The Archaeology of Farm Graveyards of Vehicles and Machinery.

492 Pages·2009·16.48 MB·English

________________________________________

MEANING, PURPOSE AND
SOCIAL MEMORY:

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF
FARM GRAVEYARDS
OF
VEHICLES AND MACHINERY

____________________________________

DIANA M. SMITH
BA (Hons)

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy.

Department of Archaeology
School of Humanities
Flinders University

September 2005
This thesis is dedicated to Siri, Roy and Tim
without whose love and support,
this thesis would not have been possible.

In memory of Howard Safstrom.
DECLARATION OF CANDIDATE

I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement
any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any
university; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not
contain any material previously published or written by another person
except where due reference is made in the text.

Signed,

Di Smith

/ /2005

3
DECLARATION OF SUPERVISOR

I believe that this thesis is properly presented, conforms to the
specifications of thesis presentation at Flinders University and is prima
facie worthy of examination.

Signed

Dr. Heather Burke

/ /2005

4
Table of Contents

DECLARATION OF CANDIDATE i
DECLARATION OF SUPERVISOR ii
TABLE OF FIGURES x
ABSTRACT xvi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xviii
PREFACE xxi
GLOSSARY xxiii
CONVERSION TABLE xxviii

PART 1 – SEEING THE FARM GRAVEYARD – FRAMEWORK
AND METHODOLOGIES
Chapter 1 - The Farm Graveyard and Agricultural Heritage 1
1.0 Introduction: A Response to Obsolescence? 2
1.1 What is a farm graveyard? Are they garbage or not? 3
1.2 Dodging the ‘Farm Dump’: farm graveyards, historical 8
archaeology and aesthetic revulsion
1.3 Farming Families and technological change 10
1.4 Summary: The Makers of Meaning 12

Chapter 2 - Tracing the Archaeology of Farm Graveyards 15
2.0 Introduction 16
2.1 The Farm Graveyard: a conceptual framework 17
2.2 Archaeology and Farm Dumps 20
2.3 Layers of Meaning in the Farm Graveyard 20
2.4 Artefacts: From Use to Discard to Reuse 21
2.4.1 Reuse and the Schiffer approach 22
2.4.2 Site creation 27
2.4.3 How obsolete objects are reused 31
2.4.4 Maintenance: interaction and use of obsolete 32
objects
2.4.5 Reuse processes 33
2.4.6 Abandonment 39
2.5 Environmental Impact 41
2.6 Aesthetic Revulsion 44
2.7 Social Memory and the Farm Graveyard 46
2.8 Collections: Why People Collect and Factors That Influence 48
Collection
2.8.1 Collection and antiquarianism 48
2.8.2 Nostalgia and emotion 50
2.8.3 Tractor love 52
2.9 Objects and Story Tellers: Mnemonic Function and Farm 52
Graveyards
2.10 Changing Perceptions of Value: Technology and Obsolescence 54
2.10.1 Innovation and Improvisation 55
2.11 Conclusion 57

5
Chapter 3 - Agricultural Heritage: Resources and Methodology 60
3.0 The Components of the Farm Graveyard 61
3.1 Data Collection 62
3.1.1 Recording the Farm Graveyard: a strategy and criteria 62
3.1.2 Limitations of artefact recording 69
3.1.3 Selection of geographic regions and sites 70
3.1.3-1 Ethics and personal contact with farmers 70
3.1.3-2 Identification of the Study Regions 71
3.1.3-3 The Australian regions 72
3.1.3-4 The Canadian region and sites 72
3.1.4 Allocation of regional site, artefact and oral history 73
interview identifiers
3.1.4-1 Anonymity 73
3.1.4-2 Identifier allocation 73
3.1.5 Farm Graveyard surveys 74
3.1.5-1 Talking and walking around… 74
3.1.5-2 Photography 76
3.1.5-3 Site survey 76
3.1.5-4 Chalk marking 78
3.1.5-5 Analysis and Interpretation of Field Data 78
3.1.6 Historical documentation 79
3.1.6-1 Historical research 81
3.1.7 Oral history interviews 82
3.1.8 The Questionnaire 83
3.1.8-1 Questionnaire responses 86
3.1.8-2 Analysis of Questionnaire responses 87
3.1.8-3 Limitations of analysis processes used 87
3.2 Feedback, Community Participation and Dissemination of 88
Results
3.2.1 Newsletter 88
3.2.2 The Website 88
3.3 Summary 88

