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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Footwear - Pair of Ladies' Boots, Second half of the 19th Century
Starting in around 1850, women began wearing boots that resembled the ones already worn by men in high society. Women’s Victorian boots were slightly more feminine in nature, however, than those worn by their male counterparts. The boots first worn by women extended to the middle of the calf so that her ankle would stay properly covered underneath her many skirts. These boots often featured laces or a row of buttons to keep them secure to the foot and ankle. Although usually made from durable materials like rubber and leather, boots that were worn purely for fashion were sometimes made of more elegant materials like patent leather or dyed suede. Fashion boots from the Victorian era exude all of the opulence and decadence that are unique to that time period. Design elements like scalloped trims, intricate embroidery, and lace accents were also not uncommon when it came to elaborately designed Victorian boots. Unlike men’s boots, they also boasted a slight heel that was thinner and more feminine in design. How lavish a woman’s boots were greatly depended upon how much money her family had and her place within society. While footwear was standard during this time, shoes were still quite a luxury to the modern Victorian. Only very wealthy women owned multiple pairs of boots that featured eye-catching design elements. https://www.wardrobeshop.com/blogs/victorian-era/an-in-depth-look-at-victorian-footwear These boots appear to be of a practical nature, designed for comfort, warmth, and proof against the rain and mud, rather than high fashion.These ladies' boots are historically significant for their manufacture and use during the Victorian period.Pair of ankle length black ladies' boots with long tan coloured laces.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, boots, victorian, leather, footwear -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, S.S. Casino
Ship model of coastal trader SS Casino in glass fronted case with stained wood frame. Ship has both steam and sail. Background of lighthouse on cliff, sea and sky. Ship painted green, 3 flags flying. Details (incorrect) of ship painted in white across top frame of case. The S.S. Casino was a passenger and freight steamer built in Dundee, Scotland, in 1882 for the Newcastle and Hunter River Steam Navigation Company of N.S.W. She weighed 425 tons gross with a length of 160.4 feet, beam of 24.1 feet and depth of 10.2 feet. She had saloon accommodation for 35 people, forecabin for 25 more people, and she carried 300 tons of cargo. While on her delivery journey on May 30th 1882 the S.S. Casino called in at the Port of Warrnambool for coal ., narrowly escaping going ashore in gale force winds due to the quick action of the pilot. At that time, still at anchor, she impressed the directors of the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company so much that they bought her immediately; she was ideal for trade in along the West Coast of Victoria. (Belfast is the original name for Port Fairy, South West Victoria. The Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company was first managed by Messers. Saltau and Osburne and after the passing of Mr. Osburne, by produce merchants Messers H. Sautau and Sons, whose had a hay and corn store and shipping agency was on the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets in Warrnambool. ) The S.S. Casino became “the most famous steamer to operate in Victorian waters along the West Coast” by author Jack Loney. Captain Boyd was her first Master, followed by Captain Chapman, who stayed with her 1890 until 1924. Captain W. Robertson followed for a short term, then Captain Middleton then took command 1925 - 1932. The S.S. Casino had several mishaps during her life. One was on 3rd January 1898 when she collided with the S.S. Flinders in Apollo Bay with minor damage. Another was on 24th October 1924 when she grounded on a reef at Point Hawdon near Grey River and most of her cargo (of Christmas goods) had to be dumped into the sea. Then in February 1929 she was ‘holed’ when she struck a submerged object as she entered Lady Bay, Warrnambool. On the morning of 10th July 1932, after attempting to berth at Apollo Bay jetty in heavy seas, Captain Middleton decided to take her out into the bay and wait until the seas abated. It was not realised that the anchor used to steady her as she manoeuvred to her berth had pierced her hull. She put about and headed for the beach but sank. Captain Middleton and nine others lost their lives; nine people were rescued including the two female passengers . Captain Middleton had been in charge of the S.S. Casino for seven years. He was the first ship’s Master to lose his life through shipwreck in the West Coast trade. In the years following the turn of the century the S.S. Casino remained the only regular trader with normal passenger accommodation along the West Coast. From 1882 she had made at least 2,500 voyages on the one run. Flagstaff Hill’s collection has a photograph of a portrait of Captain Chapman, , a ship model of the S.S. Casino that shows both forms of power under which she sailed, steam and sail. The ship is painted green and flies three flags. The inscription across the case of the ship model, incorrectly dated, tells the sad story of the wreck of the ship and the loss of lives on July 10th 1932 at Apollo Bay. A print in the Collection show S.S. Casino underway in heavy sea off Point Lonsdale, another two photographs show her at the Port of Warrnambool, leaving from the Breakwater in Lady Bay and another identifies the S.S. Casino as a ship from the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company. (Belfast is the original name for the township of Port Fairy). This ship model is significant because of its association with the coastal trader S.S. Casino 1882-1932 and its significance to trade along Victoria's West Coast in the late 19th and early 20th century. The wreck of the S.S. Casino is considered an important part of Victorian and Australian cultural heritage and as such has been declared and protected as an Historic Shipwreck under State and Commonwealth Law in the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). Ship model SS Casino in glass fronted case with stained wood frame. Ship has both steam and sail. Background of lighthouse on cliff, sea and sky. Ship painted green, 3 flags flying. Details of ship painted in white across top frame of case. NOTE: Correct details for shipwreck is 10 July 1932, at Apollo BayPainted in white on wood across top of case "SS CASINO WRECKED AT APOLL BAY JUNE 10 10 LIVES LOST".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, newcastle and hunter river steam navigation company, belfast and koroit steam navigation company, h. sautau and sons, s.s. casino, west coast trader s.s. casino, victorian coastal trader, captain boyd, captain w. robertson, captain chapman, captain middleton, apollo bay shipwreck, s.s. casino at lady bay warrnambool, ship model s.s. casino, saltau and osburne -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Craft - Ship Model, Joseph Conrad, 20th centuryca
The ship model of the Joseph Conrad represents the craft of ship model making, which has been enjoyed by many people over the years. Although the model is made from modern materials, it shows the elements of a sailing ship of a bygone era. Ship Model of the JOSEPH CONRAD: - The Joseph Conrad began as the iron-hulled sailing ship Georg Stage, launched in 1882. It was used in Denmark as a training ship for sailors. In 1905 while docked at Copenhagen the ship was rammed by a larger ship and 22 boys were killed while sleeping in the hull. The ship was later raised and on guard during World War I. Alan Villiers, an Australian author and sailor, rescued the ship and renamed it Joseph Conrad in honour of the renowned maritime author. In 1934 the ship visited Sydney on its worldwide tour, then in 1936 it was sold to an American, who later donated it for use again as a training ship. After World War II the ship was in disuse until 1947 when it was transferred to the Mystic Seaport for use as an exhibit. The author, Joseph Conrad (1857-1927): - Joseph Conrad was Polish-born and became a British subject in 1886. He was a renowned marine fiction writer and also, for a short time, a mariner and Captain. As a boy of 13 years old, Joseph Conrad’s desire was to be a sailor. At 19, he joined the British merchant marine, working in several roles. He eventually qualified as a captain but only served in this role once, from 1888-89, when he commanded the barque Otago sailing from Sydney to Mauritius. In 1889 he also began writing his first novel, Almayer’s Folly. He retired from life as a mariner in 1894, aged 36. Conrad’s visits to Australia from 1878 to 1982, and his affection for Australia, were later commemorated by a plaque in Circular Quay, Sydney. Conrad continued as an author. It is said that many of the characters in his books were inspired by his maritime experiences and the people he had met. By the end of his life, he had completed many stories and essays, and 19 novels, plus one incomplete novel titled ‘Suspense’ that was finished and published posthumously. Shortly before he passed away, in 1924, Conrad was offered a Knighthood by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald for his work but declined.The ship model represents the design of sailing ships built in the 1880s and can be used as a reference in understanding the construction of the ships of the Victorian era. The model's name is significant for its association of its name with the famed early 20th-century maritime author, Joseph Conrad.Ship model; A three-masted sailing ship named the Joseph Conrad, with cabins on deck, lifeboats, a ladder on the side and a figurehead on the bow. The hull is black at the top and red below. The ship's name is painted on both sides of the bow. JOSEPH CONRADflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, joseph conrad, captain joseph conrad, maritime author, marine author, nautical author, sailor, seafarer, ship model, two-masted ship, iron hull, sailing ship, georg stage, 1882 ship, danish ship, training ship, boys killed, alan villiers, ship joseph conrad, mystic seaport, museum ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, Handbook of Engineering Fundamentals
