The Jackie Howe Statue honours his achievement in hand shearing 321 sheep in 7 hours and 40 minutes at `Alice Downs ` station near Blackall. Jackie Howe was born at Canning Downs station, on the Darling Downs, in 1861. He is known as the greatest shearer who ever lived. In 1892, an Australia wide competition was held to see who was the greatest shearer in the land. Two gold medals were offered as prizes and Jackie was determined to claim both. On 10th October 1892, at Alice Downs station outside Blackall, Jackie set the record for hand shearing 321 sheep in just seven hours and forty minutes. Later he went on to set the machine shearing record of 237 sheep. (http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/industry/display/90567-jackie-howe-/photo/2)Colour Photograph of Philip and Elizabeth Chatham with the Jackie How Statue.jackie howe, shearing, sheep, chatham-holmes family collection

This photo evokes Australian stories of shearing as an occupation, the hard work, the itinerant life-style, its legends and heroes. A strong part of the Australian identity is based on the perceptions of shearers. Banjo Paterson's song "Click Go The Shears" is still widely known and sung; the Tom Roberts painting" Shearing the Rams" is a much-loved and reproduced painting. The story of Jackie Howe who shore a record 321 sheep in October 1892 in seven hours and forty minutes remains an integral part of the shearing canon. In modern times, the film "Sunday Too Far Away", starring Jack Thompson, is ever-popular. The centrality of the shearer in Australia's understanding of itself may be traced to the central role played by the wool industry in the nation's economy, dating from its earliest colonial days. Fine Australian wool still enjoys a premier reputation in the fashion and furnishing industries. Greystones station was originally part of the Glenmore run, established in 1840 by Charles Griffith. Originally a run of 55,00 acres, Glenmore was subdivided in the 1870s to form the Greystones property, owned and managed by Molesworth Greene, the nephew of Charles Griffith. The property had 11,000 sheep and was renowned for its high quality wool. In November 2023, the property of 4033 hectares was sold to overseas investors.The wool industry was a major industry in the development of the Australian economy from pre-colonial times. It gave rise to the saying that Australia 'rode on the sheep's back.' Small black and white 'carte de visite' style unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. One of a set of photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by the photographers Stevenson and McNicoll. This photo shows a group of sixteen men, ten standing in the back row, six lying or sitting in a row at the front. From a similar photo in this collection, (VC ID 918) it can be seen that this is a group of shearers standing outside a large shearing shed at Greystones station.Printed On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE. Handwritten in biro across the top: Shearers at Greystones.stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district, shearers, greystones estate bacchus marsh, wool industry