In 1941, the scientific instrument manufacturing firms of  Henry Hughes & Son Ltd, London, England, and  Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, came together to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd. Kelvin Company History: The origins of the company lie in the highly successful and strictly informal relationship between William Thomson (1824-1907), Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University from 1846-1899 and James White, a Glasgow optical maker. James White (1824-1884) founded the firm of James White, an optical instrument maker in Glasgow in 1850 and was involved in supplying and mending apparatus for Thomson university laboratory and working with him on experimental constructions. White was declared bankrupt in August 1861 and released several months later. In 1870, White was largely responsible for equipping William Thomson laboratory in the new University premises at Gilmore hill. From 1876, he was producing accurate compasses for metal ships to Thomson design during this period and this became an important part of his business in the last years of his life. He was also involved in the production of sophisticated-sounding machinery that Thomson had designed to address problems encountered laying cables at sea, helping to make possible the first transatlantic cable connection. At the same time, he continued to make a whole range of more conventional instruments such as telescopes, microscopes and surveying equipment. White's association with Thomson continued until he died. After his death, his business continued under the same name, being administered by Matthew Edwards (until 1891 when he left to set up his own company. Thomson who became Sir William Thomson and then Baron Kelvin of Largs in 1892, continued to maintain his interest in the business after James White's death. In 1884 raising most of the capital needed to construct and equip new workshops in Cambridge Street, Glasgow. At these premises, the company continued to make the compass Thomson had designed during the 1870s and to supply it in some quantity, especially to the Admiralty. At the same time, the firm became increasingly involved in the design, production and sale of electrical apparatus. In 1899, Lord Kelvin resigned from his University chair and became, in 1900, a director in the newly formed limited liability company Kelvin & James White Ltd which had acquired the business of James White. At the same time Kelvin's nephew, James Thomson Bottomley (1845-1926), joined the firm. In 1904, a London branch office was opened which by 1915 had become known as Kelvin, White & Hutton Ltd. Kelvin & James White Ltd underwent a further change of name in 1913, becoming Kelvin Bottomley & Baird Ltd. Hughes Company History: Henry Hughes & Sons were founded in 1838 in London as a maker of chronographic and scientific instruments. The firm was incorporated as “Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd” in 1903. In 1923, the company produced its first recording echo sounder and in 1935 a controlling interest in the company was acquired by S Smith & Son Ltd resulting in the development and production of marine and aircraft instruments. Following the London office's destruction in the Blitz of 1941, a collaboration was entered into with Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd resulting in the establishing “Marine Instruments Ltd”. Following the formal amalgamation of Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird Ltd and Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd in 1947 to form Kelvin & Hughes Ltd. Marine Instruments Ltd then acted as regional agents in the UK for Kelvin & Hughes Ltd who were essentially now a part of Smith's Industries Ltd founded in 1944 and the successors of S. Smith & Son Ltd. Kelvin & Hughes Ltd went on to develop various marine radar and echo sounders supplying the Ministry of Transport, and later the Ministry of Defence. The firm was liquidated in 1966 but the name was continued as Kelvin Hughes, a division of the Smiths Group. In 2002, Kelvin Hughes continues to produce and develop marine instruments for commercial and military. G. Falconer Company History: G Falconer (Hong Kong Ltd) appear to have had a retail presence in Hong Kong since 1885, according to the company website, and currently have a shop in the Peninsula Hotel. G Falconer was the Hong Kong selling agent for several British companies. Ross Ltd of 111 New Bond St London was one and the other was Kelvins Nautical Instruments. Falconers were primarily watchmakers, jewellers and diamond merchants.They were also agents for Admiralty Charts, Ross binoculars and telescopes, and sold English Silverware and High Class English Jewellery. In 1928 the company was operating from the Union Building opposite the Hong Kong general post office. It is unclear if the item is an original Sextant made by Kelvin prior to his amalgamation with Henry Hughes & Sons in 1941 as Kelvin appears to have only made compasses up to this date. If the Sextant can be established that it was made by Kelvin then it is very significant and a rare item made for and distributed through their Hong Kong selling agents G Falconer Ltd. There are many Sextants advertised for sale stating "Kelvin & Hughes 1917 model sextant". These can be regarded as replicas as the company was not formed until 1941 and production of marine instruments was not fully under way until after the war in 1947. Further investigation needs to be undertaken to accurately determine the provenance of this item. As the writer currently has the impression that the subject object was possibly made by Kelvin and Hughes in the mid to late 20th century or is a replica made by an unknown maker in the late 1970s. Purchased as an exhibition of marine navigational instruments for the Flagstaff Hill museum. The Sextant is a brass apparatus with filters and telescope lens, and comes with a wooden felt lined storage box. It is a doubly reflecting navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation.G Falconer and Co. Hong Kong (retailers of nautical equipmentflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sextant, kelvin & hughes ltd, hong kong, navigational instrument, g falconer, mariner's quadrants

The pins in this collection vary in the timber used and the design. They were found in a warehouse beside Crown Casino in Melbourne, located along the Yarra River, close to the sailing ship "Polly Woodside" and not far from the docks of Port Melbourne. Some of the pins have the mark of a 'Broad Arrow' with 'D ↑ D, which signifies that they were the property of the Australian Government's Department of Defence. Belaying pins are essential equipment on a traditional sailing ship of the 19th and early 20th centuries. They are usually made of wood but some are metal. A belaying pin is used to secure the running ropes of the rigging to the ship's rails using holes drilled onto the rails for that purpose. The belaying pins are inserted into holes in the ship’s rail, drilled for that purpose. When the sail has been raised, the ropes are wrapped around the upper and lower sections of the pins in a figure-eight pattern. The shapes of these belaying pins taper from the rounded end of the handle inwards towards the bottom, which allows them to have a firm fit into the holes in the rails. The rigging rope is wound around the pins in such a way that a tug on the pin's handle pulls it out of the hole and quickly frees the rope and the sail.These belaying pins are significant for their association with sailing vessels, particularly vessels of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are also significant for their association with the Port of Melbourne where sailing ships docked to and from the Port of Melbourne. Some of the pins have additional significance for being connected with the Australian Government's Department of Defence.Belaying pin, wooden, simple design, wooden shaft with a wider rounded end on top third, tapering to the centre third, which is wider than a lower third. The bottom has a blunt base. Some of the pins have the three sections divided by a line around their circumferences. This collection of fifty-seven pins of varying shapes, colours and timber. Some of the pins are stained with colour, and some have been left natural Stored in a wooden crate. Some have inscriptions.Marks: (Government Defence Department Broad Arrow) "D ↑ D"sailiing equipment, nautical equipment, rigging, yards, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, belaying pin, broad arrow, australian government, australian department of defence, sailing ship, sail

