This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was 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 lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. 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 Ralph 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. RALPH ERIC PATTISON 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 Pattison accepted a 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 area 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 during 1942 to 1942 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 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. The Century Book of Gardening Edited by E.T. Cook Publisher: Country LifeLabel on spine with typed text PAT 635.9 CEN Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Service warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, the century book of gardening, country life

Miss Evelyn Jensen was born in 1908 near Mytleford Road in Beechworth. Miss Jensen was a twin but she also had twelve brothers and sisters. Miss Jensen went to school when she was nine years old but did not enjoy it. Her father was a nozzleman and had a role in finding and collecting gold. More specifically, a nozzleman operated a steel barrel with an interchangeable brass nozzle that sprayed high pressure water onto rock and similar surfaces. This broke down the surface for gold to be found. Unfortunately, when he began most of the gold was already gone. Miss Jensen's mother died when Miss Jensen was sixteen. As a result, Miss Jensen had to take care of the children and run the house. This included looking after a few months old baby. Her father was away at work most days so all of the responsibility fell on her. Her grandmother was present but she was too old to help Miss Jensen. Miss Jensen and her family lived a very long way from the main town and often had to carry kerosene tins full of water half a mile to their house. This was because they have no access to water at their home. This lack of water also meant they had to either bathe in the creek or carry the water back home for a bath. On wash day, they washed their clothes in the creek too. Miss Jensen never married but continued to provide for her family. She spent her days gardening and cooking. They did not have much money so gardening was a way that they provided food for themselves. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Miss Jensen's oral history is significant because it demonstrates the struggles of living remotely during this early part of the twentieth century. When Miss Jensen's mother died, she had to take on a lot of responsibility and did not have much support. This history sheds light on these struggles of being a young caregiver but it also gives details on how large families lived in isolated places. An example of this is the way that Miss Jensen often had to do the washing in the creek because that was the only place there was running water. In addition, Miss Jensen's story is significant because her father was a nozzleman. It indicates one of the processes was used to find gold. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each sideEvelyn Jensen /mytleford road, beechworth, three mile creek, three mile beechworth, twin, nozzleman, goldrush, gold rush, work, mother, young mother, children, siblings, baby, grandmother, father, isolation, bush, water, watertanks, kerosene tins, wash day, bath day, creek, gardening, provide, poor, money, oral history, twentieth century, recording, story

Shire of Eltham Living and Learning Centre is located at 739 Main Road, Eltham. The purpose of the Centre is: To provide an opportunity to come together individually and in groups in an atmosphere of equality, sharing their skills and experiences in order to improve the quality of their living. Tutors are not paid and fees are not charges on the understanding that the idea of sharing and co-operating spreads and everyone enjoys the results. This book was compiled by volunteers involved at the centre recording feelings, views of their experiences within the groups at the centre. It includes recipes, poems, stories and sketches, some of local scenes. It also includes an early history of the Centre compiled by the first Co-ordinator. Subjects include enrolment day, bee keeping, Bridge Club,Carpentry and woodcarving, looking and sharing, creative dancing, crochet, dressmaking, film making, Friends of the Creek, Diamond Creek, accessibility, hair cutting, herb gardening, home handyman skills, homestead cooking, living with goats, native plants, North Riding Project, gardening, painting, playhouse, play reading, puppetry, sculpture, spinning, weaving, winemaking and yoga. This book is significant in documenting the early history of the Eltham Living and Learning centre including the concepts of community co-operation and life-long learning for adults. It connects the current users of the Centre and the wider community with this local history which is part of the character represented in the twentieth century history of the Eltham area. Softcover [64] p.eltham living and learning centre, co-operative, education