.1 SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH AND POSTCARD OF CLUNES DETACHMENT CRESWICK VOLUNTEER RIFLE. CLUNES LANDSCAPE IN BACKGROUND. .2 POSTCARD SIZE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGE OF THE ABOVEMrs? C Wilkinson, Station Flat, Clunes The photo was taken in 1868, find your uncle and fatherlocal history, photographs, volunteer rifle detachment

ORIGINAL OF THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS IN THE STATE LIBRARY VICTORIACOPY PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CLUNES DETACHMENT VOLUNTEER RIFLES C.MAY 1861 at MARKET SQUARE, CASTLEMAINEORIGINAL OF THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS IN THE STATE LIBRARY VICTORIAlocal history, photography, photographs, volunteer rifle detachment

This glass plate photograph shows good detail of members of the Warrnambool Garrison posing for their photograph in front of a young township. There are other well-dressed citizens behind them. The three men with frogging on their sleeves were commanders were likely to be commanders. The men are facing north with Cannon Hill and the fortification area in the background. It dates from the 1860s. The firearms held appear to be 1853 pattern Lee Enfield muskets used by the British army in Crimea at this time and in Australia, rather than the later Martini Henry cartridge rifles. The uniforms match other photos of the Warrnambool Garrison Militia and Band in our Collection, taken up until the 1880s. The three storey building in the photograph is likely to be the Manifold & Bostock flour mill, built in 1854 near the ‘cutting’ in Merri Street, which was one of the main streets at the time; if one faced the building’s front from a vantage point and looked south to south-east, the hills around Flagstaff Hill and Cannon Hill would be behind that mill, and the Harbour behind the hills. This is the area of the Fortifications. The glass plate method of photography was widely used during the mid-19th to early-20th century. The donor and maker of the photograph are unknown. Around this time the citizens of Victoria were prospering from the gold rush but felt isolated and uneasy about their security in the colony. In 1854 the Volunteer Act was passed to provide some military defence. In 1858 the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps was established, disbanded in 1863, then a new Warrnambool Detachment was formed in September 1866. Legislation was passed in 1884 that replaced the volunteers’ corps with a partly paid, permanent Militia Defence Force. The batteries manning the coastal forts of Victoria were termed Garrison Artillery Companies. When the Army was federated in 1901 there were eight Militia Companies in Victoria. Warrnambool and Port Fairy together were known as 8 Coy AGA (Australian Garrison Artillery). Changes to formation and name continued into the 20th century.This photograph is a record of the very early local defence force, circa 1866. The photograph signifies the connection of the colony in Victoria to the growing need for security due to the unrest in Europe at that time. The photograph is also locally significant to the industry of the young township of Warrnambool, showing what is likely to be one of the first flour mills in the town. The photograph is also the only example of the early methods of glass plate photography in our collection. Photograph, rectangular glass plate, positive sepia image. Photograph has brass framed edges that fold over to the back, with mitred corners. The front edges are pressed with a decorative floral pattern. The photograph shows a group of thirty military men, standing or kneeling, in dark uniforms with pillbox forage caps, round-collared jackets with light buttons, light sashes worn from top left shoulder to bottom right side of waist belt, and long, straight-legged trousers. Three of these men have light braid around the buttons on the front of their jackets, light frogging on their sleeve cuffs and stripes on the outside seams of their trousers. The other twenty-seven men have plain uniforms and are holding firearms in their right hands, steadied with their left hands. Other figures are standing behind this group of soldiers, including three or four men wearing top hats, jackets and ties. In the background is a row of buildings. The central building is three stories high. Bare hills are in the far background. The foreground is uneven ground with patches of short grass. Photographer looking towards the south east and Cannon Hill, with the Warrnambool Garrison facing north, ca.1860s.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, glass plate, photography 19th century, colonial forces, military defence, volunteer act 1854, volunteer rifle, garrison artillery, volunteer corps, militia, militia garrison band, pillbox forage caps, helpmann, manifold and bostock, 1853 lee enfield musket, tintype, warrnambool garrison, 1860s, cannon hill, manifold & bostock, flour mill, 3-storey building

William Bennett (Corporal) served in the Ballarat Volunteer Rifle Rangers 2nd Battalion Ballarat, Clunes detachment, he won marksmanship awards in 1867, 1968, 1869, 1871. .1 Black and white photograph of William Bennett in army uniform, sabre in left hand, walking stick in right. .2 Black and white photograph of R K Paul, seated.1 On reverse; J R Tanner Clunes, William Bennett .2 R K Paul March 12th 1865 , to his sincere friend W Bennettwilliam bennett, r k paull, j r tanner photographer

