document reproductions, posterssouth australia, genealogy, local history, bibliographies, public records, land records, family history

The author is an Aboriginal woman, descendant of a family of long and continuous association with the south-east region of South Australia. This book attempts to overcome some of the difficulties in colonial relationships of the past to piece together the history of the Aboriginal people who survived in this area.maps, b&w photographssouth australian history

b&w photographs, letters, maps, tablessouth australian history, colebrook home, gerard mission, race relations, indigenous legislation

A user friendly reference tool for historians - particularly family historians. Over 750 different series of records are described in a straightforward manner to guide users through this extensive collection.charts, b&w photographsgenealogy, state records of south australia, family history, south australian history

index, ill, map, p.320.non-fictionA history of the South Australian Railways early years from 1853.railroads -- south australia -- history., south australian railways -- history.,

index, ill, map, p.339.non-fictionA history of the South Australian Railways steam locomotives, 600 class pacific, 500 class mountains and 700 class Mikados.railroads -- south australia -- history., south australian railways -- history.,

ill, maps, p.176non-fictionA history of the steam locomotives and Railmotors on the South Australian Government Railways. locomotives - south australia - history, south australian railways -- history.

index, ill, map, p.240.non-fictionA history of the South Australian Railways including the era of Chief Railways Commissioner William Alfred Webbrailroads -- south australia -- history., south australian railways -- history.,

61 p., illus. with 30 pen drawingsnon-fictionDrawings of old and new buildings around Australia.historic buildings, drawings, victoria history, new south wales history, australian capital territory

This ship's wheel was hand-made from wood and metal using a recycled cart wheel. It originally belonged to the "Reginald M", a coastal trading ketch. ‘REGINALD M’ 1922 to 1975- The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted coastal ketch, owned and built by Mr Jack (John) Murch of Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. Its construction took approximately 6 months, and it launched at Largs Bay in 1922. The Reginald M’s purpose was to serve the coastal trade of South Australia, to carry cargo cheaply and efficiently. Some have said that the keel was, in fact, hewn from two telegraph poles! Its builder frequented all the salvage yards for materials and fittings. Reginald M had a very shallow draft and a flat bottom that enabled it to come close to shore and to sit high and dry at low tide or to be beached on sand. The flat bottom was also to make the ship able to skim over reefs. Wagons could load and unload direct from their sides. Its cargo included Guano, Barley, Wool, Horses, Cattle, Timber, Explosives, Potatoes, Shell Gritt and Gypsum. On April 9th 1931Reginald M weathered a large storm in St Vincent Gulf, SA. The vessel suffered great damage; the mast snapped, and the crew laboured for four hours to free it by chopping off the mast and rigging. The crew patched it up and slowly returned to Port Adelaide with only a portion of the insured cargo being damaged. The crew members at the time were owner Mr John H Murch of Wells Street, Largs Bay; Skipper Mr R Murch, John’s brother; Murray, son of Captain Murch; and Seaman John Smith. Reg Webb purchased Carribie Station, at Marion in the Warooka District, south of Adelaide, in 1921. He cleared the land and farmed sheep and grain. In 1923, he shipped his own wool and grain from Marion Bay, having first carted 300 bags of the barley grain, 12 bags at a time, along the unmade track to the jetty. A photograph donated to Flagstaff Hill, dating about 1929 - 1942, shows two men on the Reginald M, holding between them their fishing catch of a large hammer shark. The photograph is stamped “GRENFELL STUDIO PORT LINCOLN PRINT” and titled “hammer shark caught on Reginald Emm”. The donor’s family lived on the Your Peninsula and dispatched their grain from a chute at Gleeson’s Landing to the awaiting transport vessel. Reg knew the Murch Brothers from Port Adelaide. The brothers had been using their ketch, Reginald M, to ship Guano from the Islands, led by Captain Richard Murch. Reg approached them in 1934 about shipping grain from Marion Bay. The brothers visited the bay and thought it was an ideal place. They showed Reg where to stack his grain, and they measured up the cliffs. When Reg was ready, they brought down and installed a ninety-foot wooden chute. The bags of grain were individually pushed down the chute, landing in a waiting small boat, then rowed to Reginald M with 14 bags at a time. After 10 hours, Reginald M would have a load of 1300 bags of grain to ship to waiting ports. At one time, a wild storm destroyed the chute, so they built a stronger replacement chute. Reginald M engaged in the shipping of grain from there until 1938. In 1940, Able Seaman Allan H Lucas served on the Reginald M between September and December, being engaged and discharged from Port Adelaide. The ship’s Master, W S Murch, signed his Certificate of Discharge. It seems that at the Reginald M was used, at one time, as a Customs vessel, as one photograph in Flagstaff Hill’s collection shows “H.M.C. No. 3, Pt Adelaide” on the bow. In 1969, the last freight left Marion Bay on the ketch Reginald M carrying grain, wool, and explosives. In late 1970, the Mt. Lyell Mining and Railway Company bought the vessel to use as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972, the Navy League of Strahan, Tasmania, purchased it for use by the Strahan Sea Cadet Unit to use at Macquarie Harbour and renamed it T.S. Macquarie. However, this plan for the use of Reginald M did not happen. In 1974, Mr Andrew Rennie, of East Brighton, Melbourne, bought it for a similar purpose, paying $5,000 and donating a ‘Cadet of the Year’ trophy to the Sea Cadets. He sailed it from Strahan to Melbourne, planning to use it for pleasure sailing. Also, in 1975, Reginald M was bought by the Melbourne Ferry Company at auction. Later in 1975, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum bought the Reginald M for $20,000. It became a popular exhibit in the Village’s lake. In 2006, using funds from a $4,000 government grant, the restoration of the vessel continued. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection holds other artefacts associated with Reginald M. They include - Photographs of the Reginald M, including one photograph of it in Outer Harbour, S.A., dated 1947, with Skipper- R.F. Dale and Owner- John Murch. Another shows it docked at Port Adelaide, with the lettering H.M.C. No. 3 Pt ADEL (standing for His /Her Majesty’s Customs). There is a black and white photo of it at a wharf and another showing a person on board. - a lifebuoy, made of cork, with the inscription of “Pt Adelaide” on it. - Helm section, removed and replaced during restoration. - a bullet found in pieces of timber when Reginald M was restored in 1979 Reginald M was a much-loved exhibit at the Maritime Village, where many visitors enjoyed boarding and exploring a real ship with a long history. Sadly, the Reginald M was decommissioned in late 2016, due to the continuing prohibitive cost of maintenance and the risk to public safety. Components from the Reginald M are held in Flagstaff Hill's collection as a reminder of the Reginald M’s history. This ship's wheel is significant because of its association with the REGINALD M. REGNIALD M was a coastal trading ketch from South Australia built in 1922. It is one of very few sailing coastal trading vessels still extant, and its flat bottom, single chine shape illustrates a very simple but robust method of construction, compared to other round bilged examples of trading vessels. She is now listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV Number: HV000562.)Ship’s wheel, also called a Helm, eight spoke design. Centre of wheel is handmade of wood and has iron rings around each side. The spokes are fitted into this wooden hub. The outer wheel has an iron ring on one side and sections of a wooden ring on the other. There are both original and modern bolt and screw fastenings. The wheel has remnants of black paint. This ship’s wheel was originally fitted to the ketch REGINALD M and removed during its restoration. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship's wheel, hand made ship's wheel, coastal trader, reginald m, ketch, john murch, ch murch, reg webb, carribie station, mt lyell copper company, queenstown navy league, andrew rennie, melbourne ferry company, r.f. dale

