This is a docket indicating that the Woodford State school has purchased sweets in the 1950s for its annual picnic from Norm McDowell, a storekeeper at Bushfield. Bushfield and Woodford are small settlements seven kilometres north of Warrnambool. Woodford State School began in 1854 and is still operating today.No further information has been found on Norm McDowell but his general store was operating in the 1950sThis docket is of interest as the only memento we have of a Bushfield storekeeper some fifty tears agoA rectangular piece of paper torn from a dockets book. It has red, blue and cream text and some printed blue lines and figures. It also has hand written pencil notes. There is some damage in the top left hand corner. Norm. Mc Dowell GENERAL STOREKEEPER Sweets (Two Pounds, one shilling ) in symbols Paid. Woodford State School picnicbushfield, woodford state school

This is a teacher's desk which came from Woodford State School. The school began in 1854 in a private dwelling with a new building constructed in 1874. The school still operates today.This is a very fine example of an early 20th century school teacher's desk. As it comes from one of the earliest schools in the district, it is of considerable significance.This is a wooden desk, now varnished, with a lift up, slanted lid with brass hinges and a brass key hole. On the top right hand side is a brass insert with a porcelain ink well. The desk has four turned legs with end struts. The desk lid may be made of pine but the rest of the desk seems to be made of a different wood. There are signs of old borer on the left hand front and the curved part on that side is missing.woodford state school

This book, published in England, has been awarded as a school prize in 1887. Woodford School, No. 648, was an early National School which commenced in a house in 1854. In 1872 a sandstone building was erected. The school still operates. James Craig was the Head Master of Woodford School from 1884 to 1889. His wife was the Work Mistress of the school and both were involved in community affairs, particularly in regard to the Presbyterian Church and the local Mechanics’ Institute. Annis Morgan was born at Woodford to Jenkin and Mary Morgan in 1874. She would have been about 13 at the time she received the prize book. Annis (Ann) married Alan Patterson in 1897. This book is of considerable significance as it is connected with the history of Woodford, the Woodford school, the teacher, James Craig, the pupil, Annis Morgan and her family. This is a hard cover book of 812 pages The cover is black with an engraved ornamental pattern and edging and gold printing in the title on the cover and the spine. There is gilt edging on the pages. There is a bookplate on the inside front cover and one or two pages at the beginning are missing. The book contains many black and white illustrations with the first one covered by a piece of tissue (now blotched). The book contains poetry, short stories (some serialized) and some factual writing suitable for older children and adults. The cover is stained and somewhat faded and is ragged at the edges.Bookplate: ‘State School No. 648 Woodford, Fifth Class, presented to Annis Morgan, Christmas 1887, Jas. Craig, Head Teacher’. Stamp inside first page: ‘Warrnambool & District Historical Society WB 196’ history of woodford, woodford state school, annis morgan

This school text book was written by John James Burston. He was the son of David and Sarah Burston of Warrnambool. Both his father and his brother Benjamin taught in schools in the Warrnambool area. John Burston was at Mepunga and Woodford schools before leaving in 1871 to be the Master of the Anglican School at Creswick. He then became the head teacher at schools in Ballarat and Bendigo before going to the Brighton Road State School in St. Kilda. He spent 16½ years there before retiring in 1911. Burston was a well-known writer of school text books, including The State School Arithmetic, The State School Grammar and Exercises in Practice and Proportion. He died in 1915.This book is of great interest because it was written by John James Burston, a one-time resident in the Warrnambool area and a teacher with a distinguished record in education – he taught in schools in Victoria for 44½ years and wrote several texts for State Schools.This is a hard cover book of 243 pages. There are several blank pages in the middle of the book and at the end for teachers’ notes. The cover is dark red with gold lettering on the front cover and on the spine. There are some illustrations scattered throughout the text.john james burston, physics and general lessons for victorian state schools, warrnambool

