The story of 90 years of wool classing between father & son begins in 1936, when a young boy by the name of Stanley James Hucker walked through the doors of the Gordon Technical School in Geelong. Born in 1921, Stanley was 15 years of age when he began his 3-year course in Wool Classing. 30 years later, Stanley’s second son Denis completed the same 3-year wool classing course. Beginning in 1966, Denis attended the same Gordon Technical School and walked the same halls as his father before him. Stanley finished his course in 1938. He went back to the family farm in Lake Bolac for a brief period before enrolling in the Second World War. At the completion of the war, Stanley returned home and married before gaining a soldier settler allotment, north of Willaura. This enabled Stan to use his wool classing knowledge. He ran between 1,500 and 2,000 sheep for many years, while his wool classer stencil also allowed him to go out and class at various sheds around the area. He held his stencil from 1938 until he retired at the age of 60 in 1981. On retirement, his second son Denis was working in the district, managing a local property while also leasing land himself. Upon his father’s retirement, Denis had the opportunity to lease his father’s farm, an opportunity he could not refuse. Denis had finished his wool classing course at the Gordon Technical School in 1968, graduating dux of his class. He began working with a local contractor and started classing wool in his team. Denis gained a great deal of experience working as part of this team in big sheds of up to 8 stands servicing between 10 & 20,000 sheep. It was not all smooth sailing for Denis however, and he soon learnt an important lesson. Class wool the way you’re taught, don’t listen to the owner standing over your shoulder. At a clip of Corriedales near Casterton, Denis was pushing too many fleeces into the line of fine wool. This resulted in a notice from the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) “mixing counts too much, submit three clips for inspection”. Denis was able to submit 3 clips with no further complaints, however, this proved a valuable lesson he would never forget over his long career classing wool. In the early 1980s, when Denis was leasing two properties including his father’s, things were going well until drought struck. February 1983 was the date of the Ash Wednesday bushfires, and saw Melbourne have three days over 40 °C for only the second time on record. This period saw Denis give away farming, turning towards contracting work instead. After the difficult times of the early 1980s, the next two decades were a good time for the sheep industry. 15 micron wool was selling for prices between 4 to 5,000 cents per kilo, double what you’d expect for the same wool in 2022. In 1995 a single bale of wool sold for a million dollars. This was a good time for Denis too. His contracting work saw him employing local shearers and shed staff. His team was involved with the shearing and classing of more than 130,000 sheep. After 20 years of contracting, it was time for Denis to transition into the next phase of his life. He gave up independent contracting, preferring instead to return to being a member of someone else’s team. In 2018, having completed 50 years of wool classing, it was time to call it a day and retire completely. At the annual Gordon Wool School Old Students Association dinner held in 2018, Denis was presented with his 50 years as a registered wool classer stencil awarded by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX). This is a rare honour achieved by few. As of February 2020, a total of 430 wool classers had achieved this 50-year milestone. For Denis however, his proudest achievement is achieving 90 years of wool classing with his father. The National Wool Museum is proud to share the collection of objects gained from 90 years in the wool classing industry by Stanley and Denis. This ranges from Stanley’s first stencil and Wool Sample book, started when he first attended the Gordon in 1936. The collection concludes 90 years later with Denis’ 50 years of wool classing Stencil. The collection contains many more objects, all telling the story of these 90 years, and the hard work invested by this dedicated father and son duo. This is the fourth in a series of 5 wool classing exercise books. They were written by Stanley Hucker in his time at the Gordon Technical College from 1936-1938. This book begins in a white cover with blue ink illustrations and writing. It has a centrepiece-coloured emblem of King George VI & Queen Elizabeth with flags of the Union Jack & Australia in background. Internally, the book is handwritten on yellowed pages with blue lines for the assistance in clarity of handwriting. The pages are also surrounded by a margin of red pen. The exercise book’s content is about wool studies relating to the health and productivity of wool sheep. It is handwritten. A selection of pages have been photographed to give an impression of the information taught in classes, 90 years ago. This includes information about: - Wool scouring - Shearing - Lamb marking - Breeding - Fellmongering - Comparison between wool and artificial fibres - Characteristics of good wool - Wool selling methods - Established studs in Victoria - Award rates (1937-38)Front Cover. Wording, printed and handwritten. “CORONATION / EXERCISE BOOK / NAME Stanley Hucker / GRADE SUBJECT Wool / SCHOOL Gordon Front Cover. Illustration’s colour, printed. King George VI & Queen Elizabeth with flags of the Union Jack & Australia in background.gordon institute geelong, wool classing, 1930s sheep farming, 90 years wool classing between father & son

