This pump is an Ajax Type L2 Series A model, made and sold by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s to 1940’s, is a mechanical, hand operated, constant flow pressure pump. It would have been used to pump fluids from one area to another, for example from a dam to a tank or used as a bilge pump on a small vessel, mounted on the vessel’s bulkhead, floor or deck. This type of hand pump is sometimes called a ‘Reciprocating Suction Pump’. It has a mechanical pumping action of the lever moves the piston inside the pump up and down. The water is lifted from below the pump through the inlet pipe and into the pump’s cylinder. This action causes the lower valve to close and the piston’s valve opens and the pressure within the pump forces the water out of the pump through the exit pipe. The limitation of this type of pump is that it can only raise the water a maximum of about 7 metres from beneath the ground and yields 24-26 Litres per minute. This type of pump could be used for many purposes such as pumping water or fuel. McPherson’s 1940’s advertisement proclaims “For all jobs on the land – irrigation, spraying, tank, plumbing, fire-fighting – there’s a suitable “Ajax” pump. Send us the details of you pumping problem. Our Expert’s advice will help you choose the right pump – the one that will give you most years of PROFITABLE PUMPING.” (The Australasian (Melbourne) Sat. 26th October 1940.) McPherson’s Pty Ltd, the manufacturer, advertised a similar pump to this one in The Australasian (Melbourne) in 1936, calling it the Ajax Double Acting Hand Pump. In 1942 another advertisement advised that a representative for a fire-fighting equipment supplier was visiting the western district of Victoria. The company could now supply double-action two-spray Ajax pumps at lower prices than similar pumps the district had recently purchased from Adelaide. McPHERSON’S FOUNDER and COMPANY TIMELINE 1860 – Thomas McPherson, a Scottish immigrant (c. 1853 ), founded McPherson’s in Melbourne, supplying pig iron (lead ingots imported as ballast in ships) to local manufacturers. 1882 – Thomas McPherson established a warehouse in Collins St Melbourne and included tools, steam fittings and machinery in his wares. The business expanded to include steam saw mills and became known as Thomas McPherson and Sons (William Murray and Edward). 1888 – Thomas passed away and his sons inherited the business. In 1896 William Murray became the sole proprietor after his brother Edward’s death. 1900 – The firm expanded, establishing Acme Bolt Company to manufacture nuts and bolts. 1912 – McPhersons Pty Ltd established a machinery warehouse and showroom in 554-556 Collins St Melbourne. McPherson’s went on to establish branches in Sydney (1911), Adelaide (1921) and Perth (1930) 1917 - McPherson’s supplied ‘dog spikes’ for the transcontinental railway, running from Eastern to Western Australia. 1918 – A tool works set up in Kensington, Melbourne, manufacturing Macson lathes and made machine tools that previously had to be imported. 1924 – The Bolt Works was transferred to a new building in Melbourne. McPhersons began making pumps. 1929 – McPherson retired. His son (Sir) William Edward McPherson (known as ‘WE’), was born in Hawthorne, Melbourne, in 1898. After his education he began work in his father’s Melbourne hardware and machinery business He took over as governing director when his father retired. 1929-1932 – McPherson’s supplied thousands of tons of rivets from its Richmond (Melbourne) Bolt Works for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 1936 – McPherson’s Pty Ltd is advertising Ajax Pumps in newspapers 1934 – McPhersons purchased the property adjoining the warehouse in Collins Street, and during 1935-1936 built a new office and showrooms on the site of 546-445 Collins St. 1939 - McPherson’s acquired the Tool Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd and Associated Machine Tools Australia Pty Ltd was formed to separate McPherson’s machine-tool manufacturing and merchandising interests. 1939 – Ajax Pump Works, a foundry and pump manufacturing plant, was established in Tottenham, Melbourne, and the Ajax Bolt and Rivet Co Pty Ltd began manufacturing in New Zealand. 1944 - McPherson’s became a public company, McPherson’s Ltd. 1948 - The Ajax Pump Foundry opened at Kyneton, Victoria and in the post war years it grew to became a large manufacturer. 