Ballarat Brass Foundry

Ballarat Brass Foundry. From Ballarat and Vicinity. Ballarat: F.W. Niven & Co.

Also known as M. B. John or John Valves.

Background

In 1896 M.B. John started the Ballarat Brass Foundry in Armstrong Street South on land leased from the Welsh Church. There were three men employed and the block was probably the former S9-16. The business grew rapidly and the land fronting the realigned Lydiard Street was also leased from the church.

M.B. John Staff Outside the Factory, Lydiard Street frontage, 1927. University of Ballarat Historical Collection [Cat. No. 7785]. Gift of Graeme Bawden.

In 1936, after the closure of the Welsh Church, M.B. John purchased the land. By 1940 the company had become the largest inland Brass Foundry in Australia and advertised that 'We specialise in Engineer's Brasswork.'

History

Around 1954 M.B. John moved to Creswick Road to become the large scale manufacturer "John Valves". Around 1957 the Ballarat School of Mines had acquired the triangual block (S9-A) including some of the M.B. John buildings. These were used for classes in moulding and boilermaking. By 1965 the M.B. John Machine Shop was in use for Panel Beating and Motor Mechanics classes.

1907 Advertisement. Courtesy University of Ballarat Historical Collection [Cat. No. m8281].

The site is now part of the University of Ballarat's SMB Campus.

Works Produced

Receipt. Courtesy University of Ballarat Historical Collection [Cat. No. M9932-4].

The People

M.B. John

George R. Mounsey, brass turner

Further Reading

Smith, James (Ed) The Cyclopedia of Victoria, Vol.II : An Historical and Commercial Review. Victoria: F.W. Niven & Co., 1904.

External Links

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C.K.Gervasoni 17:07, 11 March 2011 (EST), --S.Singaram 14:55, 20 January 2012 (EST)