Sir Walter Merriman (1882–1972) was an Australian sheep breeder who bred a new type of Merino sheep which produced a high quality and high yield fine soft woolG. P. Walsh, Sir Walter Thomas Merriman (1882–1972), Australian Dictionary of Biography, adb.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024. which is regarded as "some of Australia's finest wool".MerryvilleHomestead, historicmerryvillehomestead.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.Sir Walter Merriman: The Visionary Behind the Merino Wool Revolution, sirwmerino.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.David J. Wagner, History of Murrumbateman (NSW), 1824-1960, australiaforvisitors.com. Retrieved 29 October 2024. This Merino wool, known today as the "Merryville" type,History, merryvillestud.com.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024. has contributed for more than half a century to Australia's export-earning wool industry.Camden sheep a living link to Australia's modern-day Merino, abc.net.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
Early life and education Merriman was born on 18 May 1882 in Yass, New South Wales. His parents were George Merriman, a sheep breeder, and Mary Ann, née Dowling. Beginning in 1865 his father developed a fine-wool merino stud named Ravensworth in the Yass district, based on bloodlines from Tasmania and from Mudgee, New South Wales. Walter attended the Public School in the village of Murrumbateman.
Career In 1903 Walter Merriman established his own stud named Merryville located on part of his father's Ravensworth property. At the beginning his sheep were Merinos of the "Saxon" type. He acquired ewes and a sire from his father's estate and in 1911 added sheep of the Peppin bloodline to his flock. In 1915 he acquired more ewes and rams from Ravensworth and in 1921 more from the Murgha stud dispersal sale in Deniliquin."Murgha Stud Dispersal", The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 February 1921, p. 11. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
He became known for breeding fine-woolled sheep. Undertaking "selective breeding practices",Sir Walter Merriman: The Visionary Behind the Merino Wool Revolution, sirwmerino.com. Retrieved 29 October 2024. he protected the quality of his clip by keeping his flock, now registered with the name of the Merryville-Murgha Stud, separate from the sheep on other properties.
In 1937 he formed a family company, Merryville Pty Ltd, and extended his holdings to included properties at Yass, Boorowa, Murrumbateman, Bowral and Narrandera.
An expert wool classer, Merriman saw his merinos win top prizes at the Royal Agricultural Society's Sydney Sheep ShowWalter Merriman at the Sydney Sheep Show, archivescollection.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 29 October 2024. as well as in similar shows in Melbourne, Albury, Goulburn, Dubbo and Yass.Breeding, merryvillestud.com.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024. During his long career that lasted half a century he not only maintained the quality of his fine merino wool but increased "average yield of his flock to fourteen lb. (6 kg) a head and at the same time more than doubling the yield of his top breeds".
Community service Over the years he served in local government as a member of the local Goodradigbee Shire Council, was president of the Yass Pastoral and Agricultural Association, and served in senior posts in the local bush fire brigade, Yass District Hospital, the Pastures Protection Board and the local District Soldiers' Memorial and Literary Institute.
Honours 1954: Knighted "for services to the wool industry"Stephen Burns, Challenging the merino, stockandland.com.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024."Knight Bachelor: Top Merino Breeder Sir Walter Merriman", in: Queensland Country Life, 7 January 1954, p. 6.
Personal life Merriman diedin Yass on 25 January 1972. His grave is located in the Murrumbateman cemetery.
Sir Walter Merriman's youngest son, Bruce Merriman, became the managing director of Merriville after his father's death, and Bruce's son, Walter ("Wally") Merriman, continued the family connection to the Australian merino wool industry, serving as the chairman of the non-profit, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).Australian Wool Innovation Chairman Walter Merriman steps down, wool.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.Bob Garnant, Walter Merriman to vacate Australian Wool Innovation chair after year of chaos, countryman.com.au, 20 November 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2024.Stephen Burns, Merriman family has long history in growing wool, farmonline.com.au. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
References
Further reading Books New South Wales Sheepbreeders' Association, The Australian Merino, Sydney, 1955 G. Day and J. Jessup, The History of the Australian Merino, William Heinemann, 1984 Charles Massy, The Australian Merino, Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 1988
Articles "Merryman Merriman of Merryville", Smith's Weekly, (Smith's Personalities, No. 58), 13 July 1929, p. 12 Betty Wilkinson, "Good Breeding Makes Australia's Golden Fleece", The Australian Women's Weekly, 25 October 1947, pp. 20–21 "Portrait of a Grazier", The Sunday Herald, 31 May 1953, p. 10 "Knight Bachelor: Top Merino Breeder Sir Walter Merriman", Queensland Country Life, 7 January 1954, p. 6 Merriman the Merino Trendsetter, 30 December 2015, farmonline.com.au
External links Photograph of Mr Walter Merriman, ca. 1925 at Fairfax archive of glass plate negatives Historic Merryville Homestead - "homestead and home built in 1903 by Sir Walter Merriman"