Showing 256 items matching "c. 1878"
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Williamstown Historical Society IncPhotograph - Nelson Place, showing R. Creeke's Boot Warehouse - boot dealer and manufacturer of boots and shoes, c.1878
... Creeke's Boot Warehouse - boot dealer and manufacturer of boots and shoes, c.1878......c. 1878...Creeke's Boot Warehouse - boot dealer and manufacturer of boots and shoes, c.1878 ...Building address is 133 Nelson Place and currently resides Café Cirino (2026) nelson place, r. creeke's boot warehouse, 133 nelson place, c. 1878 -
Stawell Historical Society IncPhotograph, Panorama of Stawell from Big Hill with Whims, Poppet Heads & Leaning Shed c 1878
... Panorama of Stawell from Big Hill with Whims, Poppet Heads & Leaning Shed c 1878....Photo shows mining activity in the foreground, Stawell in the background c 1878. refer. Original c 1880 folder (room 2) from Don Rickard & Geoff Oates....Panorama of Stawell from Big Hill with Whims, Poppet Heads & Leaning Shed c 1878. Photograph ...Scene from Big Hill. Market Building in Skene Street at left of Stawell Court House. Businesses at corner of Sloane and Patrick Streets visible. Agnew Drapers store and buildings in upper Main Street visible Shows Mining activity in foreground 1878. Whim in foreground is No7 North Scotchmans and Whim next to that No8 North ScotchmansBlack & White Photograph from Big Hill. Market building left of Court house . Photo shows mining activity in the foreground, Stawell in the background c 1878. refer. Original c 1880 folder (room 2) from Don Rickard & Geoff Oates.stawell, panorama, streetscape, mining -
Williamstown Historical Society IncPhotograph - Williamstown State School No.1183 c.1878
... Williamstown State School No.1183 c.1878...Williamstown Historical Society Inc 100 Douglas Parade Williamstown melbourne Williamstown State School No.1183 (8 children standing in front) Photograph Williamstown State School No.1183 c.1878 ...(8 children standing in front) williamstown state school no.1183 -
Stawell Historical Society IncPhotograph, Panorama of Stawell with St. Patrick’s Church on left & Poppet Heads in foreground. c 1878
... Patrick’s Church on left & Poppet Heads in foreground. c 1878...Victorian Views. C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878...Patrick’s Church on left & Poppet Heads in foreground. c 1878 Photograph ...Panorama of Stawell St. Patrick’s Church on left, T. Hogan & Co Tea Wine Spirits Merchants, St Georges Crushing mill on right of photo. Amalgamated Scotchmans mine on left.Panorama of Stawell with St. Patrick’s Church on left poppet Heads in foreground. St Georges Crushing mill on right of photo. Amalgamated Scotchmans mine on left.Victorian Views. C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878stawell mining -
Linton and District Historical Society IncPhotograph, Dr Thomas and Mrs Maria Hoskins with baby, c.1878
... Dr Thomas and Mrs Maria Hoskins with baby, c.1878...Dr Thomas and Mrs Maria Hoskins with baby, c.1878 Photograph ...Part of S E Surman collection (album) page 3 lower left.Sepia photograph of a bearded man wearing suit and long boots, holding crop in right hand, left hand holding high crowned hat, seated beside a young woman wearing long sleeved long gown, seated holding baby with long (?christening?) garment."Dr Thomas Hoskin wife and baby".dr thomas hoskins, maria hoskins, surman collection -
Stawell Historical Society IncPhotograph, Panorama of Stawell from Big Hill 1878, North Scotchmans No6 and No7 and South Cross Mine whims and Poppet Heads
... Shows Stawell looking to West c 1878 Patrick Streets and Sloane Street intersection. ...Photos show Western view of mining activity in Stawell c 1878. Kays Foundry on upper left and Upper Main Street on very right of photo....Shows Stawell looking to West c 1878 Patrick Streets and Sloane Street intersection. ...Scene from Big Hill. Shows Stawell looking to West c 1878 Patrick Streets and Sloane Street intersection. Back of Royal Exchange Hotel Kays Foundry in Wimmera Street. Coffee Palace formerly Castlemaine Hotel at right of photo. Mining poppet heads in foreground Three Whims in the foreground are North Scotchmans No 6 & 7 and South Cross in CentreSepia toned print & also a Black & White print (these photos are similar to 29.9). Photos show Western view of mining activity in Stawell c 1878. Kays Foundry on upper left and Upper Main Street on very right of photo.Stawell 1878 in Victoria.stawell, mining, panorama, streatscape -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.Book, Book Certificate of Titles A-Z Index, C 1890
