This horse trough is the only survivor of the two troughs originally installed in Raglan Parade, Warrnambool, in 1932. It was later moved to the Pony Club at Albert Part, near the north corner of Coulstock and Craig Streets. Over the time there its purpose was changed from a horse watering trough to a colourful garden bed of agapanthus plants. By February 2013 the horse trough had been transferred to Flagstaff Hill for display in the Maritime Village’s grounds. This trough is one of hundreds provided by the Annis and George Bills Estate Trust since 1927 for the welfare of working horses and dogs. The original concrete cap over the small compartment is still retained. There are also markings on the right side of the trough where it probably had a birdbath, tap or a dish for the horseman’s dog, similar to other troughs donated elsewhere by the Trust. Less than half of the troughs produced for the Annis and George Bills Trust still survive. In 2017 Felicity Watson, National Trust Victoria’s advocacy manager, said that the troughs were treasures and becoming rare, with more than a dozen across Victoria now being heritage protected. ABOUT ANNIS AND GEORGE BILLS The 1927 Will of George Bills included setting up the Annis and George Bills Estate Trust, which provided for hundreds of horse troughs to be supplied and installed throughout Australia, Britain, USA and other parts of the world for the welfare of horses. Town and city councils could apply to the Trustees for a horse trough for their communities. George “Joe” Bills was born in Brighton, England, in 1859. The family migrated first to New Zealand then to Australia in 1873, settling in the Echuca-Moama district. George moved to Brisbane in 1882 where he met Annis Swann, formerly from Sheffield. Both were animal lovers. George and Annis married 1885 and moved to Sydney to join George’s brother Henry in his mattress wire weaving business, later known as the Bills Brothers. They patented their own machine in 1893 and the business became very profitable. George was able to donate to charities that supported his passion to improve animal welfare. He and Annis joined the Victorian Society for the Protection of Animals and in 1924 George received a Life Membership with the RSPCA. George retired in 1908. The couple moved to Hawthorn, Victoria, in 1910, where they donated troughs for the work horses of Melbourne. During a visit to England Annis passed away. In 1927 George moved from Hawthorn to Camberwell, where he passed away at the end of that year. George had requested in his Will that a trust fund be set up from his estate "…construct and erect and pay for horse troughs wherever they may be of the opinion that such horse troughs are desirable for the relief of horses and other dumb animals either in Australasia, in the British Islands or in any other part of the world subject to the consent of the proper authorities being obtained." The troughs were to bear a plaque inscribed “Donated by Annis and George Bills, Australia”. In 1927 the cost to make a trough was about £13 (which converts to about $1079 in 2020 ), plus transport and installation costs. Most of the troughs were installed between 1930 and 1939 in Victoria and New South Wales. It is estimated that over that time around 500-700 Bills Horse Troughs were installed in Australia and another 50 overseas. Most of the troughs made in Victoria had three moulded front panels like this trough, and no panels moulded on the rear, whereas troughs made in NSW had four panels on the front and five on the back. Victorian troughs were made by a Bills’ relative, J H Phillips. Later, other manufactures for the Trust’s troughs included Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd, in Auburn Road, Hawthorn, Victoria, who produced to the same original design. No further troughs produced after the end of World War II. A memorial to Annis and George Bills was first erected in Hawthorn in 1929. It included a drinking fountain and a dog dish. Its current location is unknown. In 1964 the George Bills RSPCA Resource Centre opened in Burwood East. This Bills horse trough is nationally significant as one of the surviving examples of the standard Bills memorial horse troughs that still has its compartment cap and evidence of it once having had attached fittings, possibly for a birdbath or dog dish. This trough has State historical significance for being produced in the early 1930s by a business in Hawthorn, Victoria. This example of a Bills horse trough is significant for being in comparatively good condition. The trough is locally significant for being the sole survivor of the two Bills horse troughs installed in the City of Warrnambool in 1932, originally installed on Raglan Parade and continued to be used in the community at the Pony Club, then finally transferred to its current location at Flagstaff Hill by early 2013. It is culturally significant as it represents the community’s dependence on horses for travel and transportation previous to motorised vehicles. It is morally significant as a generous gift from a couple concerned with the welfare of animals.Horse trough; a long narrow rectangular container used for storing water. Trough is made from pre-cast concrete with one large open compartment and a small covered compartment. The base of the small compartment is raised slightly above the base of the trough and is covered by a removable concrete cap. The design of the front of the trough includes three panels moulded into it that align with the shape of the back pediment (panel). The pediment is shaped with side arcs that step up to a wide centre arc. A rectangular concrete plaque is cast into the centre of the pediment and is engraved with the names of the original donors, Annis and George Bills. The trough was made in Hawthorn, Victoria, by J H Phillips circa 1932. “DONATED BY / ANNIS & GEORGE BILLS / AUSTRALIA”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, annis and george bills, bills trust, j h phillips, rocla concrete pipes ltd, hawthorn, water trough, watering trough, horse trough, animal welfare, bills horse trough

