The company which was to become the manufacturer of the iconic Australian Akubra hat was founded in Tasmania in 1876 by Benjamin Dunkerley at his Kensington Hat Mills in Hobart. In 1906 he relocated to a small workshop in Surrey Hills, New South Wales. He was joined by British hatmaker in 1904. In 1911 Dunkerley Hat Mills is registered with seven shareholders and in 1912 Akubra brand was registered. In 1918 Benjamin Dunkerley died and Stephen Keir became the patriarch of the company which was to remain in the hands of the Keir family for five generations. In 2023 Akubra is acquired by Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s private investment group Tattarang to ensure it remained as an Australian company. During its long history Akubra has produced a wide range of styles as well as having a contract for the manufacture of the Australian Military slouch hat. The Akubra “Clubman” first appeared in 1953. Fayrefield Hats were manufactured by the United Felt Hat Company Pty Ltd. in Abbotsford, Victoria from about 1920. The Company operated in a factory formally owned by Denton Hats. They relocated to Eltham, Victoria sometime in the 1940s. The Australian hat manufacturing industry received a major boost in the late 1920s with the introduction of tariffs on imported hats. As well as selling a wide range of men’s hats, Fayrefield also manufactured Australian military hats in the 1960s. Both of these hats were sold by Ewart Bros. Menswear in High Street, Wodonga. Clarrie and Jeff Ewart opened their business, Ewart Bros. Menswear in High Street, Wodonga in 1954. After 45 years of service to the Wodonga community Ewart Bros. closed their doors on Friday 3rd April 1998.These hats are significant because they were manufactured by two iconic Australian companies and sold by an important, long-serving Wodonga business.Two men's hats sold by Ewart Brothers of Wodonga. Hat One is an Akubra Clubman featuring a feather in the brim. Hat Two is a fedora style hat manufactured by Fayrefield of Melbourne. Branding and logos on both hatsaustralian hat makufacturers, akubra, fayrefield, ewart bros. menswear

Historical information unknownGreen slouch hat with brown leather strap and bandMADE BY / "Fayrefield" / melbourne / 56 / 1981army, hat, slouch hat, fayrefield

The slouch hat officially became part of the Australian Army uniform in 1903 and has been made by a variety of manufacturers. Fayrefield hats were at 48-60Nicholson Street, Abbotsford and the factory was formerly known as "Denton Hats". RAE is the Royal Australian Engineers and 1000 of their sappers served in Vietnam at the time of this hats production.Green felt Slouch hat with puggaree and gold & silver plated badge for Royal Australian Engineers, with Queens crown size 6 7/8 dated 1966 manufactured by Fayrefield Melbourne.Made by Fayrefield Melbourneorganization, military, army

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

See also Fayrefield Hat Factory, blog post, 3 March 2015Colour photographeltham, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

Khaki slouch hat with brim turned up on left side, secured with the Rising Sun badge. Beige cotton hat band with unit colour patch made from light blue, violet and green felt. Internal leather headband and chin strap. Size 6 7/8. This Slouch Hat belongs to VX37033 Andrew Bishop."MADE BY / FAYREFIELD / MELBOURNE / 6 7/8"

Military slouch hat Khaki with light brown puggaree with metal catch to hold badge Royal Australian Regiment "skippy" badge. Crown surrounded by wreath, kangaroo over crossed rifles "duty first Royal Australian Regiment" beneath.Made by Fayrefield Melbourne. 61/2 1968 (on leather band)slouch hat, clothing

Australian Army issue slouch hat issued to all members of the Australian Army owned by a person by the name of Phipps.Post World War 2 Australian Army Hat pinned into the slouch position. The pinned brim has a Rising Sun Badge attached by two metal pins. Hat Band is cotton and rouched. It also has a leather chin strap. Hand written on leather band inside the hat: PHIPPS Embossed into leather band: MADE BY/"FAYREFIELD"/MELBOURNE/6 5/8/19[indecipherable]australian army slouch rising sun phipps fayrefield

Shire of Eltham Archives Series 13, Photograph Album, 1985. Originally contained in a 2-ring PVC binder and document sleevesSeven colour photographsseries 13, shire of eltham archives, brisbane street, depot, fayrefield hat factory

