Used at the Ballarat School of Mines and the Ballarat Technical Art SchoolThis collection of examinations is significant because of its completeness with the full range of examinations between 1914 and 1950.Large leather bound books, with leather spine, containing all examinations held at the Ballarat School of Mines (including the Ballarat Technical Art School and Ballarat Junior Technical School). The examination papers were supplied and printed by the Education Department, Victoria. Examinations include: Agriculture, Algebra, Architecture, Arithmetic, Applied Mechanics, Assaying, Biology, Botany, Boilermaking, Building Design, Blacksmithing, Bricklaying, Carpentry and Joinery, Coachbuilding, Cabinet Making, Civil Engineering, Cabinet Making, Commercial, Chemistry, Engineering Drawing, Economics, English, Electrical technology, Electricity and Magnetism, Electric Wiring, Electric Welding, Electrical Fitting, Electrical Trades, Food Analysis, Geology, Geological Mapping, Graphics, Geometry, Heat Engines, Heat Treatment, Hydraulics, Hand Railing, Instrument Making, Millinery, Milling and Gearouting, Machine Shop Practice. Metal Founding, Mining, Metallurgy, Mineralogy, Mathematics, Motor Mechanics, Mine Surveying, Mining Mechanics, Petrology, Physics, Painting and Decorating, Pattern Making, Plastering, Plumbing and Gasfitting, Printing, Refrigeration, Spelling, Science , Shorthand, Surveying. Signwriting. Sheet Metalwork, Toolmaking, Ladies Tailoring, Trigonometry, Typewriting, Welding, Commercial Geography. Millinery, Dressmaking, Needlework, Decorative Needlework, Architecture, Building Design and Construction, Art (Composition in Form and Colour), Art (Casting Clay MOdels) Art (Drapery), Art (Drawing the Human Figure From Casts), Art (Drawing the Antique from Memory), Art (Drawing from Memory); Art (Drawing Plant Forms from Nature, Art (Drawing Plant Forms From Memory), Art (Drawing from Models and Objects), (Drawing From a Flat Example). Art (Drawing in Light and Shade from a Cast of Ornament or Lower Nature), Art (Drawing Ornament from the Cast), Art (Drawing from Models or Objects), Art (Drawing fro Dressmakers' and Milliners' Fashions), Art (Drawing With the Brush), Art (Drawing from a Flat Example); Art (Modelled Design), Art (General Design), Art (Embossed Leatherwork), Art (Practical Plane Geometry), Art (Practical Solid Geometry), Art (Geometrical Drawing), Carpentry and Joinery, Art (Human Anatomy), Art (Historic Ornament), Art (House Decoration), Art (LEttering), Signwriting, Art (Light Metalwork), Art (Modelling), Art (Modelling the Human Figure from a Life), Art (Stencilling); Art (Wood Carving) Refrigeration, Teaching, Boilermaking, Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Joinery, Coachbuilding and Carriage Drafting, Electric Wiring, Electrical Fitting, Graining and Marbling, Instrument Making , Machine Shop Practice, Metal Founding, Milling and Gear Cutting, Motor Mechanics, Painting and Decorating, Sheet Metalwork, Toolmaking, Printing, Pattern Making, Plumbing and gasfitting, examinations, ballarat school of mines, ballarat technical art school, trades, education department victoria, agriculture, algebra, architecture, arithmetic, applied mechanics, assaying, biology, botany, boilermaking, building design, blacksmithing, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, coachbuilding, cabinet making, civil engineering, commercial, chemistry, engineering drawing, economics, english, electrical technology, electricity and magnetism, electric wiring, electric welding, electrical fitting, electrical trades, food analysis, geology, geological mapping, graphics, geometry, heat engines, heat treatment, hydraulics, hand railing, instrument making, millinery, milling and gearouting, machine shop practice, metal founding, mining, metallurgy, mineralogy, mathematics, motor mechanics, mine surveying, mining mechanics, petrology, physics, painting and decorating, pattern making, plastering, plumbing and gasfitting, printing, refrigeration, spelling, science, shorthand, surveying, signwriting, sheet metalwork, toolmaking, ladies tailoring, trigonometry, typewriting, welding., dressmaking, needlework, decorative needlework, architecture, building design and construction, art (composition in form and colour), art (casting clay models), art (drapery), art (drawing the human figure from casts), art (drawing the antique from memory), art (drawing from memory), art (drawing plant forms from nature, art (drawing plant forms from memory), art (drawing from models and objects), (drawing from a flat example), art (drawing in light and shade from a cast of ornament or lower nature), art (drawing ornament from the cast), art (drawing from models or objects), art (drawing for dressmakers' and milliners' fashions), art (drawing with the brush), art (drawing from a flat example), art (modelled design), art (general design), art (embossed leatherwork), art (practical plane geometry), art (practical solid geometry), art (geometrical drawing), art (human anatomy), art (historic ornament), art (house decoration), art (lettering), art (light metalwork), art (modelling), art (modelling the human figure from a life, art (stencilling), art (wood carving), teaching, coachbuilding and carriage drafting, graining and marbling, milling and gear cutting, commercial geography, exams, examination book

