Crown Lynn

A DigitalNZ Story by nixit

Many of us grew up with Crown Lynn crockery in our homes, work and community spaces. These days it's a popular collectible.

Crown Lynn, Te Toi Uku, New Lynn, New Zealand Railways, Crown Lynn swan, Portage Ceramics, Tom Clark

West Auckland history

The history of Crown Lynn is indelibly marked on West Auckland.

In the mid 1850s pipes and bricks were being made in Hobsonville, Northwest Auckland. British immigrant Rice Owen Clark needed pipes to drain his land and set up a business making the goods that other landowners would need. Several others set up similar businesses and eventually they joined together to become Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company.

In 1924 the business moved to New Lynn. By the 1930s the company was under the management of Clark's great grandson Tom Clark and was producing all sorts of electrical and rubber items. Later in the decade the company started to look at the viability of producing crockery for the New Zealand market. World War II brought import regulations to New Zealand which meant that there was a market just waiting to be serviced. By the late forties the range of items had diversified and Crown Lynn Potteries was born from the specials department of Amalgamated Brick and Pipe.

Black and white image of clay quarry including tracks and carts

Early settlers of West Auckland mined clay for their pipe and brickworks.

Photograph - Clay quarry

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Amalgamated Brick & Pipe Company's Works and The Crown Lynn Pottery with Clay Workings at Rear

Photograph - "Amalgamated Brick & Pipe Company's Works and The Crown Lynn Pottery with Clay Workings at Rear. New Lynn Auckland New Zealand"

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Image: Gardner's downdraught kiln, New Lynn.

Parker & Gardner Bros downdraught kiln

Built in 1926, the kiln has been restored to sit on the site of Te Toi Uku: The Crown Lynn & Clayworks Museum, New Lynn.

Gardner's downdraught kiln, New Lynn.

Auckland Libraries

Photograph - AB&P truck

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Photograph - Car parked by a clay quarry in countryside

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Tom Clark

Great grandson of Rice Owen Clark, Tom Clark formed Crown Lynn in 1948.

Photograph - Portrait of Tom Clark

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Photograph - Tom Clark & Walter Nash

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Image: Crown Lynn Potteries, New Lynn, Auckland

Crown Lynn Potteries 1968

Crown Lynn Potteries was born in 1948 as the homeware division of the Amalgamated Brick and Tile Company (AMBRICO)

Crown Lynn Potteries, New Lynn, Auckland

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Photograph - Mino Kiln - View Over Furnaces "Crown Lynn 8/6/70"

Furnaces 1970

Black and white image of furnaces at the kiln at Crown Lynn

Photograph - Mino Kiln - View Over Furnaces "Crown Lynn 8/6/70"

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Famous in West Auckland (and far beyond)

Many older West Aucklanders have stories about working at Crown Lynn Potteries. The company produced millions of pieces of tablewear and even exported to Australia and Canada.

Transparency - Eileen Machin applying transfers to casseroles in Sapphire

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Crown Lynn tour

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Crown Lynn workers

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Negative - Worker sitting at mounted machine, holding stack of plates applying colour or similar

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Negative - Man preparing to apply clay to a press moulding machine

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Transparency - Handle manufacturing

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Advertising their wares

Photograph - Crown Lynn Replaceable dinnerware

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Photograph - Aisle in shop displaying crockery

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Transparency - Interior of Crown Lynn Shop, with low plinths and mounted wall display, Crown Lynn Dinnerware signage

Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum

Milne and Choyce window display Crown Lynn pottery

Palmerston North City Library

Milne and Choyce window display of Crown Lynn pottery

Palmerston North City Library

Crown Lynn Potteries Ltd :New Zealand ceramics. New Zealand designs are top sellers in Melbourne. Now - another first ... January 1963.

Alexander Turnbull Library

Crown Lynn display of cups, saucers and plates at the Wellington Industries Fair exhibits

Alexander Turnbull Library

The famous NZR cup

Crown Lynn won large government supply contracts. New Zealand Railways cups are the most well known but they also made crockery for the military forces, hospitals and other government agencies.

At one point coffee mugs and plates were even made for the American armed forces stationed around the Pacific.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Lynn