Hugo Wertheim (1854-1919), was a merchant and manufacturer and was born on the 12th July 1854 at Lispenhausen, in the German electorate of Hesse-Kassel, son of Meyer Wertheim and his wife Minna, née Heinemann. Hugo reached Melbourne in October 1875. He soon began advertising, from premises at 39 Flinders Lane East, as agent for his father's cousin Joseph Wertheim, a well-established manufacturer of sewing machines. Hugo returned to Germany where he married Joseph Wertheim's daughter Sophie Emilie (1864-1953) on 30 August 1885 at Frankfurt. the couple then came to Melbourne. In a short time, with extensive advertising, Hugo established a substantial business, selling sewing machines, bicycles, pianos and other mechanical devices, under brands such as Wertheim, Electra, Planet, Griffin and Hapsburg. He also mounted elaborate displays at agricultural shows and in 1901 at the Pan American Exposition, Buffalo, United States of America. O. C. Beale worked with him before setting up his own piano business in New South Wales. Hugo continued to own 25 per cent of one of Beale's companies, which became Wertheim's Queensland business. In 1908 Wertheim opened a large, innovative piano factory at Richmond, Melbourne, intending to produce 2000 pianos and player pianos annually, predominantly using Australian materials. In laying the foundation stone, Prime Minister Alfred Deakin observed that “few men with such opportunities for a life of ease would have embarked on such an enterprise” Hugo died of chronic hepatitis on 11 July 1919 at his home at South Yarra, his wife, two daughters and three sons survived him; Herbert Joseph (1886-1972), the eldest, continued the business. Rupert became a share broker and went on to represent Victoria in inter-State tennis in 1913-27 and Australia in Davis Cup matches against Czechoslovakia in 1922. The piano factory closed in 1935, becoming a Heinz food processing plant and in 1955, GTV Channel 9 studios and offices.Early Australians had to be self-reliant in regards to making and mending their clothes and utensils. This sewing machine was one of many items used that exhibit the skill and craftsmanship of the women in these early families. A sewing machine was a necessary part of each home and this item demonstrates how women of the time managed had to become self-reliant in the repair and making of their families clothes to make their household budgets go further.Sewing machine, Wertheim brand “ Syst 182” hand crank operated machine with folding handle, timber case and carry handle. Metal machine is painted black, with remnants of gold, red and green scrolls and floral decoration. Machine has base with inlaid measuring rule across front and 2 holes drilled through the base (perhaps for mounting machine to a bench). Machine tilts open, hinged on one side, after thumb screw is unwound, revealing machine’s workings and serial number. Base has a fitted round, concave, silver metal pin holder with lid that hinges open, and symbol pressed into lid; several pins are inside. Body of machine has brand name transfer across front and oval metal trademark disc on front. Metal sliding covers over footplates have stamped lettering. Timber machine case or cover includes an accessory box with sliding cover and metal hook and eye latch, and inside the box are 23 metal sewing attachments, a disc and a stick of black crayon with maker’s trademark on it paper cover. Workings of machine have seized up. The crayon wrapper has printed on it “For the wonderful Wertheim new family machine made in Germany ‘Syst. 182’”, and the maker’s symbol with “Trademark” beside it. Made for Hugo Wertheim.“WERTHEIM” transfer across front and back of machine body. Cover of pin holder has symbol ‘Wings above a shield’. Maker’s trademark on gold oval disc, “WERTHEIM / FRANCFURT” and picture of a dwarf with a hammer. Left footplate has script “Syst 182”, right footplate has stamp in oval shape “MANUFACTURED IN - - /SPECIALLY FOR / HUGO WERTHEIM” Serial Number “7501”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sewing machine, hand crank sewing machine, hugo wertheim, wertheim, clothing manufacturer, sewing, syst 182

Following a Royal Commission in 1854, the building of a new Asylum at Kew began in 1864. It was built to replace the Yarra Bend Asylum on the Fairfield side of the Yarra River. Work started in 1864 and was completed in 1872 at a cost of ₤198,334. Operating over a period of 116 years, and often renamed to take account of public sensitivities, the ‘Kew Lunatic Asylum’ was one of the largest asylums built in Australia. ‘Willsmere’ was finally closed in December 1988 and sold by the Government of Victoria in the late 1980s. The photograph is by Charles Nettleton. He arrived in Victoria in 1854. In Melbourne he joined the studio of T. Duryea and Alexander McDonald and specialized in outdoor work. ... Nettleton opened his own studio in 1858. His souvenir albums were the first of the type to be offered to the public. However, when the dry-plate came into general use in 1885 he knew that the new process offered opportunities that were beyond his scope. Five years later his studio was closed (Source: ADB)A rare silver albumen photograph by the Victorian photographer Charles Nettleton.A framed original silver albumen photograph by Charles Nettleton showing the front of the Kew Lunatic Asylum.KEW LUNATIC ASYLUMkew lunatic asylum, studley park, charles nettleton, asylum, willsmere hospital, willsmere mental hospital, lunatic

