The family-owned Furphy company has been manufacturing agricultural equipment in Kyneton and then Shepparton in Victoria from the 1860s to the present day. In the late 1800s the company developed the Furphy Water Cart to help farmers transport water to and from and around their properties - especially in time of drought. At the beginning of World War One, the carts were used to distribute water amongst the thousands of soldiers completing their basic training at Broadmeadows. They were also used for the same purpose in the camps and battlefields overseas. As the soldiers gathered around the water carts they would often chat, share information and gossip amongst themselves. These practices resulted in the term Furphy evolving in to the Australian vernacular as meaning a statement or fact that isn’t quite true or a little bit dubious.Furphy water cart, unpainted with traces of red on embossed endOn side of tank in black paint "CHURCHILL ISLAND" Embossed on end: Furphy water cart; makers Furphy & Sons, Shepparton and other inscriptions.farm machinery, water, furphy cart, horse drawn, furphy, churchill island, shepparton, kyneton

Colour photograph of a Furphy's Farm Water Cartfurphy, j. furphy, j. furphy and sons, water cart, sheparton, farming

Colour photograph of a water cart made by Furphy of Shepartonfurphy, j. furphy, j. furphy and sons, water cart, sheparton

This horse-drawn, two-wheeled cart with a tank, is known as a Furphy Farm Water Cart that was made in Shepparton, northern Victoria, c. 1942. John Furphy (1842-1920) was born in Moonee Ponds, in 1842 to Irish immigrant parents and subsequently raised in the Yarra Valley before the family moved to Kyneton in central Victoria, where he completed an apprenticeship with the firm Hutcheson and Walker. Murphy began operations of his own at a site on Piper Street in Kyneton in 1864. He relocated for a business opportunity and founded the first blacksmiths and wheelwrights shop in the newly surveyed town of Shepparton in 1873. Furphy invented many farming tools and machines including a patented grain-stripper, and won awards at the 1888-89 Melbourne International Exhibition. His most famous invention is the Furphy Farm Water Cart, designed in the 1880s, at a time when water for most households and farms was carted on wagons in wooden barrels. The Furphy’s water cart is a single item that combines a water metal tank and a cart. The design of the cart was simple yet effective, and became popular very quickly and established itself as a vital piece of farming equipment. The water cart has had a number of words cast into its ends over many years. References to the foundry’s location in Shepparton, as well as advertising of other products also manufactured by J. Furphy & Sons were present on the ends. However, the most significant set of words to feature on the tank, was a poem encouraging continual improvement: ‘Good Better Best, Never Let it Rest, Until your Good is Better, And your Better Best’. During The Great War (1914-1918), the water cart was used by the Australian militarily at a large AIF (Australian Imperial Force) camp in Broadmeadows (Melbourne) where thousands of men were camped for months, before being transported aboard. Furphy Water Carts provided water to the troops, and were usually placed near the camp latrines, which was one of the few places the troops could share gossip and tall tales away from the prying eyes and ears of their officers. The water cart drivers were also notorious sources of information, despite most of their news being hearsay, or totally unreliable. By the time the men of the AIF were in engaged in combat on the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Western Front, the carts used for water supply had no markings and became simply referred to as Furphys. This owed as much to the coining of the term ‘Furphy’, Australian slang for suspect information or rumour. After a number of decades as principally a soldier’s word, 'Furphy' entered the broader Australian vernacular and was used mainly by the political class until recently when the term was taken up by a Australian brewer as a beer brand. This Furphy Water Cart was purchased by Friends of Flagstaff Hill in 2014. The support of local individuals, organisations and businesses enabled its restoration and later its installation alongside the existing late-19th century water pipe stand and 1940s hand pump The Furphy Farm Water Cart is of historical significance as it represents a famous Australian time-saving and energy-saving invention of the 1880s, replacing the labour intensive activity of collecting and dispensing water from barrels and casks on the back of carts. The water cart’s connection with manufacturing companies J. Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry are significant for being early Australian businesses that are still in operation today. Furphy carts are of military significance for the role they played during The Great War (1914-1918) in Australian army camps, and theatres of war in Europe and the Middle East, to supply the AIF troops with fresh water. A wooden framed, two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart, fitted with a horizontally mounted, cylindrical metal tank. The tank is made of rolled, sheet steel with a riveted seam, and cast iron ends with cast iron ends. The spoked metal wheels have fitted flat iron tyres and metal hubs. A metal pipe is joined to the outlet. The tank is silver coloured, the ends, wheels and trims are crimson, and the script lettering on tank sides is black. There are inscriptions on the tank, ends, and hubs. The water tank was made in 1942 in Shepparton, Australia, by J. Furphy & Sons and has a capacity of 180 gallons (848 litres). Hub perimeter, embossed “J. FURPHY & SONS” “KEEP THE / BOLTS TIGHT” Hub centre embossed [indecipherable] Tank, each side, painted “J. FURPHY & SONS / Makers / SHEPPARTON” Tank ends, embossed – “FURPHY’S FARM WATER CART” “BORN ABOUT 1880 – STILL ‘GOING STRONG’ 1942” “j. FURPHY & SONS / MAKERS / SHEPPARTON - VIC “ “S - - - - - L MANUFACTURERS” [SPECIAL] “SPIKE ROLLERS” “SINGLE TREES” “PLOUGH WHEELS” “IRON CASTINGS” “LAND GRADERS” “STEEL DELVERS” “CAST IRON PIG” “CHAIN YOKES” “GOOD – BETTER – BEST / NEVER LET IT REST / TILL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER / AND YOUR BETTER – BEST” Image [Stork carrying a baby] above shorthand, transcribed "Produce and populate or perish" Image [Furphy Pig Feeder] beside ‘Cast Iron Pig’ Shorthand, transcribed “"Water is the gift of God but beer and whiskey are concoctions of the Devil, come and have a drink of water"warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, water cart, furphy cart, furphy tank, furphy farm water cart, furphy, john furphy, john furphy & sons, furphy foundry, kyneton, shepparton, mobile water tank, jinker, hutchinson & walker, blacksmith, farm equipment, implement maker, tool maker, horse drawn, stork and baby, good, better, best, barrel, tank, first world war, wwi, eastern front, gallipoli, j furphy & sons

