Showing 24039 items
matching early-ararat
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Clunes Museum
Photograph
THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS FOUND IN THE FORMER HOME OF THE LATE LAURA HUDSON IN LOWER FRASER STREET, CLUNES (NOW BLACKMORE ROAD) The daughters of Alex and Florence Clark. May referred to is the second wife of Alex. BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF TWO CHILDREN - ALISON AND ADELE (CLARK). Circa early 1960'sTO FATHER AND MAY FROM ALISON AND ADELE.local history, photography, photographs, hudson - laura -
Clunes Museum
Photograph, 1866 - 1867
SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH - WORKERS AND HORSE AT PORT PHILLIP MINE, CLUNES IN THE EARLY SIXTIES CIRCA 1867.SE photographs, mining, port phillip mine 1866/1867 -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Document, James Clarendon Patrick Horneman, 2007
Documents about James Patrick Horneman, an early resident of Whitehorse, showing land purchases and certificates.Documents about James Patrick Horneman, an early resident of Whitehorse, showing land purchases and certificates.Documents about James Patrick Horneman, an early resident of Whitehorse, showing land purchases and certificates.horneman, james clarendon patrick -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Map, Map of Mitcham, 1916?
Copy of early map of Mitcham.Copy of early map of Mitcham showing main roads and large blocks of land with owners' namesCopy of early map of Mitcham. mitcham road mitcham, heatherdale road mitcham, whitehorse road mitcham, morton, william, ainger, f, morgan, r. r., harding, w, sergeant, r, mcclelland, john, wilson, w, cook, j -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Article, Men of the Creeks, n.d
'Men of the Creeks' by R.V. Cottingham about early settlers in NunawadingPhotocopy 'Men of the Creeks' by R.V. Cottingham about early settlers in Nunawading, Boroondara, Bulleen and Mulgrave. 'Men of the Creeks' by R.V. Cottingham about early settlers in Nunawadinggardiners creek, damper creek, koonung creek, scotchman's creek, bushy creek, mullum mullum creek, dandenong creek, schwerkolt, johann august, bennett, george, william, wrighte, arundel, mcintyre, (mrs), duncan, o'leary, d, cleary, patrick -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Document, Harkaway National School
Description and history of Harkaway National School, plus changing of many street names and early pioneers.Description and history of Harkaway National School, plus changing of many street names and early pioneers.Description and history of Harkaway National School, plus changing of many street names and early pioneers.pioneers, harkaway national school, burwood east state school no 454, thompson, john edward, street names, ballyshanassy road, boundary road, delaney's road -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Document, Memories of Forest Hill, n.d
Memories of Mary Cook about Forest Hill, early 1920s and 30s. Father, A.G. Johnson.Memories of Mary Cook about Forest Hill, early 1920s and 30s. Father, A.G. Johnson.Memories of Mary Cook about Forest Hill, early 1920s and 30s. Father, A.G. Johnson.cook, mary, clifton, ernest j, forest hill, canterbury road, forest hill, springvale road, forest hill, johnson, a.g., forest hill primary school, clifton, thelma, clifton, martin, australian tesselated tile co pty ltd, sandland, mac, heinrichs, klaus, heinrichs, lizzie, campbell, harold (sir) -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Document, A pioneer's story, 1905
Louisa Humphries, an early pioneer in Melbourne. Reminisces about her life from 1813 - 1905.Louisa Humphries, an early pioneer in Melbourne reminisces about her life from 1813 - 1905.Louisa Humphries, an early pioneer in Melbourne. Reminisces about her life from 1813 - 1905.humphries, louisa -
Rutherglen Historical Society
Image
One of several photographs of different periods in the existence of the ANZ Bank Rutherglen, this one when it was the Australia and New Zealand Bank. After several changes of the Bank's name, it ceased as a bank in 1996. Under private ownership, it became Bank on Main, as a bed & breakfast. In 2016 it changed hands again, becoming Amberesque B&B.Early black and white photograph of Australia and New Zealand bank building in Main Street, Rutherglenbank of australasia, anz bank, bank on main, amberesque, australia and new zealand bank -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Whitehorse Road, Mitcham
An early black and white photograph of the Mitcham shopping centre. Cars parked in the side road to the right.whitehorse road, mitcham, mitcham whitehorse road, shopping centre, mitcham -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Mitcham Returned Servicemens League
