Name/Title

Photograph, More and Sons Sawmill

About this object

A black and white photograph of a More and sons Sawmill bush team with bullocks and horses. A note on the front of the photograph provides some of the names of the men present, they are as follows: James More, Thomas Bulman, Mr Wilkinson, and John More.

James More and Sons were saw millers in Riverton. James More Snr established the business and took over one of the early sawmills in Riverton. They first had a mill near the present recreation ground, before taking it over the river and milling a block there. Later sawmills of the firm were situated on the Pourakino river. The mills lay six or seven miles back from the river with which they were connected by an iron tramway. The timber was conveyed by a locomotive to the river where they were transported to Riverton in punts towed by a steam launch. Before establishing the sawmilling firm, James More Snr had a varied career working previously as an engineer, a miner, and a station owner before taking up saw milling.

James More Jnr was born in Riverton in 1874 and entered the sawmilling business with his father and brothers, Thomas and later Albert. James became a partner of James More and Sons in 1899 and was the bush manager at the mills. Mores continued to have a large impact on the community well into the 20th century. An article from the Southland Daily News, October 25, 1952 states: 'Indeed it was said at one time, with some truth, that the Mores owned half of Riverton'

Jimmy Jones imported the first cattle to New Zealand in the 1830s to provide fresh beef for his two Bluff shore whaling stations.

Cattle proved essential for the sawmilling industry in Southland. Bullocks (castrated bulls) provided essential heavily haulage for early timber and log extraction. Lumbering teams, comprised of many bullocks, were directed by a bullock driver to pull the heavy native logs from the bush through deep mud to the tram head, mill or wharf.

Place Made

Unknown

Maker

Unknown photographer

Maker Role

Photographer

Date Made

1900-1920

Inscription and Marks

Handwritten in pink ink on the front: 'Jas More Thos Bulman Wilkinson John More More's Tramway scene South Beach Riverton'
Handwritten in black ink on the back: 'P35.93.475'
Stamped on the back: 'Wallace Early Settlers Museum Riverton'
Handwritten in pencil on the back: 'Aveberry Brown 1/1 plate'
Handwritten in pencil on the back: 'see Frank Wilkinson'
Sticker on the back: 'WM. A Patterson, Taumarunui photographer details.'

Measurements

Image: h x 128 mm x w 198 mm
Mount: h x 250 mm x w 302 mm

Period

1910s

Object Type

photographs

Subject and Association Keywords

Forestry and Sawmilling

Medium and Materials

organic, processed material, paper

Object number

RI.P35.93.475

Rights

Public Domain

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