Belaying pins can be metal but are often made of wood, treated or untreated, plain or with handles. A belaying pin is used to secure the running ropes of the rigging to the ship's rails using holes drilled onto the rails for that purpose. The belaying pins are inserted into holes in the ship’s rail, drilled for that purpose. When the sail has been raised, the ropes are wrapped around the upper and lower sections of the pins in a figure-eight pattern. The shapes of these belaying pins taper from the rounded end of the handle inwards towards the bottom, which allows them to have a firm fit into the holes in the rails. The rigging rope is wound around the pins in such a way that a tug on the pin's handle pulls it out of the hole and quickly frees the rope and the sail.These belaying pins are significant for their association with sailing vessels, particularly vessels of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Belaying pin, metal, painted brown.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, sailing equipment, nautical equipment, rigging, yards, sails, belaying pin, sailing ship

Belaying pins can be metal but are also made of wood, treated or untreated, plain or with handles. A belaying pin is used to secure the running ropes of the rigging to the ship's rails using holes drilled onto the rails for that purpose. The belaying pins are inserted into holes in the ship’s rail, drilled for that purpose. When the sail has been raised, the ropes are wrapped around the upper and lower sections of the pins in a figure-eight pattern. The shapes of these belaying pins taper from the rounded end of the handle inwards towards the bottom, which allows them to have a firm fit into the holes in the rails. The rigging rope is wound around the pins in such a way that a tug on the pin's handle pulls it out of the hole and quickly frees the rope and the sail.These belaying pins are significant for their association with sailing vessels, particularly vessels of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Belaying Pin, metal, painted white.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, sailing equipment, nautical equipment, rigging, yards, sails, belaying pin, sailing ship

Belaying pins can be metal but are also made of wood, treated or untreated, plain or with handles. A belaying pin is used to secure the running ropes of the rigging to the ship's rails using holes drilled onto the rails for that purpose. The belaying pins are inserted into holes in the ship’s rail, drilled for that purpose. When the sail has been raised, the ropes are wrapped around the upper and lower sections of the pins in a figure-eight pattern. The shapes of these belaying pins taper from the rounded end of the handle inwards towards the bottom, which allows them to have a firm fit into the holes in the rails. The rigging rope is wound around the pins in such a way that a tug on the pin's handle pulls it out of the hole and quickly frees the rope and the sail.These belaying pins are significant for their association with sailing vessels, particularly vessels of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Belaying Pin, metal, painted white.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, sailing equipment, nautical equipment, rigging, yards, sails, belaying pin, sailing ship

The John E. Hand & Sons Company was founded in Philadelphia in 1873, quickly gaining a reputation as competent manufacturers of nautical instruments and compass adjusters. In fact, John Enos Hand, the company founder, is recognised as the first man in America to adjust a compass aboard an iron ship. The Hand Company built navigational equipment for all varieties of floating vessels, and operated a chain of retail outlets with “service stations” in numerous port cities, including Baltimore and New Orleans, until 1956. Service stations sold Hand instruments as well as other nautical paraphernalia and provided compass adjusting services. Additionally, John E Hand and his two sons, John L Hand and Bartram Hand, were inventors in their own right who patented design improvements for numerous instruments that were employed in the company’s work. Commercial and private contracts dominated the firm’s business until the late 1930s when the United States military began preparations for World War II. Although the Hand Company never completely abandoned its involvement with private industry, after World War II, military contracts monopolised their business. The Company obtained contracts with the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines to develop new instruments, and to build military-engineered nautical equipment. Of note are the wrist compass, developed for the Navy beginning in the 1950s, and the Mark VII Model 5 Navy Standard Binnacle. Although it moved numerous times, the Hand Company headquarters and factory remained in the Delaware Valley, occupying several buildings in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Maintaining its central office in Philadelphia well into the 1900s, the factory was moved to Atco, New Jersey around the turn of the twentieth century and subsequently to Haddon field, New Jersey. It moved one last time in the 1960s to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 1997, California-based Sunset Cliffs Merchandising Corporation purchased the Hand Company and all its assets for $100,000. "HAND" brand taffrail log by John F. Hand and Sons Co. Register is enclosed in log, has a glass front and 3 dials on an enameled surface, the first dial registers the miles up to 100, the second registers the units up to 10 mile, the third registers quarters of a mile. The item is rocket shaped with a three blade rotor and a rope ring attachment at one end; the rotor will spin when a rope is attached, allowing the apparatus dials to measure the ship's speed when it is dragged behind a ship. Diagram of the 'Hand' trademark with a compass card in the middle, inscription reads "John F Hand and Sons Co" and "PHILA-BALTO" ( Abbreviation for: Philadelphia / Baltimore) flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bartram hand, john enos hand, john f. hand and sons co, john l hand, john hand & sons instrument makers, john hand & sons of philadelphia, marine instrument, marine service station, mechanical ship log, nautical instrument, nautical navigation, navigational equipment, scientific instrument, ship log, ship log register, ship’s speed, sunset cliffs merchandising corporation, speed log, rocket log, harpoon log, taffrail log, taff rail log

