MARINE BRASS FOUNDRY
Sailing ships of the last century used a wide variety of brass fittings. Eg: lamp fittings, binnacle
stands, port holes and plumbing fittings. The non-corrosive properties of brass, which is an
alloy of copper and zinc, are still appreciated today. Naval brasses have a small amount of tin
added to it, which improves its resistance to saltwater.
Brass foundry techniques of today differ very little from the traditional methods used during the
last half of the 19th century. (c1870)
Accidental mixing of zinc ores with copper ores probably made the earliest brass, dating to
Neolithic times. Brass was widely used in the Middle Ages and was later used for cannons.
The Downing brothers, Charles and William, came to Warrnambool in 1898 and registered their
business the Atlas Brassworks on 24th April 1898. They started in a large room in the Victoria
Hotel in Liebig Street, with the melting furnace built in one of the horse stalls in the backyard.
Mr W E Downing was one of the founding members of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria.
(R.ACV)
Their company Atlas Brassworks later became John Alderdice & Company, which had its
offices in an empty cordial factory in Henna Street.
Alderdice's Brass Foundry has been operating for 105 years and is one of the oldest
manufacturers still operating in Warrnambool.