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Iron And Brass Founders.
Fairweather, William,
Engineer, Iron and Brass Founder, Walter Street, Blenheim. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Walter Street. This business was established by Mr. Fairweather in 1879. The premises, which are built chiefly of iron, cover an area of 1600 square feet, and the machinery is driven by a four-horse power engine, built by the proprietor. The machinery includes drilling, screwing and bending machines, two lathes, an emery wheel, and a travelling crane. Mr. Fairweather makes all his own castings in brass and iron, and he does work in that connection for settlers throughout the whole of Marlborough. He is the manufacturer of “Fairweather's” strippers, which have proved a boon to flax dressers, and he sends these to nearly all parts of the Colony. Mr. Fairweather was born in Forfarshire,
Scotland, in 1842, and was apprenticed as an engineer with Messrs Pearce Bros., of Lilybank Foundry, Dundee On the completion of his five years of apprenticeship, he went to Greenock and Liverpool, and thence to America, and while on his travels he gained valuable information as an engineer. In 1875 he came to New Zealand by the ship “Rangitikei.” For a time he was with Messrs John Anderson and Co., of Christchurch; later on he was in the employment of the Despatch Foundry Company, Ltd., Grey-mouth, and then he established his present business, which, by dint of energy and perseverance, and with the assistance of his two sons, he has made the foremost of its kind in Marlborough.
Garnham, B.,
Engineer, Boilermaker, General Blacksmith, High Street, Blenheim. Mr. Garnham's establishment is equal to all the requirements of the district, and is well supplied with screw cutting lathes, drilling machines, punching and shearing machines, steam hammers, screwing machines, heavy and light boiler plate rolls, stationary and portable forges, and the usual complement of all the many smaller tools. Steam gauges, steam and
water fittings, brass checks and other valves, all kinds of packings, bar and plate brass, oils, bolts and nuts, copper, tin and other metals bar and plate iron and steel and other requisites for engines and machinery are kept in stock. Mr. Garnham has had over thirty years' experience in England and New Zealand. He came to the Colony in 1878, and worked in Wellington with Mr. E. Seagar, of the Victoria Foundry, until 1889, when he removed to Blenheim and established his present business.
Miller And Mckay
, Ironmongers, and General Hardware Furnishers, Market Place, Blenheim. The firm of Messrs Miller and McKay is one of the most progressive in the province of Marlborough. It has made its way to the front rank, and conducts a steady and increasing trade. The business was established in the year 1881, by Mr. F. C. Litchfield, and was taken over by the present proprietor in 1899. The premises are situated close to the Government Buildings. They have a frontage of sixty feet to Market Place, and consist of a one-storied wood and brick building, which extends from Market Place through to the next street. The building contains several departments, which are all handsomely fitted up. The furniture department, which was added in 1905, has a frontage to Market Place, and carries a large stock of furniture of all kinds, and the front shop displays a varied assortment of crockery, glass, and plated ware, paints and colours, seeds, garden implements, cutlery, mechanics' tools, builders', household, and furnishing ironmongery, guns and ammunition, crystal and cut-glass ware, etc. The whole of the rear of the building is devoted to the storage of bulk stock, such as ranges, ploughs, and other agricultural implements. The firm imports in large quantities from all parts of the world, and holds a number of sole agencies. The office possesses a library of works on commercial subjects, and these enable the firm to keep its stock right up to date. Messrs Miller and McKay are now (1905) opening a branch at Picton in the main street, where they are putting up a fine building with large double-plate glass windows. The stock will be specially adapted to the necessities of a seaport town.
