This silver trophy is named "Sir W. Clarke's Trophy" after its donor. Sir William John Clarke, Baronet, who was a citizen and philanthropist, well known in Melbourne and throughout Victoria. He gave donations to many public projects, including Melbourne University and was a patron of many and varied sports. He encouraged the defence services with prizes for competitions among both military and naval forces. In colonial Australia in the 1880s, there was an increase in the size of the colonial military forces, rising from 8,000 in 1883 to 22, 000 in 1885. In 1885, there was a return of unpaid volunteer soldiers, along with a fear of a Russian attack on Australia. As a result, the Sir W.J. Clarke's Trophy was given as a prize in 1885 to Victorian Militia Garrison Battery competition winners, for artillery firing target accuracy. On 12th December 1885, the conclusion of the first artillery competition for Sir W. Clarke's Trophy was held at the Williamstown battery. The first winner of the Sir W. Clarke's Trophy was the Geelong Garrison Battery, with the prize Sir W. Clark's Trophy presented to them in 1886. In 1887, Warrnambool Garrison Artillery, under the command of Major W.S. Helpman, was the proud winner of the 'Sir W. Clarke Trophy'. The contest was held at Point Gellibrand, with the trophy formally unveiled at the Warrnambool orderly-room on 3rd August 1887. In June 1892, the annual competition was held at the Gellibrand battery in Williamstown. The canvas targets were moored at sea and fired upon from three breech-loading guns mounted on disappearing carriages. Each team was allowed 4 shots fired from each of the 3 guns. An article in the Portland Guardian stated that "the Warrnambool team is certainly looked upon as the certain winners." The same article reported that in this particular year, the Government withdrew its previous award of 10-pound cash to the men of the winning team, described in the Portland Guardian as a petty economy of the Government. As the Warrnambool Militia Garrison Artillery had won the Trophy, for the third time, they became Absolute Possessors of the prize. On 11th August 2016, during a ceremony at Flagstaff Hill, the Australian Army handed over guardianship of two very significant historical items, the 1885 W. Clarke Trophy and the 1861 Warrnambool Ladies Silver Bugle, to Warrnambool City Council for display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Both heritage-listed items are strongly connected to the city of Warrnambool and form an integral part of the history of the Warrnambool Garrison.The Sir W. Clarke Trophy is locally significant to the community of Warrnambool for its connection to the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps - part of the original Warrnambool Garrison – which was formed to protect the Warrnambool Harbour. The site of the 1888 Warrnambool Garrison and Fortifications is Victorian State Heritage-listed. It is significant for its intact and operational nature, and is one of the best-preserved pieces of Victoria's early colonial heritage.This is the Sir W. Clarke's Trophy for the Victorian Militia Garrison Artillery, first presented in 1886. The silver trophy with a conical lid rests on a square black timber base that displays award shields on each vertical side. Inside the hollow trophy is a removable copper alloy bowl with a wide edge. The inner walls of the trophy are unpolished, and there is a metal bracing plate between the sides, and fitted metal bolts, nuts and washers near the base. The large, elaborately decorated, silver bowl has a conical pedestal, two handles on the top edge of the bowl and a matching fitted lid. Much of the decoration is three-dimensional. Fine, detailed decoration includes a semi-kneeling figure with an upturned face on top of the lid, vine-like handles resting on necks of swans with outspread wings, figures seated on a ridge, two on each side, with ends of limbs hanging over the ridge, two holding lyres, patterns of leaves, flowers and draped ribbons. The timber base is painted black on the outside. The engraved silver shields around its sides have inscriptions of trophy winners and the name of the trophy. There is a handwritten, pencil inscription of the date 1887 under the timber base. The first award was made in 1886 and the last in 1892. The Warrnambool Garrison won this trophy three times, including the last award given.Front centre large shield; “VICTORIAN MILITIA / GARRISON ARTILLERY / SIR W. CLARKE’S / TROPHY” Left side, right shield; “1886 / WON BY / GEELONG / GARRISON BATTERY / Major J PRICE / COMMANDING OFFICER” Front, right shield; ” 1887 / WON BY / WARRNAMBOOL / GARRISON ARTILLERY / Major W.S. Helpman / COMMANDING OFFICER” Left side shield: “1888 / WON BY / NORTH MELBOURNE / Garrison Battery / Major F.R.Y. Goldstein / Commanding Officer” Right side, left shield; “1889. / WON BY / WARRNAMBOOL / Garrison Battery / Major W.S. Helpman / Commanding Officer” Right side, centre shield; “1890 / WON BY / HARBOUR TRUST / BATTERY / Major J.H. Haydon / Commanding Officer” Right side, right shield; “1891 / WON BY / WILLIAMSTOWN / BATTERY /l Major W.H. Hall / Commanding Officer” Back, left shield; “1892 / WON BY / WARRNAMBOOL / Garrison Battery / Major W.S. Helpman / Commanding Officer” In pencil underneath timber base “1887”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, sir w. clarke's trophy, warrnambool volunteer rifle corps, statistics of warrnambool volunteer rifle corps, warrnambool volunteer rifle company, warrnambool rifle volunteers, warrnambool garrison, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, trophy, garrison, competition, prize, winners, sir w. clarke, w. clarke trophy, sir w. clarke trophy