... The dates range from C 1878 to to C 1966. Some are certificate of title and others are Crown Grant. ...This book has many local names and properties and is an historic link for the district. warrnambool certificate of titles warrnambool 1900 The dates range from C 1878 to to C 1966. Some are certificate of title and others are Crown Grant. ...This book contains certificates of title and Crown grants which record local changes of ownership.many are in the township of Warrnambool while others relate to areas such as Nullawarre, Purnim and Framlingham.These documents come under the Transfer of lands act of 1890.This book has many local names and properties and is an historic link for the district.Brown heavy card cover with red fabric binding. It has an alphabetical index at the front followed by 200 pages of certificates of title.Descriptions of the land is written at the top of the pages with drawn and coloured diagrams below. The dates range from C 1878 to to C 1966. Some are certificate of title and others are Crown Grant. warrnambool, certificate of titles warrnambool 1900 -
Eltham District Historical Society IncPhotograph, Sketch from a photograph: Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd)
... Photo print copy of copy of a drawing made of an image of Phillip and Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) and children, c.1878-1879...Eltham District Historical Society Inc 728 Main Rd Eltham melbourne Photo print copy of copy of a drawing made of an image of Phillip and Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) and children, c.1878-1879 Marg Ball Collection 1878 Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) (1850-1891) Photo reprint enlarged Digital file only, scanned from album in private collection Sketch from a photograph: Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) Photograph Photograph ...Photo print copy of copy of a drawing made of an image of Phillip and Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) and children, c.1878-1879marg ball collection, 1878, sarah ann shillinglaw (nee kidd) (1850-1891) -
Charlton Golden Grains Museum IncPhotograph, W. Williams Saddlery c. 1910, c.1890
... Williams took over saddlery near Cricket Club Hotel c. 1878 and moved to Cnr Williams Drive in 1910....Williams took over saddlery near Cricket Club Hotel c. 1878 and moved to Cnr Williams Drive in 1910. williams Charlton Saddlery Business Copy of original Sepia photograph of W. ...W. Williams Saddlery corner of High St and Williams Ave (now John Curtin Drive) c. 1910. W. Williams took over saddlery near Cricket Club Hotel c. 1878 and moved to Cnr Williams Drive in 1910.Copy of original Sepia photograph of W. Williams shop. A man and a boy outside shop wearing aprons. Young boy standing outside shop on LH side of photo, possibly another man behind tree on LH side.williams, charlton, saddlery, business -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.Container - Metal Coffee pot
... tin) suggests this was an everyday item for the working class. It dates to c. 1878 although these were still being sold in 1915 when it was noted that the pot should be rinsed immediately after use with salt water to prevent a tin taste....tin) suggests this was an everyday item for the working class. It dates to c. 1878 although these were still being sold in 1915 when it was noted that the pot should be rinsed immediately after use with salt water to prevent a tin taste. coffee pot Miner's item Old metal French coffee, pot a tapering cylinder fourteen centimeters on the bottom and nine centimeters at the top. ...The lightweight metal (? tin) suggests this was an everyday item for the working class. It dates to c. 1878 although these were still being sold in 1915 when it was noted that the pot should be rinsed immediately after use with salt water to prevent a tin taste.Old metal French coffee, pot a tapering cylinder fourteen centimeters on the bottom and nine centimeters at the top. It is twenty-eight centimeters high. There is a cap on top with a knob to remove it, there was a hinge attached to the pot which is broken. the wooden handle is 100 centimeters long and 25 centimeters diameter it's attached to a 50 centimeter metal protrusion from the pot. The spout is a tapered tube 140 centimeters long, 30 centimeters diameter at the pot and 15 at its end. there has been some re-soldiering repair where the spout is attached to the pot. Thew spout is at right angle to the handle. the pot has a rusted appearance,coffee pot, miner's item -
