This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was 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 lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. 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 Ralph 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. RALPH ERIC PATTISON 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 Pattison accepted a 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 area 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 during 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 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. Captain James Cook, R. N. One hundred and fifty years on Author: Sir Joseph Carruthers Publisher: John Murray Date: 1930Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 920 COO Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Pastedown front endpaper has stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, 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, great ocean road, captain james cook, sir joseph carruthers

Plastic covered book with spiral wire spine with four individual street scenes. Published 2006, this is a collection of articles written during the previous decade.CONTRIBUTORS, David Allen, Vera Alsop, Alan and Phyl Blackbell, Myrtle Carruthers, Philip Casan, Mervyn Chivers, Neil Clark, Bambra Cohen, Ross Cowling, Liz and Mick Dexter, Betty and John Evans, Gwen Fairweather, Rod Fraser, Keith and Jean Hardy, Joan Haper, Alison Ingamells, Jim and Garry Jago, Rita Johnson, Bruce Kaighin, Mary Knafelc , Mary Le Get, Marion Marshallsea, Ian and Margaret McKellar, Hec Mclean, Lila McRea, Kaye Moulynox, Doug Muller, Keith Norris, Roy Norris, Beryl Paul, Bessie Penn, Florence Penn, Jill Pump, Russ Read, Helen Rees, Alan and Betty Ritchie, Ken Roberts, Isobel Robin, Jenny Rose, Joyce Rowlands, Frank Secomb, Ian Sharp, Ron Sharp, Estelle Spargo, Pam Spencer, Desi Stevens, Bill and Beryl Waddell, Alan and Kath Washusen, Barry and Elaine Weston, Thelma Wilmot, Gertrude Wilson.

Bendigo R.S.L. News Volume 1, Number 3 Christmas-New Year Issue. Red, blue, yellow and gold badge on the front cover. Contains advertisements from local businesses, Bendigo R.S.L. Office Bearers 1960, news, notes from Clubs, an article titled 'When the Japs Broke Out at Cowra' and a short obituary of Sir Horace Robertson.A Wicks Knott Publication, Printed by Southdown Press, 33 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne.magazine, organization, bendigo rsl, r.s.l. bendigo collection - bendigo r.s.l. news vol. 1 no. 3, ashmans dry cleaners, h q radio service, f c straub, hampel furniture products, pierce grenfell, ron meurer, h w snell, axedale quarries, a l & k stringer, excavations, al & b g pearce, w mcculloch & co, bendigo motor co, m g taylor, fair-view upholsterers, alwyn nelson, northern terrazzo co, l fawssett & co, bendigo sub-branch r.s.s, &, a.i.l.a., col j w swatton, h a w morey, s thompson, g j baker, j k barnes, a c harridge, j harrison, t h hume, w h pinder, d e mcgregor, f e schilling, g g styles, c vaughan, j e fay, geo j baker, a v palmer, n mclaren young, e m vains & co, g e h rowell, a v & l e smith, j r palmers, graham lowe refrigeration service, a w pulfer motors, b r burns, vic palmer, golden square dry cleaners, j w carter & sons, alltyre service pty ltd, ian wills, bill nicholls jack watts, the robyn, a g power, leo a hughes, bendigo manchester house, frank wilson, hesse bros, frank bouchier, your typewriter sales and service, tom heenan, win patten, bendigo legacy, r wilson, w e p carruthers, antonian café, kairn's auto-bits, cohns, jeffreys bread, 4th armoured regt social club, g e baldwin, bendigo & district ex-p.o.w. social club, w hargreaves, d gregor, bendigo r.s.l. ladies auxiliary, mrs h morey, mrs p floyd, mrs w hocking, mrs h sims, mrs t hall, rsl women's council of victoria, mr & mrsa kersting, w coates, a bolitho, w hocking, n mcivor, perretts, martin washington, e a bennett pty ltd, john burgoyne, 38th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, j plim c findlay, ex-navelmen's club, t staley, airforce association, a stevens, t grimes, rats of tobruk association, j ferguson, catholic war veterans' association, j noonan, t coppock, dads' association, w murphy, bendigo legacy club, win patten, t h iser, t h runnalls, legacy house, 105 anti-tank regiment social club, alwyn nelson, laurie townsing, bendigo repatriation local committee, v w hosking, w rex porter, g a pethard, f t dunphy, l m porter, e h duus, lt col thomas waitson williams dso, ric coulson, r ball & son, lorraine florist, neol searle pty ltd, bendigo and district t & p i social club, e j taylor, t wellins, w phelan, g keily, l boyd, t tuddenham, e butler, g armstrong, geo j baker, easter fair society, bendigo agricultural society, 6th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, f t dunphy, w green, r c wright, bendigo showgrounds r.a.a.o.c. camp club, j j davies, e p perrett, t g heenan, w rex porter, fred coulson, harry hall, alan bath, tom hume, ted commons, geo h baker, percy floyd, stan hunter, joe wagland, railway sub-section r.s.l., g brown, don chalmer pty ltd, bendigo timber co pty ltd, g p hyett, a w comber, w nichols, maurice f noonan, allans walk delicatessen, r b webb, jack l lyons, perrow, s paints, t c sheers, provincial motors (bendigo) pty ltd, banjo paterson, will ogilvey, ben hall, joe gardiner, major bob ramsay mc, 53rd batt., major e v timms, ww1, 2nd a.i.f., f m carson, tooranie house, brian abe, p e dunstan, a lam sun, don murray, windermere hotel, bendigo disposals, frank a hill & co, fitzpatrick's, sandhurst dairies pty ltd, m williamson, george symon's dairy, w h oakley, sir horace robertson, british commonwealth occupation forces, australian light horse, state savings bank, royal military college, golden fleece service station, j w williams, tomlins simmie pty ltd, clark king & co pty ltd, mckenna's modern store, bryan mckenna, wicks knott publication, southdown press