The Crimean War began in 1854 and many people in colonial Australia were afraid of a Russian attack. In 1854 the Volunteer Act was passed to provide some military defence. In 1858 the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps was established, disbanded in 1863, then a new Warrnambool Detachment was formed in September 1866. In 1870 Australia became responsible for its own naval and military defence. The Permanent Victorian Artillery force was established. It was disbanded in 1880 then re-formed in 1882 as the Victorian Garrison Artillery Corps. Legislation was passed in 1884 that replaced the volunteers’ corps with a partly paid, permanent Militia Defence Force. Volunteer forces were established to strengthen the British Imperial troops posted here. A battery of artillery was raised in Victoria as well as in other Australian states. The Batteries manning the coastal forts of Victoria were termed Garrison Artillery Companies. When the Army was federated in 1901 there were eight Militia Companies in Victoria. Warrnambool and Port Fairy together were known as 8 Coy AGA (Australian Garrison Artillery). Changes to formation and name continued into the 20th century. In 1895 the Geelong, Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland Batteries became part of the Western District Garrison Artillery. Many of the volunteers who served in the Artillery were from rural areas. They belonged to rifle clubs and were experienced horsemen as well. Australia's defence at this time relied on these mounted troops, or Light Horse men. In 1899 the Victorian Garrison Artillery Corps amalgamated with the New South Wales and Queensland Permanent Artillery to become the Victorian Regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA). Then prior to Federation, the RAA and the Permanent Artillery of South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania all combined, becoming the Royal Australian Artillery Regiment with two Batteries of Field Artillery; Battery A from Sydney and Battery B from Melbourne. These two certificates were awarded to Sergeant Thomas Stainsby who was a long-time member of the Warrnambool Garrison Artillery detachment during the 1880's and into the 1890's. He is mentioned in several newspaper reports of the era, as being an integral member of the local artillery detachments (as Sergeant-in-Charge, Gun Layer or Orderly) participating in local and statewide "Battery Competitions" that were very popular at this time. In one Annual Battery competition held in 1891 at Port Fairy, a target was moored in the bay and each detachment fired four rounds of "plugged shell" at it (at an estimated distance of 1900 yards). The local newspaper (the Warrnambool Standard) reported "the best work was reserved for the last detachment ... in charge of that old warrior Sergeant Stainsby ... who won the first prize with their four shots." Thomas Stainsby was an important member of the Warrnambool Artillery Battery in the years when it was competing for the "Sir William Clarke Trophy" The Sir William Clarke Trophy (a silver trophy) was given as a prize in 1885 to Victorian Militia Garrison Battery competition winners, for artillery firing target accuracy. A Battery needed to win the competition three times to keep the trophy and the Warrnambool Battery won it in 1887, 1889 and 1892. When the Warrnambool Militia Garrison Artillery had won the Trophy, for the third time, they became Absolute Possessors of the prize. Thomas Stainsby was born on October 25th, 1846, in Melbourne. He married Ellen Priddle in Geelong in 1869, and they moved to Camperdown and then Warrnambool in the 1870's. They had ten children. He was a bootmaker and had a shop in Fairy Street. Thomas died on September 26th, 1914, aged 67. His Obituary in the local paper said he "was very keen on cycling and pedestrianism ... and was actively associated with the old volunteer militia and held the position of Sergeant in the old Battery." Thomas Stainsby features in several photographs of the Warrnambool Battery held in the Flagstaff Hill collection. The Warrnambool Garrison has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register H1250 “for its intact battery and guns, a strong reminder of Victoria’s wealth and determination to protect itself from the perceived threat of invasion in the 1880’s.” The City of Warrnambool is one of several custodians of a collection of artillery pieces of heritage significance at a state, national and international level. These pieces are directly related to the defence of south-west Victoria in the 19th century. The care and preservation come under the Heritage Act 1995. The certificates belonging to Sergeant Thomas Stainsby are a significant example of the work and dedication of a Warrnambool Garrison volunteer.Two paper certificates awarded to Sergeant T. Stainsby. Certificate 8731 is from the "Victorian Military School of Instruction" and was awarded to Sergeant Stainsby of the Warrnambool Battery on 24th October 1887, for passing a course of "Musketry" which enabled him to become a qualified "practical" instructor. The certificate has printed and handwritten sections. Certificate 8732 is from the "Victorian Military Forces", dated 1st July 1894 and certifies that Sergeant Stainsby of the Warrnambool Battery Garrison Artillery passed through a course of Instruction and has qualified for the rank of "Sergeant in the Garrison Artillery, Victoria". The certificate has printed and handwritten sections, is yellowed with age and has some rips and tears along each edge and along its fold lines.Certificate 8731.1 - "No. 86" /Victorian Military School of Instruction/ Musketry CERTIFICATE. / I CERTIFY that No 5 Ser T Stainsby Warrnambool Battery / has passed through a course of Musketry /at the School of Military Instruction, and is duly qualified/ to instruct Practically/ [illegible signature]/Lt-Colonel/ Asst. Adjt.-General / Dated at Melbourne/ 24 Oct 1887." Certificate 8731.2 - "No 480 / Victorian Military Forces - /Re-issue / 2nd Class certificate /I certify that No 1 sergeant/ T Stainsby, Warrnambool Battery G.A. / has passed through a course of instruction / and is qualified for the rank of / Sergeant in the Garrison Artillery, Victoria/ Dated at Melbourne / 1st July 1894 [illegible signature] Lieut-Colonel /Comma? Artillery."flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, victorian garrison artillery, warrnambool battery, volunteer militia, garrison artillery, artillery detachment, battery competitions, warrnambool garrison volunteers, sergeant stainsby, thomas stainsby, sir w. clarke trophy, sir w. j. clarke trophy