Willaston Lime Kilns
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Town or Locality: | Willaston |
Lime burning was one of the first industries established in Willaston. There was a large demand for lime by the building industry and limestone was abundant in the Willaston area. Lime was also a house-hold commodity, being used in ‘deep drop’ and toilets in general. This changed with the development of the septic system.
Packed in kilns, the limestone took an average of twenty hours to burn, with a similar period before it was cooled off, sufficient to bag. There were a number of lime kilns operating in Willaston, some of them quite large enterprises.
Gawler and Willaston Lime and Brick Company Limited
It is interesting to read the extract “Jottings in and around Gawler” published in The Bunyip on Friday 30th May 1879 - “...After glancing at all worth seeing in the place I accompanied a guide to the LIME AND BRICK COMPANY’S WORK. The grounds at present occupied by the Company extends along the railway line, and has a frontage thereto of about 22 chains. From one end to the other limestone is visible, the surface in some parts being literally covered with it; there is little doubt therefore, with the facilities afforded for transit, the immense amount of material easily available for manufacture into lime, the excellent markets not only in the vicinity but in Adelaide and elsewhere, that the Lime and Brick Company will, when in full swing, speedily show an excellent dividend to shareholders, and also increase their capital.”
The article went on to talk about the easy availability of large amounts of quality timber nearby. Over 3500 shares had been taken up at £1 per share and the Directors had secured offices in the Gawler Town Hall. By October of 1879, The Bunyip reported that the equivalent of 42 tons, 1,365 bushels of lime was being transported each week. Lime from the Willaston kilns were in demand in Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Burra, Hallett and Morgan. In May 1892 the Gawler & Willaston Lime & Brick Company was in liquidation.
Lime Kiln, Redbanks Road Mr. George Crossing built the lime kiln in 1876. It was built to his own design and regarded as unique in the colony. He purchased the land from William Ayling in October 1876 for £7-5-0
Quoting from “The Gawler Handbook” by George Loyau , written in 1880 – “The kilns are very substantial buildings of brick, the walls being four feet thick and ninety feet long.....They are divided into three compartments and can turn out immense quantities of lime. Being built on the side of a hill they put the wood and limestone in from the back, and the lime is taken out at the bottom or lower side. This saves a great deal of labour, as the kiln discharges itself. The permanent kiln is a huge affair capable of burning 1,000 bushels of lime at a time”.
Mr. Crossing sold the kiln in May 1895 to Elizabeth Lenert for £200 “for the land with four lime kilns and all other improvements thereon”. Elizabeth Lenert was the wife of Charles Lenert of Willaston Limeburners. It was later sold to Messrs. Ayling and Dwyer.
References
Memories of Willaston Lime Kilns
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