Green soft covered book of 114 pages.examinations, science subjects, trade subjects, frank tate, a.o. sachse, photography, metalworking, blacksmithing, metal founding, carpentry and joinery, graining and marbling, bootmaking, dressmaking and needlework

A4 Certificate (probably a copy) from the "Melbourne Technical College - The Working Men's College Incorporated", awarding the Beazley Scholarship to Vincent Montgomery, in the First Year of the course in Metal Founding. Held December 1935. Note - Connection to Ringwood is unknown. This was an old donation (donor unknown).

Large metal buckle found in Greensborough.Metal buckle, oblong shape. Some rust.buckles

Hand forged metal spike found along Plenty River.Hand forged metal spike. Some rust.

This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Metal sculpture, made from found items, including musical instruments.art, artwork, cinnamon francis, sculpture, metalwork, alumni, cinnamon stephens

Three original WW2 medals awarded to 51647 Charles William FRENCH born 8.2.1911 at Wahgunyah in Victoria. He enlisted on 2.2.1942. FRENCH served with the RAAF as a Leading Aircraftman and was attached to the 12 Aircraft Repair Depot when discharged on 13.1.1947.1939-1945 War Medal, Australian Service Medal and Defence MedalThree found white metal medals attached to multi striped colour ribbons.51647 C W FRENCHmedal, ww2, raaf

Found by metal detector at the site of an old bridge in Numurkah district 3 x Handmade metal nails / 1 x Handmade metal u-shaped shacklehandmade nails, shackle, metal detector, numurkah bridge site

.1) Badge, found, metal, white background with soldier centre in brown, ocean in background (around top is "Lest we Forget"). .2) Badge, metal, round with flag at top at bottom is an RSL badge. Centre depicts wounded soldier with native helper in brown (Around red outsides is "In commemoration of those who served and died"). badges, lest we forget, commemorative

This particular specimen was recovered from two hundred feet down in the Golden Mile in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The Golden Mile, named after the estimated sixty million ounces of gold worth around one hundred billion dollars, was the birthplace of the largest gold rush in Australia almost one hundred and thirty years ago when William Brookman and Samuel Pearce leased the Great Boulder mine. The Golden Mile is also the home of the Super Pit, Australia's most well-known mine.The majority of gold deposits will form as a native metal, however, on occasion, it can form a compound with another element, in this case, sulphur. Therefore, this specimen is a rare example of gold naturally forming into a compound mineral with sulphur. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A small gold-sulphide ore mineral specimen in shades of silver and grey with flecks of gold. Precious metals are often found in Sulphide Ores, as sulphides usually bind to these metals. They are also extremely symmetrical in crystaline form. Gold-Sulphide Ore occurs when gold forms a natural compound with other elements. In this form, gold can be present in one of two ways. It can be fully immersed in the sulphide, or a portion may be partially free. This specimen has minimal gold visible, with only a few flecks being partially visible.burke museum, beechworth, indigo shire, beechworth museum, geological, geological specimen, mineralogy, gold-sulphide ore

Leslie “Les” John Shea was a skilled agricultural‑machinery worker at McKay Massey Ferguson in Sunshine. Along with three colleagues, he became dissatisfied with the direction of the company and left to establish a new, independent manufacturing firm. His partners were Tom Connor, Charles "Tom" Dealy, Edward "Ted" George Waters and Jim D. Phillips of Albury. His technical expertise and leadership helped shape Connor‑Shea into a major national manufacturer.The Preparatory School The Working Mens College Melbourne 8 July 1920 Certificate 103 The Melbourne Technical Schools Class Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Fitting and Turning Certificate 105 The Melbourne Technical Schools Class Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Metal Founding Certificate 73193 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1920 for Geometry Certificate 82693The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1921 for Trigonometry Certificate 83075 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1921 for Mechanics and Heat Certificate 83574 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1921 for Engineering Drawing Certificate 89868 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Electricity and Magnetism Certificate 90442 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Land Surveying Certificate 90538 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Applied Mechanics Certificate 91089 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Engineering Drawing Structures Certificate 91114 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1922 for Engineering Drawing Machines Certificate 97611 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1923 for Engineering Drawing Machines Certificate 96820 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1923 for Applied Mechanics Machines Certificate 96806 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1923 for Applied Mechanics Structures Certificate 96942 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1923 for Algebra Certificate 97413 The Melbourne Technical Schools Second Grade Certificate for Leslie Shea 1923 for Milling and Gear Cutting Letter from The Melbourne Technical School 4 March 1924 Leslie Shea attended 4 year course for Machines and Structures Letter To Whom it may concern 4 March 1924 Letter To Whom it may concern 4 March 1924 Letter To Whom it may concern 5 March 1924 Letter To Whom it may concern 5 March 1924 Sample drawing Photograph of house and couple in horse drawn carriage Photograph of best design Photograph in plane with another man Photograph in plane Newspaper Article This was written by A satisfied client Certificate State Emergency Council Leslie Shea Air raid Precautions 9 March 1942 Typed Report Connor Shea History Statutory Report Connor Shea Holdings Limited 1961 Newspaper Article Lifes a wonderful whirl at 60 in a Cessna Connor Shea (Holdings) Limited Annual Report 1977 Brochure Connor Shea 25 Years in the Field 1952 Typed report History and Achievement of Connor Shea and Coconnor shea, fouth avenue, sunshine, farm machinery

