Ballarat Tannery

The Ballarat Tannery was on a parcel of land that ran between Sturt Street and Wendouree Parade. It was established c1857 by Messrs Burrington, Anstis and Baker. By 1862 it was owned by James Lang.

History

THE BALLARAT TANNERY

On Tuesday, we paid this establishment a visit. It is situated on the left hand side of the Swamp, and about three-quarters of a mile beyond the Hospital. The premises belong to Mr Barrington, and have been in occupation for the last three months. The first building that we entered was the currier's workshop, where two carriers were busily at work, three being the number regu-larly employed. This building was 18 feet wide, 24 feet long, and 10 feet high. The next place that we came to was the drying shed, which is 70 feet long by 18 feet wide. Here a considerable quantity of skins were drying. Next to this place the beam shed is situated, where the skins are got ready for putting into the pits. There are fifteen pits altogether, viz. twelve tan pits, two lime pits, and one water pit. In the tan yard a quantity of bark is piled up, which is ground by a mill worked by one horse. The bark is obtained from the neighborhood of Creswick, and the surrounding locality. The number of men employed in the tan yard is some seven or eight, who were busily occupied. Owing to the absence of Mr Burlington we were not able to make as minute an inspection of the premises as we otherwise should have done. On our way to the tannery our attention was drawn to the large and handsome brick building which has been erected near the Swamp by Messrs Hassall and Monckton, as a steam flour mill. We believe that the ma chinery has all arrived upon the ground, and will be at work in time for the grain this season.

BALLARAT TANNERY. H. H. BURRINGTON & CO., TANNERS, CURRIERS, & LEATHER SELLERS,
‘BEG to inform the Leather Sellers, Saddlers, Boot and Shoe Makers, and the Miners of Ballarat and its vicinity, that they have just received a large and superior assortment of every description of imported goods…At their establishment, next London Chartered Bank.’

BALLARAT TANNERY. H. H. BURRINGTON & CO., TANNERS, CURRIERS, & LEATHER SELLERS,

‘BEG to inform the Leather Sellers, Saddlers, Boot and Shoe Makers, and the Miners of Ballarat and its vicinity, that they have just received a large and superior assortment of every description of imported goods, consisting of- French skins French fronts, of all sorts Roans of every color French patent Sprigs, every size Kit, the best quality Also, from the Manufactory- Heavy crop Light and heavy kip Yearlings Calf skins, &c., &c. All at the lowest prices. At their establishment, next London Chartered Bank, MAIN ROAD.‘

THE INDUSTRIES OF BALLARAT. THE BALLARAT TANNERY.

‘The Ballarat Tannery is situate on a large portion of ground stretching from Sturt street to the Wendouree Parade, and was established over five years ago, by Messrs Burrington, Anstis and Baker. It is now the sole property of Mr James Lang. Mr Burrington having since established the tan works at Buninyong, now carried on by Messrs Davies and Son. The series of wooden buildings forming the tannery occupy a position to the north-west of the Copenhagen Grounds, and seem to be exceedingly well adapted to this purpose. In general terms they describe a quadrangle, within which are situate forty-eight tan or liquor pits, provided with a double action pump for throwing the liquor from one tank to another, as also subterranean shoots whereby the liquor in one pit can be drawn off in favour of the other, or each can be brought to the same level. The drying and currying shed occupies the eastern side of the quadrangle, and is 150 feet in length, by about 24 feet in width. The northern extremity is occupied by men engaged in currying the leather. Its main length is fitted with two rows of horses, covered with tanned hides in process of drying. Near the south end is the rolling bed, intended for flattening, smoothing, and consolidating the leather for shoe soles. This, perhaps the most expensive and complex piece of construction in the establishment, is a mass of smooth pine timber, some eight or ten feet square, and eight feet deep below the floor, well bolted with iron, and each plank morticed to the other, so as to obtain an unyielding mass for the action of the roller. This is of brass, nine inches in length, but loaded with iron to a pressure equal to 10 cwt., and worked by hand. At the southern extremity of the building is a store for hides, those at present in stock being the skins of wallaby and the forester, the species of kangaroo next in size to the “old man,” but chiefly of the latter. These are in great esteem for the upper leather of shoes and boots; but it appears that the Victorian kangaroos are not equal to those of Tasmania, the skin of the latter being of superior closeness of grain. The skins of native cats, native bears, and opossums, also find a place in this store, but are esteemed more for curiosity and ornament, than for durability. Moving into the shed occupying the southern face of the quadrangle, we find it occupied by an engine, which, by means of shafting and belting, drives all the machinery on the premises. It was purchased by Mr Lang for £400 as a ten-horse, but is really a twelve-horse power engine. Here also is the bark mill (shortly to be replaced by one from England) for tearing into shreds and pieces the wattle bark, accounted the finest tanning agent and most powerful astringent in the world. The bark is procured at distances varying from thirty to forty miles, and is brought in by persons charged with its collection, who are paid at the rate of three pounds per ton, though last year the material brought as much as five pounds per ton. The bark stack is kept in a five acre paddock, on the opposite side of Sturt street, which is also devoted to the growth of hay for the horses used in the delivery of goods manufactured in the establishment. Close by the engine and bark mill shed, is another used for the preparation of dubbing and shumac, the latter of which is used in large quantities. On the western side of the quadrangle are the stables, containing stalls for five horses. In the south-east corner of the yard is situated the striking wheel, whereby the leather, after being limed, scudded, and unhaired, is subjected to the coloring operation. In this vessel which resembles a dog-wheel on a large scale, a quantity of hides are placed and rapidly turned in the coloring liquor, whereby they receive a uniformity of tint not so readily procurable by any other means. This process is preparatory to the immersion of the hides in the wattle-bark liquor pits, in which receptacles they remain on an average for four months. This circumstance, and the system of long credits, naturally cramps business, so that though about one hundred tanned hides are issued every week, the proprietor only calculates upon three profits in two years. His business lies chiefly in Ballarat and Pleasant Creek, Navarre, Inglewood, and other up-country mining districts, and the articles supplied are chiefly harness and other bright leathers for saddlers, and sole and upper leathers for shoemakers, belting for machinery, etc. The light sole leather meets with a ready market in England, and is sent there, but the kangaroo hides are in so much request here, that there is no motive for exporting them. The hides used in the tannery were formerly procured from the slaughter yards attached to the establishment, but are now contracted for at three and six months from butchers and slaughtermen on Ballarat or its neighbourhood. Mr Lang computed that he has at present in the liquor pits two thousand hides in preparation for the curriers, of which he has constantly four at work, besides a number of other men engaged in turning the hides, attending the mill, engine, and other apparatus, and delivering goods. Mr Lang, who resides on the spot, but has his business premises in Main Road, near the London Chartered Bank, computes the capital he has invested in the present business to amount to between nine and ten thousand pounds.’

External Links

---

--Beth Kicinski 14:07, 30 December 2012 (EST)