A mining safety cage was used in a mine lift. It was fitted with mechanisms to prevent the cage from dropping if the lifting rope broke. In the 1870s in Victoria, deaths and injuries from falling cages in vertical shafts of gold mines were a major problem. The inventor of this safety cage was Robert Allan, a machinery maker of Creswick Rd, Ballarat. He said his cage featured a ‘dissolving’ fulcrum. Others called it an eccentric (off centre) system. Note the pair of clutch levers designed to grab the side guides if tension ceases in the suspending rope from the poppet head pulley. Also, the hinged ‘lids’; designed to protect miners trapped in a braked cage from falling rope, and to enable rescue of the miners. This model was presented to The Ballarat School of Mines Council in November 1876. This model was shown at the Smeaton Show in November 1874, Ballarat School of Mines Museum from 1876, and examined by the 1879 Victorian Board of Inquiry (Pg 15 of FedUni Catalogue 3437) From the Argus of 13 November 1874: At Smeaton Show, Robert Allan of Ballarat won 1st prize for a Model of a Mining Cage, a Butter working machine, a Cheese press and a Curd Mill. By 1878 an Allan Safety-Cage was in operation in the Number 6 shaft of the Band and Albion Consols mine in Ballarat. This cage was judged the best inspected by the Victorian Board of Inquiry by 1879, p. 39.Mining was a big industry in Ballarat in the late 1800s and a lot of deaths were recorded because of mining accidents, the development of the mining safety cage brake limited the deaths and injuries from falling cages in vertical shafts. The model also has links to the Ballarat School of Mines, being presented to the council in 1876. Ballarat School of Mines is the oldest Technical School in Australia and is a predecessor of Federation University. The model is significant to Ballarat's mining history.Model of a mine safety cafe. A grey painted wooden frame with metal model of cage and safety brake system. When tension ceases in rope a pair of crutch levers grab strongly onto the wooden guide strips which run down the sides of a vertical shaft. This safety cage was discussed in "Safety Mining Cages. Report of the Board of Enquiry on Safety Cages 1878-9; together with proceedings of the Board and Appendices".safety cage, mine cage safety brake, robert allan, model, safety cage model, machine maker, millwright, mining, gold mining, tools, equipment, victorian board of inquiry

Significant to mining history of Bendigo.Black and white photograph: Mine cage being maneuvered into position within headframe and over shaft by three workmen. Rope attached to bottom front of cage to assist in steadying the cage.Written in pencil on back of photograph : ''... (illegible) cage in Napoleon main shaft 31/8/35'.napoleon gold mine, safety cage

Handwritten account of cage accident at the Great Southern Coy's Victoria Queen No 4 Shaft in 1881. Two brothers, David and Thomas Clapperton were killed when the cage fell. The engine driver's name was Tyler. Also, a typed copy.mine, gold, great southern mine, cage accident at victoria queen no 4 shaft, david clapperton, thomas clapperton, tyler

Significant to mining history of Bendigo.Black and white photograph: six workmen positioning the metal sinking cage over the Napoleon shaft. Cage is suspended by ropes from the cross beams of the headframe. Two railway tracks leading to shaft, presumably to transport the sinking cage to site. Workman on left hand side has a hammer inserted on his belt.Written in pencil on back of photograph : ' Cage being put in Napoleon shaft 9/3/35'. napoleon gold mine, sinking cage, shaft

Black and white photograph: underground mine photograph, two men standing in front of lift shaft. Colin Cruickshank, Manager, Western Mining standing on right of image. David Horsfall, reporter from the Bendigo Advertiser, standing on the left. Mine cage in immediate background. gold mining, underground, williams united gold mine, eaglehawk, western mining gmc, mine shaft, mine cage, colin cruickshank, david horsfall

Magdala cum Moonlight Mine. Group of miners standing near lift cage at bottom of poppet headCloseup of group of miners in front of mine infrastructure stawell gold mining

Slide. Tambour Major Gold Mine. .Manager and workers pose in front of the poppet head. Mine cage at rear of men under poppet head. A diving suit is worn by one man.No. 34 printed on bottom of slidemine, gold, tambour major., bendigo mines-jack hattam collection.