1980’s – Ajax Pumps brochure lists the address as 6 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 with the Telephone number 03 669 3588 1988 - Ajax Pumps acquired the Forrers Company, which was established in 1921. Manufacturing in Ipswich, Queensland, specialising in submersible sewage pumps. 1991 – KSB Ajax was formed, bringing together the companies KSB and Ajax Pumps 1993 – Manufacturing was moved to state-of-the-art premises in Tottenham, Victoria 2001 - The Forrers facility was moved to Tottenham. 2007 - Company name KSB Ajax Pumps was changed to KSB Australia Pty Ltd. 2009 - KSB Australia opened a branch in Townsville, Queensland. 2011 - KSB Australia moved to its dedicated Water and Waste Water Competence Centre in Bundamba, Queensland. DISPLAY OF THIS AJAX PUMP This pump was installed at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as part of a working display in the village by the Friends of Flagstaff Hill, in acknowledgement of the dedicated involvement of one of its long serving members, Bob Crossman. The display was officially opened 31st March 2018 and incorporates a restored Furphy Tank and Water Pipe Stand. The pump is used to draw water from the lake, through the water stand pipe and into the reconditioned Furphy Tank. This Ajax pump made by McPherson’s Pty Ltd is significant for its association with McPherson’s, a prominent manufacturer of hardware in Victoria. McPherson’s is famous for supplying ‘dog-spikes’ for the transcontinental railway (eastern to western Australia, 1917) and rivets for the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1929-1932). The Ajax pump is also of significance because of its association with McPherson’s Governing Director (Sir) William McPherson, former premier and treasurer in Victoria 1928-1929. The former McPherson’s Pty Ltd building in Collins Street Melbourne is now on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR H0942 This pump is representative of mechanical pumps popular in the early to mid-1900’s and still used today. Hand operated pressure pump, double acting. Cast metal case, painted red, with steel hose attachments and long metal lever. Pump is bolted to wooden plank. Model of pump is AJAX, Type L2, Series A pump. Embossed on lower section of pump "L2 - 10", "L2 - -1", "AJAX" “(?) –2-1” Embossed on lower handle “3-7” “L – 4” Embossed on attached plate “FOR SPARE PARTS / TYPE L2 / SERIES A / PUMP ASSEMBLED BY T R” Manufactured by McPherson’s Pty Ltd of Melbourne circa 1930’s - 1940’s.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ajax pump works tottenham melbourne, ajax pump factory kyneton, william edward mcpherson, thomas mcpherson of melbourne, mcpherson’s pty ltd melbourne, acme bolt company, tool equipment co. pty. ltd, associated machine tools australia pty ltd, ajax bolt and rivet co. pty ltd new zealand, forrers company ipswich queensland, ksb ajax pumps, ksb australia pty ltd, macson lathes, tool manufacturer early to mid- 20th century, ajax double acting hand pump, ajax type l2 series a pump, qisjax pumps, water pump 1940’s, fuel pump 1940’s, hand operated constant flow pressure pump, reciprocating suction pump, agricultural hand pump, plumber’s hand pump, portable hand pump

This photo has been in the Hegarty famly collection since the twenties. It shows a group of workers from the Cardbox Department of J Kitchen & Sons Pty Ltd, of Ingles Street, Port Melbourne. These workers made boxes for soap by hand, i.e. presentation boxes for Christmas gifts. There are three sets of sisters in this photo: Lily and Alma Eddy, who travelled from Coburg; Mabel and Florrie McPherson and Alice and Myrtle Mott, all of Cruikshank Street. Mrs Myrtle Mott Bennett of Box Hill, was able to identify Millie Robinson (front row, 2nd from left) of Graham Street, Alice Mott (back row, 3rd from left). She is 2nd from left in front row. After all these years, it was hard to remember who was who! Alice Mott started working at Kitchen's at 14 year old, and her younger sister Myrtle started there at 15 years, having worked for a year at Swallows. Myrtle was to spend 15 years there prior to her marriage in 1939, and received a gold watch for long service She feels that working at Kichens was a bit more prestigious than Swallows. John and Jim Bradley were the foremen and were real gentlemen!Copy of photo of twelve young workers from cardboard department of J Kitchen & Sons, Ingles Street. Also an attachment (.02) written by Barbara Gardiner which lists all the people in the photo.business and traders - soaps/candles, john bradley, jim bradley, j kitchen & sons pty ltd, myrtle bennett nee mott, alice mott, millie robinson, florrie mcpherson, mabel mcpherson, lily eddy, alma eddy, hegarty family

