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Melbourne Tram Museum
Document - Report, Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB), "Amendments of the MMTB Act 1918 (No. 2995) suggested by the MMTB", mid 1920's
Report - 3 foolscap duplicated sheets, titled "Amendments of the MMTB Act 1918 (No. 2995) suggested by the MMTB". Suggests changes such as a fire and public risk insurance fund, payment of gratuities in event of accidents to employees or the public, payment to a Mutual benefit or sick fund for its employees, make donations to hospitals etc, a "welfare movement" fund, construct five tramways, road maintenance, change section 37 and change Board attendance fees. Document undated. Sought authorisation for East Brunswick, West Brunswick and Coburg, along Church St connecting Clifton Hill and Prahran, along Bell St connecting Preston to Coburg and East Northcote and Heidelberg districts. 2 copies held.trams, tramways, mmtb, acts of parliament, board members, insurance, road works, new tramway, east brunswick, west brunswick electric tramway, coburg, clifton hill, prahran, bell st, east northcote, heidelberg -
Federation University Historical Collection
Postcard - black and white, Great Pulteney Street, Bath
Great Pulteney Street is a grand thoroughfare that connects Bathwick on the east of the River Avon with the City of Bath, England via the Robert Adam designed Pulteney Bridge. Famous former residents of the street have included the novelist Jane Austen and the anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce.A black and white postcard showing Great Pulteney Street in Bath. The street is lined with triple storey building. A fountain and small shelter is located in the foreground.This card was purchased by an Australian soldier, probably Henry Smerdon Holmes, during World War One. chatham-holmes family collection, bath, gret pulteney street, fountain -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Document - cable trams, "Route Numbers and Signs"
Handwritten notes, appears to have been copied from a guide or book, such as Bradshaws. Provides notes on route numbers, connecting electric trams, a round trip by cable and electric trams (9d), penny sections, through fares and details of 15 different through routes. c1918?Demonstrates copying historic information from publications.Document - 7 quarto sheets - ruled, handwritten, stapled in top left hand corner.cable trams, electric trams, melbourne, round trips, guide books, penny sections -
Vision Australia
Administrative record - Text, Vision Australia 2018-2019 Annual Report : Four Pillars of Success, 2019
Annual report providing overview of activities and achievements including: farewell to Heith Mackay-Cruise from the Board, transition of Library clients to Envoy Connect digital player, relocation of Perth office, and Dorothy Hamilton receives an OAM for her services to the blind and vision impaired community.1 volume with illustrations providing overview of organisational achievementsvision australia, corporation records, ron hooton, andrew moffat, bill jolley, josh frydenberg, nick gleeson, jennifer smith, sir peter cosgrove, mia armsworth, nic hoskins, adam smith, carly vaughan, james christie, julian rait, dorothy hamilton, john tribe, susan diver -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Plan - Vessel Line Drawing, Life Boat for Warrnambool, ca. 1900-1909
The plans were used for the construction of the lifeboat ‘Warrnambool’, which began 15th September 1909 and was completed almost 12 months later 1st September 1910. It was built at the Government Dockyard in Williamstown, Victoria, along the lines designed by Great Britain’s Royal Lifeboat Institution, and included whaleback decks fore and aft, mast and centreboard, and rudder and tiller hung from the sternpost. It could be propelled by both sail and oar. At that time Captain Ferguson was Chief Harbour Master and Mr Beagley was the foreman boat builder. Mr Beagley built the lifeboat with his fellow workmen. The boat was described as “… a fine piece of workmanship and does credit to her builders and designers…” It had all the latest improvements in shape, disposition of weight and watertight compartments, and it had space for a large number of people in addition to the crew. It appears that 'H Meiers' whose signature was on the plaque that was found concealed in the hull, was involved with the building of the lifeboat. His signature and the dates of the start and finish of the boat’s construction are pencilled on the raw timber 'plaque' found in the hull in the early 1990s when the lifeboat was being restored. It is interesting that the ‘Melbourne Directory’ of 1911, published by Sands and MacDougal, lists McAuley and Meiers, boat builders, Nelson Place foreshore, between Pasco and Parker Streets, Williamstown, (Victorian Heritage Database, ‘Contextual History, Maritime Facilities’), It is quite possibly the business of the