c1881 Henry W Seely, of New Jersey, USA, designed and patented an electric sad iron for pressing and smoothing material. He continued to modify and improve his designs, with his partner Richard Dyer, and other electrical appliance firms, e.g Hotpoint, began producing these flat irons that could provide continuous heat by connecting via an electrical flex to a light socket and hence without the need for hot fires, ash, or burning hot handles. Women with access to an electricity supply were delighted and their ironing chore became much less arduous No heat was felt at all from the iron as it is all concentrated on the bottom surface. By the early 20th century enthusiasm was building for the new electric smoothing irons: clean, powerful, adjustable, and labour-saving. This c1935 Premier System 'Smoothwell' flat iron was used by a resident of City of Moorabbin and is an example of the progress made from the sad irons used by the pioneers that are displayed beside it.A "Premier Smoothwell" electric flat iron with switched control lead and original box, c 1935 On plate of handle attached to Iron ' HARRODS Ltd. / LONDON On attached plate at rear of iron ' The "SMOOTHWELL" / "Premier System" /......... Plate on cord Plug " PREMIER/ FLAT IRON CONNECTOR/ THIS SIDE OUTWARDS/ (2 columns) 1) FOR 100-125 VOLTS/ USE THREE TERMINALS/ THUS ..... 2) FOR 200 - 240 VOLTS/ USE TWO RIGHT/ HAND TERMINALS/ ONLY/ THUS......seely henry w., sad irons, electric flat irons, dyer richard, edison thomas, hotpoint pty ltd., premier electric company birmingham england, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, laundry, sewing, craftwork, table ware, irons

The Ballarat School of Mines was the first technical school in Australia. It was established in 1870.21 page soft covered, brown printed booklet with white card glued along the spine. It includes a certificate of Incorporation under the 1890 Incorporations Act.ballarat school of mines, constitution, establishment, h. hosken, andrew anderson, richard tayler vale, james millhinch bickett, richard maddern, horation arthur nevett, john nankivalle dunn, george buchanan, samuel ernest figgis, frank herman, james thomas mitchell, william morrison, robert scott, james dyer woolcott, james lonie, robert ernest williams, walter henry cornell, william henry middleton, henry robert salmon, joseph stanley vickery, george henry fitches, william henry sewell, vale, anderson, bickett, figgis, vickery, technical education

Red hardcovered scrapbook with news clippings relating to the Ballarat School of Mines.ballarat school of mines, world war one, news clippings, scrapbook, william e. moon, john h. smyth, david l. thomas, clay, maurice copland, repatriation, g. buchanan, j.m. bickett, harrie wood, cliff garrad, harold c. cornell, f.g. marriott, technical education, classes for soldiers, w.h. middleton, e.j. cannon, ted cannon, ponsonby carew-smythe, boer war memorial, amalie feild, antarctica, fred middleton, richard vale obituary, rand, stephen richards, richard g. walker, world war one chemists, frank tate, free instruction for soldiers, ken moss, girls' preparatory, eureka stockade pageant commitee, fred g. middleton, shackelton relief party, aurora, emil gutheil obituary, henry james hall obituary, william elphick moon, arthur tandy, john mcwhae, harold bieske, james millhinch bickett obituary, wild flower show, technical schools conference, ballarat, allan t. perry, ballarat pottery clay, citizen soldiers' camp, george buchanan obituary, clifford garrard, james dyer woolcott obituary, frank penhalluriack, w.s> penhalluriack, annie whitla, ballarat school of mines jubilee, anniversary, university classes, maurice copland obituary, boot repairing, museum rennovation, bootmaking, f.g. marriott obituary, vocational training classes, j.d. woolcott obituary, ferdinand krause obituary, ferdinand krause, emil guthiel, cornell, spanish flu, pneumonic flu, pandemic