Ballarat Heritage ServicesPhotograph, Clare Gervasoni, St James' Anglican Church, Bowning, New South Wales
... St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. ...Ballarat Heritage Services PO Box 2209 Bakery Hill Post Office goldfields St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. ...St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. It lies at the foot of the 796 metre Bowning Hill which gives a good idea of how early explorers and settlers saw the area.Photograph of a weatherboard church in Bowning, New South Wales/st james bowning, anglican church, bowning -
Ballarat Heritage ServicesPhotograph, Clare Gervasoni, Former St Columba's Catholic Church, Bowning, New South Wales, 05/05/2022
... St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. ...Ballarat Heritage Services PO Box 2209 Bakery Hill Post Office goldfields St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. ...St James Anglican Church Bowning was built c.1878. Bowning is one of Australia's earliest settlements, this village is home to a renewed and growing community. It lies at the foot of the 796 metre Bowning Hill which gives a good idea of how early explorers and settlers saw the area.Photograph of a weatherboard church in Bowning, New South Wales/bowning, former st columba's catholic church, rev. j. gallagher, rev. j.f.le nard -
Eltham District Historical Society IncPhotograph, Stewart & Co, Possibly Jane Shillinglaw, c.1878
... The photo is estimated to have been taken c.1878 which would make Jane 32 years of age and Catherine 26 years. ...c.1878...The photo is estimated to have been taken c.1878 which would make Jane 32 years of age and Catherine 26 years. ...Jane Shillinglaw was born 14 Jun 1846. She had a a son, Joseph Shillinglaw in 1863 and a daughter Jane Davidson in 1870 prior to her marriage to William James Sommerville in 1887. Jane's younger sister Catherine Shillinglaw was born 13 Nov 1852 at Coburg, Victoria. She married Edward Henry Bottle in 1897 This photo shows fashion and hairstyles typical of the later 1870s. Photographer Stewart & Co operated from various addresses in Bourke Street East Melbourne from 1874 through 1905. The photo is estimated to have been taken c.1878 which would make Jane 32 years of age and Catherine 26 years. There is another photo of who is believed to be Catherine Shillinglaw with Edward Henry Bottle. There are visual differences with the eyes so it is presumed this photo is of Jane. A duplicate photo is contained in Album 2 (05664) Stewart & Co operated from 217 Bourke St., East from 1871 to 1876 and from 217-219 from 1877 to 1889. Other locations included 42, 284 and 286. Overall, they operated in Melbourne from 1871 through at least 1910 though Carte-de-Visite photos were superseded by 1890. CARTE-DE-VISITE (cdv) 1857-1890 Cartes-de-visite (cdv's) are the most common form of photograph from the nineteenth century, generally measuring two and a half inches by four and an eighth inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm) when mounted, sepia toned, mounted on a card which was generally printed with the photographer's name and address on the back or beneath the portrait. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, shillinglaw family photo album 1, 1871-1890, 1878, jane shillinglaw (1846-1893), jane sommerville (nee shillinglaw 1846-1893), shillinglaw family photo album 2, stewart & co photographers melbourne, unknown -
Stawell Historical Society IncPhotograph, Main Street Stawell looking West from Doyle Lane 1878
... Railway train carriages in distance, Coffee Palace formerly Castlemaine Hotel in distance about centre of photo. Taken c. 1878. , From right of photo T. Brown & Co Timber & Iron Yard, T Brown's Furniture Warehouse, Cambrian Hall, Herbert,s Photographic Studio and Stawell Post Office....Victorian Views. C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878...C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878 Streetscape with lantern on left of photo. ...Main St. looking West from Doyle Lane. Playford on corner, Whiteside & Co Taylors, Carters Boot Shop. Railway train carriages in distance, Coffee Palace formerly Castlemaine Hotel in distance about centre of photo. Taken c. 1878. , From right of photo T. Brown & Co Timber & Iron Yard, T Brown's Furniture Warehouse, Cambrian Hall, Herbert,s Photographic Studio and Stawell Post Office.Streetscape with lantern on left of photo. Looking down towards Coffee palace from in front of Bull and Mouth Hotel. On right Herbert Studio, T. Browns Furniture Warehouse, T. Brown and Co timber & Iron Yard, Bonds Sale. Victorian Views. C. Herbert, Photo. Stawell 1878stawell business streetscape -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillagePainting - Vessel, Sailing Ship, C Smith, artist, Loch Ard, late 20th century
