business records/correspondenceAbbott Collection: 1885 correspondence between J. H. Abbott and suppliers (all handwritten correspondence, but difficult to decipher): 2403.100a 3 June 1885 - J. D. Atkinson, Flinders Lane Melbourne, leather factor - sheep and kangaroo hides 2403.100b 17 & 31 Jan 1885 - The Apollo Company Limited, Collins St Melbourne, Stearine Candles & Soap Manufacturers, Oil & Glycerine Refiners 2403.100c June-July 1885 - Briscoe & Co., Melbourne, Wholesale Ironmongers, Iron & Machinery Merchants; copper rivets & washers 2403.100d April-May 1885, 4 documents (1 invoice and 3 letters) - Birchard & Raspe, London & Hamburg 2403.100e Feb-June 1885, 7 invoices, William Dean & Co., Oil & Color Merchants, White Lead, Paperhangers and General Importers 2403.100g 5 invoices Feb-Oct 1885; Gavin Gibson, Melbourne, importers of Boots & Shoes, Leather & Grindery, Machinery, etc. 2403.100h 3 invoices Mar-Jun 1885; Guthridge Power & Co., East Melbourne, Wholesale Saddlers, Saddlers, Ironmongers & Importers. 2403.100i 2 invoices, Jan & Apr 1885, J. Hodges. Little Bourke Street West, Melbourne; American Hame & Saddle Tree Manufacturers. 2403.100j 1 invoice, Apr 1885, Alfred E. Hobbs, Elizabeth Street Melbourne, Rope Manufacturers 2403.100k 2 invoices, Mar & July 1885, Andrew Jack & Co., Flinders Lane West, Melbourne; Importers and Wholesale Stationers. 2403.100l 3 invoice, Apr-Jun 1885, J. Kitchen & Sons & Apollo Company, Flinders Lane West, Melbourne, Sterine Candle, Soap & Soda Crystal Manufacturers Glyuerine & Oil Refiners. 2403.100m 1 invoice, Feb 1885, Lister Henry, Flinders Lane West, Melbourne. 2403.100n 1 invoice, Jun 1885, Thomas Mitchell, Little Bourke Street West Melbourne, Paint & General Brush Manufacturer. 2403.100o 4 invoices, Feb-Jun 1885, New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency Company Limited; Colins Street West, Melbourne; Melbourne Wool & Grain Warehouses. 2403.100p 1 invoice & 2 letters, Jan-Apr 1885, T. J. & T. Powell, Lime Street London. 2403.100q 3 letters, Feb -Mar 1885, W. Shammon. Mosley Street, Birmingham, Whip Manufacturer, Cach & Saddler Ironmonger. 2403.100qq 1invoice, May 1885, James C. Steel, Kensington Tannery, Hotham. 2403.100 r 3 invoices, Jan-Mar 1885, G. V. Sydenham, Lonsdale Street West Melbourne, importers of Saddlers' Ironmongery, Hodskins, Patent Leather, etc. 2403.100s 1 invoice, May 1885, Frederick Tate, Market Street, Melbourne, Tate's Parcel Post Express. 2403.100t 2 invoices, Feb & Apr 1885, Taylor & Currie, Bourke Street West Melbourne. 2403.100u 1 invoice, Mar 1885, Eliza Tinsley, Iron Merchant & Manufacturer of Nail Chains, Patent Wrought Nails, Rivets etc. 2403.100v 1 invoice, Mar 1885, Reid & Marshall, Hawthorn Tannery, Melbourne, Tanners & Curriers, Kangaroo Leather Manufacturers. 2403.100w 17 invoices, 2 reports & 18 letters, Jan-Dec 1885, Ullathorne & Co. Lonsdale Street Melbourne and Lincolns Inn Fields, London; Leather Shoe Mersey, Grindery Merchants, etc. Importers of Tanners and Curriers Tools, oils, Dyes & Twines, Shoe and Saddlers Thread, Silks, etc. 2403.100x 62 invoices, Jan-Dec 1885, compiled by J. H. Abbott & Co., Edinburgh Tannery.sales of australian leather, shipments ofhides to england, shipments from melbourne & england

business records/correspondenceAbbott Collection: 1885 correspondence between J. H. Abbott and suppliers (all handwritten correspondence, but difficult to decipher): 2403.103A 10 January 1900, 58 invoices - The Australian Explosives & Chemical Coy. Ltd. manufacturers of High Explosives and detonators - gelignite 2403.103B 29 August 1900 - Banks & Company, Importers and warehousemen- watch 2103.103C 12 June 1900 - Barnet Glass & Sons, Kensington, Vic.; Pioneer India Rubber Works of Australia, Kensington. - decorative glass 2403.103D 12 Sept 1900 - Bennie, Teare & Co., Melb. Importers of Materials & Furnishing for Mining & Engineering - steel bars. 2403.103E 30 Jun - 31 Dec 1900, 15 invoices - Bickford, Smith & Co.; Manufacturers, Inventors & Original Patentees of Safety Fuse - coils 2403.103F 21 Nov 1900 - P. Blashki & Sons, Melb.; Importers and Manufacturers - aprons & cases. 2403.103G Jan - Dec 1900, 48 invoices - Briscoe & Co, Melb.; Wholesale Ironmongers, Iron & Machinery Merchants - gelignite 2403.103H Nov 1900 - Caledonian Insurance Company; - insurance reminder of expiry on 11 Dec 1900. 2403.103I 13 Nov 1900 - John Danks & Son., Melb.; Manufacturers of Sheet Lead, Compo. & Tin Pipe - steam cock 2403.103J 27 Oct 1900 - Wm. Geo. Dean, Melb. importers of Paper, hangings - roll of Crocketts Bright Duck 2403.103K 28 Aug - 15 Nov 1900, 3 invoices - M. Donaghy & Sons., Geelong; manufacturers of steam-laid & round ropes - New Zealand rope & manila rope, and hashing 2403.103L 3 Jul - 18 Dec 1900, 14 invoices - C. S. Green & Son. Melb., wholesale ironmongers - various iron fittings. 2403.103M 13 Jul - 10 Dec 1900, 5 invoices - Felton, Grimwade & Co. - Russian Glue, Acid Crates & Jars 2403.103N 3 Jul - 13 Dec 1900, 15 invoices - N. Guthgridge . Ltd. Melb.; Rand Drill & Rackarock - "Globe" Valve Oil. 2403.103O 14 Jul - 18 Dec 1900, 10 invoices - The India Rubber, Gutta Peacha Telegraph Works Co. - Silvertan red tabs. 2403.103P 3 & 27 Aug 1900, 2 invoices - B. Glass, Indiarubber Waterproof & Clothing Manufacturer - pad valves. 2403.103Q 28 Jul 1900, 1 invoice - Jeavons & Allman, Paper Merchants and Importers - parchment, brown paper. 2403.103R 1 Jan - 1 Dec 1900, 15 invoices - J. Kitchen & Sons & Apollo Company, Sterine Candle, Sopa & Soda Crystal Manufacturers & Oil Refiners - boxes Petroleum Candles. 3403.103S 5 Jan - 7 Dec 1900, 14 invoices - McMicking & Co., agents for Curtis & Harvey Limited and Kames Gunpowder Co; sole Makers of "AMBERITE" Patent Smokeless Gunpowder - Curtis & Harvey's Gelignite. 2403.103T 6 Jul - 7 Dec 1900, 7 invoices - Thomas McPherson & Son, Machinery & Iron Merchants - Kayes Oil Feeders. 2403.103U 23 Jul - 26 Nov 1900, 4 invoices - Jaames Miller & Co., Rope, Twine Mats & Matting Manufacturers - Sampson Line & Engine Packing 2403.103V 24 Aug - 15 Nov, 3 invoices - Michaelis, Hallenstein Co., Tanners, Curriers & Leather Merchants, Importers of Grindery - Neatsfoot Oil. 2403.103W 6 Jul - 29 Nov, 14 invoices - Morris and Meeks, Wholesaler Ironmongers & Machinery Merchants - washes & steel nails. 2403.103X 19 Dec 1900, 1 invoice - James Munday, Tanner, Currier & leather Merchant - Manufacturers of Mill Belting, Boot Uppers & Neatsfoot Oil 2403.103Y 28 Jul - 28 Nov 1900, 13 invoices - The National Explosives Co. Ltd., Blasting Gelatine, Gelatine Dynamite, Gelignite, Dynamite, Cordite Detonators 2403.103Z 30 Aug - 9 Nov 1900, 3 invoices - The New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Company Limited - Basils & Harness 2403.103ZA 26 Jul - 26 Nov 1900, 3 invoices - Noyes Bros. - Flasks Quicksilver. 2403.103ZB 16 Jul - 13 dec 1900, 15 invoices - Thomas P. Power, Saddlers, Ironmongers & Manufacturer - stirrups, buckles & Boots. 2403.103ZC 19 Dec 1900, 1 invoice - Perdriau Bros., Manufacturers s and Importers 0f Waterproof Coats, Rugs, leggings, Rubber Boots and Tennis Shoes, Garden Hoser, Steam Hose, Canvas Hose, Special Packings, Sheet Rubber, etc. 2403.103ZD 26 Nov 1900, 1 invoice - Rocke, Tempsit & Co., Wholesale Druggists and General Importers - Corks & Bungs. 2403.103ZE 5 Oct 1900, 1 invoice - W. & F. Rose, Wholesale and export Paint and General Brush Manufacturers - Brooms and Brushes. 2403.103ZF 31 Jan - 31 Dec 1900, 16 invoices - Reid Brothers & Russell, Importers of every description of Mines' and Engineers' Furnishings - Gelignite. 2403.103ZG 7 Nov - 0 Dec 1900, 3 invoices - A. & J. Stewart & Menzies Ltd., Manufacturers of Tubes and Steel Plates - Bulk unions and galvanised plugs. 2403.103ZH 25 Oct - 20 Dec 1900, 3 invoices - Tuck & Co. Ltd. Asbestos & Rubber Manufacturers, Patentees of "Tucks' Genuine" Packing - Coils of Tucks Genuine Pkg. 2403.103ZI 8 Aug - 10 Dec 1900, 8 invoices - Ullathorne, Hartridge & Co. Ltd. - Tingles. French Blacking and Malleable Hob. 2403.103ZJ 6 Jul - 23 Oct 1900, 3 invoices - Wallace Pneumatic Tyre Company - Tubes Fitted. 2403.103ZK 19 Sept 1900, 1 invoice - Wehl Brothers, Importers and Indentors of Tanning, Lubricating & Batching Oils - Oil. 2403.103ZL 5 Jul - 15 Dec, 5 invoices - E. L. Yencken & Co. Pty. Ltd., Oil Clor and Glass Merchants - Silver Plate and Plate Case. 2403.103ZM 27 July - 17 dec, 47 dockets - J. H. Abbott & Co. Edinburgh Tannery.shipments from melbourne & england, invoices for purchases from melbourne based companies

