James Roe Lodge was part of the Manchester Unity group.It was unveiled in September 1921.This is a carved decorative white marble honour roll. The title and names (Surname with initials) are carved into the marble. The head piece is a curved top. It has a carved hand with a red heart in the palm. The wrist of the hand is attached to a sphere. Either side of the hand are some branches. On the outside of the branches are the letters "M" on the left and "U" on the right. The whole display is then mounted on a brown concrete background 25mm thick.“James Roe Lodge - Our Soldier Brethren - 1914 - 1919”ww1, names, honour board, lodge, roe

Contains detailed diagrams of the Lancaster Bomber. Item re Frederick Gardner DAVEY DFC No 410533 RAAF. Refer Reg No 3536P for his service details.Maroon, soft card, cover. Pages bound & glued to cover. Title on front in light blue type, pages not numbered. 11 foldout black / white diagrams attached after the final printed page.Handwritten in black ink on left of front cover: PHILLIPS On title page details of the holder in black ink: K.T. COOPER 132023. HUT AY, No 2 (T) WING, R.A.F. ST ATHAN, GLAMORGAN, S WALES. 78. 4.6.643 Opposite List of Contents page handwritten directives for use under the heading AMENDMENTS. lancaster, flight enginners, manuals,

In 1918 the Ballarat Junior Technical School Cadets were the champions of the Maryborough, St Arnaud, Mildura, Colac and Ballarat Districts. According to Neil Leckie, Manager of the Ballarat Ranger Military Museum: * Originally 12 – 14 year olds went to Junior Cadets attached to their school. * From age 14 – 17 they were Senior Cadets attached to the local militia unit. * After 1 July of the year a Cadet turned 18, the Cadet left the Senior Cadets and became a member of the Citizen Military Force. * In October 1918 the AIF, Militia and Cadets were renamed to give some connection to the AIF battalion raised in the area. Ballarat saw: 8th Australian Infantry Regiment comprising: * 8th Battalion AIF renamed 1st Battalion 8th Australian Infantry Regiment * 70th Infantry Militia renamed 2nd Battalion 8th Australian Infantry Regiment * 70th Infantry Cadets renamed 3rd B, 8th Australian Infantry. 39th Australian Infantry Regiment comprising: * 39th Battalion AIF renamed 1st Battalion 39th Australian Regiment * 71st Infantry Militia renamed 2nd Bn, 39th Australian Infantry Regiment * 71st Infantry Cadets renamed 3rd Bn, 39th Australian Infantry Regiment Prior to the reorganisation in 1918 the 18th Brigade was the 70th, 71st and 73rd Infantry. It is thought that the 18th Brigade Cadet units in 1920 were those that came from the old: * 69th Infantry (Geelong/Queenscliff) * 70th Infantry (Ballarat/Colac) * 71st Infantry (Ballarat West) * 72nd Infantry Warrnambool) * 73rd Infantry (NW Vic) The next name change came in 1921! The Ballarat Star, Saturday 22 June 1918, Page 4 Junior Technical School Cadet Team. The Ballarat Junior Technical School Cadet Team, which was very successful in the competitions recently held at Colac, hopes to be able to compete in similar events at Maryborough. Mildura, and St. Arnaud, but unfortunately they have no funds available for the purpose. An appeal is to be made to the citizens of Ballarat to assist them in defraying the cost of their participation in the competitions at the places mentioned. The Ballarat Star, Saturday 6 July 1918, Page 3 MARYBOROUGH MILITARY SPORTS SUCCESS OF BALLARAT CADETS Maryborough, Friday, The following were the principal results of the events held here on the occasion of the handing over of' the 1900 quota of cadets to the Citizens' Forces, the ceremony in connection with which' was supplemented by arranging a programme of military events. Rifle Exercises, - Ballarat Technical School (85 pts:). l; St: Arnaud (75 pts.). 2; Maryborough High School (68 pts.). 3. Maryborough (66 pts), also competed. Despatch Race. 400 yards— Maryborough (No. 1); 1; Ballarat Technical School, 2. Squad Drill with Arms — Ballarat Technical. School (85. pts): 1; St. Arnaud (72 pts.) 2; Maryborough High School (70- pts), 3. Maryborough No. 1 (68 pts.) 3. Night Alarm: — Ballarat Technical School (3 min. 35. sees), 1; Maryborough High School (4 min. 4 secs), 2; Maryborough No. I (3- min 50 secs), 3. St. Arnaud (4 min. 10 secs). Placing Indian Club. — Maryborough No. 1,1; Ballarat Technical School, 2 Physical Training. Ballarat Technical School (85 pts), 1 ; Maryborough High School, (76 pts). 