... "Loch Ard launched 1873, sunk near Pt Campbell, with loss of 52 lives 1878" "C. Smith" "Loch Ard" ...The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. flagstaff hill warrnambool shipwrecked coast flagstaff hill maritime museum maritime museum shipwreck coast flagstaff hill maritime village great ocean road loch line loch ard captain gibbs eva carmichael tom pearce loch ard gorge maritime oil painting c. smith sailing vessel "Loch Ard launched 1873, sunk near Pt Campbell, with loss of 52 lives 1878" "C. ...HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Painting of 1873 sailing ship the "Loch Ard". Oil painting on board behind glass, framed in white painted timber. Artist is C Smith. Inscription on back. "Loch Ard launched 1873, sunk near Pt Campbell, with loss of 52 lives 1878" "C. Smith" "Loch Ard" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, loch ard gorge, maritime oil painting, c. smith, sailing vessel -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.Document, Gauley contracts .1 & .2, C 1878
... C 1878 ...In 1858 a tramway was constructed to move goods between Warrnambool township and jetty on Lady Bay which was over a mile away The terminus was established on the southern side of Merri Street. and the track went around the edge of Lake Pertobe reserve. Large stores were also built near where the present railway station is situated to hold produce and carriages. These documents relate to contracts between Marion Gauley ,contractor of Warrnambool and the borough of Warrnambool for the operation of horse work with the tramway. John McDermid sadler,and William Stevens farmer of Russell's Creek are acting as surety for the contract.The tramway was an important part of Warrnambool's infrastructure and history and the documents also include names of local people. Of particular interest is the fact that the contract in this case was given to a woman which would have been a little uncommon at that time.001259.1 Pale blue lined paper with red lined outline.Hand written in black pen with names and some other words underlined in red. Two signatures on bottom right with red seal beside each. Witness signature below on left hand side. One page only 001259.2 Pale blue lined paper with red lined outline.Hand written in black pen with names and some other words underlined in red. Two signatures on bottom right with red seal beside each. Witness signature below on left hand side. Of the four pages of the document , only the first page is used. 001259.1 Signed Roady Carew and Moses Daly. Richard Daly is crossed out in the document and Marion Gauley is inserted in greylead. September 1878 001259.2 John McDermid saddler William Stevens, Marion Gauley. Ninth of December 1878. warrnambool, warrnambool tramway, marion gauley, john mcdermid, william stevens -
Eltham District Historical Society IncPhotograph, A.W. Burman, Phillip and Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (nee Kidd) and children, c.1878-1879
... c.1878-1879 ...Photographer: A.W. Burman, Artist Photographer, 209 Bourke Street East, Melbourne According to Sands & McDougall Melbourne Directory, Arthur W. Burman was active 209 Bourke St East, Melbourne from 1878 to circa 1885-1890 Sarah’s hairstyle is late 1870s/early 1880s . The children could possibly be Sarah Ann Shillinglaw (1873-1878) and Caroline Shillinglaw (1876-1956) which would date the photo early 1878 or Caroline Shillinglaw (1876-1956) and William Shillinglaw (1877-1891) which would date the photo early 1879 as Sarah was pregnant with Elizabeth Ann Shillinglaw who was born Aug 1879.. Daughter Jane Shillinglaw (1876-1876) had died prior to the date of this image. CARTE-DE-VISITE (cdv) 1857-1890 Cartes-de-visite (cdv's) are the most common form of photograph from the nineteenth century, generally measuring two and a half inches by four and an eighth inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm) when mounted, sepia toned, mounted on a card which was generally printed with the photographer's name and address on the back or beneath the portrait. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 19911878-1885, 1879, a.w. burman photographer 209 bourke st east, marg ball collection, phillip shillinglaw (1842-1914), sarah ann shillinglaw (1873-1878), sarah ann shillinglaw (nee kidd) (1850-1891), shillinglaw family photo album 1 -
