Group photograph, possibly depicting the staff of a Geelong woollen mill, c.1880s.Photograph of the staff of a Geelong Woollen Mill, c.1880s.Geelong Wollen Mills [sic] / Taken in early 80'stextile industry - history textile mills - history textile mills - staff, geelong woollen mills, textile industry - history, textile mills - history, textile mills - staff

Commemorative, souvenir booklet of the visit to the RSS Mills by HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester on Saturday, 3rd November 1934. HRH stayed at 'Ercildoune' at Burrumbeet, Victoria, home of H. Alan Currie, MLC, and a merino stud containing descendents of the historic King George III flock. HRH sheared a sheep during his stay, and the fleece was taken to the RSS Mill where HRH later visited to see it being made into a Royal and Hunting Stewart tartan travelling rug.WITH THE COMPLIMENTS / OF THE DIRECTORATE OF / THE GEELONG RETURNED / SOLDIERS' WOOLLEN MILLS / GEELONG / VICTORIA, AUS., / NOVEMBER, 1934royal visits, textile mills history, merino sheep history, textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, 1918: australians in france - exhibition (19/02/2000 - 30/04/2000), fairnie, mr edward john - returned soldiers and sailors mill schofield, mr albert m.b.e. - returned soldiers and sailors mill currie, hon. h. alan m.l.c., ercildoune stud, burrumbeet, textile mills - history, merino sheep - history

Winding Department, Federal Woollen Mills, Geelong, c early 1960'sWinding Department,/Federal Woollen Mills, /Geelong 20/87textile mills - staff woollen mills - history, federal woollen mills ltd, winding machinery, textile mills - staff, woollen mills - history

Leesona Winders, Worsted Division, Federal Woollen Mills, Geelong, c early 1960'sLeesona Winders, Worsted Division, early 1960's/ Federal Woollen Mills, Geelong 19/87textile mills - staff woollen mills - history, federal woollen mills ltd, winding machinery, textile mills - staff, woollen mills - history

Acquired when "Classweave Industries" closed down.textile machinery, federal woollen mills ltd classweave industries pty ltd commonwealth woollen mills

Acquired when "Classweave Industries" closed down.textile machinery, federal woollen mills ltd classweave industries pty ltd commonwealth woollen mills

Sladen House was built by Sir Charles Sladen in 1850 and it served as the amenities section of the R S & R Mill after World War 2.Mr G Kidmanwoollen mills - history textile mills - staff textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, kidman, mr g. l., sladen house, geelong, woollen mills - history, textile mills - staff, textile mills

Sladen House was built by Sir Charles Sladen in 1850 and it served as the amenities section of the R S & R Mill after World War 2.Geelong R S & S Woollen & Worsted Co-operative Manufacturing Coy lLimited Robert Pockley Studios/ photographers... Copy by/woollen mills - history textile mills - staff textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, kidman, mr g. l., sladen house, geelong, woollen mills - history, textile mills - staff, textile mills

Sladen House was built by Sir Charles Sladen in 1850 and it served as the amenities section of the R S & R Mill after World War 2.Sladens in residence Robert Pockley Studios/ photographers... Copy by/woollen mills - history textile mills - history textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, kidman, mr g. l., sladen house, geelong, woollen mills - history, textile mills - history, textile mills

G Kidman carding/ worsted spinning/ Sladen House/ woollen spinningwoollen mills - history textile machinery textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, spinning machinery, cloth - worsted, cloth - woollen, kidman, mr g. l., sladen house, geelong, woollen mills - history, textile machinery, textile mills

The Valley Worsted Mills were established in 1924 on Swanston Street in South Geelong and quickly grew to become the largest and most modern textile mill in Australia, employing roughly 500 workers at its peak. Built out of distinctive red Geelong brick with iconic Art Deco white trimmings and a sawtooth roofline, the massive 11-acre complex served as a major manufacturing cornerstone during the height of the region's historic wool boom. The mill operated at high production for nearly 50 years before merging with John Foster & Son in December 1973, subsequently closing down entirely in the mid-1970s. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the female workforce at Valley Worsted Mills and other local Geelong textile factories became more vital than ever. Because women were historically paid significantly lower wage rates than men for equivalent labor, local mills increasingly relied on them to keep operating costs low during severe economic strain. These young women, often referred to affectionately as "mill girls," typically started working as young as 14 to 16 years old. They filled specialized, highly skilled roles as menders, warpers, and weavers. For many families in the Geelong region, the steady industrial employment of these women provided a crucial financial lifeline when male breadwinners faced widespread unemployment. Beyond their grueling factory shifts, the mill women maintained a vibrant social culture, even forming organized recreation groups like the Valley Worsted Mills Women’s Basketball team during this era. The donor's father Stan Hoyle, and grandfather Cliff Hoyle, both worked there at the time.Black and white panoramic photograph attached to backing board. Photograph shows a group portrait of female factory workers outdoors.back: [handwritten] Valley / Worsted Mills Geelong / 34 - 40 / Ada? Stan?valley worsted mills, swanston street geelong, geelong, woollen mills, depression, 1930s, working life, panoramic, employees, staff, portrait, textile industry, great depression, female workers, mill girls, social culture, stan hoyle, cliff hoyle

