Fletcher Jones

Last Sunday Ann and I took a stroll, the first of many, up to the Fletcher Jones factory.

The factory area is analogous to the Diamond Match complex in Chico. It is just up the hill from our Warrnambool home. We recently learned that our landlady's father worked there as a carpenter after his repatriation from WWII.

Although it is not particularly evident now, or was not to us, the factory complex began as cobbled together surplus military buildings that were transported over land from a town about 80 kilometers away. The factory was built this way because after the war there was an extreme shortage of building materials in Australia.

The tripod water tower is an iconic local landmark. One can orient themselves from most anywhere in the city in relationship to it. The color of the ball seems to change depending upon light and cloud cover. It is a welcome friend, always greeting one with a smile and the comfort of familiarity.

Having fun on the way, rescuing a balloon lost in the windy Warrnambool weather.

The main sign out front read Fletcher Jones & Staff. FJ, as he was known, was one interesting dude. He organized the company cooperatively almost from the outset. He was a devout Christian in both personal life and business, and viewed distribution of the world's wealth as one of its most pressing problems. All employees got shares in the business, and it soon had a greater percentage of employee owners than him personally. His business model has been characterized as a mix of capitalism and socialism.

FJ began his career as an itinerant merchant or peddler, going farm to farm in rural southeast Australia in the 1930's. The horse-drawn cart above was used by him at one time. He writes about his life, his values, and those who influenced him in his autobiography, "Not by myself."

The Fletcher Jones complex is now open to the public as a mill market. All over rural Australia there are closed woolen mills and clothing factories. An entrepreneur acquired many of them, and repurposed them as "mill markets," large indoor flea markets and second hand goods.  I found the signed copy of FJ's book in our first visit.

The factory site used to be a played out quarry. FJ acquired it at a very low price from the city. Early brownfield restoration before its time. The quarry was filled in and made over into fantastic fanciful public gardens. The gardens are still open to the public today and are maintained by a volunteer society.

The factory site and grounds were reacquired by the city in the early seventies, after FJ died and his business and business model became a victim of synthetic fabrics and cheap imports. The site languished until being purchased and repurposed through the mill market scheme. However, the mill market fellow has apparently fallen on hard times of his own. The property is listed for sale. Only 2.7 million I believe. Quite a bargain, as it is on a hill and overlooks the city with a view to the ocean.

The site has been declared a Victorian Historical Building, thus adding a layer of complexity to what it may become. The local council recently considered and gave support to the concept of putting housing on the site. An out of town developer (Melbourne) has expressed interest in such a project. The usual battle lines have already been drawn.

My guess is that FJ's legacy will be gazing out to sea for many years to come.