The ship's log part, called a fish, is likely to be from a mechanical taffrail log system. It was recovered from the wreck site of the barque, the 1840-1852 Grange. There are no marks on the fish to identify its maker or model. It is part of the John Chance Collection. This ‘fish’ is part of an early to mid-1800s ship's log. It would likely have been part of a taffrail log connected to a rotor (also called propeller, spinner) by a strong line, and the other end connected by a line to a dial mounted on the taffrail, or stern rail, at the stern of the vessel. As the propeller rotated through the water it would spin the log, which in turn would cause a number to register on the dial, showing the current speed in knots; one knot equals one nautical mile per hour. TAFFRAIL LOGS A taffrail log is a nautical instrument used for measuring the speed of a vessel, providing vital navigational information to be calculated, such as location and direction. A log has been used to measure the speed of a vessel since the 1500s. A simple piece of wood was tied to a long line and thrown into sea at the back of the vessel. The rope was knotted all along at equal distances apart. On a given signal the log line was pulled back into the vessels, the knots counted until the log came up, then the figures were calculated by a navigator In 1802 the first successful mechanical log available for general use was invented by Edward Massey. It had a rotor 'V' section connected to a recording mechanism. The water’s movement rotated the rotor, which intern sent the movement to the recorder. There are examples of this invention available to see in some of the maritime museums. Thomas Walker, nephew of Edward Massey, improved on Massey’s design, and Walker and his son took out a patent on the A1 Harpoon Log. In 1861. Both Massey and Walker continued to improve the designs of the taffrail log. New designs were still being introduced, even up to the 1950s. THE GRANGE, 1840-1858- The wooden barque ’Grange’ was a three-masted ship built in Scotland in 1840 for international and coastal trade. On March 22, 1858, the Grange set sail from Melbourne under Captain A. Alexander, carrying a cargo of ballast. The barque had left the Heads of Phillip Bay and was heading west along the Victorian coast towards Cape Otway. The ship struck Little Haley’s Reef at Apollo Bay due to a navigational error and was stuck on the rocks. The crew left the ship carrying whatever they could onto the beach. Eventually, the remains of the hull, sails and fittings were salvaged before the wreck of the Grange broke up about a month later. About 110 years later, in 1968, the wreck of the Grange was found by divers from the Underwater Explorers Club of Victoria. They were amazed to find a unique, six to nine pound carronade (type of small cannon) and a cannonball on the site. There have been no other similar carronades recorded. In that same year the anchor of the Grange was recovered by diver John Chance and Mal Brown. The ship’s log is significant historically as an example of hardware used when building wooden ships in the early to mid-19th century. The ship’s log is historically significant as an example of the work and trade of blacksmith. The ship’s log also has significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver from the wreck of the Grange in the 1968. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection by his family, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. The ship’s log is historically significant for its association with the 1840s wooden barque, the Grange. The Grange is an historical example of a Scottish built vessel used for international and coastal trader of both cargo and passengers in the mid-19th century. The Grange is an example of an early ship, designed with a wooden hull. It is significant as a ship still available to divers along the south coast of Victoria, for research and education purposes. The Grange is an example of a mid-19th century vessel that carried a weapon of defence onboard. Ship log fitting, called a fish; part of a brass navigational instrument, likely to be from a taffrail log. The metal is a tan colour and has rough surface with a sheen, and discolouration in places. Its basic shape is a hollow cylinder with ends tapering to a smaller size. In the centre there are opposing openings cut out, showing a rough texture inside. One end on the cylinder is closed with a ring and shank installed, fixed by an embedded screw through the end of the cylinder. There are no inscriptions.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, west coast trader, apollo bay, mid-19th century shipwreck, the grange, scottish barque, little henty reef, captain a alexander, underwater explorers club of victoria, vhr 5297, coastal trader, wooden shipwreck, john chance, wooden ship, taffrail log, marine instrument, marine technology, navigation, nautical instrument, mechanical log, nautical navigation, navigation equipment, scientific instrument, ship log, ship log register, ship speed, taff rail log, patent log, towed log, taffrail log fish, edward massey, thomas walker

In times past the only way to measure a ship’s speed was to throw a wood log into the water and observe how fast it moved away from the ship. In the 16th century, the log was fastened to a rope knotted at set intervals. The log was thrown over the stern (back) of the vessel and a crew member counted the number of knots that were paid out in a set time. From this, they could estimate the vessel's speed through the water. This was known as streaming the log and is also the derivation of the knot as a measurement of nautical speed. Various manufacturers of nautical equipment had sought over the years to perfect the operation of determining a ship's speed and it wasn't until Thomas Walker and his son Ferdinand developed a mechanical system that eventually made this task became easy for marine navigators. Thomas Walker & Son were internationally renowned in the manufacturing of ship logs the founding father, Thomas Walker (1805–1871), an engineer in Birmingham, patented his mechanical log in 1878 which was a recording instrument that attached to a rail at the stern of a vessel connected by a long cord with a rotor which was towed behind the ship. The instrument dial then recorded the distance travelled. Thomas Walker first went into business to manufacture stoves at 58 Oxford Street Birmingham. Walker’s self-feeding stove was widely lauded at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, winning a prize medal and kickstarting the first of many notable innovations for the Walker family's manufacturing business. However, it wasn’t until working on an earlier ship’s log model invented by his Uncle that Thomas Walker became interested in the further development of this device, used to ascertain a ship’s speed. Walker continued to improve on the common log for the company of Massey & Sons and these improvements were deemed revolutionary. This log became a firm favourite of the West India Association (a British-based organisation promoting ties and trade with the British Caribbean), being the most common log in use for two generations. It took until 1861 for Thomas Walker and his son, Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1831-1921) to patent the first Walker log of many. Together, with the introduction of the A1 Harpoon Log two years later, they established the Walker Log Business as a force to be reckoned with. By his passing in 1871, Thomas Walker Snr had not only founded a family business with considerable staying power but also instilled a tradition of public service. Having sat as a representative on the Birmingham Town Council for 15 years and played an active role in public works, he was soon given the nickname of ‘Blue Brick Walker’. Much like his father, Thomas Ferdinand Walker changed the face of the maritime industry. His patent of 1897, the ‘Cherub’ log, was a notable departure from the past providing a far more accurate reading and replacing the majority of logs of the age. They were the first to produce an electric log (Trident) and the Walker factory was one of the first to introduce the 48-hour work week for employees.The ship log was invented and made by a significant marine instrument maker and innovator of machinery. It demonstrates the huge leap taken to improve navigational accuracy at sea with an instrument that was in use for decades.Ships Log, Walker Trident electric motor, in wooden box with instructions inside box. The motor dial with electric cord is still inside box.Inscription "Admiralty patent number 3332" and "Walker Trident Electric Ship Log (Mark III), 15-25 volt". On top of lid, hand written, is "G TAYLOR"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ships log, thomas walker & son, electric ships log, marine navigation, thomas ferdinand walker, ship log

