Thursday, October 9, 2008

An inventive district

Yesterday was one of those times when, as I look in a resource for one subject (a blockhouse in Otahuhu, by the way), I find something completely different. And then, as this is the way I think, I then go chasing off across the paddock of knowledge after this new, tantalising bit of info.

The product of this latest diversion is this post.

I found a set of names of people who lived in the Avondale, Waterview (and Blockhouse Bay) areas who had taken out patents for their ideas and inventions. Now, I have next to no further information just yet on these people in most cases, but here's the list (from NZ Gazettes):

John Drummond Anderson (New Zealand Distiller)
1896: An invention entitled "Anderson's Hydrochloride Gold-saving Process."

Alfred Jerome Cadman
(nominee of James Lyle, Surrey, England)
1903: "An improved continuous retort for the destruction of small or finely divided vegetable substances".
1903: "An improved process and combination of ingredients to produce smokeless fuel briquettes."

J. Ellis
(no date): game

James Ferguson, farmer
1894: "An invention for an improved weed-extractor."
1894: "An invention for improvements in seed-sowing implements."
1897: A railway-crossing automatic electric alarm.

Edward Gifford (of Avondale South)
1902: With Robert Ridley Holmes of Newmarket, "An improved wire-strainer, staple-drawer, and wire-cutter."

John Henry Grattan
1902: Saw stripper and regulator.
1902: Single and multi purchase [purpose?] attachable gear for controlling horses and other animals.

C. D. Grey (well-known manager of Grey & Menzies, Mayor of Auckland 1909-1910)
1910: Packing-case lining

John James Haslam (of Wharf Road)
1887: "A Horse-power Earth-elevator and Self-acting Tipper."
1887: "Patent for an Invention for receiving and conveying Silt, Sand, Gravel, Scoria, Rock, or Stone, &c., named 'Haslam's Twin Self-discharging Hydraulic Hopper Pontoon.'"
1889: "... an invention for improvements in Haslam's patent twin self-discharging hydraulic hopper pontoon for receiving and conveying silt, sand, gravel, scoria, rock, stone, or other such material, and self-discharging same."
1897: "A duplex self-discharging silt-punt."

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