Creation is more than just an concept10

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she’s applesMeqan HeleDESIGN

Books

Novels

The S

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8

The S

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8

What is wool?Wool is a natural fibre grown by sheep

to form a protective fleece that covers most of their body. The fleece is shorter around the face, legs and belly, but longer and softer across the back and sides of the body.

This woollen fleece protects sheep from the weather – keeping them warm during winter and cool during summer. Wool also helps protect the sheep’s skin from getting sunburnt.

Wool fibres are made of protein, with a small amount of fat, calcium and sodium.

As wool grows out from the sheep’s skin, it naturally forms into groups of fibres called staples. Wool fibres are not straight — they grow with a natural crimp (wave), which gives wool its elasticity (springiness).

How does wool grow?In much the same way as human hair,

wool continues to grow. Each wool fibre grows outwards from the sheep’s skin.

A sheep fleece can be shorn off each year and it will regrow until next shearing — just like our hair grows between haircuts.

Wool grows about six millimetres per month, but this varies with breed, nutrition and environment.

What does wool feel like?Wool feels soft and slightly oily before it

is washed or processed.The natural oil in wool (lanolin) coats each

fibre and helps give the fleece important insulation properties.

Wool not only keeps sheep warm during cold weather it also helps keep them dry when it is wet. The lanolin around each fibre makes the wool water resistant.

A fleece is quite springy. If it is pressed down or folded over, it springs back out.

Outer skin layer(epidermis)

Before shearing After shearing

Wool fibre

Skin layer(dermis)

Blood and lymph vessels

Wool follicleshaft

Follicle bulb

Nervefibres

How a wool fibre grows from the sheep’s skin

Wool fibres have a natural crimp (wave)

Catriona

Nicholls, K

ondinin G

roup

Human hair grows about 10mm per month and wool

grows about 6mm per month.

DID YOU

KNOW?

The S

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The S

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What does wool look like?The wool produced on most Australian

properties is a creamy white colour.As the wool grows, the outer ends of the

fibres become soiled or dirty, but the wool closer to the skin stays bright and white or cream.

A long fleece can be carefully parted to reveal the groups of fibres, called staples. The crimps (waves) of the staples can then be seen clearly.

Some sheep grow wool that is shades of brown and black but this is not common and has limited commercial use.

Wool protects sheep from the weather

Wool removed from a sheep is called a fleece

Wool regrows after shearing

Some sheep grow coloured wool

Under a microscope wool looks scaly Wool fibres form groups called staples

Austra

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ool Innovation Ltd

Catriona

Nicholls, K

ondinin G

roupKond

inin Group

Catriona

Nicholls, K

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SET: Kond

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CSIRO

Textile and

Fibre Technolog

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Dennis Sa

rson, Lochman Tra

nsparencies

An average Merino wether can produce up to five

kilograms of wool each year.

DID YOU

KNOW?

20

For several days, the Fat Bunyip trudged along the dusty road feeling sad, lost and very hungry.

Finally he met a swagman and his old dog. The Fat Bunyip hid and waited behind a tree while the swagman cooked his damper. When the swagman was not looking, the Fat Bunyip quietly snatched some hot, crusty damper.

The swagman was furious and blamed his poor, old dog. The swagman and his old dog did not see the Fat Bunyip.

The Fat BunyipStory and illustrations by

Jo Heard

54

It seemed to Eliza Jane that Foxley Green teemed with little boys. They were always underfoot or rushing about with spirited enthusiasm to get to their next activity (although

schoolwork did not fall within this range)—or mocking her as she swept from one room to another, enacting the comedy or drama of a Shakespearean heroine. As much to avoid her brothers as indulge her passion for music, she spent several hours each day in the music room at either harp or pianoforte, and in so doing nudged spiritual stirrings in the fully grown members of the household who felt that such exquisite sound could only come from the divine. This could well have been the case, for Eliza did not always have her mind on the music, it being diverted by the artistic juxtaposition of her person and the instrument.

