This sea urchin shell was recovered from the wreck of the S.S. Casino (1882 – 1932) between the late 1960’s to early 1970’s. It is part of the John Chance Collection. The coastal trader SS Casino (1882–1932) had a run of almost 50 years along the coast of Western Victoria. She traded goods and food as well as carrying passengers from port to port on her many voyages. This vase may have been included in her cargo or could have been amongst the personal luggage of the people on board.The sea urchin shell is significant as an example of underwater animal life existing in Victoria the 1960s. It was recovered by John Chance, a diver from the wreck of the S.S. Casino in the 1960s-70s. 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 urchin is connected with the S.S. Casino, which played an historical role in Western Victoria, providing transport, communication and trade along the coast between Melbourne and Portland in the late 19th and the early 20th century, visiting the ports at Apollo Bay, Warrnambool and Belfast (Port Fairy). The S.S. Casino was the only regular trader with normal passenger accommodation along the West Coast and the only Western District steamship that was in service between 1854 and 1939, and to be represented in the Victorian Heritage Shipwreck register, and to have been wrecked in the Western District, and to have the wreck located, and to be accessible to divers. The wreck of the S.S. Casino, and its associated relics, is considered an important part of Victorian and Australian cultural heritage and is now protected as a Historic Shipwreck under State and Commonwealth Law in the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). Sea urchin, global shape, beige colour. Urchin has two naturally formed holes, the larger being the mouth. Ten segments radiate from top to bottom, each with a row of small white raised circles.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, s.s. casino, john chance, west coast trader, apollo bay, sea urchin, south west victoria, sea life

Inspected by George Rawlings on 6.2.2013. The smaller fossil is related to the modern starfish, has 5 petals, secreted eggs from holes at the top. The mouth was underneath with rows of teeth. 1641.1 is a large sea urchin fossil (echinoderm) originally covered in spines. It is possibly from Turkey and 4 million years old. Modae Louisato 1641.2 is a smaller sea urchin fossil - echinoidius gippslandicus

This book was owned by the late Dr Elizabeth Kerr and was donated to the Museum by the executor of her estate, Margaret Cameron. It was produced by Coats Patons and contains knitting patterns for womens jumpers and cardigans.Think / warm thoughts / in Totem / Patons / Ladies' Totem, / Double Knit, Baroness, / Sea Urchin / Book 964 / 40cknitting handicrafts - history, coats patons (australia) limited, knitting, handicrafts - history

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 International Scientific Series Vol 50 Sea-Urchins -- being a Research of Primitive Nervous Systems Author: G. J. Romanes Publisher: Keegan Paul Trench & Co Date: 1885Label on spine cover with typed text PAT 593 ROM Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library covered by a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service 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, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, the international scientific series vol 50, sea-urchins, primitive nervous systems, g. j. romanes