Pleasant Creek Cross Reef Quartz Mining Co No2 Poppet Head constructed 1868. On christening of the Engine, Mrs. T. Brown christened it "The Duke of Edinburgh". At the back of the winding engine building of the No2 Shaft is the Grant and Lamont Crushing Battery built in June 1876. On right can be seen the Whim of the Pioneer and Galatea mine.Poppet Head and Winding House of Pleasant Creek Cross Reef Quartz Mining Co mine. Tree on left and bushes in foreground. Three chimneys prominent on right of photograph.stawell

Pleasant Creek Cross Reef Quartz Mining Company c1885. In foreground of the photo is the North Cross No2 Shaft, in the centre is the North Cross No1 Shaft. In the background is the Oriental Mine and just behind that is the Extended Cross Reef Mine and on the horizon is the Crown Cross United Mine.B/W Mining Scene with two gentlemen in ridged poses.stawell mining

An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph of the blacksmith's forge at the Golden Bower mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph of the Golden Bower mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph of the Golden Bower mine camp in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine Camp in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. golden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. POST CARD EMPIRE FOR CORRESPONDENCE FOR ADDRESS ONLY STAMPgolden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield, postcard, souvenir

An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine Camp in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria.An early black and white photograph taken at the Golden Bower Mine Camp in the Cumberland Valley in Victoria. The Golden Bower gold mine was a quartz reef mine. William Edward Chester discovered the Golden Secret gold vein which became part of the Golden Bower Mine at Chesterville near Donovans Creek on the Cumberland goldfield which he mined with George Locke until the late 1930s. POST CARD CORRESPONDENCE. ADDRESS ONLY. KODAK/ AUSTRALIA 30/06/10 Rose Hill/ Fitzwilliam Street/ Kew Should have written/ to you months ago about the/ photos I took at Easter./ Sorry to say the one of the little/ girls was no good I expect/ you will recognise both these/ places/ K McDowell Mrs Fletcher/ Golden Bower Mine/ Via Marysville J Mahoneygolden bower gold mine, cumberland valley, victoria, quartz reef mining, water-powered battery, william edward chester, george locke, chesterville, donovan's creek, cumberland goldfield

Handwritten page of notes listing Company, Depth of Shaft, Years and Ounces of Gold, Names of Companies listed: Roberts & Co, Ashley & Co, Grant & Co, Holmes & Co,Touzeau & Co, Woodward & Co, Coath & CO, Taylor Gould & Co, Victoria Reef Quartz Mining Co, Victoria Quartz Syn, Cranshaw & Co and Bon Accord Co.document, gold, victoria quartz, victoria quartz, notes on victoria quartz, roberts & co, ashley & co, grant & co, holmes & co, touzeau & co, woodward & co, coath & co, taylor gould & co, victoria reef quartz mining co, victoria quartz syn, cranshaw & co and bon accord co, dickers, macartney, w rae, p ritchie, production statistics - bendigo mines n l, mines dept bendigo, history & production gen index of companies & reefs

