Born at the Victorian town of Sandhurst (now Bendigo, Albert Steane attended the Gravel Hill State School until the fourth class, then transferred to the Central School 1976 where he gained the Merit Certificate. The monitor system of teacher training had been introduced and he passed as a fourth, third, second and first class pupil teacher. At about 16 years of age Steane was appointed a teacher monitor at £12 per annum. Albert Steane was awarded the Teachers' Certificate of Competency in 1897. He was the first headmaster of the Ballarat Technical School, and opened the Sloyd (woodwork) Centre in 1902 at the Ballarat East Art School (later known as the Ballarat East Free Library). According to the Ballarat Courier of 23 March 1957 Steane established the Ballarat Junior Technical School in February 1913, a part of the School of Mines and Industries Ballarat. The beginning classes with 86 pupils were held at a temporary site at the Dana Street School. Classrooms were so scattered that Steane recalled without his motorbike he would never have covered the ground! By 9 September 1921 the Junior Technical School Building was officially opened on the site of the old Ballarat Gaol. In a confidential report of 1916 Steane was described as one of the best organizers in schools at that time, and he was noted for his strong but fair discipline. In the 1926 school report the Chief Inspector wrote that 'no boy is neglected'. Steane held the position of headmaster at the Ballarat Junior Technical School for 29 years retiring on 16 April 1942. Steane is known for the teaching of Sloyd or woodwork, which was an important point in his career, and for his love of gymnastics. He was made a life member of the Ballarat Y.M.C.A. in 1968 aged 91 years. The teaching of woodwork in Victoria began in 1901 and Steane was chosen, among 18 others for the inaugural training course at Queensberry State School in Melbourne. Because of his lifelong love of gymnastics Steane organized a gymnastic display for the Education Department in 1902 at Bendigo's Golden Jubilee Exhibition. He was one of those instrumental in establishing the Ballarat Y.M.C.A. and directed its physical culture evening classes in 1906. In 1908 Steane toured the world visiting the Swedish Naas Institute and the Gymnastic Festival in Germany. Steane in his reminiscences recalls: "In 1908 I obtained leave of absence and undertook a world trip to further my knowledge of both manual art training and physical training. On this trip I visited U.S.A., Canada, Scotland, England and Europe. Notable events were the attendance at the great 11th Deutche Turnfest at Frankfurt, inspection of the Naas Training School for Sloyd at Naas, Sweden inorgorated [sic] by Otto Solomon, and attendance at Physical Education Demonstrations at London given by the Swedish institution. These P.E. demonstrations were given to assist the organization and introduction of P.E. training in London schools.On returning to Ballarat I resumed my position at the Ballarat East Sloyd Centre and continued my studies at the Ballarat Art School gaining the Drawing Teachers' Certificate." Steane died, aged 93 years, on 13 July 1970, at Sydney, leaving his widow Grace Elliott Steane and children Eric and Violet. Steane is listed on the University of Ballarat Honour Roll at https://www.ballarat.edu.au/curator/honour-roll/honourroll_steane.shtml Printed green book with soft cover. The book lists all masonic bodies, including lodges and chapters, that have worked within 30 miles of Ballarat during the first 100 years of Freemasonry in the district. Includes a Loose, one page addenda et Corrigenda.The image of Albert Steane in the front of the book is inscribed "Yours faithfully A.W. Steane."ballarat, freemason, freemasonic, lodge, albert steane, a a w steane, a j dean, mark lodges, royal ark mariners, royal arch chapters, masonic orders

Certification Arthur James B. Aird admitted to the Degree of Most Excellent Master by the Box Hill Chapter, No. 51 meeting at Box Hill, Victoria. Enrolled, recorded, signed and Seal affixed at Melbourne on 31st July, 1937.

