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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Default Australian made levels William Hunt Level Pty Ltd

    I'm looking for information on a Sydney manufacturer called William Hunt Level Pty Ltd. They were operating in the middle of the C20th in Sydney. I know that the owners of the company were Ernest William Hunt, Arthur Ernest Rayment and Graham Dixon Smith.

    IMG_E5500.jpg

    This one is a 10 inch model but most of their products were longer, I have seen advertisements for their range. I'm happy to share those if anyone wants to see them.

    If anyone has some information on the company I would be very appreciative.

    David

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  3. #2
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    Jun 2005
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    Helensburgh
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    Default

    I don't know anything about the company but I have a longer level inherited from my father or possibly his father made by them. It looks like the economy version as all the plates covering the vials are Aluminium and for its length it seems very light so I wonder what timber it is made of.
    CHRIS

  4. #3
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    Default

    My small model, which I have not yet found an advertisement or price for, appears to be made from an unfigured piece of Australian cedar, with a copper plate on top, held by two screws, but their newspaper advertisements also give prices for levels with Aluminium bodies. When I say "appears to be cedar" the timber looks like cedar in colour but seems a bit heavy and does not show any figure. I'm not surprised by the lack of figure as it would seem normal to choose . the most stable timber for a level, but ut does make it more difficult to recognise,

    I do not know if the company operated earlier with a previous generation of ownership. I have been able to find three owners who all seem to have been born around 1900 so, if they started the company it was probably in operation from about the 1920s to perhaps the 1960s. There were three partners until 1946: Ernest William Hunt seems to have died (record was for Ernest W Hunt) in 1967; Arthur Ernest Rayment was born in 1900 in St Peters, and died in Burwood in 1960; Graham Dixon Smith appears to have died in either 1978 or 1988 (no death records for I can find for Graham Dixon Smith but there are two death records for a Graham Smith, no middle name).

    The company was definitely operating in 1946 when the newspaper reported: On the "18th day of January 1946, ... the said Arthur Rayment" retired from the company and the partnership was dissolved. However, the business continued with Hunt and Smith as partners. They advertised for staff in 1949 and, the same year, a large range of levels from 12 inches to 36 inches. Some of their models had an adjustable bubble, others were not adjustable.

    By the way, Aluminium was a much more precious metal around 1900 than copper. Aluminium only became a cheaper and more common metal once anodising and bulk production made it so - about the 1960s I think, though I haven't researched that.

  5. #4
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    Default Makers marks on the level

    These are the two stamps on the copper cover plate.
    William Hunt Level Pty Ltd trademark stamp.jpg This one is difficult to read but it does definitely have the words TRADE and MARK on the upper two sides of the triangle. IP Australia have no record of this mark that I can find.

    William Hunt Level Pty Ltd stamp.jpg This stamp is much more informative



    I am very interested in finding out more about the company and seeing other examples so please check your family histories and old tool collections and add to this thread. Maybe we can resurrect some Australian manufacturing history out of the "forgotten" bin.

    David

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Tasmania
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    Default

    I have a William Hunt level I'm about to restore. 688mm or 2'3" long. ( not sure how to attach a picture)

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2021
    Location
    Regents park
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    Default

    Hi Peter,

    I am William Hunt's great granddaughter. I would love to see a picture of the level once you have restored it, be sure to comment back with a pic of your restoration

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Tasmania
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Hi Leash

    Here are a couple of photos of the progress
    20211119_082506.jpg20211119_082457.jpg20211119_082522.jpg

    You can check some of the progress on Instagram - wrinkly_pete

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    moonbi nsw Aus
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    69
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    2,065

    Default

    I have a Bricklayers Trowel with "WHS" stamped into it. I would have bought it new in the early 70s.
    I am unsure that it is Austrlian because my brain is telling me the "WHS" stood for William Hunt @son. This I think was an English company supplying tools for bricklayers
    It could be a red Herring for you
    Just do it!

    Kind regards Rod

  10. #9
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    Oct 2021
    Location
    Tasmania
    Posts
    3

    Default Some images of the progress


  11. #10
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    Nov 2012
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    Default

    Hi Leash, I started this thread with the idea of writing a short article for the journal Australiana. However, that faded away when I could not find more information. Do you have a family history or more information about the company?
    David

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