In 1872 Felton and Grimwade established the Melbourne Glass Bottle Works which grew into Australian Consolidated Industries (ACI). .Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd (1903 - 1915) Registered in Victoria in 1903 the company amalgamated with the Waterloo Glass Bottle Works Ltd in 1915 to form Australian Glass Manufacturers Company, Limited. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1872- 1915 The Melbourne Glass Bottle Works (former), comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. The former glassworks was established in 1890 and originally made bottles for pharmacists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the State Government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers. Australian Consolidated Industries Ltd was formed in 1939 when Australian Glass Manufacturers Co Ltd changed it's name to reflect diversification into building products. 1982 a new holding company was formed and the company's name was changed to A.C.I. International Ltd. A clear glass jar made for the Australian Pickle Co. Pty. Ltd.Around base; THIS BOTTLE ALWAYS REMAINS THE PROPERTY OF THE AUSTRALIAN PICKLE CO. PTY. LTD. Base; (makers mark) / IS 1279 / 3 melbourne, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, manufactured glass, austalian pickle co.pty.ltd, australian glass manufacturing company ltd, felton grimwade pty ltd, pharmacists, bottles, melbourne glass bottle works,

Melotte brand milk separator with red cast iron base and silver-coloured tin milk container and a separating can. A milk float sits in the top. The steel handle has a wooden grip.Melotte/ Supplied by T Robinson and Co Pty Ltd Spotswood Melbourneallansford, separators, dairying

Light green tinted preserving jar. Embossed writing on front. Glass lid. Metal frame around top to seal lid. Has wire bail and neck tie wire lever.Front- Chicago Fruit Jar-trade mark. Bottom- "M" top of lid- "See rubber ring is level before closing the jar, Registered Patent 1893preserving bottle glass chicago-fruit-jar

There are two distinct types of milk consumption: a natural source of nutrition for all infant mammals and a food product for humans of all ages that is derived from other animals. Milk is a key contributor to improving nutrition and food security particularly in developing countries. Improvements in livestock and dairy technology offer significant promise in reducing poverty and malnutrition in the world. Pasteurization is used to kill harmful micro-organisms by heating the milk for a short time and then immediately cooling it. In the past, milk was always packaged in glass milk bottles The first glass bottle packaging for milk was used in the 1870s. The first company to do so may have been the New York Dairy Company in 1877 with a small glass lid and a tin clip. Lewis P. Whiteman holds the first patent for a glass milk bottle c1884,which was sealed with a waxed paper disk. The Express Dairy Company in England began glass bottle production in 1880. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1880 - 1990. Milk cartons first came to Australia in 1958, when the Model Dairy in Melbourne began packaging milk in 150 ml and 500 ml cartons. At the time, 160,000 new glass bottles were needed in Melbourne alone every week to keep up the delivery of 1.3 million bottles of milk a day. n 1970, the blow-moulded disposable plastic milk bottle was introduced. In 1987, only about 2% of milk was still being sold in glass bottles. Glass milk bottles are now rare .Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd (1903 - 1915) Registered in Victoria in 1903 the company amalgamated with the Waterloo Glass Bottle Works Ltd in 1915 to form Australian Glass Manufacturers Company, Limited. Melbourne Glass bottle works Spotswood 1872- 1915 The Melbourne Glass Bottle Works (former), comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. The former glassworks was established in 1890 and originally made bottles for pharmacists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the state government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers A clear glass 4 oz bottle for PURA Creamery Carnegie. . A waxed cardboard disc lid from Devonshire Dairy Hepburn Springs is not related to this bottle but is an example of the typical lid used during this period Bottle : PURA / CREAMERY / CARNEGIE / CONTENTS 4 OZS Base : 120 Lid circumference : DEVONSHIRE DAIRY HEPBURN SPRINGS:/ Lid centre: PURE MILK/ T.B. TESTED COWS / PHONE 223 melbourne glass bottle works, spotswood melbourne, milk, dairy, dairy produce, dairy farmers, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin, cheltenham, pasteur louis, pasteurization, pura creamery carnegie, devonshire dairy, hepburn springs, waxed paper milk bottle lids, felton grimwade co ltd,