Jakob Maul (1866-1953) founded a metal works factory in 1912 at Zell in Odenwald not far from Frankfurt. He was born the son of a winegrower from the Rheinhessen region of Germany that lies on the left bank of the river Rhine. At the age of 45, he started a metal works factory to produce various types of scales but during the second world war the factory was bombed and production ended. Production for the manufacture of scales resumed in 1948. In 1953 at his death Jakobs son Fritz Scharmann an engineer who had been working with his father since 1923 took over the management of the Maul companies. In 1970 the production responsibilities for Philip J Maul was taken over by Porti Office Equipment who was based in Hamburg. The company has undergone several integrations with subsidiary companies. Today the company has diversified into different areas one of which is manufacturing solar scales. An original postal scale made in Germany before the Second World War and regarded today as a collector's item. It is significant as it is a snapshot into the past and how everyday vintage items were used and interacted within society in the 1930s.Antique German Jacob Maul "Concav" brass postal or letter scale, quadrant type, with pendulum, measuring up to 9ozs. The scale has a level-adjusting screw.The balance is marked "CONCAV" and graduated in imperial ounces to 9 ozflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, scale, quadrant scale, postal weight, 9 oz, philip jakob, maul, scale manufacturer, german industry, weighing instrument, inclination scale

This flat hinge was recovered from an unknown shipwreck in the coastal waters of Victoria in the late 1960s to early 1970s. It is part of the John Chance Collection. The size of the hinge indicates that it was used for a large item such as an entry door, gate or perhaps a ship fitting. The blue-green patina on the metal is caused by a reaction from its exposure to external elements such as the sea water. The hinge is likely to have been in the water for over 100 years, as the more widely known shipwrecks along Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast date from 1837 to 1940. Before the Middle Ages metal was expensive and took a lot of effort to work with As time went on, methods were discovered for working more easily with metals, and ways were found for combining different metals to make alloys that made the metals stronger and more durable. Hinges forged by blacksmiths began to be common in homes. In the Victorian Era steam power was introduced and manufacturing boomed. Hinges could be made by machines quickly and in great number. All sorts of applications were found to take advantage of the features of hinges. They continue to be developed and used in a huge variety of ways. Although the hinge is not linked to a particular shipwreck, it is recognised as being historically significant as an example of hardware either as part of the ship’s fittings or imported for use in Colonial Victoria in the 19th to early 20th century. The hinge is also significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver in Victoria’s coastal waters in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection by his family, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. Hinge; heavy bronze flat hinge, hand forged. Flat with narrow, arrow shaped end that lares outward to wider straight end. Attached to the wide end is a rectangular, upward curved knuckle. There are five formed holes along the hinge, two are oval shaped and three are round. The hinge has a blue-green patina.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, john chance, hinge, hardware, flat hinge, door fitting, ship’s fitting, 19th century metalwork, forged hinge