Eltham District Historical Society IncPhotograph, A.W. Burman, Possibly Catherine Shillinglaw, c.1878
... c.1878 ...Catherine Shillinglaw was born November 13, 1852 at Coburg, Victoria. In 1897 she married Edward Henry Bottle (1854-1900). Catherine died April 7, 1934 at Northcote, Victoria. A.W. Burman, Artist Photographer, 209 Bourke Street East, Melbourne According to Sands & McDougall Melbourne Directory, Arthur W. Burman was active 209 Bourke St East, Melbourne from 1878 to circa 1885-1890 CARTE-DE-VISITE (cdv) 1857-1890 Cartes-de-visite (cdv's) are the most common form of photograph from the nineteenth century, generally measuring two and a half inches by four and an eighth inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm) when mounted, sepia toned, mounted on a card which was generally printed with the photographer's name and address on the back or beneath the portrait. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991a.w. burman photographer 209 bourke st east, marg ball collection, shillinglaw family photo album 1, 1878, 1878-1885, catherine bottle (nee shillinglaw 1852-1934), unknown -
Ballarat Fire BrigadeMedal, c.1878
... c.1878 ...this gold chain and medal pendant was presented to W M sansom after he and three other members won the representative race at the demonstration held in Melbourne in 1878. it was stated in the Sansom estate that it be returned to the Ballarat Fire Brigade of which he was a member.Engraved gold medal pendant attached to gold neck chain. Pendant is sheild shaped with 2 points either side of chain attachment at top and one point at centre of base. Won in 1878(engraved on front of medal) "PRESENTED / To / G. Sansom" sansom, gold, medal, pendant, chain, sansom g, 1878, representative race, demonstration melbourne, demonstration, sansom w m, ballarat fire brigade, ballarat, fire brigade -
Halls Gap & Grampians Historical SocietyPhotograph - B/W, C 1878-1888
... C 1878-1888 ...This school was moved to Heatherlie Township from Darra in 1888. Closed in 1890 and moved to BeulahTeacher and students outside School House Historical Places Branch,education, schools, heatherlie -
Mission to Seafarers VictoriaAdministrative record (Item) - Cash and Minute Book, Sailors' Rest Cash and Minute Book 1878, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...Minutes of the Williamstown committee of the Sailors' Rest created in 1878, and open on 24 May 1878. At the end, the pages also contains a list of books in the library of the Sailors' Rest and names of borrowers.sailors' rest, williamstown, sir william stawell, j. john halley, john courtis, library, books, minutes books -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation SocietyPhotograph - Bay Street with Fountain Inn & Quinn's Council Club Hotel, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...Brothers John Edward and Edward James CROCKFORD were wine and spirit merchants and publicans and, in 1861, E J CROCKFORD built the Fountain Inn (now the Cornerstone) at the junction of Bay Street & what is now known as Crockford Street.The ground floor dates from 1861 while the top floor was-re-modelled in 1888 to the design of John GRUT. Quinn's Council Club Hotel was built by Michael QUINN in 1874. It closed in 1923.Photograph of Bay Street looking towards the Fountain Inn at the intersection of Bay & Crockford Streets.On reverse 'Bay St Quinn's Council Club Hotel Fountain Inn Looking towards Melbourne'built environment - commercial, business and traders - hotels, fountain inn, john edward crockford, edward james crockford, john grut, quinn's council club hotel -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Fork, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This fork was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. It is the Old English design that has been very popular since the 19th century. It has been restored to resemble its original state prior to the disaster in 1878. The for was originally plated with silver, which is when a base metal such as nickel or nickel alloy with copper