32 invoices from Jan to Dec 1918, from a range of businesses; addressed to J.H. Abbott & Co. Abbott Collection: 32 invoices from Jan to Dec 1918, from a range of businesses; addressed to J.H. Abbott & Co. J.H. Abbott & Co. Bendigo invoice The State Assurance Co Ltd (of Liverpool) - 2 renewal receipts The British imperial Oil Co. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts The Lion Rolling Mills - 4 invoices & receipts McPhersons Pty. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. - 2 invoices & receipts George Russell, 454-460 Flinders Str Melbourne. - 3 invoices & receipts Ullathorne Hartridge Co. Ltd. invoice The Dunlop Rubber Co. of AUS. Ltd. - 3 invoices & receipts The Dalgety Company Limited - 2 receipted invoices Guthridge & Co. invoice The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria correspondence Eliza Tinsley, steel merchants Melbourne - invoice The Australian Explosives and Chemical Company Limited invoice & receipt The Gair Manufacturing Co. - 2 invoices & receipt C. S. Green & Son, 368-370 Post Office Place, Melbourne, hardware merchants' invoice Barnet Glass Rubber Co. Ltd. - receipted invoice C. Harper, saddle & harness Manufacturer & Importer, Bath Corner, Charing Cross, Bendigo - invoiceabbott, invoices

A wide range of invoices and business letters from 1913 from 66 companies (predominantly Melbourne based companies) addressed to J.H. Abbott 1913 Company correspondence from 61 companies/organisations addressed to Mr. J.H. Abbott: A John Perry, Timber Bender, Spoke & Nave manufacturers - 6 letters and invoices B James Miller & Co, Rope, Twine & Mat Manufacturers - 2 invoices C Dalgety Company Limited, general merchandise - 6 invoices D Gibbs, Bright & Co., Melbourne - 2 letters E Thomas McPherson & Son (McPhersons Pty. Ltd.), Iron & Machinery Merchants - 2 correspondence & 1 invoice F Bickford, Smith & Co., manufacturers of Safety Fuse, Melbourne - 3 letters G Hopkins Bros & Odlum, Machine Belting Manufacturers, Melbourne, H Stewart & Lloyds (Australia) Limited, Glaasgow - 6 letters I The Federal Manure Co., The Australian Explosives and Chemical Coy. Ltd., Melbourne - 8 letters J Ullathorne, Hartridge Co. Ltd., Melbourne - 2 letters & 2 invoices K Richard Linton, Melbourne - 1 letter & 1 invoice L George Russell Prop. Ltd., Iron & Steel Merchants, General Hardware Importers, Melbourne - 1 invoice & 8 letters M J. Kitchen & Sons Ltd., Candle & Soap Manufacturers Glycerine Refiners & Tallow Brokers, Melbourne - 10 letters N G. G. Crespin & Son, Melbourne - 4 letters O Noyes Bros. (Melbourne) Propy. Ltd. - 3 letters P The Eagle & Globe Steel Co., Melbourne - 4 letters & 1 memorandum Q C.S. Green & Son, 368 & 370 Post Office Place, Melbourne - 1 invoice & 1 memorandum R Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. Proprietary Limited., 382-384 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne - 4 business letters S R.W. Cameron & Co.,34 Queen Street, Melbourne (agent for The Texas Co.) - 2 business letters T Joyce Bros. Ltd., 475 - 481 Flinders Lane (West), Melbourne - 2 business letters U Keep Bros. & Wood, importers of Carriage Materials, 100 Franklin Street, Melbourne - 2 business letters V Lycett Agency Manufacturing Co., P.O. Box 643 G.P.O., Melbourne - 3 business letters W Currie and Richards, Galvanised Iron Merchants, Importers and Spouting Manufacturers, 3 locations Melbourne - 2 business letters X James Outen, Saddlery Goods and Patent Horse and Cow Rugs, 184-186 Queen Street, Melbourne - 2 business letters Y Standard Oil Company of New York, Branch office Australasia, Melbourne - 5 business letters Z Jas. Henty & Co., Manufacturers of Soap, Starch, Candles, Soda Crystals, etc., 95 & 97 William Street, Melbourne - 7 business letters AA John Sanderson & Co., Mercghandise Department 111 William Street, Melbourne - 9 business letters AB Gargoyle Oil Company