In the 1960s the R.S.L. hall was used for plays, infant welfare, dancing classes for children and the like, also for use with parties and weddingsEarly black and white photograph of the Mitcham R.S.L.. Telegraph poles on left and right. Demolished in the 1980s.mitcham returned servicemens league, returned servicemens league -
Ambulance Victoria Museum
Ferno Washington Stretcher
Ferno Washington stretcher (early model). Steel frame with blue vinyl mattress on canvas webbing. -
Brimbank City Council
4 boards with photographs
4 boards with B&W photographs of Essendon North streets in late 1950s - early 1960s. -
Melbourne Legacy
Book, Legacy the First Fifty Years, 1978
The book details the first fifty years of Melbourne Legacy. The book was written by Mark Lyons. The foreword was written by Sir Roden Cutler V.C., K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., C.B.E.. Governor of New South Wales. From the National Library of Australia's website: 'The first Legacy club was formed in Melbourne in 1923 by a group of young men who had served together in the Australian forces in World War I. They were all in business and sought to help other ex-soldiers in business. After two years, they changed their objectives, deciding henceforth Legacy would care for the widows and children of their war-time comrades. Legacy clubs were soon functioning in all states in Victoria. There are now 47 Legacy clubs within Australia and one in London. They have almost 7000 members and care for over 100,000 widows and children, on whom nearly $3 million is spent annually, all of it raised by public subscription. This study, commissioned by Legacy for its fiftieth anniversary, provides the first detailed history of this uniquely Australian organization. Legacy is firmly rooted in Australian society. Its members are all returned servicemen and share in that special ex-service tradition that began with Anzac. They belong to Australia's middle class. They help people generally less well off than they, but manage to do so without demeaning its recipients. This history traces Legacy's first fifty years in considerable detail, but places it firmly within its social environment. It will be of interest, not only to current and past members of Legacy, but students of Australian history and society, and all who are concerned with Australia's welfare services.'The publication depicts the people involved and the evolving nature of Legacy from the small beginnings of 1923 over the first fifty years.Navy blue book published about the history of Legacy, including photographs of activities and early members.Spine, Legacy The First Fifty Years, Lyons, Lothian. All embossed in gold.history, founding legatee, 50th anniversary -
Queenscliffe Maritime Museum
Photograph - Photo of the Lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE with masts stepped, Photograph of lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE, March 1936
The QUEENSCLIFFE lifeboatLifeboatsblack & white photograph of the Lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE with masts stepped, probably after the early 1930'sReverse - "QUEENSCLIFFE with pilot boat AKUNA on the right hand sode"community information, the queenscliffe lifeboat -
Queenscliffe Maritime Museum
Photograph - Photo of the Lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE after launching, Photograph of lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE, circa 1930's
The QUEENSCLIFFE lifeboatLifeboatsblack & white photograph of the Lifeboat QUEENSCLIFFE post launch, probably after the early 1930'sReverse - "Fisherman's Pier (demolished about 1955 - lifeboat shed before moved to new pier because of sanding up - [c.1947 or 49] - P&H (Ports and Harbour) shed on left (on S arm of Fisherman's Pier) - see 1986-086"community information, the queenscliffe lifeboat -
Tennis Australia
Poster, Advertisement, 1980s
Poster from Bravo magazine featuring major players of the early 1980s. Materials: Paper, Inktennis -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Parliament House and Treasury, Melbourne, c.1907
Collection of thirty-nine postcards donated by Jillian Rigby which had been owned by her grandparents, George and Edith Weir, who from c.1917 lived at 84 Princess Street, Kew. The mostly 'mint' postcards were purchased in Victoria and while travelling overseas. The sole dated postcard is dated from 1929. The postcards are numbered sequentially from 2017.0058.01-39. The remainder of the collection donated by Jill Rigby which was once owned by the Weirs of Broken Hill and Kew consist of costumes, costume accessories, photographs, and documents.The postcards in the Weir collection, especially those purchased on a trip or trips to the mother country, i.e. United Kingdom, represent a representative sample of sites that were considered significant to those Australians undertaking a reverse grand tour by member of the erstwhile colonies. Those postcards which are early views of Melbourne must have been produced commercially for some decades from the early part of the 20th century.Parliament House and Treasury, Spring Street, Melbourne. Coloured postcard of early Melbourne. Weir collection."Parliament House and Treasury, Melbourne"postcards, george and edith weir, parliament house - melbourne, treasury building - melbourne, weir collection -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Parliament House and Treasury, Melbourne, c.1907