The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

These prints include large sailing ships that were also referred to as Clippers and Tall Ships. These ships were used to transport cargo and passengers across the world in the 19th century. They were powered purely by harnessing the wind. It could take three to four months to sail in this manner from England to Australia. On many occasions the ships were wrecked, often close to their destination, through errors of navigation. The method of production of the original images is over a century old. The Melbourne publisher of this portfolio book, Newcraft Publicity, describes the contents as follows-' Magnificent Clipper Ships: Clipper ships in the line of sail make the most romantic and spectacular pictorial chapter of marine history. This collection depicting early clippers and other types of sailing ships were originally fine engravings on wooden printing blocks used in newspapers a century ago. They were taken directly from the original newspaper prints, and reproduced in enamel inks to provide a choice of fine line prints suitable for framing. LIST OF PRINTS- The New Australian Clipper "BLUE JACKET" The Clipper Ship “CHRYSOLIER” The “GAUNTLET” Clipper Ship The New American Clipper “GREAT REPUBLIC” The Clipper Ship “GUIDING STAR” New Emigrant Ship “HESPERIDES” for the South Australian Line Capt. Beatson’s Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin – the “ISABEL” The Black Ball Line Clipper Ship “JAMES BAINES” The “MERCHANT PRINCE” – Australian Clipper The White Star Line Clipper Ship “MORNING LIGHT” The Aberdeen Clipper Built Barque “PHOENICIAN” New Australian Clipper Ship the “ROYAL FAMILY” The “SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS” American Clipper The New Iron Clipper Built Ship “TAYLEUR” for Australia H.M. New Frigate “THETIS” The American Clipper Ship “WITCH OF THE WAVE” ABOUT THE PUBLISHER- The Newcraft Publicity was a Melbourne business that operated in the 1960s at 243 Collins Street, Melbourne.This portfolio book of clipper ship prints is historically significant as it shows an important part of Australia's history, It includes some of the shipping lines famous in the 19th century for transporting passengers and goods to Australia. The prints are also significant for their origin in the carved wooden blocks used a century ago for creating images for the newspapers of the time. Book is also significant from being one of a limited edition of books produced. There are copes in both the Victorian State Library and the National Library of Australia.The Line of Sail is a portfolio of sixteen fine line, black and white prints on paper. The subject is clipper ships. The covers are paper-covered card, coloured a strong blue with white line images and text. The image side of the pages has a sheen, the back is matt. Each print has a caption. The top of the book is stapled and bound with grey tape. Produced by Newcraft Publicity, Melbourne. Limited Edition - Copy Number 086. Stamped on front cover "086"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lithographs, newscraft publicity, book, the line of sail, dlipper ships, tall shipos, sailing ships, wood block print, newspaper drawings, newcraft productions, newcraft melbourne, portfolio of clipper ships, limited edition, wooden engravings, magnificent clipper ships