This Engine Room section of a ship's telegraph system was part of the equipment of the Ports and Harbour ship the SS Rip. The vessel serviced and maintained the lights and buoys at Port Phillip Bay and Queenscliffe. The SS Rip was possibly the former gunboat "Albert". The ship’s communication system that was used from the late 19th century to early-to-mid-20th-century is called an Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.) or ship’s telegraph. The system has two parts, the Bridge Section and the Engine Room Section. The Bridge Section is usually mounted on top of a pedestal, and the Engine Room Section is often attached to a vertical surface. The standard commands printed or stamped onto the dial are the directions of AHEAD and ASTERN, and the speeds of STOP, FULL, EASY, STD. BY. and FIN. ENG. The ship’s pilot on the Bridge of a vessel sends his Orders for speed and direction to the to the Engine Room with the E.O.T. He moves the lever or levers, depending on the number of engines the ship has, to change the indicator on the Bridge Section’s dial to point in the new direction and speed of travel. This change causes the Orders to be duplicated on the Engine Room Section’s dial and a bell to signal the change simultaneously. The engineer then adjusts the ship’s engines and steering equipment to follow the pilot’s Order. The manufacturer, Mulne Bros., was a copper and brass works at 166 Sussex Street Sydney, in December 1892, and previously from 1870 at 128 to 130 Sussex Street. The company made and sold a wide range of equipment including machinery and gauges for the Railways.The Engine Room section is significant for being part of the communications system on the ship SS Rip, owned by Melbourne's Ports & Harbours department and used to service and maintain the navigation signals of Port Phillip Bay and at Queenscliffe in the mid-20th century. The dial is an example of marine equipment made in Australia and used for the safety of Victorian vessels. It is also significant for being made by an early Australian manufacturer, Milne Brothers of Sydney.Engine Room Section of a ship’s telegraph or Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.). The round metal dial has inscriptions stamped around the edges. The inscriptions are nautical terms for direction and speed and include the maker’s details. The dial was made by Milne Bros. of Sydney. It was part of the equipment on the "SS Rip" in Victoria.Black paint around dial: "MILNE BROS. / MAKERS / SYDNEY" "FULL EASY STD. BY " "FIN ENG. EASY FULL" ""ASTERN" "STOP" "AHEAD"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, marine technology, marine communications, engine order telegraph, e.o.t., ship’s telegraph, bridge section, engine room section, ship’s engine telegraph section, marine telegraph, milne bros., milne brothers, sydney, copper and brass works, ports & harbours ship, ss rip, gunboat albert, service ship, maintenance ship

Henry Browne and Son Ltd, of Barking, made aviation and nautical compasses, clocks and dials. The company made compasses for aircraft notably, Spitfires, Tiger moths and Concord. Henry Browne was born in Lewis, Sussex in 1842 and died in Barking in 1935. His company was a well respected English instrument maker that had been making and selling fine quality compasses, ship's clocks, inclinometers, sextants, and chandlery items for over 140 years. It started in a factory in Brightlingsea, Essex and moved to Barking in 1929. The Trade Mark brand Sestrel was used on all their equipment. Their “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened serving to reduce oscillations. It is reported that this design compass was fitted to many Allied ships during WW II. The company went through a boom period in the 1970s but collapsed in the 1980s due to the popularity of cheaper plastic compasses over tradition brass ones. Over more recent years, there has been a consolidation of British instrument makers and the firm of Henry Browne & Son has changed hands a number of times. At last count, it became part of Lillie & Gillie of London in 1985 when John Lilley & Gillie Ltd acquires the assets of Henry Browne & Sons (Sestrel) Ltd, a major competitor for what may be the second time. The model name of Sestral came about via the following.Take first two letters of the word Sensitive then the firs two letter of steady and the firs three letters of reliable hence the trade name of "Sestral". Item relates to the second world war used in many ships of the time merchant and military, It reminds us of a time in our social and world history when most of the world was in conflict.Henry Browne and Sons “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened serving to reduce oscillations and was an innervation that many makes of compass of the time din't have as a result the "Sestrel" design was fitted to many Allied ships during WW II.A liquid-filled Sestrel compass, with a brass housing and gimbal ring, wired for an internal low voltage light to illuminate the compass card. Inscriptions printed on face and impressed in metal around outer rim TRADE MARK", "Sestrel Dead-Beat", "No 1724 N", "Barking & London" HENRY BROWNE & SON", additional inscription "AFT No 1724 N". flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, compass, marine compass, henry browne & son barking london, sestrel dead-beat marine compass, navigation instrument, sestrel dead-beat marine compass

