Two page spread from The Leader, December 10, 1947: Foresters in the making at the School of Forestry, Creswick, VictoriaForesters in the making at the School of Forestry, Creswick, Victoria

Beginning in 1877 as a breakaway from the Ancient Order of Foresters the Irish National Foresters were established in Australia before 1890. By 1914 the INF had spread worldwide and with a quarter of a million members in over 1,000 branches. The Ballarat branch whose presidential chair the image is of was Branch No 20.Irish National Foresters Branch No 20 in gilt shadowed signwriting on pediment.

First floor view from corner of Main & Patrick Streets looking East down Patrick Street. Weatherboard Foresters Hotel in Main Street on left corner. Foresters Hotel was built in 1868 by Mr. Joseph Cawley, Mr. and Mrs. Cawley were the occupants for 30 years. The site was previously occupied by a Billiards Room. In 1917 the building became Foresters Coffee Palace with new owner Mr. J.C. Crothers who purchased the building for 410 pounds and leased it to Mr. Robert Wennerbom. The next lease holder was Miss Fulton and in 1921 Mrs. R. Claringbold took over and called the building Foresters House. The building was sold in 1935 and demolished shortly after sale. Businesses visible down Patrick street, Foresters Hotel, J.H. Wallis Royal Exchange Hotel on Big Hillside of Street. With St Patrick's church tower visible in distance. Melbourne Cash Store Wines and Spirits on corner of Patrick and Sloane Street near centre of photo. Ferns Hotel / Times office on right of photo, corner of Patrick and Main Street. Post Box on Corner at right of photo. 1878First floor view from Main Street Patrick Street intersection looking down Patrick Street. Foresters Hotel on left. Fern Boarding House on right.Victorian Views. C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878stawell businesses streetscape

Foresters’ Hotel J. Cawley corner 186 Main Street and Patrick Street from P.C. News Supplement 1888stawell businesses

Red silk sash with coat of arms. Joined at both ends to form loop, ending in a tassel (gold).

Displayed at History House.Red silk sash with coat of arms. Joined at both ends to form loop, ending in a tassel (gold).

Displayed at History House.Red silk sash with coat of arms. Joined at both ends to form loop, ending in a tassel (gold).

Pair of black timber lockable doors which are hinged and open. Inside doors black frame with red stripe. Lettering gold on green background, 'PCR' above LH door. Outside - main cabinet area 61cm wide , 76cm long and 12cm deep. Top & bottom pieces approximately 70cm wide & 16cm deep at base. Extra fancy piece at top is broken & unattached. Inside - dispensation certificate from the High Court with one eye depicted. LH side names : Scopes T 2, Nicoll jnr, Wiseman Hy 3, Mc Geeghan Ed 8, Salmon Wm H, Shont Wm, Donaghue Mel, Breustedt Hy 3, Nichels Chs 4, Hulme Wm, Tidyman Jn 2, Egan Geo 12, Mc Laren FS 8, Waddell JND, Birtles Pr, Wiseman WH, O'Neill Jas, Pope Wm, Cook ChS, Lorrimer JSL 4. RH Side : Yeatman Jas, Tresise WJ, Yeatman S.M.L, Lorimer Wm 5, Batters Wm 2, Malsem Alex 2, Downs Sml N2, Dodds Geo, Currie D, Nl C, Currie Jnd. Certificate - framed, authority from Plymouth, Devon, bros Nicoll, Little, Foster of Stanley, 28th August 1865. b/w emblem with 2 men each side of shield including deer, horn, hound and background of forest.

Bundled correspondence and documents

A colour photograph of Forester's Cottage at 44 Lyell Street in Marysville in Victoria.A colour photograph of Forester's Cottage at 44 Lyell Street in Marysville in Victoria. This building, along with most of the buildings in Marysville, was destroyed in the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. Lyell Street was named after Charles Lyell. Charles Lyell was a Scottish geologist who demonstrated the power of known natural causes in explaining the earth's history.charles lyell, lyell street, marysville, victoria, 2009 black saturday bushfires, photograph

This item came from the estate of Dorothy and Agnes Ardlie of Warrnambool. It is a type of autograph book where the signatures are used to form inkblots, thus creating patterns which in this case are called the ‘ghosts’ of those signing. The making and interpreting of ink blots became popular in the late 19th century and this autograph book created by Cecil Henland is a quirky example of this craze. The autograph book belonged to Agnes Ardlie and was apparently given to her on her 13th birthday (1928). Dorothy Ardlie (1910-1993) and Agnes Ardlie (1915-1993) were the daughters of Arthur and Ethel Ardlie of Warrnambool, the granddaughters of the prominent Warrnambool lawyer, William Ardlie and his wife Mary and the great granddaughters of John and Mary Ardlie, pioneer settlers in Warrnambool. This book is of great interest as a good example of an early 20th century style of autograph book using the signatures to form ink blots. It also has local provenance as the signatures/blots are mostly those of an Ardlie family and other early to mid 20th century Warrnambool personalities.This is a book of 50 pages. The cover is dark red with the inkblot or ‘ghost of a celebrated general’ in black and white in the middle of the front cover. This inkblot is reprinted on the second page. The front cover and spine have gold printing. The book originally had 48 blank pages with a fold down the middle and printed space at the top and bottom for a date and a name. This book has 19 blank pages and the others are filled with ink blots formed by writing a signature along the fold and then folding over the sheet without blotting to get patterns called in this book, ‘ghosts’. The book has a signature and an inscription handwritten in black ink, a page of instructions, and a poem called ‘Ghosts’. To Agnes with love from Mickie Sept 5th 1928 Agnes Marianne Ardlie ardlie family, history of warrnambool

This sash is approx 110 years old and was presented to Simon Whitford Campbell on completing accreditation to enter the Ancient Order of Foresters Organisation. Donated by decendants of his family.The Ancient Order of Foresters sash is only one of a handful left in existance from the local Walhalla order and is at least 110 years old who was born and lived in WalhallaLime green taffeta sash with red tassles hand stiched on. Top half of sash has PCR embroildered on it in Gold. Brown Elk head in a gold crown with 2 arrows with blue tips and a brown horn. Underneath is the Coat of ArmsTop end of sash letters "P.C.R"/under the Coat of arms"UNITY, BENEVOLENT & CONCORD" below this is "ANCIENT ORDER of FORESTERS" all embroideredcoat of arms, ancient order of foresters, green sash