| BACK HOME BROKEN HILL'S ICE AGE The need for a steady supply of ice in Broken Hill, during the earlier years of the city's existence, was paramount. Before there was automatic refrigeration, the whole city depended on the making and supplying of ice, not only for domestic purposes but also for commercial use. The Broken Hill Ice and Produce Company (which was called the Broken Hill Chilled Butter Company) was situated in Beryl Street. The company also had an ice manufacturing factory in Blende Street where Bent and Bennetts is now located. There is a record of one factory in Chapple Street, near Iodide Street, known as the Barrier Ice Works, which was built in 1889. The factory was bought out by Messrs Froman and Van Rieben, who built the factory in Blende Street. There was also an ice making plant in operation at the SA brewing Company's premises at North Broken Hill. In later years the plant was bought by Archie Roberts who opened up a factory called the New Ice Works, in Oxide Street (the site is now occupied by the Kentucky Fried Chicken firm). However, prior to that, other factories were built and the ice trade became very competitive; with approximately 60 hotels, 150 shops, a number of private Hospitals, country hotels and stores, several thousand tons were sold per year. P. K. Conroy built the Crystal Iceworks in Argent Lane in 1919, and it was destroyed by fire in 1951. A. H. Grant built Grant's Iceworks in Oxide Street and L Bauer built an ice works at Railwaytown, in Wills Street. Meanwhile, the Ice and Produce Company had transferred its plant from Blende to Beryl Street, on premises formerly occupied by Wright Brothers Baker, adjoining Tait's Wine and Spirit Store. Tooth Company later bought Tait's premises and, in later years, this property also was absorbed by the Ice and Produce Company. In the earlier years nearly all mining companies had their own ice making plants. Although not large, they supplied the mine and staff with their ice requirements before they were gradually relinquished and supplies were drawn from the two factories. Trades which relied upon ice to assist them in their manufacture were the bakers and the butchers, and the number one priority was the Broken Hill and District Hospital. The needs of the hospital were great for a number of reasons, one of which was to supply the patients with cold water, as there was no air conditioning or refrigeration. The making and handling of ice was not easy, as blocks of ice weighing 56lbs each had to be made, stored and then delivered. Each block was frozen after eight to ten hours' immersion in a cold brine. The ice had to be pulled out of the brine by hand, dipped into a vat of hot water (kept hot by steam supply), then tipped out of the "can" (or mould) and stored in a cold room. Storage of ice was required as stocks were usually built up in the early summer months to ensure a large stock being on hand to meet the expected demand in the December, January and February months. These storage rooms contained about 40 to 50 tons each. With 40 blocks to each ton, several thousand blocks were kept on hand and with the daily manufacture of 10 to 20 tons were usually sufficient for the needs of the town. However, on several occasions there were ice shortages, which resulted in a public outcry. Unions carried resolutions instructing the City Council to start its own ice works and "prevent" such shortages. A cool change after a day or so would completely stifle the outcry, and everything would be forgotten until the next occasion. When there was a shortage, the situation was very serious. Efforts were made to supply only the people most in need, to the extent that old and sick folks would be required to procure a doctor's certificate so that they might be supplied. Although there was a small ice making plant at Wilcannia, the demand was met by Broken Hill as were requests from Menindee, Ivanhoe, Cockburn and many station properties.During some periods of ice shortage, the Ice CONTINUE NEXT |