Victorian Education DepartmentHandbook of Engineering Fundamentals Edited by O W Eshbach Publisher John Wiley & Sons Ltd Date 1936flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, book, handbook of engineering fundamentals, o w eshbach -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Pump, circa 1930's - 1940's
This pump is an Ajax Type L2 Series A model, made and sold by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s to 1940’s, is a mechanical, hand operated, constant flow pressure pump. It would have been used to pump fluids from one area to another, for example from a dam to a tank or used as a bilge pump on a small vessel, mounted on the vessel’s bulkhead, floor or deck. This type of hand pump is sometimes called a ‘Reciprocating Suction Pump’. It has a mechanical pumping action of the lever moves the piston inside the pump up and down. The water is lifted from below the pump through the inlet pipe and into the pump’s cylinder. This action causes the lower valve to close and the piston’s valve opens and the pressure within the pump forces the water out of the pump through the exit pipe. The limitation of this type of pump is that it can only raise the water a maximum of about 7 metres from beneath the ground and yields 24-26 Litres per minute. This type of pump could be used for many purposes such as pumping water or fuel. McPherson’s 1940’s advertisement proclaims “For all jobs on the land – irrigation, spraying, tank, plumbing, fire-fighting – there’s a suitable “Ajax” pump. Send us the details of you pumping problem. Our Expert’s advice will help you choose the right pump – the one that will give you most years of PROFITABLE PUMPING.” (The Australasian (Melbourne) Sat. 26th October 1940.) McPherson’s Pty Ltd, the manufacturer, advertised a similar pump to this one in The Australasian (Melbourne) in 1936, calling it the Ajax Double Acting Hand Pump. In 1942 another advertisement advised that a representative for a fire-fighting equipment supplier was visiting the western district of Victoria. The company could now supply double-action two-spray Ajax pumps at lower prices than similar pumps the district had recently purchased from Adelaide. McPHERSON’S FOUNDER and COMPANY TIMELINE 1860 – Thomas McPherson, a Scottish immigrant (c. 1853 ), founded McPherson’s in Melbourne, supplying pig iron (lead ingots imported as ballast in ships) to local manufacturers. 1882 – Thomas McPherson established a warehouse in Collins St Melbourne and included tools, steam fittings and machinery in his wares. The business expanded to include steam saw mills and became known as Thomas McPherson and Sons (William Murray and Edward). 1888 – Thomas passed away and his sons inherited the business. In 1896 William Murray became the sole proprietor after his brother Edward’s death. 1900 – The firm expanded, establishing Acme Bolt Company to manufacture nuts and bolts. 1912 – McPhersons Pty Ltd established a machinery warehouse and showroom in 554-556 Collins St Melbourne. McPherson’s went on to establish branches in Sydney (1911), Adelaide (1921) and Perth (1930) 1917 - McPherson’s supplied ‘dog spikes’ for the transcontinental railway, running from Eastern to Western Australia. 1918 – A tool works set up in Kensington, Melbourne, manufacturing Macson lathes and made machine tools that previously had to be imported. 1924 – The Bolt Works was transferred to a new building in Melbourne. McPhersons began making pumps. 1929 – McPherson retired. His son (Sir) William Edward McPherson (known as ‘WE’), was born in Hawthorne, Melbourne, in 1898. After his education he began work in his father’s Melbourne hardware and machinery business He took over as governing director when his father retired. 1929-1932 – McPherson’s supplied thousands of tons of rivets from its Richmond (Melbourne) Bolt Works for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 1936 – McPherson’s Pty Ltd is advertising Ajax Pumps in newspapers 1934 – McPhersons purchased the property adjoining the warehouse in Collins Street, and during 1935-1936 built a new office and showrooms on the site of 546-445 Collins St. 1939 - McPherson’s acquired the Tool Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd and Associated Machine Tools Australia Pty Ltd was formed to separate McPherson’s machine-tool manufacturing and merchandising interests. 1939 – Ajax Pump Works, a foundry and pump manufacturing plant, was established in Tottenham, Melbourne, and the Ajax Bolt and Rivet Co Pty Ltd began manufacturing in New Zealand. 1944 - McPherson’s became a public company, McPherson’s Ltd. 1948 - The Ajax Pump Foundry opened at Kyneton, Victoria and in the post war years it grew to became a large manufacturer. 1980’s – Ajax Pumps brochure lists the address as 6 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 with the Telephone number 03 669 3588 1988 - Ajax Pumps acquired the Forrers Company, which was established in 1921. Manufacturing in Ipswich, Queensland, specialising in submersible sewage pumps. 1991 – KSB Ajax was formed, bringing together the companies KSB and Ajax Pumps 1993 – Manufacturing was moved to state-of-the-art premises in Tottenham, Victoria 2001 - The Forrers facility was moved to Tottenham. 2007 - Company name KSB Ajax Pumps was changed to KSB Australia Pty Ltd. 2009 - KSB Australia opened a branch in Townsville, Queensland. 2011 - KSB Australia moved to its dedicated Water and Waste Water Competence Centre in Bundamba, Queensland. DISPLAY OF THIS AJAX PUMP This pump was installed at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as part of a working display in the village by the Friends of Flagstaff Hill, in acknowledgement of the dedicated involvement of one of its long serving members, Bob Crossman. The display was officially opened 31st March 2018 and incorporates a restored Furphy Tank and Water Pipe Stand. The pump is used to draw water from the lake, through the water stand pipe and into the reconditioned Furphy Tank. This Ajax pump made by McPherson’s Pty Ltd is significant for its association with McPherson’s, a prominent manufacturer of hardware in Victoria. McPherson’s is famous for supplying ‘dog-spikes’ for the transcontinental railway (eastern to western Australia, 1917) and rivets for the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1929-1932). The Ajax pump is also of significance because of its association with McPherson’s Governing Director (Sir) William McPherson, former premier and treasurer in Victoria 1928-1929. The former McPherson’s Pty Ltd building in Collins Street Melbourne is now on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR H0942 This pump is representative of mechanical pumps popular in the early to mid-1900’s and still used today. Hand operated pressure pump, double acting. Cast metal case, painted red, with steel hose attachments and long metal lever. Pump is bolted to wooden plank. Model of pump is AJAX, Type L2, Series A pump. Embossed on lower section of pump "L2 - 10", "L2 - -1", "AJAX" “(?) –2-1” Embossed on lower handle “3-7” “L – 4” Embossed on attached plate “FOR SPARE PARTS / TYPE L2 / SERIES A / PUMP ASSEMBLED BY T R” Manufactured by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s - 1940’s.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ajax pump works tottenham melbourne, ajax pump factory kyneton, william edward mcpherson, thomas mcpherson of melbourne, mcpherson’s pty ltd melbourne, acme bolt company, tool equipment co. pty. ltd, associated machine tools australia pty ltd, ajax bolt and rivet co. pty ltd new zealand, forrers company ipswich queensland, ksb ajax pumps, ksb australia pty ltd, macson lathes, tool manufacturer early to mid- 20th century, ajax double acting hand pump, ajax type l2 series a pump, qisjax pumps, water pump 1940’s, fuel pump 1940’s, hand operated constant flow pressure pump, reciprocating suction pump, agricultural hand pump, plumber’s hand pump, portable hand pump -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Painting - Vessel - Sailing Ship, C Smith, artist, Loch Ard, late 20th century
HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Painting of 1873 sailing ship the "Loch Ard". Oil painting on board behind glass, framed in white painted timber. Artist is C Smith. Inscription on back. "Loch Ard launched 1873, sunk near Pt Campbell, with loss of 52 lives 1878" "C. Smith" "Loch Ard" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, loch ard gorge, maritime oil painting, c. smith, sailing vessel -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Keg Spigot/Tap, Circa 1855
