This booklet commemorates the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Shire of Warrnambool. The original proclamation was read from the Government gazette 13/12/1863 Pg 2958. This follows from being proclaimed a roads district in 1854 which was then partly portioned and proclaimed the Municipal district in 1855. Portion of the shire was again annexed to the city in 1955. The Warrnambool shire covers the area on north east and western sides of the city of Warrnambool covering approximately 600 square miles and has a rich history of farming and dairy products. A program which commemorates 100 years of the shire of Warrnambool. It contains a comprehensive list of councillors who served during that time.White light card cover with royal blue text and tied with royal blue ribbon.Pale blue vertical lines. Shire crest with dates either side at top centre of page.Back cover has list of councillors names who have served from 1863 up to 1963. Photographs in green tinge inside front and back covers. 8 pages. Cr Cyril Geoffery Boyle. Thursday 12th December 1963.Mr Robert Burke, Cr C S Brown, Cr C G Boyle, A F Ponting,The Honourable Murray Porter, Hon R W Mack, Cr J Pascoe, Mr J W Crawley, Mr L Crawley, J Wm Crawley, Jnr, R L Crawleywarrnambool,, warrnambool shire, cr c g boyle, warrnambool shire 1863, warrnambool shire 1963

This is a Reading Book of the Irish National Board of Education adapted for use in schools in Victoria, Australia. Irish School Readers were used in Victoria under the National School System in the 1850s and continued to be used in the 1860s and 70s under the Common School System and the introduction of the State School System after 1872. Readers produced in Victoria for Australian children did not become prominent until the 20th century (School Papers 1898 and Victorian Readers 1928). The signature of Hugh Adams in this book indicates that the book may have come from one of the Adams families farming in the Wangoom area near Warrnambool. There were several boys in these families named Hugh and it is unclear which one owned this book. This book is of interest as an early school reader used in the Warrnambool area and as a book belonging to a member of a local Adams family in the 19th century.This is a hard cover book of 285 pages. It has a brown cover with the title and ornamentation etched into the cover. The book contains prose extracts and poetry with the extracts headed by the derivation and pronunciation of some of the words in the text. There are a few illustrations and sketches. Some of the illustrations have been coloured and scribbled on. The book has been bound with string and glue with the lower portion of the spine cover missing. The book is very tattered. ‘Hugh Adams’ (back pages and on page 279) school readers, education in warrnambool, hugh adams

This little book is very old, presumably 19th century, but the wording on the front cover is indecipherable, no date is evident and the first and last pages are missing. The book was owned by Mary Jane Freckleton with the main inscription written in an adult hand – ‘Mary Jane Frickelton, Mailers Flat’. The spelling of Mailers Flat with an ‘e’ was not a mistake but this was the common spelling in the 19th century and the early 20th century. According to the Freckleton family history ‘Freckleton’ was sometimes spelled ‘Frickelton’ or ‘Frickleton’. Mailors Flat is nine kilometres from Warrnambool and the Mailors Flat School, number 1210, was opened in 1872 in Caramut Road and closed in 1994. The first Head Teacher was Julian Castles. There were Freckelton families in the 19th century in Port Fairy, Caramut, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Mailors Flat. The Freckletons at Mailors Flat were engaged in farming. Mary Jane Freckleton was for a time a pupil teacher at Mailors Flat School. She was born at the Injemira property and married Henry Giles. This is an interesting book because of its age and because it belonged to Mary Jane Freckleton, a member of the Freckleton families, early settlers in the areas north of Warrnambool. She may have used the book when she was a pupil teacher at the Mailors Flat School. This is a hard cover book of 284 pages (some pages missing). The cloth cover is brown and much torn and stained. There are 86 chapters of prose and verse and a sprig of dried flowers is enclosed in the pages. There is the red stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society on the first page and several snippets of writing in black ink on the front and back pages.‘Mary Jane Frickelton Mailers Flat’mary jane freckleton, mailors flat school, mailers flat, frickelton

This is a book of 190 pages. It has a green cover with embossed floral patterns and a rising sun sketch outlined in gold. The black printing on the cover and spine has a gold patterned background. The pages contain advertisements, printed material and black and white sketches. fictionA Children's Annual formed by re-publishing one year's issues of a monthly magazine matilda logan, st. john's presbyterian church warrnambool, logan's beach

