This Kenter type , chain joining link or shackle would commonly be used with anchor chain in the marine industry for applications such as anchors, moorings and ballast. It is a versatile link that can be opened and closed by removing and re-inserting the taper pin and lead plug, allowing for easy joining and detaching lengths of chain, and for repairing damaged links in chain.Chain joining shackle or joining link, Kenter type , used as a marine anchor chain link. The oval shaped loop of thick metal and central metal chock comprises three pieces; two half oval pieces with shaped ends. The pieces are joined by a taper pin diagonally through holes in each piece, then fixed firmly by a lead plug in a hole near the head of the pin. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shackle, chain joining shackle, joining link, anchor chain joining link, marine chain joining link, kenter type chain joining link, marine hardware

A shackle is a U shaped piece of iron closed with a pin across the jaws. It is used for securing anchors to their cables, joining lengths of chain cables and so on. This type of shackle is the same size and shape as an ordinary link of the cable and fits into the snugs of the cable holder when verring or weighing. This Kenter type, chain joining link or shackle would commonly be used with anchor chain in the marine industry for applications such as anchors, moorings and ballast. It is a versatile link that can be opened and closed by removing and re-inserting the taper pin and lead plug, allowing for easy joining and detaching lengths of chain, and for repairing damaged links in chain.This is an example of ship's maritime hardware used in Victoria in the 19500s.Half of a chain joining shackle or joining link, Kenter type , painted blue. Often used as a marine anchor chain link. A complete shackle would comprise an oval shaped loop of thick metal and central metal chock comprises three pieces; two half oval pieces with shaped ends. The pieces are joined by a taper pin diagonally through holes in each piece, then fixed firmly by a lead plug in a hole near the head of the pin. This object is missing its other half, plus the chock and the tapered locking pin.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shackle, joining link, chain joining shackle, anchor chain joining link, marine chain joining link, kenter type chain joining link, marine hardware, kenter chain joining shackle

Made possibly by a jewler while a priosner of the Japanese in WW2Small Bracelett made of grey metal in a filigree (Very Fine) Pattern with green bottle glass in a metal mount (one is missing entirely) Very small Rising Sun to front of bracelett. Joining link held together by a split pin, other links looped together with chain.Fusal. Terling. Silver 935. On rear of Rising Sun On the Rising Sun- Kings Crown. Australian Commonwealth Military Forcesbracelet,, pow. prisoner of war

Three brass .5 Cal ammunition casings joined by three link belt clips.On the casings stamped, “L.C.3.8” On the link are two seperate stamping, “ M.9.1 & M.9.2”casings, link belt, .5 cal

Manufactured by P Blashki and Sons, this mayoral chain is made of Stirling silver with a 22ct gold plate finish. The chain consists of 10 links at the back of the chain joined by two shoulder bars with 12 links on the inside front section and the balance of 14 links either side of the coat of arts. Each link is joined by curb chain. Manufactured in 1967 by P Blashki and Sons and made of stirling silver with a 22ct gold plate finish, the chain consists of 36 links with a centrepiece of the Royal Coat of Arms with a medallion or 'drop' sitting beneath this. The chain consists of 10 links at the back of the chain joined by two shoulder bars with 12 links on the inside front section and the balance of 14 links either side of the coat of arms. Each link is joined by curb chain. Presented to the / Borough of Eaglehawk / by the / Eaglehawk Society - Melbourne / Vic Hocking Ed poad / President Hon Sec. / and by / the Ratepayers of Eaglehawk / Cr J Taylor JP - J R Giovanetti / Mayor town Clerk / August 1967 In Honour / of the / Former Mayors / Of The Borough / 1862 - 1966borough of eaglehawk, city of greater bendigo ceremonial item