Mr. George Maxwell McKay
, Senior Partner in the firm of Messrs Miller and McKay, was born in Nelson on the 27th of April, 1862, and is a son of the late John McKay, builder and contractor. He was educated partly in Nelson, at Hodson's private school, and afterwards at Grovetown, under Mr. Leete. Mr. McKay was afterwards employed in the firm of Messrs
Robertson Brothers, ironmongers. Two years later he took up a position in the grocery department of Messrs Litchfield and Sons, and remained in their employment for over ten years. During that time he opened a branch business for them at Mahakipawa, and
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subsequently became manager of the grocery, wine, and spirit department at headquarters in Blenheim. Mr. McKay then purchased this portion of Messrs Litchfield and Sons' business, and conducted it on his own account for several years. In 1899, she assisted Mr. Miller in the establishment of the firm of Messrs Miller and McKay, and about one year and six months later, sold his wine and spirits and grocery business to Mr. James Benning, in order to throw all his energy into active co-operation with Mr. Miller. He married Miss Emma Horton, the eldest daughter of Mr. William Horton, of Blenheim, in April, 1890, and has two daughters.
Taylor, J., Junior,
Farrier and General Blacksmith, High Street Blenheim. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Maxwell Road. This business was established by the late Mr. Joseph Taylor, in 1855, and was taken over by his son in 1869; but is now carried on by Mr. J. Taylor, junior. The business premises are situated on a quarter acre section of freehold property; and the successive owners have successfully maintained the reputation for good workmanship, which was gained by the late Mr. Joseph Taylor, who was a tradesman of the first order. Shoeing and repairs of all kinds are undertaken, and the owner has clients in all parts of the district.
Mr. Joseph Taylor
was born in Manchester, England, in 1840, and landed in Wellington by the ship “Queen of the Avon,” in June, 1859. Two months later, he removed to Blenheim, where he resided ever after; and experienced many trials and hardships in the early days. Mr. Taylor took a prominent part in every movement set on foot for the welfare of the district. As a Freemason, he was a Past Master. He was a Past Grand of the Order of Oddfellows, and had been treasurer of his Lodge for over twenty years. Mr. Taylor likewise served on the school committee, and the Lower Wairau River Board. He died on the 4th of February, 1903.
Mr. John Taylor
was born in Manchester, England, in 1841, and came to New Zealand by the ship “Queen of the Avon.” He settled in Blenheim, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Taylor is a Freemason of many years' standing; he was one of the founders of Lodge Unanimity, and he is also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter. He is also Past Provincial Grand Master of the Oddfellows. Mr. Taylor joined the local volunteer corps in 1862, and the long service medal was presented to him some years ago. Mr. Taylor has been an active and loyal member of the Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade, in which he served as branchman for many years. He is an ardent philatelist, and has collected some thousands of old and rare stamps, as well as Maori curios, and other rarities, with which he has formed an interesting miniature museum.
Tunnicliffe, Charles,
Blacksmith, Farrier and Coachbuilder, Grove Road, Blenheim. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. This well-known business was established by the proprietor in 1889, and he receives a fair share of patronage from settlers throughout the whole province of Marlborough. The premises are replete with all modern machinery and tools necessary to the turning out of first-class workmanship, and are situated in Grove Road. They have a frontage of about
25 feet, with a depth of 50 feet. Mr. Charles Tunnicliffe was born in Derbyshire, England, and came to Nelson in the year 1862. He remained at Nelson for some years, and then removed to Blenheim, where he has since resided. Mr. Tunnicliffe is a member of the Blenheim Fire Brigade, of which he is secretary, and he is also a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and a Freemason.
Mr. Alexander Crawford Leslie
, sometime in business as a tinsmith, plumber, and gasfitter in Market Street, Blenheim, was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, emigrated to Victoria in 1854, and came to New Zealand in 1861, in time to join the Gabriel's Gully “rush” of that year. He served in the New Zealand
militia from 1864 to 1868, while the Maoris, under the leadership of Titokowaru, were in arms in the Wanganui district. Mr. Leslie settled in the Marlborough district in 1887. He died suddenly on the 26th of July, 1905, while travelling on a train near Marton, in the North Island, and was buried at Blenheim, on the 30th of the same month.
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