person whose name is inscribed on the lifeboat plaque. Flagstaff Hill’s documentation also mentions that the keel was laid at ‘Harry Myers, boat builders, Williamstown, Melbourne’ – the name ‘Myers’ can also be spelled ‘Meiers’, which could be the same person as the Meiers in “McAuley and Meiers” (as mentioned in genealogy lines of Myers). The new lifeboat, to be named ‘Warrnambool’ was brought to town by train and launched at the breakwater on 1st March 1911 using the Titan crane (the old lifeboat built in 1858, was then returned to Melbourne in 1911). This new lifeboat was stationed at Warrnambool in a shed located at the base of the Breakwater, adjacent to the slipway. A winch was used to bring it in and out of the water. The lifeboat ‘Warrnambool’ was similar in size to the old lifeboat but far superior in design, build and sea-going qualities such as greater manoeuvrability. The ‘self-righting, self-draining design was “practically non-capsizeable” and even if the boat overturned it would right itself to an even keel and the water would drain away. The hull was built of New Zealand Kauri, using double diagonal planking, laid in two layers at right angles, with a layer of canvas and red lead paint between the timbers to help seal the planking. It has “… plenty of freeboard area, high watertight spaces between the deck and bottom… through which pipes lead…” The backbone timbers were made of Jarrah. The lifeboat Warrnambool was one of several rescue boats used at Port Fairy and Warrnambool in the early 1900s. In late 1914 the Warrnambool lifeboat and crew were used to help find what was left of the tragic wreckage of the Antares and were able to discover the body of one of the crewmen, which they brought back to Warrnambool. Between 1951 and 1954 the lifeboat was manned under the guidance of Captain Carrington. He held lifeboat practice each month on a Sunday morning, to comply with the Ports and Harbour’s request that lifeboats be manned by a strong and competent crew, ready for action in case of emergency. In the early 1960’s it ended its service as a lifeboat and was used in Port Fairy as a barge to help dredge the Moyne River, bolted to the Port Fairy lifeboat. Flagstaff Hill obtained the Warrnambool in 1975. In 1984 it was on display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. On 23rd May 1990, she was lifted from the water and placed in a cradle for restoration. The name ‘WARRNAMBOOL could be seen faintly on the lifeboat before it was restored. It was during the restoration that Flagstaff Hill's boat builder discovered the 'plaque' inside the hull. A copy of the blueprint plans has the name “V.E.E. Gotch” printed on it. His advertisement in Footscray’s ‘Independent’ newspaper of Saturday 11th May 1901 states he is “Principal and Skilled member (Naval Architect) to the Court of Marine Inquiry of Victoria and holds classes for naval architectural drawing and arithmetic.” The line drawing is significant for its connection with the lifeboat WARRNAMBOOL. The lifeboat is very significant to local and state history for its use in the lifesaving rescues of seafarers, particularly in Lady Bay. It was part of the local rescue equipment. It gave a half-century of service to the local community as a lifesaving vessel, including its involvement in retrieving the body of a shipwrecked crew member of the ANTARES. Line drawing in black ink and pencil on rectangular parchment or waxed linen. Drawing has diagrams of three profiles of a vessel, with measurements and connecting pencil lines on the left quarter. The plan is for the lifeboat named “Warrnambool”, which was built in Melbourne and completed in 1910. Old blue copies of the Lifeboat plan are archived also.“LIFE BOAT / FOR / WARRNAMBOOL” “Scale, One Inch to One Foot” “ “Length as shown 30’ – 8” “ “Breadth “ “ 8’ – 6 ½ “ “ “Depth “ “ 3’ – 4 ¾” “flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lifeboat, warrnambool lifeboat, boat plans, lifeboat plans, boat construction, boat building, line drawing, plan for lifeboat, life boat, life boat 'warrnambool', clinker design, 1910 lifeboat, life saving equipment, shipbuilding -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - STRUGNELL COLLECTION: HUSTLER'S LINE OF REEF, BENDIGO, September 1913
Map, Hustler's Line of Reef, Hustler's Royal Reserves No. 2 Co, Longitudinal Section.Plate No.V111 (8). Bulletin No 33 Signed H.A.Whitelaw Underground survey Office Bendigo September 1913 Drawing shows mine shaft to over 1746 feet deep and appears to show samples of connecting horizontal shaftsUnderground Survey Office, Bendigo.map, bendigo, hustler's royal reserve no. 2 mine* -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - STRUGNELL COLLECTION: HUSTLER'S LINE OF REEFS, BENDIGO, September 1913
