The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and its Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr. R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 percent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 percent reference and 40 percent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items has become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850’s to the late 1950’s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr. R. Pattison. Slaves of the Samurai Author: W S Kent Hughes An Australian Odyssey, which gives an account of the Life and Thoughts of a slave of the Samurai, during his three years and seven months as a Prissioner of War in the hands of the Japanese. Publisher: Geoffery Cumberlege, Oxford University Press Date: 1946Label on spine cover with typed text R.H. 821-914 HUG Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Public Library with the date 1st Jan, 1947 warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, slaves of the samurai, slaves of the samurai, w s kent hughes

p.250.non-fictionThe authors escape from Changi jail and their subsequent recaapture and ill treatment. world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners – japanese, changi jail

Edo PeriodColoured woodblock printactor

Book

Japanese Samurai swordweapon, ww2, army

Japanese Samurai sword and scabard.ww2, army

Japanese Samurai Sword and Scabbardweapon, ww1

Japanese samurai sword with scabbard

A minature, ornamental Samurai helmet made of cast iron and brass, gifted to the Port of Melbourne Authority. The helmet has wing-like projections on the front, known as Fukigaeshi, and a prominent gold plated crest, mounted on the front centre. Red and gold embellishments can also be seen around the bottom edge of the piece and on the dragons adorning the Fukigaeshi. There are six small holes around the centre of the helmet. Research shows that there may have originally been decorative fabric and tassels embellishing the piece which would have been threaded through these holes and then looped around the crest.ornament, samurai, japan

Japanese Officers Samurai Sword broken blade and Scabbardweapon, ww2

This sword was collected by Norman Ladner in New Britain during WW11. It was returned to Australia in 1946. Lorraine Joiner (Norman Ladner's daughter) gave the sword to Orbost Police in 2010.Katana were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan, also commonly referred to as a "samurai sword.A Japanese Army Samurai sword from WW11. It has a Katana style blade - a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.sword ww11 katana samurai japanesse-army weapon

This is believed to be a period "reproduction" most likely made from a JEEP vehicle spring by Australian soldiers to sell as a souvenir. US soldiers were prime targets for this type of deception as they were known to pay a premium for "Japanese" samurai swords.Steel blade and wooden handleNone

Swords were a common item of equipment of Japanese officers and soldiers in WWII. Representative of souvenirs brought back following the end of WWII.Japanese Samuari Sword with 70mm hand guard with wooden handle wrapped with red and white and brown tape - blade length 700mm. Common souvenir brought back by returning servicemen from the Southwest Pacific area following the Japanese surrender.japan, samurai, sword, wwii, world war two

This tabard is one of a small number that were produced/woven by Japanese master weaver Jun Tomita during the period that he was resident artisan at the Jam Factory in Adelaide. The tabard incorporates Ikat/Kasuri woven central panels. Tomita was born in 1951 in Toyama prefecture, and is based in Kyoto, the textile centre of Japan. The technique he uses kasuri (the Japanese term for ikat) is selectively pre-dying yarns before weaving to create pattern. The other decorative features of this garment are based on Japanese family crest designs (kamon). The pointed shoulders of this garment are reminiscent of the stiffened shoulders of kataginu, the upper part of the kamishimo ensemble that was formal wear for samurai men. Tomita was at the Jam factory from 1976-78 and he has works in numerous public collections, including: - Stanthorpe Art Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia / Australia - Oslo National Gallery / Norway - National Museum of Israel / Israel - Stedelik Museum, Museum of Rotterdam / The Netherlands - Denver Art Museum, St. Louis Art Museum, Long House Foundation - Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Art/USA - Victoria and Albert Museum, UK - Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan The donor purchased this tabard from an exhibition held at Wool House in Parkville Victoria, which was sponsored by the Australian Wool Board to promote the use of Australian Wool in textiles and fashion at that time, around April/May in 1977. At that time (1976-1977) the donor owned and run a retail/display shop for craft products such as ceramics, artworks and jewellery. The donor subsequently retained this in storage with some other items since the business closed.Double sided reversible tabard featuring woven centrals panels. One side is navy blue with white and blue detail panels, one side is grey with green, brown and cream central panel detail.textile, tabard, japan, art, clothing, weaving, fashion, design, ikat, kasuri