Black and white copy of a print of Mrs Jane Donnell (nee Cooney), wife of John Donnell, early settler and owner of the original Reserve Hotel in Mitcham. Donnell was known as McDonnelldonnell, jane, mcdonnell, cooney, john, reserve hotel, mitcham

Black and white photo of a print of John Donnell (died 27-4-1921) an early settler and owner of the original Reserve Hotel in Mitcham. Donnell was known as McDonnelldonnell, john, mcdonnell, reserve hotel, mitcham

This pair of brass binoculars was presented to Tom Pearce in recognition of his heroic efforts at the wrecking of the Loch Ard and saving Eva Carmichael. They were presented to him by the Lady Mayoress of Sydney on 27th July 1878 on behalf of the colonists of New South Wales "In recognition of his gallant conduct on the occasion of the wreck of the Loch Ard". Tom (Thomas) Pearce was born in Ireland in 1859 and arrived in Melbourne two years later; he considered himself as Australian. Before sailing on the Loch Ard he had been at sea for three years as an apprentice sailor and had already experienced one shipwreck. Tom was on the deck of the Loch Ard with Captain Gibb throughout the night of May 31st 1878. It was mistakenly thought they were 150 miles (240 km) southwest of Cape Otway. By 2:00 am on June 1st, the wind was blowing "pretty fresh" but a thick haze remained and, when it eventually cleared, the land was so close the unsuccessful battle to save the Loch Ard began. After the ship struck Mutton Bird Island Tom and five others were sent to the lifeboats. Conditions were very dangerous as waves broke over the decks and they were all washed away. Tom found himself in the stormy waters and under a lifeboat, which had also been washed into the sea. After being swept into the gorge Tom left the boat and swam into shore; he was alone. Eva Carmichael, a passenger on the ship, had been snatched from her bed just before dawn and into the chaos, confusion and terror of the shipwreck, with rigging and rocks raining down. Thrown into the sea, she afterwards said: "God taught me to swim in my distressful plight, for I never swam before". Clinging to a spar, she was swept into the gorge and saw Tom Pearce walking along the beach. Upon hearing the cries of Eva, Tom swam out and with great difficulty brought her to the shore and placed her safely in a cave where he made a bed of grass and shrubs and gave her brandy to revive her. She sank into exhausted unconsciousness. Tom then scrambled to the top of the high cliff and after walking for some time he stumbled upon workers from Glenample Homestead. They rode back to the homestead for help but Tom insisted on returning to Eva. When Eva awoke she found herself alone, "cold, weak and terrified with the wild waves before me, and caves and cliffs around me" and upon hearing strange noises, which she imagined to be made by the local indigenous people, she hid. The noises were made by the rescue party from Glenample Homestead. After eventually discovering Eva they hauled her up the cliff in the darkness of night, “a work of great difficulty and danger” and took her to Glenample. Sadly, Tom and Eva were the only survivors of the 54 people on board the Loch Ard. Tom’s rewards for his bravery included the Gold Medal of the Humane Society, a gold watch and £1000 from the Victorian Government, a set of nautical instruments, (which included the binoculars) from the people of Sydney and £60 from the people of Warrnambool. He was also presented with a Bible by a “Friend of the Loyal Orange Institution of Victoria, Protestant Hall Melbourne” in August 1878. Coleman Jacobs composed the music "The Young Hero Schottische" and dedicated it, by permission, to Mr Thomas R. (Tom) Pearce. The sheet music was published in 1878 by Mr Roberts, professor of dancing and was on sale for 3/- (3 shillings) in aid of the "Loch Ard" fund. Tom Pearce went on to join the Loch Sunart on her return to England, only to be wrecked again off the Irish coast in January 1879. Tom left the Loch Line in 1883 and the following year married Edith Gurney Strasenbergh, the sister of his friend Robert who had died on the Loch Ard. They had three children, unfortunately, two of the male children were to die at sea. In 1895 Tom obtained his first command as Master of The Larne, a vessel with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. He remained with the company until he died in Southampton, England, on 14th December 1908. Tom Pearce never saw Eva Carmichael after he had fare welled her some 30 years before. Eveline Victoria Berta Carmichael was born in 1859 in Mountrath, Queens County, Ireland. After recovering from her ordeal in August 1878 Eva returned to Ireland and in 1884 married Thomas Achilles Townshend, a Civil Engineer. They had three sons, all of whom had successful military careers, and when Eva’s death notice appeared in the Melbourne Argus It read. "Townshend on 8th April 1934 aged 74 at her residence in Bedford, England, Evaline Victoria, widow of the late Thomas Archilles Townshend, C.E. of Co. Cork, Ireland. Mrs Townshend was the Eva Carmichael who, with the late Tom Pearce, were the only two survivors of the ship Loch Ard, which was wrecked near Port Campbell on June 1st 1878." The binoculars are significant for their association with the wreck of the Loch Ard and the only two surviving members of that wreck Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from Loch Ard is significant for being one of the largest. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The assemblage of items from the wreck is of historical significance in that they are associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Pair of brass marine binoculars in a wooden box On the left hand eye piece, on the underside, is an engraved inscription and another engraved word. On the right hand eye piece there is another small inscription and on the underside there is a small green mark. The binoculars have a pattern of embossed tiny circles on the outside. Some of the patterning is very shiny due to wear and rubbing, there is a brass ring on the underside of the binoculars for the attachment of a lanyard. The wooden box has a hinged lid and on the front of the box in the centre is a lock, and at either end are two hooks and eyes. The box is split across the top for about 3/4 of the length. Marking on the left underside reads, 'Presented on behalf of the Colonists of New South Wales By the Mayoress of Sydney on 27th. July 1878 to Mr Thomas B Pearce. In recognition of his gallant conduct on the occasion of the wreck of the "Loch Ard"'. Underneath this inscription is engraved 'Sydney'. On the other eye piece is engraved what looks like 'Mac Donnell & Co' binoculars, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, loch ard shipwreck, tom pearce, thomas r pearce, eva carmichael, mutton bird island, loch ard survivor, loch ard hero, coleman jacobs, the young hero schottische, photograph of tom pearce, glenample homestead