136 page softcover book. Front cover has the Title: "Yalla-Y-Poora On The Fiery Creek when the cannon's roar was stilled" printed over a coloured print of Eugene von Guerard's painting of Yalla-y-Poora; Back cover: Three colour photographs soldier settlement farming family descendants, soldier settler house and tractor. Yalla-Y-Poora On The Fiery Creek printed on spine.non-fictionNumber Six in James Affleck's series of book on Soldier Settlements in Western Victoria. An edited compilation of settler families' own stories, combined with a reincorporation of a previously published history of the area, profiles of local people and organisations illustrated with maps, photographs and poetrysoldier settlement, yalla-y-poora

This stencil has been made to label packaged produce (wool bales, packaged meat etc) from a farm in Grasmere, near Warrnambool. The name, W. Robinson, suggests that this is William Robinson the son of James and Jane Robinson. James Robinson came to Australia in 1857 and he and his family farmed at Springvale at Hopkins Point, then at what was termed 'Manning's old Purnim Farm' on the Merri Rive at Grasmere (the Manning brothers, Frederick and John were early farmers in the district). The Robinson brothers, James and Stuart were well-known in the Warrnambool district as champion ploughmen. James's son, William married firstly Christina MacLennan and then Elizabeth Neale of Tooram, Allansford. William died in 1959 but the stencil was probably used on the property after his death. This farm stencil is of interest as a memento of farming at Grasmere in the first half of the 20th century.This is a metal stencil, oval in shape. It has letters cut out in the metal for stencilling purposes. It has been painted or sprayed and is rusted in places.W. Robinson 20 Grasmerewilliam robinson grasmere, manning's purnim farm

This ledger was used between 1883 and 1892 to record returns and activities on a farming property including numbers of sheep shorn, chaff cut, fencing contracted and people employed. One envelope within the ledger is addressed to Mrs J Edwards, Morven via Branxholme. The Edwards family, lived on the MORVEN property situated about 11 kilometres west of Branxholme in the Western District of Victoria. This property was sub divided in 1911 into 25 farms. The not fully used ledger has later been repurposed as a recipe book with a collection of newspaper cuttings (1924-1929) inserted and recipes handwritten on 16 pages at the rear. The pages also include some household hints including instructions on how "To prepare sheep skins for mats"This ledger is typical of farming records kept in the period 1883 to 1892. The repurposing of the ledger as a recipe book was a common practice. This ledger has cardboard patterned covers. The paper pages are bound with cotton. Some pages are handwritten in ink. There are loose newspaper cuttings within the ledger as well as two addressed envelopes and a small red recipe booklet.ledger, farming records, recipes, morven, edwards family morven, canvassing department of the australian dried fruits association

Finger from an agricultural finger bar mower for cutting hay.This item has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of a farming tool of the past. This is small metal tool in the shape of a knife with a sharp curved tapering point at the end, a mid cross piece and a hole at the top. The tool is very rusty. warrnambool, vintage farming tool

The brush in this case could have been used as a hair brush or a clothes brush. It is enclosed in a leather case and was probably an item made for travellers. The brush and case belonged to George Tomlinson of Ballangeich. Ballangeich is a small settlement on the Hopkins Highway about 27 kilometres from Warrambool. George Tomlinson’s grandfather, William Tomlinson , established a farming property at Ballangeich in 1865 and opened a hotel, ‘Half Way House’ on part of the land. George Tomlinson’s father, also William, continued to farm in the area and was known as a fine judge of cattle and sheep. This case and brush are of interest as an example of the brushes men used in the mid 20th century. The items are also of interest as they belonged to a member of a well-known Ballangeich family (Tomlinsons).1 This is a piece of brown leather rolled over and stitched with yellow thread to form a container or case. The case has a closing mechanism – a leather strap and metal buckle. .2 Inside the leather case is a brush with a brown Bakelite back with horsehair inserted. ‘G.E. Tomlinson Ballangeich Victoria’men’s toiletries, ballangeich, history of warrnambool

This is a porridge set which probably dates from the early years of the 20th century. Porridge bowls and cups were particularly popular in Scotland at that time and would have been used in households in Australia throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. These items have no known local provenance but are of interest as an example of the household china that was in use 100 years ago and was still being used for many decades after that time. They are attractive items and will be useful for display. These two items are a large cup and saucer made of china and used for porridge. The cup has colour floral and leaf scroll decorations inside the top rim, a piece of verse extolling the farmer and surrounded by black and white patterns, including farming implements, on one side of the cup and coloured farming implements in circles with the same verses in larger circles with a colour wheat sheaf in the centre on the other side of the cup. The saucer, more in the shape of a soup bowl, has the same colour floral and leaf decorations around the rim and the same farming patterns and verses in the centre. The handle has a black and white floral decoration The maker’s mark and name are on the bottom of the cup and saucer. ‘In God is Our Trust’ ‘The Farmers Arms’ history of warrnambool, porridge bowls

