Iron Lace and Foundries

Coolavin Hotel, Goulburn

… One of the uses to which cast iron – also known as wrought iron or “iron lace” – was put, was the decoration and use in the home. The decoration took the form of open-work iron balusters on verandahs which was strong, allowed free access of air and came in many patterns. Open fire grates found favour with householders, as did garden seat ends, fire dogs, stoves, umbrella stands and a host of other articles.

The first recorded foundry identified in Goulburn was that of Evans Taylor, who was advertising his business in the Goulburn Herald in 1866. Various advertisements over successive years name him as engineer and gunsmith, and that he had established in business in 1849.

Byrne & Son were operating from 1866, and there is still a great many castings of Byrne and Son around Goulburn. Another early foundry was that of Ayling Brothers, branded Ayling Goulburn, later Hodkinson and Ayling, then Simpson and Jones and finally George Simpson. This establishment was situated in Yass Road. Matt Gibbons had a foundry on the southeast corner of Faithful and Addison Sts. There was AW Wardle, who advertised as an “engineer and boilermaker”.

Mulwaree Street, Goulburn

In 1881, Byrne and Son sold RT Ball and Co. By this time, Yass Road is referred to as Cowper St as the establishment was located on the corner of Cowper and Mundy Sts. RT Ball appears to have dominated the foundry business for some years in Goulburn as he seems to be continually changing partners and buying out other foundries. Subsequent ‘partnerships’ include Macfadyen, Ball and Bryant (1883) and Ball, Incher & Co (1883), with Ball & Incher dissolving in 1885.

In 1888, RT Ball & Co approached the Minister for Works with an offer to build railway trucks in Goulburn. On inspecting the facilities, the minister approved of the building of roling stock. Ball & Co, thus assured, built a large works establishment on the Church of England Glebe beyond Baxter’s Factory in 1890. The company built vans and trucks and fulfilled two large orders for the railway department. They employed some 150 to 200 men.



Coromandel St, Goulburn



By 1894, with banks failing and falling on bad times, the buildings were sold and demolished by the mortgagers, which put an end to the industry. The church lost some £850 in rent. After winding up of the company, it went back into business as the Goulburn Engineering and Foundry Works with RT Ball as manager. This foundry made many articles from heavy castings to stove parts and was especially notable for their iron grates and fireplace backings.



Sources:

1.  Goulburn buildings fine ornamentation: an era of rich works by Stephen Tazewell in Goulburn Post, 28 Aug 1986, p.8.

2.  Goulburn Lace and Foundries by ET Cross (1995)

Do you have any iron lacework on your house or property?  Was it produced by a Goulburn foundry?  Please share your memories.