2; St. Arnaud (70. pts), .3. Tunnel Ball: Maryborough No. 2, 1'; Ballarat Technical School, 2; St. Arnaud; 3. Chase Ball in Two Lines.— Ballarat Technical School. 1; Maryborough; 2. Obstacle Race.. — Sergeant C. F. W. Krahnert (Ballarat), 1; T. Brown (High School) 2; Aggregate Points — Following are the aggregate points scored by the four leading teams :— Ballarat Technical School; 21; Maryborough. 9; Maryborough High School, 6; St. Arnaud 6. The Ballarat Star, Monday 28 October 1918, Page 4. Junior Technical School Cadet Team. —The Junior Technical School's cadet team, which won the championship at the South street competitions this year, was tendered a dinner by the staff in appreciation of the honor they had brought to the school. The function was held at Miss Brazenor's tea rooms, and a most dainty repast was served, the tables being arranged in the artistic fashion which is characteristic of these ladies. Mr W. H. Middleton (president of the School of Mines), Mr H. Smith (principal of the Art School), Lieut. P. Miller (instructor of the High School team), and Sgt. S. Fry were also present. Mr A. W. Steane (head master of The Junior Technical School) presided. After the toast of the King, Mr Middleton proposed, and Mr H. Smith supported, the health of the team and their instructor, Lieut. H. Wakeling, who suitably responded. The toast of the High School team was proposed by Mr. R. Cutler.; and Lieut D. Miller responded. The cup won at the recent competitions was then handed over to Mr - Steane; in accepting the trophy, said he was pleased to see swell a clean, sportsmanlike spirit between the rival teams. He hoped it would continue. He was proud to accept the cup from the team for the school. The Ballarat Star, Monday 12 April 1920 SENIOR CADET COMPETITION. 18th BRIGADE CHAMPIONSHIP. WON BY HIGH SCHOOL. On Saturday afternoon the championship of the 18th Brigade was decided as a preliminary to the State Championship, which will be held on the M.C.C. ground, Melbourne, on Anzac Day. Results, after a keen contest : Ballarat High School .... 1, Junior Technical School .. 2 As a result of this competition, High School will represent the 18th Brigade which embraces Ballarat, Geelong, Colac and the Western District, in the State event. Black and white photograph of 23 men in military uniform. Most wear a slouch hat, with the number 71 on the hat band. Two trophies are positioned in the front. Four men in the front row hold rifles. Back: R. Hirt; Percy Trompf; J. Nicholls; Robert Serjeant; J. Jones; A. Hannah; A. Duncan; L. Lindsay. Centre: H. Ashley; H. Beanland; J. Finlayson; F. Larkin; G. Chambers; A. McCallum; T. Shattock; E. Rowsell. Front: Sergeant A. Roe; John Dulfer, Major Tucker; Lieutenant Harold Wakeling; Sergeant-Major Reeves; Sergeant K. Krahnert; W. Middleton. .1) Mount and frame are wood grain. Top right hand corner of frame is chipped. .5) Framed black and white print of 1918 Ballarat Junior Technical School senior cadet team. 23 men in uniform. The St Arnaud event was for boys born in 1900 (the Quota). They would turn 18 in 1918..2) Reverse of photograph - "Ballarat Tech School Cadet Corp, 1918 / H Wakeling in charge / Photo property of H. Beanland / A Williams not in photo / H Wakeling & A Williams completed teacher training courses as I did but were 3 or 4 years my senior." .5) Top of mount - "Ballarat Junior Technical School Senior Cadet Team / champions 1918" Bottom of mount - "Winners of Following Competitions:- Stawell Colac Maryborough St Arnaud Mildura South Street "A" Grade" r hirt, percy trompf, j nicholls, robert serjeant, j jones, a hannah, a duncan, l lindsay, h ashley, h beanland, j finlayson, f larkin, g chambers, a mccallum, t shattock, e rowsell, a roe, john dulfer, tucker, harold gordon wakeling, reeves, krahnert, w middleton, world war 1, world war i, world war one, ballarat junior technical school, ballarat school of mines, wakeling, harold wakeling, royal south street competitions, 71st regiment, howard beanland

Steam Turbines Author: Joseph Wickham Roe Publisher: McGraw Hill Date: 1911 warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, steam turbines, joseph wickham roe

