Letter handwritten from Henry Thomas and Co. Liverpool, (the Black Star Line) to Mr Samuel Harkin, Ireland, in reply to an enquiry about the vessel "Iowa". Black ink on blue stationery.TRANSCRIPTION: "Henry Thomas and Co, Liverpool. "Black Star" line of Australian Packets. Liverpool, July 10, 1854. Mr. Samuel Harkin (?), Messes Baird and Hardy, London House, Ballymena, Ireland. Dear Sir, In answer to your favor of 7th inst., we beg to say that we have not yet received any official report from the "Iowa" but presume she is doing well - yhe first news we shall forward to your address. We remain, dear Sir, Yours Respectfully, Henry Thomas and Co."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, letter, iowa, henry thomas and co, black star line, ship enquiry, liverpool, australian packets

This item relates to Bernard John Ruler. Enlisted 28.6.1940 as VX40780 age 24 years 5 months, embarked for the Middle East 5.2.1941, embarked for Australia 17.2.1942, disembark 17.3.1943, he marries Margaret Brennan, his record has the date of marriage listed 25.5.1942 Embark for New Guinea 13.5.1942, appointed Lance Bombadier 28.8.1942, hospital 3.7.1943 with Malaria/Dengue Fever, rejoin unit 27.7.1943, appointed Bombadier 3.10.1943 embark for Australia from Buna per HMAT Duntroon 28.11.1943, reported missing presumed dead on 30.11.1943. A Court of enquiry held on board ship 1.12.1943 concluded that between the hours of 0600-0930 he left the ship without authority on 30.11.1943 The day before bing the 29th the Duntroon collided with an American Destroyer (USS Perkins) at 0200 hrs cutting it in half. The following collection contains other items relating to Margaret and approx 250 letters from Bernard to Margaret during the war and 18 from Margaret to BernardRectangle black vinyl booklet. 18 pages. Addresses of contacts are written in blue and black ink. Pages have gold on the edges.front cover “Addresses”ww2, booklet, address b.j.ruler

This book written by Alan McLean records the historical details concerning the wreck of the Fiji at Moonlight Head, Victoria in 1891. The ship was travelling from Hamburg and bound for Melbourne when it was wrecked at Moonlight Head. Twelve lives were lost and a subsequent enquiry found the captain to be guilty of negligence. Residents of Warrnambool and district had some connection to the wreck as Joseph Jordan, a Warrnambool photographer, took photographs of the wreck scene and was involved in a controversy regarding the late arrival of rescue equipment and residents from the Warrnambool area were charged with stealing some of the wrecked cargo.This book is of considerable local interest as the wreck of the Fiji was connected with Warrnambool and district and affected many local residents.This is a soft cover book of 176 pages. It has a cover with a blue background, some printed material and two colour photographs. The book contains an acknowledgement, an introduction, 21 chapters and appendices. It also contains black and white and colour illustrations, maps and other images. To Warrnambool and District Historical Society With Best Wishes Alan McLeanwreck of the fiji, history of warrnambool, alan mclean, warrnambool photographer

The Falls of Halladale was a four-masted iron-hulled barque built for the long-distance bulk carrier trade. In dense fog on the night of 14 November 1908 she was sailed onto rocks off Peterborough due to a navigational error. The 29 crew abandoned ship safely and reached shore by boat. The ship was left foundering with sails unfurled. For weeks afterwards large crowds gathered to view the ship as she gradually broke up and sank in the shallow water. Shortly after the accident the ship's master, Captain Thomson, faced a Court of Marine Enquiry in Melbourne. He was found guilty of a gross act of misconduct, having carelessly navigated the ship, neglected to take proper soundings and failing to place the ship on a port tack before it became too late to avoid shipwreck. Thomson's punishment included a small fine and six months suspension of his Master's Certificate of Competency. The hull lies on its starboard side about 300 metres off-shore in 3-15 metres of water. The original cargo included 56,763 roofing slates and coils of barbed wire. 22,000 slates were salvaged in the 1980s and used as roofing at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool.This item has historical significance as it came from one of the known shipwrecks along the South West coast of Victoria. There are a number of photographs of the wreck as it founded on the rock and hence is an image with which many people are familiar. Curved piece of timber with flat base from the wreck of the ship Falls of Halladale. Inside is recessed with slight ledge near back. A chunk of timber is missing on the top. The face has swirled carvings with leaf and seed design and base curved to the edge.Hand painted in red paint on inside bottom edge 'PETERBOROUGH'. Hand painted in white paint on bottom 'FALLS OF HALLADALE/WRECKED/PETERBOROUGH/VIC/NOV. 1908'melbourne, shipwrecks, flagstaff hill maritime village, warrnambool, falls of halladale, barques, peterborough victoria, roofing slates, captain thomson, thomson, court of marine enquiry