The story of 90 years of wool classing between father & son begins in 1936, when a young boy by the name of Stanley James Hucker walked through the doors of the Gordon Technical School in Geelong. Born in 1921, Stanley was 15 years of age when he began his 3-year course in Wool Classing. 30 years later, Stanley’s second son Denis completed the same 3-year wool classing course. Beginning in 1966, Denis attended the same Gordon Technical School and walked the same halls as his father before him. Stanley finished his course in 1938. He went back to the family farm in Lake Bolac for a brief period before enrolling in the Second World War. At the completion of the war, Stanley returned home and married before gaining a soldier settler allotment, north of Willaura. This enabled Stan to use his wool classing knowledge. He ran between 1,500 and 2,000 sheep for many years, while his wool classer stencil also allowed him to go out and class at various sheds around the area. He held his stencil from 1938 until he retired at the age of 60 in 1981. On retirement, his second son Denis was working in the district, managing a local property while also leasing land himself. Upon his father’s retirement, Denis had the opportunity to lease his father’s farm, an opportunity he could not refuse. Denis had finished his wool classing course at the Gordon Technical School in 1968, graduating dux of his class. He began working with a local contractor and started classing wool in his team. Denis gained a great deal of experience working as part of this team in big sheds of up to 8 stands servicing between 10 & 20,000 sheep. It was not all smooth sailing for Denis however, and he soon learnt an important lesson. Class wool the way you’re taught, don’t listen to the owner standing over your shoulder. At a clip of Corriedales near Casterton, Denis was pushing too many fleeces into the line of fine wool. This resulted in a notice from the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) “mixing counts too much, submit three clips for inspection”. Denis was able to submit 3 clips with no further complaints, however, this proved a valuable lesson he would never forget over his long career classing wool. In the early 1980s, when Denis was leasing two properties including his father’s, things were going well until drought struck. February 1983 was the date of the Ash Wednesday bushfires, and saw Melbourne have three days over 40 °C for only the second time on record. This period saw Denis give away farming, turning towards contracting work instead. After the difficult times of the early 1980s, the next two decades were a good time for the sheep industry. 15 micron wool was selling for prices between 4 to 5,000 cents per kilo, double what you’d expect for the same wool in 2022. In 1995 a single bale of wool sold for a million dollars. This was a good time for Denis too. His contracting work saw him employing local shearers and shed staff. His team was involved with the shearing and classing of more than 130,000 sheep. After 20 years of contracting, it was time for Denis to transition into the next phase of his life. He gave up independent contracting, preferring instead to return to being a member of someone else’s team. In 2018, having completed 50 years of wool classing, it was time to call it a day and retire completely. At the annual Gordon Wool School Old Students Association dinner held in 2018, Denis was presented with his 50 years as a registered wool classer stencil awarded by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX). This is a rare honour achieved by few. As of February 2020, a total of 430 wool classers had achieved this 50-year milestone. For Denis however, his proudest achievement is achieving 90 years of wool classing with his father. The National Wool Museum is proud to share the collection of objects gained from 90 years in the wool classing industry by Stanley and Denis. This ranges from Stanley’s first stencil and Wool Sample book, started when he first attended the Gordon in 1936. The collection concludes 90 years later with Denis’ 50 years of wool classing Stencil. The collection contains many more objects, all telling the story of these 90 years, and the hard work invested by this dedicated father and son duo. This is the fifth in a series of 5 wool classing exercise books. They were written by Stanley Hucker in his time at the Gordon Technical College from 1936-1938. This book begins in a white cover with blue ink swirls covering its entirety. It has a central sticker label. Internally, the book is handwritten on yellowed pages with blue lines for the assistance in clarity of handwriting. The pages are also surrounded by a margin of red pen. The exercise book’s content is about recording and tracking the financial transactions of Sheep Stations and Wool Classers. It is handwritten. A selection of pages have been photographed to give an impression of the information taught in classes, 90 years ago. This includes information about: - General bookkeeping terms and definitions - Practise invoices - Larger multiple page definition of bookkeeping - Assets liabilities - Practise bale bookFront Cover. Wording, printed and handwritten. “The “Gordon Geelong / CASH BOOK / Stanley Hucker / Station + Farm / Bookkeeping / Bookkeeping / Terms 1.2.3 for 1936. 1937. 1938”gordon institute geelong, wool classing, 1930s sheep farming, 90 years wool classing between father & son

