Old Australian Saddlers

[barra]

UKRAY recently posed a question about the attire worn by a Victorian era leatherworker. In my travels around the WWW, I found this site that has 100's pictures of old Australian saddlers.

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/

The search uncovered more pics under,

saddler

saddleries

saddlers

harness makers

leatherworkers

The following are a couple of my favourites.

Pic one is of a saddler in a small railway town in my home state of South Australia called Terowie. Terowies one great claim to world history is this is where Gen Douglas MacArthur made his famous "I shall return" speach.

I like pic 2. I don't know if they are his kids or if every feral kid and mangey dog in town turned up for a photo

Pic 5 is rare as it is of a woman called Rose Harris, a woman saddler in around 1918. Extremely rare for the times.

Pic 6 is for a trip down memory lane for Jimsaddler.

Pic 7 is in the main street of the town where I spent my teenage years. It's bugging me as the main street is pretty well the same today so I am trying to figure out what modern shop is in this locality today. I even found out that I lived across the road from the cemetary where Theodore Graue is buried.

P.S. How young does the boy look.

Barra

[Luke Hatley]

LOVE THE OLD PHOTOS............COULD J KELLEY BE ANY RELATION TO NED KELLEY? saw the movie

very instering....

[barra]

It appears John Kelly came out from Ireland in 1864 and set up business in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne Victoria. Victoria was Ned's stomping ground. J Kelly died Xmas day 1900 and the business kept going until 2000 via son's and grandson's.

Barra

[dirtclod]

Real nice pictures Barra. I noticed that all of the men have ties on.

[leatheroo]

great pics barra

[barra]

Dirtclod. The wearing of neckties was almost a badge of rank in those days and usually signified a Master tradesman as opposed to an apprentice. I don't know about the US experience but the tradition transpired to the colonies from Mother England.

Barra

[jimsaddler]

UKRAY recently posed a question about the attire worn by a Victorian era leatherworker. In my travels around the WWW, I found this site that has 100's pictures of old Australian saddlers.

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/

The search uncovered more pics under,

saddler

saddleries

saddlers

harness makers

leatherworkers

The following are a couple of my favourites.

Pic one is of a saddler in a small railway town in my home state of South Australia called Terowie. Terowies one great claim to world history is this is where Gen Douglas MacArthur made his famous "I shall return" speach.

I like pic 2. I don't know if they are his kids or if every feral kid and mangey dog in town turned up for a photo

Pic 5 is rare as it is of a woman called Rose Harris, a woman saddler in around 1918. Extremely rare for the times.

Pic 6 is for a trip down memory lane for Jimsaddler.

Pic 7 is in the main street of the town where I spent my teenage years. It's bugging me as the main street is pretty well the same today so I am trying to figure out what modern shop is in this locality today. I even found out that I lived across the road from the cemetary where Theodore Graue is buried.

P.S. How young does the boy look.

Barra

Hi Barra

Thankyou for publishing the Photo's. As I think you know I am the Official historian of The Saddlers and Harness makers Association of Australia and charged with gathering as much as we possibly can about our forebears and their Businesses. You are right about the Ties, The Tradesmen wore Ties as a mark of respect. Kelly's was a very old respected Harness making Business that achieved Fame for their Tradesmans Harness. Funny the picture.6 is not my old Shop. This is an instance of fiddling with History by ill informed ??? This shop used to be a Photographic Studio turned Jack the Whippers. My old shop was moved again by the ??? and changed arround 2000. The old Pioneer Settlement has been through a lot of changes from the original concept of "experiencing Living History" in the 60's & 70's. Pity Bottom line management is more important. The concept was brilliant though. I enjoyed most of my time there doing it the "Olde Way".

With that might I ask if any Members of this Forum have any "Australian Saddlers & Harness Makers Information, Photo's, Books, Stories and the like they can share with us to record the History before all chance is lost can they please send me a PM with details. This would be very much appreciated. I'm trying to learn to Digitally record every thing so we have a permanent record.

Kindest Regards

Jim Beaton.

Edited January 2, 2010 by jimsaddler

[barra]

Jim. The original link has 100's of photos, some with historical info about the shop/business. Some of them link you to the various state libraries and archives where more photos can be found. If you need a hand with the history stuff, sing out. I'm a history nut.

Barra.

P.S. Thanks for the New years greeting.

[jimsaddler]

Jim. The original link has 100's of photos, some with historical info about the shop/business. Some of them link you to the various state libraries and archives where more photos can be found. If you need a hand with the history stuff, sing out. I'm a history nut.

Barra.

P.S. Thanks for the New years greeting.

Hi Barra

I'm Singing Out. Many thanks for the kind offer.

Digittising Records to PDF format is frustrating me, any sugestions.

Kindest Regards.

Jim Saddler.