In the forties, when I commenced work at “Primaries” there were nine wool brokers, or stock and station agents operating in Queensland:
Australian Estates
A.M.L & F (Australian Mercantile, Land & Finance)
Dalgetys
Fenwicks
Goldsbrough Mort
New Zealand Loan
Mactaggarts
Moreheads
Primaries (The Queensland Primary Producers’ Association)
Winchcombe Carson
Of the above agents, “Primaries” handled over one-quarter of the Queensland wool clip.
Wool was received into the store via road or rail transport, unloaded by storemen adept in their use of trolley and wool hook, officially weighed by a sworn weigher, then eventually placed in stacks three or four high. Representative bales were selected and lifted by means of one of the bale elevators to the upper-level show-floor for examination and, in due course, assessment of estimated worth by the broker’s specially trained and qualified wool valuers.
All show floors featured the distinctive ‘saw tooth roof which optimized available natural lighting. This was a necessary requirement, as under artificial light wool took on a ‘creaminess’ or yellow tinge. Even under show-floor conditions this discolouration became apparent in mid-afternoon. Because ‘colour’ had a significant bearing upon the market value of wool, valuing generally was carried out no later than 3.00 p.m.
Wool sales were held Monday to Thursday at The Wool Exchange, Eagle Street, ten/twelve times a year with sales commencing at 2.00 p.m. At the beginning of the season, brokers were allocated a certain day to auction off their catalogues of offerings and then progressed one day at a time throughout the season. On their day of sale, and for two days prior, complimentary refreshments were provided to buyers by the respective broker. Refreshment rooms usually opened at 7.30 a.m. and remained so until 2.00 p.m. Food available ranged through a selection of cold meats, salads, desserts, tea, coffee, fruit juice and soft drinks. Mid-morning, scones and pikelets with various accompaniments were added, and during the winter months hot meals were also supplied.
It was on these days the various show-floors really came to life and took on a magical quality with storemen ‘kicking back’ the wool cascading from the bales onto the floor, buyers and valuers all dressed in their ‘whites’, together with graziers who had come down from their properties to see their clip sold, mingling together in a frenzy of activity.