The booklet is a catalogue of the books in the Warrnambool Presbyterian St. John's Sabbath School Library (Robert Carswell's Bequest) early in the 20th century. The books for boys and girls are listed separately and are mostly fiction, many with some religious content. St John's Presbyterian Church was opened in 1875. The building was destroyed by fire in 1920 and rebuilt in a similar style to the original one. Robert Carswell was a Warrnambool resident who died in 1900 at the age of 77 and it is presumed that the bequest from his will enabled the Sunday (Sabbath) School library to be established. The card is a membership certificate indicating that Elsie Alston was enrolled as a Sunday School member in Class 14 and thus entitled to borrow books from the library. No details have been found on Elsie Alston but there were several Alston families in Warrnambool at the time.These items are of some interest as church Sunday Schools in the past, particularly in the 19th century, were important as they were widely attended and provided a range of educational and recreational activities, often not otherwise available to the children at that time'.1 A booklet of ten pages with a blue cover with blue printing and a decorative border on the front. The pages contain printed material. The booklet was once stapled but the staples have been removed. .2 A white card with black printing and handwritten names.Elsie Alston Mr M. Ritchieelsie alston, robert carswell, st. john's sabbath school warrnambool, sunday schools in warrnambool

This book was given as a prize to William Giles in the late 19th century. It came from the Skiddaw Sunday (or Sabbath) School. Skiddaw was the home of the Batterbee family and was situated on the old Princes Highway in East Warrnambool near Simpson Street today. The corner here was known as ‘Batterbees Corner’ and there is a Skiddaw Street in the locality today. George Batterbee had a ham and bacon business in Warrnambool. For 36 years his wife, Mary, conducted a Sunday School at Skiddaw (from 1882 to 1918). This Sunday School was under the auspices of St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Warrnambool. Mrs Batterbee was assisted by her daughter Florinda and other teachers. Florinda and her brother Rex were both artists of note. William Giles and his family lived on the Allansford Road. The Logan family farm was in the vicinity of where Logans Beach is today. This book, though tattered and stained, is most important as the only item we have in our collection that is associated with the Skiddaw Sunday School. Situated in a family home, this Presbyterian-sponsored Sunday School operated for 36 years under the direction of Mary Batterbee. This is a book of 32 pages with the cover and perhaps some of the pages missing. It has been stapled but the staples have been removed. The book has large print and illustrations on all the pages. The illustrations have been coloured in by hand. The first page is loose and scribbled on. The pages are very stained and torn in places. The inscription is handwritten in black ink. ‘Skiddaw S. School, Second Prize, Awarded to William Giles for diligence in class, S. Logan, Teacher’. skiddaw, east warrnambool, batterbee family, giles family, logan family, history of warrnambool