Hardcover book, 288 pages. Book has a brown cover with gold embossed text over a bouquet of flowers.fictione.p. roe, fiction

Greeting Card; Coloured Christmas Card of the sailing ship Slieve Roe. 168 mm x 135 mm SH 265 Ships S .flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, christmas card, slieve roe, greeting card

Bendigo Advertiser '' The way we were'' from 2002. Athleticism: winners of the Australian YMCA interclub tournament in Ballarat in 1939. Back row: A. Kent, W. Parry and S. Renault. Front roe: H. Chatfield and R. Wallace. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Sepia hand tinted, studio study. Mounted on stiff enamelled card. Male, upper body, bareheaded, suited, wearing regalia collar, moustached, small badge on tie knot. Regalia collar, could be Cornish written on back Jimmy Roeperson, individual, lodge

Manchester Unity Friendly Society Independent Order of Oddfellows Certificate on card certifying that Alexander John Hamilton served the office of Grand Master of the Loyal James Roe Lodge Bendigo district. Very ornate and colourful, with depictions of people in period costume and various trades.person, individual, evelyn hamilton

Paper label on contents page with printed text: 'This is a limited edition / numbered and signed by the author' / ' 86. Michael Roe' [signature, black ballpoint pen]hobart, theatre royal, theatre, walsh st library

On back of original photograph the following appears, "Ringwood Methodist Intermediate Christian Endeavour. 1937. Back L to R, Max Williams, Ron Williams, Noel Flentje, Manson McAlpin, Bill Flentje. Front, Jennie Roe (Mrs. J. Dedman), Serine McAlpin (Mrs. E. L. Moore), Mr. D. Roe, Supt., Doris Rutter (Mrs. Lock), Raney Mackinlay (Mrs. S. Peek).

Postcard: black and white card - two sections. On top aeroplane, 'Patented 1906, the first free aeroplane to leave the ground in Britain' On bottom of card, photo of three tiered wing aeroplane. Written on bottom' Avro' plane flying with only 14 h.p. On back of card: The 'Avro'plane. The first aeroplane illustrated was the first free heavier-than-air machine to leave the the ground. Before this however, very interesting flights were made when towed by a motor car at Brooklands Track. The other photo shows a flight with 14 horse power, but previous to this some hundreds of flights were made with only a nine horse power engine. A record which has not yet been beaten or equalled. Mr. A.V. Roe is now making monoplanes, biplanes and triplanes &c. For full particulars please write to A.V. Roe & Co., Brownsfield Mills, Manchester.aviation, civilian, avro biplane, basil watson, biplane, aeroplane

Jan 3rd, "This history of Rose's Gap police station is sketchy and rather short despite the fact that the lock up was built in 1860. The police station was closed in 1863. During its six years of operation, eleven mounted police were reported to have been stationed there" extract from Victoria's Wonderland: a Grampians history - Ch Roes Gap and Troopers Ck. Photo shows road past remains of police station Man sitting on fence rail at left of picture. Rocks on right side of photo. Opposite present Troopers Creek camping areaaccess routes, roads, buildings, police station

A postcard with two colour photographs taken in Marysville in Victoria.A postcard with two colour photographs taken in Marysville in Victoria. The top photograph was taken on the corner of Murchison Street and Pack Road and shows an iconic wooden direction sign. The other is taken along the Steavenson River in Marysville. Murchison Street is Marysville's main street and is where most of the businesses in Marysville are. This postcard was produced by the Rose Stereograph Co as a souvenir of Marysville. Rose Series Colorview No. 348.POST CARD The "Rose" Series/ De Luxe Produced in Australia Signpost Corner At Marysville, Victoria. Stevenson's River, Marysville, Victoria Rose Series Colorview No. 348 Published by the Roe Stereograph Co., Armadale, Victoria.marysville, victoria, signpost, steavenson river, rose stereograph co, postcard, souvenir

6975-32 Stawell High School Form 3A, 1973 Form Teacher Mr Kruger Back Row, Julie Start, Robyn Murphy, Kerryn Slater Middle Row, Christine Slorach, Julie Martin, Pam Robson, Pamela Guy, Judy Jeffery, Ruth West, Elizabeth McCracken, Helen McAllister, Front Row, Karen Vendee, Poppy Mangana. Margaret van Leeuwan, Wendy Mason, Mr Kruger, Julie Roe, Zanda Seng-Hpa, Geraldine Rathgeber, Angela Hayes. Students and Teacher Class Photo in front of OvalStawell High School Form 3A 1973education

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Thursday, October 16, 2003. School's in: Marong State School in 1942. Teacher, Miss Drew. Back row: R. Hill, Unknown, L. Donaldson, B. Smith, D. Keating, L. Andrews, D. Steel, C. Hill. Middle row: N. Donaldson, G. steel, M. Keating, unknown, V. Gooch, G. Baker. Front roe: Unknown, T. Yates, C. Rule, K. Donaldson, Unknown, I. Baker.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Series consists of I) 7 sepia toned photographs or Librarian Linda McConnell inspecting work on the site orthe new library. 2) 11 B& W, sepia and colour photographs or work on the site. 3) 3 laminated colour sketches: floor plan, roor plan & exterior 4) A set or approximately 280 colour snapshots documenting work on the construction site, arranged chronologically month-by-month. There are also 5 "panorama" panels or between 2-4 snapshots taped together. These have been mounted on acid-free card.shire of eltham archives, series listing

Documents. Connelly, Tatchell & Dunlop. 1 - 1896 - Letter from Office of Titles regarding Commonwealth Bank to Conley, Delaney to Bell, McNeil James? 2 - 1896 - Letter from Kirwan Andrew. 3 - 1896 - Letter from Eagle Edwd B, Cochrane Creek, via Deniliquin. 4 - 1895 - Letter from Office of Titles regarding McMillan Frances May to Stewart James. 5 - 1896 - Letter to Blanchen John, Farmer, South Elmore re Blanchen to Lodge James Roe. 6 - 1896 - Letter from McKenna C J, Constable, Malmsbury Station regarding Gillen, Timberlake, and Hoopell. 7 - 1896 - Letter from Hoyland, Chas H, Barrister & Solicitor, Boort.cottage, miners, connelly, tatchell & dunlop, office of titles, commonwealth bank, conley, delaney, bell, mcneil j, kirwan a, eagle e b, mcmillan f m, stewart j, blanchen j, lodge j r, mckenna c j, gillen, timberlake, hoopell, hoyland c h

This book was created for the centenary celebration of the Ringwood State School No. 2997, located on Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood, Victoria. Construction began on the new building in 1921. The building centenary celebration was held at that site, now Maroondah Federation Estate, on 12th November, 2022, a year later than expected due to the Covid epidemic.Collage of students' class photographs and Ringwood State School logo on front of yellow soft-cover book, containing multiple contributors' photographs and written memories.Acknowledgements: First and foremost, the people who provided personal stories are to be congratulated, having contributed intimate memories and photographs. This is their book. Contributors include: Russ Haines Thomas Guest Bill Adolphson Lindsay Adolphson Kerri Kirby (Mathieson) Glenda Oliver (Pottenger) Ian McCleave Dawn Rees (nee Riedel) Linda Cuthill Russ Read Marie Gribben Sir Ronald East Jennie Roe Coral Powell Liz Seaton Stan Mathieson Alan Rittman Denise (White) Wilson Ian Wilton Neville Burns Marion Tremlett (nee Hayward) Gavin Fry Lynette Broadway-Hill James Rogers Suzanne Strout (nee Rogers) Patricia Rogers Peter Fry Malcolm Hugh Powell