This Bosun's char was part of the equipment on the vessel 'Reginald M. It is typical of items included on board a vessel in the late 19th and early 20th century. The nautical word 'bosun' is an abbreviation of the word 'boatswain' who is the person responsible for the repair and maintenance of the vessel. It could be used when rigging the sails and for rescue at sea, along with a thick rope anchored on shore or a rope between ships. It could also be used to move passengers to and from a ship as well as cargo on, to and from the vessel. A bosun's chair is a simple piece of equipment made from a short plank of wood and a sturdy piece of rope. It looks a little like a child's swing but usually has a pulley system that allows the user to adjust the length of the hanging piece of rope, and in so-doing adjusts the height above the floor or ground or sea. In modern times a harness would also be worn by the bosun’s chair user for safety reasons. Bosun's chairs are also used by window cleaners, construction workers and painters. The bosun’s chair is sometimes just a short plank, or even a canvas sling. The REGINALD M - The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted coastal ketch, owned and built by Mr. Jack (John) Murch of Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. Its construction took approximately 6 months and it was launched at Largs Bay in 1922. The vessel had many owners and adventures over the years until it was purchased by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum & Village in 1975 from the Melbourne Ferry Company at auction. It was then used as an active display until 2016. Visitors could go aboard, turn the ship's wheel, go below deck and get the feel of the captain's quarters, sailors' quarters and the storage space available. The Reginald M was a popular exhibit for young and old, until 2016.This bosun's chair is significant for its connection to the maritime history. It has been used for rigging, painting, maintenance and importantly for life saving and safety. The bonus's chair is also significant because of its connection to the history of the vessel REGINALD M, the coastal trading ketch from South Australia built in 1922 and in existence until 2016. Its flat bottom, single chine shape illustrates a very simple but robust method of construction, compared to other round bilged examples of trading vessels. The Reginald M is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV Number: HV000562.)Bosun's chair; seat is a rectangular plank of wood with a hole drilled in each corner and three reinforcing wood lengths attached below the plank. The ends of two looped thick ropes have been threaded through the holes in the plank, crossed over then spliced together. The loops of rope above the plank have been tied with light rope. A roughly made wire hook is attached at the base of one length of rope. Top surface reveals indents where the bottom wooden pieces are joined to the top and some of the metal fixtures can be seen along the edge. There are remnants of white paint on the top.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, bosun's chair, bosuns chair, boatswains chair, rigging, maritime equipment, bosun's seat, life saving, marine technology, ship rigging