... . And was donated to the Flagstaff Hill collection of Schomberg shipwreck ...When the Schomberg was launched in 1855, she was considered the "Noblest” ship that ever floated on the water. Schomberg's owners, the Black Ball Line had commissioned the ship for their fleet of passenger liners. She was built by Alexander Hall of Aberdeen for £43,103 and constructed with 3 skins. One planked fore and aft and two diagonally planked, fastened together with screw-threaded trunnels (wooden rails). Her First Class accommodation was simply luxurious with velvet pile carpets, large mirrors, rosewood, birds-eye maple and mahogany timbers throughout, soft furnishings of satin damask, and oak-lined library with a piano. Overall she had accommodation for 1000 passengers. At the launch, the Schomberg's 34-year-old master, Captain 'Bully' Forbes, had promised to reach Melbourne in sixty days stating, "with or without the help of God." Captain James Nicol Forbes was born in Aberdeen in 1821 and rose to fame with his record-breaking voyages on the famous Black Ball Line ships; Marco Polo and Lightning. In 1852 in the Marco Polo, he made the record passage from London to Melbourne in 68 days. Unfortunately, there were 53 deaths on the voyage, but the great news was off the record passage by Captain Forbes. In 1854 he took the clipper “Lighting” to Melbourne in 76 days and back in 63 days, this record was never beaten by a sailing ship. He often drove his crew and ship to breaking point to beat his previous records. He cared little for the comfort of the passengers. On this, the Schomberg's maiden voyage, he was determined to break existing records. Schomberg departed Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6th October 1855 flying a sign that read "Sixty Days to Melbourne". She departed with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended to build the Melbourne to Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. She also carried a cow for fresh milk, pens for fowls and pigs, 90,000 gallons of water for washing and drinking. She also carried 17,000 letters and 31,800 newspapers. The ship and cargo were insured for $300,000 a fortune for the time. The winds were poor as she sailed across the equator, slowing Schomberg's journey considerably. The land was first sighted on Christmas Day, at Cape Bridgewater near Portland, Captain Forbes followed the coastline towards Melbourne. Forbes was said to be playing cards when called by the third mate Henry Keen, who reported land about 3 miles off. Due in large part to the captain's regarding a card game as more important than his ship, it eventually ran aground on a sand spit near Curdie's Inlet (about 56 km west of Cape Otway) on 26th December 1855, 78 days after leaving Liverpool. The sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes's map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to Schomberg and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted the SS Queen at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the Queen approached the stranded vessel and all of Schomberg’s passengers and crew disembarked safely. The Black Ball Line's Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers' baggage from the Schomberg. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Later one plunderer found a case of Wellington boots, but alas, all were for the left foot. Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. In 1864 after two of the men drowned when they tried to reach Schomberg, salvage efforts were abandoned. In 1870, nearly 15 years after the wreck parts of the Schomberg had washed ashore on the south island of New Zealand. The wreck now lies in 825 metres of water and although the woodwork is mostly disintegrated the shape of the ship can still be determined due to the remaining railway irons, girders and the ship’s frame. A variety of goods and materials can be seen scattered about nearby. There have been many other artefacts salvaged from the wreck include ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photographs from the Schomberg. This item was retrieved from the shipwreck site during early salvage efforts on the vessel. And was donated to the Flagstaff Hill collection of Schomberg shipwreck artefacts.This artifact is particularly significant in that along with other items salvaged from the wreck have helped in part to having legislation changed to protect shipwrecks, with far tighter controls being employed to oversee the salvaging of wreck sites. This item forms part of the Schomberg collection at Flagstaff Hill maritime museum. The collection as a whole is of historical and archaeological significance at a State level. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Schomberg is also significant for its association with the Victorian Heritage Registered Schomberg shipwreck (VHR S 612). The collection is of additional significance because of the relationship between the objects salvaged, as together they help us to interpret the story of the Schomberg. The collection as a whole is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria's maritime history and its potential to interpret social and historical themes from society at the time of the wreck. Brass keg spigot valve/tap, Schomberg Artifact Reg No S/94.Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, shipwrecked-artefact, clipper ship, black ball line, 1855 shipwreck, aberdeen clipper ship, captain forbes, peterborough shipwreck, ss queen, keg tap, brass keg tap -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Financial record - Receipt Book, Department of Works and Mines Victoria, July 1936 (first record)
Establishment and Functions Prior to 1860, the Chief Secretary's Department had been responsible for the administration of the gold fields and associated mining activities. In November 1860 a Commissioner of Mines was appointed and a Department was established under his administration. For the period November 1861 to June 1863, the Postmaster General was responsible for the Mining Department. A Minister of Mines was again appointed in 1863. Responsibilities of the Department of Mines were: 1. Regulation of mining and related public works activities through the issue of miners rights, business and residence licences, mining leases, mineral and other prospecting licences 2. Superintendence of the activities of mining surveyors, registrars, wardens and Mining Boards. 3. Investigation of the state's geological structure, mineral wealth and underground water resources 4. Development of the mining industry 5. Supervision of the safe working of mines, machinery and quarries including checking the credential of mine managers, inspectors and operators 6. Regulation of the disposal of sludge and other waste products 7. Administration of the Victorian Mining Accident Relief Fund. Arising from its initial responsibility for the supply of water on the gold fields, the Department became responsible for rural water supply from the mid 1860s. Statutory responsibility for rural water works during this period rested with the Board of Land and Works. In 1865 the Waterworks Act gave the Board power to construct waterworks, purchase land, levy charges and lease or sell works, while the Public Loans Act 1865 empowered it to provide loans to local water trusts for waterworks. The actual administration of these statutory provisions was undertaken by the Victorian Water Supply Department which operated from 1865 to 1889 as a sub-department of the Department of Mines, from 1889 as a department in its own right, and from 1895 to 1909 as a sub-department of the Department of Mines and Water Supply. For a brief period from 1891 to 1893 the Department of Mines was also responsible for forests and, until 1880, for the Schools of Mines subsequently transferred to the Education Department. In 1895 the Department of Mines and the Victorian Water Supply Department were amalgamated to form the Department of Mines and Water Supply. A snapshot into social history around the 1930s when the Department of works and the Mines Departments were still linkedReceipt Book for the Department of Works; Mines. Receipt No 2801 - 3000. 1st receipt Number 2801, "18th July 1936, for Rent of Cottage: 14 days for 2 pounds, 2 shillings. The inscription on the back is signed by J F Condau in 13-3-33Printed on spine "GENERAL RECEIPTS / 15 / 2801 / TO 3000" Printed on each receipt 'DEPARTMENT OF / PUBLIC WORKS. / MINES." Fill in using ink pen "(DATE) 18th July 1936 / (TO) - - - shields' / BEING) Rent of / Cottage: 14 days / (TO) 17th July / @ (symbol for pound) 1-1. p. week / . (symbol for pound) 2:2:-"Inside cover there is some red pencil writing, words and figures unreadable. Handwritten on back cover "Numbers checked / and found corredt / J S Coudou (?) / 13-3-33" One some receipts "Wharfage / S.S. Koonara"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, department of works: mines, receipt book, rent 1936, imperial currency, living costs 1936, department of works, department of mines, j f condou, 1933, 13-3-33 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Bread Board
