Brown grosgrain straw boater hatband with Gold stitched embroidery badge of BHC surrounded by bunch of grapes, the whole surrounded by wreath of leaves in gold colour. Attached to modern straw boater hat for display purposes.B.H.C.hatband, student boater hat, boater, cloth, burnley hat, uniform, artifact

Each year The Australian Insitutue of Mining Engineers held a meeting in an important mining district or township. In 1906, via the good offices of David Ham an invitation was extended to the Ballarat students to take part in a trip to Broken Hill, via Wallaroo and Moonta, and Port Pirie. They left the Ballarat station on Saturday May 19, 1906 aboard the Adelaide Express. The Ballarat party consisted of David Ham (Ballarat School of Mines Council Member); staff members Frederick J. Martell, A.D. Gilchrist, John Sutherland, A.E.C. Kerr, A. Garard and E.J. McConnon. The attending students were W.P. Avery, M. Boyer, M.H. Bade, E. Booth, E. Crossly, A. Cooper, G.H. Davenport, W.E. Figgis, R. Galloway, C. Hesselmann, H. Hawkesworth, M. McCallum, H.F. Owen, W. Pearce, W. Sayer, J. Sutherand, Arthur E. Tandy and H.C. Valentine. Students were also present from the Working Men's College (later RMIT), Bairnsdale School of Mines, Melbourne University and the Bendigo School of Mines. Members of Australian Institute of Mining Engineers and students from the Ballarat School of Mines at the Central Mine, Broken Hill. It is assumed the Ballarat School of Mines students are in the boater hats with the striped hat braid. ballarat school of mines, australian institute of mining engineers, central mine, broken hill, broken hill, visits, excursions, david ham, frederick j. martell, a.d. gilchrist, john sutherland, a.e.c. kerr, a. garard, e.j. mcconnon, w.p. avery, m. boyer, m.h. bade, e. booth, e. crossly, a. cooper, g.h. davenport, w.e. figgis, r. galloway, c. hesselmann, h. hawkesworth, m. mccallum, h.f. owen, w. pearce, w. sayer, j. sutherand, arthur e. tandy, h.c. valentine.

The badge belonged to John Arnold Seitz who attended Scotch from 1914 until ?. The badge and hat band would have been attached to a staw boater worn by students to the Head of the River Boat Races. Oval shaped badge of gold coloured metal and enamel with crossed oars coming up from the a banner at the bottom of the badge. The oval is formed by a buckled belt of dark blue within this on dark red background is a seated scholar. A pin is on the back to Inscription on badge "DEO PATRIAE LITTERIS/ HEAD OF RIVER RACES". Verso STOKES & SONS MELB 811/?? (numbers are difficult to decipher)clothing, gold, 1914, badge, accesory, headware, scotchcollege, seitz john arnold, maroon, blue boat races, head of the river, crossed oars, hatband

The Ballarat School of Mines was established in the disused Ballarat Circuit Court in 1870 through the initiatives of the Ballarat Mining Board, which was concerned with the shortage of trained men for the goldfields. The former Ballarat Circuit Court House was originally abandoned due to subsidence of its foundations, possible caused by under-mining. This photograph shows students in front of that building, which was demolished c1912 to make way for the Ballarat Technical Art School building. A group of men pose for a photograph at the side of the original Ballarat School of Mines Building (Former Circuit Court - now demolished). Many wear hats.ballarat school of mines, ballarat circuit court house, court house, ballarat mining board, students, class, former ballarat circuit courthouse, alumni, boater hats