Documents. V. 1 - 1896 - Letter from Gardner Miss re Laurence & Adam. 2 - 1896 - Letter from Moylan W, Mincha. 3 - 1896 - Letter from Strignall A, Neilborough. 4 - 1896 - Letter from Webb T? P, Parliament House. 5 - 1896 - Letter from Melbourne Office regarding Evans Zillah. 6 - 1895 - Post Office Telegraph from Gambler, Henry, Tandarra. 7 - 1896 - Post Office Telegraph from Campbell, Colin H, Echuca. 8 - 1896 - Post Office Telegraph from Dunlop, A Geo, Pyramid Hillcottage, miners, connelly, tatchell & dunlop, gardner miss, laurence & adam, moylan w, strignall a, webb t?p, evans zillah, gamble h, campbell c h, dunlop a g, the laboratories industrial & technological museum, sheridan, appleton, crabbe, cohen & kirby, sims, donnell

A chronicle of officials of the G.C.C. during 1909. This honour board has an important place in the history of the Geelong Cycling Club and signifies the high esteem in which the community held cycling in the early part of the 20th century. Decorative wooden frame around individual photographs on oval ceramic plates and mounted on a wooden background. These are surrounded by pressed metal floral decorations. Inscriptions are in cursive script and painted in blue and white against the wood. There is a gold trim to the wooden frame. "Geelong Cycling Club/R McGann/T. Jenkins/H.H. Barclay/C. Hobbs/A. Beaming, Club Trainer/C. Hudgell/G.A. Martin, Vice Capt/H.G. Cartriss, Captain/E.Kitchen, ICCA Delegn/W.C McEwan/C. Bartlett/B. Freedman,Auditor/Eli Phillips, President/H. Groves, Handicapper/A. Hyatt/H.W. Heath/J. MacPhee/J.McMahon/C. Farrell/C.A.Betts, Hon. Secretary/O. Rowlands/M. O Donnell, Com/J.Kilmartin/C.E.Hewitt, Treasurer/E.Walsh, Com/N.James, Com/G. Martin/H.Mills/L.Redman/A.Palmer/W. Loone/H.L. Kelly/W. Shields/R.Hobbs/Presented/Mr. Charles A. Betts/A token of esteem for valuable services rendered as secretary/Nov 9, 1909” geelong cycling club; r mcgann; t. jenkins; h.h. barclay; c. hobbs; a. beaming; c. hudgell; g.a. martin; h.g. cartriss; e.kitchen; w.c mcewan; c. bartlett; b. freedman; eli phillips; h. groves; a. hyatt; h.w. heath; j. macphee; j.mcmahon; c. farrell; c.a.betts; o. rowlands; m. o donnell; j.kilmartin; c.e.hewitt; e.walsh; n.james; g. martin; h.mills; l.redman; a.palmer; w. loone; h.l. kelly; w. shields; r.hobbs; mr. charles a. betts;

Provides an itemised account of mess charges and credits, eg. credit Bridge winningsAn original Mess Bill for the Officers Mess of the 2nd 27th Punjabis Regiment, 30th September 1919. Framed in a wooden frame with additional informayion on I.A. O'Donnell and family inside frame.Full listing of bill, Signature and date of mess president1919, ww1, officers, mess, 2 27th, punjabis, lieutenant, o donnell, seconded, british, army, agra

Early in 20th century, a small group of girls at Myrtleford State School 955 participated in honouring Empire Day each May by "dressing up" to represent Britannia. This select group of girls celebrates the might of Britannia in the first full year of World War 1. It reflects the type of celebrations schools were expected to participate in at that time and for some years to come. Alice O,Donnell, the tallest, centre pupil in the group, was to lose her life on the Australian Hospital Ship "Centaur" when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine off the Queensland coast in May, 1943.A monochrome photograph of a small group of pupils at Myrtleford State School 955 in 1915, celebrating Empire Day. Pupils include from left: Isobel Robertson, Linda Croucher, Rene Johnson, Alice O'Donnell, Agnes Collins, Dorrie Peters, Madge O'Donnell. Photograph is inscribed: "T. Foxcroft, photo"empire day myrtleford state school 955 alice o'donnell