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Adam Werner and the Ellesmere Engineering Works at Doyleston
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TitleAdam Werner and the Ellesmere Engineering Works at Doyleston
DescriptionAdam Werner was born in 1852 at Uichlerlitz in Saxony.
He gained his engineering qualification at the factory of Carl Bach, Weissenfield, before working as a fitter and turner at Prenslaw Engineering, then in the Locomotive Repair Shop at Greisfwald.
From there he went to England (Barton, near Whitehaven) to work on the construction of locomotives destined for Mauritius and New Zealand.
Adam returned to Germany for a short time, employed by firms in Hamburg and Kiel.
In 1875 Adam arrived in New Zealand on the “Waitangi.” He followed various occupations for about 12 months then was engine driving at the Wallsend coal mine, Malvern, for 18 months.
Next, he was employed by Mr. Dixon of Ashley for whom he operated a threshing plant. His skill in engineering was soon recognised and for over nine years he was busy repairing and following the threshing machines around Canterbury.
With the encouragement of local farmers, a business was set up in Doyleston in the disused bacon factory on the west side of the railway line.
The business was a success and in 1898 a new building was erected on Railway Terrace.
It consisted of an office and storeroom (brick walls- fireproof), smithing shop, wheelwrights shop, erecting, and repair shop and paint shop. Two large funnels at each end of the roof allowed smoke and steam to escape without engulfing the interior.
Large doors, hung on wheels, at the front and back of the building let a traction engine and threshing mill to pass through without dismantling either.
Machinery was belt driven from long line shafting which extended the full length of the building with belts and pulleys going off in all directions.
Power was supplied from a coal-fired boiler coupled to a vertical steam engine until early 1920 when electricity arrived, but as the supply was erratic at that time, a standby generator in the form of a 40HP Avery tractor was used.
As well as annual overhauls and general repairs to most of the agricultural machinery in the district, Werner had patents for rod-lifters, bag-lifters, chaff-feeders, and clover-shellers and was the first to combine the clover sheller with the threshing machine.
Manufacturing of platform scales was a specialty patented to him also.
In conjunction with Job Osborne, a slow-motion gorse-cutting machine was invented.
Werner’s were agents for Robey Traction Engines. Five were imported, the first going to Lemon’s in 1909 and the last to Herb Gardiner in 1914.
At peak times there could be 20 men employed by Adam who by all accounts was a good man to work for.
Adam was a member of the Doyleston school committee and was chairman for four years. He was also a member of the Ellesmere A&P Association and took prizes with the machinery of his own manufacture.
He also founded the Druid Lodge in the Ellesmere district and was president for two years.
Adam married Emily Tucker in 1883 and had three daughters. He died in October 1929, just three weeks after his wife.
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date12 February 2020SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoyleston
DescriptionAdam Werner was born in 1852 at Uichlerlitz in Saxony. He gained his engineering qualification at the factory of Carl Bach, Weissenfield, before working as a fitter and turner at Prenslaw Engineering, then in the Locomotive Repair Shop at Greisfwald.
From there he went to England (Barton, near Whitehaven) to work on the construction of locomotives destined for Mauritius and New Zealand.
Adam returned to Germany for a short time, employed by firms in Hamburg and Kiel.
In 1875 Adam arrived in New Zealand on the “Waitangi.” He followed various occupations for about 12 months then was engine driving at the Wallsend coal mine, Malvern, for 18 months.
Next, he was employed by Mr. Dixon of Ashley for whom he operated a threshing plant. His skill in engineering was soon recognised and for over nine years he was busy repairing and following the threshing machines around Canterbury.
With the encouragement of local farmers, a business was set up in Doyleston in the disused bacon factory on the west side of the railway line.
The business was a success and in 1898 a new building was erected on Railway Terrace.
It consisted of an office and storeroom (brick walls- fireproof), smithing shop, wheelwrights shop, erecting, and repair shop and paint shop. Two large funnels at each end of the roof allowed smoke and steam to escape without engulfing the interior.
Large doors, hung on wheels, at the front and back of the building let a traction engine and threshing mill to pass through without dismantling either.
Machinery was belt driven from long line shafting which extended the full length of the building with belts and pulleys going off in all directions.
Power was supplied from a coal-fired boiler coupled to a vertical steam engine until early 1920 when electricity arrived, but as the supply was erratic at that time, a standby generator in the form of a 40HP Avery tractor was used.
As well as annual overhauls and general repairs to most of the agricultural machinery in the district, Werner had patents for rod-lifters, bag-lifters, chaff-feeders, and clover-shellers and was the first to combine the clover sheller with the threshing machine.
Manufacturing of platform scales was a specialty patented to him also.
In conjunction with Job Osborne, a slow-motion gorse-cutting machine was invented.
Werner’s were agents for Robey Traction Engines. Five were imported, the first going to Lemon’s in 1909 and the last to Herb Gardiner in 1914.
At peak times there could be 20 men employed by Adam who by all accounts was a good man to work for.
Adam was a member of the Doyleston school committee and was chairman for four years. He was also a member of the Ellesmere A&P Association and took prizes with the machinery of his own manufacture.
He also founded the Druid Lodge in the Ellesmere district and was president for two years.
Adam married Emily Tucker in 1883 and had three daughters. He died in October 1929, just three weeks after his wife.
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date12 February 2020SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoylestonImage
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Connections
CollectionHistory of DoylestonPlaceDoylestonOrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyImageThe Ellesmere Engineering WorksCridge Seeds Ltd
PlaceDoylestonOrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyImageThe Ellesmere Engineering WorksCridge Seeds LtdAttribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
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Adam Werner and the Ellesmere Engineering Works at Doyleston (12 February 2020). Selwyn Stories, accessed 24/06/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5292