This tin comes from the Melbourne firm of Rolfe and Co. and would have held tea. Rolfe & Co. was established by George Rolfe (Senior) in 1854 as a wholesale wine, spirit and provisions business. George Rolfe was a member of the Upper House of the Victorian Government from 1860 to 1862 and in 1867. He died in 1871 and his son, also George, succeeded him as the managing director of the business. This George Rolfe (1837-1919) came to Australia with his family in 1849 and lived first in South Australia and then came to Melbourne, joining his father’s business, George Rolfe was a keen farmer and fisherman and after holidaying in Warrnambool for some time, bought, in the early 1870s, the property at the mouth of the Hopkins River which he named Lyndoch after the town in South Australia. He came frequently to Warrnambool. He later extended his farming interests which included the properties of Fairy Hill and Shipley. George Rolfe married Jane Ann Lake in 1891 and the Lyndoch property passed to two of his stepdaughters. Today the Rolfe property is the site of an aged care facility. The business of Rolfe & Co. continued well into the 20th century.This tin is of great interest as a memento of George Rolfe of Lyndoch, Warrnambool and his Melbourne business, Rolfe & Co. George Rolfe was a prominent person in the Warrnambool district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is a metal container, rectangular in shape. It originally held tea. The sides of the tin have painted lettering regarding the contents and the supplier. This paint was originally in yellow, blue and brown tonings. The lid is round and slots into the rounded opening. The tin has been re-painted in a silver colour on the top and inside. The tin, especially the lettering on the sides, is much rusted and in some places the words are illegible. A small hole has been pierced in the top of the tin‘Rolfe’s Tea’ ‘Rolfe & Co. Ltd 300 King Street Melbourne’ rolfe & co, george rolfe senior, george rolfe junior, lyndoch, warrnambool

This grain scale tester was used to work out the percentage weight of a sack of grain after the grain husk, dust and dirt were removed, thereby allowing for the calculation of the true value of the sack. The parts were attached to the box via the screw on top of the box and the cleaned grain went into the funnel to measure a fixed grain amount, before being released from the bottom of the funnel into the barrel which was then hung on the end of the scale. The weight was then slid down the graduated ruler until the scale balanced. Grain scale testers would have been used in farming in the Western District in the past and similar objects may still be in use. This grain scale tester is retained as a good example of an agricultural item from the past.This is a grain tester scale in a wooden box. .1 The wooden box has two metal hinges and wooden inserts inside with blue felt on the tops of the inserts. The box has a metal plaque on the lid and a round metal hole section for inserting a piece of equipment. .2 This is a metal flask on a stand. Part of it is rusty. .3 This is small metal cylinder with a lid. .4 This is a metal bar with measurements, a hook at the top and a slide or weight fitting on to the bar. .5 This is a small metal screw. ‘Lbs per bushel’ ‘Australian Manufacture by Australasian Scale Co. Ltd., Thomas Street, Sydney N.S.W.’ agricultural instruments, history of warrnambool, grain scale tester

The card relates to the Official Centenary Ball held in the Warrnambool Town Hall in March 1947 to celebrate the city's Centenary in 1947. Warrnambool was founded as a port settlement to service the farming interests in the area, with the first land sales held in Melbourne in July 1847. The leaflet is a programme of the Civic Memorial Service held in the Botanic Gardens in Warrnambool in February1952 on the occasion of the death of King George VI of England. Both items came from memorabilia held by the Bamford family of 8 Monash Avenue Warrnambool and it is presumed that one or more members of that family attended the events.These items are of social significance as mementos of events in Warrnambool in the mid 20th century..1 A white card with black printing and a logo .2 A sheet of white paper folded to make four pages with black printing and a photograph of King George VI of Englandwarrnambool memorabilia, warrnambool centenary, warrnambool centenary 1947, official centenary ball.

