Speight's seeking info for service honours board

Speight’s Brewery technician David Johnston displays hops outside the Dunedin brewery in which he...
Speight’s Brewery technician David Johnston displays hops outside the Dunedin brewery in which he has worked in different roles for more than 40 years, making him eligible to appear on an honours board featuring more than 200 past and present brewery staff. PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUE

A call is being made for information on Speight's Brewery staff tenures spanning more than 20 years.

Speight's Brewery manager Arron Goodwin said he had picked up a project to create an honours board recognising the staff who have worked for the brewery in Rattray St for more than two decades.

The late Speight's Brewery historian Don Gordon. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The late Speight's Brewery historian Don Gordon. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

The project was launched about 2000 by the late Don Gordon, a former chemist at the brewery.

After retiring, Mr Gordon worked as a historian at the brewery, until he passed away in October 2013, aged 76.

"This is his work - his passion - and we are just topping it off,'' Mr Goodwin said.

The information in the list had been validated against existing brewery records, such as wage slips, and anyone who had reached a milestone had been added.

Once the list was complete, an honours board would be made and installed in the brewery's Heritage Tours Centre.

First, Mr Goodwin wanted anyone with any "solid evidence'' of past staff members' tenures to contact the brewery.

He asked people to check the list to ensure no-one was missing or a tenure was understated.

Speight's Brewery technician David Johnston said he had worked at the brewery for more than 40 years and had a range of titles during the time, including "brewhouse top man''.

On his first day of work on December 19, 1977, he began a 14-month stint of strapping beer on pallets.

"I was ready to walk after three days here - I hated it - and then I bumped into a few people I knew, who worked here, and one thing led to another.''

Mr Goodwin said Mr Johnston was the longest-serving member of the six permanent staff in the brew team. The newest member - "the baby of the team'' - had worked for Speight's for more than 32 years.

• To update the honours list email Jenni Thomas at Jenni.Thomas@lionco.com.

SHAWN.MCAVINUE @thestar.co.nz

Comments

very cool idea, would be awesome if Speight's named a couple of beers after a couple of such employers, - how cool would that be for them and family.

 

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