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Lexicon Jarrah _____________________________________________________ Timber from the Australian eucalypt, Eucalyptus marginata, its name being djarraly in Noongar language of the endemic peoples there. Imported into South Africa in the late C19 and C20 for, chiefly, heavy construction work such as railway sleepers, bridge shoring and jetties (see Wikipedia). Anecdotally: ... after the First World War, it was realised that the South African Railways would have to operate their own shipping services to ensure essential supplies of wooden sleepers and other timber. These materials were indispensable to railway development plans at that time, but deliveries had become very uncertain. Western Australia, which supplied the jarrah sleepers on which most South African railway track was originally laid, was the most important source of supply. Millions of sleepers were required, but all ships from Australia that called at South African ports carried full cargoes to Britain and other countries. Therefore several ships to bring timber from Western Australia were chartered by South Africa, but the volume which could be shipped was below requirements and the cost inordinately high. Sir William Hoy, as the general manager, persuaded the Prime Minister (General Louis Botha) to obtain the transfer of three prize ships from Britain. These were the Huntress (gross weight 4 997 tons), Seattle (5 133 tons) and Apolda (4 939 tons). The three steamers sailed in ballast to Western Australia and returned with cargoes of jarrah sleepers. But the prize ships were already old when they were acquired and were replaced by the Aloe, Erica and Dahlia, in 1925, 1926 and 1931 respectively. They had been specially designed for the trade and served successfully for many years (SESA 1973: Vol 9:229a-229b). Books linked to this entry Potgieter, DJ (Editor-in-chief). 1973. Standard Encyclopaedia of South Africa [SESA] Volume 9 Pop-Sla. Cape Town: Nasou pp 229a-229b