This display case stood in the foyer of the Fletcher Jones shop in Flaxman Street, Warrnambool which was in the factory complex. The fleece came from the property of Jim Wilson of Camperdown . It is from a merino flock bred from original flock dating back to the time of John MacArthur, founder of the Australian wool industry. David Fletcher Jones, ( 1895 -1977) established his men's clothing shop in Warrnambool in the 1920s and from this grew an Australia wide company Fletcher Jones and Staff which was famous for its men's wear and later women's clothing. By 2011 the Warrnambool factory was closed and the company dissolved.This item is of particular interest as it came from a Fletcher Jones shop. Fletcher Jones factory and shop were part of a major industry in Warrnambool's history. As the notice in the display case says the fleece "represents living evidence of a mile stone in Australia's laudable history of fine wool growing"This is a large glass display case, mounted on a wooden base. It contains a sheep fleece and a framed notice containing typed information.fletcher jones clothing company, merino wool growing in australia

This card is the first in a set of 16 information cards produced by the Stamina Clothing Company re: Australian Woollen Mills as give aways. It looks at merino sheep and wool production in Australia.Card no. 1 from the Crusader Mills information card set, c.1945-55. Verso of card no. 1 from the Crusader Mills information card set, c.1945-55.No. 1 The beginning of the story of Crusader Cloth.wool growing merino sheep - history, australian woollen mills pty ltd stamina clothing company, wool growing, merino sheep - history

The ‘Wanganella’ merino sheep stud was established by the Peppin brothers in the Riverina in 1861. The introduction of a single French ‘Rambouillet’ Merino ram, called Emperor, is now widely acknowledged as one of the most important events in the development of the Peppin stud. As many as 70% of today’s Australian Merinos are said to be directly descended from the Peppin-developed sheep. Its heavy fleece falls in the mid-range of Merino wool qualities (20 to 23 microns) and is protected from the excesses of the environment by a comparatively high content of natural wool grease, which can be seen in the creamy colour of Booka’s wool. Fred Peppin said [of the sheep breed] "We were satisfied with the type of wool that the country would grow, instead of endeavouring to produce what the climate and soil continually fight against. Thus we developed all its good natural tendencies and after that the flock had a character of its own.”Peppin merino stud. Has a large body and long legs. Two horns protruding from its skull.sheep, wanganella