There are two distinct types of milk consumption: a natural source of nutrition for all infant mammals and a food product for humans of all ages that is derived from other animals. Milk is a key contributor to improving nutrition and food security particularly in developing countries. Improvements in livestock and dairy technology offer significant promise in reducing poverty and malnutrition in the world. Pasteurization is used to kill harmful micro-organisms by heating the milk for a short time and then immediately cooling it. In the past, milk was always packaged in glass milk bottles The first glass bottle packaging for milk was used in the 1870s. The first company to do so may have been the New York Dairy Company in 1877 with a small glass lid and a tin clip. Lewis P. Whiteman holds the first patent for a glass milk bottle c1884,which was sealed with a waxed paper disk. The Express Dairy Company in England began glass bottle production in 1880. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1880 - 1990. Milk cartons first came to Australia in 1958, when the Model Dairy in Melbourne began packaging milk in 150 ml and 500 ml cartons. At the time, 160,000 new glass bottles were needed in Melbourne alone every week to keep up the delivery of 1.3 million bottles of milk a day c1970, the blow-moulded disposable plastic milk bottle was introduced. In 1987, only about 2% of milk was still being sold in glass bottles. Glass milk bottles are now rare. Metric measures were introduced throughout Australia with Decimalisation 14/2/1966.3 x clear glass milk bottles c 1970 600ml ( 2 shown in photograph)PASTEURISED / 600 ML MILKmelbourne glass bottle works, spotswood melbourne, milk, dairy, dairy produce, dairy farmers, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin, cheltenham, pasteur louis, pasteurization

Melbourne Glass Bottle Works, Spotswood, Victoria 1872- 1915 comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. The glassworks was established in 1890 and originally made bottles for pharmacists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the State Government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers. A pharmaceutical clear glass beaker with capacity 300mlmelbourne glass bottle works, spotswood melbourne, pharmacy, industrial glass, cheltenham, moorabbin

A test tube, also known as a culture tube or sample tube, is a common piece of laboratory glassware consisting of a finger-like length of glass or clear plastic tubing, open at the top, usually with a rounded U-shaped bottom. Test tubes are widely used by pharmacists to hold, mix, or heat small quantities of solid or liquid chemicals, especially for qualitative experiments and assays. Their round bottom and straight sides minimize mass loss when pouring, make them easier to clean, and allow convenient monitoring of the contents. The long, narrow neck slows down the spreading of vapours and gases to the environment. Test tubes are usually held in special-purpose racks, Test tubes for physics and chemistry are usually made of glass for better resistance to heat and corrosive chemicals and longer life. Tubes made from expansion-resistant glasses, such as borosilicate glass, can be placed directly over a Bunsen burner flame.8 clear glass test tubes of varied capacity with 3 glass mixers sitting in a wooden stand. A 1 metre length of clear plastic tubing is with this setglass manufacturers, test tubes, culture tubes, sample tubes, borosilicate glass, otto schlott, felton grimwade company, melbourne glass bottle works, laboratory glass, pharmacy, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, spotswood melbourne

Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd (1903 - 1915) Registered in Victoria in 1903 the company amalgamated with the Waterloo Glass Bottle Works Ltd in 1915 to form Australian Glass Manufacturers Company, Limited. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1872- 1915 The Melbourne Glass Bottle Works (former), comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. The former glassworks was established in 1890 and originally made bottles for pharmacists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the State Government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers A small clear glass bottle with a piece of the cork stopper* pharmacy, medicines, asthma, respiratory diseases, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, glass bottles, melbourne glass bottle works. felton grimwade, spotswood,

