Manufacturing
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
WELCOME TO THE HOCKEN Friends of the Hocken Collections BULLETIN NUMBER 54 : May 2006 BUSINESS SER IES 2b Manufacturing (part 2) In this second Bulletin devoted to manufacturing Feather Works of Copenhagen and the Dunedin plant company records in Hocken Archives the emphasis closed in August 1988. moves more to consumer products, a field in which Dunedin in its economic heyday led New Zealand. ClaY PRODUCTS As explained in previous Bulletins, much of this A substantial archive is held of the files of archival material is available for inspection without McSkimming Industries Ltd, whose antecedents go restriction. In some cases permission may be required back to 1884. Most of the records, however, relate to from the company or its successors, or from the more recent years: annual general meetings from 1918 Hocken Librarian, but it is seldom refused to genuine to 1961, Directors’ minutes 1951–58, annual reports researchers. 1953–75, balance sheets 1917–42, ledgers, journals & cash books for 1894–1966, and correspondence Quite a number of journals, magazines and papers (in general and subject files) between 1917 and the on aspects of manufacturing, both here and overseas, 1970s. The records also cover such associated or can be found in the Hocken Collections catalogue subsidiary companies as Abbotsford Tileries, Benhar under ‘Journals’. The Hocken is also building up a Coal, Black Lion Coal, Fairfield Brick & Sand, Glen fragmented collection of annual reports of public Afton Potteries, Glenmore Bricks, Glenmore Quarries, companies covering more recent years, and these Homebush Brick & Coal, Lambert Bros, Todd & include manufacturers like Fisher & Paykel, Scott Sons, and Mangapehi Coal Mining. McSkimming Technology and national companies that acquired Industries was sold to the Wellington investment former Dunedin-based concerns company Strontian Holdings in 1976, and in 1980 the McSkimming interests were purchased from Strontian BEDDING by Ceramco Ltd. The Hocken Collections hold a reasonably complete set of annual accounts for Arthur Ellis & Co. Ltd No official history of the original company appears from the period 1939 to 1977. In addition there to have been written, but catalogues were issued are monthly financial returns for 1949–59, cash from time to time, and a booklet entitled Ceramic books 1935–67, papers of Broadway Trading Co. Harmony described the firm’s scope in the 1980s. (a subsidiary company), and other sundry files. The The files contain a series of papers dealing with the company dates back to 1877 when Ephraim Ellis various family interests, the manufacturing facilities and his brother-in-law, William Nicholson, imported and also some technical plans which, taken together, a flock-making machine, and became a limited would form the nucleus of the group’s history. The liability company in 1913. The firm later imported MA Honours thesis by Elizabeth M.Seed, ‘The History kapok and began manufacturing mattresses, bedding of the brick, tile and pottery industries in Otago’, has and upholstery. Its trade names — ‘Sleepwell’ for useful information on the origins of pottery, sources of mattresses and later ‘Fairydown’ for quilts — became clay in Otago, the early companies and materials used well known throughout New Zealand. One or two in manufacturing. members of the Ellis family were keen trampers and the company later gained a worldwide reputation for CLOTHing the sleeping bags and outdoor clothing it designed and One of the most comprehensive collections of business produced for mountain climbing and polar conditions. records held is that of Hallenstein Bros, running to Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing both carried more than 100 lineal metres and including extensive Arthur Ellis sleeping bags when they made their correspondence files dating from 1883 up to 1983, historic conquest of Mt Everest in 1953. Maurice board minutes 1906 to 1966, shareholder records Kelly’s centennial history of the company, Mill in the 1906–69, ledgers, journals, cash books, wages & Valley, was published in 1977. Ten years later, the Ellis tax returns for 1873–1978, employee records 1876– family sold their shares in the company to the Northern 1979, as well as buildings, valuations, advertising, newspaper clippings and photographs spread over of the factory, progressive mechanisation, working 1250 separate files. Bendix Hallenstein, founder of conditions, wages, health and safety matters; and the group, came to New Zealand in 1862 and opened Louise Vickerman’s BA Hons thesis in 1981, ‘A a store in Queenstown. With his brothers, Isaac and Colonial Capitalist — Bendix Hallenstein 1835–1905’, Michaelis, and the manufacturer J.F.Anderson, the provides background to his career in New Zealand. New Zealand Clothing Factory was established Two further theses provide useful insights into factory in Dunedin in 1873. It was the first, and for many working conditions: Diana Unwin’s ‘Women in N.Z. years the largest clothing factory in the country, and Industry, with special reference to factory industry and a major employer of women. The company’s main conditions in Dunedin’ (MA Hons, 1944) and Penelope objective was to supply inexpensive, ready-made Harper in her 1988 PhD History thesis tells the story of quality clothing, initially using materials from the ‘The Dunedin Tailoresses’ Union, 1889–1914’ Roslyn, Mosgiel and Kaiapoi woollen mills. In 1876, Hallenstein Bros was established as a retail outlet, In 1968 the Garron Group Limited, Dunedin by the turn of century the partnership had 34 stores manufacturers of women’s garments, went into around the country, and in 1906 it became a limited receivership, involving the separate companies of liability company. The retail stores were important for D.H.Blackie Ltd, Garron Manufacturing Co.Ltd, the N.Z. Clothing Factory and, in 1884, the Drapery Regent Gowns Ltd, Judy Anne Ltd, Sabrina Dunedin and General Importing Company of N.Z. (D.I.C.) was Ltd and Julie Howard Gowns Ltd. As a result, the established — initially as a co-operative, but later Hocken Collections obtained an extensive archive becoming limited liability company, its name being of correspondence files from the 1960s and financial shortened to D.I.C. Ltd in 1965. In 1987, Hallenstein’s records of the various associated companies in the menswear stores merged with Glasson’s womenswear group. (which already had 101 retail shops in Australia and New Zealand, the head office FOOD & BEVERageS moving to Auckland. Since then, Hallenstein Glasson Dunedin’s principal manufacturer has for many years has continued to be one of the more successful been Cadbury’s Confectionery Ltd. Established Australasian retailers. as the biscuitmaker R.Hudson & Co. in 1868, it became Cadbury Fry Hudson Ltd in 1930, Cadbury Although Charles Brasch and C.R.Nicolson wrote a Schweppes Hudson Ltd in 1973, and finally took its company history in Hallensteins — The First Century present name in 1991. For over 130 years it has been 1873–1973, published by the company in its centennial one of Dunedin’s largest employers and the leading year, a better insight into the origins and history of manufacturer of chocolate and confectionery in New Hallensteins is contained in three theses. The first, Zealand. The Hocken Collections hold a modest ‘Hallenstein Brothers and Co. 1876–1906 — the archive of company records, mainly accounting, early years of mass retailing in New Zealand’, was which includes ledgers for 1901–19 & 1928–69, written by Louise Shaw for a Postgraduate Diploma journals 1930–75, cashbooks 1928–60, import books of Arts (1994); Penelope Isaac, in a BA Hons thesis 1905–11 & 1924–33, sales books 1933–67, and some entitled ‘Stir, Bustle and Whir! A History of the N.Z. correspondence 1885–1943. Two histories, both Clothing Company 1873–1905’ (1996) provides a entitled Sweet Success, have been written about the comprehensive coverage of the layout and operation company’s New Zealand operations — the first by Sir Carl Smith in 1968 and the second, a more detailed account, by E.E.Barringer in 2000. There is also a useful 32-page booklet, liberally illustrated, entitled R.Hudson & Co.Ltd — Diamond Jubilee Souvenir 1868–1928. Mackintosh Caley Phoenix Ltd, also a prominent biscuit and confectionery manufacturer in earlier years, with its head office in Dunedin and branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It had developed The shop (on right) in Filleul St, Dunedin, where James Irvine commenced business in under this name from several 1864. Bacon and jam were processed in another building to the rear. [c/n E5992/28] companies: John Mackintosh & Packing sheep’s tongues into tins at Irvine & Stevenson’s St George Co. Ltd in May 1942, during World War 2. [E.A.Phillips, c/n E5954/2] Co., the Phoenix Company Ltd, R.K.Murray & Son, Geoffrey Stevenson, a member of the family who had and D.Kingsland & Co. After being taken over by taken up journalism, wrote the 49-page history of The AB Consolidated the plant, in Maclaggan St, closed in House of St George in 1964, as he said, ‘under the 1976. The Hocken holds some correspondence files, watchful eye of his grandfather’. financial statements, employment records and other papers, but most of the material dates from the 1950s Although the Hocken holds no business records of and 1960s W.Gregg & Co. it does hold a company history by Professor Peter C.Matheson entitled A Centennial Another Dunedin icon in the food business for more History and Modern Review of W.Gregg & Co. Ltd. than a century was Irvine & Stevenson’s St George 1861–1961. W.Gregg & Co, merged with Cerebos Co. Ltd, makers of jam and canners of meat, fish Foots Ltd in July 1984 to form Cerebos Greggs Ltd. and fruit. The company had its origins when William An interesting analysis of the herb & spice department Stevenson and James Irvine commenced business in at Cerebos Greggs is contained in a Central Library 1881.