Significant to mining history of Bendigo.Black and white photograph: metal mine cage at level in Napoleon mine. Man standing on right hand side looking directly at cage, with both arms raised. Lengths of timber and rock rubble on floor of level. Written in pencil on back of photograph : 'Nap. main shaft 22/6/36 opposite No. 10 plat' napoleon gold mine, mine machinery, plat, shaft

Black and white photograph: group of people, formally dressed, standing in front of a poppet head, mine cage visible in background. Unknown mine but on the Bendigo field. Photo has been laminated for display purposes. Red dot with '6' on bottom right of image. mining, underground miners, 1980's., bendigo, mine site

Pink paper covered book by Stanley Hunter, Engineer in Charge of Boring Operations. Contents include tunnelling, deep sinking, the Chiltern Method, the Ballarat Method, Stawell, Ararat, Moyston, Raglan, Wimmera, Landsborough, Avoca, Ballarat West Leads, Berry-Moolort-Loddon Lead System, Clunes, Creswick, Bullarook Affluent, Corinella, Daylesford-Castlemaine Tributary, Majorca-Carisbrook tributary, Huntly, Coliban, Campaspe, Rutherglen., Smythesdale, Durham Lead, Tanjil, Evolution of Mining Machinery, size of claims, Definition of a Deep Lead, Discovery of Gold in Victoria, Geographical Position of Deep Leads, Water in Deep Leads, Methods of Deep Lead Mining, Cost of Deep Lead Mining, Stawell, Ararat, Moyston, Raglan, Wimmera, Landsborough, Avoca, Ballarat West, Berry, Springs Hill, Loddon Valley, Charlotte Plains, , Timor, Burn Creek, Huntly, Colinan, Goulburn, Ovens Valley, Chiltern, Indigo, Morrison's Lead, Plans include: geological Map of Stawell, ararat, Raglan and Landsborough; Kempson's Freehold Mine, Stawell; Geological Map of Beaufort, Avoca, Maryborough, Ballarat west, Berry-Moolort, Loddon, Creswick, Marong, &c; Cardigan Propriety Gold Mine; Working Miners United Gold Mine, Homebush; Hepburn Deep Lead Plan; Madame Berry West Mine; West Berry Consols Mine; Spring Hill and Central Leads; Berry Consols Extended Mine; Loddon Valley Goldfields; Chalk's No 3 Mine; Charlotte Plains Considated Mine; Duke United Mine; Geological Map of Bendigo, Huntley, Campaspe, Malmsbury, Kyneton, trentham, &c; Geological Map of Chiltern, Rutherglan, Eldorado, Beechworth, &c; Chiltern Valley Gold Mine; Wallace Chiltern Valley Consols Mine; great Southern and Chiltern Valley United Mine; great Northern extended Consols; Prentice and Southern deep Leads; Glenfine South Gold Mine; Geological map of Pitfield, Rokewood, Mt Mercer, Ballark, Meredith, &c.; McEvoy Mine; Dargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mining, deep leads, squire, tools, gold panning, gold cradle, cradling, puddling, tubbing, mining shaft, shaft sinking, whip, horse whip, whim, horse whim, chalk's no. 1 mine, maryborough, mining cage, shaft, mining trucks, maryborough, washdirt, puddler, tunnelling, deep sinking, chiltern method of working, ballarat method of working, sampling washdirt. gravels, balmoral, mt william, stawell, moyston, great western, ararat, raglan, wimmera valley, landsborough, cardigan, haddon, beaufort, waterloo, avoca, lamplough, caralulup, ballarat west, ballarat, smythesdale, glenfine, illabarook, durham lead, morrison's lead, bullengarook, berry-moolort-loddon system, clunes, creswick, spring hill, bullarook, castlemaine - daylesford, majorca, carisbrook, timor, burnt creek tributary, tarnagulla, marong, rheola, inglewood, huntly, coliban, campaspe, goulburn lead system, ovens valley system, mitta mitta, kiewa valley, tarago, tanjil, moondarra, bogong, dargo high plains