In the high tech, fast paced society that we live in, it’s easy to take some things for granted. Case in point: the wood cutting board on which you’ll probably be preparing the evening’s dinner. Have you ever taken the time to think about the history of the cutting board? Where did it come from, and what did ancient civilizations use to cut their meats, fruits and vegetables? Wood throughout the ages Since the dawn of time, wood has been one of the most available materials used by mankind to build tools and lodgings, so it’s not really surprising to know that wood has been used in the preparation of food since the prehistoric ages. Of course, back then, cavemen probably used an unpolished slab of tree trunk to cut the kill of the day on and they probably didn’t think twice about saving it once the meal was over. Chances are they probably threw it in the fire with the rest of the wood needed to kindle it. Advances in technology Throughout the centuries, mankind evolved and started creating machines from steam, electricity and metal. When the circular saw was invented, nicer, cleaner slabs of wood were cut and used as cutting boards. Since soft wood was the most available type of wood at the time, it was the material of choice for to be used for cutting boards. Boards were made smaller since the slab of wood could now be cut to any desired size. Since they were made smaller, they were also used to eat off of and some people referred to them as trenchers. Trenchers were originally pieces of stale hard bread that were used as substitute plates. Wood trenchers quickly became the replacements of the eatable dinnerware. The butcher block: the cutting board’s larger cousin In the industrial ages, many industries rapidly developed, and the butchery industry followed this trend as well. Before the invention of the cutting board, butchers used tree rounds to carve their meat on. The rounds were often too soft and they rapidly became unsanitary. Hard maple wood butcher blocks were the preferred choice of the industry. They were made to be extremely thick and durable, so durable in fact, that a butcher could use the same block for almost his entire career. Cutting boards around the world As cutting boards began to be more and more used in kitchens around North America, the rest of the world crafted such boards from different materials. The East used thick bamboo as their material of choice. Despite its frail appearance, bamboo is quite strong and made durable cutting boards and butcher blocks. Europe used maple in the crafting of their cutting boards while Persia used flat pieces of polished wood in their kitchens. The world then saw cutting boards that were being made from other materials like plastic and they came in all shapes and sizes, but they always served the same purpose, to provide a household with a safe, clean surface on which to prepare meals for their friends and family members. https://www.woodcuttingboards.com/news/quick-history-of-the-cutting-board-47.aspxThe bread board is an example of kitchen equipment used during Victorian times and similar to those used today.Bread board wooden round with carved inner circle and carving an outer rim in old English lettering "Bread"None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, chopping board, cooking, kitchen equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Ship's Fitting, circa 1825
This attractively patinated artefact was raised from the wreck site of the CHILDREN (wrecked January 1839, recovered February 1974) and was quite reasonably catalogued as a portion of a ships porthole. This identification is unlikely however, because the CHILDREN was built at Liverpool in 1824, and round portholes were not in common use until the 1850s. The catalogue identification has since been changed to "Ship's Fitting" Prior to the appearance of round portholes in the middle of the nineteenth century, the function of introducing light to lower decks was performed by square half-glassed ‘ports’ in the side of the hull (known as a port-sash) , or ground-glass ‘bullseyes’ inserted in the deck (scuttles). In historical terms, ports were always square, cut into the timber originally to allow the firing of a ships guns, and were closed in weather by a tight fitting square hatch. Flagstaff Hill Shipwreck Museum has three portholes on display that illustrate the gradual development and adoption of circular brass portholes. First in sequence is a small 12.5cm diameter window (with a deep frame for thick wooden hulls) from the 1855 wreck of SCHOMBERG. The second and third are larger 25cm diameter windows (with a shallower frame for thinner iron hulls) from the 1892 wreck of the NEWFIELD and the 1908 wreck of the FALLS OF HALLADALE . Once the apparently obvious use of the brass object is discounted, an accurate and reliable alternative classification is difficult to specify. One artefact register notes it was ‘found in about the centre of the wreck site’. This would mitigate against the possibilities of (1) ‘horseshoe frame’ joining pieces of the keel and hull at the bow of the vessel, or (2) ‘deckseat’ for a binnacle at the stern. It may support the idea of a ‘head frame’ on a cooped companionway or a ‘deckseat’ for a mainmast pump. But this is only speculation. The actual identification is not known. The wreck of the CHILDREN is of State significance - Victorian Heritage Register S116Ship's fitting, of heavy gauge brass circle, previously classified as section of ship's fitting, which was raised from the wreck of the Children. One end is broken off at an original bolt hole and the other is severed or cut at an acute angle from the inner rim. The artefact is 6cm across and 1cm deep, indicating strength and function as a substantial and finished item of moulded metal. The upper face bears sedimentary accretion stained red/brown. The rear face has been gouged by hard or corrosive materials and bears brilliant blue/green oxidisation.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, the children, brass flange, brass rim, shop fitting -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Steel Sample, ca. 1876
The sample of steel from which the S.S. Julia Percy’s boiler was made has been tested, according to the attached label. The test involved heating the steel to blood red temperature (or dark red colour) then dipping it into water and bending it when it was cold. A “very severe test for quality” was written on the ticket by T.H. Osborne. (Mr Thomas Hamilton Osborne was the secretary for the Western Steam Navigation Co, established in Warrnambool in 1886. The company’s office was on the corner of Timor and Liebig Streets in Warrnambool and its north-western wall is now part of the current Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery. ) Cold bending of steel in a press or through rollers is the typical method of curving steel for construction. The steel needs to be manufactured in such a way that it is strong enough yet still flexible enough not to crack when bent or rolled. The boiler on the Julia Percy could have been a Scotch Boiler, a design introduced in the 1870’s and still being used today. This design was more robust that previous boilers, generating higher working steam pressures. The design incorporate greater ability to roll iron plates, leading to greater strength, thicker plating and fewer riveted joints. They were originally made of iron then later incorporated steel sections until they were entirely constructed of steel. Many examples of this type of boiler can be found on wreck sites. Shipping was the cheapest and most practical means of carrying produce and goods during the period 1840-1890. Regular domestic steamer services commenced in the Warrnambool district in the late 1850’s and by 1870 the passenger trade was booming. Produce was loaded from the jetty into ‘lighters’ (small boats), which took it to the ships at anchorage in the bay. Passengers were taken to the ship’s side then climbed aboard up ladders or gangways. The coming of the railway in October 1889 meant the gradual decline and end of the steam shipping era. Originally the ship was known as the SS Julia Percy and was later renamed as the Leeuwin. She was an iron passenger-cargo steam ship built in Glasgow by Thomas Wingate for the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, which commissioned the ship for the steamship trade in Victoria’s western district. She was first registered in Warrnambool, Victoria in 1876. At one point in time the Julia Percy would sail from Warrnambool to Melbourne every Friday and return from Melbourne to Warrnambool every Tuesday. The cost of a return ticket for a Saloon Fare was £1.0.0. She would sail “if practical and weather permitting”. The Julia Percy changed hands several times. Her next owner was the Western Steam Navigaiton Co of Melbourne (1887). It was the manager of this company, Mr. T.H. Osborne, who tagged ths steel sample above. Melbourne Steamship Co became the next owners (1890), followed by William Howard Smith and Sons (1901) for use in Queensland coastal trades, then she was bought by George Turnbull in 1903 and used for local mail contract in Western Australia. She was sold to the Melbourne Steamship Company Ltd. (1906) and re-named the Leeuwi but continued in her Western Australian coastal run. She was converted into a coal hulk in Melbourne in 1910 as a result of damaged caused when she was driven against the jetty at Dongara during a gale. The ship was eventually dismantled and scuttled in Bass Strait on 28 December 1934. The steel sample is significant for its association with the wreck of the Leeuwin (Julia Percy), which is on the Victorian Heritage Register. It is historically significant for being a rare artefact that has potential to interpret aspects of western Victoria’s 19th century steamship trade and Victorian cultural history, including the testing and manufacturing process associated with steam power. Leeuwin is listed on the Victorian heritage Register as being historically significant ‘as one of only four wrecks of steamships in Victorian waters associated with the western district of Victoria’s coastal steamship trade. Her registered number is VHR S413. A sample of the steel from which the boiler of the "SS Julia Percy" (later named Leeuwin) was made. The piece of steel is a ‘C’ shape with the ends almost meeting. A luggage ticket is tied onto the steel and has an inscription on it. The steel is rusty.Ticket with typed information “Steel of which the Boiler of the “Julia Percy” (Warrnambool Steam Navigation Co) was made. TEST: Made Blood hot or Dark Red then dipped into water and bent cold. A very severe test for quality T.H. Osborne. Below these words is the hand written inscription in black “FM 151 / 9.75” julia percy, leeuwin, steel, boiler, steam ship, metal testing, western steam navigation co., flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, t.h. osborne -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Baby Feeding Bottle, Allen & Handbury's, 1891-1920
