Medals celebrating Huntly pioneer brick maker William Collins, as pictured are now on display at the Huntly Museum Te Whare Taonga O Raahui Pookeka.
Born in England, Collins arrived in New Zealand in 1874 and worked in coal mining before establishing the Taupiri brickworks in 1890, which manufactured fireclay bricks and specialised moulded products for railway, mining and industrial use.
This photograph shows Collins proudly wearing the gold and silver medals alongside the products for which he was recognised from the New Zealand International Exhibition in Christchurch, 1906 – 1907. The inscriptions include “Collins Fire Clay” and “Collins Fireclay Bricks,” linking them directly to his Taupiri business.
They passed to his son, Lionel Stanley Collins and were later discovered in the roof space of Lionel’s Huntly South home. They remained with the family until descendant Roger Collins donated them to Huntly Museum in 2026.
Today, these artifacts provide a tangible connection to Collins and the development of mining, manufacturing and community life in the Waikato.