This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity in foundries and expansion of demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. The summary of the LOCH ARD cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’, does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not a large consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size from a visual appraisal. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome and was presented with a medal and some money. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A Morgan’s Patent graphite crucible No.8 (i.e. 8kgs capacity), one of a set. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is in its original grey colouring with minimal sediment accretion on the top rim. It rises in a slight curve from a flat circular base to a wider rim with a pouring lip. Maker’s marks on the side of the container clearly identify the manufacturer. The maker's details are stamped into the base around and within a circle. A white sticker is attached. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London. Number “8”. Letters “MORGAN’S PATENT”. Details on the base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Symbol [8] above "BATTERSEA WORKS LONDON" Handwritten on a white sticker in black pen "LA/89"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgans crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, crucible, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, port campbell

This document, also referred to as a word picture or Tablet, is framed in glass and timber with gilt trim, is handwritten with colour highlights. The penned letters rest on ruled guide lines, decorated where the lines intersect. The writing gives a description of the state of Borough of Warrnambool around 1875; its location, the area it covers, its population, Harbour and facilities, public buildings and institutions, imports and exports, financial worth, number of houses, connection with other areas of the Colony. A possible reason and origin for the document is found in an article ‘Link with US Exhibition’ from the Warrnambool Standard of December 19, 1981, written by local historian Bruce Morris. The writer mentions that the Warrnambool Borough Council met on 15th June 1875 and recorded a letter from G.C. Levey , secretary to the Melbourne group of commissioners representing the Colony, and Victoria in particular, for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The letter asks Council to provide “statistics as to the population, social condition and commercial and industrial state of the district in and around Warrnambool.” A sub committee was formed for the project. The Mayor, Cr. Thomas King, wrote and signed a Report, presented to the council on July 14, 1875, in which “The Committee … begs to recommend that a Tablet be prepared setting for the particulars respecting the following matters relating to the Borough”. The matters included area, population, annual income, churches, schools, other public buildings, societies and companies, general description of houses erected, and returns of exports and imports for 1874. The minutes note that the Report was adopted. The article above also notes the opinion of Warrnambool printers who have examined the document; it is almost certainly to be an old lithograph, which means there could be several copies. It is possible that there may be a copy in Melbourne and another in Philadelphia. It is interesting to note that (1) the quoted location co-ordinates are for an “Unnamed Road, Packsaddle NSW 2880, Australia”, and that the DMS co-ordinates for Warrnambool’s Council Offices differ, being 38.23.9.12 South, 142.28.52.887. (2) the date for “Exports and Imports for the Year Ending 30th June 1875” is different to the period mentioned by Cr. King in the sub committee’s Report of recommendation “returns of exports and imports for 1874”. The information required to have the figures for the end of June 1875 would need to have been compiled very quickly for the Tablet to be ready for the opening of the Philadelphia Exhibition on 10 May 1876. The document/certificate shows the following – - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “Victoria Australia, Borough of Warrnambool. Latitude, 30.24.50 South, Longitude 142.32 East The Principal Port in the Western District of the Colony and the Centre of its Choicest Agricultural Lands. Established a Municipality in 1855, and Created a Borough 1863. Population in 1875 4,500. Warrnambool is the nearest Port to Melbourne on the Western Seaboard, being about 160 miles distant. Coaches run to and from the Metropolis daily, in connexion [connection] with the Railway of Geelong and Steamers belonging to Local Companies sail between Melbourne, Warrnambool, Belfast [renamed Port Fairy], and Portland several times weekly. The Harbour is known as Lady Bay, and is partially protected by a reef of rocks stretching from the mouth of the Hopkins River. The formation of a Breakwater has been decided upon by the Government, to extend 600 yards, at an estimated cost of £100,000. There are two substantial Jetties, one of 800 and the other of 600 feet in length. The former is connected with the Town by means of a Tramroad, along which Goods, inwards & outwards, are conveyed, & the latter has been constructed solely for the purpose of facilitating the transit of material for the formation of the Breakwater. In addition to the trade of the Borough and District, the principal Townships up country receive their supplies from Melbourne and ship their exports through Warrnambool. Potatoes form the staple produce of the district, and the richness of the soil can be estimated by the fact that the Government Statistics for 1875 give as the average yield a return of Seven Tons to the acre. Several thousand acres between Warrnambool and Tower Hill are now being laid down in Potatoes by Tenants who have leased the lands at rates up to £5 per acre for the season 1875-6. Wool, Tallow, hides &c are also largely exported, while the shipments of all descriptions of Farm Produce are annually increasing. Area of Borough, 3362 Acres. Net Annual Value £27,000. Annual Revenue £5,500. Number of Houses in Borough 800. Public Buildings and Institutions Churches. Church of England, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Congregational and Baptist. Schools. Three State Schools, average attendance nearly 1000. New Building in course of erection. Several private establishments. Banks. Bank of Australasia, Bank of Victoria, National Bank, Colonial Bank and Savings Bank. Public Buildings. Court house, Custom house, Post & Telegraph Offices, Survey & Land Offices, Shire £, Town Hall, Mechanics Institute, Volunteer Orderly Room, Odd Fellows Hall, Hospital & Benevolent Asylum, Temperance Hall &c. Companies & Societies. Steam Navigation Co, Woolen Mill Co, Gas Co, Racing Club, Amateur Turf Club, Agricultural Society, Farmers’ Club, Cricket Club, Anglers’ Society, Building Society, Freemasons Odd Fellows, Foresters, Druids, Hibernians. Protestant Alliance, Rechabites, Sons of Temperance, &c, Fire Brigade &c. --- Exports and Imports for the Year Ending 30th June 1875 –-- --Exports Total Tonnage 27,800 (Calculated at the Current Warrnambool Market Prices) Potatoes Wool Wheat Barley Hides Skins Fowls Butter Cheese Eggs Tallow Leather Ale Pigs Sheep Sundries --Imports 13,000 Tons Of the Estimated Value of £520,000 Total Tonnage of Exports and Imports 40m900 Tons, Value £806,627 Passenger Travels, to ad from Warrnambool during year, 10,000 persons Revenue from all sources paid through Warrnambool Sub Treasury From 1860 to June 1875 £1, 292, 300 Thomas King [signed] Mayor Henry T Read [signed] Town Clerk” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The document is of historical, social, economic and local significance in that it summarises activities, business, community, trade, travel and government at a point in time in Warrnambool’s history – 30th June 1875.Document, also referred to as a ‘word picture’ or ‘tablet’. Document is framed in glass and timber with gilt trim, handwritten with colour highlights. The penned letters rest on ruled guide lines, decorated where the lines intersect. Document outlines the establishment of Warrnambool as a Municipality in 1855 and Borough in 1863, with a population of 4,500 in 1875. It states geographic location, public buildings and institutions, harbor facilities and imports and exports for the year ending 30th June 1875. Two signatures "Thomas King" Mayor and "Henry T Read" Town Clerk. It shows the Coat of Arms of the Borough of Warrnambool.Signatures - "Thomas King" Mayor and "Henry T Read" Town Clerk. Warrnambool Coat of Arms; “British Coat of Arms, above sailing vessel and sheaf of wheat in sun, motto “By these we flourish” and around circumference “Borough of Warrnambool 1855”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, borough of warrnambool, municipality of warrnambool, document borough of warrnambool 1875, word picture of warrnambool 1875, tablet of borough of warrnambool 1875, statistics borough of warrnambool 1875, lithograph borough of warrnambool 1875, coat of arms warrnambool, warrnambool city motto – in these we flourish, establishment of warrnambool, warrnambool history, thomas king mayor of warrnambool, henry t read town clerk of warrnambool, warrnambool breakwater, warrnambool jetty, warrnambool imports and exports 1875, warrnambool agriculture 1875, warrnambool business 1875, warrnambool population 1875, centennial exhibition philadelphia 1876, framed certificate