Photocopy of pages 2, 3, 4, 6 to 10 of The Mining Record, Feb. 1862. Items mentioned are:- Epsom and Huntly Leads, Pottery Flat, & c, Parliamentary Intelligence, Deep Sinking On Quartz Reefs, The Comet Company (Formerly Cooper's Little Redan), Hustler's Reef Quartz Mining & Drainage Company, Sailors' Gully Quartz Mining Company, Star Reef, Sailor's Gully, Bendigo, Star Reef Quartz Mining Company's Claim, Wilson & Co's Claim, Murdoch and Co's Claim, Hollick and Co.'s Claim, Cook and Co.'s Claim, Coote and Co.'s Claim, Sailor's gully quartz Mining Company's Claim, Garden Gully Reef, Knobel & Co.'s Claim, Ladams and Co.'s Claim, Southern Cross Company, The Rainbow Company, Barry and Co.'s Claim, Union Company's Claim, Winterbottom and Co.s Claim, Jury and Co.'s Claim, Piles and Co.'s Claim, Steers and Co.'s Claim, Watson and Co.'s Claim, Coles and Co.'s Claim, James and Co.'s Claim, Morgan, Kirchner and Co.'s Claim, Boyd and Co.'s Claim, Shanks and Co.'s Claim, Day and Co.'s Claim, Brown and Co.'s Claim, St. Mungo Quartz Mining Company and the Nelson Reef Quartz Mining Company.document, gold, mining reports, mining record feb 1862, bell's life, wellington hotel, botanical gardens, mitchell gardens, bird-in-hand, independent co, ballarat co, perserverance co, north star co, all england co, macleod co, mather and co, gold washing co, bendigo valley co, robey and co, hobbs and co, taylor's, lewis and co, henwood and co, bullock and co, davey and co, webb and lathlean, the welshman's, bon accord, john thomas's, caledonian co, webster, hrdy bros, mcewen and co, the big engine co, epsom huntly and ironstone hill co, 'the thames' steamer, whitely and co, cambridge co, victoria co, dower m'intosh and co, thomas and davies, aurora co, brett's, thomas bros, mitchell brothers, ballarat co, north star co, all england co, mr b g davies, mr ramsay, dr evans, tarrangower times, mr humffray, clunes co, mr courtin, mr lawrence, port phillip and colonial gold mining co, mr bland, r brough smith, john s mcnair, john mathieson, mr r o smith, joseph millen, thomas kaye, john basset, william cook, james cousley, john hill, robert hollinger, thomas houston, george loudon, william manning, john matthews, john mcewen, thomas milligan, john moorhead, robert moorhead, david murdoch, andrew murdoch, joseph nevin, edward o'malley, wm newton paul, james reid, samuel robinson, jesse selwood, james shand, william woods, catherine united claimholders, star reef co, sailor's gully co, churchill davidson, wm wilson, john jervis, james patterson, john carmont, george m'naughten, alexander wiseman, james houston, m'lennan, clark, thomas hollick, james alfred bowles, john lampert, francis palmetser, nichols, little pumping engine co, m'niely, morrison, waight, john coote, robert hamilton, william wilson, john jervis, southern cross co, ladam's claim, knobel, bird, philip ladams, james anderson, cordon, ashley, godwin, burkamp, john lomasney, james bryant, matthew langridge, benjamin exley, j r finlayson, wormold, mccartney, schrade, schumacher, george barry, james patten, peter speares, thomas caley, shadbolt, john lomasney, peat, kenely, mcgenely, egan, exwell, james winterbottom, john winterbottom, william jury, jonathan laidman, john pile, simon howard, peter morris, bignall, charles robison, ferguson, thomas steers, adolphe witts, albert berchdolt, richard urand, thomas watson, klemm, boyd, abbot, peterson, taylor, henry day, walter wallan, brown, grennan, day, young, mr beckwith, joseph thomson, nelson reef quartz mining co

Photocopy of a printed 'The Mining Record' Jan., 1862 Pages 5 to 11. There is information on the Paddy's Gully Reef and the Sheep's Head Reef. The owners, area and title, workings, reef and yield, cost of working, drainage, machinery and remarks of the The Comet Company (formerly Cooper's Little Redan), Hogg, Tipper, & Milroy's Claim, Alliance Company, Watson & Wade's Claim, Barker & Co's Claim, Union Company's Claim, Paddy's Gully Reef Quartz Mining and Drainage Company's Claim, Picken and Co's Claim, Holmes and Co's Claim, Keith and Co's Claim, Stevens, Hasker & Co's Claim, Blewitt & Co's Claim, Thomson & Co's Claim, Hooper, Wills and Co's Claim, Union Company's North, or Lower, Claim, Sinclair and Co's Claim, Fogarty and Williams' Claim, Red, White and Blue Company's Claim, Union Company's Lower Whim Claim, Thompson's Claim, Union Company's Little Engine Claim, Will's Claim and the Union Company's South Claim. Albert Richardson Collectiondocument, gold, mining reports, mining reports, the mining record jan., 1862, the comet company (formerly cooper's little redan), hogg, tipper, & milroy's claim, alliance company, watson & wade's claim, barker & co's claim, union company's claim, paddy's gully reef quartz mining and drainage company's claim, picken and co's claim, holmes and co's claim, keith and co's claim, stevens, hasker & co's claim, blewitt & co's claim, thomson & co's claim, hooper, wills and co's claim, union company's north, or lower, claim, sinclair and co's claim, fogarty and williams' claim, red, white and blue company's claim, union company's lower whim claim, thompson's claim, union company's little engine claim, will's claim, union company's south claim, john s mcnair, john mathieson, mr lomasney, mr kelly, mr clisshold, j b watson & co, milroy & price, hogg, tiper, millroy, mr ebden, mrssrs watson and wade, r o smith, edward hunt, h murdoch, samuel priestly, william goldsmith, david buchanan, robert anderson, bagshot company, barker, ladams, m'vey, claughton, gutteridge, good, cornell, simeon, rutherford, h jackson, murgatroyd, wormold, bashford, red white & blue claim, steven's and hasker's, blewitt and co, john blewitt, richard allingham, edward wills, john williams, richard williams, henry williams, joseph east, john thomson, thomas trownson, henry hooper, edward wills, thomas castelow, joseph castlow, william tongue, george nevinson, james griston, thomas porter, william a kenny, robert lisle, john sinclair, robert pritchard, william pritchard, thomas woods, james fogarty, daniel moon, william lindrea, john adams, brown, robert lisle, owen thompson, nicholson reef company, edward wills, p n russell & co, bendigo valley steam puddling company, metropolitan mills, bruce's, thos. woods

