Pictures From The Past

From Mrs A. C. Holland, Russell Street, come these pictures of the suction dredge the "John Townley" which worked the old river harbour around the 1900's. In the course of her Red Cross work Mrs Holland met the late Mr George Hingston, who was in Ward seven at Cook Hospital, and learnt that he used to work for Davis and Third, an engineering firm in Gisborne who had the contract for the upkeep of the dredge. It was part of Mr Hingston's duties to work on the maintenance of the "John Townley". Mr Hingston died only this month.

Mr Hingston left Gisborne in 1908, after serving his apprenticeship, to go to England, and then eventually became chief engineer on the "Korua", from 1925 to 1931.

The dredge, originally of the bucket type and based at Lyttleton, was converted to suction and brought to Gisborne in 1902.

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The late Mr Hingston.

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Stern and bow views of the "John Townley" as she worked in the river harbour.

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Discharging silt into the hopper which held 130 tons and took nine minutes to fill. The contents consisted of 85% silt and 15% water.

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Discharging silt overboard.