This framed lithograph print in watercolour and gouache was produced on November 19th, 1924, by 20th-century marine artist, Mr R.N. Duffield. It depicts the event of a sea rescue that took place two years earlier. The framer was A.L. Frith of Footscray, Melbourne, who actively advertised from 1933 to 1935. The now disbanded Shiplovers' Society of Victoria (1930-2018) donated the print, and it seems likely that this print was framed for that organisation. This graphic image shows the conditions in which the rescue from the wrecked Helen B. Sterling happened. Captain George Harris was master of the American-owned, four-masted windjammer. His wife Edith and their ten-year-old son Leslie were on board, along with a crew of fifteen seamen. The ship set off from Newcastle, NSW, on January 5th, 1922, loaded with a cargo of coal to deliver to the Society Islands and on to San Francisco. Young Leslie later wrote a lively school composition for his teacher about his experiences on board the Helen B Sterling. He tells of a fire that broke out the day after they departed and burned a hole in a beam. Then another troublesome time on the 9th, when a strong gale blew a sail off the ship. Finally, he tells of the highlight of his voyage when, on the 18th January, the ship was right in the path of a strong cyclone, which broke the mainmast. Huge waves crashed over both sides of the deck, meeting in the middle, and the ship began to sink. The rescue from the wreck was an exciting time for the young boy, and even more so when one of his cats survived after being carefully wrapped in a pillowcase and thrown down from the ship for the boy. Reporters later wrote about Leslie’s comments, “... what had grieved him most was the thought that he might never see his two little sisters again”. Captain Harris said in a published statement, “… the gale was the worst he had met in his 12 years’ experience at sea. All went well for the first week. We then encountered a strong blow from the south-east. We tried the gasoline pump, but the engine broke down, and we had to do the pumping by hand. We at once shortened sail, but the sea increased in fury to such an extent that men were washed from the pumps. I was below at 5:30 on Sunday morning [January 22nd, 1922] when the main mast went over the side, … I at once sent out SOS signals, and got word that HMAS Melbourne was coming to our assistance. I had made a mistake with regard to our position, but did not know it until 11:30 o’clock, when I sent out the correct location. This was picked up by the Melbourne and I received the following reply: “We will reach you about 2 am. Keep a good heart. The Melbourne will do all she can.” Our ship was practically awash when we were taken off.” (Ref: the ‘Helen B. Sterling Disaster’, Maitland Weekly Mercury, NSW, 4-2-1922.) Officers from the Royal Australian Navy, Captain Henry J Feakes (later Rear-Admiral) and Commander Wilfrid Ward Hunt, were on board the light cruiser, HMAS Melbourne (1913-1928), when it left Sydney for New Zealand. After the SOS was received, the ship sped at full steam towards the sinking Helen B. Sterling. They found the vessel at about midnight and shone bright search lights on the distressed ship to illuminate the desperate scene. The Melbourne was unable to move close to the schooner, so sixteen seamen, including Commander Hunt, volunteered to man the Melbourne’s lifesaving 12-oared cutter. They rowed the sea boat with great urgency towards the victims of the sinking ship, keen to save lives no matter what the conditions. When the cutter was close to the Sterling, a line was secured between the Sterling and the cutter. The weary, waterlogged and anxious men on board could be rescued, one at a time, in the breeches buoy equipment, which looked like canvas shorts with a lifesaving ring in the waistband. The victims were hauled along the line and pulled aboard by many willing hands. All eighteen crew and passengers were saved, including Captain Harris and his family. The seamen of the Melbourne received a heroes’ welcome when they arrived in New Zealand. The grateful survivors were taken to Auckland, where they received the care and comfort they needed. Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Cr. Swanston, on behalf of the citizens of Melbourne, formally recognised the heroic rescue efforts of the seamen of the HMAS Melbourne on March 2nd, 1922, at a special presentation. Two large flags, a White Ensign and an Australian “Jack" Flag, were presented to the Captain of HMAS Melbourne, and souvenirs were awarded to the sea boat’s crew and its Commander, Wilfred Ward Hunt. Commander Hunt was also presented with an original watercolour depicting the heroic rescue from the wreck of the Helen B. Sterling, painted just after the event by renowned marine artist Arthur V Gregory (1867-1957), and he received a silver cigarette case bearing the City’s coat of arms and the inscription, "To Commander Ward Hunt from the Citizens of Melbourne as a memento of the rescue of the crew of Helen B. Stirling by H.M.A.S. Melbourne, on 23.1.22". Both the painting and the cigarette case are now treasured items inherited by his grandson; a reminder of “… a very fine naval gentleman who believed in leading by example." R.N. DUFFIELD: - The Lithograph print in our collection by 20th-century English artist R.N. Duffield is dated Nov. 19, 1924. It is very similar to, and possibly created from, the original A V Gregory watercolour presented to Commander Hunt and dated 1922. Mr R.N. Duffield has art works in the Yarmouth Museums, Norfolk Museums Collection; “Orient Liner Otranto …,” and "Convoy of six ships at sea", both painted in watercolour and gouache during the 1940s. Some of his other works, also painted in watercolour and gouache, have been advertised for sale on Internet sites. Some details differ between the original A.V. Gregory and this Lithograph Print: - -the words on the bow on the original watercolour are “Helen B. Sterling, Blain”, which is in Washington, USA, where the Sterling Shipping Company was registered from around 1919; the words on the print are “Helen B. Sterling, Halifax, N S”, for Nova Scotia, Canada, which is the hometown of Sterling Shipping Company founder’s wife, Helen B Sterling. -The watercolour is coloured and has fine details; the print is monochrome - The A V Gregory signed the watercolour in 1922, on the lower left; the print is signed with the Lithographer’s name on the lower right; “R N Duffield, Nov. 19. 1924” ARTHUR VICTOR GREGORY (1867-1957): - A.V. Gregory is a renowned marine artist who worked in watercolour and gouache. He painted actively between 1899 and 1932, creating over 3o0 works. South Melbourne, Victoria, was where he lived and worked. This Lithograph print is significant in that it depicts the rescuing of the passengers and crew of the schooner “Helen B Stirling”. At the time this was a significant event that made most Australian and New Zealand papers because of the involvement of the Australian cruiser “Melbourne”. The image demonstrates the perilous conditions experienced by seafarers. It includes an example of the line and breeches buoy method used to save lives at sea from the 1860s and into the 20th century. It reflects a time in our history when sail and steam ships cruised the world’s seas together, the former trading with a cargo of coal from Newcastle, the latter defending our country in World War I. The print is part of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum’s Collection of maritime artworks that depict famous events, vessels and locations, showing the evolution of sea craft, and aiding the interpretation of our maritime history. The Lithograph print is behind glass in a black painted timber frame and mounted under a cream matte. The vivid image depicts a sea rescue in progress. The night scene is illuminated by a light beaming from a steamship, the Cruiser HMAS Melbourne. It reveals figures on the deck of a sinking sailing ship, the schooner Helen B. Sterling, as foaming waves roll across it. The stricken ship has a broken main mast, and a sail has been detached. A small figure is floating in the choppy sea, secured in a breeches buoy that is attached to a rescue line between a lifesaving cutter and the sailing ship. The crewmen in the cutter are ready to haul the shipwrecked victim aboard, while the figures on the foundering ‘Sterling’ watch them. The print’s paper-covered wooden backboard is attached to the frame with small tacks. A metal hanging wire is secured to two dissimilar eyelet screws. Inscriptions include text on the bow of the sinking vessel, a handwritten title below the picture, and a handwritten name in the print’s lower right corner. On the reverse are two oval, black ink stamps and a round cream label with printed text. The hand-painted print was reproduced from a lithograph, signed in the lower right, by R.N. Duffield of England, on November 19th, 1924. A Frith of Footscray, Melbourne framed it. Painted on the ship’s bow: “HELEN B. STERLING / HALIFAX N S” [Nova Scotia, Canada] Handwritten below the print: “AUSTRALIAN CRUISER “MEMBOURNE” (Tons 5600) rescuing crew of sinking four-masted schooner “HELEN B. STERLING” of Halifax NS Canada, Tons 1343 in a gale in the Pacific Ocean.” Handwritten on lower right: “R.N. DUFFIELD / Nov. 19. 1924” (underlined) On paper label: “Phone: / Footscray 398 [some of the text has torn off] / “A. FRITH / PICTURE FRAMER / Manufacturer / 17 Paisley Street / Footscray.“ On both oval stamps: “SHIPLOVERS SOCIETY OF VICTORIA / LIBRARY” flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, lithograph, lithograph print, reproduction print, helen b. sterling, the sterling, american owned schooner, halifax, halifax n s, halifax nova scotia, nova scotia, halifax n s canada, schooner, windjammer, sailing ship, four-masted ship, captain george harris, george harris, edith harris, leslie harris, sterling shipping line, hmas melbourne, hmas melbourne (1), cruiser hmas melbourne, the melbourne, australian cruiser, captain henry j feakes, commander wilfred ward hunt, sinking ship, shipwreck, sea rescue, gale, cyclone, 1922 rescue, shipwreck rescue, breeches buoy, line rescue, rescue line, lifesaving, cutter, cutter melbourne, sea boat, lifesaving crew, 12-oar cutter, shipwreck victim, r.n. duffield, marine artist, nov. 19. 1924, 20th century artist, a frith, footscray picture framer, shiplovers’ society of victoria, shiplovers’ society library, watercolour, a v gregory, arthur victor gregory, melbourne artist, newcastle coal, newcastle nsw, society islands, san fracisco, aukland new zealand, school composition, ship’s cat, sos signal, lord mayor cr. swanston, heroes, cigarette case

