Winchcombe, Carson, & Co.'s Wool Stores, Pyrmont, Sydney 1895

Title: Winchcombe, Carson, & Co's Wool Show Room

Sydney Wool Sales.

OPENING OF WINCHCOMBE, CARSON, AND CO.'S NEW WOOL STORES, SYDNEY 

(September 1894)

Published in  The Queenslander 6 October 1894

The fine and commodious additions to their wool stores in Wattle-street, Pyrmont, recently effected by Messrs. Winchcombe, Carson, and Co., were formally opened on the 26th September. The gathering at the opening ceremony, which took the form of a luncheon served in the upper story of the building, was representative of every branch of the great pastoral industry as well as of the political side of the country's life. Mr. F. E. Winch combe, the senior partner, occupied the chair, and amongst those present were Sir John Lackey (President of the Legislative Council), Sir George Baillie, Messrs. G. H. Reid (Premier and Colonial Treasurer), Henry Moses, M.L.C., G. H Cox, M.L.C., P. G. King, M.L.C., S. A. Joseph, M.L.C., R. H. Roberts, M.L.C., W. M'Millan, M.P., W. A. Cottee, George Maiden, Joseph Abbott, M.P., G. Littlejohn, C. H. Hayes, Colonel Bell (U.S.A. Consul), Messrs. Richard Teece, H. S. Badgery, Benjamin Richards (of Riverstone), Richard Jones, F. Stoltenhoff, M. Marquiset, Richard Binnie, H. C. Kent, Alderman Buckle, C. A. Learoyd, F. W. Antoine, J. St. V. Welch, Cyprian Stanton, W. C. Goddard, F. G. Weaver, R. M. Pitt, F. G. Catterall, Alexander Bruce. R. J. King, J. C. Young, F. L. Barker, Alderman M. Harris, M.P. Alderman John Harris, J. H. Geddes, Alderman Landers, A. J. Soutar, Alderman Ives, R. L. Sorutton, Rupert Ryder, Thomas M'Culloch, George Mair, David Anderson (of the Orient Steam Navigation Company), G. D. Michie (of the P. and O. Company), J. K. Mackay (of Dungog), Thomas Walker (of Gillendoon), H. Lassetter, &c. Apologies were received from Sir Joseph Abbott (Speaker of the Legislative Assembly), Mr. J. N. Brunker (Colonial Secretary), Sir W. P. Manning, Messrs. Henry Austin (chairman of the Wool-buyers' Association), G. B. D'Aunet (French Consul), E. Blanc (Messageries Maritimes), E. M. G. Eddy, W. M. Fehon, T. F. Knox, T. A. Dibbs, Ebenezer Vickery, G. M. Pitt, and others.

Mr. Teece proposed " The Parliament."

The Hon. R. H. Roberts responded on behalf of the Legislative Council.

Mr. Reid, who, upon rising, was received with loud applause, said that he had come there because he wished, on behalf of the people of the country, to show his great appreciation of magnificent commercial enterprise such as that by which they were surrounded. He had just been introduced to all the partners—Mr. Winchcombe, Mr. Carson, Mr. Turton, and Mr. Wallis—and in the early prime of their lives they had shown that young Australians, celebrated as they were in the field of play and sport, had in them that grit that had made the merchant of England illustrious throughout the world. (Cheers.) And they were dealing with a product that had done nothing but good for this country. (Hear, hear.) One of the grandest things about pastoral enterprise and industry was that although it formed the staple of our wealth it took nothing from the soil, which was to be the support of future generations. On the contrary, the thicker our flocks became within reasonable bounds, to that extent the soil was improved and enriched for the benefit of future millions. Fortunately, we produced an article which even in the presence of his distinguished friend, the worthy representative of the great Republic, he had the confidence to cay "licked creation." He was delighted to think that the United States had inaugurated a new departure of commercial freedom, which opened up their markets to the

fine wools of Australia. (Cheers.)

Colonel Bell proposed " The Wool Industry," and in the course of a lengthy and interesting speech explained how under high duties the growth and manufacture of wool had gradually diminished in the United States, and how now that the fine wools for which Australia was famous were admitted free there should be a market in the great Republic a few years hence for between 400,000,000lb. and 500,000,000lb. of wool from these colonies.

Mr. S. A. Joseph responded.

The toast of the day, " Messrs. Winchcombe, Carson, and Co.," was proposed by Mr. H. S. Badgery, and acknowledged by Mr. Winchcombe on behalf of the firm. He accepted the presence of their guests, he said, not so much as a compliment to his firm as an evidence of their active interest in the wool trade, which was beyond question the backbone of Australian prosperity. During his twenty-six years in the trade he had witnessed considerable developments. He had seen the number of sheep in this colony increased from sixteen millions to sixty millions, and the quantity of wool sold in Sydney grow from 12,000 bales per annum to 400,000 bales last season; a total which would be increased to half-a-million bales during the present season. He put forward the stores which were now opening as a proof that the selling agents of Sydney were determined to be up to date and to keep abreast of the times until this port had become, as it was destined to become, the most important wool emporium of the world. (Cheers.)

The toast of "The Wool Buyers" was proposed by Mr. Joseph Abbott and responded to by Mr. Stoltenhoff, after which Mr. Duncan Carson proposed the health of "The Architects and Builders."

[Sydney Wool Sales. (1894, October 6). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), p. 651.]

Provenance: "New South Wales: the mother colony of the Australias". Frank Hutchinson, Edited by F. Hutchinson.

Author: Frank Hutchinson

Date of Publication: 1896

Publisher: C. Potter

Place of Publishing: Sydney

Copyright status: This work is out of copyright

Courtesy: The British Library