Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070. Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale rib bone with advanced stage of calcification as indicated by brittleness. None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whalebone

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Whalebone The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The bone of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as whalebone. Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale bone Vertebrae with advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone during the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries was an important industry providing an important commodity. Whales from these times provided everything from lighting & machine oils to using the animal's bones for use in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and many other everyday items then in use.Whale jaw bone one side, long & curved with advanced stage of calcification off white to grey.None.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips, whaleling industry, maritime fishing, whalebone

Wellers of Kangaroo Ground Vertical File Contents: 1. Article: History of Wellers Restaurant by Sandra Cahir, revised 2017. 7 pages 2. Article: Weller’s Hotel of Kangaroo Ground (final draft) by Jim Allan, 1 June 2017, including feedback email from Sandra Cahir (7 May 2017). 3. Printout of online image - Kangaroo Ground landholders from 1841, Kangaroo Ground Presbyterian Church. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://kgpc.pcvic.org.au/images/history_images/Kangaroo-Ground-landholders.jpg 4. Folder of printouts of historical newspaper articles referencing the hotel 1866-1911 https://trove.nla.gov.au/list/163201 5. Printouts (various versions) from Victorian Heritage Database (National Trust and Nillumbik Shire) https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/ 6. Collection of research notes, copies of records from various publications including EDHS Chronology of Events and Kangaroo Ground: The Highland Taken by Mick Woiwod, pp90, 180-181 (EDHS_01618). 7. Report: Request for ministerial amendment to use the property as a restaurant, includes existing conditions and plan for development, 1 November 1984 8. Papers donated by Diana and Peter Bassett-Smith including: a. Photocopy of Weller’s Hotel, Licensee M. Weller b. Letter: Shire of Eltham to Office of the Secretary for Planning and Environment, 23 Feb 1984 - Information regarding inclusion of Wellers Hotel into the Historic Buildings Register c. Letter: Historic Buildings Council letter to Peter Bassett-Smith seeking historical information on Wellers Hotel, 10 Jan 1985 d. Memo: Peter Bassett-Smith to Robert N. Hendrey on history of Wellers Hotel, 28 Jan 1985 - Includes extract of information about Mary Weller, Dept. of Crown Lands and Survey Map NILLUMBIK showing properties of John Weller and E. Weller and a Diamond Valley News article from 10 April 1973, p11, "Eltham on old coach route" 9. Information about the Weller family including family trees from various sources a. Edward Weller, Pioneer Families in Victoria, http://mepnab.netau.net/w/w09.html, 1 Jan 2017 (link broken) b. The WELLER family tree. (2017, January 1), 2 pages. Retrieved from https://www.weller.org.uk/cgi-bin/FamilyTree/ShowFamily.pl? and 27 pages Retrieved from https://www.weller.org.uk/cgi-bin/FamilyTree/ShowFamily.pl?ListAllPeople=A c. Edward WELLER on the WELLER family tree. (2017, January 1), 1 page. Retrieved from https://www.weller.org.uk/cgi-bin/FamilyTree/ShowFamily.pl?PersonID=516 d. Photograph (print copy), believed to be Edward Weller, 1836-1883 e. Photograph (print copy), Gravestone of Weller family at Kangaroo Cemetery f. Wellers of Kangaroo Ground, 1 page, possibly from History, http://www.wellers.com.au (broken) c.2016 g. Edward and Mary Weller miscellaneous biographical research notes (by Jim Allen?) including from Ancestry.com, and extracts from Chappel file (EDHS_04448) with relevant names highlighted h. Information about the Vernon Pitman family from Ancestry.com 10. Newspaper articles: a. Cobb & Co called here by Marguerite Marshall; Diamond Valley News, May 4, 1982, p2 b. Rich is history, 30 August 1983 (very similar to previous article) c. Weller’s Pub - restaurant, craft store or art gallery? Diamond Valley News, October 22, 1985, p3 d. Despite years of neglect a magical charm lies waiting, Diamond Valley News, October 29, 1985 e. Old pub fate still in doubt, Diamond Valley News, (?) 29 October 1985 f. Renovated Weller’s Pub to begin its new stage of life, DVN 26 January 1988 g. Wellers Restaurant, Lynne Hillier, Network, October 1988, p14 h. Revolution at Wellers, Nillumbik Mail, December 20, 2000 i. Wellers brings on good times, Valley Weekly, June 22, 2005 j. Dine in with ideal outlook, Valley News, 10 August 2005 k. Advertisement: Wellers of Kangaroo Ground, Enjoy lunch, afternoon tea and dinner at Wellers from Tuesday to Sunday, Valley Weekly, Wednesday, August 31, 2005 l. Advertisement: Wellers of Kangaroo Ground, Appearing live; Normie Rowe Fri 24 Feb, Diamond Valley Leader February 22, 2006, p11 m. Advertisement: Wellers of Kangaroo Ground, Lunch Special, Diamond Valley Leader March 27, 2010 n. Braithwaite abounds to Kangaroo Ground, Gig Guide, The Age, Friday, October 8, 2010, p14 o. History up for grabs, Diamond Valley Leader, March 28, 2012 p. Advertisement: Wellers Restaurant, Freehold only for sale, Morrison Kleeman, Diamond Valley Leader, March 28, 2012 q. Restaurant’s crash course, Megan Bailey, Diamond Valley Leader, January 1, 2014, p3. Also accessible online - Staff praised after car crashes through Kangaroo Ground eatery. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/staff-praised-after-car-crashes-through-kangaroo-ground-eatery/news-story/021c896a1ab6d76bd6b73f2e57dc1854 r. Eatery set for revival, Brittany Shanahan, Diamond Valley Leader 15 February 2017; Also, online as Much-loved Wellers of Kangaroo Ground to be relaunched as Italian restaurant Fondata 1872. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/muchloved-wellers-in-kangaroo-ground-to-be-relaunched-as-italian-restaurant-fondata-1872/news-story/665777fb347584ef483867ae2b536a8f s. Fondata 1872 proves a big hit with food, Diamond Valley Leader 3 May 2017, p3 11. Wellers of Kangaroo Restaurant Bar Entertainment Functions, tri-fold brochure promotional brochure 12. Website Printout: Wellers Restaurant, Live Guide, (2017, January 5). Retrieved from http://www.liveguide.com.au/Restaurants_Bars/VIC/Kangaroo_Ground/Food_Styles/3... 13. Website Printout: Wellers of Kangaroo Ground, Only Melbourne (2017, January 30). Retrieved from http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/wellers-of-kangaroo-ground 14. Printouts from Fondata 1872 website and Facebook page including colour photograph of sign in front and business card (2017).   Related EDHS Collection items • Wellers Hotel of Kangaroo Ground by Jim Allen, Part 1, Newsletter No. 235, Eltham District Historical Society, August 2017. Retrieved from https://elthamhistory.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/edhs-nl-235-aug-2017.pdf • Wellers Hotel of Kangaroo Ground by Jim Allen, Part 2, Newsletter No. 236, Eltham District Historical Society, October 2017. Retrieved from https://elthamhistory.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/edhs-nl-236-oct-2017.pdf • EDHS_03997 - Slide, Wellers Hotel, Pitmans Corner, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.1975 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5e59e36221ea671798ac40eb • EDHS_03998 - Slide, Wellers Hotel, Pitmans Corner, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.1975 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5e59e39e21ea671798ac9c27 • EDHS_03999 - Slide, Wellers Hotel, Pitmans Corner, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.1975 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5e59e3c721ea671798acd2ef • EDHS_04000 - Slide, Wellers Hotel, Pitmans Corner, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.1975 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5e59e3e021ea671798acfd68 • EDHS_04066-18 - Photograph, Wellers Restaurant, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.Mar. 1989 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/610f4dafa346aadcee7ac79c • EDHS_04041-26 - Photograph, Wellers Restaurant, 150 Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, c.May 1988 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/610e2f4a7d65e7c945a35e69 • EDHS_04437 – Newsclipping, Renovated Weller's Pub to begin its new stage of life by Linley Hartley, Diamond Valley News, 26 January 1988 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5de4913921ea6710a46a85c7 • EDHS_04438 - Newsclipping, Wellers Restaurant by Lynne Hillier, Network, October 1988, p14 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5de4916f21ea6710a46aea0f • ArtStreams magazine (from Volume 9, 2004) ‘partnered' with Wellers in promoting and supporting the arts and culture. Various advertisements throughout, particular with live performance acts. Numerous references throughout to art and music performances on site. • Stephen Cummings and Joe Camilleri at Wellers Kangaroo Ground, ArtStreams, Vol. 9, No. 4, Sep/Oct 2004, p17 EDHS_04406 - Journal, ArtStreams: Whittlesea, Banyule, Darebin, Manningham, Nillumbik, Yarra; Vol. 9, No. 4, Sep-Oct 2004 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5bcc086021ea6804a82a92a9 • Daryl Braithwaite rocks up at Wellers, Fiona Sievers, ArtStreams, Vol.10 No.2, 2005, pp6-7 EDHS_04409 - Journal, ArtStreams: Vol. 10, No. 2, 2005 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60f5416ab06f0c13a9419541 • Ephemeral Sculpture by Peter Dougherty, ArtStreams, Vol.10 No.3, 2005, pp7-9. About sculptures created in or on the grounds of culinary establishments throughout the Shire. - Denise Keele-Bedford constructed ‘Ou Well’ at Wellers Restaurant and Vicky Shukuroglou, also at Wellers set up cotton banners printed and painted with natural dyes from onion skins, spinach, radish beetroot, turmeric and charcoal. EDHS_04410 - Journal, ArtStreams: Vol. 10, No. 3, 2005 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60f5436db06f0c13a941ae19 • Music at Wellers Restaurant, ArtStreams, Vol.10 No.4, 2005, p23 EDHS_04411 - Journal, ArtStreams: Vol. 10, No. 4, 2005 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60f543e4b06f0c13a941b059 • Weller’s Pub, Diamond Valley sketchbook / text by Brian McKinlay ; drawings by Graham Hawley, 1973, pp42-43 EDHS_00856 - https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/590852edd0ce7b14e8177da3 • Gold Field Coaches Stopped Here, Nillumbik now and then / Marguerite Marshall; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall, 2008, pp86-87 EDHS_00977 - https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5935f315d0cdd42c80f9cc52 External Links: • Historic Kangaroo Ground venue comes up for rare sale. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/historic-kangaroo-ground-venue-comes-up-for-rare-sale-20120325-1vshw.html • Wellers, Kangaroo Ground property sold with leaseback. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/37735-wellers-kangaroo-ground-property-sold-with-leaseback • Wellers, Kangaroo Ground | With Mark Seymour, at one of his …. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertmilesdesign/4564390893/ • 2016 Notice of proposed deregistration - WELLERS OF KANGAROO GROUND PTY LTD 124 435 409. (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://publishednotices.asic.gov.au/browsesearch-notices/notice-details/WELLERS-OF-KANGAROO-GROUND-PTY-LTD-124435409/35d43b89-159a-4435-963f-daec688a61ca • Search results for: Websites (archived). (2022, June 29). Retrieved from https://trove.nla.gov.au/search/category/websites?keyword=%22wellers%20restaurant%22 29 June 2022 edward weller, wellers of kangaroo ground, wellers hotel, wellers restaurant, mary weller, pittmans corner, fondata 1812 at wellers, historic buildings register, hotels, john weller, kangaroo ground, pitman's corner, bassett-smith collection