Taken some time between 1914-18, depicted is a large group of unidentified males. Four of them are dressed in Australian military uniforms. The remaining 19 men are dressed in striped uniforms. The male in the centre of the front row is cradling a football, suggesting that the group was part of a football or rugby league team. It is believed that the soldiers in this photograph were part of the Australian Imperial Force. This can be inferred by the chevron rank insignia visible on their uniforms. The placement of this insignia on the sleeve of the right arm suggests that this soldier was either a Warrant Officer or a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). Additionally, they are also wearing 'Rising Sun' collar badges on their coats. Australia, unlike most other Commonwealth countries, did not adopt metal regimental badges during the First World War. All units were issued with the Australian Army General Service Badge, better known as the 'Rising Sun’ badge. This insignia is almost always identified with the Australian Imperial Force. Sport has always been entwined with war. Both sport and war demand peak physical fitness, camaraderie, strategy, and allegiance to a team collaboratively working towards a common goal: to win. The connection between sport and war is especially strong in Australia since these two concepts form the basis of our national identity. The Australian War Memorial has a number of World War I recruitment posters linking war and sport in its collection. One of the posters produced in 1915 by the State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee in Victoria attempted to shame young men into enlisting by juxtaposing the image of an Australian soldier standing guard over his deceased mate with a photograph of a Victorian Football League match. Another poster, produced in 1917, features vignettes of different sports including cricket, bowling, boxing, kayaking and golf. Its slogan reads, "Join Together - Train Together - Embark Together - Fight Together: Enlist in the Sportman's 1000".The record is historically significant due to its connection to World War I. This conflict is integral to Australian culture as it was the single greatest loss of life and the greatest repatriation of casualties in the country's history. Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when the Australian government established the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1914. Immediately, men were recruited to serve the British Empire in the Middle East and on the Western Front. The record has strong research potential. This is due to the ongoing public and scholarly interest in war, history, and especially the ANZAC legend, which is commemorated annually on 25 April, known as ANZAC Day. Additionally, the record presents a unique opportunity to further explore the relationship between the arts, sport and war. This statement of significance has already established that war is integral to Australia's national identity - and sport is of equal importance. Specifically, the record begs to question how the peak physical fitness and camaraderie valued in team sports were creatively translated into military recruitment campaigns during World War I. Evidently, this record and its historic context demonstrates that there is potential here, and if further research is completed on this topic, it may provide insight into Australian military recruitment tactics used in the past and present, and into the future.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 6529 / hyossest (?) / (?)1/11/1 /military album, army, military, war, wwi, world war i, sport, football, rugby, aif, australian imperial force

The Centenary of Warrnambool in 1947 drew crowds of 20000. It was generally felt that the celebrations excelled anything that had been seen in the city in the last 100 years. There were numerous activities held over the weekend including an elaborate street parade which was followed by joining the 4500 children at sports and picnic celebrations at the showgrounds. The Warrnambool and District Turf club also held a race meeting to aid the Hospital and raised 740 pounds. It was estimated that 20000 attended the finale bonfire and fireworks in Albert Park. This little booklet of tickets is a tangible link to one of the biggest celebrations ever held in the city.Dark pink cover with three remaining tickets stapled and held with string. On Cover: Warrnambool Centenary. Picnic and Sports March 27th 1947 Margaret P**** in greylead warrnambool, warrnambool centenary, 1947 warrnambool celebrations warrnambool centenary tickets

A courting chain was carved by a man and given to the girl he was courting. This was a common European practice in the past, with Welsh courting chains surviving from the 17th century, though the practice may have gone back even further than that. The chain indicated that man was a capable artisan and was occupying his hands in a healthy way, particularly when the lady was present. The many types of loops and chains carved all had symbolic meanings. The cage with the wooden balls inside was said to indicate the desire of the man for children and the number he would like. The symbolism of the arm and hand with the two digits touching is not known. This courting chain has no known local provenance but it is an interesting object as an example of the customs of the past. It will be useful for displays. This is a wooden carved courting chain. One end is in the shape of an arm and hand with the thumb and first finger touching at the tips. Then there are three chains linked to the arm with a peg inserted into another loop at the end. Next, joined to this, is another loop attached to a wooden cage which has two wooden balls inside. The chain is finished with a carved turret structure at the end. courting chains, history of warrnambool

