Historical information

This medicine glass was previously owned by Sybilla Margaret Kucks (1904-1978), daughter of Henry and Julia Kucks, and granddaughter of William and Sibilia Kucks. Sibilla was born in Warrnambool and lived there until 1917 when she moved to Armadale, Victoria, with her family. The medicine glass was among her effects left to her nephew William when she passed away and has been looked after by his wife Eva and treasured as a memento of their Warrnambool heritage.

Mrs Sibilla Kucks sold sweets and fancy cakes in her Liebig Street shop from 1873 until the 1880s. She operated one of Warrnambool’s earliest dedicated confectionery shops at a time when sweets were more commonly found in a fruiterer’s shop. Her window display would have been full of brightly coloured sweets in shiny glass jars tempting passers-by. Sibilla (née Leyendecker) married Johann Wilhelm Kucks in New York, USA in 1856. Both were originally from Prussia. They sailed to Australia on the Ocean Rover and arrived in Melbourne June 10th, 1858. Seventeen days later their second child, William Jnr., was born.

Warrnambool’s population was around 2,000 in 1859 when Sibilla and Johann (known as “William”) settled here. William was employed as a tailor by Cramond & Dickson. In 1859 the couple bought George Fergusson’s bakery in Timor Street and opened it as “W. Kucks Baker”. Along with fancy breads and biscuits, he advertised baked dinners to order. William supplied bread to the Warrnambool Hospital until the 1880s.

In 1873 William built a row of four shops at 140-146 Liebig Street, one of which became Sibilla’s confectionery shop, and another was the new home to W. Kucks Baker. In 1877 William constructed a building in Liebig Street for the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, which has since been incorporated into the Warrnambool Art Gallery. Its western wall shows to older construction and design. William and Sibilla had five other children. By 1896 their sons William Jnr. and Henry operated the business as “Messrs Kucks Bros., Bakers & Confectioners”. They employed six staff and used three carts for deliveries over a thirty-mile radius. They catered for clubs and functions including the Exhibitors’ Picnic Luncheon for the Warrnambool Industrial and Arts Exhibition (1896-7). In 1907 Messrs Kucks Bros. baked a monster Pyramid Cake for a local bazaar. It contained coins of various sizes and weighed 84lbs (38kg). Everyone buying a slice hoped to be lucky enough to end up with a coin! William Kucks Jnr. also became licensee of Terang’s ”Wheatsheaf Hotel”, its name and logo connecting it to the family’s bakery in Warrnambool. William (1825-1911) and Sibilla (1833-1910) Kucks and three of their seven children are buried at the Warrnambool Cemetery in a family grave.

John Sambell migrated from England and established his chemist and dentist business in Warrnambool around 1890 in his premises in Fairy Street. The business later included his son Herbert.

The maker, Whitall Tatum & Co, is clearly marked on the base of the bottle. The company was a a well known maker of prescription bottles. He used the brand "W. T. & Co. from Mid-1870's until the late 1880's, moulded into his glassware.

Significance

This medicine glass is significant as one of very few remaining items from the history of John Sambell, chemist and dentist, Warrnambool. It is also significant as an example of medical equipment that has a design still used today. It is also significant for its association with William and Sibilla Kucks, a colonial family in Warrnambool that was greatly involved in the community and commerce of early days in Warrnambool.

Physical description

Medicine glass, (measuring glass or dose cup), clear glass, round. The antique chemist measuring glass is wide at the top and tapers to a narrow base. The glass has side seams and an uneven base. The glass has imperfections ans bubbles. The base is uneven. The measuring scale lines have been scored into the glass and the measurements and other inscriptions have been moulded into the glass.
Glass is from J. Sambell, chemist and dentist in Warrnambool. On the back there is a measuring scale in tablespoons and teaspoons. There is also an inscription of the maker on the base. The glass was made in the late 1880's by Whitall Tatum & Co., America.

Inscriptions & markings

Embossed within a round border "J. SAMBELL / CHEMIST / AND / DENTIST / WARRNAMBOOL"
The scale on the back has "TABLE" "1" and "2", and "TEA" "8", "4", "2" and "1"
The base has "W.T. & CO." around the edge.