This hand written letter, in black ink script on blue lined paper, is impressed with the official stamp of the Victoria Steam Navigation Board. The left margin has the reference “S82/12" It is transcribed: "Victoria Steam Navigation Board, Melbourne, January 12th 1882 To Frederick Chapman, Master, S.S. "Julia Percy" You are herewith furnished with a copy of the report of the Official Court which assembled to enquire into the circumstances attending the collision between the steamers "Julia Percy" and "Nelson" off Apollo Bay near Cape Otway on the morning of the 25th December 1881, and you are hereby expected to attend at the Board Room, Custom House, Melbourne, at 2pm, on 13th January instant to show cause why you should not be censured accordingly. [Signature] Secretary" This document refers to the matter of a collision between two steamships, the Julia Percy and the Nelson, on 25th December 1881. The Julia Percy was at that time owned by her first owners, the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, and she sailed under the command of Captain Chapman. She had left Melbourne the evening of 24th December, with about 150 passengers, sailing in fine weather through Port Phillip Heads around 9pm. She was headed for Warrnambool, Belfast (now named Port Fairy) and Portland. The Julia Percy was off Apollo Bay when Captain Chapman was woken by the ship’s whistle after midnight, the steamer Nelson being on a collision course with the Julia Percy.[See Link.] The Nelson struck Julia Percy midship. Boats were lowered from the ship (apart from a damaged lifeboat) and about 30-40 of the passengers boarded the Nelson. The engine room and the forehold were checked and found clear of water. The company manager, Mr Evans, had been on the Nelson, so he boarded and inspected the Julia Percy and the decision was made to continue on to Warrnambool with the passengers as there appeared to be no immediate danger. However, Captain Thomas Smith said the Nelson was taking on water, so Julia Percy followed her for about an hour towards Melbourne on standby in case of need. Then Julia Percy turned around towards Warrnambool again. Shortly afterwards the Nelson turned to follow her, the ships stopped and passengers were returned to Julia Percy, and three from Julia Percy boarded the Nelson. Both ships proceeded on their way. Julia Percy passed Cape Otway light afterwards, signalling that there had been a collision. It was discovered later that one of the passengers was missing, then thought to have boarded the Nelson but later thought to have fallen into the sea and drowned while trying to jump from Julia Percy to Nelson. There had been 3 tickets purchased under the same name of that passenger “Cutler”; a father, son and friend named Wordsworth, which had caused quite some confusion. No further mishap occurred to either ship and both the Julia Percy and the Nelson reached their destinations safely. An enquiry was instigated by the Victoria Steam Navigation Board regarding the cause of the accident between the two steamships, in connection with the death of Cutler who was supposed to have lost his life by the collision. The enquiry resulted in the following decision: "The Victorian Steam Navigation Board having taken into consideration the points urged by Captain Thos [Thomas] Smith and also by his legal advisers, is of opinion that the charge prepared against him has been sustained, but taking into consideration Captain Smith’s previous good conduct and character, the board suspends his master’s certificate No 227 issued by this board for a period of six calendar months from this date – Robert Fullarton, Chairman. “The Victorian Steam Navigation Board having beard the statement of Captain Frederick Chapman urged in his defense to the charge of dereliction of duty as master of the Julia Percy, in having no standing order on board that vessel to be called in the event of any approaching steamer’s lights being seen, find such charge sustained, and censure him accordingly – Robert Fullarton, Chairman.” ABOUT “JULIA PERCY” The S.S. Julia Percy (later named Leeuwin ) was an iron passenger-cargo steam ship built in 1876. At one point in time the Julia Percy would sail from Warrnambool to Melbourne every Friday and return from Melbourne to Warrnambool every Tuesday. The cost of a return ticket for a Saloon Fare was £1.0.0. She would sail “if practical and weather permitting”. Shipping was the cheapest and most practical means of carrying produce and goods during the period 1840-1890. Regular domestic steamer services commenced in the Warrnambool district in the late 1850’s and by 1870 the passenger trade was booming. Produce was loaded from the jetty into ‘lighters’ (small boats), which took it to the ships at anchorage in the bay. Passengers were taken to the ship’s side then climbed aboard up ladders or gangways. The coming of the railway in October 1889 meant the gradual decline and end of the steam shipping era. The Julia Percy was built in Glasgow by Thomas Wingate & Company, Whiteinch, in 1876 for the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, which commissioned her for trade in Victoria’s western district. She was first registered in Warrnambool, Victoria in 1876. The Julia Percy changed hands several times. Her next owner was the Western Steam Navigation Co (1887), managed by Mr. T.H. Osborne (the company’s office was on the corner of Timor and Liebig Streets, Its north-western wall is now part of the current Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery. ) The Melbourne Steamship Co became the next owners (1890), followed by William Howard Smith and Sons (1901) for use in Queensland coastal trades, then she was bought by George Turnbull in 1903 and used for local mail contract in Western Australia. The Julia Percy was sold to the Melbourne Steamship Company Ltd. (1906) and re-named the “Leeuwin” but continued in her Western Australian coastal run. She was converted into a coal hulk in Melbourne in 1910 as a result of damaged caused when she was driven against the jetty at Dongara during a gale. The ship was eventually dismantled and scuttled in Bass Strait on 28 December 1934. The document is significant for its association with the wreck of the Leeuwin (Julia Percy), which is on the Victorian Heritage Register, VHR S413. . It is historically significant for being a rare artefact that has potential to interpret aspects of Western Victoria’s 19th century steamship trade and Victorian cultural history. The Leeuwin (Julia Percy) is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being historically significant ‘as one of only four wrecks of steamships in Victorian waters associated with the western district of Victoria’s coastal steamship trade. Reports of Victoria Steam Navigation Board about the collision on 25th December 1881 between the steamers " Julia Percy" and "Nelson". Letter from Victoria Steam Navigation Board, Melbourne to Frederick Chapman, Master, S.S. "Julia Percy", dated January 12th 1882. reference on letter in left margin "S82/12"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill –maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, victoria steam navigation board, captain frederick chapman, captain thomas smith, thomas wingate & company, steamer julia percy, steamer leeuwin, steamer nelson, steam ship, warrnambool steam packet company, t. h. ostorne, western steam navigation co., charles cutler