Cooper S.E. Ball Bearing Grinder made and guaranteed by Sunbeam Corporation Limited. Grinders like this example have been made the same since the early 1900s, with this grinder thought to have been produced in the 1960s. It is belt driven, with the other end of the belt being attached to an engine; the same engine that would have powered the overhead shearing equipment in shearing sheds. It was common for shearing teams to bring their own equipment, especially pre-1960 as most shearing sheds were not connected to power, and shearers preferred to work with their own equipment. The engines that powered the shears and grinder were typically fuelled with kerosene or petrol. The large circular disks are attached to the bolt that protrudes from the grinder and fastened tightly with a nut. An example of seeing a similar grinder in action can be found on the following link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7eimI_Gm9o. Inventor Frederick Wolseley made the world's first commercially successful power-shearing system in Australia in 1888. US company Cooper, which had been founded in 1843 as a maker of sheep dip, began selling Wolseley equipment in the USA in 1895. The Chicago Flexible Shaft Company successfully entered the power-shearing market a few years later and entered a joint venture with Cooper. It set up a branch in Sydney and sold shearing sets, and engines to power them, into the Australian market. In 1921 the US parent company, realising it needed to make products whose sales were not as seasonal as those of shearing equipment, made its first household appliances and branded them Sunbeam. In 1933, changes in exchange rates and taxes led the company to manufacture engines and shearing equipment in Australia via subsidiary Cooper Engineering, which changed its name to Sunbeam in 1946. Although most Australians know of this company as a major manufacturer of household appliances, its rural division flourished and retained the Sunbeam name for shearing equipment even after it was taken over by New Zealand company Tru-Test in 2001. The grinder is formed from a central arch shaped block of green painted metal. Much of this paint has been lost to age, leaving the grinder in a ‘farm used’ condition with much surface oxidation present. On the front of the arch is a specification plate, reading “Cooper S.E. ball bearing grinder. Made and guaranteed by Sunbeam”. At the foot of the arch, three bolt holes are found for securing the grinder to the base of a solid wooden surface. Two of the bolt holes are found on the front of the grinder, with another found on the rear. From the central arch, a bolt protrudes to the right of the grinder. This large bolt is for securing a grinding plate to the grinder. Above the central arch is a pendulum which holds the comb / cutter that is being sharpened. From the pendulum, a large arm extends down (not pictured) to meet and strike the plate spinning at a rapid speed. On the left-hand side of the central arch of the grinder, a wheel is found which a belt is attached to for power. This belt is then attached to a separate engine, spinning the wheel and hence powering the grinder. The wheel is partially covered with a section of protective bent tube, designed to provide protection from the rapidly spinning wheel. Below this wheel is the belt shifter. It is designed to move the protective bent tube from one side of the grinder to the other, to accommodate the grinder in the setup of different shearing sheds. The two separate grinding plates are identical. They have a slight slope for sharpening the comb and cutters in the correct method, with a slight bias towards the base, or “tooth”, of the equipment. The disks have a large central bolt for attaching to the grinder. They have tags on the horizontal axis of the grinding plates, for securing the plates in transportation, and to help with initial alignment when setting up the grinder. The reverse of these grinding plates has the same green painted metal finish found on the grinder. This paint is also in a ‘farm used’ condition, with surface oxidation present. The grinder would be provided from the factory with a comb holder, shifter for securing the grinding plates, emery cloth and emery glue. The emery cloth is what does the actual grinding and is applied to the grinding disks, replacing once well worn. These items can be seen in the final images in the multimedia section, showcasing advertising for this grinder. Plate. Inscribed. “Cooper / S.E. BALL BEARING GRINDER / MADE AND GUARANTEED BY / Sunbeam / CORPORATION LIMITED / SYDNEY MELBOURNE / ADELAIDE BRISBANE ”sheep shearing, shearing equipment, sunbeam, grinder