Photograph related to no.P000041, P000045 - P000048 of P. S. Adelaide re-floating. Copyright held by Riverine Herald newspaper. Original and negatives held by Riverine Herald.. Photograph taken from the river looking west towards the Echuca bank. Spectators line the higher banks and to the water line in the foreground. The back of the Adelaide and funnel is in clear view with the wheelhouse being partially obscured. The re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide was a Significant community social event evident by the number of spectators in the photograph. The community had invested a great deal of time and money into re-floating the paddlesteamer. The newspaper covered the event in detail with a number of action shots as the boat made its rear entry from the soil ramp to the water.Black and white photograph of the P. S. Adelaide on a ramp being prepared for re-floating. Spectators line the higher banks. Photograph possibly taken from the river looking west towards the Echuca bank.p. s. adelaide, echuca,victoria, re-floating of the p. s. adelaide. riverine herald newspapers,

Colour photograph of P. S. Adelaide being encouraged down the soil ramp at Paddlewheel Park, onto the Murray river at Echuca. An outboard float is on the left with some spectators on it. Spectators line both sides of the ramp. Some kind of winching float is on the right. Part of photo sequence no. P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048.The re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide was a significant community social event evident by the number of spectators in the photograph. The community had invested a great deal of time and money into re-floating the paddlesteamer. The newspaper covered the event in detail with a number of action shots as the boat made its rear entry onto the Murray river.Colour photograph of P. S. Adelaide being encouraged down a soil ramp onto the river. An outboard float is on its left. Spectators line both sides of the ramp. Some kind of winching float is on the right.p. s. adelaide, echuca, re-floating p. s. adelaide

This coloured photograph shows the re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide on a soil ramp, being encouraged (rear entry) down the temporary slipway onto the river. The temporary slipway is clearly visible with a workman (possibly Kevin Hutchinson) standing at thelast log as the boat nears the waters' edge. A winching float and an outboard motor boat are at the right. Spectators line the banks of the ramp. Part of a photo sequence no.P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of P. S. Adelaide re-floating.The re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide was a Significant community social event evident by the number of spectators in the photograph. The community had invested a great deal of time and money into re-floating the paddlesteamer. The newspaper covered the event in detail with a number of action shots as the boat made its rear entry from the temporary slipway onto the river. Part of a photo sequence no.P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of P. S. Adelaide re-floating.Colour photograph of the P. S. Adelaide on a soil ramp, being encouraged (rear entry) onto the river. A winching float and an outboard motor boat are at the right front. Spectators line the banks of the ramp. Temporary slipway constructed of logs is clearly visible before the boat enters the water.

Colour photograph of the P. S. Adelaide in the river, with the port side of the boat clearly visible. The bank behind and the roof of the boat shed at Paddlewheel park are lined with spectators. Final part of the photo sequence of the event no.:P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of the P. S. Adelaide re-floating.The re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide was a Significant community social event evident by the number of spectators in the photograph. The community had invested a great deal of time and money into re-floating the paddlesteamer. The newspaper covered the event in detail with a number of action shots as the boat made its rear entry from the temporary slipway onto the river. Part of a photo sequence no.P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of P. S. Adelaide re-floating.Colour photograph of P. S. Adelaide on the Murray river at Echuca after her re-floating. The port side of the Adelaide is clearly visible. The banks of the river are lined with spectators. The pontoon boat shed at Paddlewheel Park is visible on the right, also has spectators on the roof platform.p. s. adelaide, re-floating p. s. adelaide, echuca

Colour photograph of the P. S. Adelaide in the river, with half of the aft side and the back of the boat clearly visible. The bank behind is lined with spectators. Five men are on the back of the boat and to the right another person is visible on a platform that has a rope which appears to be attached to the front of the P. S. Adelaide. Part of the photo sequence of the event no.:P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of the P. S. Adelaide re-floating.The re-floating of the P. S. Adelaide was a Significant community social event evident by the number of spectators in the photograph. The community had invested a great deal of time and money into re-floating the paddlesteamer. The newspaper covered the event in detail with a number of action shots as the boat made its rear entry from the temporary slipway onto the river. Part of a photo sequence no.P000041; P000045; P000046; P000047; P000048 of P. S. Adelaide re-floating.Colour photograph of the back half of starboard and the rear of the P. S. Adelaide, possibly being towed, after its re-floating., with a line of spectators along the higher banks of the Murray river.p. s. adelaide, echuca,victoria, re-floating of the p. s. adelaide. riverine herald newspapers,

This helmet worn by SEC Victoria workers in the Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme is a mandatory safety requirement by all personnel employed by government and statutory agencies who worked on or around "dangerous" apparatus or underground location sites. This type of pressed fibre helmet was later superseded by moulded plastic helmets. The start of the project (late 1940's) was not greatly covered by later introduced health and safety regulations. This has been demonstrated by photos of workmen outside using heavy machinery and other apparatus, see KVHS 0396, KVHS 0405 and KVHS 0392. However in the tunnels and underground safety helmets were mandatory, see KVHS 0403.This safety helmet was used by workers during construction of the generators and tunnels of the Kiewa Hydro Scheme was issued once only to each worker during his employment covering the 1940's to 1960's period. The attitude to health and safety during this period, can be summed up by this "initiation" ritual. When the helmet had been instrumental in saving a bad accident to a worker, that worker would be "invested" into the "Turtle Club". Although a safety helmet was only issued once to a worker this changed when modern moulded plastic helmets and greater Health and Safety requirements were introduced. Helmets now are replaced bi-annually.This safety helmet is made from pressed fibres with eyelets for airflow to the head. On the base of the helmet (before the rim) are 15 metal eyelets and three quarters up are six other eyelets (3 on each side). A thick leather strap is fastened by two rivettes to the main helmet. This strap has a metal bar rivetted on to affix a "safety" lamp, for underground work (Tunneling). There are two additional metal prongs and a metal bar to secure the lamp on the rim of the front of the helmet.sec vic kiewa hydro scheme, alternate energy supplies, alpine population growth