PART II - THE STUDY REGIONS
Chapter 4 – The Heathcote Region, Victoria 90
4.0 Introduction 91
4.1 H1 - Mount Camel Rural Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 92
4.2.1 Site description 93
4.2.2 Site patterning 94
4.2.3 Artefacts 96
4.2.4 Evidence for reuse 98
4.2.5 Estimated age of site 99
4.2.6 Discussion 100
4.3 H2 - Mia Mia Rural Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 103
4.3.1 Site description 103
4.3.2 Site patterning 104
4.3.3 Artefacts 105
4.3.3-1 Trucks 107
4.3.3-2 Tractors and bulldozers 109
6
4.3.3-3 Chaff cutters and other machinery 110
4.3.3-4 Implements 112
4.3.4 Evidence for reuse 113
4.3.5 Estimated age of site 113
4.3.6 Discussion 114
4.4 H3 - Derrinal Rural Vehicle and Machinery Complex 114
4.4.1 Site description 114
4.4.2 Site patterning 115
4.4.1-1 A tale of four houses 115
4.4.3 Artefacts 118
4.4.3-1 Implements 122
4.4.4 Evidence for reuse 122
4.4.5 Estimated age of site 122
4.4.6 Discussion 123
4.5 H4 Moormbool Rural Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 124
4.5.1 Site description 124
4.5.2 Site patterning 126
4.5.3 Artefacts 126
4.5.3-1 Machinery 126
4.5.3-2 Implements 130
4.5.3-3 Vehicles 132
4.5.4 Evidence for reuse 134
4.5.5 Estimated age of site 137
4.5.6 Discussion 137
4.6 H5 - Costerfield Rural Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 138
4.6.1 Site description 138
4.6.2 Site patterning 141
4.6.3 Artefacts 141
4.6.4 Evidence of reuse 143
4.6.5 Estimated age of site 145
4.6.7 Discussion: A scrap metal farm with some sheep… 146
4.7 Regional Summary 147

Chapter 5 - The South Australian Regions 148
5.0 Introduction: The South Australian Farm Graveyard 150
5.1 Summertown-Uraidla 151
5.1.1 Site surveys 151
5.2 SU1 – Range Road Machinery Assemblage 152
5.2.1 Site description 152
5.2.2 Site patterning 152
5.2.3 Artefacts 153
5.2.4 Evidence for reuse 156
5.2.5 Estimated age of site 157
5.2.6 Discussion 157
5.3 SU2 - Gores Road Machinery and Vehicle Complex 158
5.3.1 Site description 158
5.3.2 Site patterning 159
5.3.3 Artefacts 162
5.3.4 Evidence for reuse 165
5.3.5 Estimated age of site 166
7
5.3.6 Discussion 167
5.4 SU3 - Collins Road Machinery Complex 169
5.4.1 Site description 169
5.4.2 Site patterning 170
5.4.3 Artefacts 172
5.4.4 Evidence for reuse 173
5.4.5 Estimated age of site 173
5.4.6 Discussion 173
5.5 Pekina-Orroroo Region 174
5.6 PO1 - Walloway Machinery and Vehicle Assemblage 175
5.6.1 Site description 175
5.6.2 Site patterning 178
5.6.3 Artefacts 179
5.6.4 Evidence for reuse 181
5.6.5 Estimated age of site 183
5.6.6 Discussion 184
5.7 PO2 - Pekina Machinery and Vehicle Assemblage 184
5.7.1 Site description 184
5.7.2 Site patterning 186
5.7.3 Artefacts 187
5.7.4 Evidence for reuse 189
5.7.5 Estimated age of site 189
5.7.6 Discussion 191
5.8 PO3 - Daisy Dell Machine and Vehicle Complex 192
5.8.1 Site description 192
5.8.2 Site patterning 193
5.8.3 Artefacts 193
5.8.4 Evidence for reuse 196
5.8.5 Estimated age of site 196
5.8.6 Discussion 197
5.9 Summary 197

