A Control Joy Stick presented to Pilot Officer Eric V. Read in 1937 after it was recovered from an aircraft he was flying had crashed in the Brisbane Ranges in December 1936. Eric Read was a 21 year old RAAF pilot who was on a flight over the Bacchus Marsh region to make meteorological observations. Read's plane came down in bad weather and crashed into a heavily wooded area of the Brisbane Ranges between Staughton Vale and Mount Wallace. An extensive air and ground search was conducted and after 32 hours Read was located, alive, but badly injured and unable to get out of the cockpit of the plane. He was first located from the air and then a rescue party was able to reach him through rough country and bring him to safety. Read recovered from his injuries and many years later gifted the control stick of the aircraft he had been flying as an item for the collection of the Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society.This item is of local historical significance as an object related to a notable aircraft accident and subsequent rescue of the pilot. It is also significant for its rarity as a surviving piece of aviation equipment from this era.Control or Joy stick mounted on a wooden base.aircraft, aircraft accidents, eric v. read

This book was part of a large group of books referred to as the Pattison Collection, which belonged to the Warrnambool Public Library, part of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. About RALPH ERIC PATTISON and the ‘PATTISON COLLECTION’ The ‘Pattison Collection’ is a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the WMI was led to ask the City Council to take it over in 1911 due to lack of financial support. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Public Library as it was then called. Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 when Pattison accepted the position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council his huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower areas of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However, he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. THE NEW WARRNAMBOOL LIBRARY When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Pattison. Eventually, the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Harvester Author: Gene Stratton Porter Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Date: First Published in 1911 The label on the spine cover with typed text PAT FIC STR Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Children’s Library which reads Presented by Miss V Horn 1955 Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, the harvester, gene stratton porter

Bendigo Art Gallery, Bendigo Art Society. President: Hon. R H S Abbot, M.L.C., F.R.S.A. Eleventh Exhibition, in the Bendigo Art Gallery, View Street. October 10th to 31st, 1926. Hon. Treas.: C E Bulley. Catalogue Price 6d. The President, Officers, and Committee of the Bendigo Art Society express their pleasure in presenting the representative collection embodied in this Exhibition. Mr John Shirlow, the noted etcher has been good enough to get together a fine showing of works from eminent artists, who have kindly exhibited with a disire to help the Society and to encourage the local artists. The patronage and help of our citizens is earnestly solicited. Fee, for exhibiting or ordinary membership, only 5/- per annum. Should you care to join, the executive officers will only be too pleased to give any information and to receive subscriptions. Joint Hon. Secs.: J Hudspeth, V E Greenhalgh. Fine Art Section. Arists names: Elma Roach, Ida F Knox, H J Honeybone, Edith H Moore, M A Hope, Lady Barrett, G E Parker, D Hinchcliffe, Aileen R Dent, J Hudspeth, J Florence MacGregor, Madge Freeman, C E Bulley, Merle Bulley, Ethel f Crook, L M Sheridan, C G Dunlop, Ena Smith, William H oliver, E Phillips Fox, Ethel Carrick, H Septimus Power, David Davies, Norman Davies, Norman W Penrose, Margaret McCloud, Josephine Van Damme, M E Coverdale, Marion Jones,R W Bugg, L Rowe, Lucy C Newell, Claire Colgan, Charles G Stewart, Alice Newell, V E Greenhalgh, Violet Hambly. Display of Hand-Painted China: H W Tilley, M Jacobs, W McKie, A E Collier, Hilda Veale, Elma Curnow, Jean Cahill, Frank Vaughan. Collection of Australian Art: W D Knox, Esther Paterson, Dora L Wilson, A M E Bale, E F Hooton, John Rowell, Horah Gurdon, Louis McCubbin. Section A (Outdoor Study, any subject, any medium.) Members only: C G Duinlop, J Florence MacGregor, Merle Bulley, William H Oliver, Norman W Penrose. Section B Student's Section. Drawing or Design. Pupils of Schools: Stanley R Millott, Joyce Ranson, Ronald William Forbes, Dorothy Clemens, Lilian J White, Ruby A I Welch, Nancy R Hudspeth, J Honey Church, J G Graham, Ivo Steel. Section C Student's Section. Applied Art. Pupols of Art Schools: Florrie Spencer, Joyce