This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity in foundries and expansion of demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. The summary of the LOCH ARD cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’, does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not a large consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size from a visual appraisal. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome and was presented with a medal and some money. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417 Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known ahipwrecks in Victoria’s history.A Morgan’s Patent graphite crucible No.4 (i.e. 4kgs capacity), one of a set of three. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is in its original grey colouring with minimal sediment accretion on the top rim. It rises in a slight curve from a flat circular base to a wider rim with a pouring lip. Maker’s marks on the side of the container clearly identify the manufacturer. The maker's details are stamped into the base around and within a circle. A white sticker is attached. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London.Number or. Letters “MORGAN’S PATENT”. Details on the base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Symbol [4] above "BATTERSEA WORKS LONDON" Handwritten on a white sticker in black pen "L89"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, crucible, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, port campbell

Crucibles are used for heating and pouring molten metal. The set of six crucibles was raised from the wreck of the Loch Ard and includes a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All were manufactured by the Morgan brothers who founded the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company in 1856, making crucibles in a small factory in Battersea London. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, and abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles this technique was pioneered by the Morgan Bros thereby making a significant technological advance in foundry technology and metallurgy. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm's manufacturing rights and began producing their graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the Loch Ard suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies or at Melbourne's International Exhibition to be held in 1880. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers' 'Black Potteries' at Battersea indicates: "All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilograms; a No. 3, three kilograms, and so on." These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size. A brief history of the Loch Ard (1873-1878): - The sailing ship Loch Ard was one of the famous Loch Line of ships that sailed the long voyage from England to Australia. Barclay, Curdle and Co. built the three-masted iron vessel in Glasgow in 1873. It had sailed three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of recently married, 29-year-old Captain Gibbs. It was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, and a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. Other cargo included items intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The Loch Ard had been sailing for three months and was close to its destination on June 1, 1878. Captain Gibbs had expected to see land at about 3 am but the Loch Ard ran into a fog that greatly reduced visibility and there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. The fog lifted at 4 am and the sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast were much closer to them than Captain Gibbs expected. He tried to manage the vessel but failed and the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. The top deck loosened from the hull, and the masts and rigging crashed down, knocking passengers and crew overboard. The lifeboat was launched by Tom Pearce but crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. He clung onto its overturned hull and sheltered under it. He drifted out to sea and the tide brought him back to what is now called Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore and found a cave for shelter. A passenger, Eva Carmichael, had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening and was confronted by towering cliffs above the ship. She was soon swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He swam out and dragged her to the shelter of the cave. He revived her with a bottle of brandy from a case that had washed up on the beach. Tom scaled a cliff in search of help and followed some horse hoof prints. He came from two men from Glenample Station, three and a half miles away. He told the men of the tragedy and then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. They reached Loch Ard Gorge and took the two shipwreck survivors to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome and was presented with a medal and some money. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collection's objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.This crucible is the smallest of three nested crucibles, or fluxing pots, numbered according to their size. These containers rise slightly from a smaller flat base to a wider open top with a lip for pouring. They were recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. The crucibles have a coating of sediment that obscures some of their numerical specifications of size and capacity. Made by the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company at the Battersea Works in London. The number on this crucible is obscured by the sticker.Stamped into side "MORGAN'S PATENT" Stemped into base "MORGAN'S PATENT" "THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY" Sticker "L 96"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, loch ard, morgan potteries, crucible, fluxing pot, nested crucibles, heat proof container, metal worker, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, morgans crucible company, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fluxing pots, morgan’s patent, morgan brothers, patent plumbago crucible co, battersea works, london, loch ard gorge, port campbell

This photograph was one of ten photographs donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village by Fred Trewartha. Frederick John Fox Trewartha (Fred) was a well-known Warrnambool businessman. He was born in Beeac near Geelong in 1920 and came to Warrnambool with his family as a very young child. He was apprenticed to his father John, as a saddler and later opened his own shop on Raglan Parade. He then moved into working with tarpaulins and canvases for the trucking industry. Fred was keenly interested in photography (and was a member of the Warrnambool Cine Club), yachting and boat building. He kept his yacht moored at Port Fairy for many years and participated in sailing events locally and interstate. He also built boats with his sons. He had the opportunity to meet many older sailors and it's thought this photo (and others in the set) may have been given to him by one of these men. Fred Trewartha died in 2016 in Warrnambool. The two identifiable ships in this picture are the "Speculant" and the "S. S. Flinders" - both coastal trading vessels that regularly came and went from Warrnambool. The third steamer on the left hasn't been identified The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village.. The S. S. Flinders was built by A. J. Inglis, Ltd, Pointhouse, Glasgow in 1878 for the "Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company', Hobart which merged with the "Union Steamship Company" of New Zealand and it was later sold to the firm "McIlwraith, McEacham and Company". It was built of iron and was 1000 tons and 227 feet, 1 inch long. It was described as "splendidly fitted up for the carriage of passengers and her cargo space was also very large". In the saloon about 130 passengers could be accommodated while the second class had sufficient room for one hundred passengers. In 1890, the S. S. Flinders would leave Melbourne on Mondays and Thursdays at 5 pm and reach Warrnambool the following morning at 8 am. On the return it would leave Warrnambool on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 5 pm and reach Melbourne the following morning. In 1896, the Weekly Times described the "steamer Flinders (otherwise known as "the Warrnambool mailboat") as "as good a sample of a seagoing steamer as there is trading on the Victorian Coast at the present time". In April 1896 newspaper reports noted the S. S. Flinders took 2915 bags of potatoes from Warrnambool to Melbourne (the largest shipment of that season) as well as 50 tons of tinned rabbits from the Hamilton Preserving Factory. It was also noted that particularly during the Christmas period, there were excessive demands for berths from holiday makers wanting to enjoy a holiday in Warrnambool. In May 1903, the S. S. Flinders narrowly escaped destruction when an explosion and subsequent fire occurred during the passage from Melbourne to Warrnambool. A drum (which apparently contained carbide of calcium) exploded and blew off a hatch cover. As the steamer got to within a mile or two of Warrnambool, smoke was seen coming out of the hold and (unknown to the passengers) flames had taken hold. The crew quickly got to work - closing down all the hatches and pumping water into the hold through a hole in the saloon floor. There were 30 or 40 cases of kerosene on board. The Flinders continued on to Warrnambool and berthed at the Breakwater. The passengers all went ashore - many unaware of the danger they had been in. A telephone message was sent to the local Fire Brigade Station however the fire was extinguished before the firemen and their equipment arrived. After the hold was checked, the Flinders was certified as seaworthy and left for Portland. The Flinders continued to transport Western District produce as well as passengers from Warrnambool to Melbourne until 1906 when (due to a decrease in shipping trade during the Winter and the availability of train services) the Flinders was replaced by the smaller steamer "Dawn" and in 1907 when it was sold to the "Adelaide Steamship Company" for use in the Western Australia coastal trade, it was replaced by the "S. S. Barrabool".This photograph is a significant record of two of the well known coastal traders (the "Speculant" and the "Flinders") that sailed along the south west coast of Victoria for many years - transporting goods and passengers between Melbourne and Warrnambool.Black and white photograph of the Breakwater in Warrnambool with two ships docked and another in the bay. On the front boat (the Speculant), men can be seen at the wheel, on the deck and on the bottom two booms where they appear to be furling the sails. The sails of the top booms are already furled. A small boy can be seen on the deck and a young girl, two women and a dog are on the Breakwater. There is a steam ship (the S. S. Flinders) tied up behind the "Speculant" and an unidentified steam ship (with smoke coming from its smokestack) in the bay. There is a blue and black handwritten label on the back of the photo - naming the ships and the owner of the photo.Speculant and Flinders / Passenger ship in / Lady Bay / name of donor and phone numberflagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, speculant, barque speculant, flinders, s. s. finders, steamship flinders, coastal trader, passenger ship, goods, steamer, breakwater, lady bay, warrnambool mailboat, p. j. mcgennan, peter john mcgennan, butter boxes, captain jacobsen, cape patton, tasmanian steam navigation company

