Historical information

This book, by the well-known author R.M.Ballantyne, was awarded to Edith Newton in 1877 when she was a pupil at the Warrnambool State School. This school was opened on August 1st 1876 when the National School in Warrnambool closed and most of the pupils of other denominational schools in Warrnambool at the time moved to the new State School. The Head Teacher, William Bryant was at the school until 1894. (Blanch) Edith Newton was born in 1868, the eighth child of Robert and Mary Newton. Robert Newton was a Rate Collector, Borough Inspector and Manager of the Town Common in Warrnambool. It is noted that the prize received by Edith Newton was an adventure book mostly appealing to male readers.

Significance

This book is significant because it is connected with important elements in Warrnambool in 1877 – the school, Warrnambool State School, the pupil, Edith Newton and the Head Teacher, William Bryant,

Physical description

This is a hard cover book of 330 pages. It has a dark red cover with etched ornamental borders and patterns and an image of a jungle scene on the front cover and on the spine. The title and author’s name are in gold lettering. At the heading of each chapter there is an ornamental scroll and there are several black and white sketches throughout the pages. There are blue stamps of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society at the front and back of the book and a school plate label attached to the inside front cover. The spine is partly detached and torn and the cover is very worn and water or mould damaged. A letter from the donor accompanies the book.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Warrnambool State School, No. 1743, Prize Awarded to Edith Newton, 4th Class, Divn. 111, for Home Exercises, 19th December 1877, W.Bryant, Head Teacher.’