Photographer notations on slide: Steel Manuf’rs at McPherson’s Ltd 1933 Published: The Age, 30 August 1933 BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Published title: Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia Published caption: A group of Inter-State Visitors, from the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia, on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty. Ltd., Burnley-Richmond, yesterday. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: The photo shows a line up of 36 men, in three rows, in front of a building. They are mostly dressed in dark 3-piece suits, or camel coats. But one gentleman stands out in his full length leather coat! Striped ties are popular, and they are all holding hats. One man, at the rear towards the right, looks a bit younger with his thick, black, brylcreamed hair.. These interstate gentlemen are described in the newspaper caption as representatives of the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers "...on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty Ltd, Burnley, Richmond." Interestingly, the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia (BOSMA) still exists, and is the industry body for major Australian steel producers like BlueScope, Liberty, and InfraBuild, representing their interests, engaging with government, and participating in standards setting for the domestic steel market, with a history dating back to 1923. While BOSMA focuses on primary manufacturing, the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) serves as the broader peak body for the entire steel supply chain, from mills to end-users, promoting and supporting the industry. But at the time of this photo, the Australian steel industry was just starting to make headway. As the AST website explains, "Steelmaking in Australia began just a decade prior to the start of the 1851 Gold Rush whilst Australia was still divided into colonies. Iron ore deposits were discovered in 1840 at Iron Knob, South Australia but a lack of equipment meant that the process of producing steel was impossible. Even attempts at smelting the iron ore in a blast furnace to create pig iron were unsuccessful due to the poor quality of iron ore and coke available to the budding industry. In the other colonies at the time, such as Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, there were minor discoveries of iron ore but poor technical expertise and limited quantity meant that the quality of steel was poor. Compared to the far superior steel being imported from Britain at the time, the steel manufacturing industry simply couldn’t compete and was unviable. By the 1870s, almost all steel production in Australia had been abandoned. The situation began to change at the turn of the century. Rapid growth sparked higher demand for industrial machinery made from steel and infrastructure such as rail. It became apparent that there was a need for locally manufactured steel and soon there would be an answer. In 1901, the year Australia united into a federation, the nation’s first blast furnace went into production at Eskbank near Lithgow in New South Wales. The development was spearheaded by William Stafford and his son Esk, and Stafford is known as the father of Australian steel production. In 1915, production expanded with another steel mill in Newcastle that was opened by BHP. It sourced coke from local mines and iron ore from South Australia, creating a domestic loop for steel manufacturing. In the following years, more steelworks opened in Whyalla, South Australia and Port Kembla in NSW. Steel manufacturing in Australia was now underway." The company mentioned in the photo’s notation and in the newspaper caption, was McPhersons, "...an Australian hardware firm, for many years a leading merchant of woodworking and metal-working machinery... [and founded by] Thomas McPherson (c.1823–1888) who had a home "Dudley House" at 142 Dudley Street, West Melbourne. [The] ironmongery business [was located] in 1860 at 149 Spencer Street, Melbourne. Merchandise carried included bells, lathes, horseshoes and steam engines." (Wikipedia - McPherson's Pty Ltd) Anyone who has read Robyn Annear’s excellent award-winning 2014 book Bearbrass – the name for early Melbourne - will remember only too well her description of West Melbourne, from where the city of Melbourne as we know it, emerged. Her book resurrects the village that was early Melbourne – from the arrival of white settlers in 1835 until the first gold rushes shook the town – and brings it to life in vivid colour. The McPherson family, whose arrival in Bearbrass coincides with this period (Thomas arrived in 1852), became intimately involved in the growth and development of Melbourne. Thomas was Mayor of Melbourne (1870-1871); his eldest son Hunter became a successful Sydney businessman; second son Edward and third son William inherited the company, and ran it together until 1896 when Edward killed himself. William had a notable career in politics as treasurer of Victoria 1917-1923, in which year he was knighted. 1928-1929 he was Premier of Victoria, and a noted philanthropist. The family were significant property owners in the city of Melbourne: 149 Spencer Street, 582-588 Collins Street, 554-566 Collins Street, together with a property on Jeffcott Street, West Melbourne, and factories in Sunshine, Tottenham, Kensington and Richmond – all by the mid 1940s. By that time they also had controlling interests in several Australasian industries, including Ajax Bolt and Rivet Pty Ltd of NZ, F W Hercus Manufacturing Co Ltd, manufacturers in South Australia of lathes, guillotines and other heavy machinery, also of Patience and Nicholson (P & N), manufacturers in Maryborough, Victoria, of twist drills and thread-forming tools; also Wiltshire Files on Sunshine Road, Tottenham, manufacturing files and rasps. The Acme Machine Tool Company became a branch of McPhersons, and the company claimed to have supplied, from their own manufacture, all five million rivets (some 3,600 tonnes) used in the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – described as a steel through arch bridge, which opened in 1932; the tallest of its kind in the world (Wikipedia – Sydney Harbour Bridge) McPherson’s was also innovative in other ways. It published a comprehensive catalogue, extensively detailed with prices, available free of charge to farmers and other businesses. In 1908 it had 148 pages. By 1937 it had grown to 372 pages. The University of Melbourne’s Archives entry on McPherson’s Limited notes: "After the outbreak of the Second World War, McPherson’s factories worked at full capacity and were crucial to Australia’s war efforts. On 5 December 1944 McPherson's converted to a public