This ceramic mug is titled "Bill Bogong's Mug" in honour of one of Australia's Scouting (Rovers) notable office holders, Mr.W.F."Bill" Waters. He was born on 22nd August 1897 in Taralgon, Victoria, Australia and died 8th October 1968 in Fitzroy, Victoria. He was instrumental in the Rovers building two chalets in the Victorian Alps. The Victorian Award of the National Rover Service Award(1980) has been named after Bill Waters. Bill Waters was also the leader of the first team that climbed Mount Bogong in winter in 1929. Also was part of rescue team of what is now know as the Cleve Cole tragedy on Mt Bogong in the mid 1930's. There is also a water fall named after him Waters Falls on the Bogong High Plains. W.F."Bill" Waters aka "Bill Bogong" (Bogong mountain, were his ashes were scattered), was not only a prominent bush walker (Melbourne Walking Club) of the high country (Victorian Alps) but was instrumental in establishing two Chalets. One of these Chalets was the first one to be built on the Bogong High Plains. This item, "Bill Bogong's Mug" is what the Flinders Petrie(famous English Egyptologist/Archaelogist) Rover Crew(formed in 1940) presented newly invested members of the exclusive(200 membership) Alpine Rover Crew. The Melbourne Walking Club has a long history with the Victorian High Plains area, of which the Kiewa Valley is an integral part of the Victorian Alpine Region. Due to the connections Bill Waters has with the Bogong High Plains and Mt Bogong this cup has a lot of significance to the social history of the area.. Round glazed stoneware mug, white in colour, with a heritage green coloured band covering the top rim and handle. Written inscription on the front "Bill Bogong's Mug" in large print and beneath it, in smaller print, "with compliments from Flinders Petrie Rover Crew" The other side of the mug is a free hand landscaped drawing of green bush and blue hills with a tree supporting a tent and a camp fire (with smoke rising from it).To the left of the inscription is the Scout (Rover) emblem coloured black with an unraveled and unwritten signage scroll fowler ceramics, local alpine history, alpine rovers, scouts, mugs, mt bogong, bogong high plains

This photograph is part of the Caulfield Historical Album 1972. This album was created in approximately 1972 as part of a project by the Caulfield Historical Society to assist in identifying buildings worthy of preservation. The album is related to a Survey the Caulfield Historical Society developed in collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Caulfield City Council to identify historic buildings within the City of Caulfield that warranted the protection of a National Trust Classification. Principal photographer thought to be Trevor Hart, member of Caulfield Historical Society. Most photographs were taken between 1966-1972 with a small number of photographs being older and from unknown sources. All photographs are black and white except where stated, with 386 photographs over 198 pages.From Victorian Heritage Database citation for Glernfern H0136 https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/57 (as at 23/10/2020) Glenfern was built on spacious grounds at the corner of Inkerman and Hotham Streets, East St Kilda in two main stages in 1857 and 1876. From 1876 to 1984 Glenfern had only two owners, including the well known Melbourne family of artists, the Boyds. The property was bequeathed to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) in 1984 and has remained in their ownership. The original Glenfern allotment was bought by John Bakewell in 1856 and sold the following year to Francis McDonnell, a prominent Melbourne investor. By 1858, the house, rated as the most valuable in Caulfield, had been built on the site. Due to financial difficulties, McDonnell offered a number of properties for sale in 1860, including Glenfern. It was not sold at this stage, but subsequently mortgaged in 1862. In 1866 Thomas Watson purchased the property and lived there until 1876 when it was sold to Captain John T. T. Boyd and his wife, Lucy, founders of the Boyd dynasty of artists, musicians, writers and architects. The Boyd family, including twelve children, lived there until 1907, with Lucy Boyd retaining ownership after her husband's death in 1891. In 1907 the property was subdivided and the greatly reduced Glenfern portion was purchased by the Ostberg family, who lived there from 1915. In the latter years of Boyd family ownership and the Ostberg ownership, Glenfern had several tenants and was run as a school on two occasions. The Ostberg family occupancy continued until the death of Miss Amy Ostberg in 1984. From 1929 the property was listed as Glenfern Flats, necessitating various internal alterations over a period of time. The original two storey house, attributed to architect Charles Laing, was extended for the Boyd family in 1876, by architect M. Hennessy. This comprised the addition of a two storey wing to the south of the existing building. Stables were built in 1884 by the architects Smith and Johnson and other outbuildings, since removed, were recorded on the site. The gardens were developed from the establishment of the estate and remnants of early plantings, exotic trees in particular, are evident. Various additions and alterations were made to the house in the twentieth century and a separate block of flats was built on the southern boundary in c1964. Glenfern is a two storey picturesque Gothic house of stuccoed brick with steep, gabled slate roofs, elaborate bargeboards and chimneys of conjoined stacks set diagonally. The original, asymmetrically planned L-shaped house, containing the principal rooms and a rear wing, was designed with two main facades facing north and west. The north facade contains an unusual recessed pointed arch bay formed between twin chimney flues. Internally cedar joinery includes an unusual set of double doors between the drawing room and parlour, the centre pair of which fold back and then slide into the walls. Detailing of the 1876 additions copied that of the original house, including the bargeboards, chimneys and western verandah. Ownership of Glenfern passed to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) in 1984 and in 2002 transformation of the property into a Centre for the Arts and Culture commenced. This began with the establishment of an Artist-in-residence programme, followed by the Glenfern Writers Centre. Restoration and renovation of the building has been undertaken concurrently with the establishment of this centre. How is it significant? Glenfern, East St Kilda is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria. Why is it significant? Glenfern is of architectural significance as an unusually intact and rare example of the picturesque domestic Gothic Revival house in Victoria. Of particular note are the clustered chimneys, bargeboards and twin arched chimney flues and the folding/sliding cedar doors between the principal rooms. It is significant as an important work of the prominent Melbourne architect, Charles Laing. Glenfern is of historical significance for its connection with the distinguished Victorian Boyd family. It has been recorded in a painting by Emma Boyd, wife of Arthur, in 1885 and in print by writer, Martin Boyd in 1952. Glenfern is of historical significance due to its ownership by only two families from 1876; firstly the Boyds until 1907 and the Ostbergs until 1984. Of note is the resistance to redevelopment in the latter half of the twentieth century and the subsequent survival of the 1907 Glenfern estate.Page 98 of Photograph Album with two photographs (one square and one landscape) of views of Glenfern.Handwritten: "Glenfern" 417 Inkerman Street [top right] / 98 [bottom right]trevor hart, east st kilda, garden, pitched roof, glenfern, hotham street, boyd family, 1850's, 1860's, 1870's, john bakewell, francis mcdonnell, thomas watson, lucy boyd, glenfern flats, charles laing, m. hennessy, smith and johnson, stables, gothic, stuccoed brick, gabled slate roofs, elaborate bargeboards, asymmetrical, cedar joinery, verandah, national trust of australia, centre for the arts and culture, artist-in-residence, glenfern writers centre, gothic revival, clustered chimneys, emma boyd, inkerman street, north caulfield, captain john boyd, artists, writers, st kilda east, national trust of australia (victoria), caulfield, amy ostberg, architects, m hennessy, doors, chimneys, martin boyd, arthur boyd, ostberg family