Pty. Ltd., 90 & 92 William Street, Melbourne - 3 business letters AC Dunlop Rubber Co. of Australasia Ltd.,108 Flinders Street, Melbourne - 3 business letters AD Perry's Australian Fuse manufacturing Company, manufacturers of Safety Fuses for Mining and Other Purposes, Ballarat Road, Footscray - 6 business letters AE Morris & Meeks, Little Collins Street, Melbourne - 4 business letters AF Brown & Dureau Ltd., Mercantile Brokers, Commission and Manufacturers'' Agents, Import and Export, 9 Queen Street, Melbourne - 6 business letters AG Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. Proprietary Limited, Tanners, Curriers, Leather & Grindery Merchants, Saddlers' Ironmongers, Manufacturers of Glue, Doe Hair & Neatsfoot Oil, 385-384 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne - 2 letters AH Marwald, Son & Lemon, Indenting Agents and Importers, 201-3 William Street Melbourne (Sydney Brisbane, London, Wellington NZ, Fremantle) - 2 business letters AI 32 individual suppliers' invoices and business letters from companies in Bendigo, Melbourne and London (covering a wide range of supplies - glass, rubber, oils, hides, accountants, harvesters, etc.)company invoices and business correspondence

Rose Series postcard P.2618, titled "Collins Street looking east, Melbourne", Photo shows W2 class 543 about to arrive at its Collins and Spencer Streets destination. The return destination has been reset to Kew route 42. Another W2 is in the far distance. The McPherson’s Pty Ltd. building on the left was built 1934-37. Photo late 1940sYields information about the west end of Collins St late 1940s.Postcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear.tramways, trams, collins st, w2 class, tram 543, route 42, rose series

Detailed account of the business history of Legatee W.D.Joynt VC prepared by Mrs Beryl Luff. Joynt was the seventh member of the newly formed Legacy in 1923 and became a member of the Board of Management in 1924 and worked closely with Stan Savige. He was also instrumental in gaining the support of both General Sir John Monash and the R.S.L. to build the Shrine of Remembrance, as well as ensuring media backing and thus public support for the project. He worked tirelessly for Legacy for 38 years until he retired at the age of 84, and entered fully into comradeship activities throughout his involvement. He won his VC in 1917 at Chuignes during one of the last battles on the Somme. The Victoria Cross is the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime and was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria. See also Cat No 01303. Mrs Luff wrote extensively about Joynt's business career and the challenges he faced throughout the Great Depression and the Second World War. Despite initially losing his farm and then a colour printing business he went on to form W.D. Joynt & Co which began by printing advertising and moved on to general printing, ultimately becoming one of the three largest paperback printers in Australia. in 1976, due to the then economic difficulties in Australia, the company went into receivership, but managed to trade its way out and eventually printed most of Mills & Boon's popular romance series. In 1981 the company became part of the McPherson Group of Companies and Joynt retired. His qualities of leadership, persistence and business acumen were of great benefit to Melbourne Legacy. Illustrates some of the difficulties faced by early Legatees throughout their working lives as a result of global economic crises.5 x typed sheets black on whiteBox 16 L14 in black biro on first pagedonovan joynt, founding legatee

Photographer notations on slide: Steel Manuf’rs at McPherson’s Ltd 1933 Published: The Age, 30 August 1933 BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Published title: Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia Published caption: A group of Inter-State Visitors, from the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia, on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty. Ltd., Burnley-Richmond, yesterday. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: The photo shows a line up of 36 men, in three rows, in front of a building. They are mostly dressed in dark 3-piece suits, or camel coats. But one gentleman stands out in his full length leather coat! Striped ties are popular, and they are all holding hats. One man, at the rear towards the right, looks a bit younger with his thick, black, brylcreamed hair.. These interstate gentlemen are described in the newspaper caption as representatives of the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers "...on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty Ltd, Burnley, Richmond." Interestingly, the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia (BOSMA) still exists, and is the industry body for major Australian steel producers like BlueScope, Liberty, and InfraBuild, representing their interests, engaging with government, and participating in standards setting for the domestic steel market, with a history dating back to 1923. While BOSMA focuses on primary manufacturing, the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) serves as the broader peak body for the entire steel supply chain, from mills to end-users, promoting and supporting the industry. But at the time of this photo, the Australian steel industry was just starting to make headway. As the AST website explains, "Steelmaking in Australia began just a decade prior to the start of the 1851 Gold Rush whilst Australia was still divided into colonies. Iron ore deposits were discovered in 1840 at Iron Knob, South Australia but a lack of equipment meant that the process of producing steel was impossible. Even attempts at smelting the iron ore in a blast furnace to create pig iron were unsuccessful due to the poor quality of iron ore and coke available to the budding industry. In the other colonies at the time, such as Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, there were minor discoveries of iron ore but poor technical expertise and limited quantity meant that the quality of steel was poor. Compared to the far superior steel being imported from Britain at the time, the steel manufacturing industry simply couldn’t compete and was unviable. By the 1870s, almost all steel production in Australia had been abandoned. The situation began to change at the turn of the century. Rapid growth sparked higher demand for industrial machinery made from steel and infrastructure such as rail. It became apparent that there was a need for locally manufactured steel and soon there would be an answer. In 1901, the year Australia united into a federation, the nation’s first blast furnace went into production at Eskbank near Lithgow in New South Wales. The development was spearheaded by William Stafford and his son Esk, and Stafford is known as the father of Australian steel production. In 1915, production expanded with another steel mill in Newcastle that was opened by BHP. It sourced coke from local mines and iron ore from South Australia, creating a domestic loop for steel manufacturing. In the following years, more steelworks opened in Whyalla, South Australia and Port Kembla in NSW. Steel manufacturing in Australia was now underway." The company mentioned in the photo’s notation and in the newspaper caption, was McPhersons, "...an Australian hardware firm, for many years a leading merchant of woodworking and metal-working machinery... [and founded by] Thomas McPherson (c.1823–1888) who had a home "Dudley House" at 142 Dudley Street, West Melbourne. [The] ironmongery business [was located] in 1860 at 149 Spencer Street, Melbourne. Merchandise carried included bells, lathes, horseshoes and steam engines." (Wikipedia - McPherson's Pty Ltd) Anyone who has read Robyn Annear’s excellent award-winning 2014 book Bearbrass – the name for early Melbourne - will remember only too well her description of West Melbourne, from where the city of Melbourne as we know it, emerged. Her book resurrects the village that was early Melbourne – from the arrival of white settlers in 1835 until the first gold rushes shook the town – and brings it to life in vivid colour. The McPherson family, whose arrival in Bearbrass coincides with this period (Thomas arrived in 1852), became intimately involved in the growth and development of Melbourne. Thomas was Mayor of Melbourne (1870-1871); his eldest son Hunter became a successful Sydney businessman; second son Edward and third son William inherited the company, and ran it together until 1896 when Edward killed himself. William had a notable career in politics as treasurer of Victoria 1917-1923, in which year he was knighted. 