This telescope was amongst various items collected from a sea dive in Port Phillip Bay. The diver was the caretaker of the Port Lonsdale Lighthouse, who dived on various wrecks in the bay during the 1960's. After the caretaker's death, his son sold off many of the shipwreck artefacts. The telescope was purchased from the caretaker's son in the 1990's by a previous owner of the Marine Shop, Queenscliff, Victoria. John Browning was particularly well known for his scientific advances in the fields of spectroscopy, astronomy, and optometry. Between 1856 and 1872, Browning acquired provisional patents for designs of numerous scientific instruments. He was also the recipient of an award at the 1862 International Exhibition held in London. Also recognised for his temperature-compensated aneroid barometer. Browning's scientific instruments were used in physics, chemistry, and biology. The products he designed and manufactured included spectroscopes, telescopes, microscopes, barometers, photometers, cameras, ophthalmologist, and electrical equipment such as electric lamps. John Browning was born around 1831 in Kent, England. His father, William Spencer Browning, was a maker of nautical instruments. John Browning's great-grandfather was also an instrument maker as well as John’s brother Samuel Browning of the firms Spencer & Browning and Spencer, Browning & Rust, who also manufactured navigational instruments. The latter firm was in operation in London from 1784 to 1840 and was succeeded by the firm of Spencer, Browning & Co. John Browning initially intended to follow the medical profession and entered Guy's Hospital, a teaching hospital and a school of medicine. Despite having passed the required examinations, however, he abandoned his plans. Instead, he apprenticed with his father, William Spencer Browning. At the same time, in the late 1840s, he was a student attending the Royal College of Chemistry several days per week. By the early 1870s, practical optics had become John Browning's primary interest, and he listed his occupation as an optician on the census records from 1871 to 1901. He was well known among London's ophthalmic surgeons for his various ophthalmic instruments. He had a large part in reforming the art of crafting spectacles. Other achievements were as an author of the book, How to Use Our Eyes and How to Preserve them by the Aid of Spectacles. Published in 1883, the book included thirty-seven illustrations, including a diagram demonstrating the anatomy of the eye. In 1895, he was one of the founders of the "British Ophthalmology" the first professional organisation for optometry. He was not only its first president but also registered as its first member so many considered him to be the first professional optometrist. Other professional organisations he belonged too was as a member of “The Aeronautical Society of Great Britain”. In 1871 constructing the first wind tunnel located at Greenwich Marine Engineering Works. He was also a member of other scientific organisations, such as the “Microscopical Society of London”, the “Meteorological Society”, and the “Royal”. Then in 1908 the company of W. Watson & Son, opticians and camera makers, took over John Browning's company since 1901 John Browning had been semi-retired but in 1908 he fully retired and moved to Bournemouth in Hampshire. He died in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1925.The telescope is significant for its association with one of the world’s leading scientific instrument makers and inventor of the 19th and early 20th century. It is believed the donation came off a wreck either in Port Philip Bay or between Point Lonsdale and the Nepean Heads making it a significant maritime historical artefact. Its provenance is good given it was taken off a wreck in this area by the Point Lonsdale lighthouse caretaker. Examples of John Browning's telescopes because of their scientific and historical importance are highly valued by collectors.Marine style single draw brass telescope with a sunshade. The single draw has no split and the second cartridge is held in a long brass tube within the single draw, mounted from the objective end. The eyepiece is flat and at the end of the first draw in a very faded engraving that is believed to read "John Browning, 63 Strand, and should read London under the word strand but this is hard to establish given the engravings condition. This interpretation of the engraving has been arrived at by examination of other John Browning telescope engraving examples."John Browning, engraved to the first tube in copper plate style "63 STRAND" Engraved under in capital textflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, shipwreck artefact, port phillip bay, port lonsdale lighthouse, wreck, 1960’s diver, queenscliff marine shop, john browning, telescope, spectroscopy, optometry, scientific instruments, william spencer browning, optician, navigational instrument, microscopical society of london, aeronautical society, marine technology

This Bosun's char was part of the equipment on the vessel 'Reginald M. It is typical of items included on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century. The nautical word 'bosun' is an abbreviation of the word 'boatswain' who is the person responsible for the repair and maintenance of the vessel. It could be used when rigging the sails and for rescue at sea, along with a thick rope anchored on shore or a rope between ships. It could also be used to move passengers to and from a ship as well as cargo on, to and from the vessel. A bosun's chair is a simple piece of equipment made from a short plank of wood and a sturdy piece of rope. It looks a little like a child's swing but usually has a pulley system that allows the user to adjust the length of the hanging piece of rope, and in so-doing adjusts the height above the floor or ground or sea. In modern times a harness would also be worn by the bosun’s chair user for safety reasons. Bosun's chairs are also used by window cleaners, construction workers and painters. The bosun’s chair is sometimes just a short plank, or even a canvas sling. The REGINALD M - The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted coastal ketch, owned and built by Mr. Jack (John) Murch of Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. Its construction took approximately 6 months and it was launched at Largs Bay in 1922. The vessel had many owners and adventures over the years until it was purchased by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum & Village in 1975 from the Melbourne Ferry Company at auction. It was then used as an active display until 2016. Visitors could go aboard, turn the ship's wheel, go below deck and get the feel of the captain's quarters, sailors' quarters and the storage space available. The Reginald M was a popular exhibit for young and old, until 2016.This bosun's chair is significant for its connection to the maritime history. It has been used for rigging, painting, maintenance and importantly for life saving and safety. The bonus's chair is also significant because of its connection to the history of the vessel REGINALD M, the coastal trading ketch from South Australia built in 1922 and in existence until 2016. Its flat bottom, single chine shape illustrates a very simple but robust method of construction, compared to other round bilged examples of trading vessels. The Reginald M is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV Number: HV000562.)Bosun's chair; seat is a rectangular plank of wood with a hole drilled in each corner and three reinforcing wood lengths attached below the plank. The ends of two looped thick ropes have been threaded through the holes in the plank, crossed over then spliced together. The loops of rope above the plank have been tied with light rope. A roughly made wire hook is attached at the base of one length of rope. Top surface reveals indents where the bottom wooden pieces are joined to the top and some of the metal fixtures can be seen along the edge. There are remnants of white paint on the top.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, bosun's chair, bosuns chair, boatswains chair, rigging, maritime equipment, bosun's seat, life saving, marine technology, ship rigging