Membership Register for the Ophir Lodge May 1859 to December 2010This object is significant because it records all members of this lodge from its consecration to its closure, listing freemasons in Ararat Victoria.Bound BookRegister /Ophir Lodge Ararat No 423/. Supplied by Evans Bros Bookbinders Next to Bath"s Hotel Lydiard Street Ballaaratararat, ophir lodge, lodge of ophir, membership register, members, freemasons, freemasons victoria

This image of the Ralph Falkiner’s Mueller Petrol-Electric Road Train was taken in Wodonga in February 1914. Imported from Germany by Mr Ralph S Falkiner in late 1913, the train’s inventor, Major W A Mueller with two assistants, came to Melbourne to assemble then commission the train. The train cost Mr Falkiner about £13,000 plus £4,591 import duties. The Falkiner family were sheep breeders in the Western Riverina and he hoped to use the road train primarily to convey wool to the railways for despatch to Sydney. The train was 216 feet long, weighed 43.5 tons with a top speed loaded of 6-8m/h and petrol consumption up to two gallons per mile. Its first Australian journey was to haul 50 tons of cargo to Edmondson & Co at Wagga Wagga, 277 miles away. The journey from Melbourne was plagued with problems including broken cylinders and crank shaft and overheating as it was not designed for Australian climatic conditions. Three months after leaving Melbourne it arrived in Wodonga. A series of problems between Springhurst and Wodonga, including broken cylinders and valves caused an eight day delay. Some of the cargo was off-loaded in Albury, then after repairs the train continued on to Wagga where it arrived in May 1914. After unloading there, the road train was taken to Mr Falkiner's Groongal Station, near Hay and subsequently made several long trips into drought-stricken areas or the Western Riverina. Eventually the dream collapsed when the engines gave out after the train bogged in the sticky black soil of the Hay plain with 251 bales of wool on board. The train was finally railed back to Melbourne and stored but destroyed when the warehouse burnt down. In this photo, the road train is drawn up outside the Wodonga Stores and Bakery owned and operated by George Leighton. Mr Leighton began his business opposite the Terminus Hotel in Sydney Street, Wodonga in 1885. His business included a general store, stocking groceries, ironmongery, drapery, crockeryware, boots and shoes as well as a bakery. He was very actively involved in the community and served on the Wodonga Council for 18 years including three terms as Wodonga Shire President in 1901 – 02, 1910-11 and 1913-14. He was also Chairman of the Wodonga Waterworks Trust for several terms. Mr. Leighton also took a prominent part in the movement to establish a Public Library in Wodonga. His other involvements including being a Founder of the Wodonga Lodge of Freemasons, Honorary Treasurer of the Wodonga Bulldogs Football Club and Secretary of the Wodonga Racing Club. Mr Leighton passed away in Wodonga in 1916.This image is significant because it records a rare event in Wodonga and an experiment in Australian road transport.Black and white images of the Falkiner Road Train in Wodonga and on its first journey from Melbourne to Wagga, NSW It is taken in front of the Wodonga Stores and Bakery operated by George Leighton in Sydney Street, Wodonga.falkiner electric train, early road transport, high street wodonga, george leighton

Ernest Morton Vains (1881 - 1951) was a local business man and Bendigo councillor who arrived in Bendigo in 1897 aged 16 from Kerang. In 1916 he founded the firm E M Vains and Co with his brother Sidney and they operated from Hargreaves Street in Bendigo with branches in Elmore, Mitiamo, Dingee, Knowsley, Heathcote and Prairie. E. M. Vains was a member of the City Council from 1922 - 1926 and was elected Mayor on August 29th, 1924. He played a prominent role in many of the City's community and industry groups and was a member of the Rotary Club which was founded in 1925 and a member of the Corona Lodge of Freemasons. Single page invoice from E.M. Vains and Co Auctioneers, Stock and Station Agents Bendigo. Letterhead features the unique R M Vains & Co logo with a bulls head, printed in royal blue ink.city of bendigo mayor, mayor vains, city of greater bendigo commerce, making a nation exhibition, mayoress vains, freemason