The 8th Light Horse Regiment was engaged in the battle to capture Turkish defences in and around Beersheba in early November 1917 in conjunction with other Light Horse units and troops from the Imperial Camel Corps, British Yeomanry Division, New Mounted Rifles and 53 Welsh Division. The 8th Light Horse Regiment AIF was raised at Broadmeadows Victoria in September 1914 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander White and formed part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The regiment served at Gallipoli where in a courageous but ill-fated charge at the Nek on 7 August 1915 it suffered horrendous casualties including Lieutenant Colonel White. Rebuilt in Egypt under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Maygar VC the regiment went on the serve throughout the Middle East Campaign. Colonel Maygar died of wounds at Beersheba when the regiment was attacked by enemy aircraft while waiting to follow up the successful charge of the 4th LH Brigade on 30 October 1917. The 8th Light Horse AIF was disbanded in 1919, but soon after re-raised as the 8th (Indi) Light Horse in the Citizen Military Forces, superseding 16th (Indi) Light Horse.Comparatively rare collection of photographs of 8th Light Horse (AIF) on operations in Egypt and Sinai 1916-1918.Black and White photograph of two-wheeled water cart drawn by donkey, also two mounted men who are wearing sun toppees and one has a rifle in rifle bucket."Captured Turkish water cart at Beersheba with British Yeomanry"beersheba, turkish, world war one, wwi, 8th, light horse

Furphy water carts were first made in 1895Furphy Water Cart, Three wheel tractor drawn tank on a wooden frame. Original wheels and body made by J. Furphy Foundry. Holds 180 gallons. Red ends has signature Furphy markings with indented writing. Refer to photos

furphy, j. furphy, shapparton, j. furphy and sons, water cart

Early Australian water cartage system, used originally in agricultural areas, later in theatres of war. Iconic Australian company who pioneered agricultural equipment.Water cart invented by John Furphy, who attended Andrew Ross's school between 1851 and 1855, and manufactured by the Furphy Foundry.Typical 'Good better best' and other words.furphy nixon shepparton kangaroo ground

The water cart was in itself a complete invention of John Furphy and was first made in the 1880's. At the time no similar article was used in Australia. Few houses of the time were designed to collect rain water from the roof and hence, water needed to be collected elsewhere and transported for stock and domestic use. The method of carting water was then confined to horse drawn drays or sleds with mounted wooden barrels or casks. At the same time the growing demand for agricultural implements, led to the establishment of a foundry with a furnace to cast components rather than the time consuming task of forging. This became the catalyst for the efficient production of the robust and mobile water carrier known then, and now, as the Furphy Farm Water Cart.Four colour photographs showing a tank made by Furphy and Sons, Shepparton.furphy, shepparton, water storage

A Furphy tank end specially made in 1996 to celebrate the fact that the Furphy family lived in Kangaroo Ground before moving to SheppartonA cast Furphy tank end mounted on front wall of the Museum in recognition of the Furphy family. This casting was specially made for the Andrew Ross Museum in 1996 by Roger Furphy, great-grandson of John Furphy and donated to the Museum on behalf of Andrew and family.Pitmans shorthand which means - Good Better Best Never Let it Rest until your Good is Better and your Better Best.