Collection of thirty-nine postcards donated by Jillian Rigby which had been owned by her grandparents, George and Edith Weir, who from c.1917 lived at 84 Princess Street, Kew. The mostly 'mint' postcards were purchased in Victoria and while travelling overseas. The sole dated postcard is dated from 1929. The postcards are numbered sequentially from 2017.0058.01-39. The remainder of the collection donated by Jill Rigby which was once owned by the Weirs of Broken Hill and Kew consist of costumes, costume accessories, photographs, and documents.The postcards in the Weir collection, especially those purchased on a trip or trips to the mother country, i.e. United Kingdom, represent a representative sample of sites that were considered significant to those Australians undertaking a reverse grand tour by member of the erstwhile colonies. Those postcards which are early views of Melbourne must have been produced commercially for some decades from the early part of the 20th century.Parliament House and Treasury, Spring Street, Melbourne. Coloured postcard of early Melbourne. Weir collection."Parliament House and Treasury, Melbourne"postcards, george and edith weir, parliament house - melbourne, treasury building - melbourne, weir collection -
Falls Creek Historical Society
Uniform - Falls Creek Ski Patrol
The first ski patroller in Falls Creek was Brian Caddy with two casual ski patrollers Rob Sarroff and David Crooke in the 1960s. In 1972 the “official” Falls Creek Ski Patrol was created under the advisement of Dr Rodney Moss with the support of the Management Committee. By 1977 there were six or seven patrollers, and currently there are around 40 patrollers on the team with 13-14 rostered on each day during peak season. In 1974 the Australian Ski Patrol Association (ASPA) was formed. On the 14th March 1975, the Falls Creek Tourist Area Management Committee applied for membership to ASPA. At that time, Falls Creek Ski Patrol was known as Falls Creek Ski Rescue. This item is significant because it is representative of a critical service at Falls Creek.Falls Creek Ski Patrol jacket, pants, under sweater and gloves from the early 1980s.falls creek ski patrol, safety falls creek, falls creek services -
Mont De Lancey
Functional object - Decanter, c1900's
Owned by Miss Eva SebireEarly wine decanter with floral and leaf etching around the base. Has patterned glass stopper.decanters, eva sebire -
Mont De Lancey
Ink bottle, c1920
Early ink bottle circa 1920 plus silver pen with gold coloured steel nib.bottles, writing equipment -
Camberwell Historical Society
Photograph - Photographs, Goldsworthy, Val et al, Information Sign Read Gardens photographs, 2013
Two photographs of sign installed in early July to describe the gardens and record CHS's tree plantingcamberwell -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Hamilton-Smith Collection Photograph of Gertrude Foord c. early 1900s, The Crown Studios: Vice-Regal Photographers
The Hamilton-Smith collection was donated by the children of Grace Mary Hamilton-Smith nee Ellwood (1911-2004) and John Hamilton-Smith (1909-1984) who settled in Wodonga in the 1940s. The Ellwood family had lived in north-east Victoria since the late 1800s. Grace’s mother, Rosina Ellwood nee Smale, was the first teacher at Baranduda in 1888, and a foundation member of the C.W.A. Rosina and her husband Mark retired to Wodonga in 1934. Grace and John married at St. David’s Church, Albury in 1941. John was a grazier, and actively involved in Agricultural Societies. The collection contains significant items which reflect the local history of Wodonga, including handmade needlework, books, photographs, a wedding dress, maps, and material relating to the world wars. This photograph is of Gertrude Foord (1885-1968), an aunt on the Hamilton-Smith family tree. Much of the needlework and textiles in the Hamilton-Smith collection belonged to Gertrude. This item has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of social and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history and social history.Black and white studio portrait photograph of a woman dressed in early 1900s dress, mounted on card.Handwritten inscription in bottom centre: "Love from/Gertrude". photograph, family photographs, photo, 1900s, edwardian, studio portrait, portrait -
Lakes Entrance Historical Society