This photograph was one of ten photographs donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village by Fred Trewartha. Frederick John Fox Trewartha (Fred) was a well-known Warrnambool businessman. He was born in Beeac near Geelong in 1920 and came to Warrnambool with his family as a very young child. He was apprenticed to his father John, as a saddler and later opened his own shop on Raglan Parade. He then moved into working with tarpaulins and canvases for the trucking industry. Fred was keenly interested in photography (and was a member of the Warrnambool Cine Club), yachting and boat building. He kept his yacht moored at Port Fairy for many years and participated in sailing events locally and interstate. He also built boats with his sons. He had the opportunity to meet many older sailors and it's thought this photo (and others in the set) may have been given to him by one of these men. Fred Trewartha died in 2016 in Warrnambool. The three identifiable ships in this picture are the "Speculant", the "S. S. Barrabool" and the "S. S. Flinders" - coastal trading vessels that regularly came and went from Warrnambool. The steamer on the left hasn't been identified. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village.. The S. S. Flinders was built by A. J. Inglis, Ltd, Pointhouse, Glasgow in 1878 for the "Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company', Hobart which merged with the "Union Steamship Company" of New Zealand and it was later sold to the firm "McIlwraith, McEacham and Company". It was built of iron and was 1000 tons and 227 feet, 1 inch long. It was described as "splendidly fitted up for the carriage of passengers and her cargo space was also very large". In the saloon about 130 passengers could be accommodated while the second class had sufficient room for one hundred passengers. In 1890, the S. S. Flinders would leave Melbourne on Mondays and Thursdays at 5 pm and reach Warrnambool the following morning at 8 am. On the return it would leave Warrnambool on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 5 pm and reach Melbourne the following morning. In 1896, the Weekly Times described the "steamer Flinders (otherwise known as "the Warrnambool mailboat") as "as good a sample of a seagoing steamer as there is trading on the Victorian Coast at the present time". In April 1896 newspaper reports noted the S. S. Flinders took 2915 bags of potatoes from Warrnambool to Melbourne (the largest shipment of that season) as well as 50 tons of tinned rabbits from the Hamilton Preserving Factory. It was also noted that particularly during the Christmas period, there were excessive demands for berths from holiday makers wanting to enjoy a holiday in Warrnambool. In May 1903, the S. S. Flinders narrowly escaped destruction when an explosion and subsequent fire occurred during the passage from Melbourne to Warrnambool. A drum (which apparently contained carbide of calcium) exploded and blew off a hatch cover. As the steamer got to within a mile or two of Warrnambool, smoke was seen coming out of the hold and (unknown to the passengers) flames had taken hold. The crew quickly got to work - closing down all the hatches and pumping water into the hold through a hole in the saloon floor. There were 30 or 40 cases of kerosene on board. The Flinders continued on to Warrnambool and berthed at the Breakwater. The passengers all went ashore - many unaware of the danger they had been in. A telephone message was sent to the local Fire Brigade Station however the fire was extinguished before the firemen and their equipment arrived. After the hold was checked, the Flinders was certified as seaworthy and left for Portland. The Flinders continued to transport Western District produce as well as passengers from Warrnambool to Melbourne until 1906 when (due to a decrease in shipping trade during the Winter and the availability of train services) the Flinders was replaced by the smaller steamer "Dawn" and in 1907 when it was sold to the "Adelaide Steamship Company" for use in the Western Australia coastal trade, it was replaced by the "S. S. Barrabool". The S. S. Barrabool was a coastal steamer built by "Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited" in Jarrow, Durham in 1874. It was bought by "Howard Smith Ltd" who was a pioneer in the coal trade between Melbourne and Newcastle. Howards Smith's early fleet contained ships named after local hills and mountains -"You Yangs", "Macedon", "Dandenongs" and "Barrabool". Later they extended their fleet to include ships that were well known in Warrnambool including the "Dawn" and the "Edina". The S. S. Barrabool had a chequered start and was nicknamed the "Great Australian Ram" because of the numerous accidents it was involved in. Between 1875 and 1883 it collided with three other vessels - sinking the "Queensland" on August 3rd, 1876, near Wilson's Promontory and sinking the "Bonnie Dundee" on 10th March 1879 off Lake Macquarie, New South Wales (with the loss of five lives). In August 1884 the Barrabool collided with the steamer "Birksgate" in Port Jackson causing considerable damage to "Birksgate". However in a newspaper article published in the "Truth" in March 1899 the S. S. Barrabool was described as "one of the fine old type of vessels" and "still a stout a craft as ever". The article was describing the practice of a "two-mate" system on board many ships (the Barrabool being one) whereby the company only employs two men (a first and second mate who must alternate watches of four hours each) rather than three mates who work four hours on and eight hours off. It was suggested that ships employing the "two-mate" system may find their insurance policies "null and void" should an accident occur. However the writer did note that the Barrabool was "officered by a captain and first and second mates .. whom it would be impossible to find more capable officers amongst the maritime fleet of the colonies". Between 1900 and 1909 the Barrabool was making regular trips along the east coast of Australia, carrying coal to Hobsons Bay (Melbourne) from Newcastle, Bellambi and Sydney. In 1907 it was brought in as a temporary replacement on the Melbourne to Warrnambool route for the S.S. Flinders. In 1912 the S. S. Barrabool ran aground off the Fitzroy River in Queensland and was found to be uneconomic to repair. It was brought back to Sydney and converted into a hulk. In August 1952 it was towed 17 miles off Sydney and scuttled. “Foyle” written on the photograph is the name of Foyle’s Photographic studio - originally owned by James Charles Foyle. He owned “Foyle’s Photo Card Studios” in Liebig St, Warrnambool, which operated between 1889 – 1919 At the time of the photograph the studio was owned by both Charles and Lilian Foyle (sometimes known as Lillian or Lily), either of whom could have taken this photograph. They also worked together at a later date on the photographs, sketches and paintings of the famous and historical Pioneers’ Honour Board.This photograph is a significant record of three of the well-known coastal traders (the "Speculant", the "S. S. Barrabool" and the "S. S. Flinders") that sailed along the southwest coast of Victoria for many years - transporting goods and passengers between Melbourne and Warrnambool.A black and white photograph titled "Breakwater Pier, Warrnambool". A line of coal trucks on rails are on the Breakwater. There are three ships (one sailing ship and two steamers) moored at the pier. In the left side of the picture is another ship. The name of the photographer is printed in the lower right corner. On the back of the photograph are the handwritten names of the moored ships written in blue pen. It also has the handwritten name, town and telephone number of the donor. In the bottom right hand corner is an upside down stamped number in black ink.Front of photograph - "BREAKWATER PIER, WARRNAMBOOL." "FOYLE PHOTO" Back of photograph - "Sailing Ship" "Speculant sail ship" "Barrabool coal ship" "Flinders Passenger ship" Name of donor W'Bool (and telephone number) "K-7148 M" (stamped upside down)flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, speculant, barque speculant, p. j. mcgennan, peter john mcgennan, speculant wreck, captain jacobsen, s. s. flinders, steamer flinders, a. j. inglis ltd, tasmanian steam navigation company, mcilwraith mceacham and company, warrnambool mailboat, coastal steamer, s. s. barrabool, howard smith ltd, two-mate system, coal ship, dawn, edina, lady bay, breakwater, warrnambool breakwater, foyle, foyle photographic studio warrnambool

