Sunday History Photo / Vic

Submitted: Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 08:24
ThreadID: 108168 Views:4338 Replies:2 FollowUps:4
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Arthur Tilley arrived In Australia in 1851 aged 8 Tilley & Clack was established in 1865, after a few years Clack left, taking the Soap-maker, a Mr Bear to start in opposition. Arthur Tilley managed to get a German Soap-maker and kept on as ' Arthur Tilley. In the early days, soap was made under what was called the "cold soap process", where fats and caustic soda were heated to a medium temperature, and combined, leaving all ingredients in, and giving a soap that stayed soft longer.






In 1881, machinery was imported from France and England, and a pan installed for a boiling process, where different ingredients were used by boiling and leaving to stand daily for the required number of days; from this process what is known as "spent lyes" was run off and from this Glycerine is distilled. This Soap could be dried and different perfume, colour and 'other Ingredients mixed by milling and later compressed in a plodder and stamped in various shapes in dies. This was done in hand stampers and in those days employees each tried to outdo the other in the numbers stamped per hour. This varied according to the size of the tablet, a record for half ounce tablets being 120 per minute.
After World far 2, automatic stampers were purchased to speed up output. Some of the machinery still being used dates back to 1881 because it has been well looked after by the family.
After Arthur Tilley passed away on the 31st December 1912, the firm was carried on by three of his sons, Arthur, Frank and Robert, From 1934 after the retirement of Arthur and the death of Frank, it was carried on by Robert until it was taken over, as Arthur Tilley Pty.Ltd. by his three sons Henry, Roy and Ronald.
The company’s focus has always been production line manufacturing, and it has become very efficient at this process. Tilley Soaps is based in Bayswater, Victoria, and employs some 40 people.



My first knowledge of Tilley's Soap was back in 1967 at Balladonia,WA I had a shower and this soap was the one they told me I should have used under the hard salty water .
Note: I find it interesting to notice the names used back then, in my Family, my father was Ronald as is my middle name, my Grandfathers name was Frank, One of my Uncles was Dudlry Robert, his Son is Robert, I do not know of a Henry but had a relation Henry Richarson , most of my relations come from Modbury and Tea Tree Gully in SA. On my side Henry and Son John Tilley also arrived in Australia 1851 on the Osceola a ship of 709 ton registry under Capt Robinson Waite with 253(284) passengers on board took her departure from Plymouth on the 25/12/1850, arriving at Port Adelaide, SA on 6/4/1851 Two of the listed passengers were, Henry Tilley,agriculture laborer, aged 39 years.
and John Tilley,(son) aged 10 years, from Hilcott in Wiltshire,England. After leaving Port Adelaide on her return voyage she was lost at sea. No trace of ship or crew were ever found.



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Reply By: MUZBRY- Life member(Vic) - Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 09:38

Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 09:38
Gday Doug
The chemist in Mackay sold me Tilley soap when I was working at Newlands mine construction site in 1981/1982. The local boys thought it was a funny name as a tilly to them was a ute to me. Different names in different areas for the same things.

Muzbry
Great place to be Mt Blue Rag 27/12/2012

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Reply By: Ron N - Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 12:42

Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 12:42
A Tilley to me, is a Kerosene pressure lantern! - that's all we had for lighting in the 1950's when I was growing up! Didn't see or get to use electricity in a house, until 1962.

So, Doug, are you going to lay some claim or link to "historically-important relations"? [;-)

Interesting article, thanks for posting. Industrial processes and manufacturing factories are a great interest of mine.
One always notes the total lack of guarding, the whirling pulleys and exposed belts that took a lot of limbs and lives in the 1800's.
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Follow Up By: Bigfish - Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 12:58

Sunday, Jun 08, 2014 at 12:58
Agree Ron..tilley lantern.

Nice history lesson today. Thanks Doug. My missus still buys Tilley soap. From a local market I think.
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Follow Up By: MUZBRY- Life member(Vic) - Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 08:03

Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 08:03
Gday Ron
What area of Australia i assume , were you from ?

Muzbry
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 12:40

Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 12:40
MUZBRY - Believe it or not, our family had a 134 acre dairy farm in the 1950's, at East Wanneroo - just 11 miles (17.7 kms) from the Perth GPO - and we did not have access to any SEC (State Electricity Commission) electricity! (or mains water).

The nearest electricity availability in that era was Wanneroo Rd, about 2 1/2 miles (4 km) West - and there was no way we could afford to install the poles and wiring required, for that distance!

Our old farm is now largely the suburb of Landsdale.

We moved off the farm in 1962 to Bassendean, where we had actually had an exciting house with mains power, and mains water!
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Follow Up By: MUZBRY- Life member(Vic) - Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 13:14

Monday, Jun 09, 2014 at 13:14
Thanks Ron
I flatted in North Beach for a while in 1965 , i can understand the isolation for you in that area.

Muzbry
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