Kathryn Knitwear, founded by Robert Blake, manufactured high quality children’s knitwear in Melbourne from the 1940s – 1980s. Robert Blake began manufacturing children’s knitwear in his bedroom in Strathmore using a hand powered machine in the late 1940s. The operation moved to Ascot Vale and Essendon, before eventually establishing a factory in Moonee Ponds in the early 1950s. The business continued to expand, necessitating a move to a new factory in Broadmeadows. By 1962, the Broadmeadows factory was producing an average of 20,000 garments per month, which increased to 24,000 by 1964. Robert Blake’s Son, Brendan recalls that “The Kathryn brand was famous around Australia, anywhere children needed to keep warm and dress smartly. It also won a number of wool fashion awards”, including the 1969 Wool Awards, which was held by the Australian Wool Bureau and published in Women’s Weekly. The Kathryn range was designed for durability, comfort and care, without sacrificing style. They used patterning techniques that increase stretchiness, comfort and fit, as well as integrating decorative elements into the fabric to prevent them from being bulky, uncomfortable or tight. Making longevity of style a priority, Brendan Blake remembers that “there was one particular garment that was in the range for at least thirty years”. He also recalls “In the past, when women have found out that I was associated with Kathryn Knitwear, they would often relate to me the story of a garment they had purchased or received as a gift and, when their child had grown out of it, they would hand it on to another child. Several ladies have told me of purchasing garments for their daughters’ glory box, or saving a particular garment after their daughter had grown out of it. Brendan Blake: “At the peak of their operation they employed approximately two hundred people, mainly women and girls. A family would often seek to send their daughter to work in this company because they knew they would be looked after and safe. One lady wrote to me telling me that working at the Moonee Ponds Factory prior to getting married was the happiest time of her life.” In 1963, workers at the Kathryn factory earned £13 per week, which was 8 shillings and 8 pence higher than the minimum weekly wage for female workers in the textile manufacturing industry (£12 11s 4d). By 1970, the Kathryn Knitwear brand expanded from children’s knitwear into womenswear under the brand name ‘Lady Kathryn’, and for boys and men under ‘Robert Blake’. Continuing to diversify their distribution, they also began exporting ‘Kathryn’ garments to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Japan. ‘Kathryn Knitwear’ was well-known for their early adoption of modern materials and techniques that had broad appeal to their customer base. This is shown in their early use of the acrylic fibre ‘Orlon’ in the 50s and 60s and ‘Superwash’ wool in the 1970s. Many of Kathryn Knitwear’s styles, particularly those that were long running staples of the brand, were available in both wool and Orlon to suit the consumer’s preference. Far from the humble origins of one man in his bedroom with a hand-cranked machine; at its closure in 1980, the Broadmeadows factory of ‘Kathryn’ housed more than 100 machines, including 53 sewing machines and 45 knitting machines. Robert Blake was “a passionate advocate for wool and Australian Made” throughout his whole life. A strong thread that ties through the lifespan of Robert Blake and Kathryn Knitwear is a balance between adopting new innovations without sacrificing the core values of durability, comfort, care and style that had made the brand so well known. Their legacy forms an integral part of both Australian social and manufacturing history.Strip of knitted fabric samples showing the nine wool colour options for the boys line of Robert Blake/Kathryn knitwear in the winter season of 1980. Label printed in pale blue paper lists season and colour names and is attached to sample strip with two metal staplesBOYS WOOL WINTER 1980 COLOR SWATCH RED BURGUNDY BROWN RYE PEBBLE OYSTER NAVY BLUE SHADOW DENIM GRANITE GREYfabric sample, textile sample, fabric swatch, textile swatch, fashion textile production, textile manufacturing

This stencil was used as a symbol stamp for the transportation of wool bales.Five point star shaped wool bale export stencilwool - transportation, wool sales

This stencil was used as a symbol stamp for the transportation of wool bales.Six point star shaped wool bale export stencilwool - transportation, wool sales

Poster, promoting Pure New Wool,Wool carpet,/ naturally flame /& stain resistant.wool marketing, laundering

This stencil was used as a location stamp for the transportation of wool bales. Via was used when the bale was travelling through or stopping at a place before its final destination.Wool bale export stencil - VIAVIAwool exportation, wool selling