The bosun’s chair is a typical piece of equipment included on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century. The nautical word 'bosun' is an abbreviation of the word 'boatswain' who is the person responsible for the repair and maintenance of the vessel. It could be used when rigging the sails and for rescue at sea, along with a thick rope anchored on shore or a rope between ships. It could also be used to move passengers to and from a ship as well as cargo on, to and from the vessel. A bosun's chair is a simple piece of equipment made from a short plank of wood and a sturdy piece of rope. It looks a little like a child's swing but usually has a pulley system that allows the user to adjust the length of the hanging piece of rope, and in so-doing adjusts the height above the floor or ground or sea. In modern times a harness would also be worn by the bosun’s chair user for safety reasons. Bosun's chairs are also used by window cleaners, construction workers and painters. The bosun’s chair is sometimes just a short plank, or even a canvas sling. The bosun's chair is significant for its association with maritime equipment carried on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century for maintenance and safety purposes. It was occasionally used to save lives. The bosun's chair is also significant as an early version of equipment still used today. Since its invention there have been many safety features added in certain industries such as window cleaning and painting.Bosuns chair; flat smooth rectangular piece of wood, with rope passing through two holes at each end of plank and looped together above plank to form a suspended seat swing. Loops a are joined with knot work and ends are spliced together under the seat.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, bosun's chair, bosuns chair, boatswains chair, rigging, maritime equipment, bosun's seat, life saving, marine technology, ship rigging

Dick Richards joined the Ballarat School of Mines in 1914, and soon afterwards was granted leave to join an expedition to Antartica. In 1915 he sailed from Australia with the Antartic Exploraton Expedition, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. Most Antarctic enthusiasts know of Ernest Shackleton's attempt to cross the continent, only to be thwarted by the sinking of the ship 'Endurance'. Dick Richards was the physicist and sled manager for Shackleton's Ross Sea Party - with the task to meet Shackleton on the other side of the continent. When Shackleton planned his transcontinental crossing he decided to use supply depots as loads of supplies were too heavy to pull. The depots would enable Shackleton's party to carry just enough to reach the Pole, relying on the depots which were to be left by the Aurora's crew every 60 miles, stowed in 2 sledge journeys in 1915 and 1916. Dick Richards spent 3 freezing years in Antarctica between 1914 and 1917. Richards' worst experience was when his ship Aurora, tethered offshore, was blown away in a gale leaving Richards marooned for two years with nine other men on the ice floe. The expedition, consisting of two teams, were attempting to cross Antarctica from opposite sides, linking up somewhere near the middle. "That was with pretty poor equipment by today's standards, and we did not make it." (Dick Richards) The Ross Sea Party arrived in McMurdo Sound aboard the Aurora in January 1915. The men planned to make two sledging trips to leave supply depots every 60 nautical miles to Mount Hope about 400 miles away. The going was tough as the sledges were overloaded. Temperatures were as low as minus 68F. In June 1916 the party crossed on foot to Cape Evans, occupied Scott's Hut (from his Terra Nova Expedition, erected in January 1911) in May 1915, for two months. On 10 January 1917 Richards was hunting for seals when he saw a ship on the horizon. It was 'The Aurora'. Picking up the relieved survivors 'The Aurora' arrived in New Zealand on 9 February 1917 to a hero's welcome. Joyce, Wild, Hayward and Richards later won the Albert Medal for their heroic devotion to duty. Later an inlet on the Antartic continent was named after Richards. Dick Richards wrote the following years after the ordeal "To me no undertaking carried through to conclusion is for nothing. And so I don't think of our struggle as futile. It was something the human spirit accomplished." Prime Minister Bob Hawke wrote in 1984 'Your incredible journey of almost 2000 miles across the Antarctic Wastelands - involving some 9 months in the field with makeshift equipment - and you're adherence to duty in the face of enormous difficulty, suffering from scurvy, and the death of comrades, will; be an inspiration to your countrymen of the future as it is to us today." After returning to Australia Dick Richards resumed his work at SMB as Lecturer in Physics and Mathematics, and developed many pieces of experimental equipment. During World War Two he acted as a scientific adviser in the production of optical apparatus in Australia. In 1946 he was appointed Principal and twelve years later he retired after a total of 44 years service. Dick Richards has been honoured through the naming of a Ballarat School of Mines prize - The R.W. Richards Medal. This medal later became a University of Ballarat prize. It has been awarded annually since 1959 to the Bachelor of Applied Science graduate considered to have achieved the most outstanding academic performance of their course. (See http://guerin.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/collections/art_history/honour-roll/honourroll_Richards,Dick.shtml )A man and lady inspect a bust of Richard (Dick) Richards by sculptor Victor Greenhalgh. The scultpure is at the Ballarat School of Mines. The man is Dick Richards, and the woman is his sister and wife of sculptor Victor Greenhalgh. Both Dick Richards and Victor Greenhalgh were former students and teachers at the Ballarat School of Mines. The bust of Dick Richards was Victor Greenhalgh's last work and was cast in bronze after his death. The bust was presented to the Ballarat School of Mines by Mrs V.S. Greenhalgh (widow of the sculptor and sister of the subject). At the presentation Victor Greenhagh's son said "the two men had been friends as well as brothers-in-law, were of similar age, both enjoyed red wine, beer and cricket and both were educationalists, one an artist the other a mathematician."dick richards, r.w. richards, richards, richard w. richards, victor greenhalgh, bust, sculpture, ballarat school of mines, antarctica, ross shore