This Gunter’s Chain, an old land surveying instrument, is named after its inventor, Edmund Gunter (1581-1626), an English mathematician and astronomer. It was first produced in 1620. The tool has 100 links and is 66 feet or one chain long. The links are marked off in groups of ten by metal rings or tags. A quarter chain (25 links) is called a rod or pole and ten chains make a furlong and 80 chains make a mile. The traditional cricket pitch is 22 yards or one chain long. This Gunter’s Chain is of considerable significance because: 1. It is an early land measuring tool that was used for over 250 years and has great historical and mathematical significance. A Gunter’s Chain would have been used when forming and building local roads from the earliest days of settlement. 2. It has a possible local connection as it was given to the Historical Society by a local person in 1965 and possibly came from the property of ‘Rosehill’ This is a metal tool which consists of 100 metal pieces or links joined together by loops at each end with two metal loops in between each link. The links joined together form a chain. The two ends of the chain have small metal handles attached At intervals along the chain there are additional rings or metal pieces attached. Some white and green rope material has been used to bundle up the chain. The metal is somewhat rusted. gunter’s chain, land measurement tools, history of warrnambool

A Gunter’s Chain, an old land surveying instrument, is named after its inventor, Edmund Gunter (1581-1626), an English mathematician and astronomer. It was first produced in 1620. The tool has 100 links and is 66 feet or one chain long. The links are marked off in groups of ten by metal tags or rings. A quarter chain (25 links) is called a rod or pole and ten chains make a furlong and 80 chains a mile. The traditional cricket pitch is 22 yards or one chain long. This chain is said to have been used by Gilbert Nicol when the Warrnambool to Hamilton Road was constructed in the 19th century. Gilbert Nicol was an early settler in Warrnambool who, with John Craig, established the first hotel (and the first building) in Warrnambool in 1847. Nicol later owned the property ‘Rosehill’ in the Warrnambool area. As the chain was given to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society by the Town Clerk, Keith Arnel, it is likely that the chain was one of the items in the old Warrnambool MuseumThis Gunter’s Chain is of importance because it is an early land measuring device that was used for over 250 years and has great historical and mathematical significance. If it is correct that it was used by Gilbert Nicol when the Warrnambool to Hamilton Road was built then it has considerable local significance and dates back to the 19th century. This is a metal tool which consists of 100 metal pieces or links joined together by loops at each end with two metal loops in between each link. The links joined together form a chain. The two ends of the chain have small metal handles attached. At intervals along the chain there are additional rings or metal pieces attached. The metal is very rusted.gunter’s chain, land measurement tools, history of warrnambool

Part of the equipment carried by a section and its machine gunner. The G.P.M.G. uses a disintegrating link belt. Each section would carry between 400 and 600 rounds. The machine gunner's no2 would carry 300 rounds. Other items related to the machine gun would be shared out amongst the section.75 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition ( G.P.M.G. M60) joined with metal links to form a belt. Each round consists of a pointed metal projectile in a NATO rimless brass case.arms - ammunition, military history, vietnam war

Part of the equipment carried by a section and its machine gunner. The G.P.M.G. uses a disintegrating link belt. Each section would carry between 400 and 600 rounds. The machine gunner's no2 would carry 300 rounds. Other items related to the machine gun would be shared out amongst the section.63 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition ( G.P.M.G. M60) joined with metal links to form a belt. Each round consists of a pointed metal projectile in a NATO rimless brass case.weapons, vietnam war, arms - ammunition, machine gun

Dr Walter Miller was in partnership with Dr. Brauer joining the practice in 1946. A link to one of Warrnambool's doctors post 2nd World War.Rectangular metal plate with stamped text and filled in black. Screw holes in each corner.Dr Walter . G. Miller MD MRACPwarrnambool, warrnambool doctors, walter gotlieb miller

