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Karl Stockhausen - Manager, Lindeman's Ben Ean Vineyard, Pokolbin. Part 1/2.
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SummaryKARL STOCKHAUSEN
Recorded 18 October 1983
Part 1/2
0:30
Karl came to Australia aged 25 in 1955
0:40
He spent a week at Greta Migrant Camp
1:00
He recalls how people from Lindemans came to camp looking for workers.
1:24
He worked as clerk in Germany. He took the work to get out of the camp.
1:44
At Lindemans was Hans Molinar. There were about 20 employees at Lindeman's when he joined.
3:10
Worked with Lindemans for 6 months before going to Sydney.
3:28
Undertook manager's job at Lindemans returning to the Hunter Valley a couple of times. He was also studying accountancy until Hans Molinar decided to go back to Germany where he worked for the German Government.
4:04
Recalls how he picked up winemaking by experience.
5:06
Brief description of wine making process - the method was simple because there weren't as many options as there are today. He picked up techniques and today "you have more control over the process".
6:56
Blending process of Ben Ean Moselle. It was made originally in 1956.
7:21
In 1959 it was altered by combining blends from South Australian wines and others. This blend took off. Hunter River Winery ("Ben Ean")
7:56
Reason for change of name of wine - all the products of the winery have the initial title "Hunter River...."
9:08
Laurie Murphy lost interest in purchasing the winery.
10:26
Problems of "Sunshine" vineyard - the vineyard was too old, the soil is sandy, there were problems with the soil after flooding.
10:47
Harry Schultz
10:56
Merewether was the original owner of the land. "Sunshine" vineyard had a total acreage of 500 acres but it has varied between 100 to 150 acres.
12:05
Types of grapes grown at "Sunshine" were largely Semillon 70%, Verdelho about 5% and Shiraz in the rest.
12:53
"Ben Ean" vineyard, total acreage covered about 500 acres. "Stevens" a small, 50 acres, but good vineyard planted in 1969
13:40
"Broke" vineyard planted in 1974, total acreage about 350 acres.
14:03
Types of grapes grown at Broke - Semillon, Chardonnay, Verdelho, Cabernet, Shiraz.
14:25
Brian Hubbert is the vigneron at the time of the interview.
14:39
Types of grapes grown at "Ben Ean" are mostly Shiraz with a little bit of Chardonnay. The Stevens is an old name in the area - they were related to the Wilkinsons by marriage. George and Albert Stevens
16:47
Keith Tulloch
17:56
He met Peggy, his wife, while he was working in Sydney.
18:39
Jack McDonald and his aunt Lilly McDonald who wrote a notebook about the vineyards.
19:01
"Bess Hill", Kime's vineyard
19:16
"Catawba", Wilkinson's vineyard was changed to "Calapa" Eric Roberts. Max Drayton. First called "Calawta" when owned by Capper in 1915.
21:51
Lindeman's purchased "Calawta", 1915 and renamed at this time to "Catawba" - Karl discusses with Jack that there may be a discrepancy on an otherwise accurate map, it shows no evidence of buildings.
23:28
John Wilkinson went broke and the ownership went to Capper as a debt payment.
29:01
Location of Lever's vineyard, Rothbury.
30:28
George Kime - "Bess Hill" Alfred Wilkinson - now owned by Lindemans
31:21
Charles Wilkinson, son of Alfred.
32:34
Patrick Fleming bought the school on 2 acres
32:49
Location of original Pokolbin school - which is now at Kurri High school
33:57
Marrowbone Road was earlier than Oakey Creek Road. Telephone conversation with Marge Tulloch and Karl. They discuss the old school at Pokolbin. Its original position in 1870 "down near the gates".
40:21
Emmanuel Belcher Hungerford, son of John Hungerford and grandson of Emmanuel Hungerford.
40:36
E.B. married twice Frances Blick - two of the Blick women - Frances and her sister.
41:32
Reason vines became uneconomical. The original vines were planted using horse and plough. The rows were closely planted and a tractor couldn't fit between them.
41:54
Recollection of horse-drawn labour - often used for weeding under the vines - now weed killers are used. Generally no cultivation is used.
42:33
Reason for using mechanical pickers - it's about a third of the price. "Fair sized goannas/lizards are picked out of the harvest. They are dazed because they've been bashed about".
43:42
Disadvantages of "trickle" irrigation
44:48
Early interests held by Lindemans - "Porphyr" in the Raymond Terrace area, Kelmans Vineyard at Belford.