This stencil was used as a location stamp for the transportation of wool bales. HUDDERSFIELD Valley Worsted Mills is located in Geelong. Stencils marked HUDDERSFIELD would have been transported to the Worsted Mills to be made into yarn and fabric.Wool bale stencil - HUDDERSFIELDHUDDERSFIELDwool - transportation, wool sales

Printing plate with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.Printing plate with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.wool bales sheep stations - management, humble and sons pty ltd, wool press, wool bales, sheep stations - management

Printing block with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.Printing plate with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.wool bales sheep stations - management, humble and sons pty ltd, wool press, wool bales, sheep stations - management

Printing block with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.Printing plate with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.SHEEP CATALOGUE (red marker) WOODEN BOX SHED PRESS (blue pen)wool bales sheep stations - management, humble and sons pty ltd, wool press, wool bales, sheep stations - management

Printing block with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.Printing plate with illustration of wool press manufactured by Humble and Sons.WOODEN BOX SHED PRESS (Pen)wool bales sheep stations - management, humble and sons pty ltd, wool press, wool bales, sheep stations - management

Poster promoting the Australian wool product collection.Australian wool product collection/ Woolmark Woolblendmarkwool marketing

Poster promoting the Australian wool product collectionAustralian wool product collection/ Woolmark Woolblendmarkwool marketing

Tawonga CWA branch commenced on 7th Feb. 1946. Prior to this the ladies would have been involved in supporting the war effort with knitted and spun items as described in this book. The branch often combined activities with the other branches in the Kiewa Valley. The C.W.A. aimed to improve health, welfare and education for women and children in the country. Getting together for the war effort would have succeeded in this aim perhaps encouraging the women to continue meeting under the banner of C.W.A.The Tawonga ladies would have been involved in assisting the war effort from home. Most of the ladies lived on remote farms so they may have got together, learnt together and felt happier while contributing to the war effort and supporting the men fighting overseas. Wool was available and easily made into useful items that could be shipped overseas. After the war, the ladies may have wanted to continue meeting and hence decided to form a C.W.A. branch.Small brown book with black writing. 32 pages held by 2 rusty staples.The book gives patterns and instructions for making woolcraft (knitting & spinning) eg. socks & scarves, for the Airforce, Navy and Army with specific colours, thickness of wool and notes eg. no frills. Price 3d. posted 4d. Sponsored by the Australian Wool BoardCover: Warworkers Woolcraft / Compiled by the CWA / Knitting Spinning / Sponsored by the Australian Wool Boardww11. warworkers. tawonga. country women's association of victoria. woolcraft. australian wool board. c.w.a.

This stencil was used as a depot identification stamp for the transportation of wool bales. Wool bales marked with SUB DEPOT ABBASSIA EGYPT would have been transported to Egypt by sea.Wool bale export stencil - NO 2. SUB DEPOT ABBASSIA EGYPT BALE NO.NO 2. SUB DEPOT ABBASSIA EGYPT BALE NO.wool - transportation, wool sales, wool class, wool classers

Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." 'There's no mistaking the soft, warm luxury' (range of blankets and colours)There's no mistaking the soft, warm luxury of Onkaparinga pure wool blankets/Buy Well-Buy Wool/Onkaparinga 100% Pure Wool Blankets/Guaranteed for Twelve Yearsblanket, blanket fever, wool, onkaparinga, advertisement, australian women's weekly

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

Collector says - "Once I had gathered a dozen or so blankets, I started noticing the many different labels; where they were made, by who, the logos and fonts used. Then the labels became a thing, then the blankets had to have a label to join the collection. My favourite labels are by Physician, they had at least 4 different labels over the decades but the best has to be the Lady In Bed logo. Physician, Onkaparinga, Eagley and others matched the colour of the label to the colour of the blanket - a nice touch. Strangely, Castlemaine labels were always sewn on the back of the blanket where all the other mills sewed theirs on the front. To this day I always roll or fold a blanket with its label on display." Note from Collector - "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Checked blanket, pink, blue and creamCastlemaine/100 pure virgin wool blanket, blanket fever, wool, castlemaine, castlemaine woollen mill

Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Gay as a highland gathering (lamb playing bagpipes)Gay as a highland gathering….good for a lifetime of comfort/Onkaparinga/100% Pure Wool Rugs/Buy Well-Buy Wool blanket, blanket fever, wool, onkaparinga, advertisement

Photo depicts the interior of the Strachan, Murray & Shannon Limited wool store in Geelong after a record price was reached for the wool shown. This occurred on 24 November, 1920. This photograph was owned by the donor's father, Mr Cyril Cameron. Mr Cyril Cameron came from the family property 'Burnside' near Glenthompson in the Western District. He joined Strachan & Co. as an office boy in Aug. 1914 and then joined the 8th Battalion, 1st AIF in January 1915. He returned to Australia in early 1920 and started work at Strachan's again. He did the wool classing course (one year, evening?) at the Gordon in 1920-21. He became Head Wool Valuer at Strachan's in 1938 and retired in 1970. His office at Strachan's was on the top floor, directly overlooking what is now the entrance to the National Wool Museum (formerly Dennys Lascelles woolstore). He died in 1983. This photo was originally framed together with a similar photo (3121) and a document detailing the wool sale (3123) under the title "Record Sale 24 November 1920". The two photos focus on lot 372, one looking to the north and the other to the west. These three items may have been a requirement of Mr Cameron's wool classing course.Interior of Strachan, Murray & Shannon Ltd wool store, Nov. 1920.strachan, murray and shannon ltd, cameron, mr cyril

This stencil was used as an organisation identification stamp for the transportation of wool bales. Mount Gow is a homestead in Victoria. Mount Gow is situated south of Warrambine Creek.Wool bale export stencil - MOUNT GOWMOUNT GOW L. Broswool - transportation, wool sales, wool class, wool classers

Part of the Zakrzewski Collection of spinning wheels donated to the National Wool Museum by Mr Wlodzimierz Zakrzewski. For many years, Mr Zakrzewski collected, researched and repaired spinning wheels from all over the world. This is a winding wheel, which makes a loud click when the reel has made 80 turns, thus indicating that the length of the thread that has been wound is 125 metres.Wool Winderhandicrafts - history, highlights of the national wool museum: the zakrzewski spinning wheel collection - exhibition (28/07/2001 - 02/12/2001), zakrzewski, mr wlodzimierz

Rock formation is called " The Woolpacks " and was located on the Wonderland Track at the top of Silent Street -- however on a Broadbent map of the Grampians no.205 this formation was called the " Wool Sacks " ; and the "Woolpacks" was shown on the map close to Venus Bath.Photo shows distinct slabs of rock balancing on each other. Three people appear in the photo -- a man with a boy and a woman. All three are wearing hats. A large rock outcrop can be seen on right of photos -- trees can be seen on left.The Wool Packs F5030scenery, wonderland range

Framed collage of Australian raw wool by wool artist Pauline Osborn. Titled "Jimba on Manooka" (Sheep on Hill). Work specially made for the National Wool Museum after a visit by the artist in 1991.Wool collage of pastoral scene entitled "Jimba on Manooka" (English translation - Sheep on Hill). Framed and glazed.handicrafts

This letter is part of a collection of archival documents including letters and certificates that relate to Charles Tansley. Charles Tansley was a wool classer mainly in Victoria, but also worked in Tasmania and New South Wales. In his career, he also worked as a wool valuer with Elders in Geelong. Charles was born in Melbourne in 1898 and was educated in England at Bedford Modern College. He was sent home from England due to WW1 and was not enlisted due to health reasons. Charles married Mary Brownjohn in 1924, and together they moved to Geelong in the late 1920s. This letter, dated 1928, is a reference for Charles' wool classing work undertaken in Hobart, Tasmania.Letter with printed and hand written black text.[printed] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN / We have the pleasure in certifying to the competency of / Mr. C. E. Tansley as a Wool Classer.charles tansley, woolclassing, wool classer, farming, sheep, wool, agricultural industry, estates, tasmania, new south wales, pastoral industry, textile industry, education, reference letters, working life, geelong, training, mary brownjohn