In 1952 the subject surf boat crewed by Geoff Scott, Ron Blackney, Wes McLaren, Jim Tibb, and Stan Stephens, won the Victorian Surf Boat Championships. When the club had finished with the boat Mr. Harold Stephenson paid one shilling and it eventually found its way into a garage where it remained for over 20 years before being donated to Flagstaff Hill. This boat is regarded as a unique example of craftsmanship, closely resembling Bay whaleboats used around the Warrnambool area in the 1800s. This timber caravel surf boat was named “Aeroplane Jelly” and was built by N & E Towns a Newcastle boat builder in 1949 Aeroplane Jellies and David Jones as sponsors of the Sydney Surf Carnival of 1950/1951 donated jointly the vessel. George Towns started his boat-building business in 1869 on Dempsey Island on the Hunter River, NSW. George's sons took over the business as N & E Towns (Norman and Eldrid) and continued until the early 1950s. The business made a variety of small craft including fishing boats, launches, and flood boats. In 1928 they built their first surf boat it took about six weeks to build with cedar planks and hardwood frames. After World War II surf boats became their main focus and they became well known for the lighter and faster designs. Many “Towns built” craft have won events at state and national surf championships. They were renowned Boat Builders producing a much lighter and faster running boat than anything previously made, with a buoyant type bow design giving it the lift necessary to get out and through heavy surf. while its sleek lines from amidships aft provided very fast running qualities. Either side of its bows, it bore the bright silver aircraft transfer of the Aeroplane Jellies Company. After a surf competition at Narrabeen NSW, the competing Warrnambool surf lifesaving team returned home to Warrnambool their club committee decided to purchase the "Aeroplane Jellies" Surf boat if and when it became available as the team had been so impressed with the boat. On 30 October 1951 a cheque for £207-2/6' was raised, £180 for the boat, balance for oars. Transport was arranged and the boat was delivered in November 1951. When the "Aeroplane Jellies" competition days were over in the early 1960's due largely to changing surf boat design, Warrnambool Club's Secretary, Mr. Harold Stephenson, sought permission from the Committee to purchase the boat for the nominal sum of one shilling thus preserving the vessel for posterity. The boat had been stored for many years at the Nullawarre Bakery where it remained until Mr. Stephenson died in 1985. After Mr. Stephenson's passing his family donated the vessel to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in 1986.A very rare example of a surf lifesaving boat that for its time was a unique creation that revolutionised small vessel design in Australia. It was made by a renowned maker that today unfortunately many of his examples of boats he made, especially surf life-saving boats no longer exist making the Flagstaff Hill boat very significant to not only surf lifesaving history but to the part it played in our social life for all those who went to the beaches in 1960s Australia.Surf boat named "Aeroplane Jellies". Timber, double ender carvel, built in 1949 by N & E Towns, Newcastle, NSW. Only a few are in existence. She was a trophy prize at Sydney Surf Carnival 1950/1951, donated by Aeroplane Jellies and David Jones Dept. Store, Sydney. The boat was won by South Narrabeen Surf Club. Warrnambool Surf Club purchased her on 30/10/1951 for £207-2/6, and she was sold to Harold Stephenson in early 1960's for 1 shilling. Donated to Flagstaff Hill by the family of Harold Stephenson around 1985-1986. The name Aeroplane Jellies was lettered in gold across the boat's coaming and there is a remnant of some of the gold lettering still there.warrnambool, flagstaff hillflagstaff hill maritime museum, great ocean road, ememgency, historic boat, surf boat, n & e towns, carvel, vintage boat, double ender boat, lifesaving boat, geoff scott, south narrabeen surf club, warrnambool surf life saving club, lifeboat