... of the Victorian era. warrnambool shipwrecked-coast flagstaff-hill ...Allen & Hanburys was founded in 1715 in Old Plough Court, Lombard Street, London, by Silvanus Bevan, a Welshman, apothecary, and a Quaker. Bevan and his brother, Timothy, who became his partner and later succeeded him, were known for their just dealings and the integrity and quality of their drugs. The company grew into a respected pharmaceutical center and had established a strong reputation with American doctors by the late 18th century. William Allen, FRS, also a Quaker, and well-known scientist, joined the firm in 1792 and rose quickly to become the dominant personality. His second wife was a member of the Hanbury family who had produced several learned scientists. On Allen's death, the Hanbury family assumed control of the company. The growth of the company was continuous, but it was in the second part of the 19th century that developments on a large scale took place. Factories were built at Ware, Hertfordshire, and Bethnal Green in East London. The factory at Ware specialised in infants' foods, dietetic products, medicated pastilles, malt preparations as well as galenical preparations, beginning production in 1892. The brands included Allenburys Nº1 and Nº2 foods (essentially milk foods for babies up to six months), and Allenburys Nº 3 (malted farinaceous food, six months and older). Allenburys Rusks was a suitable first solid food for infants. Allenburys claimed to be pioneers in Great Britain in the production of pastilles, and thus the Ware factory also produced Allenburys Glycerine and Black Currant Pastilles, amongst another 80 different kinds of medicated and crystallised pastilles. Allen and Hanburys were one of the first manufacturers of cod liver oil in Great Britain, and owned factories in the Lofoten Islands (Norway) as well as at Hull and Aberdeen taking cod directly from the North Sea. The Bethnal Green factory carried much of the administrative and scientific side of the business, which included research, analytical control, chemistry, pharmacy, and pharmacology. In this plant, galenical preparations, pills, tablets, capsules, and other classes of pharmaceutical and medical goods were prepared. The company had overseas branches in Lindsay, Ontario, Durban, India, Shanghai, Australia, and Buenos Aires, and agencies in many other countries. The company address was for many years at 37 Lombard Street, London EC. Allen and Hanburys Ltd were absorbed by Glaxo Laboratories in 1958 under the name Glaxo Smith Kline, the company, used the Allen and Hanburys name for the specialist respiratory division until it was phased out in 2013.An early baby feeding bottle was made by the Allen & Hanburys company between 1891 to around 1920. The item is significant as it was used to feed babies the new manufactured baby milk formula's made by Allen & Hanburys that were gaining in popularity towards the end of the Victorian era.Baby feeding bottle clear glass curved with flat bottom and measuring scale, teat opening at one end and filling hole without stopper at the other end.Allenburys Feeder AD 1715warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, baby feeding bottle, bottle, domestic object -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Watch, ca 1878
HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Ladies fob watch, gold, covered in encrustation (small section has broken off to reveal the engraved surface. Face and hands missing, revealing the workings. Found in the Loch Ard gorge and said to have been from the Loch Ard.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, ladies fob watch, gold watch, fob watch, pocket watch, horology, accessory, time keeping, scientific instrument] -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Tin, C. 1910 - 1930
This Kandy Koola Tea tin dates to the early 20th century and was made and sold in Melbourne, Victoria. It once belonged to the Giles family. About Kandy Koola Kandy Koola ran an advertisement in the West Gippsland Gazette on 2 May 1911 promoting its tea as perfect for a picnic. The text reads “Picnicing. All as hungry as hunters – made a fire of small twigs – put on our billy of fresh spring water – and waited. Soon bubble, bubble, bubble and the billy boiled. In goes the pure Kandy-Koola Tea. Tea! Tea is not the word – it tasted like nectar! One cup, two cups, three cups – then had to make a fresh billy full. Lazed away the rest of the day sipping our Kandy Koola and chatting. How good indeed! “All grocers sell Kandy Koola Tea. It is pure leaf, selected and blended with the greatest care and skill. Ask your grocer for Kandy Koola. Sold in three grades, i.e. red, blue and green packets” About the Giles Family There are many 19th century items of furniture, linen and crockery donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by Vera and Aurelin Giles. The items are associated with the Giles Family and are known as the “Giles Collection”. These items mostly came from the simple home of Vera’s parents-in-law, Henry Giles and his wife Mary Jane (nee Freckleton), whose photos are in the parlour. They married in 1880. Henry Giles was born at Tower Hill in 1858. He was a labourer on the construction of the Breakwater before leaving in 1895 to build bridges in N.S.W. for about seven years. Mary Jane was born in 1860 at Cooramook. She attended Mailor’s Flat State School where she was also a student teacher before, as family legend has it, she became a governess at “Injemiara” where her grandfather, Francis Freckleton, once owned land. Henry and Mary’s family of six, some of whom were born at Mailor’s Flat and later children at Wangoom, lived with their parents at Wangoom and Purnim west, where Henry died in 1933 and Mary Jane in 1940. The Giles family collection has social significance at a local level, because it illustrates the level of material support the Warrnambool community gave to Flagstaff Hill when the Museum was established. The tin and the tea that was in the container are significant for their association with the Australian and Victorian food industry, being blended and packed by John Connell and Co, Proprietary Limited Melbourne.Container; tin, for Kandy Koola Tea, part of the Giles Collection. Round tin, green background, gold band on top and bottom, printed on gold background. Ceylon flavoured tea. Also five gold flowers of various sizes with scalloped band, large golden inscription “Kandy Koola Tea” and “Ceylon Flavoured” and “Blended and packed by John Connell & Co Pty Ltd Melbourne” “Kandy Koola Tea” and “Ceylon Flavoured”and and “Blended and packed by John Connell & Co Pty Ltd Melbourne”. Printed on lower band “MADE AND PRINTED BY WILSON BROS. NORTH MELB.” “1LBS NETT”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, giles family, 19th century domestic items, tea, tea merchant, tea tin, food and beverages, giles collection, henry giles, tower hill, warrnambool breakwater, mailor’s flat, wangoom, 19th century household goods, metalcraft, tinware, kandy koola tea -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Cow Bell, Circa 1878
The artefact is a damaged brass cow bell recovered from the 1878 shipwreck of the LOCH ARD near Port Campbell. It was raised by Flagstaff Hill divers in 1973 and is in storage at the Maritime Village. The LOCH ARD was constructed on the Clyde in 1873 for the prestigious Loch Line of colonial clipper ships, designed for the Australian run. She sailed from England on 1 March 1878 carrying 37 crew, 17 passengers and a diverse general cargo ranging from luxury items to bulk railway iron. On 1 June 1878, emerging from fog and hearing too late the sound of breakers against the tall limestone cliffs, the vessel struck the southern foot of Mutton Bird Island and sank in 23 metres of water. Of the fifty-four people on board only two survived, one young male crewman and one young female passenger. A century later, despite the pounding seas and the efforts of looters, the wreck site continued to provide ample evidence of the extraordinary range of goods being imported into the Colony of Victoria in the post-Gold Rush era. Flagstaff Hill divers in the 1970s reported finds of “Bottles of champagne, window panes, rolls of zinc, barrels of cement, iron rails, clocks, lead shot, corrugated iron, lead, marble, salad oil bottles, ink bottles, copper wire, gin bottles, rolls of carpet, floor tiles, copper rivets, gas light fittings, pocket knives, toys, crystal chandeliers, beer mugs, cutlery, candles sticks, wick scissors, cow bells, and sauce bottles.” From this array of objects on the ocean floor emerged the humble brass cow bell. Cow bells were common to colonial agriculture and transport, used wherever animals were turned out to graze overnight and had to be rounded up again next morning. Bells were fastened around the necks of household milking cows, domestic goats, bullock teams, horse teams, and camel teams, to help find them in the pre-dawn light. Station shepherds and cattle drovers also used them to warn of any disturbances to their flocks and herds overnight. The bells were a necessary item in a largely unfenced continent. So important, that Anthony Mongon began making his pot-bells at Yackandandah from 1861, August Menneke produced the “Wagga Pot” from 1867, and Samuel Jones started manufacturing his distinctively shaped “Condamine Bell” in 1868. However, these deeply resonant Australian bells were made from iron — Mongon and Jones