Lot 3480

Description

Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co Ltd, (1932), prize medal in bronze and enamel (25mm), with suspension ring, obverse, sheep standing left, reverse, Shearing Record With/Wolseley/Machines, inscribed, 'Alf Merritt/ "Ringer" /Corrawong Shed/Nov.1932'. Some loss of enamel at top, otherwise very fine and rare.

"Ringer" is the name given to the fastest and cleanest shearer of the day.

The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine was conceived by Frederick York Wolseley, the son of Major Garnet Joseph Wolseley and brother of Field Marshall Lord Wolseley. Frederick emigrated from Ireland to Australia in 1854 and went to 'Thule', a Murray River station in the Deniliquin area owned by his brother-in-law. Over the next thirty years he developed and patented shearing machinery as well as acquiring his own sheep station and by the end of 1888 about 22 shearing sheds had been equipped with his shearing machines and the success of the invention was secure. Frederick Wolseley died in early January 1899 in England but his shearing machine business continued to thrive.

Corrawong Shed is probably a mis-spelling and should be Currawong Shed. Newspaper reports for shed starts stated that the Carwoola team (of 12 shearers and 12 shed hands) were to start at Currawong in November 1932 immediately after completing shearing at Bungendore which was to begin on 7 November.

Little is known of Alfred George Merritt other than he was a professional shearer and was participating in shearing competitions at least as early as 1928. He died in 1959 while residing at Neutral Bay.