Tape duration: 46:35
Stockhausen, Gunther KarlPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToMarge TullochCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Germany[2] Greta, NSW[3] Broke, NSW[4] Ben Ean, Pokolbin, NSWIdentifier280A
Recorded 18 October 1983
Part 1/2
0:30
Karl came to Australia aged 25 in 1955
0:40
He spent a week at Greta Migrant Camp
1:00
He recalls how people from Lindemans came to camp looking for workers.
1:24
He worked as clerk in Germany. He took the work to get out of the camp.
1:44
At Lindemans was Hans Molinar. There were about 20 employees at Lindeman's when he joined.
3:10
Worked with Lindemans for 6 months before going to Sydney.
3:28
Undertook manager's job at Lindemans returning to the Hunter Valley a couple of times. He was also studying accountancy until Hans Molinar decided to go back to Germany where he worked for the German Government.
4:04
Recalls how he picked up winemaking by experience.
5:06
Brief description of wine making process - the method was simple because there weren't as many options as there are today. He picked up techniques and today "you have more control over the process".
6:56
Blending process of Ben Ean Moselle. It was made originally in 1956.
7:21
In 1959 it was altered by combining blends from South Australian wines and others. This blend took off. Hunter River Winery ("Ben Ean")
7:56
Reason for change of name of wine - all the products of the winery have the initial title "Hunter River...."
9:08
Laurie Murphy lost interest in purchasing the winery.
10:26
Problems of "Sunshine" vineyard - the vineyard was too old, the soil is sandy, there were problems with the soil after flooding.
10:47
Harry Schultz
10:56
Merewether was the original owner of the land. "Sunshine" vineyard had a total acreage of 500 acres but it has varied between 100 to 150 acres.
12:05
Types of grapes grown at "Sunshine" were largely Semillon 70%, Verdelho about 5% and Shiraz in the rest.
12:53
"Ben Ean" vineyard, total acreage covered about 500 acres. "Stevens" a small, 50 acres, but good vineyard planted in 1969
13:40
"Broke" vineyard planted in 1974, total acreage about 350 acres.
14:03
Types of grapes grown at Broke - Semillon, Chardonnay, Verdelho, Cabernet, Shiraz.
14:25
Brian Hubbert is the vigneron at the time of the interview.
14:39
Types of grapes grown at "Ben Ean" are mostly Shiraz with a little bit of Chardonnay. The Stevens is an old name in the area - they were related to the Wilkinsons by marriage. George and Albert Stevens
16:47
Keith Tulloch
17:56
He met Peggy, his wife, while he was working in Sydney.
18:39
Jack McDonald and his aunt Lilly McDonald who wrote a notebook about the vineyards.
19:01
"Bess Hill", Kime's vineyard
19:16
"Catawba", Wilkinson's vineyard was changed to "Calapa" Eric Roberts. Max Drayton. First called "Calawta" when owned by Capper in 1915.
21:51
Lindeman's purchased "Calawta", 1915 and renamed at this time to "Catawba" - Karl discusses with Jack that there may be a discrepancy on an otherwise accurate map, it shows no evidence of buildings.
23:28
John Wilkinson went broke and the ownership went to Capper as a debt payment.
29:01
Location of Lever's vineyard, Rothbury.
30:28
George Kime - "Bess Hill" Alfred Wilkinson - now owned by Lindemans
31:21
Charles Wilkinson, son of Alfred.
32:34
Patrick Fleming bought the school on 2 acres
32:49
Location of original Pokolbin school - which is now at Kurri High school
33:57
Marrowbone Road was earlier than Oakey Creek Road. Telephone conversation with Marge Tulloch and Karl. They discuss the old school at Pokolbin. Its original position in 1870 "down near the gates".
40:21
Emmanuel Belcher Hungerford, son of John Hungerford and grandson of Emmanuel Hungerford.
40:36
E.B. married twice Frances Blick - two of the Blick women - Frances and her sister.
41:32
Reason vines became uneconomical. The original vines were planted using horse and plough. The rows were closely planted and a tractor couldn't fit between them.
41:54
Recollection of horse-drawn labour - often used for weeding under the vines - now weed killers are used. Generally no cultivation is used.
42:33
Reason for using mechanical pickers - it's about a third of the price. "Fair sized goannas/lizards are picked out of the harvest. They are dazed because they've been bashed about".
43:42
Disadvantages of "trickle" irrigation
44:48
Early interests held by Lindemans - "Porphyr" in the Raymond Terrace area, Kelmans Vineyard at Belford.
Tape duration: 46:35
Stockhausen, Gunther KarlPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToMarge TullochCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Germany[2] Greta, NSW[3] Broke, NSW[4] Ben Ean, Pokolbin, NSWIdentifier280Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Karl Stockhausen - Manager, Lindeman's Ben Ean Vineyard, Pokolbin. Part 1/2., [280A]. Living Histories, accessed 29/11/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55949