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Beer labels from the Robert Ford and Co. Ltd Brewery
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DescriptionHere are two early beer labels from the Robert Ford and Co. Ltd Brewery that once operated on Gibson Quay, Hokitika. It operated from 1929 to 1968. The building still exists.
The Ford brewery building was built new in 1929. Ford carried on using "Crown" branding that was discontinued by Westland Breweries when they bought out and shut Davies Brewery (ex Kortegast) late in 1927. As far as I can make out these two breweries were opposite each other on Gibson Quay separated by Davie Street. For a short period they would have co-existed. The Davies Crown Brewery building, bought and shut by Westland Breweries, was locked up for several years and then sold for removal.
I have been told that prior to setting up his Hokitika Brewery Robert Ford was a brewer for Pearns Brewery in Kumara. Other former Pearns Brewery staff from Kumara were employed by Ford at his new Hokitika brewery.
Robt. Ford and co. had two sizes of long neck, crown cap, glass beer bottles that were embossed with their name and Gold Crown logo. They also had stone jars with their name but without a logo on them? There are around ten different styles of Robert Ford beer bottle labels that I know of but there could well be others out there.
Map[1] ContributorGlenn Johnston
The Ford brewery building was built new in 1929. Ford carried on using "Crown" branding that was discontinued by Westland Breweries when they bought out and shut Davies Brewery (ex Kortegast) late in 1927. As far as I can make out these two breweries were opposite each other on Gibson Quay separated by Davie Street. For a short period they would have co-existed. The Davies Crown Brewery building, bought and shut by Westland Breweries, was locked up for several years and then sold for removal.
I have been told that prior to setting up his Hokitika Brewery Robert Ford was a brewer for Pearns Brewery in Kumara. Other former Pearns Brewery staff from Kumara were employed by Ford at his new Hokitika brewery.
Robt. Ford and co. had two sizes of long neck, crown cap, glass beer bottles that were embossed with their name and Gold Crown logo. They also had stone jars with their name but without a logo on them? There are around ten different styles of Robert Ford beer bottle labels that I know of but there could well be others out there.
Map[1] ContributorGlenn Johnston
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Location (city or town)HokitikaOrganisation (eg business)Robert Ford and Co. Ltd BreweryEventBeer labels from the Robert Ford and Co. Ltd Brewery
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Date Created25th April 2020CommentsGlenn Johnston This photo shows an example of the 26oz beer bottle used by Ford's brewery plus an example of what I consider to be their most iconic beer label. The label text includes the pun, "the best spot in Westland". (The bottle embossing is not on the same side as the label and it is the label I wish most to illustrate here)
Les Mehrtens I can remember a Brewery in Fitzherbert Street which I thought was Fords That backed onto the Railway yard. As young fella’s we used to repair beer boxes and Pallets for pocket money. At the Kortegasts Brewery when it closed it sat idle for many years and Steve Radicks (not spelt correctly) set up a car painting business here and he worked day and night to set himself up. He painted a couple of my cars that I restored. One was a X Coal Mines inspectors LIP Vauxhall which was my pride and joy. Great memories
Glenn Johnston Not quite right there Les. The brewery in Fitzherbert Street was the Westland Brewery one formerly Mandl's. It closed in 1969. It was the former Ford Brewery not the former Kortegast/Davies brewery that Steve Radics set up business in. I remember the lovely smell that used to come from the Fitzherbert Street Westland Brewery.
Les Mehrtens Glenn JohnstonI stand corrected. Memory is not as good as it used to be. Did the Coyles used to cart out of the Westland Breweries or just cart coal into there. As a mechanic at Greymouth Motors in Tancred Street in later years I did work on their trucks and their Pelican loader that was used to unload the coal wagons in the Railway yards.
Michael Dense I got unopened one here..
Nina Townsend Michael Dense well done I still got a big bottle of wine ur dad gave me it was old wen he gave me it
Bill Johnsen got about 15 bottles from Rewanui for this brewery and others of the time ..not be that old I guess...
Glenn Johnston Old enough to be collectible! The earliest Ford bottles are around 90 years old now and the most recent over 50 years old! The small sized (12 oz) bottles are not very common but there are plenty of the big (26oz) size bottles about.
Brian Ronson Two of Ford’s Gold Crown Ale labels. The one on the left has a pencilled-on date: 27/3/30 and note it does not bear the printer’s name (Whitcombe&Tombs).
Glenn Johnston I would be interested in acquiring or copying any examples of Ford's beer labels that I do not already have. I can be contacted via Messenger. (I just want to preserve and record the historic record and any labels I swapped or purchased would not leave the West Coast)
Jeremy Sutherland I always understood that the brewing license for Ford's came from the closed Crown Brewery? Brian Ronson will know!
