Historical information

The handle of this hammer looks to be home-made and to have been used as a household tool. Most homes still today include a small hammer as a household item.

Significance

The provenance of this hammer is unclear but it possible that it is the hammer found at ‘Guthrie’, a house in Merri Street, Warrnambool that was demolished. ‘Guthrie’ was the home of the Dickson family, prominent in Warrnambool business circles. James Dickson, with his friend John Cramond, established a store in Warrnambool in the mid 19th century and this department store, known as Cramond and Dickson, was a prominent business in Warrnambool until its closure in 1973. James Dickson’s son and his family lived at ‘Guthrie’ and the hammer may have belonged to the Dicksons or another family connected to that property.

Physical description

This hammer has a metal head and a wooden handle. The top of the handle has a metal screw inserted and small slivers of the wood are missing. The end of the metal section is much worn.