This private late-nineteenth-century four-wheeled carriage has been built to transport a family or group of passengers with a coachman in the front seat. It can be pulled by one horse, or by two horses if the T-pole is attached. The button fittings along each side of the carriage indicate that a folding roof or hood was once attached. The frame across the front of the carriagewas likely to have been a ‘dashboard’ with a leather or wood covering to prevent water, mud and other particles from splashing onto the passengers. The rear step between the two side-facing bench seats is adjustable to allow for ladies’ long skirts. These rear seats appear to be removable, in which case the carriage could be converted to a wagon to transport goods and equipment. The carriage could have been illuminated by oil or carbide lamps placed into the lamp holders on the sides. The carriage was kept under cover for many years in an open-front sandstone building that also included living quarters and an area that may have been stable. It was at ‘Murweh’ a Warrnambool property at 203 Liebig Street. The home is now Heritage and National Trust Listed and described as a ‘gentleman’s residence’. It was built by James Wotton Shevill in the 1860s. Shevill was a councillor from 1875 to 1878, serving in 1878 as Mayor of the Borough of Warrnambool. Jeremiah Wade lived at Murweh there from 1879-1880. By 1915 F.B. Whitehead and his family were living there, and by 1930 the address was used by Mr T.J. Rome and his family. Thomas James Rome was still using that address in September 1973 after his 100th birthday. It is believed that one of the property’s owners had been an Obstetrician in Warrnambool. The current owner re-told the story that children used to hide in the back section of the carriage and smoke, hidden from the sight of onlookers. He had heard the story from a previous owner.The well-appointed horse-drawn four-wheeled carriage is likely to have first belonged to a local councillor and past Mayor of the town of Warrnambool, J.W. Shervill, whose 1860s city property was the carriage location for many years. The carriage is a rare local example of a town-based lifestyle befitting a prosperous personality of the late 19th century. It adds to the story of Warrnambool's development as a town influenced by the port, wealth gained from shipping and the home place of prominent local people such as the Councillor and later Mayor. The side-facing rear seating is unusual for a passenger carriage. It has the feature of removable rear bench seats, allowing for the dual purpose of a carriage or wagon.Carriage; the Victorian-era horse-drawn four-wheeled open carriage has a coachman’s bench seat across the front and two side-facing bench seats in the rear. There are steps at the front on each side and a centre adjustable step and the back. It has a hinged shaft, two lamp holders and a separate T-pole. The bench seats have padded backrests upholstered in green leather and each has padded armrests at the ends. A rectangular metal frame, likely to have been a dashboard, is mounted across the front of the carriage. It has two inner vertical bars. The carriage's body is painted dark green with crimson highlights on some of the panelling. Decorative oval panels with hand-painted motifs are mounted along the sides. The side panels of the carriage have metal fastener buttons attached. The iron-rimmed wheels have sixteen wooden spokes and copper cuffs on the outside of the hubs, and the rear wheels are higher than the front wheels. Wooden brake blocks are mounted onto the back wheels and are active by a metal lever at the front right side of the carriage. The undercarriage is fitted with leaf springs on each side, mounted from front to back axles. Included are: (1) The separate T-pole that allows two horses to be harnessed to the carriage (2) Leather horse winkers with metal hardware and oval brass plate on the side of each winkerMotif painted on an oval panel [a musical lyre within a blue floral wreath flanked by scrolls] flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, murweh, buggy, cart, carriage, wagon, horse-drawn vehicle, victorian buggy, four-wheeled carriage, coachman’s seat, bench seat, side-facing benches, upholstered seats, victorian decals, heritage vehicle decoration, antique hand painting, hand painted decals, motifs, iron-rimmed wheels, wooden brake blocks, leaf springs, t-pole shaft, rear step, equine carriage, 19th century vehicle, victorian transport, transport, gentleman’s vehicle, james wotton shevill, councillor, mayor, jeremiah wade, f.b. whitehead, thomas james rome, warrnambool obstruction, warrnambool genealogy, warrnambool pioneers, victorian carriage, one horse carriage, two horse carriage, horse drawn carriage

A spring cart is a two-wheeled, one-horse cart, often with the driver standing up to drive it, and otherwise seated on a simple seat. Carts like this one had springs to make the ride smoother. It is a lighter version of a farm dray and is sometimes called a spring dray. Spring carts were often used on farms for carrying loads. In the towns, some businesses used a spring cart for deliveries of bread, milk and other goods. The carts would be used for travel and for families going on outings and picnics. Visitors to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from 1986 to 1992 would enjoy watching a Clydesdale horse named Duke as he worked around the village with his driver Pat McGowan. He would be hitched to a wagon or to this lightweight spring cart or sometimes he would pull the wagon with the cart attached as a trailer. The cart was used for maintenance, carting loads of timber or stone around the site or from town to Flagstaff Hill. Sometimes Duke and the cart would take visitors for cart rides around the Village. Pat McGowan was known for his restoration of horse-drawn vehicles including this spring cart. He already had 40 years of horse handling experience when he began looking after Duke, feeding and harnessing him and driving the horse and cart around the Village. Pat’s dog ‘Yabbie’ would often join them. In August 1992 Duke had to be put down. Warrnambool Veterinary Clinic and other fund-raisers began well-supported appeals and the beloved horse was replaced by a Clydesdale also named Duke (the second), who began work in late October 1992. He, like his predecessor, had a quiet temperament and was comfortable in the traffic. The spring card is an example of vehicles used on farms, for business delivery and for domestic transport in the late-19th and early-20th century. This cart is of note for being associated with the Clydesdale horse Duke which pulled the cart around Flagstaff Hills in the 1980s and 1990s, representing transport of that period.Spring cart; two-wheeled cart with shallow box tray and plank seat bolted across the front. Wheels have metal rims and fourteen (14) wooden spokes. A plank is bolted from side to side. A decorative metal step is on the cart's left and has acorn cut-out shapes in the plate. Both wheels have a brake block that is operated by a lever on the cart's right. The cart has eight-leaf suspension from front to back. The box tray is painted blue and has decorative pale yellow detail. Each shaft pole has has a handle fitting on it. (Horse equipment with the cart is a leather covered, straw filled collar.) flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, springcart, spring cart, jingle, horse-drawn cart, one horse cart, two-wheeled cart, dray, spring dray, wagon, transportation, travel, cart, duke, clydesdale, pat mcgowan, delivery cart, yabbie, cartwright, horse-drawn vehicle, transport, horse cart