North east Victoria was a major dairy producing region in the late nineteenth century. The Wodonga Butter Factory Ltd was established in 1892. Many families living in the town or on farms also owned their own cow for family needs and produced their milk and butter. This churn is representative of the equipment they used to process their own dairy products at home. This churn was made by E. Cherry & Sons which was established in Gisborne, Victoria in 1858. Edward Cherry (1830-1910) arrived in Australia from Hertfordshire, England, in 1855. The business manufactured churns and in 1875 opened a larger factory. On his death, the business was taken over by his son and continued to operate until the 1970s.This item has strong links to the history of Wodonga and north east Victoria. It has interpretative potential in the areas of local agricultural history, and the social history of food and farming.A wooden butter churn with metal turning handle and removable lid. The wooden paddle inside is attached to the turning handle which rotates to churn the butter. The model number is T1. It was probably made by E Cherry & Sons of Gisborne although the brand is blurred.On one side in black: "T 1"butter churns, dairying industry, domestic appliances, e. cherry churns

In November 2024, a small group of cheerful volunteers from the Forests Commission Retired Personnel Association (FCRPA) toiled over nine days to dust-off, photograph and record nearly 300 artifacts in DEECA's Altona Museum. It followed a similar project at the FCRPA's Beechworth Museum in February 2024. The Altona project was generously supported by DEECA / FFMVic to engage professional photographer Mark Jesser from Wodonga whose boundless energy and good humour helped to create these amazing images. Special thanks go to the FFMVic Chief Fire Officer, Chris Hardman, as well as Andrew Stanios and Kat Jensen for making it happen. FFMVic crews and the ever-patient staff from Altona took a strong interest and also helped to shift some of the heavy items like pumps and the Bedford tanker which was very welcome. The Forests Commission and its successors continuously encouraged bushfire research and innovation. In 1946 a large parcel of industrial land was purchased at North Altona as a fire cache and workshop. The Altona workshop became a hotbed of new technological thingumajigs… a marvellous blend of Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders coupled with Wallace and Gromit’s madcap contraptions… an exhilarating place where lots of gizmos were invented and tested… mostly with astounding results... but nearly always with some head-scratching frustrations… and thankfully not too much explosive mayhem. In fact, a lot of Australia’s pioneering equipment development was led by staff from Altona, often in collaboration with other State forestry and fire authorities. The CSIRO also contributed significantly. The US Forest Service, the US Bureau of Land Management and US State agencies such as the California Department of Forestry and Fire (CalFire) as well as the Canadian Forest Service faced similar challenges and proved strong and willing partners in sharing knowledge, ideas, equipment and expertise over many decades. The collection at Altona started in the 1970s by fire equipment wizard Barry (Rocky) Marsden. As obsolete equipment was returned to the Fire Protection Workshop for auction, Rocky began the process of selecting some which would be interesting to retain and display. The items at Altona represent just a small sample of the amazing story of Victoria's forestry and bushfire heritage. The largest item was undoubtedly the Bedford tanker which took two days and nearly 1000 photos which were later stitched together with photoshop. The oldest item is probably the Ericsson wall telephone from 1904. There are also many unique items, but the CSIRO incendiary machine and ping-pong incendiary machine developed at Altona probably had the most significant impact on fire management in Australia. There are plenty of gaps in the collection, but some items are in regional DEECA offices. It’s hoped to merge the FCRPA's Beechworth collection to Altona one day and rename the site to honour Rocky Marsden. There may be some additions to the Altona museum over time, but space is limited. The museum is available to visit by appointment. Peter McHugh - January 2025 forests commission victoria (fcv)

The Phoenix Wool Company was started in 1919 by Brigadier-General Robert Smith. The works were located on the Barwon River, near the end of Shannon Avenue; some remnants of the original buildings can still be seen at the site. Phoenix was one of the first to develop the wool carbonising process (the removal of vegetable matter from wool through the use of chemicals) and during its heyday in the 1930s-50s the company operated 24 hours per day and employed a workforce of over 100. The company closed in 1997. This box of carbonised wool samples may possibly have been used by a salesman promoting the activities of the company.Display case, brown cardboard printed with text in black on the lid at the top. Lined in blue. Interior divided into five sections, each containing samples of carbonised wool. There are five labels attached to the inside of the box lid.THE PHOENIX WOOL COMPANY / PTY. LTD. / WOOL CARBONISERS / GEELONG / VICTORIA / AUSTRALIA / TELEPHONE: 2241, GEELONG / CABLE AND TELEGRAPHIC ADRESS: / "PHOEWOOL" GEELONGphoenix wool company pty ltd, wool industry, wool carbonising, barwon river, geelong, company history, brigadier-general robert smith