This item advertises and describes a power pumping head and other products made by Alderdice Brassfounders of Warrnambool. Brothers William and Charles Downing came from Melbourne to Warrnambool in 1898 and established the Atlas Brassworks. In 1901, with the involvement of John Alderdice, the Downing brothers began the Alderdice Brassfounders Company situated at 64 Henna Street in Warrnambool, the site of an old cordial factory. This business which produces fittings used in farming, factories, public utilities, Government departments etc., still operates at the same address.This item is of considerable interest as an early example of the the business activities of Alderdice Brassfounders Co., a prominent business in Warrnambool for over 120 years.This is a sheet of paper describing a power pumping head one side and other products of the Alderdice Brassfounders Company on the other. It contains black printing and black and white illustrations on both sides of the paper. Three of the illustrated items have been crossed out.warrnambool industries

This chair is believed to have come from the homestead of Dr. Daniel Curdie (1810-1884) who arrived in Australia in 1839. He established a property called Tandarook ten miles south of Camperdown. At first he combined farming with a medical practice as he was the only doctor in the coastal regions between Geelong and Portland. After 1850 he concentrated on farming and exploratory tours of the region. The chair may have been used for some or all of his ten children.This chair is of considerable significance firstly because of its rustic nature and age, being a hand made item and secondly because of its association with Dr. Daniel Curdie, one of the important pioneers of the Western District.This is a hand made wooden chair with two struts at the back and four struts supporting the legs. The seat is also wooden. Wooden pegs in some places have been replaced by screws.rustic furniture, childs highchair, dr. daniel curdie

This is a book of 71 pages. The cover is grey with a colour photograph of a jersey cow's head, black printing and dark blue binding. The pages contain black and white photographs, sketches and tables, printed text and a colour fold out of a cow showing internal organs etc. The cover is partly detached from the pages.non-fictionInformation on dairy farming in Australiadairy farming in australia, dairy cows, warrnambool, western victoria

This yoke would have been used as a harness for a bullock team . Bullocks were used extensively in the 19th and early 20th centuries for cartage and haulage, particularly for wool in the Western District. This yoke was from the property "Rose Park" in Willatook and used about 1902. The property of "Rose Park" was owned by Stan Baulch who inherited the property in 1919. Up to his death in 1980 he was an active member of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society and had a special interest in the local history of bullock teams and bullockies.This is retained as a memento of early farming practices in the Western District of Victoria.The yoke has a heavy wooden curved piece shaped at both ends with holes along the piece to hold two heavy metal rings which protrude through the wooden section and have pointed ends. The holes also contain two large metal hoops. A short chain is attached bullock team and bullockies, stan baulch, rose park

This is a soft cover book of 315 pages. It has a buff-coloured cover with black and white photographs and white printing on the front cover and black printing on the spine. The book includes printed material, black and white photographs, maps and plans. non-fiction This book records the history of the post World War Two soldier settlement farms in the Caramut area. Number two in a series of books on Soldier Settlements in Western Victoria.james affleck, peterborough, soldier settlement, caramut, history of warrnambool, soldier settlement, caramut

Both these items deal with the property of Dunmore, in the Macarthur/Hawkesdale/ Woolsthorpe area of Western Victoria. The first item is a sheet of paper with a map and details of the sale of portion of Dunmore in 1954. This is an original document. The second item is a history written by Stan Baulch of the property Dunmore from its establishment up to 1970. Dunmore was first established by Charles Hamilton MacKnight and two partners in 1842 and it was purchased by Samuel Baulch in 1893. After Samuel Baulch’s death the property was bequeathed to his three sons. One son, Stanley Baulch (1897-1980) took over the eastern portion which he named Rose Park. Stan Baulch was a member of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society and wrote several articles on aspects of his life and work, including this valuable article on the history of Dunmore. These items are of significance as they concern the estate of Dunmore in Western Victoria, an early and important property which is still farming land today under various owners. .1 This is a sheet of paper containing a map of the Dunmore property on one side and details of the sale of portion of Dunmore on the other side. The map has been annotated in handwritten black ink. The page has been folded twice. .2 This is an article typed on 12 foolscap pages. The typing is somewhat faint in places. ‘Dunmore’ Estate Dunmore baulch family, western district, victoria, dunmore estate, macarthur/hawkesdale, history of warrnambool

This programme gives details of the 1966 Annual Show of the Warrnambool Agricultural Society. As in most country towns and cities in Australia, the annual agricultural show in Warrnambool is an important social and agricultural event, especially for the farming community. The Warrnambool Agricultural Society, originally called the Villiers and Heytesbury Agricultural Association, was established in 1854 with the first show held at Warrnambool in 1855 and continuing to the present day. This booklet is of interest as a souvenir of the Warrnambool Agricultural Society Annual Show from 50 years ago. It is of historical interest as it gives an insight into farming in the local Warrnambool area in the 1960s. This is a booklet of 60 pages. The cover has black printing and black and white photographs on the front cover and an advertisement on the back cover. The pages contain names of the Society’s office bearers, donors and details of the Show competitions and judging.