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Black and white photo of George Billsbills family history, agriculture, towns

George (Joe) Bills left a legacy to provide watering troughs for horses and money to combat the cruelty to animals and he was made a Life Governor of the Victorian Society for the Protection of Animals in 1924.bills, george, bills water troughs, rspca

35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteannis bills, bills horse trough, george bills, main road, research (vic.)

Concrete Water Trough, oblong in shape has small dog trough attached to side. on back is a plaque with the inscription "DONATED BY ANNIS AND GEORGE BILLS. AUSTRALIA"

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Colour photograph of Cement Horse Trough - no dog bowl on the side agriculture, animals, bills family history

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Black and white photo of Mrs Annis Bills nee Swannbills family history, genealogy

Handwritten notes, undated, on A & G Bills horse trough Main Road Research. Handwritten notes, undated, "Annie and George Bills" listing locations of other Bills horse troughs. Typed notes by Dianna Basset-Smith, July 2003, her memories of the Bills trough at Research. Letter, RSPCE to Andrew Lemon, 17 December 1993, lists other horse troughs known to the RSPCA, use of money from Bills estate managed by John Crook. Newspaper article: Legacy is set in concrete, The Weekly Times, 25 June 2003, history of Bills horse troughs from 1930s, biography of George Bills and Annis Swarm [correctly Swann], quoting Barbie Roach, Gorge Bills' great-grandneice, notes locations of other Bills troughs. Newspaper article: No drought in water troughs, Weekly Times, 9 July 2003, Response to 25 June 2003 article, readers reporting Bills troughs in their area, photograph of trough at Korong Vale. Newspaper article: The horse lover, (photocopy, no publication details), Decaying Bills horse tough in Geelong council yard proposed to be moved to RSPCA, history of George Bills, Annis Bills (nee Swann), legacy, great-grandneice Judith Crook writing Bills history. Email exchange, Eltham District Historical Society and Geraldine Sanderson 2015: enquiry re Bills trough at Research for planned history of Bills trough, and provision of EDHS-held information.Annis Elizabeth Swannmain road, research (vic.), horse troughs, annis and george bills, bills trough, audrey bills, annis bills, george bills, barbie roach, royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, judith crook, audrey morton, kathleen wood, acclimatisation society, john lugg, ian stacey, harry bills, annis swann, james boreas crook, william buesst, myer emporium, richard bills, buesst and bills brothers, daisy bills

Article from Williamstown Historical Society Newsletter No 157 dated 1 January 1997 about establishment of horse troughs by George Bills.Article from Williamstown Historical Society Newsletter No 157 dated 1 January 1997 horse troughs, williamstown historical society, bills, george, royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals

Two articles on Bills Water Troughs built across Victoria and elsewhere following the legacy of George Bills. Includes list of known locations including Blackburn.Two articles on Bills Water Troughs built across Victoria and elsewhere following the legacy of George Bills. Includes list of known locations including Blackburn.bills water troughs, bills, george

Photocopies of articles, some unsourced relating to the genral history of the Bills horse troughs. "Bills horse troughs are watering troughs that were manufactured in Australia and installed to provide relief for working horses in the first half of the twentieth century. The troughs were financed by a trust fund established through the will of George Bills. A total of around 700 troughs were distributed by the trust in Australia and 50 in several other countries" - Wikipedia There is a trough locally situated on Main Road, Research7 pageswater trough, bills horse trough, george bills

Water troughs were installed to provide relief for working horses in the first half of the 20th century. As the use of motorised transport increased the use for water troughs declined.Coloured photograph of a horse trough located on the corner of Canterbury and Blackburn Roads Blackburn South. This trough was one of many donated by Annis and George Bills. See ND883 and ND885 for articles in the 'Sun'.horse troughs bills george and annis