The bosun’s chair is a typical piece of equipment included on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century. The nautical word 'bosun' is an abbreviation of the word 'boatswain' who is the person responsible for the repair and maintenance of the vessel. It could be used when rigging the sails and for rescue at sea, along with a thick rope anchored on shore or a rope between ships. It could also be used to move passengers to and from a ship as well as cargo on, to and from the vessel. A bosun's chair is a simple piece of equipment made from a short plank of wood and a sturdy piece of rope. It looks a little like a child's swing but usually has a pulley system that allows the user to adjust the length of the hanging piece of rope, and in so-doing adjusts the height above the floor or ground or sea. In modern times a harness would also be worn by the bosun’s chair user for safety reasons. Bosun's chairs are also used by window cleaners, construction workers and painters. The bosun’s chair is sometimes just a short plank, or even a canvas sling. The bosun's chair is significant for its association with maritime equipment carried on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century for maintenance and safety purposes. It was occasionally used to save lives. The bosun's chair is also significant as an early version of equipment still used today. Since its invention there have been many safety features added in certain industries such as window cleaning and painting.Bosuns chair, rectangular slab of wood with two holes at both ends through which rope ends are threaded for support and the loops above the seat are tied with sailor's knotting to form a triangle. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, bosun's chair, bosuns chair, boatswains chair, rigging, maritime equipment, bosun's seat, life saving, marine technology, ship rigging

The kerosene lamp was one of the most common oil lamps used and was manufactured until the 1980s. An anchor lamp like the lamps in this pair would be raised on the highest ship mast at night to signal other seafarers that the ship was at anchor or sailing at night. The metal loops on opposing sides of the lamp could hold a pair of rods or ropes. and be used to raise the lamp.The lamp is made to the design of a 19th and early 20th-century kerosene anchor lamp carried as essential marine equipment and used as a signal lamp on sailing ships. Lamps; a pair of cylindrical kerosene anchor lamps. Each has a flat back, a hinged door, a metal handle and two metal loops or guides fixed on each side. The glass window is convex and inside the lamp is a wick in an enamel wick holder.brass lamp, lamp, anchor kerosene lamp, kerosene lamp, marine equipment, marine lamp, navigation, light, ship light, ship lamp, lantern, maritime, nautical, safety lamp

This megaphone's conical shape amplifies the sound from the narrow end and would have been used to signal a warning or give instructions. Its design is similar to an earlier brass fog horn used on a marine vessel, as it has a wide brim that allows it to be free-standing, and a shoulder rope makes it portable and frees up the user's hands. The narrow end is shaped into a mouthpiece. The megaphone may have been used at sea foghorn on a vessel, although it has no reeds for the sound, or used by a leader of a band or a fireman or other similar uses. This megaphone's conical shape is based on the centuries-old ram's horn or horn from other animals, used to amplify sound to make it travel a long distance or be heard above other sounds. It represents a similar instrument made in the 19th century and used as a signal or to give instructions, such as on a vessel at sea, to a lifesaving team, or in a marching band. Megaphone; brass conical shape with an opening at both ends and a join near the wide end. The wide opening has a broad brim and is painted red inside. A brass ring is attached near each opening and a narrow rope is attached to each ring. warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fog horn, marine equipment, navigation, warning signal, maritime, nautical, fireman, captain, shoulder rope, signal, safety equipment

The ship’s communication system that was used from the late 19th century to early-to-mid-20th-century is called an Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.) or ship’s telegraph. The system has two parts, the Bridge Section and the Engine Room Section. The Bridge Section is usually mounted on top of a pedestal, and the Engine Room Section is often attached to a vertical surface. The standard commands printed or stamped onto the dial are the directions of AHEAD and ASTERN, and the speeds of STOP, SLOW, HALF, and FULL. The ship’s pilot on the Bridge of a vessel sends his Orders for speed and direction to the to the Engine Room with the E.O.T. He moves the lever or levers, depending on the number of engines the ship has, to change the indicator on the Bridge Section’s dial to point in the new direction and speed of travel. This change causes the Orders to be duplicated on the Engine Room Section’s dial and a bell to signal the change at the same time. The engineer then adjusts the ship’s engines and steering equipment to follow the pilot’s Order. The manufacturer, A. Robinson & Co. Ltd of Liverpool, established his business in 1780 and continued until 1968 when the business was purchased by marine products maker Chadburns, established in London in 1870.This Engine Room section is part of a ship's telegraph communication system and represents marine technology used in the late-19th to mid-20th-century. Engine Room Section of a ship’s telegraph or Engine Order Telegraph (E.O.T.). The round brass dial has inscriptions stamped around its edge and centre. Red inlaid glass plates have inscriptions in white paint on them. The inscriptions are nautical terms for direction and speed and include the maker’s details. A rotating pointer is joined to the centre of the dial. The maker is A. Robinson & Co. Ltd of Liverpool. Stamped: “FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP / FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP”, “AHEAD / ASTERN” Printed: “FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP / FULL / HALF / SLOW / STOP” Stamped on the dial: “A. ROBINSON & CO. LTD / MANUFACTURERS / LIVERPOOL”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, marine technology, marine communications, engine order telegraph, e.o.t., ship’s telegraph, bridge section, engine room section, ship’s engine telegraph section, marine telegraph, a. robinson & co. ltd, liverpool

Sextantequipment

An empty small blue, and gold cardboard Capstan Medium Strength Cigarette packet with white lettering, which contained 10 Fine Virginia Leaf Medium Cork cigarettes. There is a white nautical capstan symbol in an oval shape at the bottom right on the front with Fine Virginia Leaf written below in gold lettering. One side of the packet has written, Virginia Cigarettes and the other has Trade mark (with an eight pointed star) Mark W.D. & H.O. Wills (Aust.) Ltd. Sydney and a 3/4 number in a circle on the right. It opens at the top with a cardboard flap. Inside is a brown cardboard flapped tray with the inscription Every Genuine 'Capstan" Navy Cut Cigarette bears the name W.D. & H.O Wills printed on the two smaller flaps. On the back of the tray is written - Prevent Bush fires! Extinguish your butt. Details are listed above.cigarette packets, cigarettes, smoking equipment

