The Jim Osborne Memoirs - I have had a truly wonderful life

Back in the late 1940s primary producers had no end of choices as to who they wished to do their business with – and all options seemed good. 

Wool could be sold through four woolbrokers in Launceston – Tasmanian Woolgrowers’ Agency, Allan Stewart Pty Ltd, Alfred Harrap & Sons or C.H. Smith & Co. 

If you wished to sell in Hobart then A.G. Webster & Sons or Roberts Ltd were both very good firms. Stock sales gave even more choices, with Websters and Roberts plus Gordon Blew in the south while W.T. Bell & Co. and Hird & Co had saleyards throughout the north. 

In those days all clients were considered as valued friends rather than as customers. The companies mentioned had skilled and friendly staff and it would have been a strange week if at least one agent didn’t pay you a visit. 

Some of the managers of these companies were absolutely outstanding people. They understood the industry, they understood their clients and they understood the problems. 

If it had not been for this knowledge and sympathy many primary producers would have “gone under” during the tough times. Their clear thinking and advice, and financial help, saved many places from ruin. Some of the outstanding personalities certainly deserve mention.

Frank Lakin is one who will never be forgotten. He will be remembered with affection and deep respect by everyone who met him. A commanding figure – probably about 6 feet 4 inches – and very well built, he was a man whose friendship touched every client. 

A man of compassion and understanding, and his advice to all was sound, reliable and helpful. Those who were going through bad times always left a meeting him with renewed hope, financial help in the best possible terms, and the will to battle on. 

Frank trusted his clients and, in return, they trusted and respected him. Many owe their farms or their father’s farms direct to Frank Lakin for the advice, help and hope that he gave them.

A returned soldier from the First World War, with many months in trenches, mateship was something Frank knew all about. At the conclusion of that war he was granted a soldier settlement block on King Island but after a few years he became a little disillusioned because of the isolation of the island. 

Of course, there were no air services in those days and shipping was unreliable. Frank was an outgoing character who perhaps needed more human contact too. He was offered a position with Tasmanian Woolgrowers’ Agency Co Ltd as its country representative, based in Launceston, and as an auctioneer for its livestock sales. Whoever appointed him had a stroke of genius.

As an auctioneer Frank was beyond compare. Tasmania never had an auctioneer like him before and certainly not since. He had an uncanny knack of holding everyone’s attention for the duration of the sale, a sense of humour that extracted bids faster than others could and he was a wonderful judge of the value of each pen of animals.

There can never be another Frank Lakin. Although he trained younger men well, they could never reach his unique standard.

Dick Clemons came very close to the “old master” though. Ironically, Dick also came from King Island and served as a gunner in the Second World War (in the 2/8th Field Regiment, as I also did). Dick returned to King Island while still quite young and tragically died there at an early age.

Frank Lakin very quickly moved from auctioneering to become a woolgrowers’ manager but continued to sell for several years afterwards. There would be very few who would occupy both positions at the one time. 

The world would be a much better place if there were more Frank Lakins. He was a leading member of the Legacy organisation. He has left his legacy to all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will never be forgotten, a friend to all who knew him, a man of great understanding and compassion – a gentle giant in every way. One of the world’s very best.

Sadly, Frank left no family – and this world needs more like him.

Allan Stewart – founder, owner, and manager of Allan Stewart Pty Ltd – was an entirely different character to Mr Lakin, but also outstanding. Where Mr Lakin was big, robust and outgoing, Allan Stewart was smallish, moustached, and I always had the impression that he never wearied.

Mr Stewart was mostly in a hurry, had a brain that worked like a modern-day computer, and he had an eye to every detail. He was a good and fair man, but it was obvious that one had to be perfectly honest in dealings with him. 

Stock had to be “as represented” and he would never forget, or forgive, if there was any attempt at anything that was not fully 100 per cent. I liked Mr Stewart and respected him, and his staff swore by him.

An example of his eye and care for detail. During my time at Streanshalh just after the war I remember him calling one morning, in his usual hurry. 

“I just want to see your wool table,” he said, heading straight for the woolshed. 

He took one look at the table and said: “Yes, that’s the trouble. The slats are too close together – make them half-an-inch wider gaps. I noticed one or two locks in the fleece wool and that could have brought your price down a couple of pence a pound if I hadn’t pulled them out.”

That was it. He was gone within 10 minutes of arriving.

Attention to detail. Mr Stewart rang me one night at home and told me he’d bought a good-looking horse from Victoria and thought it may make a good showjumper and hack. Would I come up and ride it for him on Sunday morning? 

It was at his daughter and son-in-law’s property at Evandale. Certainly, I would – and looked forward to it. The horse was in the cattle yards already saddled when I got there and it was a good-looking horse.

“Well on you get,” Allan said. On I got, but only temporarily as he got rid of me pretty quickly. I dusted myself down, looked at Mr Stewart, and he looked at me. 

“Well get back on him, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve got you insured.” 

The horse must have heard him because he didn’t do another thing wrong. A few minutes riding around the yard, and then around the paddocks for a quarter of an hour, and no trouble at all. Probably a cold-backed horse, but I was a bit amused when Mr Stewart said after I got off: “I thought I had better insure you for the day – I had Leo Jordan out to ride him last weekend and he came off like you did and broke his collarbone.”

Mr Stewart had no son – two daughters only.  After his death the daughters decided to sell the business to Roberts Ltd. Then for a few years it traded under the name Roberts Stewart, before eventually becoming just Roberts. It doesn’t seem quite the same – Allan Stewart had started the business, built it up to being the largest wool broking business in the state, with its well-earned place at the top. He deserved to have his name remembered by future generations.

Business is cold. Allan Stewart’s name will soon be forgotten – and should not be.

My farming years were wonderful - I named my block Taranaki, and it was there that I spent the happiest 50 years that anyone could dream of.  I’ve had a wonderful wife and three children – Bill, Janie and Margie. I could not have been more blessed.

I have had a truly wonderful life.