This book was part of a large group of books referred to as the Pattison Collection, which belonged to the Warrnambool Public Library, part of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute. About RALPH ERIC PATTISON and the ‘PATTISON COLLECTION’ The ‘Pattison Collection’ is a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the WMI was led to ask the City Council to take it over in 1911 due to lack of financial support. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Public Library as it was then called. Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 when Pattison accepted the position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council his huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower areas of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However, he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. THE NEW WARRNAMBOOL LIBRARY When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Pattison. Eventually, the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. WARRNAMBOOL MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853, a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November 1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half-yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860s the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fundraising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however, it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former courthouse in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much - loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historical books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historical Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed artworks and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. Tales of Three Cities Author: Henry James Publisher: MacMillian & Co Date: 1884 The label on the spine cover with typed text PAT 813.4 JAM Pastedown front endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service Front loose endpaper has a stamp from Corangamite Regional Library Service Flyleaf has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, tales of three cities, henry james

This book was used in the first school in Mt Beauty only started in 1948/1949 this would have been one of the first books used in the school. Also as a state school book it is also significant to the Victorian State school system. There could be a lot of these books in other towns in the state, therefore it may not be just found in Mt Beauty. This item is historically significance as it shows what sort of books were used for that period. It is socially significant as the Mt Beauty school was new in this period therefore shows what the students were using. This item was used in Mount Beauty Primary School as part of a teacher's curriculum. The fact that it was in a rural area, Kiewa Valley did present a slightly different learning atmosphere than in the larger towns and cities. The majority of parents within the Kiewa Valley, had slight reservations of the "high and mighty" attitude of some city dwellers and the effectiveness of city bred teachers was how to overcome these ingrained mores. The mentioning of European nations and lifestyles was to the pupils in the infant schools far more like "fairyland" than the realism that they experienced on the "land". However at this age level fantasy was more important than reality. Australian fantasy tales e.g. Blinky Bill (circa 1930s) introduced main characters that infants could identify, especially in rural schools.This item is a green coloured hard backed book containing 384 double sided pages. Nearly all pages have black writing and free hand sketches. There are some pages of duplicated sheet music.See KVHS 0045, KVHS 0046, KVHS 0048 for the other volumes held.On the spine is "MACMILLANS TEACHING IN PRACTICE" below this "PROJECTS and PICTURES" underneath "VOL 3". On title page "edited by E.J.S.Lay" underneath"VOLUME THREE". Below this there is printed a two branch wreath within these an "Olympic" type torch.book, school, teacher, children, infant, reference, educational

The Norman Oliver collection. Norman Oliver was three times Mayor of Bendigo - 1950-51, 1964-65, 1970-71. Three copies of a speech, eight typed pages each, titled The ten novels I regard most highly. A talk for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. 1st October 1951. Corrections in blue ink and pencil. His ten nominated novels were : David Copperfield and Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickins, Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore, War and Peace by Tolstoy, Kipps by H. G. Wells, Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, Tell England by Ernest Raymond, Hypatia by Charles Kingsley, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Norman Oliver served on the Library Board of Victoria.bendigo, council, speech notes, norman joseph oliver , councillor norman oliver. mayor of bendigo. australian broadcasting commission.

William Abendigo Thompson was English bare-knuckle boxer born in Nottingham, 1811- 1880 and whose name is (allegedly) borne by the City of Greater Bendigo. One of 21 children he started fighting aged 18 and began prizefighting aged 21. His career spanned from 1832–50, and is said to have lost only one fight. Later in life, after spending time in prison he became a Methodist evangelist preacher. While the artist and date of production of this work are unknown the initials JJLh (or n?) are just legible lower right on canvas. Other clues for an approximate date of creation include the similarity in composition of this painting to a popular aquatint of Bendigo by Charles Hunt Senior (1803 - 77). Based on the markings on the back of the canvas for Rowney and Co and the address given, we can ascertain that the canvas itself was manufactured between 1884 - 1896. The painting also includes an extract of the Conan Doyle poem 'Bendigo's Sermon' which was written in 1911. Given these three factors, a date for the painting can be surmised as post 1911. Stretched made by George Rowney’s is one of very few artists’ supply businesses with origins in the 18th century still trading today, as Daler-Rowney, albeit no longer in family hands. The business has been a significant supplier of canvases and panels from the 1810s. Naive, Primitive, British0348.1 Framed oil painting of the bare fisted knuckle fighter William Abendigo Thompson painted in a naïve style. Depicts Thompson, bare chested in an outdoor fighting ring with his fists raised with a water bucket at this feet. 0348.2 Typed note re the history of the naming of the City of Bendigo.Top centre front of painting; You didn’t know of Bendigo? That knocks me out! Who’s your board school teacher? What’s he about? Chock a block with fairy tales – full of useless cram And haven’t heard o' Bendigo the pride of Nothin’ All sing along together lower centre painting; William Abendigo Thompson centre Inner wooden frame; bendigo back of canvas; Geo. Rowney & Co 64 Oxford Street and Princes Ball Piccadilly London W sticker lower centre back of frame; donors name and address. Initials illegible lower right.city of greater bendigo sport