Used in the Albion Mill to determine the pressure in the departments requiring steam such as the boiler and dyeing rooms. Circular brass object with black hand painted text and numbers, and a central dial. Printed: PRESSURE / GAUGE / LBS. PER INCH. DANE TAYLOR & Co. Pty. Ltd. / MELBOURNE [on base]: 277828instruments, pressure gauge, albion mill, dane taylor & co pty ltd, south melbourne, geelong, wool industry

Albion Mill Whistle – 'The whistle signalled the changes in shifts and Geelong residents regulated their lives by it.' – exhibition label, In the FactoryCylindrical shaped brass object mounted on a wooden base.Printed: STEAM WHISTLE / ALBION WOOLLEN MILLS 1869 - 1964instruments, pressure gauge, albion mill, dane taylor & co pty ltd, south melbourne, geelong, wool industry

Physician blankets were manufactured by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Advertisement card featuring text and colour photographic image of a blanket. The back has a fold out stand. Printed: AUSTRALIAN / PURE WOOLLEN BLANKETS / PURE NEW WOOL / PHYSICIAN / BLANKETS, ESTABLISHED 1874 / by COLLINS BROS. PTY. LTD.blankets, physician, collins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, advertising, sign

Physician blankets were manufactured by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Fourteen page booklet with blue printed text held with one staple at the binding. Front and back cover has blue, pink and yellow graphics and text, including a lamb wearing a stethoscope. There is a hole punched in the top left corner. Printed: THE CARE OF A / "Physician" / Chill Proof / BLANKET / YOURS, FOR LASTING SERVICE AND SATISFACTIONblankets, physician, collins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, advertising

Card used by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Cream card with black printed text. Printed: Factory No. / WOOL / REGISTER / Lbs. / Rates / Invoice Value / Charges / Stock Value / Invoice Date / Sale No / Broker / Brand / Lot No / Bale No / Description / Type / Date Issuedcollins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool

Physician blankets were manufactured by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Folded paper label, grey with coloured text and graphics. Front is grey with blue, red and white text, showing central colour graphic of a woman lying in bed using a telephone under a blanket. Back is grey with white, blue and pink text with an outline graphic of a man lying in a single bed. Inside of label is white with blue text. Printed: Physician Blankets / MADE IN AUSTRALIA / "REST ASSURED" / ALL WOOL CHILLPROOF & MOTHPROOF / Guarantee / SHOULD A FAULT DUE TO / IMPERFECT MANUFACTURE OCCUR / WITH 20 YEARS THEY WILL BE / REPLACED FREE OF CHARGEblankets, physician, collins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, advertising

Memo advising agents of alternation in prices for physician blankets. Physician blankets were manufactured by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Cream paper with black printed text and hand written pencil text. Printed: ALTERATION IN PRICES. / 22 May, 1952 ...blankets, physician, collins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, memo

