J and A Wilkinson Ltd

This is 121 Great King Street, Dunedin

You may need to enlarge the picture to see it clearly but once upon a time the name of J & A Wilkinson was displayed at the top and despite an attempt to remove is still relatively readily able to be read.

Far easier to see in this image which can be found here originally http://www.fclarchives.co.nz/item.php?id=29838 thanks to a reader for this link.
J & A Wilkinson were principally wood turners but worked somewhat in stone and and other materials.

This article from the Otago Witness of July 1894 gives a good view of who and what they were. The only perplexing aspect is that this building is not where the article indicates. The obvious conclusion is they moved sometime later, however that seems unlikely as the article is describing a new building built for them and on a prime site being a corner. Potentially this is an expansion of the business which again I wonder about as despite the confident style in which the article is written I wonder how long the business of wood turning survived (not a prominent industry today) They would have had to expand a lot to require yet another building built for them. Another little mystery to resolve in due course.

MESSES J. AND A. WILKINSON'S WORKS.


In a modern, if it may not be said to be a quiet., way — for the humming of the machinery and the burring of the operators' tools as, in cunningly working out the requisite shapes, they chisel the strips of wood away from the pieces which are being revolved upon the lathes absolutely preclude one, making any pretencions to veraciousness, from describing the business as a quiet one — Messrs J. and A. Wilkinson are pursuing, in their premises r.t the corner of St. Andrew and Great King streets, an industry of a valuable as well as very interesting character. The business, which embraces wood-turning, carving, band-sawing, fret-sawing, and shaping, was originally commenced by Mr A Wilkinson, sen , about; 14 years ago, but the younger heads of Messrs J and A. Wilkinson some six years ago took charge of it, find it prospered so satisfactorily that the premises. in which it was being connducted were found to be all too small for tho purpose, and early in the present year the firm entered into the possession of a building that was more suited to their requirements. The building is constructed of brick and cement, and has a frontage of 41ft to St. Andrew street;, and 4O ft on Great King street, the latter widening at the rear to 66ft, so as to provide a boiler house, which is separate from, though, of course, connected with the main workrooms. There are two storeys to the building, but Messrs J. and A Wilkinson utilise the ground floor only — a well-lighted and convenient workroom it makes — the upper storey being occupied by Messrs F. Howp.H and Co , pianoforte makers, and Mr C Y. Egcers, who is a manufacturer of chairs. Messrs Wilkinson devote their energies principally to supplying the cabinetmaking and building trade with all varieties of turnery and kindred work. The members of the firm aro bolh practical men, Mr James Wilkinson superintending the carving branch of the business and Mr Arthur Wilkinson controlling the turnery department. The bulk of the carving is executed by hand, the designs having previously been traced on tho wood, and among other remarkably creditable specimens of this class of work which are at present to be seen at the firm's establishment are panels, pediments, trusses for mantelpeices or counters, columns for chests of drawers, and capitals to suit every description of column. All of these and other examples of carving testify to the fact that an expert workman is engaged in this department. The turnery branch of the business is capable of executing work from minute ornaments to pillars or columns with a diameter of 18in, and such articles as legs of tables and bedsteads, balusters for stairs, plaque frames, and, indeed, every variety of circular moulding, includiug curtain rings and drawer knobs — tho latter, however, being not in great demand, and being only turned locally when they are wanted in New Zealand timbers. There are four lathes in the establishment, at which skilled workmen are employed converting pieces of square or oblong wood into neatly - shaped parts of articles of furniture. For the purpose of producing circular architraves for round-headed doors and wiudows the largest "face plate" in Dunedin — its diameter being 13ft. — is in use, this having been constructed, with the exception of the cast iron centre piece, by the firm themselves ; and the other appliances in the workshop include a largo band saw for cutting up plain boards to such deaigna as are required, a circular saw for ripping and cutting wood, a planing machine for dressing timber, a shaping machine for effecting the more delicate work, and a morticing machine, by the use of which articles are turned out so completely that they are sent to the cabinetmakers ready to be fitted together. The machinery is driven by a smoothly-working 10-horee power engine, the steam for which is generated in a new steel multitubular high pressure boiler.