This photograph is part of the Caulfield Historical Album 1972. This album was created in approximately 1972 as part of a project by the Caulfield Historical Society to assist in identifying buildings worthy of preservation. The album is related to a Survey the Caulfield Historical Society developed in collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Caulfield City Council to identify historic buildings within the City of Caulfield that warranted the protection of a National Trust Classification. Principal photographer thought to be Trevor Hart, member of Caulfield Historical Society. Most photographs were taken between 1966-1972 with a small number of photographs being older and from unknown sources. All photographs are black and white except where stated, with 386 photographs over 198 pages. HISTORY:-- From Victorian Heritage Database citation for Labassa https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/278 as at (26/10/2020) Labassa, Caulfield is one of Melbourne's most lavishly decorated nineteenth century mansions. It resulted from the extensive remodelling in 1890, of an earlier house, known as Sylliott Hill, which was begun in 1862-3 for lawyer, Richard A. Billing. The land at the corner of Balaclava and Orrong Roads was first acquired in 1854 by William Lyall, transferred to his partner, John Mickle, in 1859, who also acquired the adjoining allotment in Balaclava Road, and the three allotments were conveyed to Billing. His first eight-roomed house was extended significantly in 1873 into a twenty-roomed house by architects Crouch and Wilson, who were possibly also responsible for the first house. This reflected Billing's success as a barrister, and he resided at this property until his death in 1882. In 1883 prominent Melbourne businessman, Alexander William Robertson, leased the Sylliott Hill property from Billing's widow, and in 1885 he purchased the adjoining allotment in Balaclava Road. He purchased the Billing's property in 1887 and renamed the 6.31 hectare property, Ontario. In 1889-90, Robertson commissioned the German born architect, John A. B. Koch, to extensively remodel the house into a thirty-five roomed mansion. The existing house was extended and altered, largely resulting in the nineteenth century mansion as it now appears. After Robertson's death in 1896, the house was tenanted until it was eventually sold to the mining millionaire, John Boyd Watson, in 1904. He renamed the property Labassa and carried out repair and re-decoration work to the house. In the early twentieth century, many large estates were subdivided into smaller allotments as the demand for land grew and it became difficult to maintain such large estates. After Watson's death in 1911, portions of the Labassa estate were offered for sale, with Mrs Watson retaining a 1.73 hectare portion containing the house. In 1913 forty-six allotments were auctioned at Labassa Estate, with the formation of Labassa Grove and Ontario Street to the east of the property. Labassa was first recorded as containing flats in 1923 and in the late 1920s, the owner, Robert Hannon, built a red brick block of flats adjacent to the house. Subdivision continued, until the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) purchased the house in 1980 and subsequently purchased adjoining sites, one to the south-east in 1984 (house demolished in 1988) and to the west in 1988. Labassa as it now stands is substantially as it appeared when Koch completed the work in 1890. The original two storey house was transformed into a French Renaissance style mansion, with the addition of a two level L-shaped arcaded verandah and two prominent terminating bays to the south and the east. The building is of unpainted cement render with dressed bluestone plinths, balustraded parapet and steep, slate covered, flat topped mansard roofs behind. A truncated conical roof is a feature of the south bay and a helmeted head is incorporated in the parapet over the east bay. The main south and east facades incorporate many cast cement details, including sculptures, elaborate cornices, swagged Corinthian columns and caryatid consoles flanking the entrance porch, as well as pink marble panels and imitation marble, or scagliola, on curved surfaces. At the rear of the building is a two storey wing and a single storey cottage, the former being connected to the main house by a tower. This section of the house was constructed in 1873. The estate at its peak included stables (1873), conservatory (probably 1890) and a tennis pavilion (probably 1890). All of these outbuildings survive, with the stables and conservatory being converted for residential use after 1922. Internally a range of decorative treatments remain from the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, both from the Robertson and Watson periods of occupancy. These include wallpapers, ceiling decoration, chimney pieces, mouldings, joinery and decorative glass. From Victorian Heritage Database citation for H0135 Labassa 2/2A Manor Grove Caulfield North https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/278 as at (26/10/2020) HOW IS IT SIGNIFICANT? Labassa, Caulfield is of architectural, aesthetic and historical significance to the State of Victoria. WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT? Labassa, Caulfield is of architectural significance as the most prominent example of a small number of houses built in Australia in the French Renaissance style. It is of further note due to the German interpretation of the style and the use of Hellenistic sources, via Germany. It is exceptional for its lavish treatment externally, including marble, scagliola, caryatids, swagged columns, mansard roofs and ornamental cresting. Labassa is of architectural significance as the most important surviving example of German architect, John Koch's domestic work. He undertook a large variety of work in Melbourne, including a number of houses, however Labassa is the most lavish example of his work. Labassa is of aesthetic significance for its outstanding assemblage of late nineteenth and early twentieth century European style interior decoration, which remain remarkably intact. These include a trompe l'oeil ceiling, painted ceilings, embossed imitation leather and other papers, chimney pieces, ceramic tilework, oak parquetry and stained glass, including a tripartite window by Ferguson and Urie, probably dating from the 1873 period. Labassa is of historical significance as an illustrative example of the wealth acquired by a number of prominent Victorian families in the second half of the 19th century. The early development of the property, Sylliott Hill, was due to the wealth acquired by Richard Billing, barrister and fifth Victorian to be appointed Queen's Counsel in 1878. The significant development in 1890 of Ontario, is illustrative of the wealth of Alexander Robertson, a partner in Cobb and Co., a director of Goldsborough Mort & Co., and a pastoral speculator. John B. Watson, whose father had acquired great wealth from the goldfields of Bendigo and subsequently invested in city and country properties, was the third resident to impact on the house, particularly the interiors. The Labassa estate is of historical significance as an illustrative example of the development that occurred in such suburbs as Caulfield in the 1880s due to the land boom, its proximity to Melbourne and the establishment of the Melbourne to Gippsland railway in 1879. It is also illustrative of an estate which succumbed to the pressures of subdividing in the early twentieth century, as properties became difficult to maintain and demand for land close to the city grew. It was typically divided into flats in the 1920s and was used as such for about sixty years. It is of historical significance for its associations with the remnants of the earlier estate which remain extant. These include the stables, conservatory (H2005) and tennis pavilion which all remain on separate sites. Also significant are the remains of early electrical wiring and fittings. Labassa was one of the first houses in Caulfield to be electrified and some of the original wires remain. [Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]Page 128 of Photograph Album with four photographs (two portrait and two landscape) of Labassa.Handwritten: "Labassa" 4 Manor Grove [top right] / Neg 232 8 Oct 1966 [under bottom right photo] / 128 [bottom right]trevor hart, bracketed eaves, slate roof, bay windows, decorative brackets, caulfield north, labassa, richard a. billing, balaclava road, orrong road, sylliott hill, william lyall, crouch and wilson, alexander william robertson, ontario, 1880's, john a. b. koch, mansion, john boyd watson, labassa grove, french renaissance style, l-shaped arcaded verandah, bluestone plinths, balustraded parapet, flat topped mansard roofs, conical roof, elaborate cornices, corinthian columns, caryatid consoles, marble panels, imitation marble, scagliola, tower, conservatory, stables, tennis pavilion, mouldings, decorative glass, caryatids, swagged columns, ornamental cresting, trompe l'oeil ceiling, embossed imitation leather, oak parquetry, stained glass, tripartite window, triple window, ferguson and urie, 1870's, flats, 1920's, electric wiring, 1860's, verandahs, curved windows, arched windows, italianate, terraces, gargoyles, ornamentation, ornate entrance, la bassa, manor grove, st kilda east, victorian, cast iron work, john koch, richard billing, architects, electrification, john mickle, land subdivision, mrs watson, labassa estate, robert hannon, national trust of australia (victoria), sculpture