Ed Stuyfbergen 1988 Entrant No. 26 Ref: Series 34, Items 13, 14, 66-68 The images in this record were not selected for inclusion. SHIRE OF ELTHAM COMMUNITY PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY Photography is an artform which many of us practice, sometimes purely for artistic pursuit, sometimes to record the people and events in our lives. In 1988, as part of a local Bicentennial project, the Shire of Eltham conducted the Eltham Community Photographic Survey. Up to 100 entries were to be selected by a panel of photographers for entry into the Eltham Photographic Survey Exhibition. Entries had to be submitted by May 13, 1988. Entrants whose images were selected for the exhibition were contacted and requested to further submit an entry form providing entrant’s name, area of residence, age, and proposed captions. These details were then used to produce labels for the exhibition mounts. Where negatives had not been supplied, these were requested to support the display of printed enlargements mounted on 10” x 8” cardboard. The mounted prints were made available post exhibition for sale at $8.50 each for colour prints and $7.00 for B&W prints. Residents in the Shire were invited to collect a free roll of film and take a photograph of what they either liked or did not like about the area. A total of 160 entrants submitted multiple entries for the exhibition. Of those selected for exhibition, entrants ranged in age from 9 to 70 years. All custom colour and black and white printing for the exhibition was completed by Wattle Studios of Eltham. The Eltham Photographic Survey was jointly auspiced by the Shire of Eltham and Wattle Studios, of 953 Main Road, Eltham. The project was greatly assisted by: • David McRitchie, Media Studies Lecturer Victoria College, Rusden Campus. • Ian and Annette Toohill of Wattle Studios • Tracy Naughton, Eltham Community Arts Officer • Neville Emerson Pty. Ltd. • Superior Press, Eltham • Kodak Australasia Pty. Ltd. • Agfa Gevaert Ltd. • Townsend Colourtech Pty. Ltd. • The Australian Bicentennial Authority • Eleanor Bowers, Secretary, Eltham Arts Council The exhibition was placed on display in the Woolworths Arcade, Eltham between Monday June 6th and Saturday June 11, 1988. It was also intended to hold the exhibition at a venue in the Shire’s North Riding from Monday, June 20 to Friday June 24. It was then displayed at the Were Street Theatre, Montmorency from Friday, June 24 to Thursday, July 7. Series 34: Eltham Community Photographic Survey 1988 - Prints & Documentation Series consists of 117 photographs of Shire scenes taken by members of the community. Items I - 41 are larger photographs mounted on card, which were exhibited. Items 42 - 117 are unmounted copies, alternative takes and other entries. Corresponding negatives contained in Series 35: Eltham Community Photographic Survey 1988 – Negatives which consists of 267 colour and B&W negatives and one colour slide of Shire scenes taken by members of the community. The negatives are arranged by the entrant number of the photographer. The Eltham Community Photographic Survey collection is significant to the local community as it was curated by the local community - ordinary people of all ages - representing what they liked and did not like in the area where they lived. It represents an unfiltered representation of the Shire of Eltham as it was in 1988. It also represents one of many projects as part of the national programme of events and celebrations to commemorate the bicentenary. It is a time capsule of life in the 1980s of this urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north. shire of eltham archives, bicentennial project, eltham, eltham community photographic survey, series 35, ed stuyfbergen, film - ilford fp4, montmorency, scan - 35mm negative, fayrefield hat factory, sherbourne road

Slouch hat issued to Peter James Dodd, refer Cat No 2436.2P for his service details.Slouch Hat, khaki fur felt with side turned up, complete with chin strap, pugaree and R.A.E Badge.On badge, “Royal Australian Engineers”headwear, slouch hats, r.a.e

.1) slouch hat, Khaki fur felt, size 58, brass clip on upturned side. .2) slouch hat, khaki fur felt, size 6.75, khaki coloured pugaree, brown leather chin strap, brass clips.