Part of a collection relating to the Parkin family.Black and white photograph of a man standing in front of a Furphy water cart and other equipment displayed in a park.On back of photo: "Uncle Bob Mitchell"parkin family, furphy water cart, bob mitchell

Collection of newspaper clippings from scrap book 1960 - 1973Article about water carting to homesteads, dairy sheds, holiday homes and schools in November 1967.phillip island water cartage, jean jamieson

This water standpipe is believed to be the only one of its kind in working order. It was originally located in Warrnambool, on the hillside at the corner of Mickle Crescent and Banyan Street, providing water for the Chinese Market Gardens below, on the flats. It was removed from this location on May 2nd, 1979, with the intention to relocate it at the new Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum & Village. The standpipe lay in storage for years until the Warrnambool Company, Chemblast, offered to restore it for use as a working display. The display was officially opened on March 31, 2014. The water from the adjacent lake is drawn out with a hand operated water pump, and goes up into the standpipe, where flows through the canvas hose and into the top of the Furphy Farm Water Cart. The display is a visual acknowledgement of the years served by Flagstaff Hill volunteer and Friends of Flagstaff Hill Chairperson, Bob Crossman. Warrnambool’s early settlers had no water supply prior to the mid-1850s. They relied on rain water tanks, domestic wells and springs. The town experienced a huge, destructive fire in William Bateman Jnr. & Co.’s large produce store in November 1856, which highlighted the need for both a fire brigade and a good supply of water. In 1863 a volunteer fire brigade was established. In August 1880 the town celebrated the installation of its first water standpipe on the corner of Liebig and Timor streets. The water was pumped from springs at Cannon Hill through the connected pipeline to the standpipe, then distributed to households via horse and cart. Each of the licenced cart drivers were compelled by Council regulations to keep their carts full from sunset to sunrise, ready to cart water to outbreaks of fire. They received a fee for this service. In 1893 the town installed a water supply, sourced from the Merri River, stored in a reservoir basin and tower in north Liebig Street, and distributed throughout the town in a system of pipes. By late 1939 a reticulated supply was installed, with the water piped in under the Otway Scheme. Standpipes are still used in modern times in rural and remote areas for homes, farms, stock, agriculture and firefighting. Many commercial or government owned standpipes are metered, charging a fee for the quantities of water supplied. This water standpipe was made by Langlands Foundry Co. Limited, Melbourne, which was establish in 1842. It was Melbourne’s first foundry and iron shipbuilder, and one of the largest employers in Victoria at the time. Langlands was known for its high quality workmanship and wide range of goods for mining, engineering, marine, railway and other industrial uses. The company made the first cast bell, the first lamp posts in the colony, and the boiler for the first Australian train. In the 1860s it produced cast iron pipes for the Board of Works, which laid the pipes for Melbourne’s first reticulated water supply. The firm was bought by Austral Otis Co. in 1897.This water standpipe is significant historically as it is believed to be the only one of its type in working condition. The standpipe is significant for being manufactured by early colonial firm Langlands Foundry of Melbourne, which was known for high quality, cast iron products. The firm made the boiler for the first Australian train, assembled the first Australian paddle steamer and made the first Australian cast bell and lamp posts. Langlands was one of the largest employers in Victoria at the time. The standpipe is significant historically as it represents the evolution of water supply services in Australia. Standpipe; vertical cast iron water pipe, painted crimson, fixed in position, tapering inward from the round base to the rectangular joint near the finial on top. A hexagonal pipe extends at right angles from the joint, with an outlet fitting and flow-controlling wheel on the end. A length of canvas hose hangs from the outlet fitting. Inscriptions are on one face of the joint. The standpipe was made by Langlands Foundry Company of Melbourne. Embossed “LANGLANDS FOUNDRY CO. / LIMITED / ENGINEERS / MELBOURNE”warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, flagstaff hill, standpipe, stand-pipe, water standpipe, fire standpipe, firefighting equipment, water supply equipment, chinese market gardens, banyan street, liebig street, water tower, bateman’s fire, working display, water supply, town water, rural water, reticulated water, cannon hill spring, merri river, otway water, water carters, horse and cart water supply, volunteer fire brigade, langlands foundry, early melbourne, iron works, bob crossman, late 19th century water supply