Typed Notes Pioneer reefers Steam Crushers Many Ventures Indomitable Unearthed Quartz Crusher Reef Mining Water Wheel Tons of Golddocument, gold, industries, lucy hill collection

Three pages numbered 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23 titled Victoria Hill. First page has some information on Victoria Hill, a sketch of W Rae's Home and Rae's Open cut. The second page has a map of the Victoria Hill Area showing streets and the New Chum Anticline, a sketch of Ballerstedt's Open Cut and a Key to Victoria Hill Area Map. The third page mentions the Victoria Quartz mine, Tributors and quartz roasting. It also has sketch of a 20 Head Crushing Battery, Victoria Hill.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - victoria hill, gold mines hotel, christopher ballerstedt, theodore ballerstedt, ballerstedt's open cut, lansell's 180 mine, little 180 mine, new chum syncline battery, victoria reef quartz mining co, victoria quartz, new chum drainage scheme, a roberts and sons, tributors, william rae's bon accord mine and open cut, william rae, adventure and advance open cuts, central nell gwynne, heinz butcher shop

3 Pages titled Victoria Hill. On one side is a sketch of W Rae's Home built in the early 1870's and Rae's Open Cut. Mentioned is a short history of Victoria Hill and the mine of Christopher Ballerstadt and his son Theodore. The remains of a 20 head crushing battery, which was originally the ten head crusher of the Little 180 Mine remains. It later became the twenty head New Chum Syncline Battery. Water became a problem and the New Chum Drainage Scheme was introduced and the cost of pumping and bailing was shared between the mines.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - victoria hill, gold mines hotel, christopher ballerstedt, theodore ballerstadt, ballerstadt's open cut, lansell's 180 mine, little 180 mine, new chum syncline battery, victoria reef quartz mining co, victoria quartz, new chum drainage system, w rae's home, rae's open cut

Drawing of leases with lease numbers, names of owners and names of mines on the New Chum Line of Reef. Lease numbers are: L296, L1505, L5394, L7486, 130, L1286, L3941, L6299, L7427, L323, L3175, L812, L3757, L3888, L6198, L703, L1130, L703, L3321, L3347, L3884, L4167, L4357, L6296, L55, L239, L962, L1494, L1708, L239, L962, L3320, L4779, L6457, L129, L961, L3926, L5566, L19, L959, L4652, L4895, L5371, L7740, L960, L4415, L4793.document, gold, victoria hill, victoria hill, victoria hill new chum line leases, j wybrants, s h mcgowan, north old chum n l, c & t ballerstedt, ballerstedt & son, geo lansell, j holmes, victoria reef company, h hawkins, victoria reef quartz mining co n l, g n craig, j g wheadon, wells & gibbs, midway co, s g cole, gibbs ballerstedt & wells united mining co, w barker, humboldt g m co, great central victoria co n l, howard and neumann, endeavor qtz mining co, woodward & gibbs, endeavor co, smith horner white and tipping, albert co, h birch, victoria consols mining co, victoria reef, sullivan jackson, nicholas ballerstedt & jones, ironbark quartz mining co, j h abbott, ironbark co n l, h y north, new chum consolidated g m co, d macdougall, h von der heyde, hercules & energetic co n l

New Chum Gully is one of the earliest and most important alluvial and quartz mining gully of Bendigo goldfields. It was also one of the more lucrative reefs and became the site of extensive quartz reef mining with some of the richest mines of the field, led by George Lansell and Daniel Barnet Lazarus. These included the nearby mine sites of New Chum and Victoria, New Chum United, Old Chum, Lansells 222 and Lazarus as well as operating extensive battery buildings and pyrites works that were all located in New Chum Gully between Booth, Thistle Streets and Maple Street. (City of Greater Bendigo, Heritage Report, 27 Pallett Street, Golden Square)New Chum and Victoria Lease plan. Written on outside of plan: ' Western Portion, New Chum and Victoria Lease, 2 chains to an inch'. Plan forms part of the Margaret Roberts Collection of mining records. margaret roberts, gold, gold mine, new chum and victoria lease, victoria hill, bendigo

