Robert Harper and Co. Ltd. was an Australian company involved with sugar refining and starch and oatmeal production. Silver Star Starch was a well-known product and starch was used extensively in most households, mainly for shirt collars, aprons, nurses’ uniforms, household linen, tablecloths, doyleys etc. This item is of some interest, both for display and as a good example of housekeeping methods of the past (up to about the 1970s). However, the starching of clothing does continue today, mainly for special purposes – theatre costumes, clerical and ceremonial garb etc. The item can be specifically used by the Warrnambool and District Historical Society in any display connected to the 1896-7 Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition as this exhibition had, as one of its competitions, the Silver Star Starch Ironing Competition (see pages 96-7, book, ‘The Great Warrnambool Exhibition’, by E. O’Callaghan, Collett, Bain and Gaspars, 2002)A box that contained 12 ounces of Silver Star starch for domestic use, mainly for ironing clothes. The box, a product of Robert Harper and Company Limited, Victoria, Australia, has several advertising captions – ‘Won’t Stick to the Iron’, ‘The Best in the World’. ‘Requires no Boiling’, and has directions for use. The front of the box has an illustration of two women from Victorian times using the product,warrnambool, silver star starch, robert harper & co ltd

Starch is used to stiffen cloth when ironed, eliminating creases and giving a smooth finish . Now seldom usedTwo cardboard packets containing "Silver Star Starch" Box 1 Blue, light blue printed on white. Box 2: Multicoloured on whiteBox 1: Net weight 12 ounces when packed. Box 2: 300g Net. The very best since 1890starch, laundry starch

Starch is used during the laundry process to give fabric a feeling of stiffness. It is used often for linen, shirts and blouses. This box still has the remnants of starch inside it.Starch was used by many households in the late 19th and the 20th century to give linen and uniformsa firm feeling.Box: cardboard rectangular box, blue and white with star graphic. Contents inside. "The Silver Star Starch" Robert Harper and Co Ltd . "The Silver Star Starch" "Robert Harper &O Co."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, starch, silver star starch, blue star, robert harper and co ltd ., laundry, laundering, washing, bed linen, table linen, decorative linen

Packet 'Silver Star' starch with illustration of ironing lady in ironing room with ''Gentlewoman'.'Silver Star Starch' won't stick to iron|The Best in the Worlddomestic items, laundering

fictioncover advertising silver star starch and harper's star oatmeal.

1890.1 - Black and white copy photograph of a damaged photograph of a ESCo Bendigo tramcar at Charing Cross, Bendigo, c1905. Original photograph has been damaged - mounted onto a sheet of card, with "WHO. Robinson - Photo - Bendigo" printed onto the sheet. Tram photographed side on, has not been fitted with windscreens. has a "Silver Star Starch" roof advertisement and has "Bendigo Tramways" painted onto the side of the tramcar. In the background of the photograph are buildings in Gardens area that front View St. Also the Shamrock hotel can be seen in the distance. 1890.1 - copy of same photograph but with a better reproduction and repair of the print. 1890.3 - Electronic copy of same photograph donated by Ron Hann on a CD of photographs given to him at the time of his visit in January 1963 by the Manager. Refer to email held with item 3841. Added 28/2/2010. No actual print, held on digital file only - see image 1890i3. See Reg Item 4568 for the CD. 1890.4 - Black and White print contained within the Wal Jack Bendigo and Geelong Album, see Reg Item 5003 for more details. Added 2/7/2013. On rear of 1890.2 - "Bendigo" in ink in top right hand corner and in pencil "(Similar truck to original Ballarat car No. 18"trams, tramways, bendigo, esco, view st, silver star starch

Household Items - Silver Star Starchstawell

320 p. : Bound in calico which is printed with product advertisementsjames grant, fiction, t. craig [bookbinder], short stories

467 p. Bound in calico which is printed with product advertisements. fictionfiction, john galt, t. craig [bookbinder]

Used by Margaret Graham's grandmotherRed covered book 'The Australian Enquiry Book''. Refer to the 2/6 By Mrs Lance Rawson printed published by J. W. Knapton & Co. Ltd Collins Street Melbourne. 'The best in World Silver Star Starch' 'One Pound Makes 250 cups Empire Cocoa' Back cover of book very hard to read. Book contains recipes, household hints, farming tips etc, also many ads included.As abovebooks, reference

These domestic kitchen bags were donated to the National Wool Museum by Lila Gore. Lila donated Children’s Clothing (RGE 8324) to the museum in 2022 and at her time of donating, inquired as to whether the museum would also be interested in these bags she had been collecting. Lila said there was no reason as to why she was saving the bags, other than she liked the art works and thought they were too good to end up in landfill. She had thought perhaps she would make something out of the bags, or perhaps give the bags to a friend to make something. When Lila was donating the Children’s Clothing to the museum, she thought that the National Wool Museum would be the perfect home for the bags. Domestic kitchen bags such as these date from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. They were used at home, usually by women, containing household items which would not spoil, such as flour, sugar, animal feed, seeds, and other commodities. In modern times a trip to the supermarket is a daily chore, in the past however, these trips happened far less often, with big sacks such as these a large reason why. In the rural US and Canada, Feed sack dresses and Flour sack dresses, were an iconic part of rural life from the 1920s through the Great Depression, World War II, and post-World War II years. Australia also reused these sacks, typically for making wagga style blankets, but re-use for clothing was not unusual.Calico oat bag with graphic blue and yellow image and text on front. Image shows head and shoulders of person resting on forearms surrounded by flora. Back of bag shows blue and white image of a cube with text and star graphics.Front: HARPER'S \ STAR \ AVENA \ BRAND \ ROLLED OATS \ ??INCORPOR?? ??STORIA?? \ ????? \ AUSTRALIA Back: THE \ SILVER STAR \ RICE \ STARCH \ ROBERT HARPERS AND CO LIMITED \ AUSTRALIA \ THE \ BEST \ IN \ THE \ WORLD \ WONT \ STICK \ TO THE \ IRON \wagga, flour, oats, bag, calico, lila, gore, depression, war, kitchen

