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Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Melton Railway Bridge, c.1884
"The Melton Viaduct, opened in 1886, is of State heritage significance as a very large and visually distinctive wrought iron, lattice girder trestle bridge over the Werribee River (now Melton Reservoir). It comprises 18.3 and 9.1 metre spans, in a generally alternate arrangement, of total length 375 metres, and standing 38 metres over the Werribee River. Wrought iron small section iron was used to build tension trussed trestle legs, which supported four lines of rivetted wrought-iron deck-type double lattice trusses. It has bluestone abutments and pier bases of coursed rock-faced bluestone with drafted margins. The larger half-piers, now usually submerged in the Melton Reservoir have sharp tapered cutwaters and curved coping at the tops. While designed to carry two rail tracks it has only ever been used as a single track line. Despite several alterations to its deck structure, it remains an outstanding example of a lighter structural design employing open metal trestle supports and metal truss girders. The direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway link of which the Melton viaduct was the major engineering work contributed significantly to the history and development of Victoria. This new link reflected Ballarat’s diversifying economy as well as the commercial and political influence of the metropolis. Construction of the bridge, and the associated large workers camp, were extensively photographed, documenting an important episode in local history. The railway enabled the development of new industries in the Melton area, notably the timber industry and a chaff industry of national importance, greatly facilitated the later transition of the Shire from a pastoral to a farming economy, and struck a major blow to Melton township’s era as a wayside town servicing Ballarat road (especially coach) traffic". Melton Railway Bridge being built across the Werribee Rivertransport -
Bacchus Marsh & District Historical Society
Map - Land Sales Plan, Grantbank Estate Bacchus Marsh, 1924
The Grantbank Estate was a parcel of land close to the centre of the shopping area of Bacchus Marsh which was sub-divided and offered for sale in 58 lots on the 13th September, 1924. It comprised an area of 15 acres, being a portion of the Millbank Estate which had been in the hands of the Grant family for 75 years. The lots had frontages to Gisborne Road, Patterson, William and Sutherland Streets. This was a significant sub-division of land and represented a major expansion of residential housing in Bacchus Marsh in the early 20th century.This land sale map is a typical example of housing estate land sales advertising maps produced by real estate agents in this era. The map is significant for the detailed information it provides about when and where land was sold for new housing estates in Bacchus Marsh in the early twentieth century.Printed paper mapland sales bacchus marsh, land subdivsion bacchus marsh, housing estates land sales bacchus marsh, grant family bacchus marsh -
Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Myers family members at Uniting Church, 1986
The Uniting Church (originally the Scots Presbyterian Church) was built 1865-67) and adjacent former Church Hall / Sunday School (built 1938), Yuille Street, Melton. The adjacent former church hall, now kindergarten facility. The Uniting Church and former church hall are historically significant at a Local level (AHC A4). It was built after Melton’s ‘United’ church and school, erected by Protestant denominations in 1857 in an effort to share resources in the pioneering era, was replaced by individual churches in the 1860s. The church became the home of and is expressive of the union of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches, begun in Melton from the early 1970s, and formally concluded by the formation of the Uniting Church of Australia in 1977. The new additions and functions of the church are expressive of the increase in Melton’s population especially in the 1970s, and the changing nature of the parish’s ministry. The church is one of only three remaining nineteenth century churches, and one of only two remaining bluestone churches, in the Shire of Melton. Information from Shire of Melton Heritage Study Stage 2 Volume 6 David Moloney 2007 At the opening of the new extension to the churchlocal identities, churches -
Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Scots' Church, Melton, 1968
Scots Presbyterian Church now known as the Uniting Church. The Uniting Church and former church hall are historically significant at at the Local level (AHC A4). It was built after the Melton’s ‘United’ church and school, erected by Protestant denominations in 1857 in an effort to share resources in the pioneering era, was replaced by individual churches in the 1860’s. The church became the home of and is expressive of the union of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches, began in Melton from the early 1970’s, and formally concluded by the formation of the Uniting Church of Australia in 1977. The new additions and functions of the church are expressive of the increase in Melton’s population especially in the 1970’s and the changing nature of the parish’s ministry. The church is one of only three remaining nineteenth churches, and one of only two remaining bluestone churches, in the Shire of Melton. Information from Shire of Melton Heritage Study Stage 2 Volume 6 David Moloney 2007 Barrie, Vass, Robinson, and other families gathered at the front of the church churches, local architecture, local identities -
Phillip Island Conservation Society Inc.
Work on paper - Photocopy of newspaper cutting, Melbourne Sun newspaper, "PHILLIP ISLAND SPECIAL PREPARED BY BILL HITCHINGS", 29.08.1969
This article by journalist Bill Hitchings describes the state of the land market and cost of transporting building materials, Phillip Island, late 1960s. At that stage a number of outlying residential estates had been created, especially on Phillip Island South Coast and at Cowes West. While blocks of land on the outlier estates were very cheap and poorly serviced, the Cowes blocks were selling at $3000 per residential block. Hitchings quotes the owner of the Hollydene motel, Reg Orr, as saying that when the new bridge opens shortly he did not expect it to create a rush of visitors or residents.Bill Hitching was a well-known Melbourne journalist. This article gives an idea of land values on Phillip Island in the late 1960s, the fact that business owners were prepared to upgrade and expand their businesses to cater for extra potential demand on accommodation, and the strong identification of Phillip Island with the Phillip Island Penguin Parade in the minds of the general public in Melbourne. The significance of the new Phillip Island bridge to Phillip Islanders and visitors, and the cost of the bridge, are also outlined. Reg Orr was highly active in the business community of that era on Phillip Island. The Hollydene motel was a well-known Phillip Island accommodation venue.T-shaped article cutting with large image at top of article, dark due to poor photcopy. Double collumn text under photo clearly readable. Black and white.Sun/29/8/6 (?) Probably: Melbourne Sun newspaper, 29 August, 1969phillip island, phillip island tourism, development, hollydene motel, reg orr, phillip island penguin parade, land values, phillip island first bridge, phillip island 2nd bridge, transportation costs -
Phillip Island Conservation Society Inc.
Work on paper - Photocopy of newspaper cutting, Herald and Weekly times, "MIRANDA TELLS OF A HOLIDAY ON/ PHILLIP ISLAND"
Miranda was a very popular journalist of this era, whose homely style appealed to many readers, especially women, her main audience in her writing. Here she talks about renting a new demonstration holiday home (probably a Coldon Home), which, although small, had a 'dream kitchen'. She describes the birds and walk through the wattle to the beach, but also the many blocks for sale and wonders what the island will be like in 10 years time from their visit. Her son drove them to Pyramid Rock where they almost got bogged on the road. They visit the usual spots, which she describes with a combination of curiosity and enjoyment. She also mentions another block fenced off on the main road which was a gift from the ratepayers of Phillip Island, and which the Young Farmers were to plant out for koala trees.This article is significant because thousands of Weekly Times newspaper readers read Miranda’s letter article without fail each edition. She describes renting a house for a holiday, which indicates the move away from family holidays in guest houses. She also describes some of the rough roads in parts of the island at the time. She concentrates on the island’s natural attractions rather than man- made tourist attractions, which is also significant in letting us see why people would visit Phillip Island in that era. Miranda also predicts the explosion of the holiday home owner market which took place soon after, and continues today though in a more controlled way.Photocopy of newspaper article cut out from full page. Cutting has three columns of text, no images. Black text on white paper. Dark areas due to poor photocopyingWEEKLY TIMES / 2/9/65phillip island, miranda, weekly times newspaper, holiday home, phillip island flora and fauna, pyramid rock, phillip island pengiun parade, young farmers, phillip island beaches, cuddly koala bears, phillip island housing estate land sales -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Codling Collection 01 - Wodonga Shire Hall
Miss Olive Codling was a Foundation Member and a Life Member of the Wodonga Historical Society. Many of her prize-winning photos are held in the Society Collection. She also held a range of roles and committee positions in a wide range of Wodonga community organisations. These included the Horticultural Society, the Wodonga Arts Council, the Wodonga Camera Club and the Wodonga Lapidary Club. Wodonga Shire was created in 1876 when the colonial government agreed to ratepayers' petitions to have their part of the local government district severed from the Yackandandah Shire to form a new municipality. After meeting for 14 years in rented premises, in the Prince of Wales Hall, Wodonga Council built its first Shire Hall on the corner of High and Elgin Streets in 1890. The date on the facade of the building represents the date of the formation of the Shire.This image is significant as it documents an important building and era in the development of local government in Wodonga.Wodonga Shire office at corner of High street and Melbourne Road Built 1876 demolished 1971 . Now the location of Woolworths shopping complex. Also incorporated the Melba Theatre On facade of building: " A.D. 1876"high st wodonga, wodonga local government, shire hall wodonga -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Small Shaving Brush, H. Oldfield & Son, 1941
This item is part of a collection of items owned by Arthur Lock, a member of the 2/23rd Battalion, an all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force which served as part of the garrison during the Siege of Tobruk, then at El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo. It has particular local significance as the battalion was know as "Albury's Own" because a large majority of the battalion's initial intake of volunteers came from the Albury–Wodonga region.This shaving brush was part of standard supplies and personal items issued to members of the Australian Defence Forces during World War 2.Standard Defence issue shaving brush issued to Australian personnel during the World War 2 era. It has a pine timber handle with black bristles and string reinforcement bindin at the top of the handle. On base of brush "H. OLDFIELD/& SON/ SYDNEY/1941world war 11, rats of tobruk, soldiers kit -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Book - Voices From In Between - Migrants in North East Victoria, Geoff Baker, 2000
This book is an anthology of poetry written by over 80 migrants who settled in the North East of Victoria. It is a moving evocation of the migrant experience. Many of these migrants had been housed at the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre near Wodonga which began receiving migrants in 1947, Bonegilla became the largest and longest operating reception centre in the post-war era. More than 300,000 migrants passed through its doors between 1947 and 1971. Most of these migrants came from non-English speaking European families escaping their war-torn homelands. Their world had been turned upside down. Many were confused, unsure of where they were going or what the future held for them. These poems reflect their experiences in adjusting to their new country and environment.A publication of 186 pages featuring black and white photographs and an anthology of poetry.This book is an anthology of poetry written by over 80 migrants who settled in the North East of Victoria. It is a moving evocation of the migrant experience. Many of these migrants had been housed at the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre near Wodonga which began receiving migrants in 1947, Bonegilla became the largest and longest operating reception centre in the post-war era. More than 300,000 migrants passed through its doors between 1947 and 1971. Most of these migrants came from non-English speaking European families escaping their war-torn homelands. Their world had been turned upside down. Many were confused, unsure of where they were going or what the future held for them. These poems reflect their experiences in adjusting to their new country and environment.immigrants' writings, immigrants in north east victoria, immigrants -- poetry, bonegilla migrant reception centre -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Book - Bonegilla Where Waters Meet: The Dutch Migrant Experience in Australia, Dirk Eysbertse and Marijke Eysbertse, 1997
An illustrated account of the experiences of people who migrated to Australia from Holland in the 1950s and 60s and passed through the Bonegilla Reception Centre before settling in their new land. Presents reminiscences from the people involved about their journey to Australia, conditions in Bonegilla and their impressions of life in Australia. Published as an accompanying volume to the exhibition 'Where Waters Meet'non-fictionAn illustrated account of the experiences of people who migrated to Australia from Holland in the 1950s and 60s and passed through the Bonegilla Reception Centre before settling in their new land. Presents reminiscences from the people involved about their journey to Australia, conditions in Bonegilla and their impressions of life in Australia. Published as an accompanying volume to the exhibition 'Where Waters Meet'bonegilla, dutch migration, bonegilla reception centre -
Victorian Harness Racing Heritage Collection at Lord's Raceway Bendigo
Vehicle - Glasheen's Race sulky, Paddy Glasheen's Grand Voyage sulky
... Race Sulky from 1910-20 era, purchasedd in New Zealand.... Race Sulky from 1910-20 era, purchasedd in New Zealand, used ...Race sulky used on Hall of Fame trotter Grand Voyage by trainer-driver Paddy Glasheen. Passed on to his son Jack and then to grandson Fr Brian Glasheen. From Historian John Peck: This article was on page 2, 19th May 1954. Reading the article it seems to me that the sulky is celebrating its centenary birthday in 2021. GRAND VOYAGE'S SULKY When Major Miracle won a race at the Melbourne meeting on Friday night he was attached to a very historic sulky, the being none other than the one which Grand Voyage pulled to success on many occasions. Made in New Zealand to the order of the late Paddy Glasheen during a trip to the Dominion late in 1921 with the famous trotter, the vehicle is thus over 32 years old. Constructed of hickory, it is now owned by Jack Glasheen, the son of the late Paddy figuring as the trainer and driver of Major Miracle.This sulky was purchased by trainer Paddy Glasheen during Grand Voyage’s New Zealand campaign in 1922. It was also used by Paddy’s son Jack Glasheen who trained at Preston. The Jack Glasheen trained Major Miracle won 8 races at the Showgrounds using this sulky. Owned and trained at Belmont Stud, Pitt St Huntly (Bendigo), Grand Voyage was an outstanding Australian trotter. Some claim he was greater than Fritz and the equal of Maoris Idol. Foaled in New South Wales in 1913, and trained and driven throughout his career by Paddy Glasheen, Grand Voyage commenced his preparation at the tender age of nine months at Glasheen and Busst’s Belmont Stud Farm Pitt St. Huntly. By a prolific sire of trotters in First Voyage, Grand Voyage was from Blonde Grattan (imported by the Tye brothers), a daughter of the great Canadian sire Grattan. Grand Voyage’s reputation preceded him to the racetrack, and when he was produced for the main Victorian classic for young trotters, the Futurity Stakes, all of his opposition had pulled out of the race except one rival, whom he beat at 20 to 1 on in the first heat and again disposed of easily in the second heat, in which there was no betting. The potential of Grand Voyage was recognized by all, including the handicapper who saw to it that the black champion won no race easily. After his Futurity win, Grand Voyage was spelled and did a light season of stud duty. At his second start, in January 1917, the three-year-old won from 60 yards behind against older horses at the Richmond (Melbourne) track in a time barely slower than in which the Richmond Cup, run the same day, was decided. In subsequent starts he raced from 85 and 115 yards behind, the latter occasion producing another fantastic winning performance. As a rising five-year-old Grand Voyage defeated the hoppled pacers for the first time, subsequently a common sight. In June 1919 he won twice on the day at Epping (Harold Park) in Sydney, each time setting a record, then at the Melbourne Showgrounds where he set a mile record of 2:16 3/5 after a tremendous battle from even marks with the very good pacer Sarilla the winner of 23 races at Ricmond. In 1921, back in Sydney, Grand Voyage reduced the winning record at Epping to 2:13. Grand Voyage won the first Boort Pacing Cup in 1921, starting from 280 yards behind ! 1921 BOORT CUP – 50 pounds – One & half miles GRAND VOYAGE**, 280yds (P Glasheen) 1 Red Rock, scr (I Kelly) 2 Mayfield, 75yds (M Quinn) 3 Others: Artist (scr), maxim Direct (scr), Road King (scr), Emmie Direct (75yds), Tearaway (165yds), Straightaway (195yds) **Raced as Bonnie Voyage Margins: 6 lgths X 10 lgths Time: 3m 54s He was then taken to New Zealand. His 1922 Otahuhu Cup worth 1000 Sovereigns ($2000) against the best New Zealand pacers from 48 yards in a race record 4:31 3/5 was considered by Glasheen his most outstanding effort. On return from New Zealand, he won further races including the original Bendigo Cup at the Bendigo Jockey Club track at Epsom. In all, Grand Voyage won 37 races, driven in all of them by Glasheen.Race Sulky from 1910-20 era, purchasedd in New Zealand, used on Hall of Fame Trotter Grand Voyage by Paddy GlasheenPainted deep red.trotting, grand voyage, paddy glasheen, sulky, belmont stud, jack glasheen, brian glasheen, harnes racing -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Photograph - Illustration/s, Marilyn Phillips, 2015
Illustration of Driver John (Jack) O'Callaghan and a conductor at a terminus or short working with tram W 342. Has the dates regarding the tramcar's working life on the top of the illustration. Advised by Donor that Jack was a "tram employee" between 1919 and 1922, a Gripman - 1924 - 1925 and a Motorman 1928 - 1931. After that he was a signalman. The photo was possibly taken at an opening of new track event. Scanned from an original photograph by the donor and sent to the depot when visiting about organising a tour. Tram crew in full uniform of the era, driver holding the controller and brake handles. Conductor with ticket bag etc. In 1927 the tram was based at Essendon Depot - see Reg item 800.trams, tramways, motormen, conductors, w class, tram 342, uniforms -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Newspaper, The Age, “It’s the new-look tram”, 24/03/1973 12:00:00 AM
Newspaper clipping titled: The Age, 24/3/73 “It’s the new-look tram” Photo and text of Melbourne’s newest tram Minister for Transport, Mr Wilcox, look at model of new tram at Preston workshops. Mr S Bramich, electrical engineer, worked on project. Photo shows model of tram with full-size prototype behind the two men. Melbourne's new orange-coloured super trams have been designed for an era of one-man operators and women drivers. Cheaper to run. Passengers should find them more comfortable and faster. Will go into service early next month (April?). MMTB Chairman, RF Kirby said board would like to recruit women drivers for trams, especially new super trams. "...very keen to have women tram drivers. But union has objected." Kirby said board had no immediate plans for introduction of one-man operators but trams could be easily adapted. One-man operations could be used in off-peak periods. State Government recently approved calling of tenders for 100 new trams to replace Melbourne's oldest trams. 300 trams are 50 years old. New tram is 53 feet long and 8 feet 9 inches wide. Passengers will enter through front door and purchase ticket from seated conductor. Rear exit door. Improvements to new trams are:, forward boarding means all passengers have to pass conductor, reducing missed-fare problem costing about $1M per year, no running board and tram cannot move until all doors are closed. Reduce compensation payments to passengers for injuries, last year around $30K, faster acceleration and top speed of 45 mph, ventilating fans and heating during the winter, stop lights and flashing turn indicatorstrams, tramways, prototype tramcar, modelling, z class, preston workshops, minister for transport, mmtb chairman -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Book, Richard C Peck, "Tickets Please - Australasian tram tickets except NSW", Aug. 2006
Book - spiral wire bound , clear plastic cover, green title sheet and card back, approx. 110 pages, black and white presentation giving examples of tram tickets along with notes on each system for Melbourne, Country Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand (11 systems) and Tourist tramways. Has a table of contents, introduction, an overview of the operators, list of Urban Transport Milestones During the Tramway Era for NZ and a story "Mystery Solved by Tram Ticket by Robert Pine as told by Jack McLean about a murder in London that was solved by a tram ticket found in the person's clothes. Rear page has purchase details of the book and CD, along with a contact address in Sydney. See Reg Item 5579 for the CD. Bob Merchant of the Sydney Tramway Museum advised 4/3/2021 that: Richard Peck, as Curator of Philately, Printing and Postal Technology, was responsible for the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences acquiring major artefacts from the NSW Government Printing Office when it was forcibly closed by the government in 1989. In retirement Richard has researched the history of private bus routes before 1932 and government bus routes 1932-2021. He maintains a large database of all types of NSW transport tickets.trams, tramways, tickets, reports, melbourne, mmtb, stories -
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Book - The Unforgiving Minute: How Australia Learned to Tell the Time
Drawing on a wide range of theoretical insights and primary sources, "The Unforgiving Minute" offers an original interpretation of Australian history. It examines time telling from the convict era to the 1990's. As the convict era drew to an end, the colonial governors looked to clocks as the mechanical policemen of an emerging free society. Fifty years later, as railways and telegraphs began to spread across the land, and pocket watches appeared on the waistcoats of working men, colonial society began to keep stricter hours of work and play, and to teach its children the virtue of punctuality. In the early 20th century, punch clocks and time-switches laid the basis for new patterns of work in the factory and the home. Now, in the 1990s, the "faceless clocks" in computers and automated control systems have created a "postmodern" time regime that is both more flexible, and more demanding, than its predecessors.a small book of 21.5 cm; 160pnon-fictionDrawing on a wide range of theoretical insights and primary sources, "The Unforgiving Minute" offers an original interpretation of Australian history. It examines time telling from the convict era to the 1990's. As the convict era drew to an end, the colonial governors looked to clocks as the mechanical policemen of an emerging free society. Fifty years later, as railways and telegraphs began to spread across the land, and pocket watches appeared on the waistcoats of working men, colonial society began to keep stricter hours of work and play, and to teach its children the virtue of punctuality. In the early 20th century, punch clocks and time-switches laid the basis for new patterns of work in the factory and the home. Now, in the 1990s, the "faceless clocks" in computers and automated control systems have created a "postmodern" time regime that is both more flexible, and more demanding, than its predecessors. time measurements -- social aspects -- australia -- history, clocks and watches -- social aspects -- australia -- history, australia -- social conditions, graeme davison -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, IPL Publishing Group, Danger ahead : New Zealand railway accidents in the modern era, 1991
Descriptions of new Zealand railway accidentsIll, p.159.non-fictionDescriptions of new Zealand railway accidents railway accidents - new zealand, railway safety - new zealand -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Grainger, J.M, On And Off The Rails - A Railwayman's Story, 1964
... of a railwayman in the steam era of New Zealand Railways. ill, p.141 ...The recollections of a railwayman in the steam era of New Zealand Railways.ill, p.141.non-fictionThe recollections of a railwayman in the steam era of New Zealand Railways.railroads -- new zealand -- history., railways - new zealand - railway staff - personal recollections -
Victorian Railway History Library
Booklet, McGavin, R.J, N.Z.R. Album, 1968
A pictorial view of New Zealand Government Railways in the steam era.ill, p.24.non-fictionA pictorial view of New Zealand Government Railways in the steam era.railroads -- new zealand -- history., railroads - new zealand - pictorial -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, South Pacific Electric Railway, A century of New South Wales tramcars. v. 2, Electric era ; 1903-1908, 1968
Descriptions of the electric trams in Sydney between 1903 and 1908Index, ill, maps, p.199.non-fictionDescriptions of the electric trams in Sydney between 1903 and 1908tramways - sydney, electric trams - sydney -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Dunn, Ian, Byways of Steam 1, 1990
Details and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the end of the steam era in the 1960s.ill, maps, p.120.non-fictionDetails and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the end of the steam era in the 1960s.railroads - nsw - history, steam locomotives - nsw – pictorial -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Dunn, Ian, Byways of Steam 2, 1991
Details and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the end of the steam era in the 1960s.ill, maps, p.108.non-fictionDetails and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the end of the steam era in the 1960s.railroads - nsw - history, steam locomotives - nsw – pictorial -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Dunn, Ian, Byways of Steam 3, 1991
Details and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the steam era of the 1950s and the 1960s..ill, maps, p.120.non-fictionDetails and photographs of railway operations on the railways of New South Wales during the steam era of the 1950s and the 1960s..railroads - nsw - history, steam locomotives - nsw – pictorial -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Martin, Steve, Railmotor Profile: New South Wales Railmotors, 1999
A photographic profile of the Tuscan Red era of the railmotors of the New South Wales Railways from 1950s to 1980s.ill, p.56.non-fictionA photographic profile of the Tuscan Red era of the railmotors of the New South Wales Railways from 1950s to 1980s.railmotors - new south wales - pictorial, railroad operations - new south wales - history -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whalebone -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale Vertebrae, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Whalebone The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The bone of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as whalebone. Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale bone Vertebrae with advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale Jaw Bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale jaw bone one side, long & curved with advanced stage of calcification off white to grey.None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone -
Old Gippstown
Building - Loren Iron House
'Loren' (formerly James Hogg's house) is a two-storey gabled prefabricated house, constructed using broad-gauge corrugated iron and was originally erected at 60-62 Curzon Street, North Melbourne in 1853 for builder, James Hogg. By 1968 the building had deteriorated and it was dismantled and moved to Old Gippstown where it was re-erected and restored. The building's external framing system consists of exposed metal columns with Gothic panel motifs at the corners. Internally the timber framed walls have been finished with new papers over new Hessian. The corrugated iron roof has an unusual concave form and the windows, floors and doors are of moulded softwood. State historic significance as a rare type of iron prefab. house. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and covered by a Heritage Overlay, Latrobe City Planning Scheme. It is also listed on the Register of the National Estate.Tall square-shaped two-storey corrugated iron building with a curved corrugated iron roof with two outside brick chimneys. prefabricated iron houses, old gippstown, west gippsland, gippsland, gippsland heritage park, city of latrobe council, goldfields, coal mine, victorian era, moe, historical village, city of melbourne, north melbourne, curzon street, james hogg, prefabricated house, two-storey gabled prefabricated house, old gippstown heritage park, latrobe valley, loren -
Old Gippstown
Building - Police Station, 1869
One-room police station built in 1869 in Maffra; moved c.1882 to new site in Maffra, by new police residence-office. Office enlarged in 1936, incorporating the old police station.High local historic significance on account of age.A small timber building, rectangular in shape with a gabled corrugated iron roof. There is a small hood over the rear entrance of the station.police, maffra, old gippstown, west gippsland, gippsland, gippsland heritage park, city of latrobe council, goldfields, coal mine, victorian era, moe, historical village, wellington shire, old gippstown heritage park, latrobe valley, law -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale Rib Bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale rib bone with advanced stage of calcification as indicated by brittleness. None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - A BAND OF GYPSIES, August 2011
A Band of Gypsies, employees of Niel Black & Co pre goldrush era. Along with Niel Black and company employees index 1839 - 1852. Lists the names of 542 people who were employed by Niel Black & Co. In the Port Phillip District of New South Wales, and in South Australia between 1839 and 1852; contains information on former employees known to have finished up at Bendigo & district. Prepared August 2011Kerry Vickersbendigo, neil black, mining