Summary
Description of the Sunshine Harvester Works Machine Assembly areas.
Year established: By 1906.
The Sunshine Harvester Works had three main areas where agricultural equipment was assembled. Machines moved through an assembly line, beginning with the main frame. Workers added parts to the machine as it progressed down the line. Once it reached the end, the machine was then tested and painted. An overhead crane was used to move completed machines to the end of the assembly line.
Approximately 100 labourers, assemblers, painters and testers worked in the machine assembly areas. Noted workers in the Machine Assembly No. 1 area included foremen Bill Laity (employed during the 1940s), Les Ewer (late 1950s), Dick Stanfield (1960s) and Don Veal (late 1960s-1980s) and Ian Petherick. Charlie Broadfoot and Val Askinov were assistant foremen between the 1960s and 1980s. Leading hands included H. Doherty and Fred Casper.
Foremen in the Machine Assembly No. 2 area included Clarry Baines (1957-1958), Jackie Dwyer (1959-1961) and Merv Brooks (1961-1982). Other foremen included A. Gallagher, Fred Hemsley and G. Allen. Charlie Balwin and George Caithness were sub-foremen, while Fred Richer and Norm Salpietro were leading hands.
- References
- Ray Browne, Merv Brooks, George Hales, Ken Porter and Don Veal (former Sunshine Harvester Works employees), personal recollections held at Museum Victoria, March, July and November 2000, October 2002.
- H.V McKay, Factory Plan, 1906. Held in H.V McKay Sunshine Collection, Museum Victoria, registration no. HT 9476.
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Authors
Ms Snjez Cosic, Mr Raymond (Ray) Cyril Browne, Mr George Hales, Mr Ken Porter, Ms Helen McGeehan
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