About this objectThis is a rare example of refrigeration technology, the Morkool Iceless Refrigerator was manufactured by Leahey’s and Morgan Ltd., Sydney. A registered office in Orange, from which this unit appears to have been purchased, serviced customers in the Central West.
The Stoke Stable Morkool refrigerator was loaned to the original Stoke Stable Museum in 1977 by Henry Williams, with the loan converted to a donation in 2005 by Mr Williams’ sister.
The Morkool Iceless Refrigerator consisted of a fabric liner; a cowled air vent on the unit’s roof; space for three internal shelves (one is extant); and a trough at the base containing water channels and air vents allowing evaporative cooling. Requiring no electricity, and preferring an adjacent heat source, the Morkool simply required correct installation and regular watering / cleaning in order to provide adequate refrigeration. The unit, lacking the fabric liner and water, nevertheless remains cool inside, testifying to the quality of the Morkool’s insulation.
