The wool was produced in 1890-1891 by C and C Goulter in Marlborough New Zealand.

One part Tasmanian and three parts South Australian (J Murray). 14 months old, station bred.

In 1890 Alfred Hawkesworth, honorary wool-classer to the Museum, noted the following about this specimen:

Merino ewe hogget; 14 months old; one part Tasmanian and three parts Mount Crawford (South Australia). As a sample of merino wool, containing even a small proportion of a fine cross, it is of a deep grown, strong type, which may be classed with the pure Mount Crawford type. Many growers object to this type of merino wool, but in a favourable climate it is one of the very best paying classes to grow. It is a class that will fill the packs, and realises, in many instances, as much per lb, as many of the finer-grown wools, besides producing a much more heavier fleece per sheep. This style is a great favourite with the manufacturers of heavy worsted dress goods or coatings. One great property is the excellent metallic lustre which makes it of more than ordinary value for dying purposes. The staple is of a nice length (4 inches) and although apparently a little heavy on top, upon the contrary is light, and would waste very little indeed in combing or scouring. It is of a full, bold, and healthy growth, with distinct broad, wavy fibres, and of particularly good draught; handles soft, is sound and is a useful deep-grown combing. Spinning quality 56s, value 10 ¾ d per lb (Alfred Hawkesworth's valuation).

The excellent judgement and great care shown in the choice of such a comprehensive selection (F812-F841), and the neat packaging, are deserving of a special mention. As an educational and instructive collection, this is one of the most perfect in the whole of this wool section, and one that fully illustrates the three distinct grades of merino combing-wools, viz, fine, medium, and string. The wide assortment gives an especially good opportunity of comparison, and therefore of seeing the great necessity of keeping the different lengths and qualities separate when presenting them to the buyers. It is a difficult matter to give an opinion as to which of the three distinct types have done best, as all are in a bright, healthy, and sound condition, and all are apparently equally suitable to the locality. The district is one of the best in New Zealand for agricultural purposes, being temperate and bracing, these circumstances having a very beneficial effect upon the condition and lustre, these two being most excellent properties of these wools.

Alfred Hawkesworth, Technological Museum, Sydney, Descriptive Catalogue No 3. Raw wools and specimens to illustrate the woollen manufacture. Sydney Government Printer. 1890.

Originally donated by Messrs Cyrus and Charles Goulter, Hawkesbury, Marlborough, New Zealand, 1891.

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.

Wool specimen, hogget ewes pure South Australian, bred by Cyrus and Charles Goulter, Marlborough, New Zealand, 1890-1891

Wool specimen from a pure South Australian hogget ewe that was station bred from Mount Crawford stock. There is ablack ribbon tied around the middle of the specimen and a small green tag attached to the ribbon.

This sample of wool was tested in June 2007 by the Interactive Wool Group. They used the OFDA2000 instrument for fleece testing. The following are the results for this specimen:

Microns: 23.8 microns (4.1 Standard Deviation)
(average fibre diameter)

Staple length: 90mm

Mean fibre curvature: 83.5 Dg/mm
(A measurement in degrees
per mm related to
crimp frequency)

Comfort Factor: 94.6 %
(The % of fibres equal
to or less than 30 microns)

Made: C and C Goulter; New Zealand; 1890 - 1891

Handwritten text on green tag reads 'F836 / Ewe Hogget / 1 part Tasmanian / 3 parts S Aust' and on reverse 'No 25 / C H Goulter / New Zealand'.

F836

1890 - 1891

100 mm

25 mm