Builders And Contractors, Etc.
Clark. George
, Builder, Contractor and Valuator, Princes Street South, Dunedin. Telephone 1174; Bankers, Bank of New Zealand; Private address, Park Street, Kensington. Mr. Clark started business in partnership with Mr. Lunn in 1886. The firm dissolved in 1892, and Mr. Clark immediately began business on his own account at his present address. He is now one of the leading builders in Dunedin, and constantly employs about twelve men. The premises are large, and include joinery works used only in connection with private contracts. The planing and moulding machinery is most up-to-date, and is driven by a powerful engine.
Mr. George Clark
Is the eldest son of the late Mr. Jasper Clark, a leading farmer in the Tokomairiro district, who arrived in
Otago by the ship “Jura” in 1858. He was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, accompanied his parents to New Zealand, was educated at the Tokomairiro District High School, and learned his trade, successively, with Mr. McClatchie and Mr. Hollick, both large builders in the district. After working for some years in Dunedin he started business in conjunction with Mr. Lunn, but the partnership was dissolved some years later, and Mr. Clark now carries on business solely on his own account. He has an extensive connection in the South Island, especially in Dunedin, where he has erected many large and important public and private buildings. Mr Clark is a member of the Order of Foresters, and has been for seven consecutive years chairman of the Kensington school committee. He married a daughter of the late Mr. James Dawson, of Tokomairiro, and has a family of two sons and three daughters.
Crawford And Watson
(Robert Crawford and John Watson), Builders and Contractors, Castle Street, Dunedin. Mr. Crawford was born in Scotland, and accompanied his parents to Dunedin in 1860. On leaving school he learned the trade of a builder, and in 1886, in conjunction with Mr. John Watson, started their present large and successful business. Mr. Crawford is married, and resides at Belleknowes, Mornington. He is referred to elsewhere in this volume as Captain of the Dunedin City Guards.
Greaves, George
, Builder and Contractor, Cumberland Street, Dunedin. Mr. Greaves was born in Birmingham, England, where he served his apprenticeship to the building trade. In 1872 he came out to Dunedin, where he soon began to carry on his trade. In succeeding years he was engaged in some extensive building operations in the city, such as Bishop Neville's house, St. Hilda's College, Heriot Row, and numerous handsome private residences. Latterly Mr. Greaves has confined his operations to the erection of residences on his own properties. In 1890 he took a trip to the Old Country. Mr. Greaves is married, and has three sons and two daughters.
McKechnie, Alexander
, Builder and Contractor, 14 Hyde Street, Dunedin. Mr. McKechnie was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and accompanied his father and mother with four other members of the family, in the ship “Maori, to Dunedin, in 1852. His father came out under engagement to the late Mr. John Cargill, who was farming at Tokomairiro, and was drowned while re-crossing the Tokomairiro after conveying the Rev. Mr. Bannerman over that river. Mrs McKechnie died in 1899, at the age of seventy-five. Mr. A. McKechnie learned carpentery and building at Milton, and settled in Dunedin about 1880, when he entered business as a builder. A few of the numerous contracts carried out by Mr. McKechnie may be mentioned, such as McLeod's soap works, the North Dunedin branch of the National Bank, Nees and Sons' furniture warehouse, the Corporation electric ear sheds at Dunedin and Wellington, the mangles suspension bridge over the Buller, a bridge at Mataura on the Riversdale-Switzers proposed line of railway, eight hundred feet of the Victorian wharf extension at Dunedin, thirty dredges and several quartz crushing plants and large pumping machinery at Bendigo, near Cromwell, besides numerous other buildings in town and country. Mr McKechnie has never taken any part in local politics, but was for over twenty years a member of the volunteers. He joined the Bruce Rifles shortly after the inception of
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that corps, and is a member of the Otago Early Settlers' Association. Mr. McKechnie is married, and has one son and one daughter. His daughter possesses considerable talent as a musician and an artist.
Meikle, Robert
, Builder and Contractor, 18 Russell Street, Dunedin. Mr. Meikle was born in Uphall, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, in 1843, and came to New Zealand with
his father, the late Mr. William Meikle, by the ship “Storm Cloud” in 1860. He started business with Mr. Campbell in 1870, under the style of Meikle and Campbell, contractors and builders; and the partnership existed till 1890. Mr. Meikle then retired from the building trade, and, for eight years, was successfully engaged in farming at Balclutha. He sold his farm, and returned to practice his profession in Dunedin in 1902. Messrs Meikle and Company built the Dunedin Telegraph Office, the four storey premises of Messrs Hellestein and Co., Dowling Street, and made the internal alterations necessary to convert the old University Buildings into the Colonial Bank. They also erected the Houghton Ward of the Dunedin Hospital, the principal railway stations around Dunedin, the large grain store at Lyttelton, and the Nenthorne section of the Otago Central railway. Mr. Meikle has never taken any part in public affairs, as his time has been too much occupied in attending to his business. He is married, and has a family of four sons and seven daughters. Five of his daughters are married.
