POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

In 1890 Alfred Hawkesworth, honorary wool-classer to the Museum, noted the following about this specimen: Hoggets, progeny of Rodney Downs station; ewes. This cross is very suitable to the district and shows to greater advantage than any other cross tried at Ayrshire Downs. The wool is of a much greater length than the other specimens, also dens, therefore preventing the heat and dust from destroying the pure fibre far down the staple, which, when combed, will be of a most useful length, combined with quality, softness, and pliability. Spinning quality 66s, value 11 ¼ d per lb (Alfred Hawkesworth's valuation). Country mostly open downs, sheep running in large paddocks. Alfred Hawkesworth, Technological Museum, Sydney, Descriptive Catalogue No 1. Raw wools and specimens to illustrate the woollen manufacture. Sydney Government Printer. 1890. Originally donated by Darling Downs Pastoral Company, Queensland, 1889. This wool specimen is part of the Bill Montgomery Wool Collection which consists of approximately 7000 samples. In the older part of the collection there are 5000 samples from Australian sheep fleeces grown between 1856 and 1906. The samples were collected by the Museum at a time when scientific research was prominent in the Museum's activities. In 1979, when the Museum's focus changed, most of its wool collection was transferred to the teaching collection of Mr Bill Montgomery, a wool classing teacher at Newcastle Technical College. When Bill retired from the College, the collection was again in danger of being thrown away. He took the entire collection home and stored it in his garage for 15 years. His Collection also contains approximately 1500 wool samples grown between 1950 and 2000 and collected by Bill himself. It includes 147 examples of faults and stains occurring in Australian flocks, 20 pigmented wools and 33 rare and extinct breeds from around the world. The Museum purchased the entire collection in 2003. Bill Montgomery died on 7th July, 2007.