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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 1942 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. Things Worth Fighting For Speeches by Joseph Benedict Chifley as Prime Minster and Leader of the Opposition Author: J B Chifley Publisher: Law Book Comp of Australasia Date: 1952 Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 354.94 CHI Pastedown front end page has sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Servicewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, things worth fighting for, j b chifley

A black and white photograph of the Commanding Officer at the 1st Australian Field Hospital, Vung Tau, South Vietnam, Lt Col Hurley escorts the Leader of the Opposition Mr Gough Whitlam during a visit. photograph, 1st australian field hospital, lt col ray hurley, gough whitlam, vung tau, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, labour opposition australian government, nurses

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of the Commanding Officer Lt Col Ray Hurley standing by as the leader of the Labour Opposition in the Australian Parliament, Mr Gough Whitlam, talks with a patient at the 1st Australian Field Hospital, Vung Tau, South Vietnam.photograph, 1st australian field hospital, vung tau, lt col ray hurley, gough whitlam, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, labour opposition australian government, wounded serviceman

Contains the original signature of Robert Menzies, then opposition leader. Later to be Prime Minister of Australia.Document addressed to Mr. Knyvett Signed by R.J. Menzies.House of Representatives, The Parliament of the Commonwealth. Leader of the Opposition, Canberra, A.C.T., Dated 28th March, 1946. Dear Mr. Knyvett, Thank you for your letter of the 25th instant. I will give consideration to the proposals you have put before me and I appreciate your very real interest. With all good wishes to you, I am yours sincerely, signed (R.J. Menzies).

George Reid was Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905 and was Leader of the Opposition for six of the first seven years of the Australian parliament. The Prime Ministers Avenue is a collection of bronze bust portraits of the Prime Ministers of Australia, located at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Ballarat, Victoria. The Prime Ministers' portraits are commissioned after the incumbent term of each Prime Minister by the City of Ballarat. The City of Ballarat has taken responsibility for commissioning the busts after funds set aside by politician Richard Armstrong Crouch were exhausted in 2014. Crouch originally donate money to pay for six busts, the first of which was unveiled in 1940. The collection of prime ministers' busts are unique in Australia, representing the only sculptural portrait collection of all past Australian Prime Ministers. The different styles used reflect the unique artistic practices of the selected artists; textures, sizes and features and proportions are used by the artists to interpret the characteristics of each of the subjects.The artwork is of historic and aesthetic significance to the people of BallaratBronze bust cast on granite plinthGeorge Houston Reid Prime Minister 1904-05prime minister, australian pm, george reid, parliament of australia

Premier 23rd January 1893 – 27th September 1894. Born in Alnwick, England, Sir James Patterson (1833-1895) migrated to Victoria in 1852 to try his luck on the goldfields. After little success he turned his hand to farming, and later operated a slaughter yard at Chewton. Patterson served on the Chewton local council, being elected mayor four times before moving with his wife Anna and family to Melbourne in 1870. Patterson established a real estate business, and after two unsuccessful attempts to enter parliament in 1866 and 1868, he won the by election for Castlemaine in the Legislative Assembly in December 1870. He would hold this seat until his death 25 years later. Patterson served in Sir Graham Berry’s brief August to October 1875 government as Commissioner of Public Works and Vice-President of Board and Land Works. He repeated these roles two years later in Berry’s second government and additionally served as Postmaster-General, and in Berry’s third government was Commissioner of Railways and again Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works. In April 1889 after a time in Opposition, Patterson became Commissioner for Trade and Customs in Duncan Gillies’ Government. The following year he returned to the familiar positions of Public Works, Board of Land and Words and Postmaster-General. By 1891 Patterson was leader of the opposition, and when William Shiels’ government succumbed to a motion of no confidence, led by Patterson, he became premier on the 23rd of January 1893. During his premiership, James Patterson was also Chief Secretary and Minister for Railways. His term as premier coincided with a period of severe economic depression, and his enforced economies earned Patterson few public admirers. In May 1893 his government attempted to prevent a run on bank withdrawals and stabilise the sector, by declaring a 5 day 'bank holiday'. Patterson was awarded a knighthood in May 1894, however this did not increase public confidence in his government who were not returned to power in the August 1894 election. Again leader of the opposition, James Patterson died suddenly of influenza on the 30 of October 1895.This portrait was presented to Sir James Patterson by 'grateful citizens of Victoria' in appreciation of his services during the land boom depression. In 1929 the painting was donated to the Victorian Parliamentary Library by H. Lavinia Patterson, the wife of Sir James Patterson's nephew Colonel George Patterson.Oil on canvas, framed. Frame: ornate wood, gesso mouldings, unglazed. Signed on bottom right corner "G. Coutts" Stamped inscription along inner edge of canvas: "WINSOR AND NEWTON". Inscription on canvas, handwritten in ink: "13 1 92" from reverse.patterson, james brown (1833-1895)

Francis Michael Forde was Prime Minister for only eight days, 6–13 July 1945, after the death of John Curtin. Deputy leader of the federal parliamentary Labor Party for 14 years and for nine of those years was deputy Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Ministers Avenue is a collection of bronze bust portraits of the Prime Ministers of Australia, located at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Ballarat, Victoria. The Prime Ministers' portraits are commissioned after the incumbent term of each Prime Minister by the City of Ballarat. The City of Ballarat has taken responsibility for commissioning the busts after funds set aside by politician Richard Armstrong Crouch were exhausted in 2014. Crouch originally donate money to pay for six busts, the first of which was unveiled in 1940. The collection of prime ministers' busts are unique in Australia, representing the only sculptural portrait collection of all past Australian Prime Ministers. The different styles used reflect the unique artistic practices of the selected artists; textures, sizes and features and proportions are used by the artists to interpret the characteristics of each of the subjects.The artwork is of historic and aesthetic significance to the people of BallaratBronze bust cast on granite plinthFrancis Michael Forde Prime Minister 1945 prime minister, australian pm, francis michael forde, labor party