General use of milk bottles is usually associated with the 20th century , with occasional late 19th century. Initially, milk was delivered in cans stacked upright in a wagon. At each stop, someone, usually the wife of the house, would bring a pitcher or a pail to the wagon, and the milk man would ladle out the desired amount of milk. Needless to say, this practice was hazardous and unhealthy. The New York State Tuberculosis Association condemned the practice of selling “loose milk,” still being conducted in New York City in 1922, as a major cause for the spread of tuberculosis (Glass Container1922:8). It is probable that the delivery of milk in glass containers became universal shortly thereafter Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd (1903 - 1915) Registered in Victoria in 1903 the company amalgamated with the Waterloo Glass Bottle Works Ltd in 1915 to form Australian Glass Manufacturers Company, Limited. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1872- 1915 The Melbourne Glass Bottle Works (former), comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. The former glassworks was established in 1890 and originally made bottles for pharmacists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the State Government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers Australian Consolidated Industries Ltd was formed in 1939 when Australian Glass Manufacturers Co Ltd changed it's name to reflect diversification into building products. 1982 a new holding company was formed and the company's name was changed to A.C.I. International Ltd. Metric Measure was introduced in Australia 14/2/1966 A clear glass, cream bottle 300ml Around Shoulder : NO DEPOSIT NO RETURN 300ML CREAM Around Base: (makers stamp) M 10116 38 melbourne, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, manufactured glass, milk bottles, dairy farmers, dairies, decimalisation in australia 1966, metric measures, melbourne glass bottle works, spotswood, felton grimwade pty ltd, pharmacists,

General use of milk bottles is usually associated with the 20th century , with occasional late 19th century. Initially, milk was delivered in cans stacked upright in a wagon At each stop, someone, usually the wife of the house, would bring a pitcher or a pail to the wagon, and the milk man would ladle out the desired amount of milk. Needless to say, this practice was hazardous and unhealthy. The New York State Tuberculosis Association condemned the practice of selling “loose milk,” still being conducted in New York City in 1922, as a major cause for the spread of tuberculosis (Glass Container1922:8). It is probable that the delivery of milk in glass containers became universal shortly thereafter. General use of milk bottles is usually associated with the 20th century , with occasional late 19th century. Initially, milk was delivered in cans stacked upright in a wagon. At each stop, someone, usually the wife of the house, would bring a pitcher or a pail to the wagon, and the milk man would ladle out the desired amount of milk. Needless to say, this practice was hazardous and unhealthy. The New York State Tuberculosis Association condemned the practice of selling “loose milk,” still being conducted in New York City in 1922, as a major cause for the spread of tuberculosis (Glass Container1922:8). It is probable that the delivery of milk in glass containers became universal shortly thereafter. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1880 - 1990. made bottles for various companies. Milk cartons first came to Australia in 1958, when the Model Dairy in Melbourne began packaging milk in 150 ml and 500 ml cartons. At the time, 160,000 new glass bottles were needed in Melbourne alone every week to keep up the delivery of 1.3 million bottles of milk a day. In 1970, the blow-moulded disposable plastic milk bottle was introduced. In 1987, only about 2% of milk was still being sold in glass bottles. Glass milk bottles are now rare. A clear glass milk or cream bottle 'Imperial' 1/4 Pintaround base : IMPERIAL 1/4 PINTmelbourne, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, manufactured glass, milk bottles, dairy farmers, dairies

General use of milk bottles is usually associated with the 20th century , with occasional late 19th century. Initially, milk was delivered in cans stacked upright in a wagon. At each stop, someone, usually the wife of the house, would bring a pitcher or a pail to the wagon, and the milk man would ladle out the desired amount of milk. Needless to say, this practice was hazardous and unhealthy. The New York State Tuberculosis Association condemned the practice of selling “loose milk,” still being conducted in New York City in 1922, as a major cause for the spread of tuberculosis (Glass Container1922:8). It is probable that the delivery of milk in glass containers became universal shortly thereafter. Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1880 - 1990. made bottles for various companies. Milk cartons first came to Australia in 1958, when the Model Dairy in Melbourne began packaging milk in 150 ml and 500 ml cartons. At the time, 160,000 new glass bottles were needed in Melbourne alone every week to keep up the delivery of 1.3 million bottles of milk a day. In 1970, the blow-moulded disposable plastic milk bottle was introduced. In 1987, only about 2% of milk was still being sold in glass bottles. Glass milk bottles are now rare After Decimalization 14/2/1966 Metric measure glass bottles were used A clear glass milk bottle ‘Imperial’ half pint. Around centre : IMPERIAL HALF PINT Base: M / 'scar' / 824 ( enclosed in a circle) / 8 / 760melbourne, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, manufactured glass, milk bottles, dairy farmers, dairies