Display copy (3 pages) of the names of the original shareholders in the Great Extended Hustlers Reef Quartz Mining Co., first registered in the Victoria Government Gazette on Friday March 24, 1865.bendigo, mining, great extended hustlers

This photograph depicts a reef mine in Beechworth. Reef mining, or quartz reef mining, was common in 19th Century Victoria. This gold mining technique requires mine shafts to be sunk into underground quartz reefs, with horizontal tunnels dug from the original shaft at differing levels to find the gold-bearing rock. The quartz would then be hoisted to the surface, which would then be pounded to access the gold in its metallic state. Gold was discovered in Beechworth in February 1852, at Spring Creek. Within 11 months of that discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors quickly descended on this region, transforming it into a thriving, wealthy township. Reef mining and hydraulic sluicing were gold mining techniques used in this region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This photograph interestingly contains dogs alongside the miners. While dogs have been recorded as deterrents to thieves in the Victorian goldfields, these dogs appear as companions to these men.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. It also shows a location where reef mining was undertaken which provides insight into the impact on the environment at a time when it was done. Although quartz is one of the most common minerals found in the earth's crust, it does not always contain gold. Those reefs that do are rare and highly sought after by prospectors. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold mining which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper. Obverse: Reverse: United Shire of Beechworth/ Shire Secretary/ Reef Mining, Beechworth./ 6167.abeechworth, burke museum, gold, gold mining, gold rush, victorian gold rush, reef mining, quartz, companion dog, horse and cart

This reproduced photograph depicts a reef mine in Beechworth. Reef mining, or quartz reef mining, was common in 19th Century Victoria. This gold mining technique requires mine shafts to be sunk into underground quartz reefs, with horizontal tunnels dug from the original shaft at differing levels to find the gold-bearing rock. The quartz would then be hoisted to the surface, which would then be pounded to access the gold in its metallic state. Gold was discovered in Beechworth in February 1852, at Spring Creek. 8000 hopeful prospectors quickly descended on this region within the year, transforming it into a thriving, wealthy township. Reef mining and hydraulic sluicing were gold mining techniques used in this region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This reproduction photograph interestingly contains dogs alongside the miners. While dogs have been recorded as deterrents to thieves in the Victorian goldfields, these dogs appear as companions to these men.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. It also shows a location where reef mining was undertaken which provides insight into the impact on the environment at a time when it was done. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold mining which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Black and white rectangular reproduction photograph on gloss photographic paper. Obverse: Reverse: L is miners 26%/ 10 x 8/ 6167.bbeechworth, burke museum, gold, gold mining, gold rush, victorian gold rush, reef mining, quartz, companion dog, horse and cart

J. K. Hall was a prominent local mining figure, investor, and speaker, rather than managing daily underground shaft operations, Outside of Bendigo, J. K. Hall was heavily involved in interstate quartz-reef exploration. The Confidence Extended Gold Mine was a major historical deep-shaft gold operation located on the Garden Gully Line of Reef in Bendigo, Victoria. Operating predominantly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it played a vital role in confirming Bendigo’s global status as one of the world's richest quartz-reef gold mining fields. Illuminated address sympathy card sent to Mrs. Hall of Long Gully from the Confidence Extended Gold Mining Company on the passing of her husband J K Hall, who was a manager at the company. The photo of the address is glued to a piece of cardboard with the signature of Alan Spicer, Bendigo.illuminated address, mrs. hall, alan spicer

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. Quartz gold mine, Clunes, c. 1861- - - and in the quartz reefs. Slide shows that mining is done on a much grander scale than a pan by the river of shallow mines. It could now be a large industry for its times. Markings: 29 994:LIF I. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Steele's Reef was opened in 1859 along with a number of other reefs in the Yandoit area. The reef was worked by small mining parties until the late 1880s. In 1887, the Steele's Reef Quartz Mining Company fixed steam pumping machinery and commenced sinking a shaft. The company were unable to find a profitable ore body and after two years work closed down. By this time their shaft had reached a depth of 150 feet. The mine was then taken over by the Pioneer Quartz Mining Company who appear not to have worked the mine. In 1906, the Steele's Pioneer Company commenced work, erecting a winding winch at the old shaft sunk by the Steele's Company. The next year the company erected a 10-head battery, set of poppet legs, a pumping engine. Sinking the shaft a further 100 feet, the company struggled to find payable ore and soon closed down.Colour photographs of the remnants of Steele's mine at Yandoit, Victoria. steele's mine, yandoit, mining, ruins