were blacksmiths who simply beat old pitsaw blades into shape. Few genuinely brass cow bells were made here, the vast majority being imported from Britain where the industry of brass founding was already well established. (Some bells were also imported from the United States, but these too were nearly all of iron).This bell is historically significant as typical of a cow bell used by farmers and herdsmen in Colonial Victoria. Its significance is increased by being one of a collection of artefact recovered by the Flagstaff Hill Divers from the wreck of the Loch Ard in the early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have also been recovered for Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection under Government permit, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. The cow bell is also significant for being part of Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD, which is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A small brass cow bell, in poor condition. It is blunt-wedge shaped. The sides expand outwards from the smaller rectangular roof of the bell to a larger open rectangle or bell mouth. A handwritten label is attached to the bel. Recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.Label text "["10/6/73, Brass Cow Bell, LOCH ARD, Found in the sandy hole in the centre of the wreck site. Cow bells were part of the cargo" - "10/6/73, LOCH ARD, small brass cow bell salvaged by FHMV divers"]. "LOCH ARD / PETER RONALD"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, eva carmichael, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, brass cow bell, colonial cow bells, 1878 shipwreck, shipwreck artefact, flagstaff hill divers -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Cap Liner, Between 1870 and 1908
This Zinc Cap Porcelain Liner was recovered from the (1908) shipwreck site of the FALLS OF HALLADALE. The purpose of cap liners was to assist with the safe preserving and storage of perishable foodstuffs in an age when refrigeration was generally unavailable. These round, coarse-glass inserts formed part of the screw lids used with the Ball Mason style of canning fruit jars. The liner was placed inside the zinc cap to stop the contents of the jar reacting with the zinc. It prevented the metallic tainting of food as well as the corrosion of the metallic lid. On March 30, 1869, Lewis R Boyd was issued with patent # 88439 for an “Improved Mode of Preventing Corrosion in Metallic Caps”. From the 1870s to the 1950s, large quantities of these liners were produced by a number of glass manufacturing companies. They are consequently difficult to date or identify. “It is assumed that most of the earlier versions of these liners have the name ‘BOYD’S’ or ‘BOYD’ embossed on them. Later versions may or may not have the name included in the lettering”. (http://www.glassbottlemarks.com). Only a few were made of porcelain, the great majority being made first of transparent and later of translucent or opaque glass. The different emblems of triangles, circles, and crosses embossed on the front face of the liners are assumed to signify mould or model types rather than the company that produced them. This particular artefact is one of 14 cap liners that were retrieved from the shipwreck site and are now part of the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village collection. The Maltese Cross and “BOYD’S GENUINE PORCELAIN LINED” lettering are unique to this piece. However, it is evident from the markings and materials of the other cap liners, that they originally formed sets or series. Six are larger (8 mm depth x 85mm diameter), of greenish hue with ground glass texture, and support the raised emblem of a compass needle. Two are medium-sized (75mm diameter) with two raised dots in a central circle and the lettering “Patd. APR 25.82”. This particular cap liner is likely to have also been one of a mass-produced line being imported from America. The iron-hulled sailing ship FALLS OF HALLADALE was a bulk carrier of general cargo en route from New York to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. The FALLS OF HALLADALE came aground on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in1908-09 and 1910. The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., they standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). A circular translucent glass disc in good condition with raised upper case lettering around 8mm rim – “BOYD’S GENUINE PORCELAIN LINED” - and a raised central emblem of a Maltese Cross. On the reverse face in the centre of the disc, there is a raised numeral “3”. falls of halladale, wright, breakenridge & co of glasgow, unusual beautiful green american slates (roofing tiles), warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, zinc cap porcelain liner, boyd’s genuine porcelain lined, glass lid, opaque disc, food preserving, fruit bottling, cap liner, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck artefact, 1908 shipwreck -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Sheave
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., they standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Wooden sheave from a block, from the wreck of The Falls of Halladale SW 13/1.74flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, falls of halladale, shipwreck peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, block -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Cap Liner
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co. they standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today on the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Zinc Cap Porcelain liner, placed inside the zinc cap to stop the contents of the jar reacting with the zinc. Recovered from wreck of the "The Falls of Halladale". Artefact Rego No FoH 16.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, 1908 shipwreck -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Wood Sample, c. 1854
This sample of wood is from the American clipper ship LIGHTNING was a 3 masted, fully rigged extreme clipper ship. She was commissioned by James Baines, of the Black Ball Line in Liverpool, England, during the time of the Australian Gold Rush for the trade of passengers and cargo between England and Australia. Her cargo listed early consignments of livestock and animals, including rabbits sent to Thomas Austin of Barwon Park, Winchelsea, Victoria. The LIGHTNING was built in 1854 by shipbuilder Donald McKay, of East Boston, USA. She was described as spacious and comfortable, and one of the smartest ships known. The LIGHTNING set many speed records for her sea crossings, and became one of the most famous of the racing clippers and one of the fastest ever launched. In 1854, with Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes and Mate ‘Bully’ Bragg, LIGHTNING made the return trip from Melbourne to Liverpool in only 64 days, 3 hours and 10 minutes; a record for all time. Captain Enright became the new Master of LIGHTNING soon afterwards. He has been described as one of the finest mariners in the Australian trade. One of Captain Enright’s innovations was to publish a ship’s paper called The Lightning Gazette. (Captain Forbes had left to captain the SCHOMBERG.) In January 1855 Capt. Enright sailed the LIGHTNING from Liverpool with over 700 passengers and returned home carrying gold as her cargo. In 1857, for a very brief time under Capt. Byrne the LIGHTNING was used as a troop ship, taking British officers and soldiers, stores and ammunition, to fight in India. In 1859 she then returned to her run between Liverpool and Melbourne, apart from 1867 when she made a special trip between Melbourne and Port Chalmers in New Zealand. In 1869 the LIGHTNING was sold to Thomas Harrison of Liverpool, and she continued to sail for the Black Ball Line. Master of LIGHTNING, Captain Henry Jones, sailed her to Geelong in October 1869, and whilst docked, he had her loaded with a cargo of wool, copper, wire, tallow and other goods. At about 1am on 31st October 1869, whilst still docked and fully laden, a fire was noticed on the LIGHTNING. Efforts to extinguished the fire were unsuccessful, so she was towed to the shoals in Corio Bay, where she eventually sank, losing all cargo but no lives. The area is now known as Lightning Shoals. The LIGHTNING is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S415. She is historically significant for being one of the fastest wooden ships ever built, the first clipper built in the USA for British owners and being the worst shipping disaster in Geelong's history. It spent its whole career carrying cargo and immigrants from England to Australia.Sample, wooden, varnished, from wreck the Lightning. Has a groove along one edge.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sailing ship lightning, extreme clipper ship, american clipper ship, record breaking clipper ship, james baines, black ball line, donald mckay shipbuilder, captain ‘bully’ forbes, australian immigration, liverpool to melbourne migration, captain enright, captain byrne, captain henry jones, lightning shoals geelong, rabbits introduced to australia, wood sample from a ship -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Chair piece
