In September 1862 the sailing ship Bombay arrived in Dunedin. Among the settlers was 23-year-old iron moulder Henry Ely Shacklock, from the Midlands in England.
He soon made his mark on the city, starting iron foundry H. E. Shacklock and — after his disappointment at poorly performing coal ranges — designing his own range, the Orion, in 1873.
Toitū Otago Settlers Museum curator Sean Brosnahan said the museum had four Shacklock stoves on display, including Mr Shacklock’s "breakthrough" product — the Orion No 1 — which had a big impact on New Zealand.
"Its functionality was the key breakthrough.
"He was considered to be a very good employer with real interest and care for his workers."
Mr Shacklock’s story was a typical one in that he trained in England so he had a skill but felt his opportunities were constricted at home.
"And for people like him in the late 19th century, Dunedin certainly did offer him that — it was a real go-ahead place, there was room to move, there was room for innovation."
Despite all his success in later years, he suffered from depression and withdrew from the business.
In 1902 when he was 63 he hanged himself in his Dunedin home.
The Otago Daily Times, reporting on his inquest, said his wife Elizabeth Shacklock’s servant called a nextdoor neighbour, widower Elizabeth Croot, and they both saw he was hanging from a beam in the roof of the outhouse.
Auckland company Fisher & Paykel bought H. E. Shacklock in 1955 and it continued to be a recognisable brand for both stoves and heaters for many years, but by the early 1990s the name was no longer being used on products.
While "Shacklock" is no longer seen in the nation’s kitchens, a legacy of innovation and invention lives on in Dunedin.
In offices and workshops tucked away above the shopping malls in George St, Fisher & Paykel continues to innovate.
The company recently celebrated 150 years since Mr Shacklock’s first cast-iron coal range.
One longstanding employee is senior technical leader Chris Kotkamp, who joined in 1974.
He started on the range assembly line, and then gained an apprenticeship as a toolmaker.
With a factory that encompassed the whole block, and before much automation, the work could be "hard yakka" but there was also a sense of camaraderie within the workforce.
"They were pretty tough old days back then, but it was good. I would not have changed it."
Dunedin site manager and general manager for electronics product development Richard Butler said Dunedin design teams collaborated with teams across the world to deliver new built-in oven, cooktop, dishwasher and outdoor grill models.
"We are exceptionally proud of the long history of Shacklock’s and Fisher& Paykel that has got us here, and we are continuing the tradition that started 150 years ago of building great cooking products designed with the user at the centre."