Three pages of research by Rita Hull on Friendly Societies. Includes name of Society, when established, the number of Members, and the years 1865,1875, 1881,1891, 1895 and 1907 (an asterisk if they were still operating). Listed are the Society names and the different Court, Lodge, etc. under the name. They are: Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows M.U.I.O.O.F. - Loyal Bendigo Loyal Gold Miners' Pride, Loyal James Roe, Loyal Strangers' Refuge, Loyal Heart of Friendship, Loyal Albert, Loyal Sir Henry Barkly, Loyal Catherine, Loyal Darling and Earl of Hopetoun. Ancient Order of Foresters A.O.F. - Court Royal Oak, Court Queen of the Forest, Court Pride of the Forest, Court Happy Valley, Court Bendigo, Court Banner of Hope, Court Sherwood, Court King of the Forest, Court Alexandra, Court Victoria and Court Star of Bendigo (Women). Independent Order of Oddfellows I.O.O. - Loyal Sandhurst Lodge, Court Weeroona and Golden Star Rebekah. Independent Order of Rechabites I.O.R. - Tent Star of Bendigo, Tent Refuge, Tent Cobden, Tent Olive Branch, Tent Laurel, Tent Sutton and Tent Herald of Peace. Sons and Daughters of Temperance - Royal Diadem Division, Ark of Safety, Royal Septre, Hope of Sandhurst (Ladies), Princess Beatrice (Ladies), Lady Loch (Ladies) and Laurel (Ladies). Grand United Order of Oddfellows G.U.O.O.F. - Lodge Star of Eaglehawk, Lodge Sandhurst, Lodge Pride of Bendigo, Lodge Olive Branch and Lodge Belvidere. United Ancient Order of Druids U.A.O.D. - Lodge Quartzopolis, Lodge Eldorado, Lodge Caractacus, Lodge Bendigo and Lodge Sandhurst. Order of St Andrew (Scottish Constitution) - Bendigo Lodge No 1. Order of St Andrew (All Nations) - Lodge Sandhurst and Lodge Unity. Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes R.A.O.B. - Provincial Grand Lodge No 1, Prairie Lodge, Forest Lodge and Southern Cross Lodge. The Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society H.A.C.B.S. - St Kilian's No 4 and Eaglehawk Branch. Independent Order of Good Templars - Lodge Bendigo, Lodge Guiding Star, and Lodge Hope of Golden Square. Loyal Orange Institution of Victoria - Lodge William Lodge and Loyal Governor Bowen (Pride of Eaglehawksocieties, order of .., list, list of friendly societies, rita hull, manchester unity independent order of odd fellows m.u.i.o.o.f., ancient order of foresters a.o.f., independent order of oddfellows i.o.o., independent order of rechabites i.o.r., sons and daughters of temperance, grand united order of oddfellows g.u.o.o.f., united ancient order of druids u.a.o.d., order of st andrew (scottish constitution), order of st andrew (all nations), royal antediluvian order of buffaloes r.a.o.b., the hibernian australasian catholic benefit society h.a.c.b.s., independent order of good templars, loyal orange institution of victoria, australian natives association a.n.a.

The postcard shows a photograph of William Ferrier, the 25-year-old Warrnambool fisherman from South Warrnambool whose rescue of two sailors from the wrecked La Bella made him an overnight National hero, quoted as “one of the most heroic rescues in Victoria’s shipwreck history”. The La Bella was wrecked on 10th November 1905 and the photograph was taken on the next day. In the photograph, William Ferrier is seated in the centre, with four of the five survivors beside him: (from left to right) Leonard Robertson, R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. The photograph was taken by Foyle Photography Studio in Warrnambool, originally owned by James Charles Foyle. He previously had a photographic studio in Melbourne 1882 1887, then opened “Foyle’s Photo Card Studios” in Liebig St, Warrnambool. James Foyle died on 13th July 1905 and his son and daughter, Charles and Lilian Foyle continued on with the business until 1945. This photograph was most likely taken by either Charles or Lilian Foyle. The story of William Ferrier’s brave act follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a northwesterly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person had washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this postcard, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and the letter from the Prime Minister and other Members of Parliament that was sent to William Ferrier to commend him for his bravery. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This postcard is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The photograph of William Ferrier and four of the five survivors demonstrates the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The postcard is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it portrays William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The postcard connects to the congratulatory letter which was sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia and demonstrates the importance they attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The postcard is also an example of the photography of Foyle Photographers who were in the town of Warrnambool from the late 1800’s. Charles and Lillian Foyle took over the business when their father James died in 1905. Lillian Foyle is significant as the first woman photographer in Warrnambool. It is not known whether Charles of Lillian took this photograph. This postcard is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Sepia photograph of William (Bill) Ferrier (seated in the middle), heroic rescuer of two crew members of the La Bella, wrecked at Warrnambool. The photograph is a postcard and shows five men dressed formally in suits and hats. Printed below the photograph are the name and place of the photographer, a royal crest and the details of two patrons of the photographer. Also below the photograph are some handwritten words in black pen. On the back of the postcard is a handwritten message in the same writing as the front.Printed on the front of the card is “Foyle, WARRNAMBOOL” “PATRONS: / HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CORNWALL & YORK. / HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRAS_ EY, R.O.B.” Handwritten on the front of the card is “Bill Ferrier / rescuer / Oh my hero _ _ _ “ Handwritten on the back of the card is a message. “La Bella” Wrecked off W.Bool Breakwater Nov. 1906 (_ _ _ _ show night) Payne Noake Rosenholme Robertson and Capt Mylius (saved) (moonlight bright) Watson (_ _ _ _ boy) Richwoud [possibly Richmond] drowned” and signed “Desdewoua [possibly Desdemona] Slogos”la bella, foyle, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, royal humane society medal, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