This was part of an exhibition mounted by the Surrey Hills State Savings Bank in 1976. The original print had a text which was included in our copy print as follows: "EVEN IN 1916, WATER SUPPLIES FOR MANY SURREY HILLS FARMERS AND MARKET GARDENS STILL / CAME FROM THE STAND-PIPE AT THE WARRIGAL ROAD TRAM TERMINUS. PREVIOUSLY WATER WAS / PURCHASED FROM THE VILLAGE TANK AT THE CORNER OF WINDSOR CRESCENT AND UNION ROAD. / THE PRICE WAS 1/- FOR 400 GALLONS."Black and white photo of a horse and water cart in position at the stand-pipe. A man holds the horse's reins and 2 young boys are perched on the cart. In the background is a building that may be a shop with wagons outside and further down the road is a tram.horse-drawn vehicles, water supply, warrigal road, riversdale road, transport, surrey hills, standpipe

Photo shows the horse drawn MMTB cable drum carrying wagon at the TMSV Museum at Bylands, mid 1970s. Has the MMTB identification, address and mass details painted on the vehicle. Behind the wagon is a Furphy water cart. Used to carry and distribute cable including overhead. Photo of the vehicle can be seen on page 68 of the book Destination City 3rd Edition.Yields information about the MMTB cable drum carrying wagon at Bylands.Photograph - MMTB horse drawn cable drum wagon at the TMSV Bylands Museum On rear in ink. TMSV – Horse drawn cable drum wagon at Bylands (Also Furphy water tank), Keith Kings photo. tramways, tmsv, bylands, horse drawn vehicles, overhead, cable drum

Officers of the 8th Australian Imperial Force. Officers resting, while on manoeuvres, among them William T. Yates of Camperdown. Yates survived Gallipoli, went to France where he won a Distinguished Conduct Medal at Bullecourt and survived a bullet wound to the head in 1917. In 1919 he went to America to study agriculture prior to becoming a soldier settler in the Sunraysia region. The rush for water the heat of the desert among parched troops on manoeuvres. "Officers 'C' Coy (company) 8th A.I.F resting at Ismailia, Suez Canal" Lieut (Lieutenant) Ebeling, Barrett, Yates, Feb 1915 Lieut Couve 8th A.I.F, Mena Camp, Cairo Egypt Jan 1915 On manoeuvres, Mena, Cairo, Egypt. W.T.S dealing out to men who are rushing the water cart, Jan 1915 8th australian imperial force, officers, william t. yates, camperdown, desert, suez canal, ismailia, 8th a.i.f, australian infantry force, lieutenant, cairo, egypt, ww1, world war 1, soldiers, war

Deep Lead Scenes Mitchell Farm. Carting water in the 1942 drought.stawell deep lead

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2001. Rolling: carting water during the 1944 drought. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

This ledger contains entries which relate to waterworks and associated expenses: construction, pumping schemes, water from stand pipes, meter rent arrears, interest payments, pumping scheme. Early residents in Warrnambool relied on tanks and wells for their water supply and in 1880 the first water supply scheme was implemented from a well on Cannon Hill. Using a windmill the water was pumped up and stored in a small reservoir nearby then piped to the corner of Timor and Liebig Streets where a stand pipe allowed the filling of water carts. Similar supplies were also installed at Albert Park, the Botanic Gardens and the Cattle markets and from 1893 to 1939 water was drawn from the Merri River. Drainage works commenced with the building of the Japan Street tunnel in 1856. The Warrnambool Waterworks Trust was the body responsible for administering these works.The supply and storage of fresh water and drainage of the area was an important factor in the development and sustainability of the town. This ledger provides an insight into the daily operations of this organisation. Large suede covered journal. Tan in colour with pink, green and white on edge of pages. Faded black stylised border around front cover. Inside front covers are patterned in green and tan. Printed sheet with Warrnambool waterworks Trust is pasted inside front cover. Warrnambool Waterworks Trust stamp on sheet inside front cover.warrnambool water works, warrnambool water supply 1900, warrnambool water works ledger 1900, warrnambool waterworks trust