Glenn Johnston Jeremy Sutherland it would be interesting to know if that was actually the case. One would think that the Westland Brewery amalgamation would not welcome the Ford competition. I've always wondered if Ford bought some of the plant from the closed Davies…See More
Jeremy Sutherland They were certainly across the street from each other.
Doreen Thomson I have some labels I will look them up and post them My father carted lots of beer from there down to Bruce Bay especially kegs for parties
Ray Chandler I remember to us young fellers .Monteiths was the best brew Fords was the worst .It was even worse than Morleys .
Arthur Bass Ray Chandler geez I have never heard anything rated worse than Morleys. It must be bad.
Glenn Johnston Ray Chandler Did you ever try "Tira" made by Westland Breweries? If so could you try and describe the taste. I know many liked Ford's bottled Pale Ale but were not that keen on Ford's pub Draught. Westland Breweries bottled Golden Draught must have been quite popular going by the number of empties I would see lying around as a kid. From what I've heard Harley's from Nelson was perhaps the least popular beer in the north and west of the SI. Speights had a strong following on the Coast and still does. Westland Breweries promoted the Monteith's brand most strongly in the Reefton and Greymouth areas and pushed other products in Hokitika and South Westland.
Les Mehrtens I can remember a Brewery in Fitzherbert Street which I thought was Fords That backed onto the Railway yard. As young fella’s we used to repair beer boxes and Pallets for pocket money. At the Kortegasts Brewery when it closed it sat idle for many years and Steve Radicks (not spelt correctly) set up a car painting business here and he worked day and night to set himself up. He painted a couple of my cars that I restored. One was a X Coal Mines inspectors LIP Vauxhall which was my pride and joy. Great memories
Glenn Johnston Not quite right there Les. The brewery in Fitzherbert Street was the Westland Brewery one formerly Mandl's. It closed in 1969. It was the former Ford Brewery not the former Kortegast/Davies brewery that Steve Radics set up business in. I remember the lovely smell that used to come from the Fitzherbert Street Westland Brewery.
Les Mehrtens Glenn JohnstonI stand corrected. Memory is not as good as it used to be. Did the Coyles used to cart out of the Westland Breweries or just cart coal into there. As a mechanic at Greymouth Motors in Tancred Street in later years I did work on their trucks and their Pelican loader that was used to unload the coal wagons in the Railway yards.
Michael Dense I got unopened one here..
Nina Townsend Michael Dense well done I still got a big bottle of wine ur dad gave me it was old wen he gave me it
Bill Johnsen got about 15 bottles from Rewanui for this brewery and others of the time ..not be that old I guess...
Glenn Johnston Old enough to be collectible! The earliest Ford bottles are around 90 years old now and the most recent over 50 years old! The small sized (12 oz) bottles are not very common but there are plenty of the big (26oz) size bottles about.
Brian Ronson Two of Ford’s Gold Crown Ale labels. The one on the left has a pencilled-on date: 27/3/30 and note it does not bear the printer’s name (Whitcombe&Tombs).
Glenn Johnston I would be interested in acquiring or copying any examples of Ford's beer labels that I do not already have. I can be contacted via Messenger. (I just want to preserve and record the historic record and any labels I swapped or purchased would not leave the West Coast)
Jeremy Sutherland I always understood that the brewing license for Ford's came from the closed Crown Brewery? Brian Ronson will know!
Glenn Johnston Jeremy Sutherland it would be interesting to know if that was actually the case. One would think that the Westland Brewery amalgamation would not welcome the Ford competition. I've always wondered if Ford bought some of the plant from the closed Davies…See More
Jeremy Sutherland They were certainly across the street from each other.
Doreen Thomson I have some labels I will look them up and post them My father carted lots of beer from there down to Bruce Bay especially kegs for parties
Ray Chandler I remember to us young fellers .Monteiths was the best brew Fords was the worst .It was even worse than Morleys .
Arthur Bass Ray Chandler geez I have never heard anything rated worse than Morleys. It must be bad.
Glenn Johnston Ray Chandler Did you ever try "Tira" made by Westland Breweries? If so could you try and describe the taste. I know many liked Ford's bottled Pale Ale but were not that keen on Ford's pub Draught. Westland Breweries bottled Golden Draught must have been quite popular going by the number of empties I would see lying around as a kid. From what I've heard Harley's from Nelson was perhaps the least popular beer in the north and west of the SI. Speights had a strong following on the Coast and still does. Westland Breweries promoted the Monteith's brand most strongly in the Reefton and Greymouth areas and pushed other products in Hokitika and South Westland.
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West Coast New Zealand History (26th Oct 2020). Beer labels from the Robert Ford and Co. Ltd Brewery. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 19th Apr 2026 17:34, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/27770