A Map drawn in 1852 that shows the 5,120 acres that formed Dendy's Special Survey of 1841. In 1840 Henry Dendy, a farmer in Surrey, England acquired a "Special Survey" from the Commissioners for Land and Emigration which gave Dendy the right to choose land in Port Phillip for the "bargain basement" price of only £1 per acre for 5120 acres, (an area of 8 square miles). The Special Survey also included the right to "the shipment of a worker for every £20 spent on land, whose free passage was paid by the Crown, equalling a total of 100 workers ". Accordingly Dendy sold his English holdings and paid the required £5120 and arrived in Melbourne in February 1841. However by this time land in the new colony was selling for £5 - £40 per acre. Because Henry Dendy possessed the order from the Colonial Office in London he was able to successfully oppose Governor LaTrobe's attempts to alter the price of the land. Dendy appointed Jonathan Were, (an entrepreneur, who had arrived in 1839), as his Manager and who later became a partner. Together, Dendy and Were decided on an area 5 miles south from Melbourne, bounded by North Road, East Boundary Road, South Road and to the west by Port Phillip Bay. Were and Dendy pitched their tents in the area now known as ' Park St, Brighton' and sank a well near the corner of 'St Andrew's St and Wells St'. By 1845 J.B Were and Company had bought almost half of Dendy's land and Were built himself "Moorabbin House" in Were St Brighton made from stone, quarried from local cliffs. It was still standing in 1924. Legend records Moorabbin is named after the Aboriginal word for ' Mother's Milk ' The soil is very fertile and well supplied with water especially in the area called 'East Brighton' - now known as Bentleigh and East Bentleigh - By 1850 the area had developed with numerous market gardens, dairy farms, fruit gardens and vineyards supplying food for the growing population of Melbourne.This Map shows the birth of the Brighton and Moorabbin area. On 18th January1859 Brighton was proclaimed a Municipality and a Borough by October 1863. Meanwhile, following a Petition, the area of East and South Brighton, incorporating Mordialloc, Cheltenham, Mentone, Sandringham and Oakleigh separated from Brighton to form the Moorabbin District Roads Board becoming the first Local Government Authority. Col. William Mair was elected as the first Chairman of the Moorabbin Roads Board. Moorabbin Shire 1871 developed further and was declared a City in1934. The City of Moorabbin was the largest Municipality in Melbourne before the Amalgamation of Councils in 1994 when it was divided in the south to City of Kingston and in the north to City of Glen Eira A Photo-lithographed 1852 Map showing the 5,120 acres that formed Dendy's Special Survey of 1841. Henry Dendy & Jonathan Were chose an area 5 miles south from Melbourne, bounded by North Road, East Boundary Road, South Road and to the west by Port Phillip Bay. Moorabbin County of Bourke / Photo-Lithographed at the department of Lands and Survey. /Melbourne. / Price 1/- brighton, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, dendy henry, bent thomas, were jonathan, special survey

In 1840 Henry Dendy, a farmer in Surrey, England acquired a "Special Survey" from the Commissioners for Land and Emigration which gave Dendy the right to choose land in Port Phillip for the "bargain basement" price of only £1 per acre for 5120 acres, (an area of 8 square miles). The Special Survey also included the right to "the shipment of a worker for every £20 spent on land, whose free passage was paid by the Crown, equalling a total of 100 workers ". Accordingly Dendy sold his English holdings and paid the required £5120 and arrived in Melbourne in February 1841. However by this time land in the new colony was selling for £5 - £40 per acre. Because Henry Dendy possessed the order from the Colonial Office in London he was able to successfully oppose Super-intendant LaTrobe's attempts to alter the price of the land. Dendy appointed Jonathan Were, (an entrepreneur, who had arrived in 1839), as his Manager and who later became a partner. Together, Dendy and Were decided on an area 5 miles south from Melbourne, bounded by North Road, East Boundary Road, South Road and to the west by Port Phillip Bay. Were and Dendy pitched their tents in the area now known as ' Park St, Brighton' and sank a well near the corner of 'St Andrew's St and Wells St'. By 1845 J.B Were and Company had bought almost half of Dendy's land and Were built himself "Moorabbin House" in Were St Brighton made from stone, quarried from local cliffs. It was still standing in 1924. Legend records Moorabbin is named after the Aboriginal word for ' Mother's Milk ' The soil is very fertile and well supplied with water especially in the area called 'East Brighton' - now known as Bentleigh and East Bentleigh - By 1850 the area had developed with numerous market gardens, dairy farms, fruit gardens and vineyards supplying food for the growing population of Melbourne.In 1840 Henry Dendy, a farmer in Surrey, England acquired a "Special Survey" from the Commissioners for Land and Emigration which gave Dendy the right to choose land in Port Phillip for the price of only £1 per acre for 5120 acres. This land was called Brighton in the Parish of Moorabbin, County of Bourke and emigrants developed the land establishing market gardens , dairy and poultry farms that provided the food for the growing population of Melbourne. A photocopy of the Genealogy Chart of the Dendy Family that Henry Dendy brought with him when he emigrated to Melbourne 1841Genealogy signs and descriptionsdendy henry, dendy's special survey brighton 1841, governor gipps, captain lonsdale, super-intendant latrobe, port phillip, melbourne, new south wales, squatters, emmigrants, county of bourke, parish of moorabbin, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, dairy farmers, fruit farms, moorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, were jonathan binn,

This is a copy of the document brought by Henry Dendy to the Colony in 1841. In 1840 Henry Dendy, a farmer in Surrey, England acquired a "Special Survey" from the Commissioners for Land and Emigration which gave Dendy the right to choose land in Port Phillip for the "bargain basement" price of only £1 per acre for 5120 acres, (an area of 8 square miles). The Special Survey also included the right to "the shipment of a worker for every £20 spent on land, whose free passage was paid by the Crown, equalling a total of 100 workers ". Accordingly Dendy sold his English holdings and paid the required £5120 and arrived in Melbourne in February 1841. However by this time land in the new colony was selling for £5 - £40 per acre. Because Henry Dendy possessed the order from the Colonial Office in London he was able to successfully oppose Super-intendant LaTrobe's attempts to alter the price of the land. Dendy appointed Jonathan Were, (an entrepreneur, who had arrived in 1839), as his Manager and who later became a partner. Together, Dendy and Were decided on an area 5 miles south from Melbourne, bounded by North Road, East Boundary Road, South Road and to the west by Port Phillip Bay. Were and Dendy pitched their tents in the area now known as ' Park St, Brighton' and sank a well near the corner of 'St Andrew's St and Wells St'. By 1845 J.B Were and Company had bought almost half of Dendy's land and Were built himself "Moorabbin House" in Were St Brighton made from stone, quarried from local cliffs. It was still standing in 1924. Legend records Moorabbin is named after the Aboriginal word for ' Mother's Milk ' The soil is very fertile and well supplied with water especially in the area called 'East Brighton' - now known as Bentleigh and East Bentleigh - By 1850 the area had developed with numerous market gardens, dairy farms, fruit gardens and vineyards supplying food for the growing population of Melbourne. A copy of a paper chart of the Pedigree of Henry Dendy in a wooden frame with glassPedigree / of the branch of the family / DENDY moorabbin, brighton, henry dend special survey 1841 y, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners

Four photograph enlargements from John Jansson's collection. Farm work on three properties: Underdown's farm, Rhyll; Harbison's - wool being carted for shipment to Melbourne by Ketch from Cowes Jetty; McIlwraith's farm harvesting hay at their property called "Heath Hill" at Rhyll.Four enlargements of original photographs and postcards mounted on cardboard for display purposes. 292-01 Norm Smith with a four horse team preparing ground for Chicory. 292-02. Wool Team on road to Cowes 292-03. Horse and dray loaded with stacks of hay - workers in background at McIlwraith's farm "Heath Hill", Rhyll 292-04. Horse and dray with family including ladies and children.292-02. Many Happy Returns. Good Luck. Phillip island - Wool Team on road to Cowes. 292-03. Harvest time on Phillip Island. Victoria underdown, harbison, mcilwraith, heath hill, chicory farming, wool carting, john jansson

This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity in foundries and expansion of demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggest they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. The summary of cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’ does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not a large consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six are of the same size from a visual appraisal.The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417A large crucible, or fluxing pot, for heating and pouring molten metal. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The clay fired vessel rises from circular flat base to a larger rim with pouring lip. It is stained a rust colour and bears some sedimentary accretion. Half of its loose fitting lid with central knob has also survived. Markings on the artefact indicate it is a Morgan’s crucible, made with graphite to prevent cracking in the furnace and provide a smooth (non-adhesive) inner surface. On base: “…RGAN’S PATENT CRUCIBLE”. On rim: “MORGAN’S PATENT P…” Below top edge "BAK"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgans crucible company, loch ard, fluxing pot, crucible

This crucible was raised from the wreck of the Loch Ard. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All were manufactured by the Morgan brothers who founded the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company in 1856, making crucibles in a small factory in Battersea London. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mold to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles this technique was pioneered by the Morgan Bros thereby making a significant technological advance in foundry technology and metallurgy. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially, they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm's manufacturing rights and began producing their graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the Loch Ard suggests they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies or at Melbourne's International Exhibition to be held in 1880. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers' 'Black Potteries' at Battersea indicates: "All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilograms; a No. 3, three kilograms, and so on." These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six is of the same size. (For more information on the Loch Ard wreck see note sec this document) The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the crucible is a small part. The collections objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.A medium size crucible, or fluxing pot, for heating and pouring molten metal. The container rises in a slight curve from a smaller flat base to a wider open top with a lip for pouring. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The crucible has a coating of sediment that obscures its numerical specifications of size and capacity. The markings that remain visible indicate it is a Morgan’s crucible, made with graphite to prevent cracking and provide a smooth non-adhesive inner surface. .On base: “…ORGAN’S …ENT”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, loch ard, morgan potteries, crucible, fluxing pot

This crucible was raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. It is one of six similar relics, in a range of sizes, now in the Flagstaff Hill collection. All bear markings to indicate their manufacture by the Morgan brothers of Battersea, trading as the Patent Plumbago Crucible Co. A crucible is a container used for purifying and melting metals so that they can be cast in a mould to a predetermined shape and use. They must withstand extremely high temperatures, abrupt cooling, and shed their contents with minimal adherence. The addition of graphite to the traditional firing clays greatly enhanced the durability of industrial crucibles in mid-Victorian Britain, a significant technological advance at a time of great activity and expansion in foundries and demand for refined metals. The Morgans first noticed the advantages of graphite crucibles at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851. Initially they contracted to be sole selling agents for the American-made products of Joseph Dixon and Co. from New Jersey, but in 1856 they obtained that firm’s manufacturing rights and began producing their own graphite crucibles from the South London site. The Morgans imported crystalline graphite in 4-5 cwt casks from the British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and mixed it with conventional English (Stourbridge) clays to be fired in kilns. Their products were purchased by the Royal Mints in London and India, and exported to official mints in France and Germany. They were successful exhibitors of their crucibles and furnaces at the London Exhibition held in 1861 (Class 1, Mining, quarrying, metallurgy and mineral products, Exhibit 265, Patent Plumbago Crucible Co). The range of sizes represented by the six crucibles retrieved from the LOCH ARD, suggest they may have been part of a sample shipment intended for similar promotion in the Australian colonies ― at Melbourne’s International Exhibition to be held in 1880. A summary of the LOCH ARD cargo manifest, by Don Charlwood in ‘Wrecks and Reputations’ does not mention any crucibles, implying that they were not part of a larger consignment of uniform items. A newspaper account of an 1864 tour of the Morgan brothers’ ‘Black Potteries’ at Battersea indicates: “All the pots were numbered according to their contents, each number standing for one kilogram, or a little over two pounds; a No. 2 crucible contains two kilogrammes; a No. 3, three kilogrammes, and so on.” These numbers are obscured by marine sediment on three of the crucibles in the Flagstaff Hill collection, but those legible on the remaining three are 5, 6, and 8. None of the six are of the same size from a visual appraisal. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417A No. 6 size Morgan’s graphite crucible (i.e. 6kgs capacity). The crucible rises in a slight curve from a smaller flat base up to a wider top with a (chipped) pouring lip. It was recovered from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The artefact is largely accretion free despite its long period of submersion at the wreck site. It has a number of visible maker’s markings which identify the manufacturer and the smelting capacity of the pot. The graphite crucible is in fair and stable condition. The number “6” which is framed in a square. The letters “THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY” and “BATTERSEA WORKS COMPANY”. Below rim "... GNS"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, graphite crucible, plumbago crucible, morgan's crucible company, loch ard, crucible, fluxing pot

Fish were transported to the Melbourne market in wicker baskets with layers of bracken fern between the fish. The last known shipment of fish in baskets from Paynesville was around 1900, when wooden boxes were introduced.wicker, baskets, transport

On the Gippsland Lakes fish were caught from small (7m) boats and packed into baskets or boxes on the jetty before shipment to Melbourne.Photo shows fishermen and boats at a local jetty.jetty, boats, baskets

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Tuesday, September 2, 2003. Tall Load: McCulloch carrying company employees take more than 50 bales of wool from Savernake station's merino sheep to the Yarrawonga rail terminal priior to shipment by rail to Melbourne, circa 1936.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

A record shipment of brandy leaving Joshua Brothers Distillery, 1903. There were 300 hogsheads (thirty wagon loads) of "Boomerang Brandy. Leaving Port Melbourne bound for the ship "Illawarra" for London on 13 March 1903. A lasercopy has been made of a promotional photo. View to southwest from Pickles Street industry - manufacturing, transport - horse, transport - shipping, built environment - industrial, joshua brothers distillery, illawarra

business records/correspondenceAbbott Collection: 1884 correspondence between J. H. Abbott and suppliers ( all handwritten correspondence, but difficult to decifer): 2403.99a 10/01/1884 T. J. & T. Powell issues with leather shipment from Abbott to London 2403.99b 11/01/1884 Ullathorne & Co. 12 bales of leather 2403.99c 18/01/1884 Memorandum from Ullathorne & Co. confirming 11 Jan consignment of leather 2403.99d 1/02/1884 Ullathorne & Co. confirming the assignment issues 2403.99e 8/02/1884 J.J. Schweizer & Co. concerning consignment quantities of not less than 5 to 10 tons 2403.99f 8/02/1884 T.J. & J. Powell acknowledging 19 Dec exchange re 12 bales pf leather per "Carlisle Castle" 2403.99g 5/02/1884 2-page letter Ullathorne & Co. requesting authorisation by Abbott of a consignment of leather for sale at 10/04 2403.99h 8/02/1884 most difficult to decipher double page letter re "Oakwood Buffalo Brand" 2403.99i 7/03/1884 T.J. & J. Powell acknowledging past correspondence of 29/02 and that they have sold 12 bales @ 10/4; also noting past shipment contained a good many brittle grained sides. 2403.99j 29/02/1884 T.J. & J. Powell referring to issues with shipment of plants (a supply of ripe acorns) 2403.99k 7/03/1884 Ullathorne & Co. pleased with the shipment and sale 2403.99l 21/03/1884 Ullathorne & Co. confirming correspondence of 7/03 re the consignment sent by the "Clyde" 2403.99m 7/03/1884 two-page letter from Ullathorne & Co. noting costs for a shipment and adjustment in favour of Abbotts. 2403.99n 27/03/1884 two-page letter from T.J. & J. Powell noting agreement that "a good market is better than a good article" when there is a bad market things are dull and people look with magnifying spectacles at faults in goods" 2403.99o 28/03/1884 memorandum from Ullathorne & Co re financial issue quoted surplus should be noted as a deficit 2403.99p 18/04/1844 letter from T.J. & t. Powell acknowledging the shipment of hides, and reporting a good market and firm prices 2403.99q 21/03/1884 small double-sided letter (difficult to decipher) 2403.99r 24/04/1884 small note (even more difficult to decipher) 2403.99s 1/05/1884 letter from T.J. & T. Powell reporting the market for Australian leather has improved with increased prices, no report of the "Carlisle Castle" anmd its cargo arrival 2403.99t 3/05/1884 letter from T.J. & T. Powell leather from the "Carlisle Castle" has arrived 2403.99u 30/05/1884 letter from Ullathorne & Co. reporting on the arrival of goods from the "Castlisle Castlre" and coment the "your tanning has improved" 2403.99v 5/06/1884 W. & A. Shammers (!) discussion on the quality of goods provided, notably hunting and jig whips 2403.99w 6/06/1884 Ullathorne & Co. a report on prices achieved and charged to Abbott 2403.99x 10/06/1884 Ullathorne & Co. reports on prices for Abbott's goods received and sold from both the "MacCallum More and Carlisle Castle" 2403.99y 20/06/1884 Ullathorne & Co. reports on rerceipt of an order, shipping documents fo the "Peterborough" noting prices are presently favourable to consigners. 2403.99z 27/06/1884 T.J. & T. Powell referencing goods anticipated from the "Peterborough", and looking forward to goods on the "Loch Katrine" 2403.99za 4/07/1884 Ullathorne & Co. acknowledges receoipt of and order from 16/06 2403.99zb 11/07/1884 Ullathorne & Co. encloses acount sales from the "Carlisle Castle" 2403.99zc 25/07/1884 T.J. & T. Powell encloses their monthly report. Noting the "Loch Katrine" has arrived but goods has not yet been discharged 2403.99zd 15/08/1884 two-page letter from W & A Shamman (!) difficult to decipher re dispute or query on prices quoted, charged and received for goods. 2403.99ze 22/08/1884 two-page letter from Ullathorne & Co. referencing costs, beeswax, honey and shipments coming by "Dumbarton , Loch Katrine and Hereward (!)" 2403.99zf 22/08/1884 T.J. & T. Powel re sales from the "Loch Katrine" and acknowledge letter advising 15 bales per the "Narvenne" 2403.99zg 5/09/1884 two-page letter orders dispatched from "Dumbarton and Hereward" make orders up to date; but could not obtain a quotation for Australian honey either by tins or kegs - suggesting a small trial consignment as the best plan to introduce the honey 2403.99zh 10/09/1884 doubler sided letter on blue paper from Ullathorne & Co. difficult to decipher 2403.99zi 26/09/1884 T.J. & T. Powell letter - difficult to decipher 2403.99zj 13/09/1884 Ullathorne & Co. a two-page report on 15 bales of Australian leather from "Ravenna" and per the "Peterborough" 2403.99zk 5/10/1884 T.J. & T. Powell letter 2403.99zl 9/10/1884 two-page blue notes, addressed to Ullathorne & Co.; referencing 7 casks beeswax from "Peterborough" and 3 casks beeswax from "Raveena" 2403.99zm 16/10/1884 T.J. & T. Powell letter reports "since last writing there is nothing fresh to report.... you may rely on our best attention to your consignments and interests" 2403.99zn 17/10/1884 T.J. & T. Powell memorandum re sales of leather from the "Peterborough" 2409.99zo 5/12/1884 small letter from A Shamman (!) Birmingham re late invoice 2403.99zp 12/12/1884 T.J. & T. Powell letter reporting on arrival leather from "Ballarat", "Peterborough", and "Rome" 2403.99zq 19/12/1884 Ullathorne & Co. also reports on sales from leather arriving on the "Ballarat", "Peterborough", and "Rome" 2403.99zr 23/12/1884 two-page letter from T.J. & T. Powell references quality, notably colour of hides, and possible classing as inferior - leaving Abbott to decide options for tanning improvement through Sydney or Melbourne, and therefore sales 2403.99zs 10/12/1884 T.J. & T. Powell reports on 13 bales of Australian leather from the "Rome" shipment, noting four different classifications for sales, focused on colour 2403.99t 3/01 to 21/05/1884 Abbott documentation of hides produced through its Edinburgh Tannery, Bendigodispute on condition of sales, sales of australian leather, shipments ofhides to england