Milnes, Joseph
, Builder and Contractor, 265 Cumberland Street, Dunedin. Mr. Milnes was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, where he learned the trade of a builder, and for twelve years carried on a successful builder's and contractor's business. In 1879 he came to Dunedin by the ship “Taranaki,” and for years afterwards was engaged in large and successful building operations in Otago. Three years after his arrival he joined Mr. Pope in business, under the style of Pope and Milnes, Mr. Pope died three years later, and since then Mr. Milnes has carried on business on his own account. Amongst the contracts carried out by Messrs Pope and Milnes, and subsequently by Mr. Milnes are: Alterations to the old Bank of Australasia, the box factory for the Evening Star Company in Crawford Street, Cuddies' store, the only brick hotel at Mosgiel, the Loan and Mercantile buildings in Lower Rattray Street, the Colonial Bank, Palmerston North; besides extensive alterations in the D.I.C. warehouse, and numerous other important public and private buildings. Mr. Milnes is chairman of the Ratepayers' and Householders' Association of Dunedin, and was a member of the Ravensboune school committee, and for two years its chairman. He is a member of the Order of Rechabites, in which he has gone through all the chairs, and has
been presented with the order of merit. Mr. Milnes was married before coming to New Zealand, and has one son and two daughters, and eight grandchildren.
Palmer, Henry
, Monumental Mason and Sculptor, Princes Street, Dunedin. This leading business was established in 1864. The yards, which are situated near the cemetery, are stocked with a fine assortment of monuments and gravestones, from handsome marble monuments to simple crosses and headstones. The proprietor imports marble extensively from the famous marble quarries in Carrara, and also imperishable granite from Aberdeen.
Mr. Henry Palmer
was born in Somersetshire, England, and accompanied his parents to Australia in 1858. Four years later he arrived in Dunedin, and after spending about two years on the goldfields, without meeting with success, started business in Dunedin on his present site. Mr. Palmer has never taken any part in local affairs, as
he finds that his business requires the whole of his time.
Rodger, J. And Son
, Builders and Contractors, Dundas Street, Dunedin. This firm was founded in 1888, by the late Mr. Rodger, and his son, Mr. James Rodger. The latter retired in 1902 to accept a responsible position under the Otago Education Board, and was succeeded by his brother, Mr. John Rodger, into whose hands the whole of the business fell on the death of his father in 1902.
Mr. John Rodger
was born and educated in Dunedin, and studied architecture at the Technical School, and the School of Art. He learned the building trade with his father, and afterwards with Messrs Crawford and Watson. He is a competent architect, and so is able to design his own plans. Mr. Rodger has erected many public and private buildings around Dunedin, including two large two-storey buildings in Union Street, a brick shop in St. Andrew Street, and two handsome residences in Canongate and Eden Streets. He has always taken a great interest in athletics.
Torrance, Richard Cameron
, Builder, Contractor, and Valuator, Manor Place, Dunedin. Mr. Torrance is further referred to as secretary of the Dunedin Builders and Contractors' Association.
Thomson, John Bryce
, Carpenter and Builder, Moray Place, Dunedin, Telephone, 181. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand, Private address, Filleul Street. This business was established by Mr. Thomson, in conjunction with Mr. James McGill, in 1866, under the
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style of McGill and Thomson. Since the dissolution of the partnership in 1893, Mr. Thomson has conducted the business, with the assistance of his elderson. Mr. Thomson is referred to at page 103 of this volume, as having been Mayor of Dunedin for the year 1883.
Thomson and Co.
(Robert Thomson and James H. Thomson), Sculptors and Monumental Masons, 148 Moray Place, Dunedin. Telephone, 865. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand.
Mr. Thomas Thomson
, the founder of this business, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1839, and came to Dunedin, in 1862 by the ship “Sevilla.” Shortly after his arrival he was employed in connection with the erection of the present Exchange Buildings in Princes Street, and afterwards with the building of First Church. In 1874 he founded the business now so successfully carried on by his two sons. Mr. Thomson took considerable interest in the affairs of the Mornington Road Board, and was a member of the Caledonian Society. He was a most enthusiastic grower of roses, and possessed one of the finest private collections of those flowers in Dunedin. Mr. Thomson died in 1887, leaving a widow and two sons.
Mr. Robert Thomson
, the eldest son of Mr. Thomas Thomson, was born in Dunedin, and educated at the Mornington and High Street schools. He learned his trade under his father, since whose death he practically had charge of the business until joined by his brother in 1901. Mr. Thomson looks after the manufacturing portion of the business, superintending the erection of the numerous headstones and monuments which the firm supplies throughout the South Island. Mr. Thomson is married and has three children.
