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Historic Poverty Bay and the East Coast, N.I., N.Z.

Brewery Interests, Etc

Brewery Interests, Etc.

The first brewery in Gisborne stood at the corner of Gladstone Road and Disraeli Streets. It was built by Captain Read in 1872, but it had only a brief career. Whitsun and Co., of Auckland, built a brewery at the northern end of Lowe Street in 1874. W. F. Crawford (the manager) bought it in 1875. Subsequently, a company which he formed and managed erected a new brewery in Aberdeen Road, and conducted it until 1897, when it was taken over by the Gisborne Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. Flook's brewery, which stood in Upper Gladstone Road, was operated for a few years in the early 1890's.

David John Barry (born in Liverpool in 1861) went to Western Australia with his parents in 1865. Some years afterwards the family settled in Hawke's Bay. He was employed as a driver at the Gisborne Brewery from 1878 till 1886, engaged in the manufacture of cordials from 1890 till 1897, and then became managing director of the Gisborne Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. When New Zealand Breweries took over the business in 1923 he was appointed local director. He was the founder of the firm of D. J. Barry Ltd., wine and spirit merchants. For some years he was president of the Gisborne Racing Club and, later, patron of the Poverty Bay Turf Club. He presented to the town the park which bears his name. His death took place on 26 March, 1945.

George Matthewson (born at Selkirk in 1840) landed at Wellington in 1868, and joined the firm of W. and G. Turnbull. In 1873 he settled in Poverty Bay, becoming manager of Rangatira station. He then established a wine and spirit business in Gisborne. For several terms he was a member of the Harbour Board. He died on 12 November, 1924.

Frederick Hall (born at Troubridge, England, in 1854) became one of Gisborne's most enterprising residents. He obtained employment in the town in 1874 as a painter and paperhanger, and, by thrift and industry, was in a position, within a few years, to buy out his employer. Eventually, he gained large interests both in town and country, and built up an extensive business as a painter, plumber and electrician. For a time he was a part-owner of the Gisborne Brewery. He replaced the old wooden Masonic Hotel with the present fine structure. On the turf he was very successful. Merry Roe (one of his “string”) was the dam of Duvach, who was the dam of Hiragi, the winner of the 1947 Melbourne Cup. He died on 20 April, 1935.