Item issued to Wayne Forbes, refer Cat No 754 for his service historySlouch Hat, chin strap fitted, khaki, light green puggaree. The badge on the side is that of Royal Australian Engineers.uniforms - army, costume - male, headwear

Slouch hat, khaki, fur felt, light green puggaree, on side is brass Rising Sun badge with the wording: Australian Commonwealth Military Forces. There is no chin strap fitted.Inside brim are the letters “RSL”.uniforms - army, costume - male, headwear

Part of the Leo Reoch Cohn Collection. See Catalogue No. 5527.2 for his service record.Australian Army khaki felt slouch hat with a light khaki cotton seven-pleat fabric puggaree. Four holes in the side of the crown for ventilation. Brass clip and hook on the left-hand side of the hat for pinning up the left brim. Brown leather sweat band and chin strap.Stamped on sweat band in white: 'MADE BY "FEYREFIELD" MELBOURNE, 7, 1965'.army headwear, slouch hat, leo reoch cohn

The uniform was issued to Paul Francis Reidy No 3793403 National Serviceman KIA Vietnam. Refer Cat No 2526.2 for his service history and details re his death. The uniform being winter dress remained in Australia as there was no need for this to go to Vietnam..1) Jacket (Battle Dress winter) .2) Trousers (Battle dress winter) .3) Lanyard, red colour. .4) Slouch Hat with leather chin strap, cloth pugaree and brass regimental badge depicting a kangaroo with crossed rifles and wattle. .5) Braces.4) “Reidy 3793403 6 3/8"uniform, slouch hat, army, reidy

Standard issue item as used by Australian servicemen during the conflict in Vietnam ( 1962 - 1973). Slouch hats are traditionally made from felt, either rabbit-fur or wool felt. thought some maybe be made from other types of felt or clothe. The hat features a distinctive sloping rim and is often adorned with a "puggaree", a cloth band around the base of the crown. A slouch hat size 6 7/8 with a light khaki "puggaree", which is a cloth band around the base of the crown. The slouch hat has a metal clip to hold up hat rim. Around the rim of the hat is a leather band. White sticker BR 33slouch hat, clothing, uniform, puggaree

Khaki slouch hat with light green puggaree, metal catch to hold hat rim. Size 6 1/2, leather band, small hole in top of hat.slouch hat, clothing

History has it that the origins of the Slouch Hat began with the Victorian Mounted Rifles; a hat of similar design had been worn in South Africa by the Cape Mounted Rifles for many years before 1885. The design of the Victorian Mounted Rifle hat originated from headgear of native police in Burma where Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Price had recognised its value. The Victorian hat was an ordinary bush felt hat turned up on the right side. The intention of turning up the right side of the hat was to ensure it would not be caught during the drill movement of “shoulder arms” from “order arms”. The Slouch Hat became standard issue headdress in 1903 and its brim position was mostly standardised. The slouch hat became a famous symbol of the Australian fighting man during World War One and continued to be worn throughout World War Two. Its use since that time has made it a national symbol.Slouch Hat - made of fur felt with an 8 fold hat band (puggaree) it has the blue/gold unit badge on the band denoting the 8th Light Horse brigade with a leather chin strap. The right hand side is held by a brass rising sun badge.army, slouch hat

Slouch hat with Hat Band with Royal Australian Engineers badge.1966

Worn on duty at Vung Tau, Vietnam, by Corporal J S Archbold, Royal Australian Army Provost Corps, while on patrol in 1968.Khaki felt slouch hat with a leather band on the inside and a leather chin strap. A material band around the outer part of the hat (puggaree) with a metal badge attached to the brim with the brass Provost Corps emblem.Fayrefield Melbourne 6 7/8 1966.james archbold, 1968, provost, vung tau, archbold, slouch

Slouch had belonging to Brigadier Lowen. Brig Lowen served in 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion in WW2 Slouch had belonging to Brigadier Lowen. Brig Lowden served in 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion in WW2 Hat, Khaki Fur Felt ( slouch hat) with brim down, soft bash and green ( 1RAR) pugaree with no colour patch. The pugaree had a staff officers bullion badge sewn to the front. Bullion badge has a gold lion atop of a gold and red crown on a black backing The hat has a brown leather chin strap and redish brown leather sweat band on the inside Made by "Fayrefield" Melbourne 7 1/8 19695/6rvr, bhq, brig lowen, 2/5th bn