These two bottles were found by workmen building a new retaining wall on the north side of the Les O’Callaghan History House building in Gilles Street Warrnambool. The wall replaced one damaged beyond repair following a car accident in 2019. The building was erected in 1889 as the caretaker’s cottage in the Warrnambool Sea Baths complex (for most of its existence it had two swimming pools, a hot sea water baths building and a caretaker’s cottage). The water in the baths were pumped up from the ocean and, for the hot baths, heated on site. These baths were the municipal baths until the mid 1950s. The bottles may have originated from the one of the families residing in the cottage or from passers-by in the adjoining Merri Street or from patrons of the baths. They appear to be over 100 years old but there is no way the ownership of the bottles can be established.These bottles are of interest as archeological finds after repair works to the Les O’Callaghan History House. .1 A dark green (or black?) glass bottle with a hollowed out concave base, no stopper and a slightly chipped rim on the top. The bottle is stained inside. .2 A green glass bottle with a hollowed out concave base, a moulded top with no stopper and an elongated neck. The bottle is stained inside. warrnambool & district historical society, heritageworks warrnambool, les o’callaghan history house, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This book documents the lives of William and Agnes Brebner and family. William’s father, Isaac had come to Warrnambool in the 1860s and had a tailoring business in the town. By the beginning of the 20th century he was the caretaker at the Sea Baths in Gilles Street, Warrnambool and the family lived in the caretaker’s cottage (Les O’Callaghan History House today). William Brebner established a paint shop in Timor Street in 1916 and this prominent business remained in the Brebner family until 1977. It continued in other hands until the early years of the 21st century. This book is of significance as it documents the life and times of William Brebner and his family. The Brebners have been important, particularly in the 20th century, in the business and community world of Warrnambool.This is a soft cover book of 132 pages. It has a blue cover with a black and white photograph of William Brebner and black printing on the front cover. It has four sections – one on the life of William Brebner and his wife and family, one on his ancestors and two on his descendants. The book contains many black and white and colour photographs.brebner family,, history of warrnambool