Corporate Body

CSIRO Wool Textile Research Laboratories (1949 - 1958)

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

From
1949
Australia
To
1958
Functions
Industrial or scientific research and Materials or Textiles Industries
Reference No
CA 4528
Legal Status
Agency of the Commonwealth of Australia
Location
Melbourne, Geelong and Sydney

Summary

The CSIRO Wool Textile Research Laboratories were formed in 1949. There were three separate Laboratories, located in Melbourne, Geelong and Sydney. In 1958 the three Laboratories became separate Divisions, known as the Divisions of Textile Physics, Textile Industry and Protein Chemistry.

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Details

From "CSIRO research for Australia" (1962) pdf page 42:
"Research into wool production and the diseases of sheep dates from the early years of C.S.I.R.'s existence. It was not until after the war that the Executive laid plans for the establishment of laboratories to study wool as a textile fibre. Sir lan Clunies-Ross who had previously been Chairman of the International Wool Secretariat, urged graziers to provide funds for wool research, and these funds soon became available at a rapidly increasing rate.

In 1949 three laboratories, known as the C.S.I.R.O. Wool Textile Research Laboratories, were founded, The Melbourne laboratory, under the direction of Dr. F. G. Lennox, began a fundamental long-range chemical and biochemical study of wool fibres. The nucleus of the staff came with Dr. Lennox from the Biochemistry Unit of the Division of Industrial Chemistry, where investigations into fellmongering had been going on for some years. In Sydney, a Physics and Engineering Unit was set up under the direction of Mr. V. D. Burgmann. The Sydney laboratory was concerned with the fundamental physics of wool and wool processing. The third laboratory at Geelong (Victoria) concentrated mainly on research projects which might be expected to solve some of the problems of immediate concern to the textile industry. Dr. M. Lipson a C.S.l.R.O. officer with experience in the wool industry and wool testing as well as in research, became Officer-in-Charge of the Geelong laboratory.

During the first decade of their existence the Wool Textile Research Laboratories, supported by the wool industry, grew steadily in size and stature. In 1958 they were accorded the status of Divisions, and were known respectively as the Division of Protein Chemistry, the Division of Textile Physics, and the Division of Textile Industry."

Timeline

 1949 - 1958 CSIRO Wool Textile Research Laboratories
       1958 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Textile Industry
       1958 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Textile Physics
       1958 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Protein Chemistry
             c. 1980 - c. 1988 CSIRO Physical Technology Unit
             1988 - 1989 CSIRO Division of Biotechnology
             1988 - 1999 CSIRO Division of Wool Technology
             1988 - 1999 CSIRO Division of Wool Technology
                   1988 - 1990 CSIRO Division of Coal Technology
                   1989 - 1997 CSIRO Division of Biomolecular Engineering
                   1999 - CSIRO Division of Textile and Fibre Technology
                         1990 - c. 1995 CSIRO Division of Coal and Energy Technology
                         1997 - 2005 CSIRO Division of Molecular Science
                               c. 1995 - CSIRO Energy Technology
                               2005 - CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies

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Ailie Smith

Created: 13 July 2000, Last modified: 10 April 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/A000694b.htm

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