The iron-hulled, four-masted barque, the Falls of Halladale, was a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 on her way to Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold, along with 56,763 tiles of unusual beautiful green American slates (roofing tiles), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6500 gallons of oil, 14400 gallons of benzene, and many other manufactured items, were 117 cases of crockery and glassware. Three months later and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland at 3 am on the morning of the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members all survived, but her valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. ABOUT THE ‘FALLS OF HALLADALE’ (1886 - 1908) Built: in1886 by Russell & Co., Greenock shipyards, River Clyde, Scotland, UK. The company was founded in 1870 (or 1873) as a partnership between Joseph Russell (1834-1917), Anderson Rodger and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co., they standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships over that time. In 1886 they introduced a 3000 ton class of sailing vessel with auxiliary engines and brace halyard winches. In 1890 they broke the world output record. Owner: Falls Line, Wright, Breakenridge & Co, 111 Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Configuration: Four masted sailing ship; iron-hulled barque; iron masts, wire rigging, fore & aft lifting bridges. Size: Length 83.87m x Breadth 12.6m x Depth 7.23m, Gross tonnage 2085 ton Wrecked: the night of 14th November 1908, Curdies Inlet, Peterborough south west Victoria Crew: 29 The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted sailing ship built-in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland, for the long-distance cargo trade and was mostly used for Pacific grain trade. She was owned by Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow and was one of several Falls Line ships, all of which were named after waterfalls in Scotland. The lines flag was of red, blue and white vertical stripes. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the ‘windjammers’ that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck stormy conditions. This idea is still used today in the most modern tankers and cargo vessels and has proved to be an important step forward in the safety of men at sea. On 4th August 1908, with new sails, 29 crew, and 2800 tons of cargo, the Falls of Halladale left New York, bound for Melbourne and Sydney via the Cape of Good Hope. The cargo on board was valued at £35,000 and included 56,763 tiles of American slate roofing tiles (roof slates), 5,673 coils of barbed wire, 600 stoves, 500 sewing machines, 6,500 gallons of oil, 14,400 gallons of benzene, plumbing iron, 117 cases of crockery and glassware and many other manufactured items. The Falls of Halladale had been at sail for 102 days when, at 3 am on the night of 14th November 1908, under full sail in calm seas with a six knots breeze behind and misleading fog along the coast, the great vessel rose upon an ocean swell and settled on top of a submerged reef near Peterborough on south-west Victoria’s coast. The ship was jammed on the rocks and began filling with water. The crew launched the two lifeboats and all 29 crew landed safely on the beach over 4 miles away at the Bay of Islands. The postmistress at Peterborough, who kept a watch for vessels in distress, saw the stranding and sent out an alert to the local people. A rescue party went to the aid of the sailors and the Port Campbell rocket crew was dispatched, but the crew had all managed to reach shore safely by the time help arrived. The ship stayed in full sail on the rocky shelf for nearly two months, attracting hundreds of sightseers who watched her slowly disintegrate until the pounding seas and dynamiting by salvagers finally broke her back, and her remains disappeared back into deeper water. The valuable cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. Further salvage operations were made from 1974-1986, during which time 22,000 slate tiles were recovered with the help of 14 oil drums to float them, plus personal artefacts, ship fittings, reams of paper and other items. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson’s navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The shipwreck is a popular site for divers, about 300m offshore and in 3 – 15m of water. Some of the original cargo can be seen at the site, including pieces of roof slate and coils of barbed wire. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes. She is one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. She is an example of the remains of an International Cargo Ship and also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The wreck is protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976).Chair piece, varnished wooden backstop from the chair with floral and leaf motif, from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, falls of halladale, chair -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Post delivery display, 1890-1920
Possibly used in a factory or similar business for mail delivery to different departments. Metal triangle loops indicate it was hung on a wall front grill denotes it was used to display mail for different departments in an office or workshop/factory setting.Significant as it appears to be a one off item probably made specifically for a particular business the design in gold paint to the front is naïve indicating it was made and used possibly late Victorian or early Edwardian period 1890-1920.Basket metal Postal letter basket painted black, Marked "Post Delivery"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Book, The Victorian Statutes Vol 2 Collectors of Customs
The Victorian Statutes Vol 2 Collectors of Customsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, the victorian statutes vol 2 collectors of customs, book -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Porthole Frame, Russell & Co, 1888
This portion of the porthole frame was part of the fittings of the Antares. The Italian barque “Antares” was an iron three-masted sailing ship built in 1888 by Russell & Co of Port Glasgow. The ship was originally named the “Sutlej” but was renamed the “Antares” in 1907 when sold to the Semider Bros of Genoa, Italy, where it was registered. The vessel left Marseilles on the 18th of December 1913 with its master Captain Gazedo destined for Mullaly & Byrne of Melbourne with a cargo of roofing tiles but failed to arrive. The wreckage was found near the Bay of Islands, twenty-two miles east of Warrnambool, after a body had washed ashore. Some of the timbers washed up were charred by fire, and a small boat's stern board with the name "Sutlej" led to the identification of the wreck as Antares, which had been reported missing. According to later reports, the Antares wrecking was overshadowed by war news at the time. A young local boy had remarked that the Germans had arrived off the coast as he had seen them firing off shells and rockets, but his story was passed off as a joke. These rockets were most likely the distress signals from the stricken ship. The Italian barque, clipper, Antares was sometime later reported as overdue. The wreck of the ship was later found at the base of a cliff at the Bay of Islands near Warrnambool in November 1914; there were no survivors.The Antares is significant as it was a sail trader carrying international inbound cargo during the early part of the 20th century. It is part of the Great Ocean Road Historic Shipwreck Trail and as such is registered as a protected wreck in the Victorian Heritage Database VHS S34 .Porthole frame section, brass, large part corroded away. Hing is still visible on the end. The underside is shaped to allow the fitting of the glass. Recovered from the wreck of the Antares. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, antares, tall ship, sailing ship, peterborough, phillip le couteur, peter mathieson, constable stainsbury, sutlej, antares rock., bay of islands, porthole, ship fitting, 1914 shipwreck, porthole frame -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Deadeye, Barclay Curle & Co shipbuilders, 1873
... ' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard ...This example of a sailing ship’s ‘dead-eye’ is from the wreck of the Loch Ard, which sank near Port Campbell in 1878. The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch which lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Lochard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Lochard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Lochard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Lochard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition in. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collections objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.A weathered ship’s rigging deadeye, showing signs of submersion and erosion in sea water. The flat sides of this thick wooden disc have three holes drilled through in a triangular configuration.Noneflagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, deadeye, rigging -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Sharpening Stone, ca 1878