1928-1929 he was Premier of Victoria, and a noted philanthropist. The family were significant property owners in the city of Melbourne: 149 Spencer Street, 582-588 Collins Street, 554-566 Collins Street, together with a property on Jeffcott Street, West Melbourne, and factories in Sunshine, Tottenham, Kensington and Richmond – all by the mid 1940s. By that time they also had controlling interests in several Australasian industries, including Ajax Bolt and Rivet Pty Ltd of NZ, F W Hercus Manufacturing Co Ltd, manufacturers in South Australia of lathes, guillotines and other heavy machinery, also of Patience and Nicholson (P & N), manufacturers in Maryborough, Victoria, of twist drills and thread-forming tools; also Wiltshire Files on Sunshine Road, Tottenham, manufacturing files and rasps. The Acme Machine Tool Company became a branch of McPhersons, and the company claimed to have supplied, from their own manufacture, all five million rivets (some 3,600 tonnes) used in the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – described as a steel through arch bridge, which opened in 1932; the tallest of its kind in the world (Wikipedia – Sydney Harbour Bridge) McPherson’s was also innovative in other ways. It published a comprehensive catalogue, extensively detailed with prices, available free of charge to farmers and other businesses. In 1908 it had 148 pages. By 1937 it had grown to 372 pages. The University of Melbourne’s Archives entry on McPherson’s Limited notes: "After the outbreak of the Second World War, McPherson’s factories worked at full capacity and were crucial to Australia’s war efforts. On 5 December 1944 McPherson's converted to a public company named McPherson's Ltd, with William Edward as Chairman of Directors. By the start of the 1950s the company had a very different Board of Directors; in 1947 the Managing Director Oliver Addison died, and his replacement Marshall Eady died only six months later. Both had been Directors since McPherson’s became a proprietary company in 1913. Another Director, Philip Bevan, died in 1948 and this was followed by the death of William Edward in 1950. S.B Holder, F.G. Thorpe, H.L. Hastie, F. Grassick and D.G. Syme all joined the Board before 1950. The company continued to prosper for many years after the death of William Edward. His son, William David, was invited to join the McPherson’s Ltd Board in 1951. He married Angela Cumming in 1955 and soon after was sent to Brisbane as Director in Charge to oversee the building of a new warehouse. The opening of this warehouse in Queensland meant that the company now had major outlets in five states. As time went on, manufacturing in Australia began to decline and imports of everyday tools began arriving from Asia. These tools were being produced with much lower labour costs and could be sold at cheaper prices. William David retired in 1984 and eventually parts of the company were divested, such as the Richmond Bolt Works which closed in the early 1990s. Since the 1980s, McPherson's has diversified into housewares, printing, and health and beauty care products." This article also contains photos, one of which is a photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920, showing workers in their shirt sleeves participating in a tug of war in a rural "picnic" setting. McPherson’s premises at 554-566 Collins Street more than lasted the test of time and is listed as historically significant. The magnificent art deco building from the 1930s in the heart of Melbourne was first commissioned in 1934 and completed in 1937. It is an imposing building fronting almost a quarter of the city block between Spencer Street and King Street, and was designed to be a warehouse, office and showroom for the hardware empire. International architects Stuart P Calder, and Reid and Pearson designed the four-storey building with a basement level and a stair tower at the centre that provides access to what was a tennis court on the roof. It is considered an example of the streamlined modern style in Melbourne and shows how the McPherson company, protected from taxes after World War I, was able to manufacture goods without being affected by the competition. The building has survived, and its current iteration is as the home to il Mercato Centrale – an Italian style artisan market concept. The