A baby bottle is a bottle with a rubber or latex teat attached so that baby can drink directly from it by sucking on the teat. It is typically used by infants and young children ,when a mother does not breastfeed, to feed infant formula, expressed breast milk or paediatric electrolyte solution. Australian Glass Manufacturers produced glass bottles for pharmacy, brewery, dairy and domestic use 1913 – 1970 . Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd Registered in Victoria in 1903 amalgamated with the Waterloo Glass Bottle Works Ltd in 1915 to form Australian Glass Manufacturers Company, Limited. .Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Spotswood 1872- 1970 comprising a complex of buildings constructed between 1880 and 1940, (at Booker Street, Douglas Parade, 2-38 Hudson Road, Raleigh Street and Simcock Avenue, Spotswood ) originally made bottles for druggists Felton Grimwade before it was sold to the State Government by US multinational, OI glass manufacturers. . The Baby feeding bottle has graduated markings in 1- 6 ounces which shows that it was made prior to the introduction of Decimal Currency in Australia 14/2/1966. A clear glass feeding bottle. It is 'banana shaped' and open both ends with graduated measurements - 1-6 ouncesAGEE/ THE PERFECT FEEDING BOTTLE / OUNCES 1-6* bottles, feeding bottles, infants, breastfeeding, moorabbin, bentleigh, ormond cheltenham, glass, australian glass manufacturing company ltd, decimal currency, imperial measurements, ounces, milk, dairy, baby formulae,

In 1891​ The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was formed and became responsible for Melbourne's water supply. Melbourne had grown to a city of half a million people. To provide water to this rapidly growing city (especially the eastern suburbs), and to supplement the 1857 Yan Yean Reservoir, Melbourne's first water supply, the Watts River (near Healesville) was tapped. It supplied water to Melbourne, via the Maroondah aqueduct.​ In May 1892 the MMBW's first engineer-in-chief, Mr William Thwaites began construction on Melbourne's sewerage system. A treatment farm was built at Werribee and a pumping station was built at Spotswood (now the site of the Scienceworks Museum) to send the city's waste to Werribee. The first Melbourne homes were connected to the sewerage system in 1897. This book showcases the MMBW's infrastructure achievements and documents costs, requirements and key personnel involved in the development of the water supply and sewerage schemes.The introduction states "The water supply sources and headworks are in many cases situated in remote places and the sewerage works are chiefly underground. The Board has therefore resolved that these photographs of some of the scenes and works should be collected and bound for general information. August 1908" This book is in excellent condition and provides a detailed insight into the previous 17 years of work and the Board personnel of the MMBW leading up to 1908. It is of historical importance to the history of Melbourne for the photographic documents of places that were not generally open to the public, and for Melbourne Water in its detailed history of the MMBW in the early twentieth century. Photographic view book with hard khaki coloured cardboard cover and blue fabric binding. 120 Pages. Glossy paper with black and white plates and text about the MMBW, and scenic views and places of interest in association with the MMBW. The Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works - Water Supply, Sewerage etc. ...Photographic Views...mmbw, board members, sewerage, water supply, historic views, photographs

Robert Ducrow lived in Oxford Street Newport and was Mayor of Williamstown between 1948 and 1960. He owned a grocery shop in Hudson Road Spotswood Small nine-carat round gold medallion with a ring for attaching to a chain or fob. Coat of arms of Williamstown on the face. Obverse engraved. The medallion commemorates Councillor R A E Ducrow, Mayor of Williamstown from 1948 to 1960. The medallion is in its original cream coloured plastic square lidded box, with burgundy velvet lining.Front face: "CITY OF WILLIAMSTOWN/1856" Obverse: "CR R. A. E. DUCROW/J.P./MAYOR/1948/1960/KGLUKE/9C" Lid of case: "MEDALLIONS/BY/K.G. LUKE PTY LTD Inside lid: K.G.LUKE/PTY LTD/MEDALLISTS/MELBOURNE"

