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Bluestone Thumper - Newmarket Saleyards, Newmarket, pre 1987 Reg. No: SH 900167

Summary:: Bluestone thumper made of a solid block of hardwood with a piece of metal pipe bolted through the centre, as the handle. Used to push bluestones into a sand base, to repair or build bluestone paths. Used at Newmarket Saleyards.

Bluestone pitchers at Newmarket Saleyards were laid in uneven patterns to prevent the cattle from 'bunching' and to give them a better surface for their hooves to grip. They were also laid in patterns to provide drainage and direct effluent. Bluestone ?pitchers? were often used to duplicate the cobbles of English streets (pitchers were so named because they were traditionally 'pitched? using masons hammer and bolster chisel).

When the Newmarket Saleyards were dismantled, much of the bluestone was recycled. It is estimated that there were 1.6 million bluestone paving stones at the Saleyards. Some 480,000 of these went to council depots, another 480,000 for reuse on the project site and the remaining 700,000 were sold to the public at $2.50 each.
Description:: Hardwood block with a piece of metal pipe bolted through the centre, as the handle.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from State Government of Victoria Major Projects Unit, 1990

Tagged with:	hand tools, livestock sale yards, pavement construction, stoneworking
Themes this item is part of:	Bluestone Paving at the Newmarket Saleyards, Administration & Maintenance at the Newmarket Saleyards, Municipality of Melbourne, Victoria, Sustainable Futures Collection, Working Life & Trades Collection, Newmarket Collection
Primary Classification:	AGRICULTURE & RURAL LIFE
Secondary Classification:	Livestock Markets
Tertiary Classification:	hand tools
Place Used:	Newmarket Saleyards, Newmarket, Victoria, Australia, pre 1987
Creator:	Melbourne City Council (MCC), Newmarket, Victoria, Australia, pre 1987
References:	Vincent, K 1992, "On the fall of the hammer : a personal history of Newmarket saleyards", Lee White ed, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~flemweb/localhistory_newmarket.html viewed 07/09/10