SLIDE RULE MATHEMATICAL CALCULATOR SLIDE RULE

This drawing tool was used by Jurgen Gossman in the 1980s and 1990s when he was a town planner and later a member of the planning department in the City of Armadale. These tools were used to create hand drawn technical plans for subdivisions, drainage systems, roads and other engineering tasks. In the mid to late 1990s the need to use these tools was slowly replaced by computer programs. Staff would have been trained in how to use these tools as they were gaining their engineering degrees.
This slide rule is part of a collection of calculating instruments. It is the primary instrument for calculation in professions such as engineering and surveying and was invented in the 17th century by William Oughtred of Cambridge. However, it was not until around 1850 that the slide rule became more commonplace. Since then, the slide rule has taken many forms. This object was made in Australia by W&G. The company was formed during the 1930s to make gramaphone records but during the Second World War, they started making slide rules. As with many manual implements used in trade, the importance of the slide rule began to diminish when digital electronic calculators became the norm.
Since the establishment of local governments across Western Australian in 1871, they have been responsible for the designing and construction of local roads and drains. They also quickly became responsible for town planning, meaning staff with the skills to create accurate drawings have always been needed. The tool represents a manual skill that was essential for council staff who worked in the planning department that has now been replaced by computer programs.