THE EXTRAORDINARY COAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 879, 3 October 1868, Page 3

THE EXTRAORDINARY COAT.

To tJie Editor of the Economist.

Sir— ln your paper of August 7th, there is an account of an " Extraordinary Coat" made in one day from wool which was on the sheep 3' backs in the morning. The account (which is from the Agrieultwal Gazette) is incorrect in one part. It states that "Mr Buckland," agent to Sir R. Throckmorton, informs us, &c. This should be "Mr Williams, of Buckland" (the present agent to Sir W. Throckmorton), who succeeded my father, John Williams, agent to Sir John Throckmorton, Barfc., who is spoken of in the account. An engraving, illustrating the whole proceedine-, was published for my father by Mitchell of Bond street. I have o. copy, at the foot of which appears the following statement :—: —

" To Robert George Throckmorton, Esq., Buckland House, Farringdon. This print, representing the beginning, progress, and completion of an extraordinary undertaking to prove the possibility of wool being manufactured into cloth and made into a coat between sunrise and Bunset, which was successfully accomplished on Tuesday, the 25th June, 1811, is respectfully dedicated by his most obliged and humble servant, John Williams, land steward to the late Sir John Throckmorton.

" On the day above stated, at five o'clock in the morning, Sir John Throckmorton presented two Southdown sheep to Mr Ooxeter, of Greenham Mills, near Newbury, Berkshire.

" The sheep were immediately shorn, the wool sorted and spun, the yarn spooled, warped, loomed, and wove ; the cloth burred, milled, rowed, dyed, sheared, and pressed. The cloth haviDg been thus made in II hours, was put in the hands of the tailors at four o'clock in the afternoon, who completed the coat at 20 minutes past six.

"Mr Coxeter then presented the coat to Sir John Throckmoiton, who appeared with it the same evening at the Pelican Inn, Spanhamland. The cloth was a hunting kersey, of the admired dark Wellington colour. The sheep were roasted whole, and distributed to the public, with 120 gallons of strong beer. It was supposed that upwards of 5000 were assembled to witness this singular and unprecedented performan, which was completed in the space of 13 hours and 20 minutes.

" Sir John and about forty gentlemen sat down to a dinner, provided by Mr Coxeter, and spent the evening with the utmost satisfaction at the success of the undertaking. "London : Published by John Mitchell, 33 Old Bond street.

The coat is now at Buckland, near Farringdon, Berks, as also the oil painting from •which the engraving was made. The coat •was sent lo the Exhibition, 1851, London. Many manufacturers saw it, who declared that the cloth could not be made then in less time, but from the improvement in machinery a larger quantify could be made,

. 'The flook at Buekjand is certainly one o| fhe oldest pure-bred' Southdo-wn flocks in England.

Thinking that the above may be interest* ing to many of your readers in this woolgrowing country, I forward, it to you for in* sertion inyour paper, and I begto remain, Yours truly, ChjUrlks Williams. Hawthorn, Melbourne, August 24th, 1868. [Mr Williams has shown us the exceed-, ingly interesting engraving to which he refers, — Ed. Economist]