Jandowae blacksmith forges into retirement

Geoffrey 'Dick' Sternberg has retired after more than 65 years working with the Morrissey family in their cattle equipment manufacturing business.

Starting as an 18-year-old in 1957, Mr Sternberg has worked with four generations of the Morrissey family.

"I started with the Morrisseys as a labourer in the old original blacksmith shed, which had a dirt floor that would throw up dust in the wind,"he said.

"I initially was making parts, like bending pipe for the calf cradles, head bails and pipe lifters for windmills. I then went on to learn the blacksmith trade, and producing branding irons."

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Mr Sternberg's job with the Morrissey family came about because the business he was working with was closing down.

"My father went to the Morrisseys to get a couple of gate hinges and Danny Morrissey asked if I would like to have a go at steel work, and it all went from there," he said.

Mr Sternberg took pride in his blacksmithing skills, making thousands of stainless steel branding irons for cattle producers.

During his career he has made all shapes and designs of brands, including for bigger pastoralists such as Gina Rinehart and Kidman Properties, AACo and Stanbroke Pastoral.

"It is interesting to know where the brands end up, all over Australia," Mr Sternberg said.

"Over the years I have made parts for cradles, pipe lifters and branding irons for RM Williams. John Morrissey was running the shop then and dealing with him."

Mr Sternberg said some bits of the job haven't changed.

"We still use the forge and some of the original anvils and hammers that are better than anything you can buy today," he said.

"Technology has reduced some of the labour intensive jobs, for example, the power hammer.

"What would normally take us a day manually to draw out in steel, now only takes 15 minutes. Much of the other tooling remains the same."

When it comes to longstanding professional relationships, the one between the Morrissey family of Jandowae and now retired blacksmith Geoffrey Sternberg is hard to beat.

Mr Sternberg was first employed by Daniel Morrissey more than 65 years ago and then by John "Jack" Morrissey, a World War II veteran.

John invented the well-known Morrissey calf branding cradle in the early 1950s.

When John passed away in 1989, his son Sean took hold of the reins of the family business.

Morrissey & Co is now owned and managed by Sean, his wife Christine and sons John and Thomas.

Sean Morrissey wished Mr Sternberg all the best in his retirement.

Mr Morrissey said he had always been not only a loyal employee, but a friend and mentor.

"He is part of the family and I'm sure he will drop in from time to time to make sure we are doing a good job," he said.

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