This brass rail holder fixture would have been used to hold the end of a rail in place. There is no information as to where the fitting or rail would have been placed on the ship; sailing ships had many brass fittings. It was recovered from the wreck of the La Bella, which lies at the bottom of the Warrnambool Harbour. Some 15 ships are believed to have been wrecked in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the sea floor; the La Bella and the Edinburgh Castle. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The story of the final voyage of the La Bella is summarised as follows … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company being one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October, 1905, the twelve year old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia . She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. . Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with sea water and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25 year old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days an unidentified body of a young person was washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later, when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan, after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked, but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This item is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella” . the “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Brass rail holder from the wreck "La Bella". This rail holder would have been used as a fitting for the end of a rail. It is made up of two parts and looks a little like a goblet in shape. The top is a hollow spherical shape with a circular hole cut out on one side, into which the end of a round rail would fit. There are two gouge marks close to each other on one side of the hole, about one centimetre apart, at 1 and 2 o’clock position. The sphere has a hollow pipe-like stem with a screw thread turned into the outside of the lower section and the bottom of the stem has been flared out after having the base fitted. The base is round and has a mound in the centre. The edge has four evenly spaced fixture holes around its edge. The metal shows signs of pitting and has mild encrustation. The fitting of the base is loose, allowing it to swivel in a complete circle. The top of the sphere is rough and has a dent in it. Underneath the base there is verdigris; some has flaked off and reveals a bright golden colour underneath. rail holder, brass rail holder, la bella, lady bay, norway, 1893, new zealand, captain mylius, william ferrier, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

This painting of the “La Bella” is associated with Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the wreck of the “La Bella”. It was painted around the 1980s by maritime artist Philip J. Gray. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The Kosnar Picture Framing and Mirrors Shop identified the "GRAY 3135, Y04/111" as their job number for the framing and said that the label "ANOTHER KOSNAR FEATURE" was last used before about 1990. About artist Philip J. Gray “Philip is one of Australia’s leading maritime artists and his meticulous research and social commentary paintings of ships, such as, the Loch Ard and Schomberg form an important part of Warrnambool’s Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum.” [Dr Marion Manifold, Artist and Art Historian, 2014] Philip James Gray was born in London but has lived most of his life in Australia. He graduated from a London school of art as an illustrator, specialising in technical and scientific illustration as well as other commercial and applied art. He was also a student for a time of Fyffe Christie - British figurative artist, mural painter and humanitarian – who had a great influence on his career. Philip has always worked as a professional artist and illustrator. Many publications on maritime history have featured his work. His paintings have been released and sold all over the world as limited edition prints. The State Library of Victoria’s ‘Latrobe Collection’ holds two of his paintings. His street painting of ‘The Ashes Contest’ decorates the brick wall of Old Bakery Laneway in Sunbury and a Sunbury café owner commissioned him to paint the ‘Sunbury Pop Festival’ as a remembrance of local history. Philip has been an active member of the Sunbury Art Society in Victoria for several years, serving on the committee for some of that time and being involved in exhibitions. He enjoys helping new artists and sharing his skills and experience. About the “La Bella” The wreck of the La Bella lies at the bottom of the Warrnambool Harbour in Lady Bay. Some 15 ships are believed to have been wrecked there but only two have been discovered on the sea floor; the La Bella and the Edinburgh Castle. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The story of the final voyage of the La Bella is summarised as follows … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company being one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. La Bella was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905 the twelve year old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia . She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en-route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with sea water and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25 year old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days an unidentified body of a young person was washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later, when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan, after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy). Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked, but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ.This painting of the La Bella by Philip J. Gray is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The painting connects with other objects and artefacts associated with the wreck of the La Bella. This painting is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella” . the “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Large framed painting of the three masted barquentine "La Bella" fully rigged. Painted by Phillip J Gray. A fine printed line squares off the painting. Beneath painting and line is a gold plate with black copper plate designating "La Bella" is encased in glass, surrounded by a silver-metal frame. Yellow and brown paper label is adhered to back of painting. Picture framed by Kosnar in Melbourne."The La Bella" on gold plaque Logo of "K" inside a brown square. "GRAY 3135, Y04/111", "ANOTHER KOSNAR FEATURE" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, painting, la bella, artist phillip j gray, maritime painting, lady bay warrnambool