Map, Hustler's Line of Reefs, Great Extended Hustler's Mine, Longitudinal Section Plate No X111 (13). Bulletin No 33 Signed H.A.Whitelaw Underground survey Office Bendigo September 1913 Drawing shows mine shaft to over 3454 feet deep and appears to show samples of connecting horizontal shaftsUnderground Survey Office, Bendigo.map, bendigo, great extended hustler's mine -
Churchill Island Heritage Farm
Functional object - Set of swingle trees
Five swingle trees hinged together. Straight lengths of wood of varying lengths attached to each other through U-shaped metal fittings. Top piece of wood is the longest, and connects to shorter lengths at the distal edges, with the attachment point on the latter being in the centre. Unpainted and unfinished with flecks of white paint. farm machinery, swingle tree, horse drawn, churchill island -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - NUMBER 22 TRAM-QUARRY HILL
Black and White Photograph of Tram being maintained at the workshop depot. The tram has the Number 22 painted on its fascade and 'Quarry Hill' in the designation plate. On rear of photo is written in pencil number 86. Rope hanging across the front left side is used to connect the roller pole to the electricity supply.photograph, tram, no 22, bendigo trams, bendigo tramways, bendigo tramways co.ltd, tram 22, quarry hill -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Inhaler, Probyn Williams, c. 1900
In 1896 Robert James Probyn-Williams was appointed first honorary anaesthetist to the London Hospital and joined a select band of fulltime anaesthetists (26) in Great Britain. The Probyn Williams inhaler was a further modification of the Clover inhaler with narrow airways and rebreathing. The metal inhaler is ovoid shaped. The rotating gauge has a series of numbers engraved onto the inhaler for measurement. There is an elbow joint leading to a connector for attaching a re-breather bag, and at the other end is tap-style mechanism. There is a small glass bulb encased in a metal housing. The facemask is completely made of metal as well.Stamped into handle of tap: COEXTER & SONjoseph clover, frederick hewitt, robert probyn williams -
City of Kingston
Photograph - Black and white, 1962
Local government for Moorabbin began in 1862 when the area was separated from Brighton with the creation of the Moorabbin Roads Board. This meeting commemorated the centenary of local government in 1962.1862 saw the beginnings of local government in the Moorabbin district when the area was separated from Brighton with the creation of the Moorabbin Roads Board. Moorabbin was declared a shire in 1871 and a city in 1934. While tinkering with boundaries occurred over time, the first major severance from Moorabbin was when the Borough of Sandringham was created in 1917. Three years later, after persistent agitation, on May 27, 1920 Mordialloc, Parkdale and Mentone became part of the new Borough of Mordialloc. With this change the Shire of Moorabbin no longer had authority for land with a frontage to Port Phillip Bay. In 1994 councils across Victoria were amalgamated and the City of Moorabbin was divided between the cities of Kingston and Glen Eira. The City of Kingston is made up the former cities of Chelsea, Mordialloc, Moorabbin, Oakleigh and Springvale.Black and white image of inside of Moorabbin Council Chambers, with a meeting (possibly staged) in progress. Council members are seated behind a bench which connects to a horseshoe shaped table. All in attendance are in formal attire. Men are wearing black tie and the women in the audience (with backs to camera) are wearing fur coats or stoles.Black printed text of white round sticker adhered to reverse: 191 Handwritten in red ink: 80%moorabbin, council, chambers, council meeting, centenary -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
22KV Transformer Summation - S.E.C.V
This meter belonged to the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. This meter measured the power used by all the houses in Mount Beauty and provided an inked one month period chart. This information was used to quantify and pay for the power consumption to the Transmission and Generating Department from the Distribution Department which then went on to bill local consumers.The State Electricity Commission of Victoria constructed the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme from the late 1930's to the 1960's. The construction towns of Bogong and Mt Beauty used electricity which was measured by this meter resulting in billing customers for the power they used.Black box with black painted wooden frame top and bottom screwed on holding clear glass at the front so that the instruments can be seen. A metal cylinder is at the bottom of the instruments with a connecting rod to the 7 digit meter in the middle of the instrument panel. In the middle of each end of the front of the box are 2 screws with knobs wound on. 22KV. BK. summation Chart 0-1 x 100,000state electricity commission of victoria. meter. transformer summation. kiewa hydro scheme. mt beauty. power. electricity. -
Learmonth and District Historical Society Inc.