Lifebuoy is from the ketch Reginald M, built in Port Adelaide by John Murch in 1922. Lifebuoys were part of the emergency lifesaving equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century. The ring was made of strips of cork wood joined together to make the ring shape then covered in canvas and sealed usually with white paint. Four evenly spaced canvas reinforcing bands would be added for strength and for a place to thread a rope or line. A lifebuoy, or life-preserver, is used as a buoyancy device often thrown to an endangered or distressed person in the water to keep them afloat while they receive help. It is usually connected by a rope to a person in a safe area such a nearby vessel or on shore. Lifebuoys is a made from a buoyant materials such as cork or foam and ae usually covered with canvas for protection and to make it easy to grip. The first use of life saving devices in recent centuries was by the Nordic people, who used light weight wood or cork blocks to keep afloat. Cork lifebuoys were used from the late 19th to early 20th century. Kapok fibre was then used as a filling for buoys but wasn’t entirely successful. Light weight balsa wood was used as a filler after WW1. In 1928 Peter Markus invented and patented the first inflatable life-preserver. By WW2 foam was combined with Kapok. Laws were passed over time that has required aeroplanes and water going-vessels to carry life-preservers on board. The Reginald M 1922- The two-masted coastal trading ketch Reginald M was built by John (Jack) Murch in Port Adelaide, South Australia, in 1922 and it was launched there in Largs Bay in the same year. It is thought that the keel was hewn from two telegraph poles - its owner was a regular visitor to salvage yards. Its cargo at times included Guano, Barley, Wool, Horses, Cattle, Timber, Explosives, Potatoes, Shell Grit and Gypsum. At one time the vessel was used as a customs boat, renamed 'HMC No. 3, Pt Adelaide'. In 1969 she was used by a mining and railway company as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972 the vessel was renamed 'T.S. Macquarie' and planned to be used for sea cadet training.; this did not eventuate. It was sold again and went to Melbourne to be used for pleasure sailing, and again sold for use as a ferry. Late in 1975 Flagstaff Hill purchased the vessel to be used as an exhibit at the Maritime Village where many visitors enjoyed being able to board and explore a real ship with a long history. Sadly, in late 2016, the decision was made to 'decommission' the vessel due to the continuing high cost of maintenance and the risk to public safety. Many of the components of the vessel are held as part of Flagstaff Hill's collection.The lifebuoy is an example of equipment carried on vessels in the late 19th and early 20th century to help preserve life. There were many lives lost in Australia’s colonial period, particularly along the coast of South West Victoria. The lifebuoy is significant for its connection with the Australian built, 1922 coastal trader, Reginald M. Lifebuoy, round , cork, filled, white canvas cover with four red tabs. Text is printed in black on quarters 1 and 3. This lifebuoy once belonged to the vessel 'Reginald M' , Pt Adelaide. "REGINALD M / Pt ADELAIDE".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lifebuoy, lifesaving, ship equipment, reginald m, life rings, safety ring, life-saving buoy, ring buoy, life preserver, personal floating device, floatation device, safety equipment, coastal trader, john murch, reg webb

From the collection of Frank Wright. Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born on 2 August 1901. He lived at Laura Villa, and attended Smeaton State School. His father William was a gold miner and his mother's name was Sarah. Their family won many singing and instrumental awards. Frank was tutored by Percy Code and was awarded a gold medal for the highest marks in the ALCM examinations in the British Colonies at the age of seventeen years. He became the Australian Open Cornet Champion by the age of eighteen. A year later, Frank conducted the City of Ballarat Band, and later the Ballarat Soldiers’ Memorial Band. He formed the Frank Wright Frisco Band and Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra. These bands won many South Street awards, and Frank as conductor won many awards in the Australian Band Championship contest. In 1933 Frank Wright sailed to England to conduct the famous St Hilda’s Band and was later appointed Musical Director of the London County Council, where he organized many amazing concerts in parks, in and around the London district. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and conducted at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. The Frank Wright Medal at the Royal South Street competition is awarded to an individual recognized as making an outstanding contribution to brass music in Australia.Six similar black and white photographs of a headstone. The headstone marks the graves of three people; Hilda, her mother Sarah and father William. It is the Wright family headstone and the place is Smeaton Cemetery.hilda wright, sarah wright, willaim wright, frank wright, headstone, smeaton cemetery, family history

This book was owned by Alf Gresham Johnston who was a former SMB mining student from the Ballarat School of Mines. He died at the age of 29 during military service in South Africa. The following is from the Federation Uni Honour Roll at http://federation.edu.au/about-us/our-university/history/geoffrey-blainey-research-centre/honour-roll/j/alfred-gresham-johnston-1872-1901 The October 1901 Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Students Magazine reported 'Alf. Johnston's gone. The news came as a shock to all of us at the school. He who was with us a few short months ago, in all strength of sturdy manhood, has met a soldier's death in South Africa, and we sincerely mourn his loss…. His heart was in the school, and he did his best to further its interests … His last act on leaving Australian shores was to send a telegram from Albany to Prof. Mica Smith, to whom he was warmly attached, wishing the School and all connected with it "Good-bye". In his short, all to short, life of 29 years, he had more adventure than falls the lot of most men, and possibly the spirit of adventure, and also, of duty, prompted him to throw in his lot with the "colors," and leave for the front. The news of his death comes to us with added weight of sadness when we remember that he was one of the organisers of the School entertainment last year to help swell the fund for the erection of a statue to fallen Victorian soldiers.'A small red book with a double black line bordering the front cover, with the text Longmans Elementary Science Manuals on the bottom of the cover. On the back cover is an L&Co logoOn the title page is the inscription of the original owner of the book Alf G Johnston School of Mines Ballarat 1899. Inside the front cover and on page 19 is the stamp of the School of Mines Ballaratalfred johnston, steam engine, compound engines, condensers, heat, horse-power, transfer of heat, combustion of fuel, saturated steam, cranks and crank shafts, watt governor, boilers, alf johnston, william ripper, boer war

