Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire were self reliant and made and repaired their own equipment for kitchen,dairy, farm, horses, carts using various tools . Among the early settlers were blacksmiths who made tools for the other settlers who were establishing the homes, market gardens, farms, orchards and various businesses. These wood planes are typical of the type made and used by early settlers in Moorabbin Shire c18802 handmade wood planes with blades. b) has 3cm groove for molding wood planes, spanners, early settlers, market gardeners, builders, blacksmiths, tools, building equipment, hammers, moorabbin shire, bentleigh, mckinnon, highett, cheltenham, mcewan james pty ltd, melbourne, bunnings pty ltd

These hand planes belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips (1875-1924). Born in Warrnambool, Ernest Phillips learned cabinet-making at the Warrnambool Box Works. In the late 1890s he established his own furniture store at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets. By the early 20th century Phillips had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside of Melbourne. He sold his products all over Australia. He and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street and the site of this home is now the complex of flats for senior citizens known as ‘Heatherlie’. These tools are of considerable interest as they belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent Warrnambool businessman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are also a good example of the tools that were used 100 years ago. These are eight woodworking tools (hand planes) which belonged to Ernest Phillips of Warrnambool. They are rectangular pieces of smooth wood, some with an extra piece of wood at the lower edge and they all have a metal blade inserted through the wood at an angle. The blade protrudes at the base of the wood and when moved by hand along a surface it shapes the piece of wood being worked on by flattening and smoothing the rough surface and reducing the thickness. These planes have been well-used.‘E. Phillips’ernest phillips, history of warrnambool, warrnambool

These tools are part of a collection that is believed to have belonged to the Warrnambool carpenter and businessman, Henry Phillips. English-born Henry Phillips (1821-1896) came to Australia with his wife Elizabeth in 1849. They lived for some years in Port Fairy. In 1865 Henry formed a partnership with Christopher Beattie and established the Warrnambool undertaking business of Beattie and Phillips. This business continued on after the deaths of the founders and lasted until the year 2000. In Warrnambool Henry Phillips was involved in the management of the Mechanics Institute. These items are of interest as examples of vintage tools and as mementoes of the Warrnambool carpenter and businessman, Henry Phillips.These five items are wooden plane tools of a similar shape and design, with one plane (.5) being less thick in its body. They have a wooden rectangular-shaped body with a piece cut-out close to the centre base. A metal blade resting behind a wooden piece has been inserted on an angle into the central hole through the top. This forms a planning mechanism. vintage tools, henry phillips, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

These items are among several tools that are believed to have belonged to the Warrnambool carpenter and businessman, Henry Phillips. English-born Henry Phillips (1821-1896) came to Australia with his wife Elizabeth in 1849. They lived for some time in Port Fairy. In 1865 Henry formed a partnership with Christopher Beattie and established the Warrnambool undertaking business of Beattie and Phillips. This business continued on after the deaths of the founders and lasted until the year 2000. In Warrnambool Henry Phillips was involved in the management of the Mechanics Institute. These tools are retained as examples of vintage tools and as mementoes of the Warrnambool carpenter and businessman, Henry Phillips.These are nine brown wooden tools, rectangular in shape and similar in size and design. An extra piece of wood adjoins one side of each tool. A thin metal blade has been inserted at an angle in each tool in a slot at the top of the wooden blocks and these have small wooden pieces resting on them. The blades protrude at the base of the wooden blocks to form planing mechanisms. vintage tools, henry phillips, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

These items are among several tools that are believed to have belonged to the Warrnambool carpenter and businessman, Henry Phillips. English-born Henry Phillips (1821-1896) came to Australia with his wife Elizabeth in 1849. They lived for some time in Port Fairy. In 1865 Henry formed a partnership with Christopher Beattie and established the Warrnambool undertaking business of Beattie and Phillips. This business continued on after the deaths of the founders and lasted until the year 2000. In Warrnambool Henry Phillips was involved in the management of the Mechanics Institute. These nine tools are small wooden planes, similar in size and design. In each tool the main wooden section is rectangular in shape with an additional wooden piece attached to one side. In each a metal blade has been inserted at an angle into a slot on top of the main wooden piece and a small wooden piece rests on the blade. The blade protrudes at the base of the main wooden piece to form a planing mechanism.vintage tools, henry phillips, warrnambool

The pioneer farmers and market gardeners in Moorabbin Shire had to be self sufficient and made their own tools and clothing and grew their own food. Some had been farmers in England and brought with them tools that would help them establish homes in the new countryAn example of the typical tools used by pioneers in Moorabbin Shire as they built homes and established farms. c1880 This spokeshave, is a wooden hand - plane that has a very short flat metal sole, used for smoothing curved surfaces.moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, market gardeners, pioneers, farmers, tools, planes wood