George Sutherland Mackay came to Warrnambool in 1891 and in 1893 joined his practice with that of James Fletcher and the firm became known as Mackay and Fletcher later changed to Mackay and Taylor. G S Mackay served for a long time on the Warrnambool City Council including 4 terms as Mayor. He was also an active member of the Presbyterian Church and worked to establish the Warrnambool Agricultural High School. He built the offices which still stand at 131 Kepler Street. He died in 1926. The firm celebrated its centenary in 1993.A commonly used office item which is well linked to both a long established business in Warrnambool and G. S. Mackay who contributed greatly to the community of Warrnambool and district. Cast iron painted black with rounded rectangular base. Circular seal and shaped handle which moves down 45 degrees. Trimmed with worn gold paint. Excelsior in gold on the front. The oval seal reads G. S. Mackay Warrnambool solicitor.warrnambool, g s mackay, mackay & taylor, mackay solicitor, company seal

Links (2) metal large joined togetherflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

The origin of this necklace of facetted amber-coloured glass beads is unknown. However, its design is reminiscent of jewellery that was fashionable in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.This necklace of facetted amber-coloured glass beads is an example of a women's fashion accessory of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Necklace; metal chan with facetted ambe beads attached to the lower half. A small chain is added to the clasp. Each teardrop-shaped amber-coloured glass bead is linked to smaller round, lighter-coloured beads, which are then joined to the chain links.flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill museum and village, accessory, fashion accessory, necklace, facetted beads, amber beads, glass beads, late 19th century, early 20th century

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone in two pieces. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070. Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Chains are available in a variety of link shapes and sizes. They have many uses on sailing vessels, such as part of anchoring systems or loading cargo onboard the ships. A link called a shackle is used as a quick and flexible way to join two pieces of chain. Sometimes the shackle needs a tool to remove it. A shackle punch like this one will do the job. A modern term for a similar tool, that also has a handle, is a ‘breakdown’ tool. It is designed for aligning and driving pins in and for removing bolts, rivets and pins. This shackle punch has a handle with six flat sides that prevent it from rolling around when stored. It has a fine shank that tapers down to the end. The tool is placed on the join of the shackle, and then the end of that handle is hit with a hammer until the join breaks apart. The shipwright’s tools on display in the Great Circle Gallery are connected to the maritime history of Victoria through their past owner, user and donor, Laurie Dilks. Laurie began his career as a shipwright in the mid-1900s, following in the wake of the skilled carpenters who have over many centuries used their craft to build and maintain marine vessels and their fittings. You can see Laurie’s inscription on the tool called a ‘bevel’. Laurie worked for Ports and Harbours, Melbourne, for over 50 years, beginning in the early 1960s. He and a fellow shipwright inscribed their names on a wheelhouse they built in 1965; the inscription was discovered many decades later during a repair of the plumbing. Many decades later Laurie worked on the Yarra moving barges up and down the river and was fondly given the title ‘Riverboat Man’ His interest in maritime history led him to volunteer with the Maritime Trust of Australia’s project to restore and preserve the historic WWII 1942 Corvette, the minesweeper HMAS Castlemaine, which is a sister ship to the HMAS Warrnambool J202. Laurie Dilks donated two handmade displays of some of his tools in the late 1970s to early-1980s. The varnished timber boards displayed the tools below together with brass plaques. During the upgrade of the Great Circle Gallery Laurie’s tools were transferred to the new display you see there today. He also donated tools to Queenscliffe Maritime Museum and Clunes Museum.The shipwright’s tools on display in the Great Circle Gallery are connected to the maritime history of Victoria through their past owner, user and donor, Laurie Dilks. Laurie began his career as a shipwright at Ports and Harbours in Melbourne in the mid-1900s, following in the wake of the skilled carpenters who have over many centuries used their craft to build and maintain marine vessels and their fittings.A shackle punch; a metal tool with six flat sides on the handle and the shank tapers inwards to a rouded point. It once belonged to shipwright Laurie Dinks.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, maritime museum, maritime village, shipwright, carpenter, shipbuilding, ship repairs, hand tool, equipment, ship maintenance, cooper, tool, marine technology, shackle punch, breakdown tool, chains, links, laurie dilks, l dilks, port and harbours melbourne

