CHAIN TONGS
c. 1897 - 1930Initially a round solid steel handle changes to a hexagonal shape near the jaws where it becomes a square section with a slot between the two flats. The two jaws are arrow shaped with a square base, with indentations just under the midway point of the sides with pointed ends that have coarse teeth along the edges.
A bolt passes through the handle, jaws and toggle to which the chain is attached. The chain is approximately 77 cm in length and is made up from two different size chains
There is text on both jaws including the makers trade mark of an upper case W surrounded by a diamond.
This chain tong was used by Thomas Buckingham Jnr. at his timber mill on the Canning River in the early 1900s. Thomas, when living in Roleystone, first started carting timber in 1864 as a way to supplement the families farm income. In 1866 he and his brother Alexander completed a timber mill on the banks of the Canning River powered by a water wheel.
In 1874 Thomas and Samuel Salter were granted a timber reserve that covered much of where Canning Dam is today. A year later Thomas, with Alexander, built a second water wheel powered timber mill not far from where the first mill had been built on the Canning River.
In 1883 the mill was taken over by Alexander's sons Ernest and James until 1910, when they moved to Collie where they operated a mill until 1954.
In 1886 Thomas built a third water wheel powered mill on the Canning River on his Kelmscott property, which was called 'Poplars". Some time in the early 1900s he replaced the water wheel with a Ruston Hornsby engine before he passed away in 1913. The mill was operated by the family through to the 1930s.
Details
Details
Text [11 / VULCAN / TM / PATD IN U.S.A. & ENGLAND / OCT. 27th 96 / FEB.23rd 97 / IN CANADA ' 96 & 97 / MADE IN U.S.A. BY / J.H.WILLIAMSON & CO. / BROOKLYN N.Y.]
New York
United States
This object is part of a collection of items associated with a person or family who have played a significant role in the economic, community or social development of the City of Armadale. This can include holding key political or social positions within the community, being a key contributor or member of a community organisation, a strong contributor to improving the well-being of the local community, a prominent figure in a local business or industry, developer of new industries or activities or someone who grew up in the area and moved away and had a noteworthy career or life.
