ALCOOMETRE
1924 - 1981Elongated glass cylinder with round end and long narrow clear glass tube at one end. Other end tapers in and then expands out to a bulbous end filled with a metallic liquid. In the metal tube is a white card with regular measurements numbered from the bottom at equal distances [0], [10], [10], [20] and [20].
White label in main body of alcometre with black text relating to manufacturer.
In 1894 business partners, and later brothers-in-law, Martin Jull and Mitchell Stewart started a vineyard in the hills overlooking Armadale where they planted several varieties of wine grapes. In 1896 visiting British lord, Sir Arthur Stepney, bought Stewarts share of the vineyard. Three years later he purchased Julls share of the vineyard and named it Derry Na Sura, which reportedly translates from Gaelic to Valley of the wine. Clement Edward Pike was the manager of Derry Na Sura vineyard between 1938 and the late 1940s. Clement Pike was born in Magill, a suburb in the foothills in eastern Adelaide, in 1899. He had come to Western Australia from South Australia where he had been a wine maker in Magill. This collection of instruments was used by Mr Pike at Derry Na Sura to test the quality and the alcohol content from the wines that they produce. In 1949 Clement took Derry Na Sura Pty Ltd too court for breach of contract which he won and was awarded 72 pounds. He then moved to East Bullsbrook were he ran another vineyard until 1954 when it is thought he returned to South Australia. He died in Margill in 1981, aged 93 years.
Details
Details
on label inside cylinder [ALCOMETRE TYPE 168 DUJARDIN SALLEBON PARIS]
France
This object is a part of a collection that represents the skills and scientific knowledge required to produce wine and fortified wines in a commercial vineyard and how the products of the wineries were sold and marketed across Western Australia. The collection also represents the important role wine making played in the agricultural development of the City of Armadale from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. During this period several large and small commercial vineyards operated along Albany Highway and the South West Highway.