company named McPherson's Ltd, with William Edward as Chairman of Directors. By the start of the 1950s the company had a very different Board of Directors; in 1947 the Managing Director Oliver Addison died, and his replacement Marshall Eady died only six months later. Both had been Directors since McPherson’s became a proprietary company in 1913. Another Director, Philip Bevan, died in 1948 and this was followed by the death of William Edward in 1950. S.B Holder, F.G. Thorpe, H.L. Hastie, F. Grassick and D.G. Syme all joined the Board before 1950. The company continued to prosper for many years after the death of William Edward. His son, William David, was invited to join the McPherson’s Ltd Board in 1951. He married Angela Cumming in 1955 and soon after was sent to Brisbane as Director in Charge to oversee the building of a new warehouse. The opening of this warehouse in Queensland meant that the company now had major outlets in five states. As time went on, manufacturing in Australia began to decline and imports of everyday tools began arriving from Asia. These tools were being produced with much lower labour costs and could be sold at cheaper prices. William David retired in 1984 and eventually parts of the company were divested, such as the Richmond Bolt Works which closed in the early 1990s. Since the 1980s, McPherson's has diversified into housewares, printing, and health and beauty care products." This article also contains photos, one of which is a photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920, showing workers in their shirt sleeves participating in a tug of war in a rural "picnic" setting. McPherson’s premises at 554-566 Collins Street more than lasted the test of time and is listed as historically significant. The magnificent art deco building from the 1930s in the heart of Melbourne was first commissioned in 1934 and completed in 1937. It is an imposing building fronting almost a quarter of the city block between Spencer Street and King Street, and was designed to be a warehouse, office and showroom for the hardware empire. International architects Stuart P Calder, and Reid and Pearson designed the four-storey building with a basement level and a stair tower at the centre that provides access to what was a tennis court on the roof. It is considered an example of the streamlined modern style in Melbourne and shows how the McPherson company, protected from taxes after World War I, was able to manufacture goods without being affected by the competition. The building has survived, and its current iteration is as the home to il Mercato Centrale – an Italian style artisan market concept. The University of Melbourne Archives hold a particularly good image of the building from its heyday, complete with Collins Street lamps on the pavement outside the store. And to return to our image, sited at "Bolt Works of McPhersons". Today this segment of McPhersons is still very well known - Ajax. A good summary of the company’s history, and the development of the name and business, can be found on the Mine Suppliers Online website: "AJAX Fasteners can trace its heritage back to 1900, when the Acme Bolt Company was established in West Melbourne, Victoria. In 1909, William McPherson used the company as the basis for establishing McPherson’s Bolt Works – adopting the brand ‘Ajax’ – and moved it to Richmond. Over the years, the company changed many times in response to industry needs to ensure that it remained the premier manufacturer of high quality fasteners in Australia. Many other names in the industry, such as Firth Cleveland, Spurway Cooke and Nettlefolds were merged or acquired into the company. McPhersons ended their 80-year ownership of Ajax in the early 90s when they sold their shares to National Consolidated, which was also a major shareholder at the time. In 1997, Ajax Fasteners moved to new purpose-built premises in Braeside, Victoria. Soon after, National Consolidated was taken over by the diversified manufacturer Austrim. The group soon acquired the iconic Nylex, and adopted the name Nylex Corporation. In January 2007, ACME Operations Pty Ltd acquired Ajax Fasteners and continues to operate the business today from the Braeside plant. The name ACME provides a nostalgic return by the new owners to the company’s heritage, when the Acme Bolt Company was founded in July 1900." REFERENCES: BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Wikipedia, McPherson’s Pty Ltd, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McPherson%27s_Pty_Ltd Wikipedia, Richmond, Victoria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond,_Victoria Industry: From the mid-19th century, Richmond was a centre of manufacturing industry, including many large complexes such as the Bryant & May match factory, Jaques Limited engineering works, the Wertheim Piano factory and Pelaco. Wikipedia, Sydney Harbour Bridge, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge eMelbourne, Manufacturing, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00896b.htm 'New life for Melbourne's McPherson Building', The Urban Developer, https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/mcphersons-building-melbourne-il-mercato-centrale-food-retail-destination Bureau Of Steel Manufacturers Of Australia Limited, http://www.bosma.org.au/ 'A Brief History of Steel Manufacturing in Australia', AST, https://astraders.com.au/a-brief-history-of-steel-manufacturing-in-australia/ 'Steel manufacturing in Australia: a brief history', Hard Bakka Steel Fabrication, https://www.hardbakka.com.au/component/virtuemart/steel-manufacturing-in-australia-a-brief-history?Itemid=494 McPherson's Limited, University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/58364 Source of Description: 'Nuts and Bolts: A story of a family and a firm', Barbara Hamer (2006), McPherson’s Printing Group 'Photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287217-max?u=dea2e4d2fd07ac822e624f1e7d39adb3 'Photograph of the exterior of the McPhersons Department store at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne.', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287215-max?u=12430d30453a77059b7d10d49006a521 Robyn Annear, Bearbrass: imagining early Melbourne, Black Inc., 2014 (originally published 1995 by Mandarin) 'Company details', Ajax Fasteners, http://www.minesuppliersonline.com.au/australia/braeside/hardware/ajax-fasteners 'Former McPherson's Building', Victorian Heritage Database, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/741Photographer notations on slide: "Steel manuf'rs at McPherson's Ltd 1933 B5".1930-1939, industrial workers, clothing and dress, 1930, iron and steel industry, businesses, bridges, industry, melbourne, gold rush, moderne style architecture