Ranson, Ronald W Forbes, Dorothy Clemens, Lilian J White, Ruby A I Welch, Nancy R Hudspeth, Jean Honeychurch, Annie I Paterson, Isabel Blake, Beatrice Lee, Garnet Capper, Gwen Osborne, Dorothy Olds, Marjorie Crossman, Doris Shaw, Phyllis Paul, Amy Bolton. Section D Plant Form From Nature (Pulils of Schools in Bedigo Inspectorate), North Bendigo: Alan Styles, Ronald Wright, Agnes R Styles, Jean Woodman. Creek View S.S. Beryl Butcher, Grace Gerguson, Ruth Cheatley, Elmore S.S.: George Read, Hazel Farnsworth, Lorna Washington, Keith Gow, Jean Oliver, Robbie Dick. Wanalta S.S. Mary Brown, Dorothy Nelson, Isobel Roberts, Kenneth McKenzie, Frank Brown. Barnedown S.S.: Elsie Read, George Cahill, Maud Nicholas, Leonard Robbins, Benjamin Robbins. Gravel Hill S.S.: Gladys Bamford, Jean Wright, Jean Hosking, Nancy Honeychurch, Norman McLean, Norman Guy, Agnes Stilwell. Violet St S.S.: Alma Worth, G McConville, Harry Elliot. Various Schools: Wm. Hyslop, Ruby Robertson, Hilda Parkinson, Maud O'Connor, Archie L Walker, Hedley Leggo, Jan O Hoy, Edith Cheatley, John Tatchell, Jean Barell, Keith Ashcroft, John Mueller, J Howe, Eric Cohen, Alice Glover, Ivy Morphett, Allen V Horne, Yin On, R W Moon. 2 Copies of catalogue. Black print, 12 pages made up of 3 sheets of paper with 2 staples in centre.Boltons Print, Bendigoevent, exhibition, bendigo art society, bendigo art gallery, bendigo art society. president: hon. r h s abbot, m.l.c., f.r.s.a. eleventh exhibition, in the bendigo art gallery, view street. october 10th to 31st, 1926. hon. treas.: c e bulley. catalogue price 6d. the president, officers, and committee of the bendigo art society express their pleasure in presenting the representative collection embodied in this exhibition. mr john shirlow, the noted etcher has been good enough to ger together a fine showing of works from eminent artists, who have kindly exhibited with a disire to help the society and to encourage the local artists. the patronage and help of our citizens is earnestly solicited. fee, for exhibiting or ordinary membership, only 5/- per annum. should you care to join, the executive officers will only be too pleased to give any information and to receive subscriptions. joint hon. secs.: j hudspeth, v e greenhalgh. fine art section. arists names: elma roach, ida f knox, h j honeybone, edith h moore, m a hope, lady barrett, g e parker, d hinchcliffe, aileen r dent, j hudspeth, j florence macgregor, madge freeman, c e bulley, merle bulley, ethel f crook, l m sheridan, c g dunlop, ena smith, william h oliver, e phillips fox, ethel carrick, h septimus power, david davies, norman davies, norman w penrose, margaret mccloud, josephine van damme, m e coverdale, marion jones, r w bugg, l rowe, lucy c newell, claire colgan, charles g stewart, alice newell, v e greenhalgh, violet hambly. display of hand-painted china: h w tilley, m jacobs, w mckie, a e collier, hilda veale, elma curnow, jean cahill, frank vaughan. collection of australian art: w d knox, esther paterson, dora l wilson, a m e bale, e f hooton, john rowell, horah gurdon, louis mccubbin. section a (outdoor study, any subject, any medium.) members only: c g duinlop, j florence macgregor, merle bulley, william h oliver, norman w penrose. section b student's section. drawing or design. pupils of schools: stanley r millott, joyce ranson, ronald william forbes, dorothy clemens, lilian j white, ruby a i welch, nancy r hudspeth, j honey church, j g graham, ivo steel. section c student's section. applied art. pupols of art schools: florrie spencer, joyce ranson, ronald w forbes, dorothy clemens, lilian j white, ruby a i welch, nancy r hudspeth, jean honeychurch, annie i paterson, isabel blake, beatrice lee, garnet capper, gwen osborne, dorothy olds, marjorie crossman, doris shaw, phyllis paul, amy bolton. section d plant form from nature (pulils of schools in bedigo inspectorate), north bendigo: alan styles, ronald wright, agnes r styles, jean woodman. creek view s.s. beryl butcher, grace gerguson, ruth cheatley, elmore s.s.: george read, hazel farnsworth, lorna washington, keith gow, jean oliver, robbie dick. wanalta s.s. mary brown, dorothy nelson, isobel roberts, kenneth mckenzie, frank brown. barnedown s.s.: elsie read, george cahill, maud nicholas, leonard robbins, benjamin robbins. gravel hill s.s.: gladys bamford, jean wright, jean hosking, nancy honeychurch, norman mclean, norman guy, agnes stilwell. violet st s.s.: alma worth, g mcconville, harry elliot. various schools: wm. hyslop, ruby robertson, hilda parkinson, maud o'connor, archie l walker, hedley leggo, jan o hoy, edith cheatley, john tatchell, jean barell, keith ashcroft, john mueller, j howe, eric cohen, alice glover, ivy morphett, allen v horne, yin on, r w moon. 2 copies of catalogue. black print, 12 pages made up of 3 sheets of paper with 2 staples in centre.