This photograph is part of the Caulfield Historical Album 1972. This album was created in approximately 1972 as part of a project by the Caulfield Historical Society to assist in identifying buildings worthy of preservation. The album is related to a Survey the Caulfield Historical Society developed in collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Caulfield City Council to identify historic buildings within the City of Caulfield that warranted the protection of a National Trust Classification. Principal photographer thought to be Trevor Hart, member of Caulfield Historical Society. Most photographs were taken between 1966-1972 with a small number of photographs being older and from unknown sources. All photographs are black and white except where stated, with 386 photographs over 198 pages. HISTORY:-- From Victorian Heritage Database citation for Labassa https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/278 as at (26/10/2020) Labassa, Caulfield is one of Melbourne's most lavishly decorated nineteenth century mansions. It resulted from the extensive remodelling in 1890, of an earlier house, known as Sylliott Hill, which was begun in 1862-3 for lawyer, Richard A. Billing. The land at the corner of Balaclava and Orrong Roads was first acquired in 1854 by William Lyall, transferred to his partner, John Mickle, in 1859, who also acquired the adjoining allotment in Balaclava Road, and the three allotments were conveyed to Billing. His first eight-roomed house was extended significantly in 1873 into a twenty-roomed house by architects Crouch and Wilson, who were possibly also responsible for the first house. This reflected Billing's success as a barrister, and he resided at this property until his death in 1882. In 1883 prominent Melbourne businessman, Alexander William Robertson, leased the Sylliott Hill property from Billing's widow, and in 1885 he purchased the adjoining allotment in Balaclava Road. He purchased the Billing's property in 1887 and renamed the 6.31 hectare property, Ontario. In 1889-90, Robertson commissioned the German born architect, John A. B. Koch, to extensively remodel the house into a thirty-five roomed mansion. The existing house was extended and altered, largely resulting in the nineteenth century mansion as it now appears. After Robertson's death in 1896, the house was tenanted until it was eventually sold to the mining millionaire, John Boyd Watson, in 1904. He renamed the property Labassa and carried out repair and re-decoration work to the house. In the early twentieth century, many large estates were subdivided into smaller allotments as the demand for land grew and it became difficult to maintain such large estates. After Watson's death in 1911, portions of the Labassa estate were offered for sale, with Mrs Watson retaining a 1.73 hectare portion containing the house. In 1913 forty-six allotments were auctioned at Labassa Estate, with the formation of Labassa Grove and Ontario Street to the east of the property. Labassa was first recorded as containing flats in 1923 and in the late 1920s, the owner, Robert Hannon, built a red brick block of flats adjacent to the house. Subdivision continued, until the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) purchased the house in 1980 and subsequently purchased adjoining sites, one to the south-east in 1984 (house demolished in 1988) and to the west in 1988. Labassa as it now stands is substantially as it appeared when Koch completed the work in 1890. The original two storey house was transformed into a French Renaissance style mansion, with the addition of a two level L-shaped arcaded verandah and two prominent terminating bays to the south and the east. The building is of unpainted cement render with dressed bluestone plinths, balustraded parapet and steep, slate covered, flat topped mansard roofs behind. A truncated conical roof is a feature of the south bay and a helmeted head is incorporated in the parapet over the east bay. The main south and east facades incorporate many cast cement details, including sculptures, elaborate cornices, swagged Corinthian columns and caryatid consoles flanking the entrance porch, as well as pink marble panels and imitation marble, or scagliola, on curved surfaces. At the rear of the building is a two storey wing and a single storey cottage, the former being connected to the main house by a tower. This section of the house was constructed in 1873. The estate at its peak included stables (1873), conservatory (probably 1890) and a tennis pavilion (probably 1890). All of these outbuildings survive, with the stables and conservatory being converted for residential use after 1922. Internally a range of decorative treatments remain from the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, both from the Robertson and Watson periods of occupancy. These include wallpapers, ceiling decoration, chimney pieces, mouldings, joinery and decorative glass.From Victorian Heritage Database citation for H0135 Labassa 2/2A Manor Grove Caulfield North https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/278 as at (26/10/2020) HOW IS IT SIGNIFICANT? Labassa, Caulfield is of architectural, aesthetic and historical significance to the State of Victoria. WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT? Labassa, Caulfield is of architectural significance as the most prominent example of a small number of houses built in Australia in the French Renaissance style. It is of further note due to the German interpretation of the style and the use of Hellenistic sources, via Germany. It is exceptional for its lavish treatment externally, including marble, scagliola, caryatids, swagged columns, mansard roofs and ornamental cresting. Labassa is of architectural significance as the most important surviving example of German architect, John Koch's domestic work. He undertook a large variety of work in Melbourne, including a number of houses, however Labassa is the most lavish example of his work. Labassa is of aesthetic significance for its outstanding assemblage of late nineteenth and early twentieth century European style interior decoration, which remain remarkably intact. These include a trompe l'oeil ceiling, painted ceilings, embossed imitation leather and other papers, chimney pieces, ceramic tilework, oak parquetry and stained glass, including a tripartite window by Ferguson and Urie, probably dating from the 1873 period. Labassa is of historical significance as an illustrative example of the wealth acquired by a number of prominent Victorian families in the second half of the 19th century. The early development of the property, Sylliott Hill, was due to the wealth acquired by Richard Billing, barrister and fifth Victorian to be appointed Queen's Counsel in 1878. The significant development in 1890 of Ontario, is illustrative of the wealth of Alexander Robertson, a partner in Cobb and Co., a director of Goldsborough Mort & Co., and a pastoral speculator. John B. Watson, whose father had acquired great wealth from the goldfields of Bendigo and subsequently invested in city and country properties, was the third resident to impact on the house, particularly the interiors. The Labassa estate is of historical significance as an illustrative example of the development that occurred in such suburbs as Caulfield in the 1880s due to the land boom, its proximity to Melbourne and the establishment of the Melbourne to Gippsland railway in 1879. It is also illustrative of an estate which succumbed to the pressures of subdividing in the early twentieth century, as properties became difficult to maintain and demand for land close to the city grew. It was typically divided into flats in the 1920s and was used as such for about sixty years. It is of historical significance for its associations with the remnants of the earlier estate which remain extant. These include the stables, conservatory (H2005) and tennis pavilion which all remain on separate sites. Also significant are the remains of early electrical wiring and fittings. Labassa was one of the first houses in Caulfield to be electrified and some of the original wires remain. [Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]Page 129 of Photograph Album with three landscape photographs of Labassa. One of the photographs is of Labassa's drive and gates.Handwritten: 4 JUNE 1910 / SALE JUNE 28 1910 "LA BASSA' / "AUSTRALASIAN" FORMERLY "ONTARIO"/ RES OF JOHN B WATSON / 15 ACRES 3 ROADS [under bottom left photo] / 4 JUNE 1910 [under bottom right photo] / 129 [bottom left]trevor hart, bracketed eaves, intricate lacework, slate roof, bay windows, decorative brackets, caulfield north, labassa, richard a. billing, balaclava road, orrong road, sylliott hill, william lyall, crouch and wilson, alexander william robertson, ontario, 1880's, john a. b. koch, mansion, john boyd watson, labassa grove, french renaissance style, l-shaped arcaded verandah, bluestone plinths, balustraded parapet, flat topped mansard roofs, conical roof, elaborate cornices, corinthian columns, caryatid consoles, marble panels, imitation marble, scagliola, tower, conservatory, stables, tennis pavilion, mouldings, decorative glass, caryatids, swagged columns, ornamental cresting, trompe l'oeil ceiling, embossed imitation leather, oak parquetry, stained glass, tripartite window, triple window, ferguson and urie, 1870's, flats, 1920's, electric wiring, 1860's, verandahs, curved windows, arched windows, italianate, terraces, gargoyles, ornamentation, ornate entrance, la bassa, manor grove, st kilda east, gates, cast iron work, richard billing, architects, john koch, electrification, victorian style, drives, john mickle, land subdivision, mrs watson, labassa estate, robert hannon, national trust of australia (victoria), sculpture

