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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Leather Pouch with Metal Drill Bits |
| Date | c.1890-1900 |
| Document Type | Object |
| Reference | HT 7825 |
| Library / Archive | Museums Victoria |
| Collection Name | Personal Stories Collections |
| Description | Long rectangular shaped leather pouch with stitched leather compartments holding 34 metal drill bits, up to four bits per compartment. The pouch can be rolled and tied with five leather ties stitched to the sides of the pouch. The drill bits were used by John Spence to make furniture for the Nicholls' home in Australia. |
| Biographical Note / History | John Spence migrated to Australia in 1923 with his nephew's family, William and Susannah Nicholls. Susannah May Cant was born in London in the late 1800s. She trained as teacher and while teaching in Middlesex in 1906 she met William Nicholls, also a teacher. They were married in 1907 and had their first child, Margaret in 1908 and their second child, John in 1911. William served duing the First World War in France. They taught until Susannah resigned for health reasons. The family successfully applied for assisted migration to Australia, under the Empire Settlement Scheme and arrived in Australia on the P&O liner 'Beltana' in May 1923, accompanied unassisted by Will's uncle, John Spence. Will first taught in remote Walwa in North Eastern Victoria. Keen to try farming, they purchased a ten acre block at Pearcedale on the Mornington Peninsula, and moved in November 1923. The poor soil quality made farming unsuccessful, so in April 1924 Will returned to teaching, as would Susannah. They sold the farm and moved to a rented house at Somerville. Susannah was diagnosed with incurable cancer in 1928 and died back in Pearcedale in 1929. Her family returned to England. |
| Theme(s) | Permanent Settlement and Successive Generations |
| Country (from) | Great Britain |
| Country (to) | Australia |
| Nationality | English |
| People | Nicholls, Susannah; Spence, John |
| Keywords | assisted emigration, Empire Settlement Scheme, object, P&O, hand tool |
| Additional Information | Please note: Some of the metadata for this document has been taken from the Museum Victoria catalogue. |
| Catalogue Link | Museums Victoria Catalogue |
| Document(s) linked to |
Brass Candle Holder Green Wedgewood Soup Bowl Green Wedgewood Saucer Wooden Mallet Wood and Metal Smoothing Plane Common Prayer Hymn Book |
| Copyright | Museums Victoria |