Photo. Baird.J, Richards & Co.Photos Ballaarat, Councilor J.Baird, 1883-84
Councilor James Baird was first Elected to council in1863 until 1865 and again in 1868 until 1887.He was elected the first President of the Ballarat Shire in1863-64.He also served three further terms as President in1874-75,1875-76 and 1879-80 This Original photo forms part of a collection of photos of all councilors for the year 1883-84. The photo of Councilor James Baird, is in Sepia and oval in shape,set in a "light tan" mount with gold edging around cutout.Councilor J.Bairds' name is inscribed at base of photo.Around the photo is drawn a fine line with decorative features which connect it to the next.It is set at the top right of circle of photos of all councilors for 1883-84.PRESENTED by the PRESIDENT J.DALGLEISH ESQ.to the BALLAARAT SHIRE COUNCIL.1883-84.ballarat shire council, james baird, first shire president 1883 84 -
Learmonth and District Historical Society Inc.
Photo - Bregenzer, Richards & Co. Photos Ballaarat, L.Bregenzer, Shire Secretary 1883-84, "circa 1884"
Mr.Louis Bregenzer was Secretary for Ballarat Shire Council in1883-84.Part of original collection of photos showing all councilors for the year 1883-84.Photo of Mr. L.Bregenzer is in sepia and oval in shape,set in a "light tan" mount with gold trim around edge of "cutout".Around photo is a fine line and decorative features which connect it with the next photo.It is at the bottom of the circle of photos showing all councilors for 1883-84.At the bottom of photo is inscribed L.Bregenzer, Secretary.PRESENTED by the PRESIDENT J. DALGLIESH ESQ. to the BALLAARATLSHIRE COUNCIL.1883-84.ballarat shire council, louis bregenzer secretary 1883 84 -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - STRUGNELL COLLECTION: HUSTLER'S LINE OF REEFS, BENDIGO, September 1913
Map, Hustler's Line of Reefs, Hustler's Reef Mine, East & West Cross-Cuts, North & South of Shaft. Plate No. X1X (19).Bulletin No 33 Signed H.A.Whitelaw. Drawing shows the vertical shaft descending to over 1296 feet and appears to show samples of connecting horizontal shafts with their respective mineral contentsUnderground Survey Office, Bendigo.map, bendigo, hustler's reef mine -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - STRUGNELL COLLECTION: UNITED HUSTLER'S & REDAN MINE, September 1913
Map, Transverse Sections N. & S. Of shaft, United Hustler's & Redan Mine, Hustler's Line of Reef, Bendigo. Plate No. XXX (30).Bulletin No 33 Signed H.A.Whitelaw. Drawing shows the vertical shaft descending to over 976 feet and appears to show samples of connecting horizontal shafts with their respective mineral contentsUnderground Survey Office, Bendigo.map, bendigo, hustler's & redan mine -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - EPPALOCK : COUNTY OF BENDIGO, 1982
Map. Eppalock, County of Bendigo, Axedale, Knowsley, Heathcote, Tooborac, Kyneton, Lancefield, Pyalong, Seymour, Graytown, Toolleen, Colbinabbin, Costerfield, Redesdale, Mia Mia, Nagambie, Department of Interior, Puckapunyal Military Area, Various connecting roads. Shire of McIvor. Updated Dec.1982. (number 40 in map cupboard 1)map, bendigo, eppalock -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Photograph, Tunnel Rats
A black and white photograph of 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Engineer 'Tunnel Rats' don gas masks to check out NVA/VietCong bunkers and their connecting tunnels prior to setting explosives and C.S, gas (note texty is missing from the bottom of the photograph) crystals to destroy and impregnate the system.photograph, 1st atf base, nui dat, tunnel rats, gibbons collection catalogue, c s gas, explosives -
The 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victoria Regiment Historical Collection
Domestic object - Broom, 1949
The Broom was won by the company which totalled the most points in the battalions annual campWooden handled straw broom with 7 inscribed brass bands on the handle, two bands connecting the straw head to the wooden handle and a 75mm thick brass band with a 6Bn the Melbourne Regt. badge engraved on it over the straw head. A small paper slip with the story of the broom has been slipped behind this band." The Royal Melbourne Regiment" "Semper Paratus" 'CAMP 1949 "A" &"D" COYS ' 'CAMP 1950 "A" COY' 'CAMP 1951 "B" COY' 'CAMP 1952 "B" COY' 'CAMP 1953 "SP" COY' 'CAMP 1954 "SP" COY' 'CAMP 1955 "B" COY' royal melbourne regiment, 6th battalion, wark vc club -
Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Print, John Neeson, Fire in the Forest, 1973