Jim (James Bernard) Williams, who was the owner of this manual, was a long-time resident of Warrnambool having the opportunity to work at two notable historical businesses of the town. The first, Cramond & Dickson a drapier store established around 1852-1855 and which remained a store that traded under the same name for the longest in Victoria, before it closed its doors in 1974. The second business was Fletcher Jones a highly successful textile and clothing Australian business. Some of Jim’s spare time was devoted to the model ship making which would conjure up many fascinating stories of maritime history. In addition to Jim witnessing the tail end of ships at port in Warrnambool, his "father was as sea captain and operated his vessel in Bass Strait coastal trade between Tasmania and Victoria". The intricately detailed model made by Jim is full of precise detail. The manual and the blueprints held by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also reflect the intricate process and devotion to the task completed by Jim. The history of the shipwreck and maritime stories of the Victorian Southwest coast surrounding Warrnambool would have continued to inspire his passion. Three photos of the model and Jim, like the photo of Harold T. Bodkin in the manual, attest to the enthusiasm and enjoyment that was gained by him through this hobby. The manual opens to a photo of “Mr. Harold T. Bodkin adding finishing touches to model of the “Sovereign of the Seas”. The “Forward to Reader” which is on the next page is written by “E. R. HAAN, Technical Editor, Popular Mechanics Magazine. The forward explains the methodology used to achieve the fine detail that is part of the body of the model, by “applying imitation carvings”, and is cited as “a museum type of model”. The following page “Blueprints and Craftmats on the ‘Sovereign of the Seas’” discusses the availability of a set of blueprints to purchase separately. Followed by a description of the moulding process for the “miniature carvings”. “Historical Notes of Interest on the “Sovereign of the Seas (1637)” follow on the next page. The manual is divided into the following parts from pages 8 to 71: “Part I – Shaping the Hull/Part II – The Rudder, Quarter Galleries and Gunports/Part III Wales, Gunport Covers and Initial Ornamentation/Part V – Beakhead Decoration, Bulkhead and Rails, Etc./Part VI Carvings, Lanterns, Knights, Bitts and Painting/Part VII – Details of Mast Construction/Part VIII – Standing Rigging/Part IX – Running Rigging and Final Details. All of these instructions include photographs and detailed graphs. Then instructions on “How to Read and Use Ship-Model Drawings”, “The Shop-Model Maker’s Tools”, and “Simplified Ship-in-a-Bottle”. This is finished off with “Helpful Hints….” And numerous pages of advertising. Some adverts include aids for completing the “Sovereign of the Seas” model. Part I uses blue and black ink to illustrate a dramatic picture of the “Sovereign”, otherwise all print is in black ink on buff paper. This book in significant to the collection as it was donated along with other tools and blueprints which have been used by the donor of the "Sovereign of the Seas" model ship. It also connects with the wider community in that it is related to historical maritime interest and the donor, Jim Williams is also connected to other significant retail and manufacturing businesses of the past in Warrnambool. This manual has been covered with brown paper, including an extra strip for the spine. The front has a watermark at the top middle, some pencilled compass circles segmented into eight parts across the area and a small amount of script writing. The back also has the same type of compass circles and some other small shapes. There are also grease marks. The cover has a patina adding to variations of colour to the paper indicative of the book being handled often. The title page reads “Sovereign of the Seas” in an Old English font. This is followed by a lithograph print around 1 inch square of a ship at full sale. By HAROLD T. BODKIN/Charter President of the Ship Model Club of Chicago/Copyright, 1933, By Popular Mechanics Company/POPULAR MECHANICS PRESS/CHICAGO/Printed in the U.S.A. By HAROLD T. BODKIN/Charter President of the Ship Model Club of Chicago/Copyright, 1933, By Popular Mechanics Company/POPULAR MECHANICS PRESS/CHICAGO/Printed in the U.S.A.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, model ship, vessel sovereign of the seas, jim williams, james bernard williams, the forth tasmania, freda williams, heather williams, phyllis bowditch, fletcher jones staff 1936, 17th century sailing ship, cramond and dickson, sovereign of the seas, royal sovereign, sovereign, charles 1, fletcher jones, warrnambool breakwater