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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Brewers, Maltsters, Wine And Spirit Merchants

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Brewers, Maltsters, Wine And Spirit Merchants.

Including—Bottlers, Brewers and Maltsters, Wine and Spirit Merchants.

The Crown Brewery Company, Limited, corner of Antigua and St. Asaph Streets, Christchurch. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Telephone, 108. Managing Director, the Hon. C. Louisson, M.L.C. This brewery dates from the early days of Christchurch. Previous to 1875 it was an unpretentious concern, but in that year the late Mr W. White took over the business and formed it into a company known as the Crown Brewery Company. In the following year Messrs Louisson Bros. purchased a large number of shares, and ultimately acquired all the remaining interests in the company; and since then its history has been one of continued prosperity and expansion. From a very small beginning, with an output of a few hogsheads per week for local consumption, its extension under the able management of the Messrs Louisson Bros. since their acquisition of the property has been great, and it now ranks as one of the leading businesses, with a very large output, and a connection extending all over New Zealand. The plant, which is considered one of the best and most up-to-date in the colony, was erected without regard to cost, and is capable of working up to fifty hogsheads per day. Only the best and purest ingredients are used in the manufacture. The hops are obtained from Nelson and the barley from Canterbury; of the latter 30,000 bushels are annually used by the firm, and this consumption materially adds to the activity of the farming industry. The cellars, of which there are several, are very spacious, and have a stowage capacity of over 2500 hogsheads. The floors are laid down in concrete, and the brick walls, as well as the walls of departments where the various processes are conducted, are painted with a patent germ-proof enamel. A copious supply of water is laid on and is used to its utmost so as to ensure the most scrupulous cleanliness. The water used in the manufacture is of the purest quality, and obtained at a depth of 400 feet with an average temperature of fifty-four degrees; it is laid all over the buildings, and can be utilised at a moment's notice, in case of fire. The brewery is constructed on the latest scientific principles, with all modern improvements, and built on the semi-gravitation system, which enables full advantage to be taken of the coldness of the water running through the refrigerators. An area of about four acres is taken up by the buildings, which form an extensive group, of which the brewery and offices are handsome and imposing. Brick premises were erected in 1898 to supersede the old wooden buildings then in existence. The fine suite of offices, occupying the corner of Antigua and St. Asaph Streets, is most conveniently designed and handsomely fitted up, and comprises a large counting-house, manager's room, and strong room, with other apartments. The brewery is conducted under the supervision of a thoroughly experienced first-class brewer who has been with the firm for a period of ten years, and who, previous to his arrival in New Zealand, gained a thorough knowledge in some of the leading British breweries. The Crown Brewery in its extensive operations employs a staff of thirty-two hands, whose efforts are often taxed to supply the
Offices of the Crown Brewery Company.

Offices of the Crown Brewery Company.

page 291
Bottling Store, Crown Brewery.

Bottling Store, Crown Brewery.

orders of the firm's customers. The products of the “Crown” have been most successful at various exhibitions, and at the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's shows, in obtaining numerous certificates of merit and medals, and the firm's reputation as the manufacturer of a pure, high-class beer is acknowledged throughout New Zealand. The bottling department is carried on in premises adjoining the brewery, and the firm's bottled ales are noted for their tonic and invigorating qualities; but although a large business is done in this department, the firm devotes more attention to the more important branch is the output of bulk ales, which are highly esteemed throughout New Zealand.
Crown Brewery.

Crown Brewery.

The Hon. C. Louisson, Managing Director of the Crown Brewery Company, is referred to in another article as a member of the Legislative Council.

Cuddon, William, Maltster, Miller, and Grain Merchant, Christchurch. Malthouses and Mills, Fendalton. Telephone 395; P.O. Box 278. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Fendalton. This business was established in 1869 by the present proprietor, who holds ten acres of land on which the works are situated, as well as a large and convenient residence. There are two malthouses and two kilns, each of two stories, built in brick and stone. Two steeps of 45 and 30 sacks capacity are in use, and 30,000 bushels can be stored in the buildings. The output of the works is equal to 30,000 bushels per annum. The mill is a threestorey building of iron, erected on concrete foundations four feet high. Mr. Cuddon has all the necessary plant for turning out pearl barley, roasted and ground chicory, ground pepper, rice, ginger, coffee, brose-meal, peameal, patent groats, split peas, crystallized amber, and porter malts. He deals with merchants only, and his clients are found in all parts of New Zealand and Australia. Agencies are established in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland. Mr. William Cuddon, the proprietor, is an old Colonist, who, arrived in Lyttelton in the ship “Egmont” in 1856. He was born at Nayland, near Colchester, England, in 1835, educated at Wolverhampton and Kenny College, Richmond, Surrey, and brought up as a brewer and maltster under his father, who owned a large brewery and maltings in Suffolk. When he came to New Zealand in 1856, Mr. Cuddon brought with him the first engine and boiler imported into Canterbury, and started sawmilling in Le Bon's Bay, where he carried on the business very successfully; afterwards starting his present business. Mr. Cuddon was married in 1858 to a daughter of the late George Boggis, of Stoke by Nayland. Essex, and has three sons and seven daughters. Mrs. Cuddon died on the 24th of February, 1898.

Standish and Preece, photo.Mr. W. Cuddon.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. W. Cuddon.

Manning, S., And Company, Ltd. Directors: — Messrs W. P. Cowlishaw (chairman), G. G. Stead, and J. Shand; solicitors, Messrs Garrick, Cowlishaw, and Fisher. Manager and secretary, Mr. W. C. Hill; Brewers and Bottlers, Christchurch Brewery, Lower High Street, Christchurch. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia, Ltd. This well-known company has taken its place in the front rank of the large brewery concerns of the Colony. Its history has been one of continuous development and substantial growth. The nucleus of the business was formed by Mr. Samuel Manning in a very unpretentious way in the year 1860. In those days the total capacity of the plant was equal to two hogsheads of beer at one time; now the present plant will turn out forty hogsheads at one brewing. The area occupied is nearly nine acres, on which are substantial and permanent buildings. These comprise a large brick brewery, which replaced the original wooden building, and the offices fronting Lower High Street, the building being handsomely finished in Hoon Hay, Mount Somers, and Oamaru stone. From the entrance and lobby are the countinghouse, manager's room, and strong-room on the ground floor, and the board-room and committee-room on the other floor. The entire suite of rooms is handsomely finished with plastered cornices and ornamental ceilings, and the office fittings are executed in figured rimu relieved by ebonized bolection mouldings. The brewery is thoroughly up to date in every respect. Steam-power is generated by a seventeen horse-power Cornish boiler with Galloway tubes, Westport and Cardiff coal being exclusively used. The immense mashing tun and coppers are worked from this boiler, as well as a six and a half horsepower steam-engine by Messrs. Anderson and Co., fitted with a patent injector for forcing water into the boiler under pressure. This engine works the crushing mill, the elevator buckets, and the various pumps for transferring the liquor in process of brewing from one receptacle to another, and for raising water to the top of the building. At the basement of the brewery there is an immense underground concrete tank, which holds 4000 gallons, and is fed by artesian water. The pump may be utilised at a moment's notice for the suppression of fire, the premises being fully supplied with hose and couplings. Each floor is connected by speaking-tubes, which communicate also with the offices. Apart altogether from the brewery, there is a large bottling department in a handsome two-storey brick building in Lower High Street. The ground floor of this building is divided into two parts, one being used for the purpose of bottling and the other for page 292 storage. The first floor is used for the storage of cases, corks, and other materials. Messrs, Manning and Co. have been prizewinners at various exhibitions, the Brewery gold medal having been gained by them in Christchurch and a bronze medal was also obtained for bottled ale at the Melbourne Exhibition. Thirty-two employees are regularly engaged, the wages sheet being £60 per week, exclusive of the office and managerial staff, the brewer and two travellers. There is a large trade done throughout all parts of New Zealand. The company was incorporated in 1881; its capital being £120,000, of which £72,000 is paid up, and uniform dividends at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum have been paid since its inception.

Mr. W. C. Hill, Secretary and Manager of S. Manning and Co.'s Brewery Company, is referred to elsewhere as a member of St. Albans Borough Council.