University of Melbourne Archives hold a particularly good image of the building from its heyday, complete with Collins Street lamps on the pavement outside the store. And to return to our image, sited at "Bolt Works of McPhersons". Today this segment of McPhersons is still very well known - Ajax. A good summary of the company’s history, and the development of the name and business, can be found on the Mine Suppliers Online website: "AJAX Fasteners can trace its heritage back to 1900, when the Acme Bolt Company was established in West Melbourne, Victoria. In 1909, William McPherson used the company as the basis for establishing McPherson’s Bolt Works – adopting the brand ‘Ajax’ – and moved it to Richmond. Over the years, the company changed many times in response to industry needs to ensure that it remained the premier manufacturer of high quality fasteners in Australia. Many other names in the industry, such as Firth Cleveland, Spurway Cooke and Nettlefolds were merged or acquired into the company. McPhersons ended their 80-year ownership of Ajax in the early 90s when they sold their shares to National Consolidated, which was also a major shareholder at the time. In 1997, Ajax Fasteners moved to new purpose-built premises in Braeside, Victoria. Soon after, National Consolidated was taken over by the diversified manufacturer Austrim. The group soon acquired the iconic Nylex, and adopted the name Nylex Corporation. In January 2007, ACME Operations Pty Ltd acquired Ajax Fasteners and continues to operate the business today from the Braeside plant. The name ACME provides a nostalgic return by the new owners to the company’s heritage, when the Acme Bolt Company was founded in July 1900." REFERENCES: BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Wikipedia, McPherson’s Pty Ltd, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McPherson%27s_Pty_Ltd Wikipedia, Richmond, Victoria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond,_Victoria Industry: From the mid-19th century, Richmond was a centre of manufacturing industry, including many large complexes such as the Bryant & May match factory, Jaques Limited engineering works, the Wertheim Piano factory and Pelaco. Wikipedia, Sydney Harbour Bridge, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge eMelbourne, Manufacturing, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00896b.htm 'New life for Melbourne's McPherson Building', The Urban Developer, https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/mcphersons-building-melbourne-il-mercato-centrale-food-retail-destination Bureau Of Steel Manufacturers Of Australia Limited, http://www.bosma.org.au/ 'A Brief History of Steel Manufacturing in Australia', AST, https://astraders.com.au/a-brief-history-of-steel-manufacturing-in-australia/ 'Steel manufacturing in Australia: a brief history', Hard Bakka Steel Fabrication, https://www.hardbakka.com.au/component/virtuemart/steel-manufacturing-in-australia-a-brief-history?Itemid=494 McPherson's Limited, University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/58364 Source of Description: 'Nuts and Bolts: A story of a family and a firm', Barbara Hamer (2006), McPherson’s Printing Group 'Photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287217-max?u=dea2e4d2fd07ac822e624f1e7d39adb3 'Photograph of the exterior of the McPhersons Department store at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne.', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287215-max?u=12430d30453a77059b7d10d49006a521 Robyn Annear, Bearbrass: imagining early Melbourne, Black Inc., 2014 (originally published 1995 by Mandarin) 'Company details', Ajax Fasteners, http://www.minesuppliersonline.com.au/australia/braeside/hardware/ajax-fasteners 'Former McPherson's Building', Victorian Heritage Database, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/741Photographer notations on slide: "Steel manuf'rs at McPherson's Ltd 1933 B5".1930-1939, industrial workers, clothing and dress, 1930, iron and steel industry, businesses, bridges, industry, melbourne, gold rush, moderne style architecture

Paper back book with plastic jacketnon-fictionThe series of Melway Directories provides the most comprehensive maps of Great Melbourne area. maps, community services, educational facilities, places of worship, public transportation