Foundries and Smelting works

The Fraser Coast was an area of great manufacturing activity. Many foundries and smelting works existed in the area. Although Walkers is the most well know, many more thrived.

Walkers Ltd (Source Qld State Archives Flickr )

For over three quarters of a century Fraser Coast was known as "a location for good stoves" (Trove) Many people still find lumps of metal in their yards and wonder about the history of the area. A reader recalls walking down Walker Street as a child and seeing men covered in sweat and black emerging from the dark. This was Daniels and Co Scotia Foundry. This Foundry was commenced in 1909 by Mr James F. Daniels. The plant was a "modern and complete" foundry which had "equipment to carry out either large or small contracts". It was most well known for its Scotia Dover Stoves and boiler stands which it manufactured over many decades. It also produced wrought iron for verandahs (Trove). The foundry ceased operations in 1981.

The Albion Foundry, Unity Street Maryborough, was on a block bounded by Kent, Amity, Sussex and Unity Street. It began in 1889 and was first listed to James Parker and John Walton as the Copper and Brass Foundry. In 1892 it was listed as Hansen and May Albion Foundry. In 1896 Hanson and Walton made cast iron balustrading for the School of Arts balcony (Queensland Heritage Register). By 1913 the business had become Hockleys and Tait and had opened in Adelaide Street some time before in 1883.

Hockley &Co Stove Exhibit 1902 (Source: Maryborough, Wide Bay and Burnett Historical Society Inc.)

C. Woodhouse and Sons began in 1885 . "Mr Chas Woodhouse set up a small forge in... Pallas Street and began labouring as a working blacksmith". His business expanded with the manufacture of Colonial Ovens (Trove).

The Croydon foundry Co  located at Croydon Junction (Baddow), several kilometres northwest of Maryborough made not only stoves, but agricultural implements and machinery, equipment for the sawmill and smaller factories "fulfilling contracts from all over Queensland and other States. In the earlier days they concentrated on iron and bronzework and manufactured the handsome memorial gates at the Botanical Gardens and the Presbyterian Church" (Trove).The Foundry also boasted an "extensive engineering works with special pattern-making and casting department employing a large staff"(Trove).

The Croydon Foundry was operated by William Robert Stevenson & Sons from 1908 to 1968. Much of the interesting history behind this successful operation is contained in the museum which is housed in the foundry’s former office - 30 Ferry Street Maryborough.

The company was very successful in the manufacture of cast iron, brass and bronze products as well as steel stoves. The foundry was kept busy for a time with sugar mill and sawmill requirements across the state. The Howard mines and Howard power station also relied upon their work.

The former office now houses a small museum with original artefacts, tools, and documents which shed light on an industry that was central to the development of Maryborough over the last century. The museum also contains one of the stoves for which the foundry was renowned.The Museum is Open:

Tuesday – Friday:10am to 2pm 

Saturday: 9am to 1pm 

Closed public holidays.Entry is free of charge.

Manufacturing work was dangerous and a story from the Sovereign Stove Works highlights the risk of such labour. Sovereign Stove Works Pty Ltd, managed by S Connell was located at 145 Walker Street, Maryborough. Mr R Connell was the director. The foundry made Sovereign Stoves and boiler stands in both steel and iron that were used throughout the Eastern State. Experimentation with materials resulted in Stoves "that had improved appearance and greater durability" (Trove).

In 1947 Robert Connell, 48, married of 143 Cheapside Street was involved in a explosion at the Sovereign Stove Works. The Coroner's Report details this terrible accident "The deceased went behind a wall to empty some metal when the explosion occurred. He felt the force of the explosion and started to run. .. the witness could only guess what had caused the explosion. He had never seen the practice carried out before whereby metal was poured into a drum of water.".  (Trove). 

The Witness described the incident.

"He then heard moans coming from the spot where the explosion had occurred. He went to investigate and found deceased lying alongside the scales. He was on his back and one leg was over the scales which were upside down. His left leg was blown off from the knee. There was a piece of metal like the centre of a wheel against his face. The Witness pulled this away. Deceased said Get me out of here. The witness pulled deceased away and sat him up against the clay pot. His face was badly scratched and there was blood about his head. The ambulance had been telephoned and came and took him to hospital.He (the witness) heard that deceased had died later". (Trove)

Adershot smelting works was also a place where many people worked and the site of several accidents.(Trove)

In 1947/8 WM Olds and Son Pty Ltd Mechanical Engineers and Founders formed as there was a need for a foundry that could create a product that could be machined.

Do you have any pictures of these foundries?

Maryborough Family History have a Pinterest collections on the Stove Foundries of Maryborough  and Aldershot .

References:
Queensland Heritage Register - School of Arts retrieved on the 25.9.2018 from https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600701
Maryborough Chronicle - General information about Manufacturing 2st June, 1941 retrieved  on 25.9.2018 from Maryborough Chronicle Trove
The Queensland 1 August 1903 C. Woodhouse and Sons retrieved on 25.9.2018 from Trove
Maryborough Chronicle 21st June 1941 Croydon Foundry retrieved on 25.9.2018 from Trove
Maryborough Chronicle 1st June, 1933 Croydon Foundry retrieved on 1.6.1933 from Trove
Maryborough Chronicle 21st June 1941 Daniels and Co Scotia Foundry retrieved on 25.9.2018 from Trove
Maryborough Chronicle 8th February, 1910 Aldershot Smelting Works retrieved on 8.2.1910 from Trove

Tags #stoveworks #frasercoast #manufacturing #accident #stoves #smelting #croydon #albion #daniels #sovereign