Edward, nearly four years younger than Eliza, and the eldest of her tribe of brothers, was getting to the age where he enjoyed sharing his sister’s pursuits of drama, music and landscape painting almost as much as fishing in the Thames. Book-learning was painful to Edward, and he had no intention of following the family’s academic tradition—rather, he showed an aptitude for mechanics and manual skills. In contrast with these inclinations, he enjoyed reading the part of Bassanio for Eliza to play Portia, or Petruccio for Eliza’s Kate. Amongst the younger boys, it was the nine-year-old Joseph who was diverted by these performances, and his elder siblings occasionally gave him a minor part to read.

With her twenty-first birthday approaching, Eliza Jane spent much of her time contemplating her future. She had to concede that (early tragedies aside) she had not had a bad life thus far—but she did not have control of it. The advent of her darling little George was evidence of that. To the world in general, however, and all but a very few in her family, George was her brother and therefore could hardly hold her back. She felt she had avoided, or had taken from her (she was not sure which), the marriage bed, and she was glad of it. She was free to dream, and her dream was the same as it had always been—to become a famous actress. This wish had not diminished over the years; on the contrary, it had become more acute whilst daily she felt more confined by the home of her childhood. She wanted to break free of it. The country was all very well and good for little boys to run about, but London was where she wanted to be. And now London was a city still celebrating the victory of Waterloo. How she wished she could be there! Such parties, such pleasure! She was distressed that her father, who had always adored and indulged her, was now frustrated by her restlessness. The strain was affecting everyone, she pulling one way, her father another.

Eliza Jane1816

F O R G E T M E N O T

383

George (b1837, d infant)

Thomas Ansdell (b16 Dec 1848)

Mary F. (b1839)

Family of Eliza Jane Chester (1795–1859)

Eliza Jane(1795–1859)

Eliza Jane

George Frederick Augustus Hanover(1762–1830)

Richard Plantagenet2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos,

and 9th Lord Kinloss

George (b5 Aug 1813)

(bp1817)

Mary Hollandm 4 Jul 1836

m 25 May 1847

George Frederick (b1840)

Rosalie Alice (reg 2nd quarter 1850)

Eliza Jane (reg 3rd quarter 1852)

Charles Edward (reg 3rd quarter 1854, lived a few months)

Rosalie Eliza (b1828)

Caroline (b1829)

Fanny Amy

Helen Catherine Constance Grove

Thomas Romer

m1 Thos Jonesm2 E. Morten

m1 Capt Llewellynm2 Capt Francis Savage

Thos Llewellyn Jonesm 1875

Forg

et m

e not

M A R G A R E T T E L F E R

Forget me notA S T O R Y O F F I V E W O M E N

Forget me not

MA

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There is a thread in the life fabric of fi ve amazing women which reveals the enigmatic character of Joseph Chester, a radical and controversial character who could not resist sticking pins in the transposed English Establishment that was mid 19th Century white settlement in Western Australia.

As fascinating as the character of Joseph Chester was, he would not co-operate and allow his story to be told; however, the women in his life clamoured to be heard, and once the fl oodgates opened, nothing could stem the fl ow. There was Caroline, Joseph’s mother (the quintessential mother), pregnant and praying for the timely return of her child’s father; Eliza Jane, his sister, the infamous actress and darling of king and commoner; his second wife, Susanna (the servant) and her daughter, Emily Jane—the thorn in his side. And his beloved daughter, Rosalie Matilda.

From Windsor to the Swan River Colony, via London. Fact, fi ction or family saga...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The main characters in this story are very real. The dates of birth, death, marriage, et al, are as exact as the records allow, whilst historical background is as factual as possible.

The weaving of the cloth, however, is my own, and there are several areas where ‘poetic licence’ becomes a complete fl ight of fancy—viz., the Chester/Robins/Devenish encounter c1793 during the fi rst pressing of Edward Yates Chester. And, of course, the fi ctional character, Molly—not yet born...

Note: Illustrations by another artist

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