The Vliet is a canal in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It starts at the Oude Rijn at Leiden and joins the Delfshavense Schie canal at Delft. Places along its banks include Voorschoten, Leidschendam, Voorburg, The Hague and Rijswijk. The canal was dug in 47 AD under command of Roman general Corbulo, who wished to connect the river Rhine, of which the current Oude Rijn stream in Roman times was the main branch, to the Meuse estuary. It is unclear what the canal's trajectory was beyond the current city of Delft; the Delfshavense Schie canal, which connects Delft to the Nieuwe Maas river was not dug until 1389. In the Middle Ages the Vliet was an important trade link that attracted all kinds of trade, as it flowed through the heart of the County of Holland. Windmills have been constructed alongside the Vliet, including the completely renovated mill 'De salamander' in Leidschendam. The Vliet area was particularly attractive among richer families, who built their mansions along its banks.An historic small town scene etched (or possibly printed) on thin metal and subsequently fastened to a plywood backing. The delicately presented scene is said to show the intersection of Old Church Street and the Vliet Canal bridge in Voorburg, as well as a section of wharf. On the canal are one large and two much smaller vessels. A very tall crane-like construction arises from the wharf to the roof of waterside buildings. The people are soberly dressed in possibly 17th or 18th century costumes.On the reverse has been written: "Oude Kerkstraat Brug over de Vliet Voorburg". (Old Church Street; Bridge over the Vliet canal; Voorburg). However, research proves that the church is actually the Old Church in Delft, a short distance further down the Vliet Canal.

White metal linked belt. Links have alternating patterns. One pattern solid with faded green centres, the other a grid design. As a fashion accessory they are commonly known as nurse's belts. The links reflect the design of the buckle and are joined by simple rings.Back of links and buckle: EPNS belt, white metal (epns), nurse's belt

Two 80cm sections of heavy 12 link steel chain joined in a heavy 15cm dia ring. Each link is 10cm long and 7cm wide, made from 2.2cm dia steel.

Proclamation card presented to I. C. McLean and signed by all other crew members on board the RMS Remuera. The crew left Australia to join HMAS Perth and formed part of Australia's first war contingent for active service in WWII. The document is dated 15th October 1939.This document is significant as a tangible link to a former crew aboard the RMS Remuera. The card also notes that this crew formed part of Australia's first war contingent for active service for WWII. A number of servicemen who signed this card did not return from service. It represents the vital role of these men had in defending Australia. It also represents a tradition of Crossing the Line in RAN culture and has social value.Proclamation card presented to I. C. McLean and signed by all other crew members on board the RMS Remuera. The crew left Australia to join HMAS Perth and formed part of Australia's first war contingent for active service in WWII. The document is dated 15th October 1939.Hereunder are names of men who left Australia to join HMAS Perth on West Indies Station, forming Australia's first war contingent for active service. Mason, F. ... Henry (Printer), M. M. S.... (Printer's Devil), A.G.H. Foley A.B., L. H. Hughes E.R.A, M.G. Packer E.R.A, G.J. McKenzie, W.R. Birbich, R.A.A Shaw, R.de M. Baker O.D; J.N Taylor Ord Serv; R.W. Wilkinson ....; G.E Jones O.D; G.F. Bli... Ord Sea; E.E. Bird Ord Sea; V.L. Watson A.B; A.W. Newman; A.W. Graham O.D; L.P. Woolbrough; G.G. Kummins; H.W. Durham Sto II; R. McBryde Sto II; M. Gordon A.B.; F. Milner O.D; N.D. Coleman O.D; F. Norris ERA; M.J. O'Brien; E.R. Phillps Stok II; D.J. McPherson S.A; ....Liddell; L.E. Head A.B.; V.B. McGovern ERA; N. Leitch L/Sea; K.G. Stockbridge A.B.; F.W. Robinson (Master); C.H.G. John "Speed" Sto II; C.E. Ingram A.B. 64; E.V.W. Pockley Surg Lt RANR; George Christie A.B.; I.C. McLean.rms remuera, i.c. mclean, hmas perth, geelong naval and maritime museum, wwii, crossing the line wwii

Linked cartridge cases. 50 calibre brass cases with metal links joining them together. Each cartridge is stamped L11 A2 K 69. DS B2. 50 calibre ammunition Browning.