Mr. James H. Thomson
, the youngest son of Mr. Thomas Thomson, was born in Mornington, and after following a commercial life for a number of years, joined his brother in 1901, and now superintends the commercial branch of the business. Mr. Thomson also carries on accountancy work and sharebroking. He is largely interested in dredging, and is a director of the Island Block Dredging Company, and secretary of the Unity Gold Dredging Company.
White, Joseph Eli
, Builder and Contractor, 225 Castle Street, Dunedin. Mr. White was born in 1853 at Southampton, England, and learned his trade with Messrs Bull and Son, builders of the Law Courts, London. He came to New Zealand in 1875, by the ship “Crusader,” and has since then been engaged in the building trade. As a master builder and sub-contractor, Mr. White has helped to erect many large and important buildings in Dunedin; such as the new centre portion of the D.I.C.; large additions to Donaghy's Rope Works at South Dunedin and Auckland; the hospital ward of the Benevolent Institution; the contract for the brick work in Mr John Roberts' new mansion at Littlebourne; the contract for the brick work in Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co.'s new wool and grain stores in Cumberland Street, Dunedin; the whole contract for Messrs Stronach and Morris' wool and grain stores in Crawford street, Dunedin; the contract for the St. Kilda Hotel, St. Kilda, Dunedin; Mr. Galt's new residence and stables at “Mararoa,” Mataura; the reinstatement of the Bruce Woollen Mills after their destruction by fire; the Nurse's Home at the Dunedin Hospital; the Wesleyan Church, South Dunedin; Moritzson's large grain and wool stores in Crawford Street; Cossens and Black's factory; Dr. McKellar's residence in Pitt Street; the latest additions to the Telegraph Office; Jamieson's large building in Moray Place; extensive additions to Messrs A. and T. Burt's engine house, and to Messrs Reid and Gray's premises; the Presbyterian manse at Mornington; Mr. Eastabrook's residence, Stuart Street, Dunedin; the Denton Hat Factory, King Street, Dunedin; Mr. Bagley's new shops in George Street, Dunedin; several factory brick chimney stacks in Dunedin and suburbs; the Leviathan Hotel, Cumberland Street; North East Valley tram sheds and stables; North East Valley school gymnasium building; the brick work of Ross and Glendining's new warehouse, High Street; the Roman Catholic presbytery. Milton; the large mansion, manager's house and stables for Mr. John McLean Buckley, of Redcastle, Oamaru,
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with a power house for electrical lighting. This is considered one of the finest residences in New Zealand, and on its completion, Mr. White was presented by Mr. Buckley with a magnificent gold watch and chain in appreciation of the satisfactory way in which he bed completed his contract. Mr. White was sub-contractor of the Grand Hotel, Butterworth Brothers' warehouse, the New Zealand Insurance Company's building, and the large new wing to Seacliff Asylum. Although a very busy man Mr. White has found time to devote to local affairs. He was a member of the North East Valley Borough Council for years, Mayor for one year, and also a member of the North East Valley school committee, and has occupied the position of Chief Ranger of Court Pride of Dunedin, No. 3780, and District Chief Ranger for the United District of Otago, Ancient Order of Foresters. Mr. White took a trip Home in 1900, and was absent from New Zealand about five months. He is a Justice of the Peace for New Zealand. Mr. and Mrs White have a family of three sons and four daughters.
Wright, Thomas John
(Junior), Painter and Decorator, 133 Moray Place, Dunedin. This business was established in 1889 by its present owner, who has had considerable experience as a master artist in all kinds of interior decorations in first-class houses. The building, which is of brick and two stories in height, is built on leasehold property, and painted and decorated throughout in an artistic combination of colours. A retail paperhanging trade has recently been added, and the premises are stocked with the most up-to-date paperhangings obtainable in England, America and the Continent. A large stock of painters' requisites is kept;
specialty is made of artistic and high-class interior decorations, and sign writing is another branch of the business. Beautiful new show rooms have been added to the premises, and are considered to rank among the best in the colony, being well lighted by large plate glass windows, with a pretty stained glass window at the rear. The ceiling is of fibrous plaster, and the walls are decorated in different examples of the prevailing styles of the day. The workshops and office are on the ground floor, whilst upstairs there is a large stock room filled with painters' and paperhanging requisites of all kinds. A large staff of competent hands is employed.
Mr. Wright
, the Proprietor, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He served part of his apprenticeship in his native city, and came to New Zealand in 1876 by the ship “Pomona.” For some years he carried on business successfully at Gore and Lawrence, before opening his present establishment in Dunedin in 1839. Mr. Wright was married, in 1881, and has one daughter and four sons.
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