This bean slicer was made about the 1920s by the British firm of Spong & Co. This firm was founded by James Osborn Spong in 1856 in London. James Spong invented over 100 labour-saving devices during his lifetime and his firm became well-known for its production of domestic labour-saving and safety devices, especially its grinding machine and its bean slicer. These domestic items were to be found in most households from the 1880s to the 1950s prior to the advent of electrical items that carried out similar labour-saving processes.

This bean slicer is of interest as a reminder of the many labour -saving devices that were available to most women early in the 20th century, even those in the rural and more remote areas in Australia

This a heavy metal bean slicer with a circular piece with a rounded cut-out at the top for the insertion of the bean and an attached bolted handle with a wooden top. Attached to the circular top is a circular revolving piece with three cutters. Welded on to the top piece is a metal clamp with a large screw for attaching the slicer to a table or bench. The slicer is painted green and has the name of the manufacturer etched on the top piece.

Spong & Co Ltd Made In England No 632 Bean Slicer

vintage bean slicers, spong & co london, vintage household items

This badge was issued in 1920 to commemorate the visit to Australia of Edward, Prince of Wales. It was issued to school children. The visit of the Prince of Wales was a gesture by the British Crown to recognize the sacrifices and efforts of the Australian people and defence forces during World War One. Edward, Prince of Wales, later became King of England in 1936 and abdicated that same year. During the 1920 visit to Victoria the Prince of Wales came to Terang and stayed overnight at Glenormiston, near Terang, at that time the property of Cr Black, the President of the Shire of Hampden.

This badge is of interest as a memento of a Royal visit to Victoria in 1920.

This is a round metal badge with a black and white photograph of Edward, Prince of Wales on one side and a metal pin on the other side.

visit to australia of prince of wales 1920, glenormiston homestead

This pan or pot is a heavy, but small object and does not seem to have been used in a kitchen or for cooking. It is more likely to have been used for decorative purposes, holding artificial flowers or a pot plant or it may have had some commercial use.

This object has no known local provenance and is held because of its quality and its potential as a display item

This is a brass open pan or pot, circular in shape, tapering to a larger shape at the top. A metal handle (copper?) is attached with metal studs and soldering to both ends of the top opening. The inside of the pan is discoloured and stained.

vintage household objects, vintage pots

This item was used to measure accurately the length of cloth on a bolt of material without unwinding it. It also measured lace, all types of textiles and spools of ribbon. It is surmised it would have been used in general stores or department stores in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This item was discovered in the late 1980s behind an old safe at Swintons Stores in Timor Street in Warrnambool. The item appears to have been used extensively and would have been very useful during a stocktake. It may have been used in the Swinton Stores which were first established in Timor Street in 1865 with one section of the stores selling furnishings, furniture, clothing and clothing materials. The item was manufactured by A.E. Putnam of Iowa, U.S.A. There was a patent registered in 1896 and a later 'improved' model with a patent date of 1907.

This item is of considerable interest because of its rarity and survival, its connection to Warrnambool General Stores in the past and its value as a research tool in local social and economic history. The possible connection to Swintons Stores is important as this business operated from 1865 to 2024 and was one of the longest-surviving family businesses in Australia.

This is a rectangular-shaped wooden pole with one slightly flattened side and numbers marked on each side in patterns resembling brick walls. At the top of the pole are two wooden pieces attached to the pole by metal clips held by screws. The two wooden pieces are attached at a slight angle to the pole. The lower wooden piece is movable along the pole and has incised numbers. The wooden pieces are rectangular in shape with a large curved piece cut out to form the shape of a pennant. The maker's name is incised into the metal on the top attached wooden piece.

Putnam's Cloth Chart Copyrighted 1896 Patent Pend'g

general stores in warrnambool, swintons stores in warrnambool, vintage measuring instrument for cloth

These ledgers are administrative records of the Warrnambool Friendly Societies Park Trust. One contains Minutes of meetings from 1931 to 1947 and the other is an Accounts Book with records of payments for salaries, insurance, rentals, ground improvements etc. from 1908 to 1947. Some inserts in the ledgers date back to the early days of the Trust. In 1871 the Friendly Societies of Warrnambool (benefit societies which mainly offered members heath cover, including the Oddfellows, Foresters, Hibernians,, Rechabites, Sons of Temperance, Druids and Protestant Alliance) established a sports ground in Warrnambool. This included facilities for cricket, football and Athletics Carnivals and other public demonstrations and meetings and was administered by a Trust with members representing each of the Friendly Societies. Today the area is a major sports facility and still has the name Friendly Societies Park but it is now administered by the Warrnambool City Council.

These items are of considerable historical interest as they contain much detail about the early history of the Friendly Societies Park Trust and give researchers valuable information on the work of benefit societies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Warrnambool and also on a major sports facility still existing in Warrnambool.

.1 Ledger of 380 pages with a black cover and beige leather spine and corners. The edges of the pages are marbled and the pages have printed red and blue lines. The handwritten entries are in ink. There are some loose inserts in this ledger. .2 Ledger of 510 pages with a black cover and beige leather spine and corners. The pages have an alphabetical index at the front and have red and blue printed lines. The handwritten entries are in ink.

friendly societies park warrnambool, friendly societies in warrnambool

These two ledgers come from the Warrnambool business of Bruce and McClure. One ledger is a Petty Cash Book with entries dating from 1941 to1945 and the other is a Share Register with entries from 1916 to 1933. The business of Bruce and McClure was located at 159-165 Lava Street Warrnambool and was established about 1900 in premises originally occupied by the plumber and fitter, W. Flett and the blacksmith and farrier, W. Hopkins and in the 1890s by the engineering works of Dobson and Parkinson. Bruce and McClure were engineers, ironfounders and windmill makers and manufactured, produced and serviced farm equipment in a wide area around Warrnambool. In 1945 the business was purchased by the Owen Brothers who later relocated to Caramut Road Warrnambool where it still operates today.

These ledgers are of historic interest as they contain details of the operations of an important 20th century business in Warrnambool (Bruce & McClure) and they are very useful for local research.

.1 Ledger with a hard green cover and dark red binding. The pages contain red and blue lines and handwritten entries in ink. Some pages are loose and there are some inserts with typed sheets. .2 Ledger with a green cover and dark red binding on the spine. There are alphabetical tabs in the front of the book and the pages contain printed red and blue lines and printed headings. The entries are handwritten in ink. Most of the pages are empty.

bruce & mcclure warrnambool, windmill makers warrnambool, owens of warrnambool

Administrative Records of Grasmere Cheese and Butter Factory - source of collection unknown

This collection of administrative records has been created for historical reasons and archival purposes.

Items kept in two A2 size archival boxes in the Archives Room and stored in this way some years after the acquisition of these items at an unknown date.

Four ledgers containing Minutes, two unbound packets of Minutes and one photographic supplement from a magazine

grasmere cheese and butter factory pty ltd, dairying in the warrnambool district

grasmere cheese and butter factory pty ltd, dairying in the warrnambool district

These two ledgers contain details on mortgages in the Warrnambool district but the business person or persons associated with the ledgers is unknown. One ledger dates from 1913 to 1925 and the other from 1910 to 1926. The financial dealings of the mortgagees and mortgage brokers are listed in detail and many of the names in the ledgers are well-known historically and include Crisp, Coulstock, Coleston, Flett and Goldstraw. There are also some unfamiliar names worthy of research.

These ledgers are of historical interest and have potential value to researchers of local history.

These two ledgers have brown covers made of wood with a cloth covering. The pages are attached to the cover by metal inserts with screws and have alphabetical tabs. The pages have red and blue printed lines and handwritten entries in ink.

mortgage ledgers warrnambool early 20th century, warrnambool history

.1,.2,.3 - These are booklets of 36 pages with an orange cover with an illustration of two people on surf boards on the front cover and an image of a main street on the back cover. The cover has blue printing. The pages contain a map, advertisements, black and white photographs and printed text. One booklet is stapled and two have the staples removed. .4,.5 -These are booklets of 40 pages with a front cover with a photograph in blue tones of a surf patrol boat and two lifesavers and a back cover with a black and white photograph (beach scene). The pages contain a map, advertisements, black and white photographs and printed text. One booklet is stapled and one has the staples removed.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Guides 1970-1975

warrnambool tourism, tourism in warrnambool in the 1970s

The name of the business that produced the contents of this ledger is unknown. It is a record of rents paid by tenants to the property owners in Warrnambool and district from 1910 to 1925 and includes the rents paid and the dates. It probably belonged to a real estate firm or an accountancy or law firm dealing in property, mortgages and financial investments. Many of the names contained in the ledger are well-known (Coakley, Alston, Gleeson, McGennan etc) and the ones that are not so well known are mostly those with only one or two rental properties.

This ledger is of some interest as a research tool giving information on property owners and renters in Warrnambool from 1910 to 1925. It will be of greater value if the name of the ledger owner can be found.

This is a ledger with a cover made of wood and covered with a light brown material. It has a heavy metal insert inside to hold the pages. There are heavy card pages and white pages ruled with red and blue lines. The page entries are handwritten in ink.

warrnambool renters 1910-1925, warrnambool property owners 1910-1925

This preliminary report relates to 32½ acres of council owned land in West Warrnambool bounded on the North by McMeekin Road, on the East by Scott Street, on the South by Evans Street and on the West by the rear boundaries of properties facing Landmann and Granter Streets. In 2010, West Warrnambool was the largest of Warrnambool’s existing industrial areas, comprising approximately 109ha of industrial zoned land, the majority of which (101ha) is zoned IN1Z, with the remainder zoned INZ3. The area comprises a mixture of lot sizes supporting a diverse mix of industries. Larger parcels are occupied by the abattoirs, scrap metal industries, freight, the Council Depot and storage. Smaller lots are occupied by smaller manufacturers and wholesalers and service industries. [Ref: Warrnambool Industrial Land Use Review. Mesh Pty Ltd July 2010]

This document is a preliminary report prepared by the Warrnambool City Council Engineer in March 1973 and provides an example of the planning process undertaken to develop one of Warrnambool's industrial areas. It contains details and costings of the proposed subdivision.

Two foolscaps size pages of typewritten information. A detailed topographical map of the area with areas highlighted in blue, red, green, blue and purple pen.

warrnambool city council, west warrnambool, industrial estate

An annular eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the Sun and the moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's blocking most of the sun's light and causing the sun to look like an annulus or ring. An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a large region of the earth. In 1916, annularity was only visible in Australia.

This photo card records a rare annular eclipse of the sun as viewed in Warrnambool at 12:45pm on 30 July 1916

This Foyle photo card shows the progress of the eclipse of the sun with four images and white writing on a black background. There is hand writing in black ink and other black printing on the rear of the card.

Front: Middle of the bottom edge "Eclipse of the Sun Warrnambool 12.45. 30.7.16" Bottom right hand corner: "Foyle Photo" Four numbers beside each image. Rear: Foyles Photo Card Studios_Liebig St, Warrnambool; "Warrnambool" handwritten.

solar eclipse, warrnambool, foyle photo card, liebig street, annular solar eclipse

This is a booklet with a buff-coloured cover featuring an illustration of a woman water skiing. The back cover has blue printing. The pages contain a fold-out map, advertisements, printed text and black and white photographs. The pages have been stapled and then glued.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Guide 1936

tourism in warrnambool, warrnambool progress association

This is a booklet with a cream cover featuring a sketch of a woman waterskiing and blue printing. The pages contain black and white photographs, advertisements, two maps and printed text. There is one fold-out page. The booklet is stapled and bound with glue.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Guide

warrnambool tourism, warrnambool progress association

This is a booklet of 22 pages. The cover has two colour photographs and the pages contain a sketch map, printed text and colour photographs. The pages have ben stapled but the staples have been removed.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Booklet

warrnambool tourism, south west victoria tourist locations, warrnambool chamber of commerce

This is a booklet of 30 pages with a blue and black cover featuring an art work, a map, advertisements, black and white photographs and printed text. The booklet was stapled but the staples have been removed.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Booklet

warrnambool tourism, warrnambool tourist guides, warrnambool chamber of commerc

.1 This is a single sheet of paper folded twice to make a pamphlet. It has a multi-coloured map (predominantly yellow), an illustration, several black and white photographs, printed text and coloured headings. .2 This is a single sheet of paper inserted into item 1. It is folded twice and contains black and white photographs.

non-fiction

Warrnambool Tourist Map and Guide

tourism in warrnambool, warrnambool rail, warrnambool tourist guides

This is a book of 326 pages. It has a dust cover, partly torn, with an illustration of a man and a woman on a yellow background on the front cover. The spine of the dust cover is yellow with black printing and there is blue printing on the front cover and black printing on the back cover. The hard cover is blue with black printing. The pages contain black printed text. There is a book plate on the inside front cover

fiction

A novel for young girls

warrnambool baptist church, sacks jewellers warrnambool, audrey sack

Warrnambool was created as a municipality on 7th December 1855, declared a Borough on 1st October 1863, proclaimed a Town on 2nd February 1883, and a City on 8th April 1955.

This booklet is of significance as it shows the governance of the Town of Warrnambool in 1898, fifteen years after Warrnambool was proclaimed as a town.

A 54 page bound paper booklet with a green cover. The inside front page has a handwritten Government Gazette reference to the proclamation of Warrnambool as a town.

Town of Warrnambool By-Laws and Regulations Warrnambool M Hassett "The Reporter" Printing Works Timor Street 1898 Higgins & Parrington handwritten in ink

warrnambool, town of warrnambool, municipal bylaws and regulations

A 1959 tourist guide showcasing Warrnambool attractions.

This guide gives an insight into tourist attractions and facilities in Warrnambool in the late 1950's

This 24page paper booklet contains colour and black and white photographs and text showcasing Warrnambool as a tourist destination. The front cover has an illustration of a young man on the sand dunes, a small map of Victoria locating Warrnambool in the bottom left hand corner and stylised tourist activities in the top right hand quadrant. The rear cover has a photograph of a woman in a swimsuit holding a green surf board surrounded by stylised tourist activities printed in red ink. There is a blue banner across the bottom of the rear cover.

Front cover: Warrnambool Playground of the South Rear cover: A Warrnambool Holiday for Everyone

warrnambool, warrnambool tourist guide

Warrnambool was created as a municipality on 7th December 1855, declared a Borough on 1st October 1863, proclaimed a Town on 2nd February 1883, and a City on 8th April 1955. This 1955 edition of the Ruskin "All-about" covers the facilities and activities of the Municipality of Warrnambool. It provides a directory for residents with maps, bylaws, transport times, schools and societies and a classified listing of professions, trades, shops and factories.

This directory provides a significant synopsis of the City of Warrnambool in 1955/1956.

This is 28 page paper booklet with a blue cover and white front cover with an illustration of a TAA female pilot in the bottom right hand corner with white, blue, red and black printing. There is a 16 page insert which includes a 1956 calendar, agricultural information and the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games official programme. The rear cover has a colour advertisement of two petrol pumps and Energol oil products with a male attendant.