This photograph is part of the Caulfield Historical Album 1972. This album was created in approximately 1972 as part of a project by the Caulfield Historical Society to assist in identifying buildings worthy of preservation. The album is related to a Survey the Caulfield Historical Society developed in collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Caulfield City Council to identify historic buildings within the City of Caulfield that warranted the protection of a National Trust Classification. Principal photographer thought to be Trevor Hart, member of Caulfield Historical Society. Most photographs were taken between 1966-1972 with a small number of photographs being older and from unknown sources. All photographs are black and white except where stated, with 386 photographs over 198 pages. The mansion has been the site of Shelford Church of England Girls’ Grammar School - now Shelford Girls’ Grammar School - since circa 1922.From Victorian Heritage Database citation for HO115: "Helenslea" 3 Hood Crescent, Caulfield North https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/35212 as at 21/10/2020 ''Helenslea'' was built for Sir George Stephen, MLA, barrister and mining investor by 1863. It was built with an address to Glen Eira Road with the driveway gates close by the present Helenslea Road corner. The present address is no. 3 Hood Crescent, Caulfield North. It is historically, aesthetically and socially significant. It is historically significant (Criterion A) as the home of Sir George Stephen, MLA for Collingwood, barrister and mining investor and for its capacity to demonstrate Caulfield's early attraction as a residential retreat for Melbourne's eminent citizens. It is aesthetically significant (Criterion E) as a villa residence characteristic of the mid Victorian period, predating the use of cast iron and comparing in this respect with Charles Webb's "Farleigh" (1865) at 6 Farleigh Grove, Brighton. Its substantial nature causes it to be the earliest surviving mansion house in the Municipality. The porch, external austerity and opulent entrance hall and staircase are important contributory elements whilst the survival of the exterior surfaces predominantly in an unpainted state enhances its level of integrity. It is socially significant (Criterion G) for its association with Shelford C.E.G.G.S. since 1922. Page 86 of Photograph Album with three photographs (two portrait and one landscape ) of different views of Helenslea. One is a photo of a photograph.Handwritten: "Helenslea" now C.E.G.G.S Hood Cres [top right] / third photo is of a photograph titled "Shelford" / 86 [bottom right]trevor hart, hood crescent, helenslea, c.e.g.g.s., school, 1860's, sir george stephen, unpainted, mansion, shelford, villa residence, mid victorian, glen eira road, helenslea road, ceggs, porches, stairs, caulfield north, entrances, shelford church of england girls' grammar school, shelford girl's grammar, ivy -covered walls, caulfield

Details of life (and invention) of Anthony George Maldon Mitchell (talk to Bendigo BHS by Derek Ravenscroft). Mitchell was born in London but given the name of Maldon because of the family's association with that town. ( Mitchell invented important compact bearing for steam/warships).person, individual, anthony george maldon mitchell, mitchell invested important compact bearings for steam/warships.

