When the dismantling of an old blacksmith forge in Richmond’s Queen Street occurred, another old landmark was removed from the township and a link with the Lammas family disappeared.
In 1860, Mr John Lammas, along with his wife Eliza and seven children, sailed on board the S.S. Bride, arriving in New Zealand in November. Life in their adopted country began in Beach Road, Richmond. In 1862, John bought one acre of land in Queen Street, Richmond, for the sum of £IOO from Captain Nicholson.
The land was planted with potatoes, and when dug it yielded 30 tons. John then built the blacksmith’s shop, a slab building with a weatherboard roof.
Son, Mark Lammas, was born in Clapham, Surrey, in 1846 and was 14 years old when he arrived in Nelson. He learnt the trade of blacksmith in Russell Street, Nelson, which meant he had to walk from home to Nelson and back each weekend.
At 19, he took over the running of the forge from his father and began business on his own account until he retired in around 1912.
The forge was the first shop out from Nelson and the coach horses were changed morning and night in Richmond and very frequently stood at the old shop.
Not only were horses shod there, but in the early days, bullock teams were brought in for shoeing. As time went on and business increased, two forges were installed, and the heavy hand bellows were replaced by blowers.
During his 45 years of work, Mark experienced more than his share of kicks and bites. He also imported stock from America for rough, young horses.
He served for many years on the fire brigade, the school committee and the local volunteers. He was a staunch member of the Baptist denomination and an Oddfellow for over 50 years.
In 1870 he married Miss Elizabeth Hart, daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Hart, of Richmond, who were two of Nelson’s earliest settlers, having arrived from England in the first passenger ship, the Lord Auckland, on 1st of February 1842.
Mark’s older brother, Thomas Hall Lammas, was born in 1844 in Surrey and worked alongside Mark in the shop for some time before working on the Wangapeka to Karamea road, finishing at the summit. Following that he worked on the Wairoa bridge.
Thomas was a member of the Oddfellows fellowship, joining in 1866 and was trustee and secretary for a number of years.
He was a civic man, serving on the school committee, Licensing Bench and being one of the organisers of the fire brigade and its treasurer for 16 years, only leaving the position due to ailing health.
For 71 years he was a member of the Baptist Church.
The two brothers, born two years apart, died within months of each other with Mark passing in June and Thomas in November of 1935.
The Lammas name lives on in Richmond with the naming of Lammas Street.
Written by Robyn Parkes
