Iron And Brass Founders, etc.
Brimble, James,
Plumber, Gasfitter and Tinsmith, Hospital Street, Greymouth. Mr. Brimble has at different times undertaken several contracts for plumbing and gasfitting, including those at the Post Office, State school, and the large Greymouth drillshed. He
was born in Bristol, England, in the year 1853, and arrived in Australia with his parents in 1860. The family remained in Victoria two years, then crossed over to New Zealand, and settled on the West Coast in 1865. Mr. Brimble was for a period of seven years in the employment of Mr. Thomas Ballinger, of Wellington, where he first became thoroughly acquainted with his trade.
The Dispatch Foundry Company, Limited
(Engineers, Boiler makers, Iron and Brass Founders and General Smiths), Greymouth. This company was registered in the year 1875, with a capital of £12,000 in 12,000 £1 shares. The board of directors consists of Messrs Felix Campbell, Andrew Matheson, P. M. Griffen and G. S. Smith. The secretary and manager are Messrs William Rae and Joseph Hambleton respectively. Previous to the incorporation of the company Messrs Rae and Sewell had commenced business in the various branches, but as the trade expanded beyond their anticipation, the company was formed. The company has paid regular dividends to shareholders. At present it employs sixty persons. It has in its time manufactured 8000 feet of waterpipes for the Humphrey's Gully Company, a hundred tons of girders for the Otira Gorge bridge, ten-head stamper batteries, and sets of joints and crossings for the Government railways, besides the usual work for the sawmills, sluicing and crushing claims, coal mines, etc.
Mr. William Rae,
J.P.F.I.A.N.Z., Secretary of the Company, owns nearly half of the shares, and is a native of Haddington, Scotland. He was educated at the Haddington High School, and proceeded to Glasgow, where he served his time as an accountant in a merchant's office, but, like many others, he thought of trying his fortune in Australia, and landed in Melbourne in the year 1852. He was immediately engaged by the late firm of Messrs Edmund Westby and Co., as accountant, and remained in the position for four years. Then he went to the Bendigo goldfields, where he bought a share in a steam puddling mill. The
ground proved to be exceptionally rich for some time, but he eventually sold out and commenced business as a sawmiller with his partner, Mr. G. F. Walker, in Bendigo. Prices were high, and the speculation turned out a most profitable one. When gold was found at Gabriel's Gully, New Zealand, Mr. Rae left for Dunedin, and commenced business as a timber merchant; but when, the “rush” to Hokitika was in full swing, he moved thither, and entered into the timber trade with his late partner, Mr. Haworth. The business
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was afterwards transferred to Greymouth, and carrried on successfully for some years. In 1873, Mr. Rae joined Mr. Sewell in the business which eventually became the Dispatch Foundry Company, Ltd. Mr. Rae is posessed of some literary taste. He wrote “Reminiscences of Greymouth”—a work which was well received—and he has frequently contributed articles to the local papers. He has been chairman of the trustees of the Greymouth Benevolent Society. Amongst all classes of the community Mr. Rae is universally esteemed for his many good qualities, and he is always ready to lend a helping hand in raising money for any charitable purpose.
Mr. Joseph Hambleton
, the Manager of the Dispatch Foundry Company, Limited, entered on his present duties in 1889. He has his private residence in Puketahi Street, Greymouth. Mr. Hambleton was born in Manchester, England, in 1844. His father was an engineer by profession and he followed the calling in his native town, where he was for several years with Mr. Isaac Watt-Bolton. Mr. Hambleton sought further experience in the United States. He worked on the gunboats of the Mississippi during a time of war, and was employed on Rhodes Island by the noted firm of Corless and Nightingale, patentees of the “Corless” engine. After returning
to the Old Country, Mr. Hambleton came out to New Zealand by the ship “Stornoway,” and landed at Port Chalmers in 1868. For twelve months he was on the ship “Star of the South,” trading between Napier and Auckland. After that, he established himself in Dunedin, where he conducted the Britannia Iron Works for three years. Mr. Hambleton then returned to a seafaring life for sixteen years, during which he was in various steamers, as chief, second, and third engineer. Latterly, for five years, he was chief engineer on the “Herald,” and left that position to take charge of the Dispatch Foundry. Mr. Hambleton has been shipwrecked on three occasions, one of which was on the ill-fated “Star of the South,” which was wrecked on the Greymouth breakwater. Mr. Hambleton married a daughter of the late Mr. William Galbraith, of Nulton Mills, Glasgow, and has three sons and three daughters.
Heinz, William,
Westland Sheet Metal Works, Greymouth. Established at Hokitika in 1865, and at Greymouth in 1887. Mr. Heinz is a direct importer of English and American goods. He does all manner of plumbing works, constructs and repairs hot water services, and does gasfitting and tinsmithing in all their branches. Mr. Heinz manufactures dairy utensils, factory cans, milk dishes, etc., and is in a position to fulfil orders for 10,000 feet of pipes for mining purposes. He was the first on the West Coast to make these pipes, and everything he makes is made of the best material and sold at the cheapest rate. Mr. Emil Heinz, manager of this business, is a son of Mr. William Heinz, Hokitika. He learned his trade in New York, United States of America, and holds diplomas of the New York Technical Trade Schools.
Foxcroft, Thomas,
Tinsmith and Canner of Whitebait, corner of Tainui Street and Convent Lane, Greymouth. Established in 1865. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, High Street. This enterprising trader, who carries on a considerable business, employs three persons, who are kept busy all the year round, supplying orders for the local trade and the West Coast generally. In the year 1884, Mr. Foxcroft established a whitebait canning factory in a substantial building situated in High Street. Four or five tons are usually put through during the season, according to the plentifulness of fish in the Grey river, and are shipped to Australia, where there is a favourable market. Mr. Foxcroft is a native of Manchester, England, and came in 1853 to Australia, where he remained until 1861, when he crossed over to New Zealand, and worked on the several goldfields of the West Coast with varied success. In addition to tinsmithing, Mr. Foxcroft does a large plumbing and gasfitting business.
Greaney, John,
Farrier and General Blacksmith, Mackay Street, Greymouth. This business was founded by Mr. Greaney in the year 1895, and is conducted in a brick building, which stands on leasehold land. Mr. Greaney was born in 1875 in Greymouth, where he went to school. He learned his trade in the district, and entered into business at the age of twenty. Mr. Greaney was a member of the Greymouth Band for fourteen years, and was for seven years a member of the Fire Brigade. He married a daughter of Mr. Alexander Donoghue, of Ross, in the year 1903.
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