Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1905, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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Lambert, James Halls , Pipe and Pottery Manufacturer, Kensington and North East Valley, Dunedin. Telephone, 196. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Kensington. It was in December, 1892, that this large manufacturing business was formed at North East Valley by its present owner, to whose enterprise, energy and experience the success achieved is attributable. Until 1888 Mr. Lambert conducted his business at North East Valley, where he has an acre of land, and the usual sheds and appliances for the manufacture of common drain pipes, flower pots, &c. In that year the new works at Kensington, which had been conducted by Mr. W. W. White since 1876, were purchased. They are situated on leasehold land—part of the Caledonian Society's grounds. There are two large permanent kilns which are stoked all round with ten fire holes, and the cost of erection was about £440 each. There is also an ordinary circular down draught kiln, which cost £150. A ten horse power horizontal steam engine drives the pottery wheels, of which there are three. The pipe making machine and the clay grinding appliance for preparing fine clay for bottle making are also driven by the engine. Mr. Lambert has held contracts for many years for supplying acid bottles to the New Zealand Drug Company. The leading lines manufactured at these very complete works are demijohns, glazed pipes—mostly two feet lengths and from two inches to eighteen inches in diameter—butter crocks, limestone filters, chimney pots, garden vases, border tiles, Buchan, Gully, and a variety of other traps, &c., &c. Mr. Lambert comes of a family who were before him engaged in the pipe making industry, his father and grandfather having been in that business. He was born in Northamptonshire, England, in 1834, learned the business in Bedfordshire, and landed at Sydney in 1859; after two or three years' experience as a brick-maker in the Colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, he crossed over to Dunedin and started in 1862. Mr. Lambert was for nine years a member of the North East Valley Borough Council. In 1869 he was married to a daughter of an old settler—Mr. John Duncan, of North East Valley—and has three sons and four daughters surviving.