Date of birth 27th April 1893 Born at Spring Hill – Kyneton Parents – Thomas and Mary Elizabeth nee Coates Lang. The family lived in High Street Melton 1896. He started his schooling at Melton State School in Nov 1897. Mr Lang was the Head Teacher from 1896 – 1917. Horace enlisted on the 29th March 1915 24th Battalion D Company and sailed on the Euripides on the 8th May to Egypt. They landed on Gallipoli in early September returning to Egypt at the end of the year. In April on 1916 Horace and his brother Thomas had an opportunity to meet for a few hours before he moved onto France. He received the military medal in 1916 “For conspicuous gallantry in constructing and holding an advanced bombing post near Flers on 18/19 November within close range of the enemy. The garrison had to remain motionless throughout the day but Corpl. Lang refused to be relieved until his company left the trenches, setting a most encouraging example of endurance.” In May 1917 the Battalion was near Arras – Bullecourt. On 3rd May he was last seen alive carrying a Lewis Gun, and wounded making his way to the casualty station according to witnesses reporting to the court of enquiry. The family, in Melton had a first heard that he had been wounded, or was a prisoner. My grandmother Jessie Barrie and the Lang family went to Port Melbourne as the troop ships arrived hoping they would find someone who might know of his fate. AWM records and Red Cross files reveal the extent of the efforts that family and friends made enquiring about his fate. In December 1917 he was declared Killed in Action on May 3rd at Bullecourt where he is commemorated. Horace Lang postcardRear: Dear Jessie & All, I am in the pink not doing to bad. Haven't had any letters from you for some time. Hope you haven't forgotte me. Don't be so long nest time. Letter later from your loving bro Horace. (PS) Photo is very crook. (Front: Yours Horace, France 28/2/17)local identities