Chapter 6 – The Lethbridge Region, Canada 200
6.0 Introduction 201
6.1 L1 – Range Road Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 202
6.1.1 Site description 202
6.1.2 Site patterning 203
6.1.3 Artefacts 203
6.1.3-1 Vehicles 204
6.1.3-2 Machinery 205
6.1.3-3 Implements 205
6.1.4 Evidence for reuse 206
6.1.4-1 Post-use 206
6.1.4-2 Pre-deposition adaptation 207
6.1.5 Estimated age of site 207
6.2 L2 – Prairie Acres Machinery and Vehicle Assemblage 207
6.2.1 Site description 207
6.2.2 Site patterning 209
6.2.3 Artefacts 212
6.2.3-1 Vehicles 212
8
6.2.3-2 Machinery 216
6.2.3-3 Implements 218
6.2.4 Evidence for reuse 220
6.2.4-1 Post-deposition use 220
6.2.4-2 Pre-deposition use 220
6.2.4-3 Other uses of the site 221
6.2.5 Estimated age of site 221
6.2.6 Discussion 222
6.3 L3 - Coaldale 1 Vehicle and Machinery Assemblage 222
6.3.1 Site description 222
6.3.2 Site patterning 224
6.3.3 Artefacts 225
6.3.3-1 Vehicles 226
6.3.3-2 Machinery 228
6.3.3-3 Implements 229
6.3.4 Evidence for reuse 230
6.3.5 Estimated age of site 233
6.3.6 Discussion 233
6.4 L4 - Coaldale 2 Vehicle and Machinery Complex 233
6.4.1 Site description 233
6.4.2 Site patterning 234
6.4.3 Artefacts 235
6.4.3-1 Vehicles 235
6.4.3-2 Machinery 237
6.4.3-3 Implements 238
6.4.4 Evidence for reuse 239
6.4.5 Estimated age of site 240
6.4.6 Discussion 241
6.5 L5 Coaldale 3 Vehicle and Machinery Complex 241
6.5.1 Site description 241
6.5.2 Site patterning 242
6.5.3 Artefacts 243
6.5.3-1 Vehicles 245
6.5.3-2 Machinery 247
6.5.3-3 Implements 249
6.5.4 Evidence for reuse 251
6.5.5 Estimated age of site 252
6.5.6 Discussion 253
6.6 Summary 253

PART III - FARM GRAVEYARDS: MEANING AND PURPOSE
Chapter 7 - An Interpretational Harvest. Results of the regional 254
comparative data
7.0 Introduction 255
7.1 Developing Themes 256
7.1.1 Spatial Patterning and Characteristics 257
7.1.1-2 Dynamics of spatial patterning 260
7.1.2 Farm graveyards in the past 267
7.1.3 What can be seen in the farm graveyard? 268
7.1.2-1 Location and setting 269
9
7.1.3 Distance 270
7.1.4 A framework for the farm graveyard 274
7.2 Artefacts 280
7.3 Regional Comparisons and Contrasts 281
7.3.1 Vehicles 284
7.4 Absence of vehicles 288
7.5 Machinery and implements 291
7.6 Popular versus Local Manufacture 292
7.7 Oral History: what did this facilitate at the regional level? 293
7.8 A Farm Graveyard Style? 293
7.8.1 Is there a regional style? 295
7.9 Collection and diversification 295
7.10 Summary 295

Chapter 8 - Reuse: Necessity is the Farmer of Invention 297
8.0 Introduction 298
8.1 Reuse and the Farm Graveyard 298
8.2 Evidence of reuse. Regional similarities and contrasts 301
8.3 Reuse and the Inherited Farm Graveyard 303
8.4 Reuse as a purposeful adaptation of a technological resource 303
8.5 Insights: Farmers’ use of their farm graveyards 306
8.5.1 A Resource 307
8.5.2 Storage 310
8.5.3 Out of town storage 313
8.5.4 The mechanical service and repair centre 314
8.5.5 Collections 315
8.5.5-1 Farm Graveyard or museum? 318
8.6 Secondary uses and recycling 319
8.6.1 Restoration 322
8.6.2 Business diversification 323
8.6.3 Recreation 324
8.7 Physical Condition of Sites 325
8.8 Summary: 1001 Uses of a Farm Graveyard 329

Chapter 9 - The Memory Machines: Archaeology, Social Memory and 332
Meaning of the Farm Graveyard
9.0 Introduction 333
9.1 The Idea of Album 336
9.1.1 A Gramophone in Every Grave 337
9.1.2 Suspended Conversations: The Afterlife of 338
Memory
9.1.3 Album Excavations 341
9.2 Intimate Circles: The Idea of Family and Identity 341
9.2.1 Album to Family Album 344
9.2.2 In Memoriam 347
9.3 The Shape of an Idea 348
9.3.1 Cycles and Motifs 349
9.3.2 Mutatis Mutandis 349
9.3.3 Meta Moments 352
9.3.4 Domestications 354
10