Newspaper clippings 1991-1993. 1. Teachers' strike: Major disruptions as 500 stop work [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 2 December 1992 2. Strikes in 3 sectors [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 3 December 1992 3. Letter to the editor: Change priorities for a better city [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Author: P. Murphy Date: n.d. 4. Traynor's comments criticised [regarding penalty rates] Paper: The Courier? Date: 27 July 1991 5. Trades Hall seeks urgent talks on health funding [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 29 July 1991 6. Stewart condemns weekend shearing [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 1 August 1991 7. Working class poet [Geoff Goodfellow] recites with the power of language Paper: The Courier Date: 8 August 1991 8. Budget '91: Budget brings little local joy Paper: The Courier? Date: 21 August 1991 9. State Budget '91: Budget hits low income earners Paper: The Courier? Date: 28 August 1991 10. Job cuts face local bakery [Sunicrust, Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 29 August 1991 11. Factory closure will put 50 out of work [Vitclay, Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 3 September 1991 12. Protest for jobs urged [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 7 September 1991 13. Bank staff cuts 'astound' Trades Hall secretary [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 12 September 1991 14. Pixelated black and white portrait photo of Graeme Shearer 15. Abattoirs picket line supported [Camperdown] Paper: The Courier Date: n.d. 16. Shearers to set up AWU committee [Ballarat} Paper: The Courier Date: 19 September 1991 17. Group fights for Ballarat national rail freight link Paper: The Courier Date: 1 October 1991 18. National jobless rate 10.2.% [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 11 October 1991 19. Shearers establish committee [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 23 October 1991 20. Wage decision backed by employers, unions [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: n.d. 21. Meeting to focus on aged care: QEGC budget cuts spark local concern [Central Highlands] Paper: The Courier Date: 4 December 1991 22. Mayor urges jobless to rally to the cause [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 7 December 1991 23. New dole record: District's jobless queue lengthens again [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 13 December 1991 24. Begonia bans: Unions act on retirement village [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 24 December 1991 25. Another stoppage over WorkCare [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 5 August 1990 26. BTHC hits anti-strike proposal Paper: The Courier Date: 16 November 1991 27. Businesses eager; unions more wary. Paper: The Courier? Date: 22 November 1991 28a. Project halted: review of $60m retirement village [Ballarat] 28b. Retirement Group 'too big, too fast' [Ballarat] 28c. Retirement village work halted [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 29. QEGC managers criticised over budget cutbacks [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 30. Unions' aid call [Ballarat] 30a. How unions want the $6 billion spent Paper: The Courier? Date: 11 February 1991 31. Threat to bread: Bunge strike action escalates [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 27 February 1992 32. Bunge moves rye to Albury: Workers walk out [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 26 February 1992 33. Merry makers' labours worry Trades Hall [Kryal Castle, Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 21 February 1992 34. Agreement will put end to retirement village dispute [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 22 February 1992 35. Mill strikers call for reinstatements [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 27 February 1992 36. No debate for BRB [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 37. Statement will be our only hope [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 12 February 1992 38. Union hits catering [Ballarate & Victoria] Paper: The Courier? Date: ?? February 1992 39. Thanks - Bunge strikers thank you to Graeme Shearer et al Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 40. ANZ under fire from Trades Hall Secretary [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 19 March 1992 41. Assurance sought over Melb rail line [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 18 March 1992 42. In and out of town: Premier to visit [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 43. Regional board wants to improve its image [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 44. Time to amalgamate (letter to the editor) [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 13 May 1992 45. Another unemployment record