This is an example of the famous Hallstrom 'Silent Knight' electric refrigerator made in the Sydney suburb of Willoughby in 1958 by Hallstroms's Pty Ltd.

Although artificial refrigerator was widespread in the food and beverages industries by the late nineteenth century, it was only the development of an affordable, self-contained electric refrigerator in the early twentieth century that the full benefits of refrigeration finally reached the home. Small domestic refrigerators had been available from the first decades of the twentieth century, including the Kelvinator in 1918, they were very costly, selling for more than a family car. The G.E. Monitor Top was the first affordable domestic refrigerator to be produced. In the small country towns and on Australian outback farms kerosene refrigerators made by Hallstroms from 1928 were used where electricity was not available.

Despite this, refrigerators they were a luxury and did not become common place in Australia until the 1950s with greater prosperity and the widespread availability of electricity. By preventing food spoilage, the refrigerator probably saved countless people from food poisoning.

Margaret Simpson, Curator
October 2015