Homebush Brick, Pipe, Terra-Cotta and Pottery Works

Geologists discovery and early production
It all started with Dr von Hasst, the Provincial Geologist for Canterbury, and his discovery of large quantities of fine-grained fire clay, high in silica, at Surveyors Gully. Fire clay is often found in close proximity to coal and by chance this clay mine was less than 200m from the Homebush coal mine. There were plenty of business folk ready to take economic advantage of the geologist’s find.

In 1872, John Hobbs began a pottery and brick works up-river at Whitecliffs using the local clay of the area. Ford and Ogden opened shortly after and was managed by Thomas Dondliffe. It produced fire bricks, drainpipes (field tiles) for farm use and ‘fancy’ pottery. Ford and Ogden closed in 1903.

The Deans family go into production
John Deans started manufacturing bricks at Glentunnel around 1870 and focused on this product for the next 16 years. However in 1886 the factory started manufacturing drainpipes and two years later, terracotta work and pottery.

By 1887 the Deans family had spent thousands of pounds on the large brick complex with its three drying sheds, two machine sheds, repair shop and an engine and boiler house. Two kilns capable of holding 16,000 bricks stood nearby and the factory was staffed by 15 workers. John Deans II was the proprietor and the works managers included James McIlraith, James Smart, Lawerence (Nobby) Lord, Harry Rollinson and James Tarling.  Two of Christchurch’s leading architects, S. Hurst Seager and R.W. England Jr, helped with the design of some of the products.

With a town yard and office in Christchurch, the Homebush factory put out several attractively produced catalogues listing such diverse products as moulded and ornamental bricks, roofing tiles, ridges, finials, glazed pottery, fire bricks, blocks and various items of domestic and sanitary ware including lip bowls, teapots, chamber pots and spittoons. Hurst Seager’s 1885 Christchurch Municipal Chambers features some of the Homebush pottery’s decorative Queen Ann style panels and fancy bricks on its exterior.

Architectural wonders
In 1889 the factory’s name was officially changed to Homebush Brick, Tile, Terra-Cotta Pottery Works (It was previously called Glentunnel Brick, Tile, Terra-Cotta and Pottery Works). Admired by architects and builders, the catalogue offered 43 varieties of brick as well as 16 types of fine bricks, ornate chimney pots and cornices, tiles, grease traps, as well as string courses, bands and panels in red, buff or green. All domestic ware was deleted from 1889 onwards and field tiles for farm drainage became a major concern.

In 1890 Homebush fire bricks came second equal at the Canterbury A & P Show after exhibits had been tested at Anderson’s Foundry. In addition to Seager and England, other prominent architects recommended the Homebush bricks. By 1892, the Homebush works had in stock 132,000 bricks and 42,000 field pipes.

However, John Dean’s hard work and perseverance never came to fruition, as the business slumped during WWI and faced stiff competition from other brick and pottery works in Christchurch.  The Deans eventually sold the business in 1924.