The Ruskin All-about WARRNAMBOOL TAA serves the nation Fly TAA -the friendly way

warrnambool, warrnambool trade directory, ruskin all-about, 1956 olympics

Records handed to the Warrnambool & District Historical Society by Warrnambool Hospital Authorities

Ensuring maintenance and preservation of Warrnambool Hospital records

Ledgers and other material kept in A3 Archival boxes and housed on shelves in the W.D.H.S. Archives Room

Ledgers and other Historical records of the Warrnambool Hospital including Letter Books, Annual Reports, Cash Books, Admissions, Donors' Registers, Receipts and Expenditure Registers and Committee Minute Books

warrnambool hospital and benevolent asylum, warrnambool base hospital, south west health care

warrnambool hospital and benevolent asylum, warrnambool base hospital, south west health care

This small portable lantern would have been used when camping or in a room or outbuildings to provide a small amount of light, perhaps similar to the light provided by a torch today.

This item is retained for display purposes.

This is a lantern with a metal base, a funnel-shaped column and a white perspex top covering a light. The column and base have a metal handle attached by a screw. Under the base is a metal covering which opens to a space that held a battery (now missing). The bottom metal lid is now detached. The base and column have been painted red but they are now quite rusted

vintage lighting, warrnambool history

This tub, a common household object in the 19th and 20th centuries, would have been used in a household or other places for washing small items or even a small child. As it has handles it could also have been used for carrying liquids or other items. Item such as this can still be found in use today but in the main have been replaced by plastic tubs.

This item has no known provenance and is retained for display purposes.

This is an oval galvanised wash tub. The oval base has a strengthening metal band around the edge. There are two metal handles attached to metal loops on the side. There is some rusting on the inside base.

household items, vintage containers

A small metal bucket such as this was a common item in a household, farm or factory, 20th century and earlier. It would have been used to carry liquids such as water, milk or cleaning fluids and small loads such as feed for animals or picked fruit and vegetables. Today iron buckets are still in use but have been largely replaced by plastic ones.

This bucket is retained for display purposes, perhaps in a dairy farm display.

This is a galvanised iron bucket. It has as circular base with a strengthening metal strip around the edge and a tapered body with a circular top. A metal handle is inserted into small metal loops on the sides. There is some rusting in the inside base area.

household items, dairy farm implements

This collection of six documents (1915-1922) belonged to Charles Geary who was born in Warrnambool, the son of Thomas and Martha Ellen Geary in 1893. The collection documents his joining the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force A.A.M.C. Dental Reserve, his subsequent discharge and post military employment in the Town of Warrnambool as a Hackney Carriage Driver and later as a second class engine driver..

This collection gives examples of references and certificates of leave required to join the A.I.F. in 1916. The discharge certificate is a good example of what was given to military personnel after their services were no longer required. The llicense and certificate of competency show some of Charles' post war endeavours. Charles is listed on the Warrnambool Fire Brigade World War 1 Honour Roll as an active member.

(.1) Typewritten refence on Robinson's Motor Pty. Ltd. green and navy printed letterhead with a purple ink stamp and black written signature and embossed company seal. (.2) Reference, handwritten in black ink on blue 8mm lined white paper with a 38mm printed margin. (.3) Black print on a cream certificate completed in black ink. (.4) Cotton woven paper certificate completed in blue, black and red ink with black ink thumb prints. (.5) Black printed Certificate number 1069 on cream paper completed in black ink. (.6) Peach coloured certificate with red printing on heavy weight paper completed in black ink and numbered 8313

charles geary, australian army medical corps dental reserve, a.a.m.c., robinson's motor proprietary limited, geo powell, country fire brigades board of victoria, hackney carriage driver's license, second class engine driver, dental mechanic

These three sheets are copies of the originals and relate to the establishment of the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory in Dennington (Warrnambool). The name 'Farnham' is the name of the Special Survey in the area first purchased by William Rutledge and also the name of the Rutledge property at Dennington. In 1889 WIlliam Rutledge (Junior) and Thomas Palmer established the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory on the banks of the Merri River at Dennington. In 1890 they sold the factory to a farmers' co-operative. Farnham had a high reputationfor butter=making when the factory was in existence. The factory was bought out by Nestles about 1909 with that company establishing its factory on the same area.in 1911.

