Axe Handle Factory

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Axe Handle Factory

Following WWI, many returned servicemen obtained employment in the timber industry leading to an increased demand for tools. Whilst American Hickory was a popular choice for tool handles a shortage and poor quality imports meant some enterprising diggers established axe handle factories using Australian hardwoods. Locations included Bunbury (WA), Wangaratta (Vic), Warwick (Qld) and Tomerong.

Known locally as the Axe Handle Factory, the Mill operated on what is now Yerunda Road from about 1919 on Portions 71 and 123; about 300 acres. In June 1920, the Mill was visited by the Prince of Wales. The Prince was visiting Jervis Bay on HMS Renown. He would later become Edward VII but would abdicate. He inspected the works of the Mill and chatted with the Diggers before returning to the Clyde Shire Chambers.[1] The Axe Handle Factory was operated by returned soldiers and in 1921 an application was made for a Trade Mark under the brand name Sterling, for tool handles of all kinds.[2] Samples of the handles were on display at the Nowra Show in Feb 1921.[3]

In December 1921 a formal agreement was entered into between Joseph Herbert BARHAM (grandson of the original settler James BARHAM), on whose property the mill was erected, and the partners Victor Harrison BRADNEY, Alfred Ernest WORNER and Edwin Charles THORMAN who were trading as Bradney Brothers and Worner, Tool Manufacturers. The agreement took effect from January 1st, 1922 and existed for a term of five years, consequently outlasting the venture itself.[4] Eva Jane HILLIER (Victor's wife), had purchased one acre of Portion 71 from Joseph Barham in 1922 for £5. The company also purchased 6.5 acres from Barham adjoining to the west where the Mill was located for £60.[5] Aerial photographs from 1958 show a house on this acre and it is assumed it was the Bradney family home.[6]

The Mill workforce was Victor BRADNEY (Engineer), Edwin (Eddie) THORMAN (Engine Driver), Brice George BRADNEY (Clerk), Alfred (Bob) WORNER, Harold Charles PARNELL and Leslie Charles SPRING (Harold's brother-in-law). Joe Barham cut the timber and transported it to the mill by bullock team. Victor designed the axe handles and the “Sterling” logo. Although the handles were popular the venture appeared to fail due to a lack of marketing. The timber used for making the handles was Spotted Gum, which grew in abundance within sight of the mill. Handles that were manufactured included axe, adze, sledgehammer and spoiling hammer handles. These were transported to Bomaderry by Horace Murdoch WATT and Edward Charles WATT and then on to Sydney by rail. The children of the families attended Tomerong Public School and some of the men would play Cricket for the Tomerong team.[7]

In 1922, unable to compete with Sydney manufacturers, the business was sold to a firm from Sydney under the management of Victor Bratz for £500. Perhaps, as the land on which the Mill sat had only recently been purchased from Joe Barham, the offer to purchase the land and Mill was too good to refuse and the quick purchase of the land by the Diggers was to make a quick profit. The capital of the new company, 'Tomerong Ltd.' was £15,000 in £1 shares with the first directors George Hewison and William Angus.[8] Brice Bradney and Edwin Thorman would sell their Tomerong homes in 1922 and 1923.[9]

The new owners decided to enlarge the business' field of operations and a large boiler weighing 14 tons was brought from Sydney. It was carted from Bomaderry to Tomerong by a combined team of 28 bullocks under the control of Parnell and Barham.[10] The tool handles were again exhibited at the Nowra Show in 1923 with the newspaper report stating "Imagine, made, grown and sold in our own district, and the factory employs nearly 40 workmen, quite as good to the town of Nowra for business as eight or ten extra farmers settling in the district..."[11] A mishap occurred at the Mill the following year to Len Croft who "...by some means he got the first finger of his right hand caught in a winch, with the result that it was taken clean off."[12] Reg Ison worked as a timber worker from the age of 13, cutting sleepers, and slept near the factory. He would go to the Mill after school with a sugar bag to collect the offcuts to burn in the stove.[13] The Mill was temporarily closed in May of 1924, owing to heavy stocks on hand[14], and was destroyed by fire in August. Bill McKinnon believed the factory burnt down when a piece of timber fell across the wire used to activate the steam whistle, whilst Dick Young recalled being told by Harold Parnell "The mill fire started in the morning, when they were on their way to church and during the morning they had set the fire in the boiler for the Monday morning. The mill got fully engulfed, the fire started up under the boiler and the boiler got steam up and a sheet of iron fell on the whistle cord and the whistle blew for about three hours. They couldn’t get near it to put it out, it was too hot." [15] The District Coroner investigated and decided there was no need for a public enquiry. The fire resulted in the loss of over a dozen jobs and three months later the Factory was voluntarily wound up despite some reports stating it would be re-erected.[16]

The liquidators sold the land back to Joe Barham for only £25 giving Joe a handsome profit. Jack Reid would establish another mill on this site about 1939. [17]

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Notes and References

  1. ↑ ST 15/16 Jun 1920 TP2259/3718.
  2. ↑ Daily Commercial News 21 Mar 1921 TP5166. SCT 24 Mar 1921 TP5163.
  3. ↑ SN 12 Feb 1921 TP4859.
  4. ↑ Agreement 15 Dec 1921 TP1129/4482.
  5. ↑ The average wage per annum at this time was about £200.
  6. ↑ NSW LTO Tomerong Deed Research TP5893. The position of the land purchased is shown in an image below. Simplified from title; The 6.5a was 523m from SE corner of Pn71, then N 272m, then W 109m, then S 272m to road, then E 420m to origin (approx).
  7. ↑ 1922 School Photograph TP2083+. Tomerong Cricketers TP4983.
  8. ↑ Melbourne Herald 29 Jun 1922 TP6253. Daily Commercial News 12 Jul 1922 TP6250.
  9. ↑ ST 26 Apr 1922, 6 Jun 1923 TP5752.
  10. ↑ NL 6 Oct 1922 TP6248.
  11. ↑ NL 23 Nov 1923 TP6251.
  12. ↑ ST 2 Apr 1924 TP4994
  13. ↑ Reg Ison 6 Oct 1995 TP2902.
  14. ↑ SCT 23 May 1924 TP6255.
  15. ↑ ST 27 Aug 1924 TP797. Blair, Margaret (2000). From Bullocks to Bypass : a local history of the NSW south coast village of Tomerong. M. Blair, Tomerong, N.S.W. Bill McKinnon 7 Sep 1995 TP2901. Dick Young 14 May 1999 TP3010.
  16. ↑ SN 30 Aug 1924 TP4995. SN 22 Nov 1924 TP6249. SCT 19 Sep 1924.
  17. ↑ ibid TP5893. SN 14 Jun 1939 TP1184. SN 1 Mar 1981 TP4394. Bill Mckinnon 7 Sep 1995 TP3065.

Images

Links

  1. Tomerong Local History Web Page- tomeronghistory.com
  2. Tomerong Past Facebook Album- Tomerong Past Facebook This site may provide more information relative to this institution, business or location. Check the appropriate album; e.g. School, Sawmills, Clyde Shire etcetera.
  3. Tomerong History- From Bullocks to Bypass
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