This school text book was used at the Wangoom State School by Henrietta Giles in the late 19th century. The Wangoom School was established in 1865 as the Wangoom Common School and later became the Wangoom State School. It is now closed. Henrietta Robina Victoria Giles was born in Woodford in 1881 to Henry and Mary Jane Giles, early settlers in the Warrnambool district. They lived on the Allansford Road.This book is of interest as an example of a school text book used in Victoria late in the 19th century. It is also of interest because it belonged to Henrietta Giles, a member of a family living in the Warrnambool district in the 19th century. This is a hard cover book of 70 pages. The cover is brown with embossed lettering and ornamentation on the front and back cover. It is much stained and splotched. The first page is torn at the edge and some of the other pages are dog-eared. The two inscriptions (identical) are handwritten in black ink.‘Henrietta R.V. Giles, Wangoom State School, No. 645’ wangoom state school, henrietta giles

This book bears the names of Linda Mathieson and Nullawarre State School. The Mathieson families were early settlers in the Warrnambool area at Woodford and Purnim and later in the Nullawarre district. Nullawarre State School was opened in 1875 with members of the Mathieson family being foundation pupils. It still operates today.This book is of interest because of its connection to the Mathieson families of Nullawarre and to Nullawarre State School.This is a hard cover book of 92 pages. It contains many short articles, over 80 illustrations and advertisements at the back of the book for other books published by T. Nelson and Sons. Some of the illustrations have been hand-coloured. The cover is buff-coloured with ornamental patterns and an image of a family watching a slide show outlined in dark red. The lettering on the cover and spine is in black, red and brown tonings. The inscription is handwritten in black ink. ‘Nullawarre S.S. Linda Mathieson, 14.4.23’. linda mathieson, nullawarre state school

This book was awarded in 1884 to Bessie McMahon from the Warrnambool State School. The teacher was Bella Davidson. Warrnambool State School No. 1743 in Jamieson Street, Warrnambool, was opened in 1876 and is still open today. Elizabeth Mary (Bessie) McMahon was the daughter of William and Mary McMahon of Glenrye, Warrnambool. Her father was a Warrnambool lawyer. Bessie McMahon married John Clarke of Garvoc. Isabella (Bella) Davidson was the daughter of John and Isabella Davidson of Rosebank near Woodford. She became a well-known teacher in Warrnambool, commencing as a pupil teacher in the Warrnambool National School (later Common School 646) and moving to the Warrnambool State School in Jamieson Street when it opened. She resigned in 1886 to open a private school in Koroit Street (known as Ellerslie College) and continued as the proprietor and Head Teacher until 1891. This book is of considerable importance because of its association with the Warrnambool State School early in its existence, with Bella Davidson, a noted Warrnambool educationalist of the 19th century and with Bessie McMahon, a member of a prominent family in 19th century Warrnambool.This is a hard cover book of 310 pages. The cover has a blue background with gold and black ornamentation and a gold shield. The shield contains an illustration of a girl lowering a bundle down from a window to a boy below. The lettering on the cover and spine is gold and the pages are gilt-edged. The cover is slightly stained. There are several full-page black and white illustrations scattered throughout the pages. The illustration at the front of the book is loose and the binding is partly detached from the spine. The inscription is handwritten in black ink. ‘Warrnambool State School 1743 Decem 1884 Prize Awarded to Bessie McMahon for highest marks in French Div 111 B. Davidson’ warrnambool state school, bella davidson, bessie mcmahon, history of warrnambool

Warrnambool State School, No, 1743 was opened in 1876. The site in Jamieson St was easy to access from the surrounding areas of Belfast, Woodford, and Allansford roads. It was the main school in Warrnambool, before the development of Primary schools at East and West Warrnambool. A large part of Warrnambool’s children have attended this school over the 140 years it has been in existence.A common item with which a large number of Warrnambool residents would identify. Brown woven woollen tie with diagonal yellow stripes. White tag with black and red writing sewn into back seam.Tee- Dee, pure wool, school and college wear. warrnambool, warrnambool jamieson street primary school, no 1743, school tie, warrnambool primary school