... 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck ...The sharpening stone can also be referred to as a whetstone, oil stone or honing stone. It is a well-worn double-sided sharpening stone retrieved from the wreck site of the Loch Ard. It is used to grind and hone the edges of metal blades and tools. ‘Natural’ sharpening stones like this one are quarried from ancient sedimentary rock that has metamorphosed from clay and volcanic ash to produce garnet crystals. Most modern stones are artificially produced, or ‘bonded’, abrasive stones, made by fusing clay and metal powder under heat and pressure. The softer yellow Corticule stone is found in thin vertical veins running through the more plentiful Belgian Blue rock. Coticule is a fine-grained and dense material that ‘cuts’ metal slowly but to a superior standard of sharpness and finish. The relatively coarser Belgian Blue is stronger and ‘cuts’ more quickly, but with a less polished finish. A double-sided whetstone is therefore valued for its increased durability (the harder BBW ‘backs’, or supports, the softer Coticule), and additional utility (the fine ‘grit’ of Coticule complements the coarser BBW to meet a range of sharpening needs). The blue-grey base of this stone is thinner than the remaining yellow Coticule on top. This suggests that the majority of grinding and honing work it has done on board the ship was for larger tools, rather than on surgical or shaving blades. Its rounded or spherical shaping may also be related to the ‘tumbling’ action of the sea on the ocean floor. History of the Loch Ard wreck: The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curle & Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Lochard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Lochard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Lochard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Lochard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck, it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collections objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. A sharpening stone is also called a whetstone, oil, or honing stone. The stone is a worn double-sided rectangular block with rounded corners. There is a clear delineation between its coarser Belgian Blue base (grey colour) and its finer Belgian Coticule face (yellow colour). It bears sedimentary encrustation over one-third of its surface. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, sharpening stone, whetstone, oilstone, double-sided stone, belgian coticule, belgian blue whetstone, oil stone, honing stone -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Crucible, The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, circa 1878
This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity in foundries and expansion of demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. The summary of the LOCH ARD cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’, does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not a large consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size from a visual appraisal. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome and was presented with a medal and some money. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A Morgan’s Patent graphite crucible No.8 (i.e. 8kgs capacity), one of a set. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is in its original grey colouring with minimal sediment accretion on the top rim. It rises in a slight curve from a flat circular base to a wider rim with a pouring lip. Maker’s marks on the side of the container clearly identify the manufacturer. The maker's details are stamped into the base around and within a circle. A white sticker is attached. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London. Number “8”. Letters “MORGAN’S PATENT”. Details on the base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Symbol [8] above "BATTERSEA WORKS LONDON" Handwritten on a white sticker in black pen "LA/89"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgans crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, crucible, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, port campbell -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Crucible, The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, circa 1878
This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity in foundries and expansion of demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. The summary of the LOCH ARD cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’, does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not a large consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size from a visual appraisal. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome and was presented with a medal and some money. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417 Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known ahipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A Morgan’s Patent graphite crucible No.4 (i.e. 4kgs capacity), one of a set of three. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is in its original grey colouring with minimal sediment accretion on the top rim. It rises in a slight curve from a flat circular base to a wider rim with a pouring lip. Maker’s marks on the side of the container clearly identify the manufacturer. The maker's details are stamped into the base around and within a circle. A white sticker is attached. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London.Number or. Letters “MORGAN’S PATENT”. Details on the base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Symbol [4] above "BATTERSEA WORKS LONDON" Handwritten on a white sticker in black pen "L89"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, crucible, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, port campbell -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Basket, 1890-1920s
Before the invention of woven baskets, people used tree bark to make simple containers. These containers could be used to transport gathered food and other items but crumbled after only a few uses. Weaving strips of bark or other plant material to support the bark containers would be the next step, followed by entirely woven baskets. The last innovation appears to be baskets so tightly woven that they could hold water. Depending on soil conditions, baskets may or may not be preserved in the archaeological record. Sites in the Middle East show that weaving techniques were used to make mats and possibly also baskets, circa 8000 BCE. Twined baskets date back to 7000 in Oasisamerica. Baskets made with interwoven techniques were common at 3000 BCE. Baskets were originally designed as multi-purpose vessels to carry and store materials and to keep stray items about the home. The plant life available in a region affects the choice of material, which in turn influences the weaving technique. Rattan and other members of the Arecaceae or palm tree family, the thin grasses of temperate regions, and broad-leaved tropical bromeliads each require a different method of twisting and braiding to be made into a basket. The practice of basket making has evolved into an art. Artistic freedom allows basket makers with a wide choice of colours, materials, sizes, patterns, and details.Before the advent of plastics (1907), the is now used for many different types and styles of storage container rattan, wicker or cane was used to make containers with a lid for the storage of linens etc. The subject item was probability used at the end of the Victorian era and into the Edwardian period around the 1900s as a household storage facility. These types of wicker or cane containers started to go out of fashion due to their fragility around the 1920s into the 1940s due as well to the introduction of synthetic materials. Wicker cane rectangular shaped domestic storage container with reinforced leather pads on 4 corner sides. lid fits inside the other. Black cane piece around top edge.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Clothing - Buttons, 20th century
This set of decorative buttons is a replica of buttons that would decorate formal wear in the Victorian era.This set of buttons is representative of buttons work on garments int he Victorian era.Set of six round, clear, diamond-like buttons with gold coloured base and shanks. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, buttons, set of buttons, diamond look buttons, clothing buttons, accessories, fashion -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Ship Compass Sections, 1886
A ship's compass played an extremely important role in navigating the ship from the port to its destination. If there was a slight inaccuracy in its calibration the ship could miss its destination and crash or be wrecked. The Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roofing tiles, barb wire, stoves, oil, and benzene as well as many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. She was one of several designs of Falls Line of ships named after waterfalls in Scotland. The company had been founded between 1870- 1873 as a partnership between Joseph Russell, Anderson Rodger, and William Todd Lithgow. During the period 1882-92 Russell & Co. standardised designs, which sped up their building process so much that they were able to build 271 ships during that time. The Falls of Halladale had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. Previous to this, heavily loaded vessels could have heavy seas break along the full length of the deck, causing serious injury or even death to those on deck. The new, raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions. The Falls of Halladale shipwreck is listed on the Victorian Heritage (No. S255). She was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes from Europe and the Americas. Also of significance is that the vessel was one of the first ships to have fore and aft lifting bridges as a significant safety feature still in use on modern vessels today. The subject model is an example of an International Cargo Ship used during the 19th and early 20th centuries to transport goods worldwide and represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping industry. The compass sections are also significant for belonging to the compass of the Falls of Halladale. It was a critical part of the ship's equipment. Compass sections, two; brass disc with a round object on a pedestal, together with a glass disc with a metal frame and insert in the centre. Both items were recovered from compass on the wreck of Falls of Halladale. Nonewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, compass sections, falls of halladale, wreck of halladale, ship compass