From the early days of our race, the knife represented one of the first and most important tools that enabled rise of our technology, military, culture, science and all other things that brought us to this point of modern civilisation. As a vital tool for survival, combat, construction and food preparation, the knife quickly became the most basic tool from which all others were born. In those ancient times, 500,000 years ago, sharpened stones started slowly evolving, becoming more and more like their modern counterpart. Before the time when fire enabled the melting of the various metals, and forging them into modern knives, their stone counterparts received several visual upgrades. Double bladed knives were most popular, and their wooden or stone hilts were decorated with animal skins and feathers. Those knives represented a great deal of pride for the warriors and elders who owned them, and that tradition continued to be practised with the arrival of the Bronze Age. The appearance of metallurgy brought the ability to create knives from softer types of metal. Even though knives from bronze did not provide durability over longer periods of time [easily dulled, and susceptible to corrosion), their sharpness and slim designed proved to be superior to any stone knife tool. As the centuries went on, iron and then steel became commonplace across the entire world. Knives created from those materials were much more durable and easier to maintain their sharpness after prolonged use. During medieval times in Europe, steel metallurgy managed to evolve knives from small single or double-bladed edges to larger sizes - swords, spears and axes. Even with all those advancements, the use of knives as an eating utensil continued to be used in some small circles. Even as early as the 15th century, wealthy circles of people started carrying personal knives, intended for double use - both eating and defending against threats. During those times the host were not obliged to provide their guest with any kind of eating utensil in addition to plates, so wealthy males used their eating knives for cutting their own meals, and the meals of nearby female guests. Slim double-bladed knives were good for cutting and piercing foods. As the use of forks became widespread in the whole of Europe by the late 17th century, most people used this kind of small knife on a regular basis (a combination of two knives, one for stabilising and other for cutting the meal). http://www.eatingutensils.net/history-of-cutlery/knife-history/The knife is one of the most important items that has enabled the development of civilisation over thousands of years.Carving knife with wooden handle and rusted slender metal blade.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, knife, kitchen equipment, dining

A hand operated knife/blade sharpener was a very important implement for farmers to keep tools in good working condition. A hand-operated grinding and blade sharpening wheel. It has a wooden handle, stone wheel and a clamp for attachment to a flat surface. grinder knife-sharpener

Craven-A box with Perspex at front secured by screws. Box contains 14 items including calliper, metal knife, three wooden cogs, stone item, hand palm protector, needle, line (rope), two Fids, scissors, threader, Virginia Cigarettes metal box used to represent beeswax. There is a piece of typed paper identifying different items. Piece of paper ‘These are some of the hand tools and equiopment used by sailors and sailmakers throughout the ages of sail and steam./?Hand palm (used) for pushing needles through canvas sails ans heavy lines (rope)/ Fids for opening up lines for splicing/ Needles for passing through canvas and lines/ beeswaz for preservation of twine used in sailmaking and splicing/ Gauges measuring rope thickness/ Curved scissors for cutting canvas and twine/ Threader for threading twine through rope and canvas.

In the words of the donor, Betty Stone, "This pewter plate belonged to Joshua and Susan Chamberlain. They, with their family, arrived in Australia as assisted migrants in January 1855. Our Chamberlain family was among those chosen to participate in a Bounty Scheme and on 24 October 1854 embarked on SS Shand to begin their journey. A few years later they set up a home on a small farming property in Wangoom, Warrnambool with the possessions they had brought with them from the village of Thriplow, Cambridgeshire, England. Amongst those household possessions was this plate. During the first half of the nineteenth century, a Bounty scheme was introduced to encourage migrants to Australia to work on properties granted or sold to settlers. Agents in England were engaged to select suitable emigrants; applicants had to be "sober, industrious and of good moral character....and married men over the age of forty-eight were only eligible to receive the bounty if they had five or more children over the age of ten years'. The successful applicant also had to pay one pound sterling for each adult, and ten shillings for each child between the ages of one and fourteen years. This payment covered the cost of a mattress, bolster, blanket, small box, knife and fork, two spoons, metal plate, and drinking mug, all of which became the emigrant's property on arrival in the colony. The pewter plate, handed down from one generation to the next, was always valued by members of the family as an important artefact. The plate has a mark stamped on the back which is almost indecipherable." (Reference- Brown Martyn- Australia Bound! The story of West Country connections 1688- 1888 Bradford on Avon Wiltshire Ex Libris Press 1988 p 112.) (Note: For additional information please refer to Betty Stone’s book “Pioneers and Places - A History of three Warrnambool Pioneering Families” ie. Chamberlain, Dale and Lees Families)This item is associated with the families of Chamberlain, Dale and Lees. These families are listed in the "Pioneers' Register" for Warrnambool Township and Shire, 1835-1900, published by A.I.G.S. Warrnambool Branch. The plate is an example of the goods emigrants brought to Australia under the Bounty Scheme in the 1850s.Pewter plate: metal plate with a wide rim and shallow bowl. The top has a gold-brown colour, underside is grey with a red-brown mark. Made c. 1850. The plate has an Inscription stamped on the back and front.It is part of the 'Chamberlain, Dale and Lees Collection' Maker's Mark on back: 'rectangle with rounded corners / T H all within a circle' almost indecipherable. Mark heavily stamped on front: 'L / T M'flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, chamberlain, dale, lees, stone, betty stone, warrnambool pioneers, pewter plate, emigration, bountey system, dinner ware, joshua chamberlain, susan chamberlain, 1855, emigrant, assisted migrant, ss shand, wangoom, triplow, cambridgeshire

Digital image of Trams 17 (ex Victoria St) crossing tram 18 (Mt Pleasant) at Stones Corner - the intersection of Bridge St, Victoria St and Main Road. Shows a busy and somewhat congested intersection. In the background are the Caltex Service Station, a clothing shop, paint shop, dry cleaners and parking meters. Photo by Peter Knife 24/7/1971.Yields information about tram operations in Ballarat, some two months before closure of the SEC operated tram system.Digital image of a colour slide.tramways, tramcars, ballarat, tram 17, tram 18, bridge st, stones corner