BHS Collectionsepia photograph on cream board - 52 workmen in front of base of poppet legs and mullock heap, weatherboard shed on left. Mine cage at back right. All the men are wearing a hat, some with moustache. Printed at bottom 'Cyril White, photo, Mundy Street. In ball point pen at bottom 'Cyril White, photo, Mundy Street, Bendigo Open lattice poppet head visible.Cyril Whiteorganization, business, commercial, james lerk 17.12.1999 ' could be great central victoria or ….. not many of the open lattice poppet heads in bendigo.

BHS CollectionPhotocopy of a newspaper article titled In the Viewfinder by Jack Perry titled Mining Accidents. Article mentions the number of men killed in the mines in Bendigo. Victorian Minister for Mines Angus McKay introduced a Bill, which forbade the employment of children in the mines, introduced the eight hour day, called for the licensing of engine drivers and instructed mine owners to install safety devices on mine cages. There is a photo of miners coming off their shift. There are two other articles on the page - a piece about a 'Bendigo Pottery' Milk Jug by Ken Arnold.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - mining accidents, jack perry, ken arnold, leighton rawlings, leanne lloyd, cornish association of bendigo, cornish newsletter, angus mckay

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2000. Powerful: steam-driven winding machinery which lowered and raised the cages in the main mine shaft. Cages were used to transport miners to and from their shifts at various levels and to transport buckets of ore, timber and even animals from the different working levels of the mine. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Three pages of extracts titled Mine Safety Cages, Old Bendigonians, memories of 'Fedder Duster', a Chinese Market Gardener; and a book review. The Safety Cage was an invention to stop the cage falling down the shaft if the rope gave way. Fedder Duster was a Chinese Market Gardener who was forced off his garden lease. His name was Ah Louey. The Book Review was 'Land, Labour and Gold' or Two Years in Victoria, with visits to Sydney and Van Diemen’s Land, by William Howitt.document, names of bendigo pioneers, mine safety cages & fedder duster, tasmanian foundry, mr j h seymour, dr stewart, conflecua mine malmsbury, thomas dunne, mr frank fitzpatrick, mr a llewellun, old bendigonians, mr john robshaw, mr hugh mcdevitt, alexander bayne, mr f sciallero, camp reserve, art gallery, hon. w i winter-irvine, george avery fletcher, great central goldfield, dear old bendigo 1892, fedder duster, mrs chancellor, ah louey, market gardener, mr curnow, technical school art class, bendigo benevolent home, joch, land labour and gold 1855, two years in victoria with visits to sydney and van diemen's land, william howitt, lowden publishing co, government camp, stars & stripes of america, odd fellows, freemasons, miss f kingerlee

Magdala Cum Moonlight Mine Workers. Note the cage at the far right of phoyograph. Some known workers Back Row : ????, G. Grainger, W .Tiddy, H. Wilson, M. Hayes, D. Wells, ???? Front Row : ????, McClean, ????, ????, Taylor or Constable, Bob Tiddy.B/W Photo Two rows of Magdala workers in work clothes in front of Shaft Housing c.1900stawell gold mining

Card (copy) of signals used in the Central Deborah Gold Mine operations using the cage and winder. Bells, and what they mean, is set out in a table. Levels 1 to 15 bells are described. On back of card the mine, internal and extgernal phone system is described.bendigo, mining, central deborah gold mine

Model of miners' cage with safety brake system, mounted on wooden stand to simulate a mine shaft. Cage section is painted red, timber support and base aqua. Cage is suspended from wooden support by thin wire attached to top section of cage to demonstrate its position in a mineshaft and the operation of the safety brake system. Small metal crutch levers on side of cage gripping wooden guides. When tension ceases in rope a pair of crutch levers grab strongly onto the wooden guide strips which run down the sides of a vertical shaft. Safety cages were discussed in "Safety Mining Cages. Report of the Board of Enquiry on Safety Cages 1878-9; together with proceedings of the Board and Appendices". https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1879-80No31.pdfgold mines, equipment, miners