The SS ‘Excelsior’ was an iron screw steamer, built in Southampton, England, in 1882 and first registered in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1882. Her journey from Southampton, England to Melbourne, Victoria is reported to have taken just 66 days. She would prove to be a very popular vessel on Port Phillip Bay, though her reign may have been relatively short as she was sunk in 1890. She was refloated sometime between 1890 to 1900 as some records state 1890, others at 1900. Gross Tonnage: 350, Net Tonnage: 172, Length: 186 ft 6 in (56.85 m), Beam: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m), Depth: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m), First Owner: Huddart Parker & Co. A Timeline of SS Excelsior’s life: 15 Jan 1883 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ commenced the Melbourne to Geelong run. 27 Jan 1940 21 Jan 1890 →the SS ‘Flora’ ran aground whilst heading out to Hobart, Tasmania, on a tight bend in the Yarra River at Spotswood. Whilst stuck fast in the mud, the SS ‘Excelsior’ ran into her stern – thankfully the damage to both vessels was only minor. 9 Jan 1897 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ sank the Ketch ‘Lu Lu’ on the south bank of the Hopetoun Channel near Geelong, Victoria. Blame is shared between Captains of both vessels: At the meeting of the Marine Board the report of the nautical expert committee, relative to the collision between the steamer Excelsior and ketch Lulu, was considered. The committee recommended that the matter should be remitted to the Marine Court, and a charge of misconduct preferred against Gilbert Moore, master of the Excelsior. Mr Wilson, one of the committee, dissented. He thought in view of the nature of the evidence charges should be preferred against both masters. Mr Dickens moved an amendment to the latter effect, but it was rejected, and the report adopted. 11 Jul 1899 → The SS ‘Edina’ sinks the SS ‘Excelsior’ during thick fog: Shortly after, half-past 11 o’clock this, morning a serious collision took place in Port Phillip Bay between the steamers Edina and the Excelsior. The Edina was on her way to Geelong, to which place she makes a trip every forenoon in the course of her trade with that port, and the Excelsior was coming up the bay to Melbourne. The weather was calm but thick, and a fog hung over the water. The Edina struck the Excelsior on the port side amidships, and she sank within a quarter of an hour. Both vessels carried a large number of passengers, and large cargoes, but there was very little excitement. The whole thing happened so suddenly that until the crash came those on board the steamers were not aware that any other boat was near at all. When both vessels began to draw away after the collision it was at once seen that the Excelsior was the most seriously injured of the two, and she at once began to settle down rapidly. Some of the Excelsior’s passengers were dragged on board the Edina at once, while the remainder, including the crew, were rescued by boats. As far as can be ascertained no one was drowned, but some 20 or 25 were injured. Dr. Wilson, headmaster of the Brighton Presbyterian Ladies’ College, was perhaps the most seriously injured of the Excelsior’s passengers. He was looking down the companion ladder ‘when the collision took place, and he was thrown violently below, sustaining a compound fracture of the right fore-arm. When attended to it was found, that he suffered severely from the shook of his fall and was rather in a bad way. A lady passenger by the Excelsior had her side lacerated, while another had her ankle sprained. The remainder of the others injured had either small cuts or were suffering from shock. The Excelsior went down stern first, and now lies in about five fathoms of water, with her bow above the surface. The Edina is almost uninjured, but she will be immediately placed in dock, as she is making water slightly. c 1900 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ was raised from her watery grave where a large cut can be seen on the SS Excelsior in dock and reveals the breach made and damage done by the Edina. c 1939 → Records regarding the SS ‘Excelsior’ are elusive until c 1939, when she was commissioned to relocate to Brisbane, Queensland, during the Second World War: The Excelsior came to Brisbane on a voyage north during the 1939-45 War. Being unseaworthy she could not be taken further and was used here as a workshop. After the war, she was discarded on Bishop Island. c 1946 → Sometime after WWII was over, the SS ‘Excelsior’ joined many a ship in the graveyard at Bishop Island in Queensland. The island has been the site for the disposal of many ships. Ships recorded as being discarded here include the Groper, Adonis, Roderick Dhu, Excelsior, Yosemite, Maida, Civility, Captain Cook, Bingera, St. Kilda, Lucinda, Moreton, Miner, Schnapper, Lochiel, Queensland, Victoria, and BadgerThe SS Excelsior is a well known ship from the history of Geelong. Its collision with the equally well known SS Edina is of particular interest to Geelong. She was a famous ship in the reckon of Port Phillip despite her short life stand, especially when compared to the SS Edina. Colour painting of ship departingship collision, ship wreck, ss excelsior, ss edina, bishop island

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