Modern industrialized Berber carpets are distinguished by a loop pile construction type that gives a similar appearance to the distinct knot of traditionally woven Berber carpets. The modern carpets usually contain small flecks of dark colour on lighter shades of background colours resembling a natural undyed version of the traditional carpets. Berber is known for being one of the oldest and most durable kinds of carpet. Traditionally, Berber carpets are carpets hand-woven by the Berber people in North Africa and the Sahara. The carpets come in traditional and modern designs, which are distinguished by different knotting patterns, dyes and fabric textures. The origin of carpet weaving by the Berber populations dates back several millennia. The hand-spun cloth they created was named after the individual tribe, and they used natural fibres to create cloaks, rugs and other fabrics. Card showing printed text and graphic featuring an image of a sheep in tones of orange, brown and cream. Printed: PURE NEW WOOL / THE / LOOK OF / BERBERcollins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, berber

Booklet describing how to care for and wash physician blankets. Physician blankets were manufactured by Collins Bros Pty Ltd, established 1874.Four page folded card featuring black text and graphics. Front shows green, red, white and black image of a factory exterior with a car and people in the foreground.Printed: HOW TO WASH "PHYSICIAN" BLANKETS / from Collins Bros. Pty. Ltd. / .... to you / MANUFACTURERS OF / "PHYSICIAN" / BLANKETS AND FLANNELS / ALSO MANUFACTURERS OF THE FAMOUS / UNSHRINKABLE PHYSICIAN BABY SAXONY FLANNEL / AND CRIMEAN SHIRTING / LADIES' DYED DRESS MATERIALS / SLIPPER AND FURNISHING FELTSblankets, physician, collins bros mill pty ltd, manufacturing, geelong, wool, advertising

Gwen Low, who donated this photograph, was the Captain of this 1941 Women's Basketball Team and worked at the Albion Mill.Black and white photograph showing an outdoor portrait of seven women, with four standing at the back and three kneeling in foreground. The woman in the centre front is holding a basketball. The women are wearing matching uniforms with heart motives. Trees and buildings are shown in the background.albion mill, geelong, wool, industry, sport, basketball, teams, women's sport, manufacturing

Gwen Low, who donated this photograph, was the Captain of this 1942 Women's Basketball Team and worked at the Albion Mill. The uniforms were made from fabric woven at the Albion Mill.Black and white photograph showing an outdoor portrait of seven women standing side on in a line. The woman in the front is holding a basketball. The women are wearing matching sports uniforms. albion mill, geelong, wool, industry, sport, basketball, teams, women's sport, manufacturing

Journal written by John Fraser. Fraser's family migrated from Scotland in the 1850s on sailing vessel 'Countess of Cawdor' charted by a group of passengers for travel to Australia. John worked at the Victorian Woollen Mill, Geelong, and kept a diary of sample of cloth, people and happenings in Geelong from 1872. John was aged 6 months and 16 years when he began writing the journal. Book has a black cover which no longer covers all pages due to sample cloth and sheets of paper additionally being stuck into the book, making it too large/thick for the cover. Book shows signs of age particularly though fragile spine of the book and the discolouration of the internal pages. Book is starting to split at the spine, particularly from the bottom of the spine up and has visible signs of age on the black cover. Spots of missing leather are particularly visible on the front, centre right portion of the cover. Additional spots of missing leather dot the surrounding portions of the front and rear covers of the book.geelong, wool, textile design

The yarn was made in Geelong in the late 1980's or early 1990's by local woolen manufacturer J.L. McGregor Pty Ltd. The company closed in the early 1990s. The McGregor family still live in the Geelong area.A ball of grey yarn, 50% wool and 50% acrylic with a plastic label surrounding the wool with the product details.On Label: McGregors 50 Grams at standard condition 50% Wool 50% Flame resistant Acrylic Below Logo: Wool and Nu Acrylicwool, j.l. mcgregor pty ltd, yarn, geelong wool, geelong, geelong woollen mills

