The Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our museums are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.
- +10
Collection of Australian Native Police buttons and ammunition
MadeSummary
Object No.
2011/82/1Object Statement
Collection of buttons (13) and ammunition, metal, various makers, England / Australia, used by the Native Police in Owanyilla / Bonfil Creek / Banana / Wondai Gumbal / Spring Creek / Highbury, Queensland, Australia, c. 1850-1890Physical Description
Collection of buttons and ammunition used by the Native Police. The thirteen circular metal buttons vary in size and design, however all referring to the reign of Queen Victoria, either depicting a crown or the initials VR or both, in raised embossed designs. Ammunition includes three spherical lead carbine balls and two brass percussion caps from a Potts & Hunt double barrelled carbine, a bullet cartridge from a .577 Snider-Enfield carbine and a brass cartridge casing for a .442 cartridge used in a Webley centre fire revolver.Short URL
https://ma.as/397127Production
Made
Made
Notes
All the buttons were produced in Britain, except one (2011/82/1-10) which was made in Australia by D. Jones & Co, a Sydney retailer founded 1837, now known as David Jones, who also made buttons used by the NSW Volunteer Rifles, 1860-70."Retail stores and tailors did not make their own buttons, but could have their names marked on the buttons by the manufacturers for a price, or when making a large order. The so marked button would have likely been made in Britain and supplied on uniforms, or sent to David Jones for local tailoring of the uniforms." (notes from Cathryn Glover, 2022)
Hebbert & Co London were one of the major military equipment suppliers of the 19th century, making uniforms since 1840, swords and truncheons for police, buttons for British Volunteer forces, Queensland forces, equipment to New Zealand in the 1860s, and was one of the major suppliers to the Confederate forces during the American civil war. (Peter Tait & Co, Limerick, Ireland was the other).
Wikepedia reports that .442 Webley, also know as .422 Revolver Centre fire, was a British centrefire revolver cartridge, introduced in 1868. It was widely used in the British Bull dog, a popular type of solid frame pocket revolver introduced by Philip Webley & Son of Birmingham, England, in 1872. The gun was widely copied, and was designed to be carried in a coat pocket. (/17)
History
Notes
'All of the items were collected during the 1980s-1990s. Many sites have since been unwittingly destroyed. Precise dates of establishment are sometimes difficult to make with accuracy. Tenders might be called but the buildings erected at a later date. Conversely a camp could be used for a temporary camp and a permanent camp established later. Thus artefacts could pre or post date the years noted.' quoted from research by the donor.Places where objects were found:
Owanyilla is between Gympie and Maryborough on the single-track rail line that runs up the Queensland coast to Cairns. Also known as Coopers Plains. The camp was established c. 1856-57, closed 1860s (possibly 1863).
Bungil Creek is south of Roma, also known as Euleotha. The camp was established c. 1859 and closed possibly 1862.
Banana is west of Gladstone on the Leichhardt Highway. The camp was north of Banana and was established and closed c.1860s.
Wondai Gumbal is near Yuleba on Tchanning Creek. The camp was established c.1851 and closed c.1859.
Spring Creek is south of Springsure, which is south of Emerald on the 60. The camp was known to have been occupied between 1862-1867.
Laura is inland from Cooktown on the Peninsular Development road. The camp was to the north of Laura, established c. 1876 and closed 1894.
Highbury is on the Mitchell River in Far North Queensland, not far from the Bourke Developmental Road.
The Snider Enfield carbine fired a British Black powder metallic cartridge which fired a .577 lead projectile. Early models used a cartridge made of paper with a metallic base, and the later ones were made from drawn brass.
A .442 Webley, also know as .422 Revolver Centre fire, was a British centrefire revolver cartridge, introduced in 1868, widely used in the British Bull dog, a popular type of solid frame pocket revolver introduced by Philip Webley & Son of Birmingham, England, in 1872. The gun was widely copied, and was designed to be carried in a coat pocket (Wikepedia).
Source
Credit Line
Gift of Mr Simon A Whiley, 2011Acquisition Date
13 September 2011Cite this Object
Harvard
Collection of Australian Native Police buttons and ammunition 2022, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 24 May 2022, <https://ma.as/397127>Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/397127 |title=Collection of Australian Native Police buttons and ammunition |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=24 May 2022 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}We want to hear from you
Copyright for the above image is held by MAAS and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please contact MAAS Rights and Permissions for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives licence
Submit an image license enquiry.