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

Book. Beehive Sales book 1936 - 1941.book, bendigo, beehive sales book

Copy of black and white photograph on mounting board. 2nd laminated copy.B Form 1936. Girls in front of senior girls pavilion. Top Row: Rylice Smith, Fauvette Hooke,Betty Young,Mary Esler. Lower row: Eva Wilson, Jean McKay,Ruth Reed, Edna Dalley, Dorothy Kelly.williamstown high school, 1936, senior pavilion

One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of the Figure Head of The "Speke" as found in a shed in 1936.local history, photography, photographs, maritime technology, ship relics, figure head of the "speke", black & white photograph, shipping, wrecks, the speke figure head, john jenner, bryant west

Annals of Bendigo 1936 - 1950, The Sixth Edition. Soft Cover, . Chronicles of the years from 1936 to 1950. Published by The Sandhurst Building Society. (1981) Includes b/w photographsDouglas Lockwoodbendigo, history, annals of bendigo

Prince Pirate won the Association Handicap 2nd Div at Ascot on the 20 July 1936. Prince Pirate owned, trained and driven by O Marshall. One large black and white photograph in a black and gold frame. Top line: Ascot / 20/7/36 Second line: Association Handicap 2nd Div Third line: Won by Prince Pirate Fourth line: Owner Trainer & Driver O Marshall Bottom line: Distance 1 1/4 miles / Time 2 min 56 secs Bottom right corner: A Copley, Phone F1748 434a Flinders Street Near William St Melbournehorses, race, winner, driver, trainer, owner, a copley, ascot, o marshall, 1936, prince pirate, orme marshall

Worn for wedding of donor's mother on 26 September 1936. Eric Edward Pearce to Jean Isabelle Mansell at Presbyterian Church, Shepparton, Vic.1936 Cream satin dress with a V neck with pintucking featuring a diamond shape in centre front, also pintucked. Full length full sleeves with cuffs with two buttons and loops. Belt from diamond shaping to centre back panel. Panel opens out to train.|Marriage of Eric Edward Pearce to Jean Isabell Mansell. 26 September 1936 NO3222 Certificate|Wedding photo NP2391|Cake Photo NP2392costume, female ceremonial

Framed sepia photograph of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Circa 1936.Inscribed on rear of frame Glen Waverley Picture Framing.

This is a photograph of Councillor Hamilton Rutherford Reed who represented North Riding 1918 - 1936. Hamilton Reed was an early settler at Goongerah. In 1868 Hamilton Reed and John Locke both of Bendoc secured a grazing area of 60,000 acres at Goongerah. About the year 1878 Hamilton Reed and C. W. Nicholson decided to, if possible, to go from Bendoc to Orbost via Goongerah, they accomplished the task in 4 days from Goongerah. (more info. Newsletter September 2004)This item is associated with the Orbost Shire Council. The shire covered an area of 9,347 square kilometres and existed from 1892 until 1994 when it became part of the East Gippsland Shire Council.A black / white head and shoulders portrait photograph of a moustached man in a suit. There is also a framed photograph.on back - "Cr H.R. Reed, North Riding 1918-1936"reed-hamilton-rutherford goongerah-history orbost-shire-council

This automotive circular saw was designed to allow trees to be sawn into planks at the site they were felled, rather than requiring them to be carted to a lumber mill first. It was invented by Robert John (Bob) Pyle in 1936 and patented in 1937 (serial number 101975). This picture depicts Clarrie Howell (left) and Bob Pyle (right), standing with the sawbench between them. What was special about Bob’s new invention was that it not only allowed a circular saw to be portable and set up at a logging site, but that it allowed the circular saw to be run using the car motor, and that the saw could be detached, allowing the car to be used for carting or other purposes. This photograph is significant because it shows an early instance of an emerging technology, portable sawmills, and is evidence to the innovations that the people of Beechworth have achieved throughout history, as well Black and White rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Incription on cream paper stapled to bottom left of photographObverse: On left Clarrie Howell / Right Bob Pyle / with sawbench built by Bob Pyle / Patent 1936 / Rosalie Pyle has the original / [redacted]bob pyle, robert pyle, r j pyle, clarrie howell, howell, pyle, invention, patent, sawmill, saw, sawbench, wood, timber, forestry, automobile, car, 1930s, 1930s beechworth, industry, wooden, convenience, innovation

One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of the start of the 1936 Senior T. T. Motor Cycle Race.local history, photography, motor cycle race start, black & white photograph, sport, motor cycle racing, senior t t, john jenner, bryant west

Merit Certificate No. 297980 issued to Muriel Trim, 23 Nov 1936.Merit Certificate No. 297980 issued to Muriel Trim, 23 Nov 1936.trim, muriel, education department

1936 Lawn Tennis Championships Official Publication. Materials: Paper, Inktennis

A Slazenger 'Hardcourt 1936' tennis ball. Materials: Rubber, Felt, Inktennis

Arthur V Gregory b.1867, d.1957 worked from studio at 326 Albert Road South Melbourne established by his father G F Gregory in 1852Water colour painting in gilt painted frameGerard in Spencer Gulf A.V Gregory 1936a.v gregory, gerard, water colour, painting

Although it’s unknown when these two photos were taken, the South African Pattern Mk IV Slotted Template Machine was in service from 1936 to 1952. The machine was used to cut slots and holes in an acetate film medium. This template was then used to fit several runs of aerial photography to ground control points at a desired scale with a substitution of the templates in the assembly. Radial slots on the templates from central holes representing the photograph’s principal point (centre) were placed over hollow metal studs mounted over control points on the scaled base sheet. The studs represented the intersection of radial lines through common points of detail of overlapping photos. A pricker was used to transfer from the photo-points to the templates. The slotted template methodology was later used as an essential aero-triangulation exercise in advance courses conducted at the School of Military Survey.These three photographs are of a slotted template machine used in aero-triangulation. The first two photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. The photographs were scanned at 300 dpi. The third photograph was captured from a collection using a smart phone. .1) and .2) - Photo, black & white, 1936-1952. South African Pattern Mk IV Slotted Template Machine. .3) - Photo, black & white, 1936-1952. WO2 Bob Pratt operating the Slotted Template Machine. .1 and .2 –annotated on back “Slotted Template” .3P - annotated on front “COMPILATION SECTION SLOTTED TEMPLATE MACHINE WO2 BOB PRATT”royal australian survey corps, rasvy, army survey regiment, army svy regt, fortuna, asr, air survey, aerotrig

Woollen cap worn by Williamstown High School boys in the 1930's. This cap was worn by Ron Granger in 1936. Cap is black wool with a green woollen lining to the peak.Fully lined in black cotton. The cap has yellow stitching following contours ending at a black wool covered button. The logo is a red square containing a red anchor with yellow banner across the centre with 'Hold Fast'. 'W.H.S' under sqare in yellow.williamstown high school, school uniform, cap, 1936

Document: red and grey book, indexed to Volume 23. Dates 1935 - 1936.residence areas, bendigo, sandhurst, land sales, index

The Rutherglen Gun Club has been in existence since at least 1898, as confirmed by a newspaper entry found on TROVE. "The Trigger, By 'Sir Lucius'. Fixtures October 25" Weekly times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869-1954), Saturday 22 October 1898, page 26.Sepia toned black and white photograph of a large group of men, two of them holding rifles, posing in a paddock, some seated, some standing. There is a shed in the background. Written at the bottom of the photo: "Rutherglen Gun Club 1936"rutherglen gun club, gun clubs, sporting clubs