Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./N.Z.) the laziest and therefore the slowest shearer in a shed.

1894		Morn. Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 29 May 6/5: On this day the ‘drummer’ shore 100 sheep.
1908		Capricornian (Rockhampton, Qld) 31 Oct. 18/1: You will notice that there is a difference in the average of the two teams from drummer to ringer.
1911		Sydney Morn. Herald 14 Apr. 5/5: I have know the drummer (lowest tally) to knock ‘spots’ off the ultimate ringer.
1926		Townsville Daily Bulletin 6 Nov. 11/2: To help me become a notch higher than the shed drummer he often slipped sheep down my shoot.
1933		(ref. to 1890–1910) L.G.D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs (1951) 375: Drummer – The slowest shearer in a shed.
1945		Baker Aus. Lang. 63: Drummer, the laziest and therefore the slowest shearer in a shed.
1952		G. Meek ‘The Ringer’ Station Days in Maoriland 103: With the drummer’s mid-day ‘ninety’ showing he could do his stuff.
1960		(con. 1925) L. Masters Back-Country Tales 255: I was only the drummer (slowest shearer) of that particular gang.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 69: drummer In shearing slang, the learner in the shed, or drummer boy, sarcastically applied also to the slowest shearer. Bush gangs use the term too. ANZ early C20.