Handwritten copy of the Williams (Shaft 95 M. D.) Mine Manager's Report. 16/9/98 Still 35 men tributing in mine. 'Our water pipe was broke the other day by some-one driving a cart over it. And I had to get a short piece put in'. 30/9/1898 Have not yet finished filling in open cutting, as two quartz shoots had to be repaired. Old wood in those shoots almost perished. . . 'There is no gates to any of the plats in the mine to rest cage on, only loose bearers. Which is a contravention of the act.' . . 'and with your permission I would get the cost per gate. Mine Manager T. Carpenter.document, gold, williams united, williams united, williams united mine manager's report 16 & 30/9/1898, t carpenter

Allan Llewellyn was a well known Eaglehawk identity. See Victorian Collections, Bendigo Historical Society, Allan Llewellyn Collection Cat. No.8389. Five page photocopied document. Three pages of plans for safety equipment in mines: Middleton's Patent Safety Hook & Safety Cage, two black line drawings of safety cage; Improved Safety Catches & Signal used in the Pandora & Victory Amalgamated Company Mine Sandhurst, two black line drawings showing cage and alarm bell line to Engine House; Hooper's Signalling Apparatus used in the Great Northern mine, Eaglehawk, black line drawing of apparatus with eleven point reference to parts. Two page document (unknown source) with letter from William Grainger, Inspector of Mines, Sandhurst, 22nd March, 1879, detailing a report on the efficacy of the mine safety cages tested. Cages tested: No. 1 Allan's; No. 2 Seymour's; No. 3 Nance's; No. 4 Williams'; No. 5 Pryor's; No. 6 Hassan's; No. 7 Jackson's; No. 8 Carolin's. One page summary, by Thomas Couchman, Esq., Chief Inspector of Mines, on 'the subject of providing increased safety appliances for mining' which has been the focus of 'eminent engineers in Great Britain, Europe and America.'safety cages, seymour's patent safety cage, j.h. seymour, bendigo, mining, allan llewellyn, , middleton's safety hook and safety cage, pandora and victory amalgamated co., sandhurst, mining equipment, hooper's signalling apparatus

From the Argus, Friday 18 July 1879:- SAFETY MINING CAGES. The report of the board on safety mining cages was laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly fortnight The board, which has tested the following inventions Nances, Williams patent, Jackson and Middleton's patent Sesmours patent, Allans patent, and Hassan a patent, reports as follows - 1. That the preponderance of evidence given by miners and others qualified to form an opinion is strongly in favour of the adop-tion of a safety cage for general use in the mines of this colony, provided that a reliable invention can be brought forward, and its practical utility satisfactorily determined 2. That in view of the rapid increase of cage accidents, and supported by the evidence before them, the board are of opinion that some special provision should be made to check such a prolific source of danger as is shown to exist in the working of the shaft and machinery employed for winding purposes. 3. That this check could be imposed by means of such a regulation as that at present contained in the statute, i e -" Every cage used in a mine shall be fitted with special and suitable appliances to prevent its sudden fall down a shaft and also to prevent its coming into contact with the poppet heads." The board, however, consider that mine proprietors should be permitted to exercise their own discretion in the selection of safety cages, but safety hooks and balance catches must be used in connexion with every case 4. That the board have witnessed trials of all the inventions brought under their notice, and from the result of their observations the members are of opinion that the adoption of these safety appliances will afford additional security to the large section of the community engaged in mining operations.48 foolscap pages report stitched together. safety cages, safety mining cages, george collins levey, mining, mitchell and osborne's patent safety catches for mining cages, mining cages, seymour's patent safety cage, pryor's safety cage, white's safety cage, mining accidents, dyke's freehold gmc creswick, angelo mining co castlemaine, britannia qmc ballarat, alexander kennedy smith, george r. fincham, henry roberts williams, robert clark, r. richardson, allan's patent balalrat, hassan's patent daylesford, david white, charles stewart, w.h. grainger, h.b. nicholas, t. hassan, r. allan, a.k. smith, james thomson, william collard smith, j.h. seymour, john s. delbridge, william buttle, james davidson, j.p. carolin, r. clark, thomas eyre, george marshall, g. thureau, william bottoms, robert carr, j.c. march, john keam, david park, j.a. lewis, lester's hotel, ballarat, robert allan, nancarrow saftey cage, robert malachi serjeant, robert henderson, g.f. smith, r.w. newman, william benson, f. bennett, john sharp, thomas couchman, john a. wallace, john small, william h. grainger, james cowling, tools