Yields information about how the SEC filed pamphlets or information papers about tramway overhead and associated equipment and letters.Green cardboard file folder with metal clip and binder - "The Acorn Individual File - Foolscap size with title blocks containing the following items: 4910 - Tangential Suspension - overhead 4911.1 - Letter from "The Forest City Electric Co. Limited" to ESCo re Point controllers, tramway signals and warning signs, dated 29/7/1936 - 2 pages 4911.2 - Collins Patent Automatic Point Turner - sheet 19 - 4 pages - sheet 19, two copies 4911.2a - ditto, sheet 18 QT - four pages 4911.3 - Electrically operated Point switches, overhead frogs and signals for tramcar depots. - four pages 4911.4 - Automatic Tramway Signals - five pages - sheet ATS1 4911.5 - Universal Insulator - Sheet 17 - 2 pages 4911.6 - Porcelain hangers - sheet 15/1 - 2 pages 4911.7 - Porcelain insulators for cap and cone supension - page 11, 1 page. 4911.8 - Motor Bus and Tramcar Stage and Fare Signs in Cast Aluminium - sheet MD2 - 1 page 4911.9 - Flashers and Spellers - Sheet F1 - 2 pages 4911.10 - Forest City Relays - 2 pages 4911.11 - Traffic light - 1 page, sheet 2A 4912 - Memo re Suitability of Mr A. Widdop as a linesman - 18/11/1936 4913.1 - Letter dated 22/6/1937 from Agent General in London to the SEC Melbourne regarding shipment of the Non-Car Counting Signals. 4913.2 - Letter from the Forest City Electric Co 18/6/1937, regarding forwarding a blue print for the signals. 4914 - Letter from the Forest City Electric Co 23/6/1937, regarding forwarding sample insulators and booklet 15.2 4915 - Letter from Sands Hill Manufacturing Co to ESCo re regarding overhead crossings - dated 13/4/1928. 4916 - Memo dated 14/3/1934 to Mr Pringle, regarding tension in trolley wire. 4917 - Letter from T. Strickland MMTB to Bendigo re standard height for ears above rail level - 16/3/1934. Some of these document Scanned in pdf form to COTMA Library 1/2011 On rear of file: Top of file - "Tramways", in title block "Tramway Overhead & Signals" and in bottom right hand corner - "230". On spine - in pencil - "Overhead Parts and Proceedings"trams, tramways, signals, overhead, pamphlets, manual