v ; 392 p. : bound in calico which is printed with product advertisements. Title page missing. Information for catalogue record from Wikipedia and online catalogues.fictionshort stories, fiction, wilkie collins, t. craig [bookbinder]

Textiles. Calico bag - ''Harpers Flaked Oatmeal'' Star brand, Trademark Registered ''My Brekfus'' 7 lbs Net. Robert Harper and Company Limited Australia. Head and shoulders drawing of a blonde haired girl surrounded by wheat.On the other side of the bag is a blue and white picture of a box of ''Silver Star Starch''. Robert Harper and Co Ltd. Slogan written on box, '' The best in the world. Won't sick to the Iron''. Robert Harper and Company (1842-1919), businessman and politician, was born in Scotland. He migrated to Melbourne with his family in August 1856. He worked for J.F.McKenzie & Co., roasting and grinding millers. In 1865 he established Robert Harper & Co., trading in tea, coffee and spices from the East Indies and later in oatmeal and flour.textiles, domestic, robert harper and co calico bag

Photo album - with a photograph and typed details of a selection of the various trams in the fleet. Based on the date of the tram car mileages as at 31-3-1958, compiled during 1958. Not known who compiled it, but could have been the Tramway Superintendent Mr Denmead from SEC or other parties photos. All photos are common to the collection except for the one of tram 36 in Wendouree Parade at depot junction. Has sheets for: ESCo 2 - Power station - item 698 ESCo 2 - Sturt St advertising Jago boots - item 1710 ESC0 18 - Sturt St - Suttons advert - item 2490 ESCo 21 - Sebastopol type at depot - item 3002 ESCo 23 - Sebastopol type at depot - item 5142 SEC 17 - at depot junction - item 1714 SEC 19 - at depot - item 4525 SEC 21 - at depot - item 4526 SEC 22 - at depot - item 1360i7 SEC 23 - Gold tram at depot - item 1707i1 SEC 26 - at depot - item 4529 SEC 29 - at depot - item 541i1 SEC 30 - at depot - item 1706 SEC 36 - at depot junction - similar to item 4527, added as 9119 SEC 40 - at depot - 1355i1 Bendigo - silver star starch - item 1890. Demonstrates the history of the SEC Ballarat fleet through a selection of photographs.Album - 22 paper leaves, bound with grey end papers and grey plascticised cover with leather finish. Album produced by New Star. Photos secured with photo corners, typed sheets glued onto the leaf.photo album, secv, tramcars, car fleet, tram 2, tram 18, esco, tram 21, tram 22, tram 23, tram 26, tram 29, tram 30, tram 36, tram 40

This brand of starch was first manufactured before 1966 and covered the period when Australian made was the preferred clothing due to limited imports from England. This was a period when the demand for "home grown" produce was at its peak. This was in a time when by necessity and ease of supply and not by the "Buy Australian" campaign (of later years), was the major factor for the demand of these type of laundry goods. It was in a time when starch was used in formal clothing to put a "crisp" or fresh new appearance for clothes. This product was in the era and importantly the social more of "clothes make the person" in which starched shirts and dresses was the fashion vogue. Formality of dress was a strictly British "class" up-man-ship which from the 1950's onwards became less and less visible. The Australian "Ocker" or fair "dink'm" bloke became more entrenched after World War II. The national identity was slowly developing.This box of starch is very relevant to the Kiewa Valley because this box highlights the differences ,in this period, between city and rural social standards. Rural areas were deeply entrenched into colonial and the pioneer family structure viz- a-vie social and dress fashion standards. British values and norms lingered on well beyond the changes happening in city fashion. Tradition and English "ties" were the backbone of early colonies and it was only after World War II that these "ties" were becoming irrelevant. Early traditions lingered well past the independence sought by Federation, colony to statehood and trade with other nations eg. USA and Asia. The idea that a change in "status" would automatically change the social mores of Australians, especially in rural ares, was not fully grasped by the "law makers" and those wanting change.This box (capacity 12 ozs) has white(aged into cream) and blue printing and a "white star" on five sides, the sixth side has a laundry scene with two ladies, in early 1900's fashion. The package is made from 200 gsm thick cardboard. As manufacture was made before and during the two World Wars 1914 to 1945 the promotion was heavily focused on Australian made and Australian grown maize. One side of the box has instructions of use and all the other sides are promotional, detailing "the best in the world and won't stick to the iron""SILVER STAR", "THE BEST IN THE WORLD", "WON'T STICK TO THE IRON", "REQUIRES NO BOILING", INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE", "ROBERT HARPER AND COMPANY LIMITED", "INCORPORATED IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA", "NET WEIGHT 12 OUNCES", "LARGE BOX 12 OZS"domestic laundry essentials, cotton clothing preparations, household starch "crisp and neat appearances.