Historical information

This booklet was given to subscribers to the Warrnambool Standard newspaper as an almanac for the year 1888. These Standard Almanacs were produced from 1875 to 1930. They contain much local information on Warrnambool and district about the businesses, government officials, harbour management, churches, schools, banks, societies and organizations etc. The Warrnambool Standard newspaper was established in 1872 and continues to this day.

Significance

This booklet is of high significance as it contains valuable information on Warrnambool and district for the year 1888. It is a very important research tool for those studying and writing the history of Warrnambool. This copy has the names, ‘Murdoch Macdonald’, ‘D. Drynoch’ and ‘John Hyland’. Nothing is known about the first two people except that Murdoch Macdonald was the donor of the booklet but John Hyland was a well-known 19th century identity in Warrnambool – a policeman, a Council rate collector and an auctioneer.

Physical description

This is soft cover booklet of 71 pages plus several pages of a gardener’s almanac and advertisements. The original cover is missing and has been replaced by a plain piece of cream cardboard which is attached with a metal pin. The front and back pages are partly torn away and some pages of advertisements may be missing. There is a typed note on the inside front cover regarding the first Standard Almanac of 1875. The name of ‘Murdoch Macdonald’ is written in black ink in several places.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Murdoch Macdonald’
‘John Hyland’
‘D. Drynoch’