The Crimean War began in 1854 and many people in colonial Australia were afraid of a Russian attack. In 1854 the Volunteer Act was passed to provide some military defence. In 1858 the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps was established, disbanded in 1863, then a new Warrnambool Detachment was formed in September 1866. In 1870 Australia became responsible for its own naval and military defence. The Permanent Victorian Artillery force was established. It was disbanded in 1880 then re-formed in 1882 as the Victorian Garrison Artillery Corps. Legislation was passed in 1884 that replaced the volunteers’ corps with a partly paid, permanent Militia Defence Force. Volunteer forces were established to strengthen the British Imperial troops posted here. A battery of artillery was raised in Victoria as well as in other Australian states. The Batteries manning the coastal forts of Victoria were termed Garrison Artillery Companies. When the Army was federated in 1901 there were eight Militia Companies in Victoria. Warrnambool and Port Fairy together were known as 8 Coy AGA (Australian Garrison Artillery). Changes to formation and name continued into the 20th century. In 1895 the Geelong, Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland Batteries became part of the Western District Garrison Artillery. Many of the volunteers who served in the Artillery were from rural areas. They belonged to rifle clubs and were experienced horsemen as well. Australia's defence at this time relied on these mounted troops, or Light Horse men. In 1899 the Victorian Garrison Artillery Corps amalgamated with the New South Wales and Queensland Permanent Artillery to become the Victorian Regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA). Then prior to Federation, the RAA and the Permanent Artillery of South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania all combined, becoming the Royal Australian Artillery Regiment with two Batteries of Field Artillery; Battery A from Sydney and Battery B from Melbourne. These two certificates were awarded to Sergeant Thomas Stainsby who was a long-time member of the Warrnambool Garrison Artillery detachment during the 1880's and into the 1890's. He is mentioned in several newspaper reports of the era, as being an integral member of the local artillery detachments (as Sergeant-in-Charge, Gun Layer or Orderly) participating in local and statewide "Battery Competitions" that were very popular at this time. In one Annual Battery competition held in 1891 at Port Fairy, a target was moored in the bay and each detachment fired four rounds of "plugged shell" at it (at an estimated distance of 1900 yards). The local newspaper (the Warrnambool Standard) reported "the best work was reserved for the last detachment ... in charge of that old warrior Sergeant Stainsby ... who won the first prize with their four shots." Thomas Stainsby was an important member of the Warrnambool Artillery Battery in the years when it was competing for the "Sir William Clarke Trophy" The Sir William Clarke Trophy (a silver trophy) was given as a prize in 1885 to Victorian Militia Garrison Battery competition winners, for artillery firing target accuracy. A Battery needed to win the competition three times to keep the trophy and the Warrnambool Battery won it in 1887, 1889 and 1892. When the Warrnambool Militia Garrison Artillery had won the Trophy, for the third time, they became Absolute Possessors of the prize. Thomas Stainsby was born on October 25th, 1846, in Melbourne. He married Ellen Priddle in Geelong in 1869, and they moved to Camperdown and then Warrnambool in the 1870's. They had ten children. He was a bootmaker and had a shop in Fairy Street. Thomas died on September 26th, 1914, aged 67. His Obituary in the local paper said he "was very keen on cycling and pedestrianism ... and was actively associated with the old volunteer militia and held the position of Sergeant in the old Battery." Thomas Stainsby features in several photographs of the Warrnambool Battery held in the Flagstaff Hill collection. The Warrnambool Garrison has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register H1250 “for its intact battery and guns, a strong reminder of Victoria’s wealth and determination to protect itself from the perceived threat of invasion in the 1880’s.” The City of Warrnambool is one of several custodians of a collection of artillery pieces of heritage significance at a state, national and international level. These pieces are directly related to the defence of south-west Victoria in the 19th century. The care and preservation come under the Heritage Act 1995. The certificates belonging to Sergeant Thomas Stainsby are a significant example of the work and dedication of a Warrnambool Garrison volunteer.Two paper certificates awarded to Sergeant T. Stainsby. Certificate 8731 is from the "Victorian Military School of Instruction" and was awarded to Sergeant Stainsby of the Warrnambool Battery on 24th October 1887, for passing a course of "Musketry" which enabled him to become a qualified "practical" instructor. The certificate has printed and handwritten sections. Certificate 8732 is from the "Victorian Military Forces", dated 1st July 1894 and certifies that Sergeant Stainsby of the Warrnambool Battery Garrison Artillery passed through a course of Instruction and has qualified for the rank of "Sergeant in the Garrison Artillery, Victoria". The certificate has printed and handwritten sections, is yellowed with age and has some rips and tears along each edge and along its fold lines.Certificate 8731.1 - "No. 86" /Victorian Military School of Instruction/ Musketry CERTIFICATE. / I CERTIFY that No 5 Ser T Stainsby Warrnambool Battery / has passed through a course of Musketry /at the School of Military Instruction, and is duly qualified/ to instruct Practically/ [illegible signature]/Lt-Colonel/ Asst. Adjt.-General / Dated at Melbourne/ 24 Oct 1887." Certificate 8731.2 - "No 480 / Victorian Military Forces - /Re-issue / 2nd Class certificate /I certify that No 1 sergeant/ T Stainsby, Warrnambool Battery G.A. / has passed through a course of instruction / and is qualified for the rank of / Sergeant in the Garrison Artillery, Victoria/ Dated at Melbourne / 1st July 1894 [illegible signature] Lieut-Colonel /Comma? Artillery."flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, victorian garrison artillery, warrnambool battery, volunteer militia, garrison artillery, artillery detachment, battery competitions, warrnambool garrison volunteers, sergeant stainsby, thomas stainsby, sir w. clarke trophy, sir w. j. clarke trophy