W H Blakeley & Company factory, 13-21 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
W H Blakeley & Company factory, 13-21 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 110725
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________Period: Inter-WarDATE: 1922-3;ASSOCIATIONS: W H Blakeley & Company ?____________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM - assessed Interwar_______________________________________VICTORIA HERITAGE DATABASENATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC) -W H Blakeley & CoClassified: 15/12/1986see https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/65260_______________________________________CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONSIndexhttps://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/60672/images/44777_349574-01144?pId=559261922 July 31 4333 ₤1825 Erection of new premises (factory)1923March 4983 Brick or rubble shed in rear of 17..._______________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1921, 1922... oldest saw manufacturers in Australia as repairs regrinding, saw gulleters, unequalled...Blakeley at 115 Lonsdale St.1923 MarchThe Northern Standard (Ulverstone, Tas. : 1921 - 1923)Wednesday 21 March 1923 - Page 4https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232746869Established 1867.W. H. BLAKELEY & CO. PTY. LTD.17 Little. Lonsdale St., Melbourne.(three doors from Spring street)PRACTICAL SAW & KNIFE MAKERS.Circular Saws made any size, gauge, and pattern tooth. Circular Sawsre-toothed, hammered, and reduced in thickness., Woodworking Cutters Made ta Order,any pattern. Crosscut Saw Re-toothed, Set and Sharpened, equal to new.Hand Saw Set, Sharpened and Retoothed any number of teeth..1929https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223823045SAWS, Machine Knives. — Our own make. Circular Saws. Disston's Handsaws, Drag Saws...price list- for cir. saw repairs. W. H. BLAKELEY and CO. PTY. LTD., Saw Manufacturers, 17 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne._______________________________________WEBblakeley.comhttps://www.blakeley.com.au/about-us`...William Henry Blakeley established his saw and knife manufacturing business in 1867, the first of its kind in Australia. A wholly owned Australian company, the business is still operated by the Blakeley family, who proudly continue to supply high quality industrial service and products.The Company manufacture and supply knives for a wide range of industries which include Printing, Paper, Pulp Mills, Plastic, Wood Chipping and Metal Industries. We have in house engineering resources to design and manufacture custom blades for all Industries.'.MUSEUM OF VICTORIAhttps://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1754626W.H. Blakeley CollectionItem HT 28665Transfer Print - WH Blakeley & Co Ecclesall Saw Works, Melbourne,William Henry Blakeley (1839-1921) was founder of the saw manufacturing empire W.H. Blakeley & Company Pty Ltd.William Henry Blakeley immigrated to Victoria in 1865. Trained as a saw maker in Sheffield, England, Blakeley established a business as a 'saw doctor' at 150 Little Bourke Street in 1867. His business grew over the next two decades. In 1878, from premises at 116 Russell Street, William Henry Blakeley promoted himself as a 'saw maker and importer of joiners tools' (Leckey 2004: 95). By 1888, his manufacturing and wholesale trade had expanded to such an extent that he was able to purchase a factory at 115 Lonsdale Street. The three storey structure featured a 'shop and office...on the ground floor and saw doctoring and manufacturing operations were conducted on the other floors. The basement was used for smithing and large-saw hammering' (Leckey 2004: 102).The establishment of his own factory coincided with the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition. W.H. Blakeley and Company exhibited a large number of products, including saws and blades manufactured at their premises in Lonsdale Street, saws from Henry Disston & Sons of Philadelphia (Blakeley being the sole agent for Disston's in Australia), and working saw-grinding machinery.In 1920, at the age of 81, William Henry Blakeley formed a 50:50 partnership with is son Herbert Leslie Blakeley (1890-1973). William Henry died the following year, and almost immediately Herbert Leslie incorporated the company. Following the creation of W.H. Blakeley & Co Pty Ltd, the company sold their premises at 115 Lonsdale Street, and bought premises at 13-21 Little Lonsdale Street, adjacent to Casselden Place. The company was opposed to the compulsory acquisition of 'Little Lon' by the commonwealth government, acting as nominee plaintiff for the whole precinct in the High Court action of 1953. Unsuccessful in its action, the company relocated to Nicholson Street in Fitzroy in 1961. Herbert Leslie remained head of the company until 1970; his brother William (1905-1995) managed it until 1989. The company, now based in Clayton North, is still in family hands and continues to trade to this day.
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1266332
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 110725 | 1 JPEG : 232 KB ; A5 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |