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, octagonal, plain sanded light wood. Has decoration around edge and indented circular line to delineate round cutting board section.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, bread board, cutting board, pastry board, kitchen utensil, kitchen equipment, baking equipment, food preparation

Very early scene of Cowes showing the jetty, Isle of Wight Hotel and jetty shed. Charles Turner was an English mezzotint engraver and draughtsman who specialized in portraiture. HistoricalA4 colour photocopy of a print of a wood engraving by Charles Turner of the Cowes jetty. Large beige frame around print.At Cowes, Phillip Island. from the commemorative work, Victoria in 1880, published in Melbourne to mark the International Exhibition held that year. Fine prints of notable buildings and street scenes, as well as views of the country and suburban areas of the colony. Wood engraving.cowes jetty, charles turner, isle of wight hotel, jetty shed, wood engraving

This tool appears to have been hand-assembled. It would have been used on a farm or saw mill or any place of work or home requiring wood to be cut up. This tool has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of a tool used 100 years ago or more,This is a metal small axe or wood splitter with a wooden handle. The metal section is pitted and worn and the oval-shaped handle is partly split and worn. vintage hand tools, wood splitter, history of warrnambool

78 rpm recording of the Williamstown High School choir singing 'Tales from the Vienna Wood.' Also includes an mp3 version.See images above: Image 78.1.jpg - On A side of record:'Tales from the Vienna Wood' The Williamstown High School Choir. Image 78.2.jpg - On B side of record: 'Melodies of Schubert' The Williamstown High School Choir.williamstown high school, choir, realistic recording studios

An agricultural tool used by loggers, or farmers, the log splitting wedge has been used for thousands of years and was originally made from stone. They were either driven straight into the wood or into a previously made incision with the blade parallel to the grain. Using a sledgehammer or other tool hammered onto the flat end, the wedge is forced deeper into the log until the force splits the timber.Used by the donor in clearing timber at Olinda and Shady Creek, Victoria. Forms part of a timber clearing tool collection including cross cut saws and Trewhella jack.wood cutting/splitting wedge. Steel. commercially made. Has relief groove.TROJAN [stamped on side]timber cutting;, timber splitting, olinda, shady creek, churchill island heritage farm, wilfred dungan collection

An agricultural tool used by loggers, or farmers, the log splitting wedge has been used for thousands of years and was originally made from stone. They were either driven straight into the wood or into a previously made incision with the blade parallel to the grain. Using a sledgehammer or other tool hammered onto the flat end, the wedge is forced deeper into the log until the force splits the timber.wood splitting wedge; commercially made; steel; surface rust; with relief groovetimber splitting, churchill island heritage farm, olinda, shady creek

An agricultural tool used by loggers, or farmers, the log splitting wedge has been used for thousands of years and was originally made from stone. They were either driven straight into the wood or into a previously made incision with the blade parallel to the grain. Using a sledgehammer or other tool hammered onto the flat end, the wedge is forced deeper into the log until the force splits the timber.wood splitting wedge; commercially made; steel; relief groove; surface rusttimber splitting, churchill island heritage farm, olinda, shady creek, wilfred dungan collection

A photo of Operation Firewood which provided help to widows by supplying and stacking firewood for the winter. Photo shows a truck being loaded with wood in May 1987. From a black and white photo (00765) taken that day the men standing on the truck are Legatee Ken Markey from Cobram/Yarrawonga and Legatee Jack Gunn from Melbourne. From the 1987 Annual Report this photo is captioned "Cobram/Yarrawonga Legatees organised and loaded 450 tonnes of firewood which was transported to Melbourne in trucks donated by ten generous firms and delivered to 154 needy widows under the supervision of local Melbourne Legatees." Legacy provided this service for many years, with the help of Linfox who provided the trucks. In the June 1995 edition of The Answer Melbourne Legacy thanked the Cobram/Yarrawonga Group for their help in supplying and cutting the wood. In 1996 it was announced the scheme had ended.A record of Legacy helping widows by supplying and stacking firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour photo of Legatees Ken Markey and Jack Gunn with a truck of wood for Operation Firewood.Handwritten on back: "Operation Firewood / Cobram, May 1987"operation firewood, widows

This small bowl was won by Alex Todd for marksmanship at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Bazaar in Bacchus Marsh in 1935. It was described in the Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper as a piece of Local Objet d'Art. The Express noted that it was 'made and donated to the Ladies' Guild by Mr. Walter Simon, of Bacchus Marsh. A local osage orange tree furnished the wood for the bowl, which was one of many articles that Mr. Simon's lathe has shaped from time to time, the grain of the osage timber being especially suitable for such work', Express, 25 May, 1935, p.2. A small polished wood bowl with unattached wooden lid. woodworking

