah company's claim, garden gully line of reef, paddy's gully line, koch's pioneer and perseverance

The winning 'eight' were from the Department of Mining and Civil Engineering. IN all 15 boats took to the water.Black and white photograph of eight Ballarat School of Mines students in the annual Ballarat School of Mines Boat Race on Lake Burrumbeet. ballarat school of mines boat race, lake burrumbeet, lake burrumbeet boat race

Mining Scene Flat Reef at 800ft level Underground in Magdala-Cum-Moonlight Gold Mine 1895Underground miner inspecting overhead Quartz reef. stawell mining

Davis Open Cut Stawell showing 19th Century shaft uncovered by recent excavations by Western Mining.stawell mining

Shepherd’s Gold Book Launched 1966 with gold mining equipment. Gold Pan and Gold Washing Cradle.stawell

Mafeking Goldfield Mt William Mining Scene c1900. Businesses. Mafeking Post office and other businesses.stawell

Coloured photographs showing the area to be built on. The Mining Exchange and Ballarat Post Office are shown. These buildings plus new ones will make up the Federation University Camp Street campus.arts academy, camp street, construction, former ballarat library

Diggers & mining. The gold era. This illustration shows the railway station at Woodend. (Looks more like a photo then a sketch). Markings 45 994.031 GOL:5. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & mining. The gold era. During the gold era, the value of gold produced averaged £12 million a year. Markings 34 994.031 GOL:5. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and Miners. This shows a section of quartz reef about 3.500 feet down in the Long Tunnel Mine. Markings: 34 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. The mine was almost in the main street. Photo shows the town and the mine in a valley between the mountains. Markings: 33 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2001. Golden days: Sailors Gully School was established in the boom days of gold mining. Photo circa 1928. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Correspondence( 1980) re O'Donnell family (Dr. O'Donnell). Reply refers to a Mr R O'Donnell (Huntly. Farmer, landowner and mining investor) No further information re Dr O'Donnell.person, individual, o'donnell family

Pen and ink sketch of a mining scene. Sketch shows poppet legs and mine buildings, overhead mine structures, railway, township, miners cottages in a bush setting. Artist unknownart, mining in bendigo, sketch of mining area

Scrip Certificate Books - Derbyshire Gold Mining Company. One book has information on 79 investors - remainder of book to #249 un-used; second book - to #499 - is unused.document, certificate, scrip, derbyshire gold mining company

Black and white photograph of underground mining scene, showing helmeted male with wheeled skip on rails. Level 2 Centrel Deborah Gold Mine 1985 ( j. Lerk 11.2.2000 )organization, business, central deborah gold mine

Scrip certificate for Derbyshire Gold Mining Co. OLD TOM AND SANDFLY GULLIES, BENDIGO. Blank single sheet No. 251. (Capital L15,000 in Fifteen Thousand shares of L1 each).person, individual, curnow collection

'Australian Children through 200 years' 200 years in pictures. Includes Aboriginal, convict, early colonial, gold mining. 63 pages, with photographs and illustrations. Brown cover with photos.Suzane Fabian & Morag Lohaustralia, children, history of childhood, australia, childhood, children, history of childhood

Booklet: Receipt book. New Monument Gold Mining Company No Liability. Receipt nos. 5801 - 6001 unused. Hardcover - light brown with red reinforcement on spine. Carbon at back.MCCOLL RANKIN & STANISTREETorganization, business, gold mine accounting., mccoll ranking & stanistreet

6291.1 - Plan of "Austral Coal Mining Co" Lease in Korumburra detailing the mine tunnel plan, coal seam areas and some surface features such as railway sidings & Leura Creek.

6306.1 - Map of Outtrim mining area, with modification where damage/erasure has occurred. Shows tunnels, faults, tramways, boreholes, surface roads and (apparently) paddock boundaries and a creek.

Document. Blue/grey book with red binding. The English Scottish & Australian Bank Limited. North Virginia Gold Mining Co. Also 'Central Napoleon' written on the front cover.McColl, Rankin & Stanistreetorganization, business, north virginia gmc n l, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, north virginia gmc n l, the english scottish & australian bank limited, gold mining, cheque book

McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, The Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy. No 2 Airway Fan at the Zinc Corporation Limited. By C E Gardner. Proceedings No. 178 June, 1956). Includes diagrams.C E Gardnercottage, miners, mccoll rankin & stanistreet, the australasian institute of mining & metallurgy

Document. Buff folder containing Letters dated 1934 re applications for lease. Options to purchase leases. Prospectus of the Hustlers Gold Mining Co. Report on Agnew Hustlers Group.McColl, Rankin & Stanistreetorganization, business, north hustlers gmc, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, north hustlers gmc, gold mining, leases, agnew hustlers group

Document. Cream coloured, handwritten envelope containing 3 documents. Lease application by John Jepson Stanistreet for Virginia Consols Gold Mining Co. Virginia Consols handwritten on the envelope.McColl, Rankin & Stanistreetorganization, business, north virginia gmc n l, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, north virginia gmc n l, gold mining, application for lease

Diggers & Mining. Gold. Scene on Sandridge pier. In 1853, the first Chinese attracted by news of the gold discoveries reached Victoria. Markings: 25 994.GOL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields