The postcard shows a photograph of William Ferrier, the 25-year-old Warrnambool fisherman from South Warrnambool whose rescue of two sailors from the wrecked La Bella made him an overnight National hero, quoted as “one of the most heroic rescues in Victoria’s shipwreck history”. The La Bella was wrecked on 10th November 1905 and the photograph was taken on the next day. In the photograph, William Ferrier is seated in the centre, with four of the five survivors beside him: (from left to right) Leonard Robertson, R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. The photograph was taken by Foyle Photography Studio in Warrnambool, originally owned by James Charles Foyle. He previously had a photographic studio in Melbourne 1882 1887, then opened “Foyle’s Photo Card Studios” in Liebig St, Warrnambool. James Foyle died on 13th July 1905 and his son and daughter, Charles and Lilian Foyle continued on with the business until 1945. This photograph was most likely taken by either Charles or Lilian Foyle. The story of William Ferrier’s brave act follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a northwesterly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person had washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this postcard, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and the letter from the Prime Minister and other Members of Parliament that was sent to William Ferrier to commend him for his bravery. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This postcard is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The photograph of William Ferrier and four of the five survivors demonstrates the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The postcard is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it portrays William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The postcard connects to the congratulatory letter which was sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia and demonstrates the importance they attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The postcard is also an example of the photography of Foyle Photographers who were in the town of Warrnambool from the late 1800’s. Charles and Lillian Foyle took over the business when their father James died in 1905. Lillian Foyle is significant as the first woman photographer in Warrnambool. It is not known whether Charles of Lillian took this photograph. This postcard is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Sepia photograph of William (Bill) Ferrier (seated in the middle), heroic rescuer of two crew members of the La Bella, wrecked at Warrnambool. The photograph is a postcard and shows five men dressed formally in suits and hats. Printed below the photograph are the name and place of the photographer, a royal crest and the details of two patrons of the photographer. Also below the photograph are some handwritten words in black pen. On the back of the postcard is a handwritten message in the same writing as the front.Printed on the front of the card is “Foyle, WARRNAMBOOL” “PATRONS: / HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CORNWALL & YORK. / HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRAS_ EY, R.O.B.” Handwritten on the front of the card is “Bill Ferrier / rescuer / Oh my hero _ _ _ “ Handwritten on the back of the card is a message. “La Bella” Wrecked off W.Bool Breakwater Nov. 1906 (_ _ _ _ show night) Payne Noake Rosenholme Robertson and Capt Mylius (saved) (moonlight bright) Watson (_ _ _ _ boy) Richwoud [possibly Richmond] drowned” and signed “Desdewoua [possibly Desdemona] Slogos”la bella, foyle, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, royal humane society medal, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

Donated by Jessie SmithSepia Photograph of "Delamore" property San Remo. Ladies on verandah from left to right: Miss Small, Mrs Mary Bonwick, Miss Small. Standing at front gate Miss Elsie Bonwick. House located at the corner of Panorama Drive and Anderson Street, San Remo. Double fronted weatherboard with rolled blinds.On back: "Delamore San Remo 1896?" "L - R Miss Small, Mrs Mary Bonwick, Miss Small, Miss Elsie Bonwick. Corner Panorama Dve and Anderson St.""delamore" san remo, bonwick family, small family, jessie smith

Colour photograph (possibly printed from slide), of 5 members of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild with two seamen sitting on lawn. A basket of apples, a plate of sandwiches and teacups laying on the grass. In the background, behind a wooden fence, a large white tent, and part of a bus or van with colour lettering (63 Charles St, Footscray).picnic, seamen, apples, sandwiches, tea, teacups, tent, lawn, footscray, camera, hlg, marjorie smith nee fraser, camberwell branch

The school was built in 1874 prior to that the school was in St Philip's Church. Photograph from the Jessie Smith CollectionCowes State School building with women's group under shade of branch top right. Back to Phillip Island 1926.local history, photographs, celebrations, state schools, black & white photograph, back to phillip island, jessie smith collection

Photograph of 1983-84 4th XI runners upmurrumbeena, murrumbeena cricket club, cricket, cricket clubs, cricketers, kris o’halloran, chris dent, jeff smith, peter hay, warren walker, geoff de laine, john dennis, peter hiland, john fielder, andrew wood, peter hidson, stephen gifford, gary burns, martin pellissier

Flyer from 1956-58 woth all the different activities free for seamen in the 3 locations: central Port Melbourne and Williamstown.Digital reproduction of a programme on cream colour paper printed in blue and red ink with a photograph of the Flinders St mission's facade flyer, padre frank leslie oliver, david conolly, peter smith, lay readers, reverend c.j. eldridge-doyle, sports, socials, billiard, cinema, tennis, dance, randall stewart murray, programme

Comparative photographs of the house at 3 St Helena Road Greensborough (corner Diamond Creek Road). The house was built in 1920. The first (black and white) photograph taken in the 1920s, the second (colour) photograph taken 2017.Digital copy of 2 photographs, one black and white, one colour.st helena road greensborough, diamond creek road greensborough

Exterior photographs of the house at 3 St Helena Road Greensborough (corner Diamond Creek Road). The house was built in 1920. These photographs are from the Ray White sales brochure 2017. The 4 bedroom property sold in December 2017 for $900,000; previous sales: April 2009, $600,000; June 1981, $36,500; June 1976, $32,500. Digital copy of 5 colour photographs, possibly taken from a drone.st helena road greensborough, diamond creek road greensborough

Exterior photographs of the house at 3 St Helena Road Greensborough (corner Diamond Creek Road), showing the veranda and views over Greensborough. The house was built in 1920. These photographs are from the Ray White sales brochure 2017. The 4 bedroom property sold in December 2017 for $900,000; previous sales: April 2009, $600,000; June 1981, $36,500; June 1976, $32,500. Digital copy of 4 colour photographs.st helena road greensborough, diamond creek road greensborough

Interior photographs of the house at 3 St Helena Road Greensborough (corner Diamond Creek Road), showing the bedrooms and bathroms. The house was built in 1920. These photographs are from the Ray White sales brochure 2017. The 4 bedroom property sold in December 2017 for $900,000; previous sales: April 2009, $600,000; June 1981, $36,500; June 1976, $32,500. Digital copy of 4 colour photographs.st helena road greensborough, diamond creek road greensborough

Interior photographs of the house at 3 St Helena Road Greensborough (corner Diamond Creek Road), showing lounge, dining, kitchen and hallway. The house was built in 1920. These photographs are from the Ray White sales brochure 2017. The 4 bedroom property sold in December 2017 for $900,000; previous sales: April 2009, $600,000; June 1981, $36,500; June 1976, $32,500. Digital copy of 8 colour photographs.st helena road greensborough, diamond creek road greensborough

St Helena Road Greensborough in the late 1960s before residential development on south side of road.Digital copy of black and white photograph.st helena road greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Pioneer Reserve is historically significant for its formative association with noted local landscape designer Gordon Ford in 1968, and it is likely that remnant large field stones at the entrance drive to the Reserve remain from his design. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Pioneer Reserve, Greensborough is a small park on the corner of St Helena and Diamond Creek Roads. It is adjacent to the site of Greensborough's first bridge across the Plenty River, c. 1864 - 1960s. The shelter, viewing platform, retaining wall and entrance are built from the bridge's massive bluestone arched abutments dismantled between 1974 and 1983. Photograph by Marilyn Smith 2014.Digital copy of colour photograph.pioneer reserve greensborough

Plaque outlining the history of St Katherine's Church St Helena, first built in 1858 by Major Anthony Beale and named after his wife Katherine Rose.Digital copy of colour photographst katherines church st helena

Photograph of the Smith family in 1947: Rex (child standing), Les and Ian Smith.Digital copy of black and white group photograph.Caption on back of photograph reads:"1947 / Reservoir (.. Daventry St) / Whitley house (rear of bungalow) / Rex, Les and Ian Smith"rex smith

Grave of Gordon Scholes, husband of Jessie Partington Scholes. Grave is at St Helena Cemetery.Digital copy of colour photograph.gordon scholes, st helena cemetery

The grave of Anthony Beale (died 24/07/1944), husband of Ida Ellen. St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographanthony beale, st helena cemetery

The grave of Anthony Harper Beale (died 12/02/1951), son of Anthony and Ida Ellen Beale. St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, anthony harper beale

The grave of Lilian Beale (died 21/06/1984), daughter of Anthony and Ida Ellen Beale. St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, lilian beale

The grave of Ida Ellen Beale (died 30/01/1919), wife of Anthony Beale. St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, ida ellen beale

The grave of James Harold Beale (died 21/07/1968), and Annie Beale (nee McLennan) (died 1995), St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, james harold beale, annie beale

The grave of John Lindsay Beale (died 07/06/1908), and Emma Beale (died 1911), St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, john lindsay beale, emma beale

The grave of James Young Beale (died 06/07/1905), son of Anthony and Katherine Beale, St Helena Cemetery, Greensborough. This is a replacement headstone.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photographst helena cemetery, james young beale