Nineteen page double sided paper catalogue held with one staple in the top left corner. Pages are blue, yellow and white with black printed text. Cover shows printed text in blue, red, black and white with Dalgety Farmers banner and logo. front: [printed] CATALOGUE / No. G05’g / SEASON / 1988/89 / Dalgety Farmers / WILL OFFER BY AUCTION / AT THE / WOOL EXCHANGE / NATIONAL WOOL CENTRE, MOORABOOL STREET, / GEELONG / ON / WEDNESDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 1988 / 7352 BALES. WOOL.agriculture, wool, sales, dalgety, geelong, wool exchange, national wool centre, auction, catalogue

Photograph album containing 15 photographs of the textile processes which took place at the Valley Worsted Mill which was established in 1923.Photograph album contains 15 photographic postcards of textile processes from the Valley Mill, c.1920s. Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Wool sorting at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Wool scouring at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Woollen carding at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Worsted carding at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Combing and drawing at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Woollen spinning at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Worsted spinning at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Winding at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Warping at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Weaving at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Mending at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Wet finishing at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Dry finishing at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s. Warehouse at the Valley Mill, Geelong, c.1920s.PHOTOGRAPHS THE / VALLEY WORSTED MILLS / GEELONG WOOL SORTING / WOOL SCOURING / WOOLLEN CARDING / WORSTED CARDING / COMBING & DRAWING / WOOLLEN SPINNING / WORSTED SPINNING / WINDING / WARPING / WEAVING / MENDING / WET FINISHING / DRY FINISHING / WAREHOUSE C.J. Frazer Photographer / Melbournetextile mills warehouses, weaving, textile production, textile mills, valley worsted mill, scouring, carding, combing, drawing, spinning, winding, warping, wet finishing, mending, milling, dry finishing, textile mills - warehouses

Property of Jim Hay, geelong property manager of Elders Pastoral.Large bound photo album with black cloth cover containing pictures, notices, documents and news paper articles documenting Denny's Lascelles Wool brokers and Strachan Wool brokers. Pictures and documents are mounted on black card using glue and sticky tape, on both the front and back of pages. There are five photographs and one document not attached to the album that illustrate Denny's Lascelles Wool brokers. Photos feature different events across several decades related to the Dennys Lascelles Wool Store, including newspaper clippings, men driving a car and staff photos."To the Directors Denny's Lascelles Limited From T.G. Moore July 1941wool brokering wool stores wool industry, elders pastoral dennys, lascelles limited strachan and co. limited, hay, mr jim e. - elders vp, geelong, victoria, wool brokering, wool stores, wool industry

Depicts the George Hague & Co. Western Wool Warehouse, originally located on western beach. Of the two horse-drawn wagons loaded with wool bales standing in front of store, one wagon is owned by Joseph Kerley of Geelong and is loaded with bales of scoured wool from the "Wimmera Co."GEO. HAGUE & CO. / WESTERN WOOL WAREHOUSE / GEO. HAGUE & CO. WOOL WAREHOUSE Bluestone base under existing store (Elder Smith) / Western Beachwool stores wool transportation, george hague and co. pty ltd, western wool warehouse, geelong, victoria, wool stores, wool - transportation

The Returned Soldiers and Sailors Mills was located near the Barwon river on Pakington Street, Geelong, where its building still stands. The mill was established in October 1922 with capital acquired from War Gratuity Bonds. The mill produced fine grade woollen products with its speciality being ‘Retsol’ travelling rugs.31 page red book bound with metal pins containing fabric samples glued onto paper, with some printed text.cover: [printed] A FORECAST OF TEXTILE VOGUES / FOR THE COMING SEASON / FROM / R. S. & S. Woollen Mill. / Geelongr. s. & s mill, soldiers, sailors, geelong, war, wool, mill