Australia Day 1978 Melbourne had the biggest collection of historic vehicles seen in this country. There were electric and horse drawn trams, steam trains, veteran and vintage cars and even a fly past of old flying machines. Officially the occasion marked the unveiling of Harold Freeman's giant mural at Spencer Street Station depicting a century of transportation in Australia. Another paragraph refers to the horse trough referred to in E - C - 3 and research by Amy Bunker into the story of George Bills. It points out that the RSPCA emergency home in Burwood is the George Bills Rescue Centre.transport, freeman, harold, spencer street station, horse troughs, bills, george, royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, bunker, amy

Black and white photo of horse trough at corner Canterbury and Blackburn Roads. This trough was one of the many donated by Annis and George Bills. See ND883 & ND885 for articles in 'Sun' and also Robin De Costa's book 'Blackburn - A Picturesque History'horse troughs, bills, george, annis

This trough was one of many provided all over Australia by philanthropists Annis and George Bills. It is located inside the old Box Hill Cemetery gates in Whitehorse Road, Box Hill. See page 34 "The days we remember" B&w photohorse troughs, bills> annis, bills> george, box hill cemetery, the days we remember, cemeteries

Article in 'The Sun' 1978 about the Blackburn horse trough found by Robin Da Costa at the corner of Blackburn and Canterbury Roads, bequested by George Bills to Australian horse owners. Bill came from Britain to Australia in 1859 and made a fortune. When he died in 1927 he left a large sum of money to prevent cruelty to animals. Robin is producing a pictorial history of Blackburn with the help of a grant from Nunawading Council.horse troughs, bills, george, blackburn road, blackburn, canterbury road, da costa, robin

Horse trough, Market Square, Bendigo. Donated by ANNIS & GEORGE BILLS AUSTRALIA.slide, bendigo, market square, horse trough, market square, bendigo

In the early 1980s the firm of Watson, James & Rogers merged with the partnership of Every & Every and became the iconic “Rogers & Every” as known today. The firm is still located on Bull Street. https://rogersevery.com.au/about/* Agreement and Discharge between George Bill of Homebush and Jose Monsant, Joseph Monsant and Pratty Monsant. Agreement concerns 30 acres of land. Dated 5 March 1924. * Hand written note acknowledging receipt of agreement. Dated July 1925. Signed Geo. Bill.Signatureswatson james & rogers, bendigo, legal documents, monsant

Inscription on the trough " Donated by Annis and George Bills, Australia" - note no dog bowl George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Coloured photograph of a Bills Horse Trough at Great Alpine Rd. Bruthen. East Gippsland. bills family history, genealogy, agriculture, animals

The Bills Cement Trough consists of two parts a large horse trough and a smaller dog,trough which was donated by Annis and George Bills. It is not known whether this trough was donated and installed prior to or after the death of George Bills in 1927. The installation was under taken by The Metropolitan Drinking and Cattle Trough Association which had been set up in England by an English Organisations in 1859 to provide water facilities for both drivers and animals. The Bills drinking trough, corner of Walker and Rennie Streets, Lara, is significant as it forms part of the Annis and George Bills Estate., which was established to provide watering facilities for horses after George's death in 1927. The concrete structure is also a legacy of the days of horse drawn vehicles before cars were introduced.The Billa concrete trough is associated with Annis and George from 1927 who establish a fund in the early 20th century to provide adequate watering facilities for horses and dogs. It is just one of over more than one troughs throughout Australia and the United States.

Part of S E Surman collection (album) page 13 lower left. The boys in the photograph were the sons of Linton butcher W.G. Bennett and his wife Susan, nee Williams.Sepia photograph of four young boys of varying ages, two standing behind two seated all wearing long trousers and jackets. "Bennett Bros Bill George Tom Charley".bill bennett, george bennett, tom bennett, charlie bennett, surman collection

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Colour photograph of a Bills Horse Trough at Stratford Historical Society. Also second photo of same trough in its original location in front of a church. (05538.1)bills family history, agriculture, genealogy

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Colour photograph of a Bills Horse Trough situated at Howitt Park Bairnsdale .Note dog bowl at the right hand end.agriculture, animals, bills family history

George Bills financed a trust fund to be used to build the well known 'Bills' horse troughs around Australia. 700 Troughs were distributed around Australia and 50 in other countries. The largest concentration is in Victoria and NSW. A comprehensive list of locations is maintained by George Gemmill on his WordPress.com blog.Colour photograph showing 2 horses tethered to the hitching post . Note dog bowl at right end agriculture, bills family history, animals