stawell education

Photo of Original Will Rees Oil Painting “The Reefs”B/W/ photo of painting "The Reefs" Showing track down Big Hill "Goats"? Spire of St Matthews 1920stawell

B/W Photo The Reefs Hotel and Assembly Hall Pleasant Creek with Bullock team in front. 1858 -1861 Three windlasses over mineshafts can be seen, two on the left and one in front of the assembly hall. Some horse driven Whims can be seen in the background above the Assembly Hall.Earliest known photograph of the Reefs Pleasant Creek.Several buildings in mining area with trees in background, one building labelled The Reefs Hotel. Spoil heaps in foreground with other mining activities and with bullock team and cart. Man can be seen standing on slab hut roof at centre and woman in street. stawell

This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1942 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs Third Edition Author: Charles Darwin Publisher: Smith, Elder & Co Date: 1889 Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 563.6 DAR Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library Inside front loose paper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Fly page has a stamp from both the Corangamite Regional Library Service and the Warrnambool Public Museum warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, the structure and distribution of coral reefs, charles darwin

panorama Early Mining Scene The Reefs from Big Hill 1866Two individual frames and one low quality panorama of 1866 panorama stawell, mining

Wooden Catholic Church Reefs built about 1865. Part of a collection of Photographs by Mr. O.G. Armstrong as commissioned by the Shire of Stawell for the Inter-colonial and Paris Exhibition in Melbourne in 1866.stawell religion

Wesleyan Church Main Street Reefs. Opened 1863. Part of a collection of Photographs by Mr. O.G. Armstrong as commissioned by the Shire of Stawell for the Inter-colonial and Paris Exhibition in Melbourne in 1866.stawell religion

Four men a child and a dog standing in front of Western Turf Hotel Quartz Reefs Upper Main Street. Mr W Ranson was licensee from 1899 until 1903stawell

Presbyterian Church Reefs Pleasant Creek. Built 1860. Part of a collection of Photographs by Mr. O.G. Armstrong as commissioned by the Shire of Stawell in 1866 for the Inter-colonial and Paris Exhibition in Melbourne in 1866.stawell religion

Upper Main Street east of Patrick street, looking East c 1867 with Big Hill Mining in Background. J McGee's Shamrock Hotel. Jennings Western Turf Hotel. R Lorimer & Co. Photo c 1867 McGees Shamrock Hotel centre. R. Williams Dining Rooms, Jennings's Western Turf Hotel. Situated in upper Main Street (Opposite Monaghan's Estate Office) Mr. George Jennings was proprietor until the late 1860's when he went to live at "Mayo Park" Lubek. The Hotel had Various owners until it was delicensed in 1909 and became a boarding house. It was demolished in 1921. R. Lorimer & Co general Store near corner of Patrick Street.Streetscape of South Side of Main Street East of Patrick Street. Two wagons in street. Showing J. McGees Shamrock Hotel, R Williams Dining Rooms, Jennings's Western Turf Hotel and R. Lorimer & Co. Mine Engine Chimney is on left of photo. Big Hill in Background with Waterloo Reef Company Whim at centre.stawell streetscape

Group Portrait of “Citizens of Reefs” 1864. Listed William Tasker. George Bury. John Gutierrez. William Scallan. Martin Doyle. William Layzell. James Byrne. James Gordon. George Blackburn. Patrick Scallan. David Scallan. Henry Kieley. Joseph Broughton.stawell

stawell ww2

Upper Main Street looking East. Poppet Heads in Background. Oriental Bank second on left then Quartz Reef Timber Yards. Intersection is Layzell St Main Street. Advertiser Office on right in front of Earlier Mechanics Institute. Part of a collection of Photographs by Mr. O.G. Armstrong as commissioned by the Shire of Stawell for the Inter-colonial and Paris Exhibition in Melbourne in 1866.Upper Main street with Poppet Heads in the background, the Oriental Bank second on left & then Quartz Reef Timber Yard 1867 Advertiser Office on right and earlier Mechanics Institute.Upper Main Street Reefs 1867stawell mining streetscape

One of 16 photographs and postcards donated by Mary Karney.Coloured photograph of a beach scene at McHaffie's Reef with gentleman in the foreground."Scene McCaffey's Reef, Cowes"phillip island shoreline, beach phillip island, mchaffies reef phillip island, mary karney

Part of a collection of Rose and Valentine postcards. Copied by John Jansson 1984Black and white postcard. Copy. View of McHaffie's Reef with a man on the beach.Scene McCaffeys Reef Cowesblack & white postcard copy, mchaffie's reef phillip island, phillip island coastline

Holtermann Photo 1874Main Street looking West from Layzell Street. On left Heide's European Hotel with Heide's two boys out front, David Nicholas Hotel. Foresters Hotel on corner of Patrick street, Fire damaged wall of Mechanics Institute. Top roofline of J. Allingham Drapers in distance. From right R.W. Dane Grocer on corner. Union Bank of Australia, Bennett & Bristow, A.B. Clemes, J. Punchard Furniture Mart, J. Punchard's Timber Yard. Oriental Bank, Bank of Victoria, D Telford Produce and Grocer, Chadwick & Co Drapers & Outfitters / London House, Stawell Auction Market Auctioneer.stawell

Miners around Big Hill area at work St Georges Lead c 1860's. Note gold rocking cradle. This photo was amongst several mining photos, all of which were identified and catalogued under their correct mine name in 2010-2011.Three men with shovels around a gold mine cradle on a rocky hill side.stawell

stawell education

stawell education

stawell education

stawell education