Vickery and Masefield (Auckland)
of Albert Street/Chapel Square, Auckland, NZ. Chapel Square was renamed St Patrick's Square in 1932.
1864 'ENGINE FACTORY.— It is probably amongst one of the things not generally known in Auckland that we have a steam power factory. Messrs. Vickery and Masefield, of Albert-street, might give the same answer as one of the early partners of James Watt did when he was asked by a Royal Highness of that day what his business was. "I am a manufacturer of what kings like so well, your Royal Highness, power." Vickery and Masefield are particularly manufacturers of power, for they not alone make and mend steam engines, but they have all the most recently invented tools to enable them to do so with economy and dispatch. The remark has often been made, and it is found to be particularly true, that in the colonies we have some of the very best workmen in their various ways ; and it is as gratifying to find that in this the workman has tools of the very best kind — seven lathes of various sizes to do all the necessary finishing work for steam engines ; a shaping machine to cut out cog-wheels, to cut them out, too, from the solid metal, and leave none of the chances of flaw or fracture consequent upon casting them ; a bolt-screwing machine to make all the multitudinous work of a thousand taps and dies; and a drilling and boring machine that planes away strips of cast iron with more ease than a carpenter would a piece of kauri pine. Amongst the most recent additions made to their plant by Messrs. Vickery and Masefield, are a powerful punching machine and a gap lathe. The gap lathe is a costly machine, the price in London, without freight or charges, being £320. This lathe will take in 20 feet between the centres, and carry a weight of ten tons. The real use of the machine is to enable its enterprising owners to make repairs to any steamer that may come into the harbour, and, of course, to do such repairs with the greatest dispatch. The face-plate of the machine is two feet in diameter, and it is fitted with internal spur-gear. At the foundry castings from three to five tons can be turned out. There is a deposit of sand on Smail's Point found to be well suited for casting, and the firm have taken the fullest advantage of this by using iron boxes for their moulds, instead of the old uncertain wooden box. Near the moulding shop there is also a brass foundry, where any, and all sorts, of brass castings are made. Crossing to the west side of Albert-street, we find the firm are erecting large and permanent machine shops, as they intend to use their present machine shop as a foundry only. In the new shop, boiler making is being very briskly carried on, as the firm have now in hand to order, six engines from six to thirty-house power, every part of which they manufacture themselves. Those who are curious in the matter will here find the most recent inventions of Fairbairn, Sharp, Roberts and Co., and Nasmyth. A great deal is now done by steam power ; but so soon as the new erecting shops are complete, everything will be done by steam to which steam can possibly be applied. We most sincerely wish every success to our townsmen, and hope that the extending trade of Auckland may soon give them more than work enough.— July 23'[1]
1865 'DEFECTIVE MACHINERY.— At the Supreme Court, yesterday, the first case tried was an action brought by Mr. John McLeod, of Kaipara, against Messrs. Vickery and Masefield, engineers and iron-founders, Auckland, to recover the sum of £5,000, amount of damages alleged to have been sustained by him in consequence of the defective construction of a piston for the steam-engine on board the steamer Bluenose, in February, 1862. In that year the plaintiff had returned from North America with a steam-engine of 33-horse power, for either a steamer, coal-mine, or saw-pit. On the defendants' examining the cylinder, it was found to he conical-shaped and not parallel, which necessitated its being re-bored and the making of a new piston, for a sum of £17, which plaintiff agreed to. When the piston was examined, after having been delivered and in use, there were two holes in it, which should not have been in it if properly made. After shifting the machinery to the Manukau, plaintiff had a vessel built in Onehunga adapted for sailing in shallow water. He had previously consulted the beat authorities as to the style of build. She cost £2,500. On her first trial she seemed to answer very well under light steam pressure, but afterwards, on increasing the steam pressure, it was found that her progress was thereby retarded. She did not attain half the speed she ought to have accomplished. The cause of diminished speed could not be ascertained for a length of time, and the machinery was constantly breaking. Two holes were afterwards discovered in the piston which were sufficient to account for the loss of speed, and the damage done to the machinery. If the vessel had answered the purpose as regarded her rate of speed, the plaintiff could have disposed of her for £5,000, as such build of vessels at that time were very scarce, he was obliged to dispose of her for £1,500. After the holes were plugged, her average speed was from eight to ten knots. Several witnesses were examined, who stated that pistons were sometimes made with holes, for the purpose of chucking them to the lathe; but they were afterwards tapped with wrought-iron bolts. It was proved that the Bluenose was, at that time, the only steamer of that character suitable for the navigation of the Waikato; and that if the trial trip had been satisfactory as regarded her speed, she would have been purchased from the plaintiff for £4,000. The jury returned a verdict for the defendants, on the ground that the work was done in a workmanlike manner.'[2]
1876 'Trying a Rotary Engine.— Several trials have recently been made of a rotary engine, the invention of Mr. Vaile, of Auckland. The engine has been, says a correspondent, successful so far, and has been employed to drive machinery in the establishment of Messrs. Vickery & Masefield. Of course a great deal has yet to be done; but if the engine can be made entirely successful in practice, it will be one of the most important inventions of recent years.'[3]
1860s photograph of foundry here.