Book, Bull, J.C. and Williams, Peter, Story of Gippsland Shipping, 1967
History of early navigators, lakes, steamers, coastal windjammers, shipwrecks and famous captains. Illustrated with photographs.G.E.Scarce, 7 Warde St., Bairnsdale. Happy Birthday to Mum, etc.ships and shipping, maritime history -
Lakes Entrance Historical Society
Book, Broome, Richard author, Aboriginal Victorians by Richard Broome, 2005
A very informative and compassionate history of the conflict between the Aboriginal of Victoria, early settlers and government agenciesISBN 174114 569 4aboriginals, legislation -
Linton and District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Scotts Sturt St, Ballarat, At Devil's Kitchen, 1920s, probably the Whitehead family
Identified as most likely the Whitehead family, as the young man in the photograph bears a striking similarity to the young man identified as Alan Whitehead in the photo which is Registration no. 423.Sepia photograph of three women and two men seated on the running board of a early model car."Devils Kitchen 1920s".motor vehicles, devil's kitchen, piggoreet, whitehead family -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Razor, early 1900's
This cut-throat razor was originally owned by the father of Dr. W.R. Angus' wife Gladys. Her maternal father's name was William Lawrence Forsyth. The razor was inherited by Gladys and is now part of the W.R. Angus Collection, which was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. The “W.R. Angus Collection” 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 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 ) According to Berry, her mother Gladys made a lot of their clothes. She was very talented and did some lovely embroidery including lingerie for her trousseau and beautifully handmade baby clothes. Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . Its first station was 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 and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital (a 2 bed ward at the Nelson Street Practice) from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what previously once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr Tom and his brother had worked as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He had been 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 had 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. 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 is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. When Dr Angus took up practice in the Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan’s old premises he obtained their extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926. A large part of this collection is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. 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. and an ALDI sore is on the land that was once their tennis court). 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. (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. He had an interest in people and the community They 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. Cut-throat razor, part of the W.R. Angus Collection. Razor in dark coloured cardboard box, has dark brown Bakelite handle with rounded end; blade swings inside the handle. The razor is a Full Concave Bengal design, made by Cadman & Sons Ltd. of Sheffield in the early 1900's.Written in pen on the lid: "W. L. Forsyth", written along front of box and on tape on the handle 'FORSYTH". Impressed on steel blade "Full Concave / BENGALL RAZOR" and "CADMAN & SONS LTD. / SHEFFIELD"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, dr w r angus, william lawrence forsyth, cadman and sons ltd sheffield, cut-throat razor, personal effects 1900's, grooming equipment 1900's, hair cutting equipment 1900's -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Lives of The Engineers
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 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. WARRNAMBOOL'S 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 November1884 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, 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. Lives of The Engineers Early Engineering. Vermuyden - Myddelton - Perry - James Brindley Author: Samuel Smiles Publisher: John Murray Date: 1874Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 929 SMI Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, 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, great ocean road, lives of the engineers, vermuyden, myddelton, perry, james brindley, samuel smiles -
Halls Gap & Grampians Historical Society
Photograph - B/W, C 1930s to 1940s
The photo shows Augustus (Gus) Knight and Helen Knight in Ararat. The Knight's ran Knight's tea-rooms.Photo sjows a man and a woman standing in front of a wooden gate, with a house corner to their right.people, knight