John Neeson is a Postwar & Contemporary painter who was born in 1948. Numerous key galleries and museums such as Hill Smith Gallery have featured John Neeson's work in the past.Abstract composition in two panels. Left panel shows areas of three shades of grey. Right panel shows areas of grey, red and yellow. The centre image connects both panels with a triangular shape with red patterning, giving an appearance of flame and embers. Mounted in grey matt. In grey wooden frame with glass.Front: 1/25 (lower left) 73 (centre) John Neeson (lower right) (pencil) Back: (no inscriptions) -
Vision Australia
Education kit - Object, 3D model of eye
This 3D model of the eye on shows the way they eye connects to the brain. The eyeball divides in half to study the interior and shows attachments for all six muscles that move the eyeball, the optic nerve, and surrounding blood vessels. Through the cornea the iris and pupil are visible. The iris, cornea and lens can be removed.1 pedestal mounted 3D model of the eye, hand painted in green, red, blue yellow and black equipment, model -
Connecting Home
book, Deadly Design, Bewteen Two Worlds, 2008
As a result of the recommendations arising from the Stolen Generations Taskforce Report 2003. The taskforce identified the need for an independant, community controlled organisation in Victoria to be established to meet the needs of the stolen generation in this state. Connecting Home seeks to undertalke activities that will assist members of the stolen generation and engage in publc awareness and education. Historic Significance, this is one of Victoria's first books published that helps to explain the thought & feelings of Stolen Generation people, that has been developed to address recommendations from the Bringing Them Home Report. Social Significance, The information recorded from stolen generation participants explains to non-aboriginal health & human service professionals about the social impact of the politically incorrect times that state & national laws and policies had been introduced to forcibly remove aboriginal & toerres strait islander children form family, land and culture. Research Significance, Soft cover book, with 43 pages. Picture of aboriginal girl, crying, holding teddy bear on front cover. Content is a guide aimed at understanding the Stolen Generations for Health & Human Service Professionals. book, stolen, generations, victoria, victorian, human, resources, syd, jackson, roseann, hepbruns haines, aiatsis, missions, rererves, aboriginal, legal, service, child, care, agency, health, education, consultative, group, housing, cooperative, bringing, them, home, counsellor, program, link, up, koori, heritage, trust -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Map - STRUGNELL COLLECTION: HUSTLER'S LINE OF REEF'S. HUSTLER'S REEF NO.1 MINE, September 1913
Map, Hustler's Line of Reefs, Hustler's Reef No. 1, Bendigo, East & West Cross-cuts, North & South of Shaft, Plate No.XX11 (22). Bulletin No 33 Signed H.A.Whitelaw. Drawing shows the vertical shaft descending to over 1229 feet and appears to show samples of connecting horizontal shafts with their respective mineral contentsUnderground Survey Office, Bendigo.map, bendigo, hustler's reef no.1 mine -
Dutch Australian Heritage Centre Victoria
Coffee grinder (koffiemolen), Circa 1950
Brought to Australia in the 1950s by Dutch migrants. These coffee grinders were in common use in the 1940s amd 1950s as an altrrnative to wall-mounted coffee grinders. They were operated by clamping the grinder between one' knees. The drinking of coffee is a highly social ritual among Dutch people. They brought this ritual with nthem to Australia as is evidenced by the number of coffee grinders and other coffee psraphernalia donated to the DAHC.Coffee grinder, wooden body, metal top. Wooden drawer in bottom, metal contaner for ground coffee. Metal top has circular raised section which has an opening with sliding lid to put in coffee beans. Metal handle with wooden knob in centre of top, connects with grinding mechanism inside metal top. Pe De on front above drawer.coffee grinder, kitchen ware -
Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
Laryngoscope, Shipway, c 1920
Shipway’s metallic medium size laryngoscope with bulbous curved handle. The section connecting the handle to the straight blade has a screw. Lateral orifice to attached light bulb connection which is not present on this item. The surface is very rusty and quite battered, presence of oxidation on its surface and discoloration of the metal. Has an inscription about the manufacturer.Stamped on its handle, MAYER & Co. LONDONshipway laryngoscope, laryngoscope, metal, mayer & co. london -