This photograph shows armed guards and Wool Manager Keith Jackson posing with the million dollar wool bale after it was sold by auctioneer Michael Crooks on the 11th January, 1995 in Geelong. The wool was shorn from sheep of the Wyndarra and Rockbank bloodlines. A flock of 290 sheep were kept undercover at Kadinia, the property of the Appledore family from Brim in the Wimmera district of Victoria. Their record-breaking wool was produced by giving the sheep a special diet and providing each one with a UV-protective coat. Around 180 fleeces were selected for the million dollar bale. The sale of the first bale of wool measuring below 14 microns was held in the Auction Room here at the National Wool Museum. Bidding began at 40,000 (cents a kilogram) and steadily increased until there were only two bidders left. The bidders represented the Japanese firm Aoki International and Loro Piana of Italy. The hammer fell at 1,030,000 cents per kilogram, with Aoki International paying $1,194,800 for the 116kg bale. The fleece was scoured (cleaned) at the Goulburn Wool Scour, New South Wales. The degree of preparation and care taken with the task was extreme. The Scour closed production three days before and was extensively cleaned. On the day of scouring 12 tonnes of 17 micron wool was washed to condition the water, then nine bales of extra super fine wool, worth over $300,000 was washed as a trial run. Toabo Agaki Japan was employed to process the scoured wool into suit cloth. Taobo required the scoured wool to contain 0.5% residual grease, 12% moisture and a yield of 83kg. These requirements were met. The entire staff of the Scour wanted to be part of washing the best wool in the world. Without asking for payment both the night shift and afternoon shift crews assisted the day shift in the task. The bale was fed into the scour in seven minutes and fitted into three bowls, half the scour. It completely disappeared into the dryer and the last wool was fed before the first wool was out. The clean wool was hand-packed into cardboard cartons and freighted to Japan. Aoki International, based in Yokohama Japan, cut three suit lengths from the cloth, then blended the remaining wool into an exclusive line of commercially-available suits. These suits are labelled Kadinia.Colour photograph showing three men with a bale of wool in front of an armaguard truck. Two of the men are armed guards standing either side of the wool bale, one is holding a shotgun. Another man in a suit and tie is crouching near the bale.gavel, michael crooks, auctioneer, wool industry, million dollar bale, geelong, auction, kadinia, appledore, keith jackson, armed guards, armaguard

Part of a collection of photographs previously housed at Victorian Wool Processors (VWP), who were the last early stage wool processing company in Melbourne, and the second last in Victoria. The photographs were collected from other companies as they closed, and were donated to the museum by David Ritchie who was the General Manager at VWP. Victoria Wool Processors (Aust) Pty Ltd was founded by Jim Kim in 1983 as a dedicated international wool trading firm. Seeking greater quality control, the company opened its first physical processing plant in Melbourne in 1990 before scaling up to a state-of-the-art, 24-hour carbonising and scouring facility at Laverton North in 2002. For decades, it stood as one of the largest early-stage wool processing operations in the Southern Hemisphere, known for incorporating modern water-recycling and waste-management infrastructure. However, a severe domestic energy crisis and soaring natural gas prices forced the permanent closure of its manufacturing plant in December 2024, culminating in the company's official corporate liquidation in April 2026. This photo was previously in a frame with three others taken in 1984 at the Port Phillip Mills in Williamstown. This image shows the combing and finishing process.Colour photograph showing industrial wool processing machinery during the combing and finishing process, with slivers of wool in the foreground. Two women are shown in the background operating machinery.victorian wool processors, early wool processing, textile industry, jim kim, topmaking, port phillip topmaking pty ltd, williamstown, pressing, carding, combing, wool scouring

Ribbon awarded to Mr Charles Wilson Peel of 'Callenondah' at Gnawarre. Mr Peel ran a superfine merino stud. This ribbon is from the Geelong Agricultural & Pastoral Show in 1959 and was awarded for being the Champion Merino Wool Fleece.Red, white and blue wool ribbon with yellow tassels on short ends. Yellow stitched/stamped text. Text divided into three lines, one on each coloured panel. Colour panels stitched together with white stitching.charles wilson peel, geelong agricultural & pastoral show, merino, wool, fleece, callenondah, gnawarre, champion, ewe