These scales came from the Nullawarre Post Office, Nullawarre being approximately 25 ks East of Warrnambool. It is a small centre for the local farming community and has some services including a store, school and hall. The Post Office has closed in more recent times and these scales are one of a number of items which came to the WDHS on its closure including a brass fire extinguisher and a 1969 telephone book. Charles Williams was a postmaster at one time and Vida Williams was post mistress. These scales are an interesting and common item with a strong connection to a local community area.These scales have a cast metal frame with a circular base and a circular vertical section which frames a brass measurement circular plate which is marked in increments up to 11 lbs and held in place with two screws. There is a rectangular metal plate at the top on which the item to be weighed would be placed. The item is quite heavy in weight.On the brass plate,: POSTAL PARCEL BALANCE SALTER'S. NO. 25 BRITISH MADE.11 LB x 1/2 OZ. Underneath this is the Salter logo.warrnambool, nullawarre post office, charles williams, vida williams

This booklet, by Rosamund Duruz, gives the history of the schools in the Heytesbury Forest area. The Heytesbury Shire Council was established in 1863 and the first schools in the area opened in the 1870s. Most of them were closed when Timboon Consolidated School (later Timboon High School) opened in 1948. The Heytesbury Forest was largely deforested by the Bailey Closer Settlement Scheme of the 1930s and later the establishment of more farming properties in the 1950s. This booklet is of interest as a comprehensive history of the schools in the Heytesbury Forest area pre 1970. It will be useful for researchers. This is a soft-cover booklet of 63 pages. The cover is a cream colour with brown images of trees and a school on the front cover. The booklet includes a map, a sketch and several black and white photographs. The booklet is bound with metal staples.schools in heytesbury forest, victoria, rosamund duruz, historian, history of warrnambool

This medal was made by Stokes and Martin. Thomas Stokes established a medal-making business in Melbourne in 1856 and from 1867 to 1893 he had a partner, George Frederick Martin. In 1962 the Stokes business became a public company and operates today in Melbourne. The medal was awarded at the Annual Show of the Villiers and Heytesbury Agricultural Association in 1877. One of the earliest agricultural associations in Victoria, the V.& H.A.A., the forerunner of the Warrnambool Agricultural Society, was established in 1854 and the first Warrnambool Show was held in 1855 at the first Royal Archer Hotel in Koroit Street. The Warrnambool Agricultural Show is still held annually. The medal, first prize for the best horse hay rake, was awarded in 1877 to the brothers, Thomas and William Rutledge, sons of Eliza and William Rutledge. The latter was a pioneer settler who came to the Warrnambool/Port Fairy district as the purchaser of the Special Survey, Farnham Park in 1841. His land stretched from Tower Hill to Dennington. William Rutledge Senior was a pioneer breeder of a Lincoln sheep stud, the owner of a mercantile business in Port Fairy, a member of the Legislative Council of Victoria and the pioneer developer of farming land around Tower Hill. His son Thomas (1846-1918) was a Warrnambool Shire Councillor who farmed in the Farnham Survey, living at Werronggurt . He went to the Geelong area at the end of the 19th century. His brother William (1849-1935) also farmed in the Farnham Survey, living at Farnham Park, He later lived at Airlie in Henna Street, Warrnambool and Sherwood on the Hopkins River and had land in the Otway Ranges. He later went to New Zealand.This medal is of considerable significance because of its age and its association with Thomas and William Rutledge and with the Villiers and Heytesbury Agricultural Association.This is a bronze medal with an image of agricultural implements, agricultural produce and farm animals on one side and etched printing on the other side. There is also printing around the edge of the medal. The medal has a small hole at the top for attaching the medal to a cord. Villiers & Heytesbury Agricultural Association 1st Prize awarded to Rutledge Bro. for Horse Hay Rake Annual Show Warrnambool 10 Oct. 1877 Stokes & Martin Melbourne thomas and william rutledge, farnham special survey, villiers and heytesbury agricultural association, warrnambool agricultural society, history of warrnambool