Training exercise codename "Hamel Wood" was conducted at Puckapunyal to teach infantry and armoured soldiers techniques for cooperative action.Infantry on board an M113 APC of VMR Squadron 4/19 Prince of Wales Light Horse during Exercise " Hamel Wood ", Puckapunyal 24 August - 8 Sept. 1991.military -, vmr, apc, puckapunyal, exercise

This is possibly a wedding photograph related to an Orbost family.A black / white photograph, on a grey buff card, showing a large group of people, probably a wedding party, outside a brick church in Bega, New South Wales.on front at bottom - "Wood - Bega"photograph-church-bega

Around the 60s and 70s the most popular catamaran sailing on Port Phillip was the Cunningham designed Quickcat. Popular marine ply catamarans mostly owner built and used extensively in Port PhillipQuick Cat 16 foot, timber catamaran with trailer, beach buggy and construction blueprint Y Wood Ya, RGYCquick cat, catamaran, marine ply cats

A digital copy of an early black and white photograph of the Marysville-Wood's Point Road at the corner with Murchison Street in Marysville in Victoria.A digital copy of an early black and white photograph of the Marysville-Wood's Point Road at the corner with Murchison Street in Marysville in Victoria. This postcard was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.marysville, victoria, postcard, valentine publishing co, souvenir, murchison street, marysville-wood's point road

Colour slide of a legatees in overalls in the bush to collect firewood having a break near a table of food. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Other slides show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of a group of men beside a semi trailer loaded with wood in Eildon during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Handwritten 'Lunch picnic, Howqua / Mansfield group' and '20' in blue pen. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.operation firewood, legatees

An early black and white photograph of the view from Nichol's Lookout which is on the Marysville-Wood's Point Road near Marysville, Victoria.An early black and white photograph of the view from Nichol's Lookout which is on the Marysville-Wood's Point Road near Marysville, Victoria. The photograph was also used to produce the Rose Series postcard P. 2324.marysville, victoria, photograph, nichol's lookout, marysville-wood's point road, p. 2324, rose series postcard, souvenir, rose stereograph company, wood's point, mining, yarra track

The collection of thirteen model horse drawn vehicles were carefully handmade by Mr Chas W Davis 1925 - 2002. He was a talented artist and saw doctor. This model of a horse drawn Small Wheel Lorry replicates the vehicle that enjoyed respect from the public during the 1880's and early 1900's. A model of a Small Wheel Lorry with a long four spoked wheeled wooden flay tray drawn by a brown horse. The wooden shafts are to control the horse whilst working. It has a grey wooden ice box with a metal lid with ICE painted in black letters inside a black lined outline on the side. On the side of they lorry or dray is painted WOOD - COAL - COKE - C. MEE LA1271 in black paint. These are long strong carts or drays without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads. They were the truck of the horse drawn era, from the large wool bale lorry to the suburban ice and wood lorry. It has been said they had their origins in the German farm wagon.ICE is painted in black capital letters on the side of the ice box. On the side of the lorry is painted - WOOD - COAL - COKE - C. MEE LA1271replicas, models, scale models, vehicles, horse drawn vehicles, toy horses, drays, carts

Colour slide of a legatees standing near a loaded semi trailer in Eildon. The blue cabin had a yellow 'Operation Firewood' sign on the door. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Other slides show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of a group of men beside a semi trailer loaded with wood in Eildon during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Handwritten 'Smoke Oh / Eildon' and '19' in blue pen and '21' in pencil. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.operation firewood, semi trailers, wood

Colour slide of a legatees standing near a loaded semi trailer in Euroa. The blue cabin had a yellow 'Operation Firewood' sign on the door. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Other slides show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of a group of men beside a semi trailer loaded with wood in Euroa during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Handwritten 'Euroa' and '21' in blue pen. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.operation firewood, semi trailers, wood

This is a wood stereoviewer with folding handle The viewer has two lenses at a set distance in the wooden hood which is lined in green velvet. The pictures can be moved vertically on the slide holder in order to focus them. These devices became popular in the middle of the 19th century. This is probably a Holmes type stereoscope, named after its inventor, Oliver Wendell Holmes (1860). Velvet lined view mask with engravwed patterns. Frame is silky oak wood with a handle underneath.stereoscope audio-visual appliances