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2002. Hitching a ride: Myrtle Ford and Bill Packham carting water in the furphy tank during the drought of 1944. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Handwritten notes from a Bendigo Advertiser report 7 Jan 1907. Three shifts of men working all Saturday and Sunday had not located the main. A large are of Eaglehawk and the City are without water. Had to timber a hole to a depth of 25 ft. Victoria Quartz, Windmill Hill, Needle, Confidence Ext'd, Princess Dagmar, Golden Age, Golden Pyke, Macduff, constellation, Gt Northern, (partly), Specimen Hill, Clarence, New Argus, Comet, Gt Central Victoria and Victoria Consols had to close because they had no water and five to six hundred men believed to be out of work. City Council will put water-carts on and supply residents free of charge. New Moon, South Moon, Virginia , Catherine and Devonshire mines get their water direct from the water race so they did not close down. Document from Albert Richardson Collection of mining history.gold, drainage problems, drainage problems, burst water main under garden gully sandheap, bendigo advertiser, 7/1/1907, victoria quartz, windmill hill, needle, confidence ext'd, princess dagmar, golden age, golden pyke, macduff, constellation, gt northern, (partly), specimen hill, clarence, new argus, comet, gt central victoria, victoria consols, north johnsons, johnson's reef, snobs hill line, new moon south moon, virginia, catherine, devonshire, albert richardson

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Thursday, August 14, 2003. Hard times: droughts were prevalent during the late 1930s and 1940s. The advent of motorised transport meant sheep feed and water could be carted together, saving time and labour.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Set of five Photographs, Black and White, of St Kilda Road, with works about to commence to convert the cable tram to electric trams. .1 - Overhead pole holes being dug in the one of the central plantations - pole and a Furphy water cart alongside. A cable tram is passing at speed. Note the scale of the houses opposite and the number of side walk superintendents! .2 - View of St Kilda Road with a few motor cars and one cable tram. Looking south on the Sth Melb. side. .3 - ditto, view of cable tram track, poles laid out on the central plantation, note the street lights. About seven cable trams in the view. Look south towards St Kilda Junction. The Junction hotel is in the view. .4 - similar photo, but further north. Cable trailer 74 in the view. .5 - View of St Kilda Road, vehicle road with a number of vehicles in the view. Looking south on the east side of the roadway. Photos Print and photograph by Sutcliffe of Cromwell buildings 366a Bourke St. Melbourne.In ink and pencil on the rear: .1 - "M&MTB H-60, Kew Depot `1920's (E45 in shed)" and the photographers stamp. .2 - "MMTB St Kilda Road about 1924" and in pencil "Tramway poles erected, pole not removed? Sth Melb side, looking south along motor track" .3 - As above - and in pencil - Tramway poles not erected - ????" .4 - As above with notes in pencil. .5 - As above with notes in pencil. About 1924 KSK print number SA932 to SA936.trams, tramways, st kilda rd, cable trams, conversion, trackwork, overhead, construction, tram 74

The Andrew Ross Museum organised Kangaroo Ground’s 1851 – 1996 Furphy week-end which was held Friday May 17th to Sunday 19th May 1996. In commemoration of the district's links with the Furphy family, a plaque was unveiled at the front entry of the Andrew Ross Museum by Roger Furphy of the Furphy Foundary, Shepparton. The event was preceded by an address by author, Dr John Barnes of La Trobe University, the country’s leading authority on the novelist, Joseph Furphy. The date was seen as significant since it marked the 145th anniversary of the death of Judith, the young sister of John and Joseph Furphy, who died soon after commencing school in Kangaroo Ground 1851. Andrew Ross chronicled the event in his reminiscences. The most distinctive product to carry the Furphy brand would certainly be the water cart. The presence of the cart in military camps in Australia and overseas during the First World War led to the name of Furphy becoming an indelible part of our language and idiom. It was used extensively in Europe and the Middle East to carry water to the troops and the drivers of the carts were notorious sources of information and gossip for the men as they moved from camp to camp. As could be expected, not all their news was reliable and so it was that the word Furphy rapidly became a synonym for suspect information or rumour. Source: Kangaroo Ground Chronicle, Vol 1 No 2 Autumn 1996 Note the Shire of Eltham Historical Society Community Banner on display.Five colour photographsandrew ross museum, furphy festival, kangaroo ground