for Ballarat Paper: The Courier? Date: 8 May 1992 46. Trouble brews in Ballarat (opinion) Paper: The Courier? Date: 9 May 1992 47. Trades Hall warns of student exploitation [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 29 February 1992 48. Bunge unions stay firm [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 12 March 1992 49. Workers, Bunge settle dispute [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 4 March 1992 50. Proposal could end Bunge strike [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 3 March 1992 51. Village payment / payment at village Paper: The Courier? Date: 6 March 1992 52. Public outcry over hike in milk price [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 53. Workers dig deep to help Somalia [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 10 October 1992 54. 'Callous attack on the poor': union chief [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 13 October 1992 55. No Labour swing, says Shearer [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 6 October 1992 56. Ballarat joins strike Paper: The Courier Date: 24 October 1992 57. Workers would revolt against Libs: Shearer Paper: The Courier? Date: 28 September 1992 58. Wage rise disgraceful [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 31 October 1992 59. Shearer seeks guarantees for rail link [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 19 September 1992 60. Cleaners ready to tackle Coalition [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 19 September 1992 61. The Ballarat strike (picture) Paper: The Courier? Date: 11 November 1992 62. Workers voice their concern [Daylesford] Paper: The Courier? Date: 11 November 1992 63. The Ballarat strike Paper: The Courier Date: 11 November 1992 64. 53 railway jobs to go: union chief [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 23 November 1992 65. Trades Hall urges support for rally [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 25 November 1992 66. Doubt cast on our unemployed rate [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 20 August 1992 67. Wage claim justified: Shearer Paper: The Courier? Date: 20 August 1992 68. Pool plan for jobs money attacked Paper: The Courier Date: 22 August 1992 69. Fight for rail link [Geelong-Ballarat] Paper: Geelong Advertiser Date: 18 September 1992 70. Rail pledge demand Paper: Geelong Advertiser Date: 1 October 1992 Condition: very poor 71. Union calls for railway guarantee [Ballarat] Paper: n.a. Date: 21 October 1992 72. A strike is the last thing Victoria needs Paper: The Courier Date: 27 ? 1992 73.Industry turmoil: Ford plant is up for sale [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 20 August 1992 74. Regional Board retains job counsellor [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 20 August 1992 75. Jobless figures need special consideration [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 20 August 1992 76a. Local strike chaos: All services likely to be affected [Ballarat] 76b.Strike is an act of hypocrisy [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 10 November 1992 77. Ronaldson angered by union attack blunder [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 11 November 1992 78. Ballarat rally against Govt Paper: The Courier Date: 4 November 1992 79.Payouts a form of 'blackmail' [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 27 November 1992 80. Union leader gives job loss breakdown [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 27 November 1992 81. Deficit levy protest: Unions seize on wide discontent [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 26 November 1992? 82. WorkCover under fire at city rally [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: 26 November 1992 83. Coalition is 'cruel': Shearer Paper: The Courier? Date: 22 August 1992 84. Policy to 'decimate unions' Paper: The Courier? Date: 26th August 1992 85. Review immigration call Paper: The Courier? Date: 16 July 1992 86. Union boss blasts Libs' proposals [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier Date: n.d. 87. Both towns could win rail link: NRC [Geelong-Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: n.d. 88. Teachers rally against cuts [Ballarat] Paper: The Courier? Date: 20 May 1993 89. Five workers die in 2 years Paper: The Courier Date: 14 October 1996Significant collection of press articles that include comment from Unions Ballarat Secretary, Graeme Shearer, around the period when Jeff Kennett (Liberal Party Victoria) became premier of Victoria. Focus upon a variety of social and industrial issues impacting the Ballarat region.Newspaper articles - scanned.btlc, ballarat trades and labour council, shearer graeme, kennett jeff, railway link geelong-ballarat, liberal party victoria, industrial action - rallies, workcover, various, ballarat trades and labour council - secretary