The name of the business that produced the contents of this ledger is unknown. It is a record of rents paid by tenants to the property owners in Warrnambool and district from 1910 to 1925 and includes the rents paid and the dates. It probably belonged to a real estate firm or an accountancy or law firm dealing in property, mortgages and financial investments. Many of the names contained in the ledger are well-known (Coakley, Alston, Gleeson, McGennan etc) and the ones that are not so well known are mostly those with only one or two rental properties. This ledger is of some interest as a research tool giving information on property owners and renters in Warrnambool from 1910 to 1925. It will be of greater value if the name of the ledger owner can be found. This is a ledger with a cover made of wood and covered with a light brown material. It has a heavy metal insert inside to hold the pages. There are heavy card pages and white pages ruled with red and blue lines. The page entries are handwritten in ink. warrnambool renters 1910-1925, warrnambool property owners 1910-1925

This bean slicer was made about the 1920s by the British firm of Spong & Co. This firm was founded by James Osborn Spong in 1856 in London. James Spong invented over 100 labour-saving devices during his lifetime and his firm became well-known for its production of domestic labour-saving and safety devices, especially its grinding machine and its bean slicer. These domestic items were to be found in most households from the 1880s to the 1950s prior to the advent of electrical items that carried out similar labour-saving processes. This bean slicer is of interest as a reminder of the many labour -saving devices that were available to most women early in the 20th century, even those in the rural and more remote areas in AustraliaThis a heavy metal bean slicer with a circular piece with a rounded cut-out at the top for the insertion of the bean and an attached bolted handle with a wooden top. Attached to the circular top is a circular revolving piece with three cutters. Welded on to the top piece is a metal clamp with a large screw for attaching the slicer to a table or bench. The slicer is painted green and has the name of the manufacturer etched on the top piece.Spong & Co Ltd Made In England No 632 Bean Slicervintage bean slicers, spong & co london, vintage household items

This camera comes from the 1920s and originally belonged to a member of the Shadbolt family but no information has been found on this family. The Kodak junior camera was very popular in the first half of the 20th Century This camera has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of an early Kodak camera This is KODAK junior camera in a leather covering with a leather handle. It has a concertina mechanism. It has an outer leather case with a leather strap and a broken metal catch. The cover is much scuffed and rubbed. The camera is rectangular in shape with curved ends.1. Kodak No.1a Autographic Kodak Jr. .2 Molly Shadbolt Ulverstone Tasmania M.A. Shadbolt Burnleigh Church Terrace Walkerville A Mitchell Hyde Park history of warrnambool, kodak cameras

This is a medal won by J. McKenzie of the Warrnambool Fire Brigade at a Camperdown competition in 1899. A Warrnambool Fire Brigade was first established in 1859 but it lapsed and another Fire Brigade was formed in 1863. This Brigade prospered and entered in, and won many Fire Brigade demonstrations and competitions which were particularly popular in the late 19th century and early 20th century. No information has been found on J. McKenzieThis medal is of considerable interest as a memento of the Warrnambool Fire Brigade in 1899 and of its successes in competitions against other Victorian Fire Brigades.This circular silver coloured light metal medal features an eight petal shaped centrepiece inserted into an outer circle with text on both obverse and reverse. It has a small attached ring at the top. Obverse -CAMPERDOWN 24/5/99 ENGINE3 MEN WON BY J MC KENZIE Reverse W.F.B. Maker's markj. mckenzie, warrnambool fire brigade, warrnambool history

This badge has been issued by the Victorian branch of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of OddFellows. This is a benefit society owned by members who assist other members in times of illness or unemployment. Originally founded in Manchester, England, the M.U.I.O.O.F. started in Melbourne in 1840. The Warrnambool branch was founded in 1860. This badge has no known local provenance but Warrnambool members of the M.U.I.O.O.F. would probably have worn such a badge in the past so it is kept as a memento of those times.Gold metal badge in a shield shape with royal blue enamel with text as a banner across the top and again at the bottom . An inner shield contains a cross in red with five stars . The four corners each contain a symbol .MANCHESTER UNITY IOOF . Victoria at the top of the badge. Makers name Newman is stamped on the back.manchester unity independent order of oddfellows, manchester

The Returned Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Imperial League of Australia was formed in 1916 as welfare group to assist military personnel returning from the overseas active service. In 1965 the organization was renamed the Returned Services League of Australia and assists military personnel, and their families, both past and present. The Women's Auxiliaries assisted in the past with the work of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A. and today assist with the work of the Returned Services League. (The K.G.Luke company was founded in 1925 and continued until the 1980s.)This badge is of interest as one issued by the Women's Auxiliary of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A. It is not known if it has any connection to a local branch of the Women's Auxiliary. Small circular metal badge with dark blue circle around the edge and an Australian flag surrounded by a cream section. Pin on the reverse. Women's Auxiliary RSSAILA. ( Returned soldiers and sailors Imperial league of Australia)women's auxiliaries, returned services league of australia, returned soldiers, warrnambool history

This album contains photographs from the Warrnambool Dramatic Society’s 1955 production of ‘See How They Run’. Amateur theatre groups have been operating in Warrnambool since the 1850s under a variety of names. The Warrnambool Dramatic Society was operating in the late 1940s and has continued to operate over the ensuing years with the name of the group today being the Warrnambool Theatre Company. This album gives us historical and pictorial information on the performers in ‘See How They Run’. No further information has been found on the owner of the album, Perc Moore.This album contains photographs that are important as a record of a Warrnambool Dramatic Society production in 1955. This is an album of 12 pages. It is bound with two metal studs. It has a buff-coloured cover in a mottled pattern with silver printing on the front cover. It contains ten black and white photographs, two of them loose. It also has inserted in the first two pages two programmes. The album is in a cream-coloured cardboard box. This box is much stained. ‘Presented by the Warrnambool Dramatic Society to Mr Perc Moore whose production of ‘See How They Run’ made such an outstanding success 18-10-55’warrnambool dramatic society