This book came into our collection via a donation to the Book Barn, which operates as a second-hand book shop. The donor is unknown.This book was published in 1887, a time of consolidation of wealth after the initial gold rushes in Ballarat in the 1850s. Its full title is 'History of Ballarat from the First Pastoral Settlement to the Present Time.' By William Bramwell Withers, Journalist. Second Edition with Plans, Ilustrations and Original Documents. It is an invaluable history of the origins of Ballarat and its mining history, with a chapter devoted to the Eureka Stockade. Book bound in green cloth on hard cover. On cover: Title incised in black on gold: HISTORY/OF/BALLARAT In gold: REVISED EDITION In black:By/W.B.Withers/PUBLISHED/BY/F.W.NIVEN &Co/Ballarat. Front cover embossed with gold pictures, one of a spray of wattle, one of a spray of eucalyptus leaves, a picture of a miner standing at a winch, and two panoramas of Ballarat, one in its early days as a gold-mining camp, and one as a built-up city. On spine: In green on gold: HISTORY/OF/BALLARAT : BY W.B.WITHERS 1887 Picture of two miners in a lift cage descending a mine shaft. On back cover: In black, picture of an aborigine looking into the sun, which is either rising or setting. On inside front cover: label pasted in. Inscription in gold: PRESENTED TO/THE/MEMBERS/OF THE/Empire Commerce Congress/BY/BALLARAT'S PIONEER DIGGER,/MR.JAMES ODDIE,1851. Front brown flyleaf partially torn off. ballarat gold rush, w.b.withers, eureka stockade, mining history, early maps of ballarat, mr james oddie, empire commerce congress

Black and white photograph mounted on brown board. Ten males in front of mine shaft. One male in divers suit. Male second from L holding small dog. Cage and poppet legs in background. Mullock heap at back. Inscriptions: Hand written on BR corner of photo 'Percival Pinder, Photo, Bendigo' Hand written on board under photo 'Tambour Major GM Coy 846 ft'. On separate card glued to bottom of mount board, printed 'Diver inspecting flooded Tambour Major Mine at Specimen Hill in 1920'. Hand written in ball point pen on back 'Tambour Major' Mine Group photo taken at Tambour Major about 1920. Dad on extreme right, Joe Sheard, Mine Manager in diving suit. A Richardson, 29 Harrison Street' Hand printed in black ink on back 'Diver inspecting flooded Tambour Major Mine in 1920'. On back - circular purple stamp 'Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch'.Percival Pinder, Bendigomining, surface equipment, tambour major mine, bendigo, mines and mining, miners, mine, specimen hill, flooded mine, diver

Scalebuoy. Invented by Hartley Abbott & patented under the name of the Bendigo Electronic Company, made in various sizes & for different applications, such as to prevent scaling in the boilers at mines. Made up of a sealed glass bulb containing mercury and gasses enclosed within a chromed wire cage & with a chromed handle. The one shown being a hand held shaker model.sciences, instruments - general, scalebuoy

Annual report of the Secretary for mines and water supply,, 1904. 122 pages.Hon. D. McLeod, MPgold mining, miners' safety cage, mines and water supply 1904, gold mining, gold mines, water supply.