These two cards have been sent In 1929 by two early Warrnambool amateur radio persons to William (Bill) Douglas, an amateur radio person with the call sign, VK3GA. The cards are QSL cards, sent as a result of radio contacts being made between two amateur radio persons. Bill Douglas (1898-1986) was a Victorian schoolteacher who was the first licensed amateur radio person in the Otway Ranges district. He was licensed in January 1929 and these cards refer to radio contacts in the July of that year. The cards do not feature the call signs of the contacts but were standard cards used by amateur radio people who did not have personalised cards at the time,. One card was sent by J.F. Anderson (VK3WN) whose address at the time was 100 Foster Street, Warrnambool. He was possibly connected to the family of James and Jane Anderson who lived for some time in Foster Street but later went farming in the Nullawarre district. The other card was sent by W. Brown of 23 Mackay Crescent South Warrnambool (call sign unknown). No information has been found on this person.These two cards are of some importance as they are very early examples of amateur radio operations in Warrnambool. .1 A rectangular card, very faded and torn at edges. The card has a red border and red and black printing and handwritten material. On the back is a handwritten letter. .2 A rectangular card, very faded and torn at the edges. The card has a red border and black and red printing and handwritten material. On the back are a postal franking stamp, a green postage stamp and a handwritten address.1 a handwritten letter .2 Radio VK3GA Lavers Hill Victoriaamateur radio stations, w. douglas vk3ga, j.f.anderson vk3wn, w.brown warrnambool

This is an original Argus in a maroon leather folder. The paper itself is a 32 page broadsheet which slides inside the folder for protection. A certificate of authenticity is glued to the inside cover of the folder.non-fictionThis paper contains mostly news items and advertisements of the day. However some items contained within are fictional in nature.warrnambool, the argus 1925, winslow, o'keefe, o'keeffe

Collection of records kept by the Secretary and Treasurer of the Warrnambool Young Farmers Club and handed in by a former memberRecords of a local club (four items)These records are kept in an A4 archival folder in our Collections section in our Archives RoomMinute books and financial records of local club (4 items)farming in the warrnambool districtfarming in the warrnambool district

Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert & Rachael Bostock of Vaucluse Epping Forest, Van Diemen’s Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vaucluse in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool, where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. He was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District, racing, cricket, and social activities to name a few. This is one of a number of personal letters exchanged between Augustus Bostock and E H Macartney. Generally the topics discussed relate to sheep and farming practices, in this case the construction of a sheep dip and the sale of Lincoln sheep and expenses.This is one of a number of documents which relate to the Bostock family who were one of the most important pioneering families of the Western District. They owned and leased various properties around Warrnambool and were involved in many aspects of social and business life. As a letter , which discusses issues of the day, this item has social and historical significance.Cream lined paper folded in two. Written in black ink over three and a half pages with hand drawn diagram at the end of the letter.Dated September 27th 1900. Marramook. Addressed to E H Macartney Delatite Mansfield.augustus bostock, e h macartney, warrnambool, lincoln sheep

Grassmere is a small hamlet about 12 kilometres from Warrnambool. It is a farming area. The Grassmere Gold Mining Company, presumably established by local people in Grassmere, was created in 1898 for the purpose of acquiring from Messrs James and Mewha a lease of a Cassilis gold mine (23 acres). £5000 was to be raised in shares of five shillings and one shilling each. The Manager of the Company was Horatio Dickson of Melbourne and the brokers were McMeekin and Co. of Melbourne and Warrnambool and Dickson and Osborne of Melbourne. This reef mine was one of several in Cassilis, Gippsland, 12 kilometres north west of Swifts Creek. The gold-bearing quartz reefs were discovered in 1885 and worked to 1914. It is not known whether the Grassmere Cassilis mine was a financial success but the mining operations were impeded by the hardness of the stone in the area. William Robinson was a farmer in the Grassmere district. This certificate is of considerable interest as one of only three items the Warrnambool and District Historical Society has that is connected with the establishment of the Grassmere Gold Mining Company. The gold mine establishment was one of the many minor events in the district in the 1890s. This is a small buff-coloured certificate detailing the shares of William Robinson in the Grassmere Gold Mining Company (1898). The certificate has green printing and black-ink handwriting. The bottom section (Form of Transfer) is not filled in. There is a stamp of the Grassmere Gold Mining Company with the words ‘No Liability’. There is a decorative pattern in green on the left margin with the address of the company and the name of the printer. ‘This is to certify that Wm. Robinson of Grassmere is a member of the above-named company and the proprietor of fifty (50) shares, numbering 12651/12700 therein, upon which the sum of one shilling has been paid up, subject to the Rules and Regulations of the Company. Dated this 15th day of September, 1898. W.J. Roland, Director, .H. (es) Dickson, Manager.’grassmere, grassmere gold mining company, william robinson, warrnambool