The Valley Worsted Mills were established in 1924 on Swanston Street in South Geelong and quickly grew to become the largest and most modern textile mill in Australia, employing roughly 500 workers at its peak. Built out of distinctive red Geelong brick with iconic Art Deco white trimmings and a sawtooth roofline, the massive 11-acre complex served as a major manufacturing cornerstone during the height of the region's historic wool boom. The mill operated at high production for nearly 50 years before merging with John Foster & Son in December 1973, subsequently closing down entirely in the mid-1970s. The donor's father Stan Hoyle, and grandfather Cliff Hoyle, both worked there at the time.Black and white panoramic photograph attached to backing board. Photograph shows a group portrait of male factory workers outdoors.back: [handwritten] Valley Worsted Mills / Geelong 35 1936-37valley worsted mills, swanston street geelong, geelong, woollen mills, depression, 1930s, working life, panoramic, employees, staff, portrait, textile industry, great depression, stan hoyle, cliff hoyle

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

One of thirty eight photographs from a photo album featuring images of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Woollen Mill in Newtown, Geelong. The images were taken between the 1960's - 1970's by Norm Holroyd who worked at the mills. They were developed in his own private dark room and kept at his home for private viewing. The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Woollen Mill operated as a self-sufficient co-operative, funded and run by World War I veterans using their War Gratuity Bonds. The facility functioned as a complete raw-to-finished assembly line where raw fleece was brought on-site to be scoured, carded, dyed, spun into yarn, and woven. It specialised in heavy worsted cloths, high-quality tweed, and its signature "Retsol" and "Monarch" pure-wool travelling rugs, later adapting its machinery to blend natural wool with artificial fibres as mid-century market demands shifted.Black and white photograph attached to cardboard backing with sticky tape. Image shows collaged text and graphics. Backing card has four holes in left side.front: WOOLLEN TEXTILES back: [handwritten] TITLE PRINTtextile industry, newtown, geelong, woollen mills, returned sailors and soldiers mill, veterans, co-operative, world war i, retsol, monarch, wool processing, photography, machinery, travel rug, fibres, norm holroyd, loom

woollen mills history, textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, sladen house, geelong, woollen mills - history

woollen mills history, textile mills history, geelong, woollen mills - history, textile mills - history

Photocopy of page of "The Weekly Times', June 20, 1945. Photographs of workers at the Federal Woollen Mills, Geelong.Photocopy of page of "The Weekly Times', June 20, 1945. Photographs of workers at the Federal Woollen Mills, Geelong.woollen mills - history world war ii weaving, federal woollen mills ltd the weekly times, carding, combing, warping, winding, woollen mills - history, world war ii, weaving

Small pocket note book - front cover First page of notebookAlbion Mills Geelong Albion Woollen Mills Co. Pty Ltdwoollen mills, woollen mills history, textiles terminology, albion woollen mills, woollen mills - history, textiles - terminology

Following World War II, Victoria Police began shifting away from British 'bobby' style uniforms. In 1947, a new uniform was introduced featuring navy blue woollen, durable materials. This jacket was woven and made at the Commonwealth Woollen Mill and Clothing Factory, Geelong.Navy blue worsted wool tunic-style policeman's jacket with four silver coloured buttons down centre front, stamped 'police-force Victoria'. Jacket has four stitched on pockets, with buttons, on front, an attached belt and is lined with blue material. A gold braid insignia has been hand sewn on the arms and epaulettes with buttons, on the shoulder.commonwealth woollen mills, uniforms, geelong, victoria police, woollen mills, textile, jacket, clothing

Blanket label from the RSS Mill, Geelong for a Retsol rug.Retsol rug label from the RSS mill.THE GEELONG R.S.&S. WOOLLEN MILLS / PURE / WOOL / RETSOL RUGStextile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, retsol rugs, label, 1918: australians in france - exhibition (19/02/2000 - 30/04/2000) logo merino: sheep in australian art and design - exhibition (29/07/2000 - 04/02/2001)

Blanket label from the RSS Mill, Geelong for a Retsol rug.Retsol rug label from the RSS mill.THE GEELONG R.S.&S. WOOLLEN MILLS / PURE / WOOL / RETSOL RUGStextile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, retsol rugs, label, 1918: australians in france - exhibition (19/02/2000 - 30/04/2000) logo merino: sheep in australian art and design - exhibition (29/07/2000 - 04/02/2001)

Rug label produced by the RSS Mill in Geelong for the Blamey rug.Rug label from the RSS Mill's Blamey rug.THE GEELONG R.S.&S. WOOLLEN MILLS / PURE / WOOL / THE / T.A. Blamey / RUGworld war i textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill, 1918: australians in france - exhibition (19/02/2000 - 30/04/2000) logo merino: sheep in australian art and design - exhibition (29/07/2000 - 04/02/2001), blamey, lt gen. sir thomas albert gbe, kcb, cmg, dso, world war i, textile mills