Negative - F.C. Williames Binding Oat Crop, Yarra Junction, Victoria, pre 1920

Summary

Frederick Charles Williames (1893-1985) harvesting a crop of oaten hay with a horsedrawn reaper-binder on the property of Mr Alf Tharrott (F.C. Williames' uncle) at Yarra Junction, before 1914. This is a first crop, following ploughing with a single-furrow Hugh Lennon plough.

Frederick Charles Williames was born at Brighton, Victoria, in 1893, being third of five children for parents Walter Frederick Williames (1862-1911) and Mary Ellen Williames (neé Tharratt) (1870-1944). By the time his father died in 1911, aged just 49, the family had relocated to Hill End, in West Gippsland, where they were engaged in dairy farming. Frederick Charles Williames enlisted in the AIF in July 1915, at the age of 21, describing himself as a farmer, with his mother given as next of kin. He was placed in the 12th Reinforcements of the 2nd Field Company, Engineers, service no. 2526, becoming a driver and served in France. He suffered several bouts of illness, but returned safely to Australia in May 1919, to resume his farming career. He developed the Hill End property into a flourishing dairy farm and later owned others properties near Moe. During the 1960s he joined his nephew Mr G.A. Williames in a Warragul based venture producing the 'Williames Wildcat' all-terrain light tractor. He died at Prahran, Victoria, in 1985.

Description of Content

Two farm workers cutting and binding a crop of oaten hay using a reaper & binder drawn by a team of three horses. F.C. Williames is seated on the rear of the harvester holding the horse reins, while another man if gathering the tied sheaves and stacking them into conical stocks for air drying, with the grain heads facing upwards.