Annual report of the secretary for mines and water supply, 1903. 107 pagesHon. D. McLeod, MPgold mining, miners' safety cage, mines and water supply 1903, gold mining, gold, mining, water supply

A BEREAVED CITY, BENDIGO 1914 - EXPLOSION AT GREAT EXTENDED HUSTLER'S MINE. 66 pages with photos.John Kellygold mining, miners' safety cage, great extended hustler's accident, bendigo, gold mining, mining accidents, great extended hustler's mine

Poppet head, North Deborah gold mine ( sign on middle landing) . Mine working when photo taken. Wheels on top for raising and lowering of cage and trucks. Flagpole. Note: air raid siren on top brace Sign on second landing reads ' North Deborah' Gold Mining Coy. N.L.'north deborah mine, gold mining, golden square

Certificate awarded to James Marshall, printed on cream paper with brown illustrations and writing. Across top are sketches of mining implements, a mining cage, a poppet head and a windlass. The certificate is mounted on to a piece of plywood. Certificate reads: "Awarded to James Marshall 'in recognition of his bravery and presence of mind exhibited by him on the seventh day of December 1886 at the mine of the Pearl Company when a fellow miner was gallantly rescued from a fearful death." "D. Gillies, Minister of Mines. Entered on roll No. 4 Department of Mines Melbourne 13th December 1886Written on the back in pen: 'Kate Marshall/Mildren - Doug Mildren's mother. James Marshall - Kate's brother.bendigo, mining, james marshall rescue, mining department, rescue

This photograph shows a piece of gold mining equipment identified as a mine winch, possibly an air winch cylinder of 1870s RG Ford's Patent design. Throughout the history of mining for gold and other precious materials, the windlass or winch (pictured) was used to bring up buckets full of soil from the bottom of a mine. This soil was then searched for gold/metals before being relocated to a different area. Due to the size and complexity of this particular piece of equipment, this winch may have been used to raise and lower mine carts to the entrance of the mine (often used in coal mining) and could have been used in raising cages up and down (acting as elevators) containing miners if the mine was particularly deep. The actual use of this particular item in the Beechworth locality is undocumented but these are some possibilities based on the use of these pieces of equipment in other mining locations. Mining can have a largely detrimental impact to the environment and therefore, the study of machinery like the one depicted in this photograph can help researches to reconstruct the methods and technologies used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This particular item appears to have been removed from it's original site where it would have been used to assist with mining. It is possible that this photograph has been taken for recording purposes or as part of a machinery exhibition. Prior documentation records that this piece of equipment had connections to the Rocky Mountains Mining Company. Today, the Rocky Mountains Gold Mining company is famous in Beechworth for having been instrumental in the creation of the Rocky Mountain tunnel. Construction for this tunnel began in 1859 when a group of 12 men blasted a 400ft long tailrace though the rock beneath the town of Beechworth. Today, the 800ft tunnel, completed in 1871, is a popular tourist attraction but during the decades of gold mining, the purpose of this tunnel was to divert water away from the main sluicing operations so miners could better access gold and precious materials. The tunnel was used for this purpose for many years, later becoming useful for the Zwar Brother's tannery and currently as an outfall drain for Lake Sambell. This area continued to be mined until the early 1900s. The period when this item was in use is unclear but it is estimated to have been in the 1870s based on the design and appearance of the image. The gold works at the Rocky Mountain Tunnel closed in the early 1920s but the impact of mining remains in Beechworth today and therefore the study of photographs like this one which contain mining equipment can further understanding of mining in this region.This photograph has historic and research potential for study on the gold mining of the Beechworth region and types of equipment used to locate gold after the initial gold rush of 1853-1854 which resulted in the discovery of the surface gold and required miners to dig deeper to access precious metals. The clarity of the photo, and its good preserved condition, means it can continue to be used for research. This photo is part of a collection of six photos all within the Burke Museum Collection which depict mining equipment.Square black and white photograph on card.7793.1beechworth, mining, goldmining, goldmining equipment, beechworth burke museum