These documents are of interest as the Farnham Cheese and Butter Factory was one of the earliest of its type in the Western District and won a Gold Medal in 1909 for butter-making at the Islington Dairy Show in competition with other butter-making countries in the world.

.1 sheet of paper with black and white map showing location of factory in Dennington (copy) .2 An A3 size piece of paper with a sketch map and typed material showing a Certificate of Title (copy) .3 An 3 size piece of paper with a sketch map and typed material showing a Certificate of Title (copy)

farnham cheese and butter factory, nestles factory warrnambool

These playing cards were produced for the Warrnambool Woollen Mill in the 1940s for promotional purposes and were probably given to members of a bridal party when one member had bought a Warrnambool blanket (specifically the Warma-Wool Blanket) as a trousseau item or as a gift for the bridal couple. The cards were in the possession of Mr C.F. Kelly of Dwarroon, Cudgee (near Warrnambool) in 1985 and he has taken them to show the manager of the Warrnambool Mill as they were already items of historical interest, being about 40 years old at that time. The letter from the Warrnambool Mill administration office attests to this. The envelope shows that the cards were returned to Mr Kelly by post. The Warrnambool Woollen Mill was established in South Warrnambool in 1910 and closed in the year 2000. It was one of the most important and well-known industries in Warrnambool in the 20th century.

These items are of interest as mementoes of the Warrnambool Woollen Mill, a key 20th century industry in Warrnambool that was known Australia-wide

This is a pack of playing cards having the usual playing cards printed numbers and emblems on one side and a colour illustration of a bride and two bridesmaids admiring a blanket on the other side. This side also has printed material. The cards are partly enclosed in a piece of cellophane and the pack is in a rectangular envelope with a stamp and a typed address on the outside. The envelope is open and partly torn at one end. The letter in the envelope has a letterhead and typed material.

Envelope: Mr C.F. Kelly R.S.D. 4330 D.Warroen (sic) Cudgee Vic. 3265 Cards: Warrnambool Warma-Wool Blankets

warrnambool blankets, warrnambool woollen mill, dwarroon estate cudgee

This ledger was used between 1883 and 1892 to record returns and activities on a farming property including numbers of sheep shorn, chaff cut, fencing contracted and people employed. One envelope within the ledger is addressed to Mrs J Edwards, Morven via Branxholme. The Edwards family, lived on the MORVEN property situated about 11 kilometres west of Branxholme in the Western District of Victoria. This property was sub divided in 1911 into 25 farms. The not fully used ledger has later been repurposed as a recipe book with a collection of newspaper cuttings (1924-1929) inserted and recipes handwritten on 16 pages at the rear. The pages also include some household hints including instructions on how "To prepare sheep skins for mats"

This ledger is typical of farming records kept in the period 1883 to 1892. The repurposing of the ledger as a recipe book was a common practice.

This ledger has cardboard patterned covers. The paper pages are bound with cotton. Some pages are handwritten in ink. There are loose newspaper cuttings within the ledger as well as two addressed envelopes and a small red recipe booklet.

ledger, farming records, recipes, morven, edwards family morven, canvassing department of the australian dried fruits association

.1 Cream cover with black and green floral design and leather spine with gilt patterns. The pages have a gilt edging and the spine is partly detached. The pages contain printed material and handwritten entries .2 Black cover with yellow and green floral design. The spine is leather and has gold printing and lines. The pages have a gilt edging and contain printed material and handwritten entries

non-fiction

Two birthday books with entries of birthdates

19th century warrnambool people, beattie family warrnambool, beattie and phillips funeral directors