This main casting of a "Little Gem" windmill was manufactured by Edmund John PATERNOSTER who was born in Waltham, England in 1846, and in 1858 came to Gawler, South Australia. He opened a gunsmith and sewing machine repair shop there in 1873. Then in 1877 he leased the business to his brother and moved to Smithfield for a year before moving on to Salisbury S.A. in 1878, where he established an agricultural machinery business. His first known connection with windmills is a patent he applied for in 1884.
This presumably led to the brass and iron foundry in a windmill, boiler and engineering works known as "E. Paternoster's Little Gem Windmill Factory".
His son Henry went on to manage the business in later years until it apparently ceased production in 1927.
The fixed tail 'Gem' or 'Little Gem' was patented by the manufacturer in about 1886. It regulated the wheel speed by moving the parallel outer wheel rings against each other to progressively pivot the blades until they were edge on to, and no longer engaging the wind. Several sizes were available up to quite large machines and the model was sold in most Australian States.
The collector of this particular windmill recalls he and his brothers using individual blades as toy rifles.
Display mill donated by Yoweragabbie Station, W.A. and collected by Henry JONES Jnr. of Boogardie Station, Mt Magnet, W.A.