Initial rules for the running of Holmbush and for the intended residents, with the aim of providing a 'private family residence of the best type' for Junior Legatees admitted by the Management Committee, including a list of clothing each resident was expected to bring.Details of how the Melbourne Legacy residence was to be run reveal how much work and time the Legatees invested in looking after Junior Legatees and how seriously they took this responsibility in 1943.Quarto carbon copy of typed rules, black on faded white'Approved J.L.C. 1943' handwritten in blue ink.residences, holmbush administration, holmbush initial negotiations, rules

Menus used on P&O liners SS Himalaya and SS Arcadia 1955-56. After the Great war of 1914-18, Australia experienced what up until then had been its biggest surge in immigration from Europe. Australia was seen as the great land of opportunity and became one of the top places to migrate to, particularly from Britain. The increase in migration to Australia led Britain’s leading shipping line to the Far East, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O;), to invest in a fleet of new ships of around 20,000 tonnes each to handle the business coming their way.29 Cruise Ship Menus from P&O cruises 1955-56Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Companycruise liners, migrants, menus, p&o

The original postcards in this series (2013.002 to 2013.018) were generously loaned to Williamstown Botanic Gardens by a private collector for copying. The fountain is located on the southern side of the ornamental lake and was erected to celebrate the jubilee of the municipality (17 March 1906). Controversy surrounded the commission for the design and construction of the fountain, as it was originally assigned to a contractor in Carlton. Williamstown residents insisted the fountain be designed and constructed locally, and on December 1906 the fountain was tendered by local firm Bliss and Sons and opened for public use in 1906. The fountain features a symmetrical plan, consisting of fur granite columns supporting a granite canopy and is fully operational following restoration work in 2013. The idea for the fountain came from an elderly resident of Williamstown who suggested the council follow the example of Ballarat’s gardens with its many statues and monuments. The postcards are evidence of the interest the gardens held as a subject for postcard publishers. The text and images provide a snapshot into fashions, social interests and concerns of the time. The professionally produced images provide a pictorial history of Gardens including changing planting styles, various structures and features of the Gardens eg the aviary, cannons, the fountain, the second Curator’s Lodge and gates. The images offer an opportunity to compare garden vistas with the present day. The significance of the fountain is its reflection of how Williamstown people felt for their Gardens and the importance placed on investing in locally operated business. It was noted in the Brief Jottings column of the Williamstown Chronicle, February 24 1906, the fountain is a “We favor the erection of the jubilee fountain in the Giffard-street (Williamstown Botanic) Gardens. Ornaments of that kind there will make that beauty spot even more attractive.” Sepia scene of a fountain situated on paths bordered with rocks. The fountain in on a plinth and the postcard shows the plaque and two of the four drinking stations. The fountain features a symmetrical plan, consisting of four granite columns supporting a granite canopy. Front: VALENTINE’S, M.355 THE FOUNTAIN, WILLIAMSTOWN GARDENS MELBOURNE, VICTORIA. REAL PHOTO. Reverse: vertical on left side of card and underlined: ‘Published by the Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd. / Queen St, Melb’. Top centre of card: Contains logo of ‘VALENTINES / REAL PHOTO SERIES’. The postcard is addressed to ‘Dear Agnes’ from ‘Una’. Marked in pencil on to right hand corner ‘1920 / $8’ believed to be put on the postcard by the vendor. postcard, gardens, post-card, williamstown-botanic-gardens, hobsons-bay-city-council, jubilee-fountain, fountain drinking-fountain, 1920, granite, bliss-and-sons, 1906

The original postcards in this series (2013.002 to 2013.018) were generously loaned to Williamstown Botanic Gardens by a private collector for copying. The fountain is located on the southern side of the ornamental lake and was erected to celebrate the jubilee of the municipality (17 March 1906). Controversy surrounded the commission for the design and construction of the fountain, as it was originally assigned to a contractor in Carlton. Williamstown residents insisted the fountain be designed and constructed locally, and on December 1906 the fountain was tendered by local firm Bliss and Sons and opened for public use in 1906. The fountain features a symmetrical plan, consisting of fur granite columns supporting a granite canopy and is fully operational following restoration work in 2013. The idea for the fountain came from an elderly resident of Williamstown who suggested the council follow the example of Ballarat’s gardens with its many statues and monuments. The postcards are evidence of the interest the gardens held as a subject for postcard publishers. The text and images provide a snapshot into fashions, social interests and concerns of the time. The professionally produced images provide a pictorial history of Gardens including changing planting styles, various structures and features of the Gardens eg the aviary, cannons, the fountain, the second Curator’s Lodge and gates. The images offer an opportunity to compare garden vistas with the present day. The significance of the fountain is its reflection of how Williamstown people felt for their Gardens and the importance placed on investing in locally operated business. It was noted in the Brief Jottings column of the Williamstown Chronicle, February 24 1906, the fountain is a “We favor the erection of the jubilee fountain in the Giffard-street (Williamstown Botanic) Gardens. Ornaments of that kind there will make that beauty spot even more attractive.” Sepia scene of a fountain situated on paths bordered with rocks. The fountain in on a plinth with a plaque. The fountain features a symmetrical plan, consisting of four granite columns supporting a granite canopy. High stumps of trees are just behind the fountain with larger trees in the background to the right and left of the image.Postcard, Gardens, Post-Card, Williamstown-Botanic-Gardens, Hobsons-Bay-City-Council, Jubilee-fountain, fountain drinking-fountain, granite, Bliss-and-Sons, Madeleypostcard, gardens, post-card, williamstown-botanic-gardens, hobsons-bay-city-council, jubilee-fountain, fountain drinking-fountain, granite, bliss-and-sons, madeley