Latest Donation - A Sharpening Wheel

The most recent donation to the museum has come from Kath Browning of Geraldton and is this sharpening wheel c1918. This wheel was used for sharpening sheep shears, axes and other cutting implements used in the clearing of vegetation, bush and trees on 'virgin' blocks of land in readiness for farming.
The wheel originally belonged to Henry Browning, Kath's father-in-law. Henry Browning was born at South Greenough on 6 August 1894, the seventh child of Alfred and Mary Ann Browning. Whilst a youth, the family moved to Yuna where Mary Ann ran a boarding house. Henry found work on the railways at Mullewa, but left to enlist when war broke out. He fought in France, and the injuries he received effected him for the rest of his life.
Returning to Western Australia in 1918, Henry and his brother Walter, took up a soldier settlement farm at Yandanooka, where this tool would have come in very helpful.
On 25 April 1924, Henry married Olive Stokes. The couple had 3 sons, Keith, Athol and Kevin. Henry and Olive evenually retired to Geraldton, where he died on 2 January 1966.
The sharpening wheel was inherited by his oldest son Keith, who in later years built a new stand for it.
The sharpening wheel is to be an important exhibit in a new display we are preparing for the Old Garage.
Thanks Kath.