Victorian Collections logo
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
From the collection of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
8900 Items featured online

Book - Manual, Standing Orders, Department of Shipping and Transport, Standing Orders to Masters and Crews of Lighthouse Tenders, 1968

  • Orange hard covered book with gold embossed test and Coat of Arms on the cover

    Front cover and spine

  • Metal binding holds many cream coloured pages that have rounded outer corners and printed text

    Title page

  • Page has paragraphs explaining how the book is set out and numbered

    Explanatory Notes of book

  • A numbered list with the Table of Contents

    Table of contents

  • Instructions for testing the Manoeuvring equipment

    Tests fro Manoeuvring Equipment

  • Responsibilities are set out for all members of personnel associated wit the Lighthouse Tender

    List of various responsibilities

  • Diagram shows a vessel in the water a small vessel on shore and people and buildings on land

    Diagram of communications between land and sea

  • Orange hard covered book with gold embossed test and Coat of Arms on the cover
  • Metal binding holds many cream coloured pages that have rounded outer corners and printed text
  • Page has paragraphs explaining how the book is set out and numbered
  • A numbered list with the Table of Contents
  • Instructions for testing the Manoeuvring equipment
  • Responsibilities are set out for all members of personnel associated wit the Lighthouse Tender
  • Diagram shows a vessel in the water a small vessel on shore and people and buildings on land

Historical information

This book is a mid-20th century updated version of a manual with regulations and instructions for lighthouse staff and the supply of equipment and other goods that are necessary. It includes lists such as protective clothing required, fuel, when to raise a flag at half-mast, how communication must be carried out, the testing of equipment, and other similar information. It also contains templates for the Certificates of Service of various ranks such as Master and Mate.

Australia no longer has manned lighthouses although some still have caretakers that report on the weather. The last manned lighthouse was in Tasmania and was de-manned in December 1995.

Significance

The ultimate purpose of the book was to set down instructions that would be used to carry out life saving procedures, and to avoid shipwrecks. It confirms some earlier methods and updates others.
The information within the book is similar to the information referred to by the 19th century and early 20th century lighthouse keepers and staff, and others involved in the preservation of life, such as those published by the Department of Ports and Harbours.
The book is a valuable resource to those researching the evolving of maritime history from Colonial Australia to the modern day.

Physical description

Book, orange vinyl surface sealed cover on hard covered ring-binder. Gold embossed title on spine and front cover. Contains cream loose-leaf pages with rounded corners. Pages are printed with text, tables and diagrams, and are numbered with serial page and paragraph numbers. There is a Table of Contents and an Index. The cover displays the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Published by the Commonwealth of Australia in 1968 for the Department of Shipping and Transport, the book contains the Standing Orders to Masters and Crews of Lighthouse Tenders. It has examples for Certificates of Service for various ranks, a list of books and forms, protective clothing, rates for passengers, and a Scheme of Colour Painting for Lighthouse Tenders.

Inscriptions & markings

Coat of Arms [Commonwealth of Australia]
"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA" "DEPARTMENT OF SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT" "STANDING ORDERS / TO / MASTERS AND CREWS OF LIGHTHOUSE TENDERS" "No 1/1968" "No.2/1968"

Subjects

TOP
Back to top