The Returned Soldiers and Sailors Mills was located near the Barwon river on Pakington Street, Geelong, where its building still stands. The mill was established in October 1922 with capital acquired from War Gratuity Bonds. The mill produced fine grade woollen products with its speciality being ‘Retsol’ travelling rugs.25 page red book bound with metal pins containing fabric samples glued onto paper, with some printed text.cover: [printed] A FORECAST OF TEXTILE VOGUES / FOR THE COMING SEASON / FROM / R. S. & S. Woollen Mill. / Geelongr. s. & s mill, soldiers, sailors, geelong, war, wool, mill

This carpet design sample is the first handmade test sample of the “Manor House” pattern carpet prepared for Geelong Wool Museum. Carpet design sample and wool yarn colour samples in card presentation folder. Folder is blue with gold printed text. Front [printed]: Brintons carpets / woven for two centuries / COLOUR AND DESIGN / PRESENTATIONweaving, carpet, manor house carpet, national wool museum, design, loom, brintons, geelong

A collection of original documents used by and written about the Kanematuse Organization, a wool business based in SydneyOne large bound book entitled 'F. Kanematsu & Co. Ltd. Private Code For Wool'. Stapled faded sheets of paper with a typed story on them, 18 pages from 1908. A printed copy of the PFA Quarterly Magazine from 1921, 5 pages. A small grey booklet entitled 'Origin of Kanematsu Organization in Australia', 16 pages. 'Japanese Wool Buying?" verse from July 26, 1957, two loose leaf sheets of faded paper held together with a paperclip.wool buying, returned soldiers and sailors mill, geelong, woolen mill, wool production, loom

The Axminster Carpet Loom has been set up as a focal point in the centre of the National Wool Museum. The loom was originally built by Brintons in England around 1910 and was initially operating in Geelong in 1960. Brintons designed and built most of their own looms and ancillary equipment. When superseded in 1975 the loom was donated to the Melbourne College of Textiles for weaving training. The College has now donated the loom to the National Wool Museum and Brintons engineering staff has restored it to full working condition. This loom is known as an Axminster gripper loom. The gripper system was invented by Brintons in 1890 and operates using a gripper shaped like a birds beak. This grips the yarn, the yarn is then cut and the gripper swings down to place the tuft into the woven backing. This particular loom also uses a jacquard system for weaving colours. In jacquard weaving, punched cards are used to instruct the loom as to which colour to use. The system was invented by Joseph Jacquard, a silk weaver from Lyon, and was introduced in 1804. It revolutionised pattern weaving as it had the capacity to create intricate patterns through the use of the cards. By 1833 there were approximately 100,000 power-looms used in Great Britain that had been influenced by Jacquards invention. Joseph Jacquard died in 1834. Charles Babbage was later to adapt Jacquards punch-card system to produce a calculator that was the forerunner of todays methods of computer programmingAxminster carpet loom featuring over 1000 Jacquard punch cards and over 100 bobbins of different colours of wool.loom carpet wool, geelong woolbrokers' association, geelong, auction

The Geelong Woolbrokers' Association: Constitution, Rules, Regulations, Wool Selling Regulations and Conditions of sale of wool and grain, 1951. Part of the NWM Woolbroker's Office exhibit until late 1990's.Mr Laird annotatedwool stores wool brokering, geelong woolbrokers' association, wool stores, wool brokering

Stanley Couzens of the Wathourong Community was commissioned by Geelong Wool Combing Ltd to create a painting of the You Yangs and Corio Bay which was then reproduced on a jumper. The jumper itself was designed by Jenifer McMahon using Merino wool from her property McMahon Farm Pty Ltd.Mens knitted jumper depicting an image of the You Yangs and Corio Bay designed by artist Stanley Couzens of the Wathaurong Community. Image of the You Yangs and Corio Bay is on the front of the jumper in colours including brown, green, cream, black, with white and gold stitching. The central motif extends to the back of the jumper. A cardboard tag attached to the label explains the provenance of the design and manufacture of the jumper.merino sheep knitting, mcmahon, jeni - mcmahon's farm, corio bay, victoria, merino sheep, knitting, stanley couzens, wathaurong, you yangs, jumper, design