Victoria Quartz Gold Mine was situated on Victoria Hill, Bendigo. Victoria Hill is situated on the Marong Road, opposite the Gold Mines Hotel. Victoria Hill was one of the richest areas on the Bendigo Goldfield. It had many successful mines, including Lansell's '180' and the Victoria Quartz, once the deepest gold mine in the world. At the turn of the century, this was the site of one of the premier mines on the Bendigo goldfield. In 1908, it boasted the world's deepest shaft - 4,478 feet (1,365 metres). The shaft reached a depth of 4,613 feet (1,406 metres) in 1910. In 1857 eight small claims in this area had been merged to form the Victoria Reef Quartz Mining Co. Another merger in 1877 led to the formation of the Victoria Quartz Co. For the next three decades, the mine produced consistent profits. In 1910, water burst into the claim, flooding the shaft and halting operations. The company baled water for six months then handed the mine over to the tributers who worked the upper levels for the share of the profits. The mine closed in 1913, having produced over 48,000 ounces of gold and paid dividends of £99,600.Printed in black text on light tan paper: 'Underground workings, Victoria Quartz Co''. Written on accompanying label: "Victoria Reef, underground plan'. Plan shows shaft, drives and geological features. Plan forms part of the Margaret Roberts Collection.gold mining, gold, bendigo, victoria quartz gold mine, victoria reef

Documents. KELLY & ALLSOP COLLECTION. A series of Share Certificates issued by The Hustler's Reef Quartz Mining & Drainage Company, No Liability. Each certificate represents 50 shares at 4 pounds each. Capital raised was 200 thousand pounds from 50,000 shares. Certificates No.379, 384 issued to M.J.Carr on 23 Aug 1902. Certificate No.400 issued to G.H.Pearce on 23 Aug 1902. Certificates No.1427 - 1433 issued to N.Lloyd on 28 Oct 1902. Certificates No. 2259 - 2265 issued to C.Millman on 10 Aug 1903. Certificates No.2714, 2715 issued to N.Lloyd on 25 Jan 1904. Each certificate is pale green in colour and has a plan of the mine on the back. Printed by J.B.Young, Bendigo. Certificates dated 1902 are signed by the Manager Henry Y North and later certificates signed by G Stanfield for the Manager. 19 certificates in total.Hustler's Reef Minebusiness, stockbroker, kelly & allsop, kelly & allsop collection, hustlers reef mine, share certificates, henry y.north, g.stanfield, m.j.carr, g.h.pearce, n.lloyd, c.millman

The context in which the hat was made and worn assists in establishing its potential historic significance. 'Bailliere's Victorian Gazetteer and Road Guide containing the most recent and accurate information as to every place in the Colony' (1870), describes the village of Vaughan as being located on the road from Daylesford to Castlemaine. In 1870 the Vaughan was deemed to be entirely a gold mining area, gold having been discovered in the district in 1853. Intriguingly the entry in the Gazetteer claims that the electoral division of Vaughan began at the junction of the Middleton Creek and the Loddon River, so perhaps the cap might have belonged to a member of a significant local family. In 1870, Vaughan had a population of about 1000 persons and included almost 300 dwellings. Articles from newspapers, published on Trove refer frequently to a Mr Middleton as a litigant in court cases before the Vaughan Court in the 1860s. By the 1870s, the Mt Alexander Mail, in an article on ‘Mining: The Pioneer Wheel’ describes the success of Mr Middleton and his Middleton’s Reef Gold Quartz Mining Company, which had built the largest water wheel in the Colony. The wheel was 20’ in diameter and 2’ wide. Quartz mining as practiced by companies such as Middleton’s had become necessary after the exhaustion of alluvial quartz mining deposits in the 1860s. So we can probably establish a link between the cap and a significant mining identity in the period in which the article was made. The historical significance of the cap is only one part of the story. Caps such as the Middleton example can also be items of aesthetic significance as they were typically, examples of women’s work, using published patterns in magazines such as the Ladies Home Magazine. While women might follow or adapt a published pattern, their choice of materials reflected what was available locally. The fine hand stitching on this example is evidence of high quality domestic needlework. The maker crafted the cap from five triangular pieces of cotton cloth, each piece lined with a faded yellow net. The net provides some stiffening for the cap and has a functional purpose in that it anchors the hand-stitched, looped design of yellow silk ribbon that decorates the surface of the cap. Gentleman’s smoking (lounging) cap believed to have been made in c.1860-69. The conical hat is made of a dark green cotton fabric embroidered with narrow ribbon of a paler green silk. The unlined rimless hat is made of four pieces of fabric. There is no evidence of the hat at one stage featuring a tassle. The original donation record noted that the cap had been made for, and was worn by, a Mr Middleton, of Vaughan in Central Victoria. Nilhats, smokers hats, men's clothing