Photographer notations on slide: "Unloading Timber at Wharves 1933 Age B5" Published: Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854- ), Tuesday 15 August 1933 MAHOGANY FROM MANILA. (1933, August 15). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 16, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204377024 Published title: MAHOGANY FROM MANILA Published Caption: Age Tue 15 Aug 1933 Caption: Unloading Mahogany Logs brought from Manila, Philippine Islands, by the steamer Taiping, which berthed yesterday at Victoria Dock. The vessel discharged twenty logs, each weighing three tons, the first shipment of this type of timber landed in Melbourne. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: This photograph in many ways epitomises Melbourne in the 1930s. It is a time of enormous growth, development and change. But before delving into that, the photo itself is very powerful. The huge mahogany logs being unloaded appear to be so heavy that the ship itself seems to list to port as they are craned over the side. They are being levered into a cart to which two large and sturdy Clydesdale horses are hitched. In contrast to the traditional horses, the wharf is crisscrossed with modern railway tracks. Unloading is both mechanical and manual, and the scene is one of intense interest to a young boy bystander. The ship appears to be squat and solid, but the whole image also gives a feeling of movement and intensity. The mahogany being delivered to Melbourne would be intended for high quality furniture. In the 1930s Australia actually had a growing timber industry, but much of the eucalyptus wood was being utilised for mass produced furniture, and much of this furniture would then have had a veneer applied to it. The fact that it was economic to import this timber from the “Philippine Islands” – not a traditional trading market for Australia – reflects a Victorian economy that was strong enough to support a growing demand for good quality furniture Mahogany was described as a classic, strong hardwood, often used for dark opulent furniture. In the 1930s the importation of timber from Manila (Philippines) to Australia was a notable trade, particularly in Philippine Lauan (often referred to as Philippine Mahogany), which was used as a cheaper alternative to other hardwoods. 1930s furniture, dominated by the art deco style, used a mix of luxurious exotic woods like mahogany, macassar and ebony for high-end pieces, often veneered over less expensive woods such as walnut, birch and poplar, and with plywood, chrome and lacquer also popular for more practical, streamlined designs during the Depression era. By the mid 1930s timber mills were being relocated away from the immediate dock area, but the fact that these logs were being transported by horse-drawn cart implies that the load would not have had to be taken too far for milling. 1885 the Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners had decided that land in or near the city was far too valuable to be used as timber yards. Furthermore, large stacks of timber posed a fire risk. The Trust asked the Victorian Government to reserve a site on the east side of the Yarra River opposite Yarraville and Spotswood. Here, in 1889, the Trust began building six jetties and a wharf specifically for the landing of timber. Clydesdale horses were initially brought to Victoria from Tasmania in the 1830s, and with the 1850s gold rush they were imported direct from Scotland. Melbourne was from its earliest years an important centre of horse-breeding from both imported and colonial-bred stock, providing the well-built draught horse for pulling heavily loaded wagons, the harness horse for delivery work and drawing coaches, and the saddle-horse used for riding. Stud breeding facilities were advertised from the early 1840s. By the 1870s the horse export trade was thriving, and the Port of Melbourne was the country's busiest exporter of horses to Indian, Asian and New Zealand markets. Kirk's Melbourne Horse and Carriage Bazaar in Bourke Street first advertised for business in 1840, and by the 1850s Bourke Street West was famed for its horse bazaars and saleyards. The Victorian Clydesdale Horse Society reports that Clydesdale working horses were a vital part of Melbourne's infrastructure and agricultural industry in the 1930s, when they reached the peak of their popularity despite the increasing competition from mechanization. Their main roles and usage at this time were: • City Delivery: Clydesdales were a common sight for metropolitan deliveries, particularly for breweries (such as Carlton & United Breweries), milk runs, and bread deliveries. • Industrial Work: They were heavily used for hauling cargo at the docks, in construction, and at specialized sites like the Truganina Explosives Reserve, where they pulled wagons. • Agriculture: In surrounding rural areas, they were the primary power source for ploughing and agricultural machinery. • Specialization: By the 1930s, the Clydesdale was smaller and more compact than the Shire or Percheron breeds, making them ideal for navigation in urban environments. After the 1930s their numbers decreased due to the onset of WWI and mechanisation. Wartime petrol rationing led to a brief revival for the working horse, as suburban tradesmen, now used to motor delivery, took their old jinkers out of mothballs. By 1947, however, only 1.5% of city traffic was horse-drawn. In 1952 the large horse cartage company A. Kellet Pty Ltd sold its 250 horses and converted its Richmond stables to storage. In the 1950s at Station and Princes piers, wharf labourers refused to work with the six draught horses still being used to haul trolleys and which were soon superseded by the fork lift, semi-trailer and mobile crane. Where carefully trained horses had once shunted trains in city goods yards, a few hundred a week were now being killed at the abattoirs for pet and human consumption. The last MCC dray horse was withdrawn from service in 1958, but some of the few remaining working animals are used by the mounted police for crowd control at demonstrations and football games. The death knell had also sounded for the associated trades of farrier, saddler and blacksmith. Our photo, therefore, showing the wharf with both the haulage Clydesdales and the rail lines, is a strong visual summary of the social and economic changes experienced in Victoria in the 1930s and on towards the 1950s. Our photo is located at Victoria Dock (also known as Victoria Harbour) which is still an active component of Melbourne’s port system. In 1892 the West Melbourne Dock (later Victoria Dock) was opened, downstream and immediately west of the Spencer Street railway shunting yards. It contained a swing basin for ships, replacing the one which had been provided on the south side of the river, later to be the Duke and Orr dry dock, west of the Charles Grimes Bridge. Further west was the South Wharf along the river bank. The history of Victoria Dock is extremely well described by Ashley Smith in his 2 March 2022 article in Docklands News, and its accompanying aerial photo of the Dock taken in 1934. He writes: "In the early 1930s Victoria Dock was one of the biggest sites for trade and export in Melbourne. A constant queue of ships sailed in, unloaded their cargo, recharged and reloaded, then left for the next port. Around the time this photo was taken (found in a 1934 photo book), the trapezium-shaped basin had been through some changes since its construction in the 1890s. The 497-metre-long Central Pier, finished in 1919, now featured six sheds to house the ever-increasing volume of cargo. The entrance had also been widened in the 1920s to allow better access. Some of the berths featured three-ton jib electric cranes to help with loading cargo and a rail network connected to the State Railway service. By the time construction was completed, the dock was 39 hectares and hailed as the second-largest dock in the world (behind Cavendish Dock, Barrow-in-Furness). To further save costs, excavations were dug to a more reasonable seven metres below low water, instead of British engineer Sir John Coode’s recommended 8.3 metres. Even then, the costs were still around £900,000. It was envisaged, with the extra wharfage, that around thirty 90-metre ships could berth inside. On March 22, 1892, Victoria Dock was opened by Victoria’s Governor, the Earl of Hopetoun (later Australia’s first Governor-General) who opened the sluice to let the Yarra in. It took six days to fill the basin with The Leader newspaper estimating that it would take another six months to completely fill (March 26, 1892). In the end, it took nearly a year before the first ship was allowed to enter on February 20, 1893, when the steamer Hubbuck sailed in to unload 1200 tonnes of cargo in 15 hours. The Argus (February 23, 1893) reported that the ship’s captain, J. R. Brodie, called the Yarra “better than the Thames”, and compared Victoria Dock favourably to the Albert Dock (Liverpool)." This would be a good time to move our focus on to the Taiping, which is the transporter of these giant mahogany logs. The Taiping was a steel-hulled, single-screw passenger-cargo Chinese steamer, which today has the dubious legacy of being involved in a collision headlined as “The Chinese Titanic”. It was constructed by the Hong Kong and Shampoa Dock Company at its facility in Hong Kong, with completion in 1926 for service under the Australia Oriental Line. Her gross register tonnage measured 4,324 tons, reflecting her design for inter-island and coastal trade routes, accommodating both passengers and freight. She operated routes connecting Australian ports with East Asian destinations. As World War II approached, Taiping continued predominantly working the trade routes between China and Australia, until December 1941, when she evacuated women and children from Hong Kong to Manila just before Japanese forces overran the region. She then safely reached Australia despite enemy air raids. Taiping was then requisitioned by the Royal Navy and repurposed as a victualling stores issuing ship for the Eastern Fleet, supporting logistical needs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Returned to the Australian Oriental Line in 1947, she underwent refitting and by mid-1948 was chartered to the Shanghai Shipping Company, and modified for greater passenger accommodation – approximately 500 passengers. In 1948/49 the Chinese Civil War took place. The Taiping departed Shanghai on 26 January 1949 as one of the final vessels evacuating civilians from to Keelung Harbour in Taiwan. Reports indicate that the Taiping carried double the rated capacity of passengers i.e. 1000. The ship carried families, military personnel, civilians, carrying personal belongings, gold and valuables in hope of resettlement in Nationalist Taiwan. It also held heavy cargo in the form of silver and gold bullion loaded by the Central Bank of China. Because of the risk of patrols, and to conserve fuel, the Captain took the ship away from the usual open-sea passage, and instead navigated along the coast. He also extinguished navigation lights to avoid detection. Shortly after midnight on 27 January 1949 the Taiping collided with the smaller cargo steamer Chien Yuan in the East China Sea near the Zhoushan Archipelago. The Chien Yuan was also operating in darkness. The subsequent collision was catastrophic. The Chien Yuan sank with in 5 minutes, with the loss of 72 of its 74 crew. The Taiping sustained severe structural compromise from the broadside strike and initially remained afloat, then made a swift descent into the freezing water, with no attempt at an organised evacuation. No formal recovery process was instigated, however a distress signal went out. 32 survivors were picked up by the Australian destroyer HMAS Warramunga (on patrol nearby), a passing US vessel found 2 more, and local Zhoushan fishermen retrieved others. In the end, only 37 people survived. The event is remembered as a poignant moment in the mass migration to Taiwan, with families tragically separated. A memorial to the disaster exists at the Keelung Harbour naval base on Taiwan. With its total of over 1,500 deaths, it constituted one of the worst peacetime maritime losses. It is sometimes referred to as the “Oriental Titanic” because of the similarly large loss of life and speed of demise with the RMS Titanic in 1912. A fictional depiction of this event appears in the John Woo movies “The Crossing (Part 1) (2014), and The Crossing II (2015), known in Chinese as “Taiping Wheel”. The narrative weaves a story around pre-disaster romances and wartime turmoil among passengers, culminating in the ship’s rapid sinking. “The production, a high-budget Sino-Taiwanese-Hong Kong co-effort, portrays the event as a microcosm of the 1940s Sino-Japanese and civil war legacies, though critics noted the melodramatic style prioritizing spectacle over historical precision.” In conclusion, it is nice to return to our photo, and observe the people involved in this moment. The dockworkers are, so typical of the 1930s, dressed in what looks to us like formal clothing – dark suits or coats, white shirts, and black hats. I am particularly drawn to the young boy, bare-headed, arms crossed, and so intent on the unloading process. He too is wearing a white shirt, black trousers and jacket, and black shoes. This is 1933 Melbourne – but the haircut he is sporting is now very “hipster” and modern in 2026 Melbourne. References: MAHOGANY FROM MANILA. (1933, August 15). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 30, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204377024 Wikipedia, Taiping steamer, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiping_(steamer) Wikipedia, Victoria Dock, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Dock_(Melbourne) Docklands News, Ashley Smith, 2 Mar 2022, https://www.docklandsnews.com.au/victoria-dock/ Living Histories: Heritage Council of Victoria, Jill Barnard, 2008, Jetties and Piers, https://livinghistories.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jetties-ONL-intro_Part-1.pdf eMelbourne, Wharves and Docks, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01612b.htm Australian Academy of Technological Sciences – Harvesting Wood, https://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/225.html Old Treasury Building, On the Water – The Docks, https://tinyurl.com/3wkbk66m Old Treasury Building, On The Road, https://tinyurl.com/dw44yr3t Port of Melbourne, Victorian Places, https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/port-of-melbourne Docklands Heritage Study - Environmental History, https://mvga-prod-files.s3.ap-southeast-4.amazonaws.com/public/2024-05/docklands-heritage-review-thematic-environmental-history-1991.pdf eMelbourne, Horses, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00723b.htm Victorian Clydesdale Horse Society, https://www.clydesdalesvic.org.au/history The Crossing, https://letterboxd.com/film/the-crossing-i/Photographer notations on slide: "Unloading Timber at Wharves 1933 Age B5"ships, shipping, timber industry, shipwrecks, horses, docks, wharves, 1930-1939, wars, docklands