This ink well could have been for household use but was more likely to have been used in an office or business. No information has been found on the name on the base – A.R. McLachlan. Ink wells began to be less used when fountain pens came into general use in the 1940s and went out of use completely when ballpoint pens became the popular writing instrument in the 1950s. This ink well is of interest as an example of the ink wells used early in the 20th century. It was probably used in an office or business building. This is a metal container with a circular base and an upright circular tube in which is inset a china ink well. The ink well is covered with a hinged metal lid and there are four round holes around the lid area. Both the lid and the base are etched with circular ridges. ‘A.R.McLachlan 1920’ office equipment, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This booklet was given to subscribers to the Warrnambool Standard newspaper as an almanac for the year 1914. The Warrnambool Standard Almanacs were produced annually from 1875 to 1930. They contain much local information on Warrnambool and district about businesses, government officials, harbour management, large landowners, banks, churches, schools, societies and organizations etc. The Warrnambool Standard newspaper was established in 1872 and continues to this day. This booklet is of high significance as it contains valuable information about Warrnambool and district for the year 1914. It is an important research tool for those studying and writing the history of Warrnambool and district. This copy has the name ‘Mr Cameron’ on the front over but no details have been found on him and it is not known if he was the original owner of this booklet. This is a soft cover booklet of 115 pages. It has several advertisements at the front and the back of the booklet. The back cover is missing and the front cover has a yellow background with black lettering and a black and white photograph of the Warrnambool Breakwater. The covering on the spine is partly torn away. The booklet is bound with metal staples and contains some photographs in blue tonings and some in black and grey tonings. There are also other illustrations. The writing on the front cover is handwritten in black ink. ‘(When the wild geese come)’ ‘Mr Cameron’ warrnambool standard newspaper, history of warrnambool, standard almanac 1914

According to the handwritten information accompanying the item this umbrella has an ivory handle carved by native Africans on a Christian mission station in South Africa. The umbrella was sent to Mrs Donohue of Warrnambool who was an active member of the Church of England in Warrnambool early in the 20th century. No further information has been found on Mrs Donohue. This umbrella is of interest because of its carved ivory handle and because it was sent from South Africa to an Anglican Church adherent in Warrnambool early in the 20th century. This is a black silk umbrella with a carved ivory handle. The carving includes representations of leaves and seeds. Some of the silk is torn, some has disintegrated and some of it is detached from the metal spokes. The umbrella top is wooden. The information about the umbrella is handwritten in blue ink and is contained in a small wooden frame. church of england,, warrnambool

The containers in this set would have held salt, pepper, and perhaps two types of vinegar. When bought some time in the 20th century it was a high quality item and would have been found in the home of a person of some means and perhaps used when visitors were being entertained. Today a simple salt and pepper set is more likely to be used during meals. This cruet set has no known local provenance but it is a very attractive item and is kept as a memento of the past. This cruet set has a metal base with four round metal knobs on the bottom. The base has a handle in a bowed shape with a circular top and midway across the handle are attached four rectangular metal shapes for holding the condiments. Four cut glass containers slot into the four holders. The containers are all rectangular-shaped, two with a narrower neck and a glass stoppers, one with a narrower neck and a metal top with a perforated lid and one with a metal top with a hinged lid. The metal base and handle are somewhat rusted.household items, history of warrnambool

This item is a boxed set of teaspoons from the Rodd Silverware Company. G. & E. Rodd Pty Ltd was founded in Melbourne in 1919 and by the 1930s it was the leading manufacturing jewellery business in Australia. In 1948 the business was taken over by Max Rodd, the son of one of the founders and by that time it was known mostly for its household silverware. Rodd products were very popular wedding presents in the mid 20th century. This item has no known local significance but is retained as an excellent example of the Rodd Silverware that was found in so many households in Australia in the early to mid 20th century. It will be useful for display.This is a black leather-bound box with a gilt rim around the edge of the lid. The lid is attached to the box by two metal clips. One of these is broken. The box has a gilt metal clasp for closing the box. The box is lined inside with purple satin material and contains five electro plated nickel silver teaspoons. There should be six in the set but one spoon is missing. The spoons are held in grooves cut into a purple block across the middle of the inside of the box (perhaps made of wood). The box is somewhat stained and the leather is scuffed in places. The teaspoons are in excellent condition.Back of spoons: ‘Rodd E.P.N.S. A1’ rodd silverware, household items

This item is a container that would have been used by a woman to hold small items such as pins. It may also have originally contained some lotion or powder but there is no trade name to indicate this. It would have been found in a bedroom. Such items as these would have been given as presents to members of the more affluent families in the early 20th century. This container has no known local provenance but is retained as an attractive item from the past. It will be useful for display.This is a round-shaped cut glass container with a plain glass base and a metal lid which fits over the top of the container. The top of the lid has an enamel circular piece inserted into the metal. This piece has a white background with a painted image of the head and shoulders of a woman in brown and flesh-coloured tonings. The lid has some dents and some discoloration.household items, dressing table containers