Anglesea and District Historical Society
Portable Cassette Tape Recorder and Box, Estimated 1978
1. Portable cassette recorder with built-in electret microphone. 5-pin DIN connector for recording/playback Slim Line RQ-2734. 2. Box - handwritten date and price: 10-10-84 $49-98. Cardboardbox - design printed blue. 3. Operating Instructions (single sheet). Instructions in English and Spanish. 10-10-84 / $49-97music, national panasonic, matsushita electric industrial co. ltd. -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Document - Timetable/s, Notice, Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB), "Introduction of new Weekday Express Bus Service - North Altona - City Bus Route No. 232", Nov. 1978
Photocopy onto a foolscap double sided, of the introduction of a new bus service along the West Gate Freeway - 20/11/1978 - titled "Introduction of new Weekday Express Bus Service - North Altona - City Bus Route No. 232". Shows a map of the service, details of connecting services, stopping places, fares and timetable.trams, tramways, buses, timetables, north altona, route 232 -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Heather Sargeant at Eltham Railway Station
Pages from a scrapbook belonging to Heather Jenkins (nee Sargeant) who lived as a child in the Police Residence at 728 Main Road, Eltham in the 1920s. This photo: Between April 1923 and August 1926, electric trains from Melbourne terminated at Eltham. A connecting steam train ran between Eltham and Hurstbridge. Heather Sargeant was the daughter of Constable W.C. Sargeant, the local police officer in residence at Eltham, 1922-1927Glued on a brown paper scrapbook page (torn from scrapbook) with 8 black and white/sepia photos of varying sizes, 1 newspaper clipping and one greeting card with printed sketch and handwritten captions in ink. On back of page is 1 black and white photo and a large newspaper clipping.eltham, police residence, heather jenkins (nee sargeant), walter withers, constable w.c. sargeant, eltham railway station -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Lamp, Spirit Lamp, Early 20th century
There is no known history connected to this item. A spirit lamp was an essential household item in the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century until electric lighting became a common feature of most homes. This lamp has no particular significance and is suitable for display as an example of family life in the past.This is a spirit lamp with a milk glass base in two sections (two pedestals in rings). The bowl is made of green glass emulating the shape of the base. There is a brass section connecting the bowl to the wick holder with the wick exposed. There is a small knob or handle external to the bowl for controlling the wick’s use. The clear glass lamp mantle is slim-line bulbous shaped. history of warrnambool, social history, spirit lamp -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Rocket Launcher, Government of Victoria, ca 1910s
This rocket launcher has fittings to mount it onto a lifeboat or similar vessel. Once mounted, a it would be fitted with a line-throwing rocket that would be launched from the vessel and aimed over the shipwreck. The line would be fixed to the ship in distress. A heavier line would then be sent out to the wrecked vessel and survivors would be hauled to safety. Its design suggests that it dates to the First World War ear of the 1910s. The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. This item is significant for its connection with maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed coastal Victoria, including Warrnambool, in its very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised.Rocket launcher, lifesaving equipment, attaches to rail on vessel. Schermuly's Patent, Grey metal, L shaped pipe with large clamp on one end and small, hooked U shaped fitting on the other. Connects to half-cylinder sleeve with gimbal fitting, ball joint and adjusting fittings; painted grey and red. "SCHERMULY'S PATENT" cast into clamp.Cast into metal "SCHERMULY'S PATENT" flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, rocket launcher, rocket apparatus, rocket firing equipment, lifesaving equipment, wwi, world war i, 1210s, schermuly’s patent, schermuly launcher, sea rescue, lifesaving, shipwreck, life-saving, rescue crew, rocket rescue, rocket crew, line rescue, maritime activities, marine technology, volunteer crew, boat to ship rescue, william schermuly,