and/or zinc has been plated or coated with a thin layer of silver. Wear on the metal will cause the base metals to appear through the silver plating. Some manufacturers gave a warranty that the cutlery was ‘white throughout’ but didn’t necessarily say it was solid silver. LOCH ARD 1873-1878 – The Scottish-built clipper ship Loch Ard was bound for Melbourne in 1878 with 54 people on board. The mixed cargo it carried included items for the 1880 International Exhibition in Melbourne, one of which was the now famous Majorca ware Minton ‘Peacock’ statue. The Loch Ard was wrecked on June 1st when the ship crashed into Mutton Bird Island, east of Port Campbell. The only survivors were Tom Pearce, a crew member, and Eva Carmichael, a young passenger who was rescued by Pearce. The Gibsons, owners of nearby Glenample Homestead, cared for Tom, and for Eva who stayed longer before returning to Ireland. The wreck of the Loch Ard was discovered in 1967, before the introduction of the Victorian historic shipwreck legislation. In 1969 it was decided that all recovered material should be lodged with the Receiver of Wrecks. In 1980 Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Divers received a permit to recover artefacts from the wreck to safeguard them from looters. In 1982 the site was listed as a Historic Shipwreck, and the Maritime Archaeology Unit recovered loose artefact material. The fork is recognised as being historically significant as an example of cutlery either as part of the flatware service of the ship ‘Loch Ard’ or part of the ship’s cargo, imported for use in Colonial Victoria in the 19th to early 20th century. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Fork; silver plated. The fork is the Old English design and is embossed with several marks. it has recently been restored. Shipwreck artefact from the Loch Ard. 3 letters within an oval (- - S) 4 letters within circles (E) (P) (N) (S) 1 letter within a shield appears to be a [B] flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, loch ard, victoria, eva carmichael, tom pearce, cutlery, silver flatware, silver plate, antique, old english flatware pattern, eating utensil, fork, silverware, dining utensil -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageFunctional object - Light Fitting, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This light hanging mechanism could have been used for an adjustable chandelier with candle holders. It would likely be attached to the ceiling by its long stem to suspend the light fitting. A chain would have been threaded around each pulley, with one end joined to the top of the light fitting and the other end joined to a counter weight. The four counter weights would allow the light fitting to be raised or lowered to the desired height with little effort, to allow for lighting the candles or change the intensity of the light. This light fitting was once installed on the famous sailing ship, the Loch Ard, which was built in 1873 and tragically wrecked in 1878.The fitting was recovered from the wreck almost 100 years later, at the time it was discovered. LOCH ARD 1873-1878 – The Scottish-built clipper ship Loch Ard was bound for Melbourne in 1878 with 54 people on board. The mixed cargo it carried included items for the 1880 International Exhibition in Melbourne, one of which was the now famous Majorca ware Minton ‘Peacock’ statue. The Loch Ard was wrecked on June 1st when the ship crashed into Mutton Bird Island, east of Port Campbell. The only survivors were Tom Pearce, a crew member, and Eva Carmichael, a young passenger who was rescued by Pearce. The Gibsons, owners of nearby Glenample Homestead, cared for Tom, and for Eva who stayed longer before returning to Ireland. The wreck of the Loch Ard was discovered in 1967, before the introduction of the Victorian historic shipwreck legislation. In 1969 it was decided that all recovered material should be lodged with the Receiver of Wrecks. In 1980 Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Divers received a permit to recover artefacts from the wreck to safeguard them from looters. In 1982 the site was listed as a Historic Shipwreck, and the Maritime Archaeology Unit recovered loose artefact material. The light fitting is recognised as being historically significant as an example of lighting either as part of the ship ‘Loch Ard’ or part of the ship’s cargo, imported for use in Colonial Victoria in the 19th to early 20th century. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Light fitting; hanging mechanism with simple pulley wheels for pendant light. Metal pipe, closed and hooked at one end, stem has three decorative rings, and open end has a short narrower metal pipe inserted. Narrow pipe has a three tiered, scallop-edged dome attached to the end. The dome encloses remnants of broken chain length and is attached to a set of four pulley wheels arrayed in a circle with their edge sat right angles to each other. The light fitting was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, loch ard, victoria, eva carmichael, tom pearce, lighting, lidht fitting, pendant light, chandelier, pulley light, adjustable height light -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Candle Bracket, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This candle bracket was recovered from the wreck of the sailing ship Loch Ard after the to the disaster in 1878. The bracket has been hand forged into a pleasing shape and design. The candle holder on the arm of the bracket cn swivel from side to side allowing the light to be adjusted. LOCH ARD 1873-1878 – The Scottish-built clipper ship Loch Ard was bound for Melbourne in 1878 with 54 people on board. The mixed cargo it carried included items for the 1880 International Exhibition in Melbourne, one of which was the now famous Majorca ware Minton ‘Peacock’ statue. The Loch Ard was wrecked on June 1st when the ship crashed into Mutton Bird Island, east of Port Campbell. The only survivors were Tom Pearce, a crew member, and Eva Carmichael, a young passenger who was rescued by Pearce. The Gibsons, owners of nearby Glenample Homestead, cared for Tom, and for Eva who stayed longer before returning to Ireland. The wreck of the Loch Ard was discovered in 1967, before the introduction of the Victorian historic shipwreck legislation. In 1969 it was decided that all recovered material should be lodged with the Receiver of Wrecks. In 1980 Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Divers received a permit to recover artefacts from the wreck to safeguard them from looters. In 1982 the site was listed as a Historic Shipwreck, and the Maritime Archaeology Unit recovered loose artefact material. The candle bracket is an example of light fittings from the ship ‘Loch Ard’ or from part of the ship’s cargo, imported for use in Colonial Victoria in the 19th to early 20th century. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Candle bracket, bronze with fancy floral design. Bracket has been hand wrought with varying widths of flat iron. Bracket’s arm swivels on a pin front of bracket. Bracket was recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, loch ard, victoria, eva carmichael, tom pearce, antique, candle holder, candle bracket, candlestick holder, lighting, ship lighting, ship hardware -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Spoon, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. Only 15% of original electroplating remains with some verdigris.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Spoon, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. Approximately 15% of original electroplating remains with some verdigris. One of five makers marks is discernible: (3) Maltese Cross.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Spoon, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. Approximately 15% of original electroplate remains with some verdigris.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Spoon, c. 1878
... c. 1878 ...This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. Approximately 15% of original electroplating remains with some verdigris. Five makers mark outlines are visible (Crown, Ellipse, Rounded Square, Circle, Diamond), including details of two: (3) Maltese Cross (4) Crab Designflagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and VillageDomestic object - Spoon, c.1878
... c.1878 ...This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Unrestored tea spoon from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The spoon design has a flattened fiddle-back handle, with a thin stem or shank, flared collar, and elongated bowl. The spoons metallic composition is a thin layer of brass alloy which has partially corroded back to a nickel-silver base metal. Approximately 15% of original electroplating remains. 25% of spoon surface is covered by verdigris.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham, brass plating, makers marks
