This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Complete works of Lord Byron Author: Lord Byron Publisher: John Murray Date: 1853Label on spine cover with typed text PAT F 821 BYR Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, great ocean road, the complete works of lord byron, lord byron

Associated with the Dane Family.Brass bound cover, Gold embossed design, Gold on Red & Blue background. Gold Leaf edges.Associated with Dane Familystawell education

This book containing the 17 cantos of Don Juan, was owned by Con O’Mahony a lawyer who lived in Warrnambool at the turn of the 20th century He won the Bowen prize for essay writing in 1883. He operated from Royal Chambers in Kepler St Warrnambool for some time in partnership with Mr E W Klingender. An item which belonged to one of Warrnambool’s most prominent citizens at the time.Blue linen over card embossed in gold with crest and mermaid on front cover with overall pattern of crowns and the letter “B” Title Poet and publisher’s name in gold on spine of book. Back cover plain. 612 pages with 4 black and white plates included.Stamped C O’Mahony Solicitors Warrnambool in purple ink. Dedication: to Algernon Charles Swinburne. MDCCCC11(1902)Printed by William Clowes and sons Limited London and Beccles.warrnambool, con o’mahony, byron’s works,

p.719.non-fictionThe poems of Lord Byronpoetry - english, lord bryon 1788-1824

Seventh part of series of Victorian Readers, Education Department of Victoria. It contains a selection of plays, newspaper articles, legends, diary excerpts, prose and poetry by Australian writers as well as from the classic works of Shakespeare, Scott, Byron and Tennyson. There are notes and comments related to each contribution The significance lies in that it was in common use for a period of approximately 30 years by students in Victoria. It shows the breadth of reading material and the educational standard of that era.Red cloth, hard book cover, 242 Pages. Contents text is black with black and white drawings, interspersed with stories and poemsBarbara Sizeland, Form 1C WHS written in dark blue ink RH top corner.”Education Department of Victoria logo in black on front cover. “He who loveth a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful friend or an effectual comforter.” is printed on title page.warrnambool high school, victorian readers, seventh book, sizeland education of children, reading matter. authors: international england, us, australia, africa. sir walter scott, john masefield, john bunyan, henry kendall, rudyard kipling, lord byron, tennyson, abraham lincoln, a.b paterson, mark twain. illustrators john rowell, r c fricke, a.t bernaldo.

This book is an 1810 third edition copy of Walter Scott’s poem, ‘The Lady of the Lake’. It is notable for its illustrations of the drawings of Richard Westall (1765-1836), an English painter and illustrator and Queen Victoria’s drawing master. Westall is best-known for his portraits of Lord Byron. There is no information available on the original owner, the Reverend Matthew West. Tis book is important because: 1. It is an 1810 edition and of antiquarian interest 2. It belonged to Louie Mack, the cousin of Sir Ronald Mack, an important Warrnambool Parliamentarian. Miss Mack was well-known in the Warrnambool area as the Secretary of the Warrnambool Technical School in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The Macks were prominent early settlers in the Warrnambool area. This is a hard cover leather bound book of 433 pages (poem, ‘The Lady of the Lake’ by Walter Scott). The cover is brown leather with a gold ornamental border. The inside cover has a tan and blue mottled pattern. The book has illustrations with engravings from the designs of Richard Westall. The illustrations have a piece of tissue paper in front of them. The first page has a stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society and there is a loose sheet indicating that the book was published in 1810 and that it belonged to Miss L.A. Mack.‘The Revd. Matthew West, Vicar’s Hall, Clane’. sir walter scott, richard westall, louie mack, history of warrnambool, rev. matthew west