This mid-19th century scientific reference book, Introduction to Modern Geography, explains geography and astronomy using the globe of the world as a teaching aid. The inscription connects this book to the Bobinawarrah Public Library but research to date has found no further details about the library. The rural area was settled in 1859, but in 2016 its population was only 87. It is situated about 21 kilometres south of the City of Wangaratta, in Northeast Victoria. In 2024 the local community received a grant for preservation of its almost 100-year-old Bobinawarrah Memorial Hall which displays an honour board of the Pioneers of Bobinawarrah 1859-1959. The donor of the book lived in Warrnambool. ABOUT THE AUTHOR, James Thomson (1786-1849): - James Thomson was a British Irish mathematician. He became Professor of Mathematics at the University of Glasgow. He wrote many school textbooks and reference books, one of which was Introduction to Modern Geography, first published in Belfast in 1827, and revised and published in over 20 more editions. Thomson tutored two of his several children at home. His older son James Thomson (1822-1892) became an engineer and physicist. His younger son William Thomson (1824-1907) became Professor of Natural Philosophy from 1846-1899 at the University of Glasgow, and later the 1st Baron of Kelvin, famous for his designs of nautical instruments such as the navigational compass and sounding equipment used in the transatlantic installation of sea cable. William was part of the firm that became famous as Kelvin & Hughes Ltd., suppliers of radar and echo sounders to the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Defence. The name continued on as Kelvin & Hughes. James Thomson (1786-1849) was a renowned British Irish mathematician and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Glasgow. He was a respected author of many important school books and textbooks that were widely used to provide understanding of arithmetic and geography. Thomson encouraged practical education and held extra classes for young ladies to learn mathematics and geography, which were a novelty at that time. Many of his works were known and used worldwide. This work was published in many editions. It is now considered as culturally significant as a basis for knowledge about our civilisation and has been made publicly available in overseas countries, and republished and reproduced in a readable format, including its diagrams and maps. Book; scientific textbook. The book has a black leather cover. The front cover is blank, but the spine has an embossed gold vertical title within a rectangular border boasting fancy corners. The fly page has a detailed title. The author is James Thomson. It is the Eighteenth edition, published in Simms & McIntyre of London and Belfast in 1845. An inscription connects it to the Bobinawarrah Public Library in Victoria.Spine within a gold border: "THOMSON'S GEOGRAPHY" Fly Page: "AN INTRODUCTION TO MODERN GEOGRAPHY, WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING AN OUTLINE OF ASTRONOMY, AND THE USE OF THE GLOBES. BY JAMES THOMSON, LL.D., PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW." "Eighteenth Edition" "LONDON: SIMMS AND McINTYRE, ALDINE CHAMBERS, PATERSOSTER ROW; AND DONEGALL -STREET, BELFAST.""1845"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, introduction to geography, james thomson, reference book, professor thomson's introduction to modern geography, bobinawarrah public library, james thomson mathematician, james thomson engineer, 19th century irish mathematician, irish presbyterian, william thomson 1st baron of kelvin, professor of mathematics, glasgow university, william thomson professor of natural philosophy, introduction to modern geography, outline of astronomy, use of the globes, james thomson ll.d., simms and mcintyre, 1843, scientific book, school book, lord kelvin, baron kelvin of langs, nautical instruments, marine instruments, transatlantic cable, kelvin & hughes, thomson’s geography, astronomy, geography, world globe, cartography, pioneers of bobinawarrah, textbook

From Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre: A Yacht Log was a nautical instrument for measuring a vessel's speed and distance travelled. When navigating a ship it is essential to be able to estimate the boat's speed and distance travelled to determine its position at sea. In times past the only way to measure a ship's speed was to throw a wood log into the water and observe how fast it moved away from the ship. In the 16th century, the log was fastened to a rope knotted at set intervals. The log was thrown over the stern (back) of the vessel and a crew member counted the number of knots that were paid out in a set time. From this they could estimate the speed of the vessel through the water. This was known as streaming the log and is also the derivation of the knot as a measurement of nautical speed. In 1878, Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1837–1921), an engineer in Birmingham, patented a mechanical log in which a recording instrument was attached to a rail at the stern of a vessel connected by a long cord with a rotor which was towed behind the ship. The instrument dial recorded the distance travelled. The 'Log' at the Heritage Centre was recovered from a skip in Scarborough and was one of the first artefacts collected by the volunteer group. It is made of brass with a ceramic dial, with the main scale marked from 0 to 100 nautical miles and an inset dial marked from 0 to 10 miles. It has a fixing plate, on which it can turn, with which it would have been attached to the 'taffrail', the rail at the stern of a ship, usually on the starboard side. The Walker’s Excelsior Mark IV instrument was designed for smaller vessels, such as yachts, launches and fishing vessels. Its exact date of manufacture cannot be determined but this design was manufactured in the first half of the 20th century. These mechanical logs have now been superseded by electronic equipment such as GPS navigation instruments.This instrument was made by a significant nautical instrument manufacturer and demonstrates the innovation needed at the time for improved navigation and safety at sea.Timber Box containing an instrument for measuring speed and distance. There is a brass, cased log with a white enamel dial. It also includes a towing cord and cylindrical rotator. The box has paper labelling on the front and also the inside of the lid. The label on the inside of the lid has instructions for use. Although the lid is hinged it has broken off and is separate. The hinges remain attached.Enamel Dial: Walkers Patent Excelsior Yacht Logmaritime, maritime history, tool, navigational tool, navigational instrument, navigation, sailing, walkers, maritime technology, walker & son