End of an era as Christchurch blacksmith closes down
December 19th 2007 08:24
I have always had an interest in photography that tells a story and I have often passed a local industrial blacksmiths from time to time, thinking what great images I could get from the workers toiling on the heavy machinery and around the furnaces, beating metal into the desired shapes.
Anyway time passes and it had slipped my mind until this Saturday when I read in the Christchurch Press that the business was closing down after 37 years operated by the current owner Foster Raharuhi. The original business was founded by the Penfold family who arrived in the early ships from England.
So taking the opportunity before a part of Christchurch history is lost, I gave Foster a call and after explaining my interest, he said I was more than welcome to visit and take some photographs.
Everything in the pics were exactly how I found them and nothing was staged or placed for a better image.
All photographs are copyright and not to reproduced without the photographers consent
After taking a good selection of pictures of which only a small sample have been shown here, I chatted to Foster about the business and why the closure? He explained that there were various different factors that made him come to his decision. These were getting staff who weren't afraid to get out of bed and work hard, a change in farming machinery manufacturing with spares more readily available for newer machines, changing markets and more government regulations to contend with.
There was a lot of history there on the site ranging from a 50 ton press, to another machine made in 1915, to a pair of workers measuring tongs made and date stamped by one of the original workers from the late 1800s. In todays working enviroments of ultra clean, well lit,chrome and glass factories, I found it fascinating to walk around a site such as this, with piles of metal, tools and old machinery laying around, all the time wondering how long they had been there?
Time moves on and in the everchanging face of Christchurch, D.H Bull will soon become another part of Christchurch history. So with that thought in mind, I have an idea to plan an exhibition of my images from D.H Bull in the near future.
I would be interested if any of my readers had any old photos of the site that I could view?
A big thank you to Foster Raharuhi for letting me visit and taking the time to talk about the history of the site.
Words and photography by Heath Ling
End of an Era collection now available from www.heathling.co.nz
Anyway time passes and it had slipped my mind until this Saturday when I read in the Christchurch Press that the business was closing down after 37 years operated by the current owner Foster Raharuhi. The original business was founded by the Penfold family who arrived in the early ships from England.
So taking the opportunity before a part of Christchurch history is lost, I gave Foster a call and after explaining my interest, he said I was more than welcome to visit and take some photographs.
Everything in the pics were exactly how I found them and nothing was staged or placed for a better image.
All photographs are copyright and not to reproduced without the photographers consent
After taking a good selection of pictures of which only a small sample have been shown here, I chatted to Foster about the business and why the closure? He explained that there were various different factors that made him come to his decision. These were getting staff who weren't afraid to get out of bed and work hard, a change in farming machinery manufacturing with spares more readily available for newer machines, changing markets and more government regulations to contend with.
There was a lot of history there on the site ranging from a 50 ton press, to another machine made in 1915, to a pair of workers measuring tongs made and date stamped by one of the original workers from the late 1800s. In todays working enviroments of ultra clean, well lit,chrome and glass factories, I found it fascinating to walk around a site such as this, with piles of metal, tools and old machinery laying around, all the time wondering how long they had been there?
Time moves on and in the everchanging face of Christchurch, D.H Bull will soon become another part of Christchurch history. So with that thought in mind, I have an idea to plan an exhibition of my images from D.H Bull in the near future.
I would be interested if any of my readers had any old photos of the site that I could view?
A big thank you to Foster Raharuhi for letting me visit and taking the time to talk about the history of the site.
Words and photography by Heath Ling
End of an Era collection now available from www.heathling.co.nz
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Comment by Jake Gracie
For a while now ive been trying to find a place or person that would be able 2 give me some pointers about blacksmithing, ive always had a interest in it and was wondering if there was a contact number for Mr Raharuhi so that i would be able 2 ask him a few questions about where i could learn. please email me with a reply
Cheers