A number of images for this journal were supplied by the University of Ballarat Historical Collection,Brown and Black soft covered book of 200 pages. Chapters include and introduction (Geoffrey Blainey); Eureka: gathering the 'Oppresed of all Nations (Anne Beggs-Sunter); The 'Southern Cross': a radical legacy (Drew Cottle); Ballarat of Eureka (Keith McKenry); 'Men of Colour' John Joseph and the Eureka Treason trials (Jeffrey Atkinson); 'Blood, Sweat and Tears': Women of Eureka (Dorothy Wickham); 'Why should they pay money to the Queen?: Aboriginal Miners and Land Claim (Fred Cahir); Raffaello Carboni's Perception of Australia (Gaetano Rando); Democracy, Political Rhetoric and the Conservative Response to manhood Suffrage in Colonial New South Wales (Gregory Melleuish); 'Foreign to their feelings as freemen': Liberal politics in a goldfields community, Bendigo 1853-1883.ballarat, bendigo, eureka, aborigines, southern cross, women, charles hotham, australian democracy, agitation

The CD-Rom includes a range of electronic correspondence sent 'Big Cats Victoria and Simon Townsend and JohnTurner. Their website states: Big Cats Victoria Southern Australia, including south western West Australia, has a history of reports of ‘panther’ like predators dating back to the later half of the 19th century. The animals were usually described as being of black or tan colouration and with the proportions of a medium sized big-cat such as a Leopard or Puma. The records can be found in newspaper, radio and television archives, Government reports, a very few books and on the internet. The historical material is based on anecdotal reportage and has contributed to the mythification of the subject. Some Government agencies at both State and Local levels (in New South Wales), have collected records of sightings or investigated stock deaths purported to be associated with so called ‘panther’ kills. They remain understandably non committal due to the lack of a specimen of such a predator of undeniable authenticity. While other types of unknown predator have been reported in various parts of Australia they are not the concern of this website. For purposes of economy we, John Turner and Simon Townsend, confine our investigations to western Victoria and south eastern South Australia. (http://bigcatsvic.com.au/) A CD-ROM of multiple emails and image attachments relating to assorted sightings, footprints, killings, etc from big cats in the Otways of Victoria. The electronic mail was sent to 'Big Cats Victoria' Images include: This item is part of the Australian Animal Folklore Collectionaustralian animal folklore collection, ja sharp, simon townsend, neville bayley, st kilda, peter stefanis, toolangi, puma, tom daniel, footprint, pawprint, cryptozoology, rex gilroy, lancefield tiger, anglesea, berringa, matthew charles, jutin fitzclarence, harry carlin, patty smith, johannes beach, nerida, stirling ranges, daryl hardy, brook kelly, carl rose, ashley hall, jonathan smith, sally ballieu, lorraine balck, wayne bower, ian riordon, aleda turna, john turner, dave moyle, ben rayner, stewart leach, colin boord, sheryl mahoney, beech forest, otways, tooborac, geoff black, panther, brad blake, priscilla prescott, beau kapitiany, ramsay hosn, clare jones, darren guthrie, tallarook, josh fairway, linda wescon, lithgow, john turner, southern grampians

The author, Francis Bosqui, was the Superintendent of the Standard Consolidated Mining Company's Cyanide Works, Brodie, California. Brown hard covered book of 201 pages. Includes many illustrations including a number of pullout photographs. Contents include history of Chemistry, laoratory tests, design of works, construction details, arrangements of pipes. leaching process, zinc, Nevada, South Africa, Australia. Chapter 14 is the exemplifications of practice: Australia, new Zealand and India. it includes references to Kalgoorlie, Hannan Brownhill mill, South German mine at Maldon, W.B. Gray, Day Dawn Mine in Western Australiacyanide, bosqui, nevada, america, mining

The Myths and Monsters conference was something of a landmark in Australian mystery animal research. It was the first cryptozoological conference held in Australia, and the first time Australia's leading researchers had been able to present their findings and meet with others working in the same field. 82 page proceedings of the Myths and Monsters Conference printed onto white paper. The following topics were presented: * A brief History of Australian Cryptozoology (Paul Cropper) * Would the Real Orang-Utan Please Stand Up and be Counted? In search of unidentified relic hominoids in Southeast Asia (Helmut Loofs-Wissowa) * Strange Creatures on the Antipodean UFO trail (Bill Chalker) * The Bunyip (Gary Opit) * Sightings of Some Anomolous Sea Creatures (Malcolm Smith) * Investigating Cryptic Hominids (Yowies) in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales (MIchael Hallett & David McBean) * "High Strangeness" in Yowie Reports (Tony Healy) * The Mystery of the Australian Big Cat: A Brief Summary (Peter Chapple) * Quest for the Thylacine (Peter Chapple) [Australian Animal Folklore Collection]Signed on cover "Simon Townsend"australian animal folklore collection, paul cropper, ruby lang, helmut loofs wissowa, bill chalker, gary opit, malcolm smith, michael hallett, david mcbean, tony healy, peter chapple, bunyip, blue montains, yowie, thylacine, big cat, puma, panther, ufo, goolma, woodenbong, narrabeen lakes, cecil mcgann, dorothy middleton, lee kelly, brown bittern, bay monster, simon moir, footprints, blue mountains cryptid, prehistoric bipedal primates, gigantopithecus, meganthropus, homo rudolfensis, homo habilis, homo erectus, homo ergaster, hominid, bigfoot, psychic phenomena, black panther, lake monster, blue labyrinth, australian rare fauna research association, marsupial lion, thylocoleo carnifex, australian big cat, tasmanian devil, sarcophilus harrisi, eric guiler, yellingbo, thylacinus cynocephalus, tantanoola tiger, rilla martin, mundrabilla, predatory animal, mythical, myth, folklore

