Following the formation of the Reefton Mining Institute in March 1885, and with the enthusiastic support of Professor James Black who held the Chair of Natural Science at Otago University, the decision was made to establish a local School of Mines in Reefton to serve the Inangahua district.
Tenders for the erection of a building in which to house the school were called in December 1886 and the original wing was subsequently built at a cost of ￡140.
The Reefton School of Mines was once the leading school of its kind on the West Coast where it was originally concerned with promoting a more scientific and less speculative approach to quartz gold mining.
The school offered courses by correspondence and a free identification and assay service for new discoveries of ore. There was also an out-class system with the director lecturing in neighbouring settlements. With the decline of quartz mining in later years the School placed more emphasis on coal-mining. Before its closure in 1970 it had begun to offer assistance to uranium prospectors.
Timeline:
1885 – The Reefton Mining Institute was formed. In the same year Professor James Gow Black from the University of Otago commenced lecturing there and an application was made to the government for a School of Mines building.
1886 – Tenders for the erection of a building in which to house the school were called in December 1886 and the original wing was subsequently built at a cost of ￡140.
1887 – Building completed and opened on 14 February. Lecture room and laboratory fitted out with assaying-furnace, gas-chamber, tables, shelves holding chemicals, and other necessary items. These included one of the many sets of international mineral specimens purchased by the Government for the schools of mines.
1889 – £200 grant enables building of furnace room and chimney
1893 – Scientific library extension added at cost of £70
1903 – Director’s office extension added
1919 – Lavatory built at cost of £14
1936-7 – Classroom extension costing £257 added
1943 – Museum wing is repiled
1968 – 2 chimneys shaken down in the Inangahua earthquake
1970 – The school closed in 1970 when the then director Jim Bolitho retired.
1972 – Building used by St John’s Ambulance division
1989 – Reefton School of Mines Historic Reserve created and St John’s Ambulance move out
1990 – Since 1990 the building has been registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I structure
1997 – Building repiled
1998 – Exterior restoration and repainting completed
For more information or to book a tour, visit https://reeftonschoolofmines.co.nz/history/