Hoffman Kiln - Palmerston North

About

Built in 1904, the Hoffman Kiln, at 615 Featherston Street East, Palmerston North, New Zealand, is a Category One heritage building.

Story

The HOFFMAN CONTINUOUS KILN

The high demand for bricks prompted Robert Price Edwards to move from his small brickworks in Church Street (established 1886) to this property in 1901, and in around 1904 he constructed this Hoffman Kiln.

The kiln was based on a design patented by William Sercombe of Leicester, England, in 1891. A variation of the original, circular continuous kiln earlier patented in Germany by Frederick Hoffman.

Regularly spaced around the sides of the kiln are 14 openings known as 'wickets'. When clay bricks were ready to be fired labourers would build temporary walls inside the kiln. This created a series of 14 rooms or 'chambers' inside the kiln, each of which could be accessed through a wicket opening.

Up to 10,000 new bricks were then stacked inside at least ten of the chambers and the wicket openings were bricked up and plastered over. In the remaining chambers, large wood fires were lit. Over a week, the heat of these fires was steadily increased. It took approximately six weeks for the fire to travel around the 14 chambers in the kiln

In 1931 the Hawke's Bay earthquake caused a decline in demand for bricks. As wages increased after the Great Depression, and the clay began to run out, the Continuous Kiln became uneconomic to run. Attempts to adapt it to gas firing were not successful. In 1959, the Continuous Kiln was fired for the last time.

This Kiln is one of New Zealand’s outstanding industrial buildings and provides a rare and valuable insight into New Zealand’s industrial history.

It is classified as Category 1 by Heritage New Zealand and is registered as a place of historical interest in the Palmerston North District Plan.

Ownership is vested in the Hoffman Kiln Trust, a Charitable Trust responsible for the site on behalf of the community. The Trust will control the development of the site as a centre for the Brick Industry.

If you are interested in learning more about the fascinating art of brickmaking, it’s importance in the development of Palmerston North, and the Hoffman Kiln in particular, the Hoffman Kiln Trust has copies of Jim Lundy’s fine book – Nine Thousand Bricks a Day for sale at $30.00. You can obtain one by contacting us through this Facebook page or through the postal address below. All proceeds go towards the development of the kiln and its site.

The Hoffman Kiln Trust
P.O. Box 8030,
Palmerston North
New Zealand