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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Bock, William Rose

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Bock, William Rose, General Engraver, Die Sinker, Designer, etc., 11 Brandon Street, Wellington. Private residence, 47 Austin Street. Mr. Bock, whose fame as a high-class engraver, designer, and illuminator, has spread throughout the Colony, and indeed, even beyond New Zealand, was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He learned his business with his brother, Mr. A. Bock, of that city. Mr. Bock might almost be said to have been born and brought up an engraver, for he was thrown into contact with the work from infancy, and had a natural inclination for it. His father, Mr. Thomas Bock, was an engraver and portrait painter, of Birmingham, coming to the colonies in the very early days, when there was little call for the class of work in which he excelled. On one occasion, in order to provide work for his genius, he compiled a book on the lives of the bushrangers of the early days of Australia, and this book he illustrated by lithographs from his own chalk drawings. These pictures were among the first lithographs executed south of the line. Mr. Bock, sen., was also the first daguerreotypist in Tasmania, Daguerre being discoverer of the process of producing pictures by the aid of the sun. With advantages like these, it is not to be wondered at that when the subject of this sketch left his home for Melbourne, after serving an apprenticeship of two and a-half years with his brother, he turned out some excellent work. Mr. Bock came to Wellington as early as 1868, and entered the employ of Mr. James Hughes, with whom he stayed some five or six years. He then took up the management of the litho, and printing department of Messrs. Lyon and Blair, with whom he remained till the end of 1878, returning then to his former employer, Mr. Hughes. After a year here, Mr. Bock established himself in Lambton Quay as an engraver and lithographic printer. Finding the business growing beyond his power of management, owing to his having to do the greater part of the general work himself, Mr. Bock took into partnership with him the late Mr. Henry Elliott. This partnership, however, did not exist very long, and on Mr. Elliott's retirement Mr. Cousins, a practical engraver, took his place. The two engravers were together till 1889, when a dissolution took place, and Mr. Bock carried on the business alone under the title of Messrs. Bock and Co. till 1894, when he disposed of his business, and started again in Brandon Street, in premises nearly Apposite to his former establishment. While in control of the large concern referred to, Mr. Bock did a great deal of high-class work in all branches of his business, including a large number of illuminated addresses, many of which were sent from these shores to distant parts of the world. Two jubilee addresses to Her Majesty the Queen—one from the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives in New Zealand, and the other from the Masonic bodies of New Zealand—were beautifully prepared by Mr. Bock. The address to His Holiness the Pope on the occasion of his Jubilee, from the Catholics of New Zealand, was also executed by him. One of the finest, if not the finest, specimens of chromo-lithographic letterpress printing ever produced in this Colony was executed under Mr. Bock's direct control and superintendence. It is entitled Featon's Art Album of New Zealand Flora, and contains some forty plates, each being in itself a work of art. The letterpress of the same work is also done most beautifully in every particular. It is questionable if a more creditable production has ever emanated from a Colonial office. Mr. Bock now confines himself to designing, engraving, and die sinking, including seals, crests, etc., brass plate cutting, illuminating, embossing, and everything in the engraving line generally. He also undertakes lithographic and letterpress printing, maps, plans, etc. The dies for the present postage and inland revenue stamps were with one or two exceptions designed and engraved by Mr. Bock, as were also the dies for the present beer duty stamps. The designs for the medals and certificates of 1885 for the Wellington Exhibition, were executed by him, besides a great part of the best work in these lines which is turned out in Wellington. His latest achievement as a designer was in connection with the competitive designs called for by the Government for a series of eleven revenue and postage stamps, when, out of 200 sets of designs, Mr. Bock attained the premier position, being awarded three first prizes, two second prizes, and three honourable mentions out of his set of eleven stamps. Mr. Bock was Vice-President of the Master Printers' Association during the existence of that Society, and was for ten years Sergeant-Major of the D Battery artillery volunteers. He was one of the inaugurators of the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society, and takes a lively interest in matters social.