Hoffman Kiln model returned after more than a century
A century-old piece of Palmerston North’s industrial history has been re-discovered in miniature.
A detailed model of the Hoffman Kiln brickworks has been given to the trust caring for the category 1 historic building by the family of the man responsible for building it.
Trustee David Chapple said it was exciting to be entrusted with the replica, which is nearly 120 years old.
‘‘It has been in the family of the builders all this time and they have donated it to the kiln trust.’’
Chapple said the model would have been used by Francis John Baker Sercombe to show potential customers how the kiln was constructed and how it worked.
He was amazed by the detail and the craftsmanship of the model, which could be taken apart to show the separate chambers, vents and dampers used to control the firing.
The features of the design that made it special were the single source of fire and the way the heat to the chambers could be controlled individually for continuous production.
‘‘We knew it existed, but we did not know what it looked like.’’
As well as the model, the gift came with various documents such as the original patent papers, advertisements and instructions, and the original plans for the building, drawn on a piece of linen fabric.
An architect himself, Chapple remembered the days when linen was used rather than paper for architectural drawing because of its quality.
‘‘It must have sat in a suitcase for maybe 100 years.’’
Chapple said aspects of the kiln’s history were still being discovered.
‘‘This gives us a whole lot more depth to what we have found out.’’
Chapple said the trust was getting advice from Te Manawa about the best way to preserve the finds and make them available for the public to see.
‘‘We now have to figure out how to look after it.’’
He said it would be great to have replicas of the model that could be souvenirs to help people understand how the kiln worked.
The Featherston St kiln was not the first on the site, but was recognised as significant as possibly the best-preserved example of a Hoffman continuous kiln.
The design was advanced by the Sercombe patent and built in 1904.
The kiln supplied bricks for many Palmerston North landmark buildings, including All Saints’ church. It was last fired in 1959.
The kiln was subject to vandalism over many years and its roof collapsed in high winds in 2015.
Property owners Higgins built a new roof before handing it over to the community.
There will be an open day at the kiln during local history week on Sunday November 8, from 10am to 4pm, when people will be able to see the treasured miniature.
‘‘It needs to be seen to appreciate the work that has gone into the details.’’