Jackie Howe
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John Robert "Jackie" Howe (26 July 1861 - 21 July 1920) was a legendary Australian sheep shearer. He was born at Killarney near Warwick, Queensland, Australia, probably on 26 July 1861. His father John Howe had been a circus acrobat before becoming a stockman. The younger Howe settled at Blackall, Queensland and married Margaret Alexandra Victoria Short there on 24 April 1890.
shearing 321 sheep in 7 hours, 41 minutes with manual clippers on 10 October 1892 at Alice Downs Station, Blackall Queensland. The record still stands. He retired from shearing and bought the Universal Hotel in 1902, sold it and bought the Barcoo Hotel in 1907 and sold that and repurchased the Universal in 1909. He ran the pub until 1919 when he retired to Summervale, Queensland.
He died at Blackall on 21 July 1920. He was survived by his wife, six sons and two daughters.
His physical prowess was legendary in his time. He was described as almost 250 lbs, with a 50-inch chest and "hands the size of small tennis rackets". He stayed in shape for shearing by squeezing rubber balls. He could run 100 yards in 11 seconds in his socks.
The "Jackie Howe" is a sleeveless shirt patterned after a flannel shirt that he wore while shearing. The legend is that he had his mother trim the sleeves from his flannel shirts because they interfered with movement as he perspired, but the long tail in the back kept him warm as he bent over the sheep. Modern versions are singlets with wide neck and arm openings. Shearers still wear them.
Blackall and Warwick have monuments to him.