Ward And Company, Ltd., Brewers, Bottlers and Maltsters, Canterbury Brewery, corner of Kilmore and Chester Streets and East Belt, Christchurch. Directors: Messrs F. D. S. Neave, chairman; A. Appleby, A. Bullock, and H. F. Wigram. Telephone, 164 P.O. Box 59. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia, Ltd. Joint-managers, Messrs Thomas H. Bartlett, F.I.A.N.Z., and Richard Steele, the former gentleman being also secretary of the company. The business was founded (being the first brewery in Canterbury) in 1854 by Mr Archer C. Croft, who was shortly afterwards joined by Mr. J. Hamilton Ward, when the firm took the style of Croft and Ward; later, under Mr. Ward alone, it became Ward and Co. In 1867 he parted with the business to Messrs Thomas Donglas and Henry William Lee, by whom it was carried on under the same style. The present company was incorporated in 1881. The firm has an acre and a half of land, on which stand the Canterbury brewery, malt-houses, cooperage, and offices. It has also two malt-houses known as the Phoenix Maltings, which cover nearly a quarter of an acre in Kilmore Street East, and it owns the City Brewery and maltings in Colombo Street South, which were purchased in 1890 from Messrs Vincent and Co., together with all freeholds, leaseholds, and general business. Adjacent to its offices the company also hold a quarter of an acre of land, on which are erected a twelve-stall stable with cart and gig-house. It has also considerable leasehold and freehold properties in various parts of the city. The Canterbury Brewery is a stone and brick building with a forty hogsheads plant. The malt-house, which is built of brick and three stories in height, has a 300 bushel capacity with storage for 60,000 bushels; there is a full plant in the cooperage suitable for all purposes. The bottling department, which has separate entrances in Kilmore Street and East Belt, is a single-storey brick building with storage capacity of 8000 dozen of bottled beer, in addition to a considerable stock of bulk ale and enormous quantities of empties. The brewery is worked by steam, a six horsepower horizontal engine being employed. Steam is generated by a large boiler fitted with Galloway tubes. The company imports hops from England and California, but it uses mainly Nelson-grown hops, and is a large purchaser of locally-grown barley. During forty years the firm has been successful in gaining numerous certificates and medals at the various intercolonial exhibitions. The trade of the firm extends Largely throughout Canterbury, but recently it has been working up a very large business in the North Island.

Mr. Francis D. S. Neave, B.A., J.P., Chairman of Directors of Ward and Company, Limited, was born in Essex in 1842. He was educated at Eton, and took his degree at Oxford in 1863. Coming to Lyttelton in the following year in the ship “Devonshire,” Mr. Neave purchased a run in the Rakaia district, which he curried on for twenty years, and became a resident in Riccarton in 1886. He has also acquired a freehold station property in Marlborough. Mr. Neave has taken considerable interest in educational matters. He is a Fellow of Christ's College, and for many years has been a Governor of Canterbury College and of the Lincoln Agricultural College. In mercantile matters he is a director of the Permanent Building and Investment Society, and chairman of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Society, and of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Insurance Company. He is also a member of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Wigram Bros. , Maltsters and Brickmakers, 123 Cashel Street, Christchurch; Malt Kilns. Heathcote; Brick-yards, Heathcote Velley, and at Woolston. The business conduced by this well-known firm was established by Mr. Henry Wigram in 1886. The works at Heathcote adjoin the railway station. The malt-house consists of two long brick buildings, two stories in height. There are five steeps, with capacity equal to 10,000 bushels of malt per month. The upper storey is used for storage purposes; it has a total capacity which exceeds 200,000 bushels. The work is done by a most complete system of elevators, conveyors, and screening machinery. The product of the malt-houses is sold in the Colony, and largely in Australia. Between the two malt-houses a railway siding passes to the Heathcote brick-works, which include a large number of drying-sheds, and a very fine kiln with a tall chimney-stack. When in full operation the output of bricks is 170,000 per month. The Heathcote brick-works are in operation part of the year, but the Woolston works are kept going all the year round, and turn out 100,000 bricks per month.