When were star pickets invented?

[Steve Corsini]

Does anyone have any firm evidence as to when star pickets were invented?

 

Cheers

 

SJC

[George Susino]

Hi Steve,

Star Pickets (Y) common in Australia and New Zealand where originally called "Waratahs", after the company which registered a patent for them in 1926.

 

George

 

Dr George J. Susino
Research Fellow Archaeology and Geosciences
2, Jalan Idaman 3/7
Taman Nusa Idaman 79100, Nuasayaya, Johor Malaysia   Mobile +60 177 321 290 Skype:  george.susino george...@gmail.com

 

 

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[Iain Stuart]

Does anyone have any firm evidence as to when star pickets were invented?

 

Yes John Pickard does and you should check out his publication on fences on the NSW Heritage Division website under publications.

 

Cheers

 

Dr Iain Stuart

 

JCIS Consultants

P.O. Box 2397

Burwood North

NSW 2134

Australia

 

(02) 97010191

Ia...@jcis.net.au

 

[John Pickard]

Hi Steve,

 

Easy peasy:

 

Invented by William James Todhunter and Howard Morton Slater and patented by Rylands Brothers (Australia) Limited “Improvements in steel posts and droppers for wire fences.” Australian patent 4,058/26. 1 October 1926.

 

I have more details of the history if you (or others) are interested.

 

In NZ, where the kiwis couldn’t spell “star”, the posts became known as “Waratahs” after the brand name (think biro, etc.).

 

Strangely enough, you won’t see star posts in the Americas. Or perhaps that isn’t all that strange. Different posts are used, and I believe that the dominant forms in the US are superior posts. They have been around since the 1920s, and why Rylands didn’t make them in Australia in 1926 is a mystery. Todhunter and Slater were American rolling mill engineers, specifically recruited by Rylands to help in the re-development of their rolling mills at Newcastle. Both had extensive experience in the US steel industry, and it is almost inconceivable that they were unaware of the US posts. Yet they designed a different post for Rylands – the star with its 120o angular separation of the webs to give it lateral stability.

 

Rylands and OneSteel believed in protecting their IP, and “star” has been one of their registered trade marks for decades (Australian TM 379316). Of course, like biro, “star” has entered the Australian lexicon as a common name. Various combinations “galstar”, “galstar utility” etc. are also registered TMs.

“Waratah” is also a registered trade mark since 26 April 1918 (Aus TMs 23026, and 415322). Finally, in 2004, OneSteel applied for and obtained a Registered Design on the star cross-section (Registered Design Registration AU 304602 S; Design Number 200415706).

 

A word of caution: not all star posts were made by Rylands (or its later manifestations: AWI, OneSteel, etc.), and unless the post has WARATAH or BHP embossed on it, the post may well be an import. And non-Waratah star posts have been imported from at least the 1960s.

Cheers, John

John Pickard
john.p...@bigpond.com

 

From: Steve Corsini

Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 12:40 PM

To: oza...@googlegroups.com

Subject: {OzArch} When were star pickets invented?

 

Does anyone have any firm evidence as to when star pickets were invented?

 

Cheers

 

SJC

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[John Pickard]

Back again Steve,

 

I just realised that you asked when star posts were “invented”. Pedantic short answer: in the couple of years before they were patented. But if you want to know when they hit the market, I would guess early 1927. Rylands would have completed their R&D before they patented the beast in October 1926, and I imagine that as soon as they had the protection of the patent, the mills started rolling. The rest as they say is history. Massive monopoly for decades as a consequence of a good post design, huge integrated company behind it, and very aggressive marketing and squashing of potential competitors.

 

Cheers, John

John Pickard
john.p...@bigpond.com

 

From: Steve Corsini

Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 12:40 PM

To: oza...@googlegroups.com

Subject: {OzArch} When were star pickets invented?

 

Does anyone have any firm evidence as to when star pickets were invented?

 

Cheers

 

SJC

[Steve Corsini]

Hi John, thank you so much for all the info.

 

That certainly helps the case I’m building. Tha a fence in an area of interest replaced the original fence after 1928

 

I am doing a heritage plan for a former Aboriginal reserve SE of Perth – the land was officially used as a reserve from 1902 to 1910 when the residents were forcibly removed to other metro area reserves.

It was established as a model settlement by the WA State Government, in a bid to help convince the Federal Government the State was assisting Aboriginal People to assimilate.

– the Government had provided 7 cottages for the inhabitants and the scheme was massively popular, but funding for the training scheme never went beyond one year.

Consequently  the reserve became crowded

 

There is a description of 7 cottages, 2 wells, 20 chains of completed jarrah post and wire strand fence, and another 40 chains worth of posts ready to receive wire, still existing in the location in 1915.

Nowadays there is no evidence of any physical occupation (on the surface at least)

 

My belief is that the steel post and wire fence was installed to replace the original Jarrah posts after a fire, possibly in 1928-29 when the entire reserve was degazetted as a reserve.

The land was regazetted as a Recreation Reserve in 1928.

(it’s now 1/3 bush, 1/3 is a golf course (with lots of bushland alongside the fairways boundaries). The rest (1/3) taken up with footy and cricket ovals, and soccer, rugby and hockey pitches with some trees and a recreation centre squash courts and gym.

 

The former reserve settlement was in the extreme SW corner in the area which is bushland.

 

So, thanks again

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