This brass rail holder fixture would have been used to hold the end of a rail in place. There is no information as to where the fitting or rail would have been placed on the ship; sailing ships had many brass fittings. It was recovered from the wreck of the La Bella, which lies at the bottom of the Warrnambool Harbour. Some 15 ships are believed to have been wrecked in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the sea floor; the La Bella and the Edinburgh Castle. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The story of the final voyage of the La Bella is summarised as follows … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company being one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October, 1905, the twelve year old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia . She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. . Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with sea water and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25 year old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days an unidentified body of a young person was washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later, when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan, after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked, but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This item is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella” . the “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Brass rail holder from the wreck "La Bella". This rail holder would have been used as a fitting for the end of a rail. It is made up of two parts and looks a little like a goblet in shape. The top is a hollow spherical shape with a circular hole cut out on one side, into which the end of a round rail would fit. There are two gouge marks close to each other on one side of the hole, about one centimetre apart, at 1 and 2 o’clock position. The sphere has a hollow pipe-like stem with a screw thread turned into the outside of the lower section and the bottom of the stem has been flared out after having the base fitted. The base is round and has a mound in the centre. The edge has four evenly spaced fixture holes around its edge. The metal shows signs of pitting and has mild encrustation. The fitting of the base is loose, allowing it to swivel in a complete circle. The top of the sphere is rough and has a dent in it. Underneath the base there is verdigris; some has flaked off and reveals a bright golden colour underneath. rail holder, brass rail holder, la bella, lady bay, norway, 1893, new zealand, captain mylius, william ferrier, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

This is an Invitation to attend the Inaugural Celebrations of the Commonwealth of Australia, to celebrate the Federation of Australia's united Colonies. It was created on behalf of the Government of New South Wales. January 1st, 1901, is the official date of Australia's Federation. There is no recipient's name on the invitation. The illustrations on the invitation represent the Federation of Australian States, with their historic symbols carried on the sailing ship, representing the colonisation of Australia. The 'rising sun' possibly represents the rising of the young Australia. The Sough Australian symbol appears to be the historic seal of South Australia, depicting Britania meeting an Australian Aboriginal seated on the beach. The symbol was replaced in 1904. The Victorian symbol of a crown above the Southern Cross appears on the flag at the back of the ship, with a crown and the Southern Cross beside each other. The invitation was originally framed by G.U. Petterd, a picture framer and plush worker in Warrnambool, Victoria.The invitation holds great significance, representing a point in Australia's history when the British Colony became an independent nation, with the states uniting under a Federal government. The symbols on the invitation represent those used by each state at the time, many of which have evolved and changed since that time. The decorative and careful creation of the certificate represents the importance placed on the celebrations.Invitation; rectangular page printed in colour with text and illustrations, and attached to cardboard. The document has a floral border with a symbol in each corner. The illustration includes a wooden sailing ship with six figures with long fair hair wearing white robes, and holding six flags or symbols. The mast holds a swallow-tailed banner showing a flag and text. The invitation is from the Government of New South Wales, for the recipient to attend the inaugural celebrations in Sydney on 1st January 1901, for the official date of the Federation of Australia. There is a purple oval stamp on the revers with inscriptions. The picture was originally framed by G.U. Petterd, WarrnamboolSTAMP: "G.U. PETTERD, WARRNAMBOOL / PICTURE FRAMER & PLUSH / WORKER" TEST: - "Commonwealth of Australia. / INAUGURAL CELEBRATIONS / AT SYDNEY / COMMENCING on the 1st JANUARY 1901" "The GOVERNMENT of NEW SOUTH WALES / requests the honour of / (blank line) / presence at the Celebrations to take place / in connection with the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia" Symbols: - [white flag, blue cross, Union Jack] (Australian Federation Flag) [blue Maltese cross with crown in centre] (Queensland symbol) [red St George cross with a lion in the centre] (New South Wales symbol) [white with a symbol on one side (crown?) with a blue flag with Southern Cross on the other] (Victoria's symbols of Crown above Southern Cross) [red lion on white] (Tasmanian symbol) [black swan on yellow] (Western Australia badge) [two figures, one standing and one seated] (South Australian seal) and image of (rising sun on the horizon)flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, invitation, commonwealth of australia, inaugural celebrations, sydney, 1st january 1901, 01-01-1901, federation of australia, australian states, government of new south wales, symbols, flags, australian colony, certificate, g.u. petturd, picture framer and plush worker, picture framer, plush worker, 1901