Bryant and May Factory, Melbourne facts for kids
The Bryant and May Factory in Melbourne is a famous old building. It's known for its bright red brick walls and for making Australia's most popular matches for many years. This factory was in the Cremorne area of Richmond.
The company, Bryant & May, started making matches called Redheads in 1946. Even today, Redheads are the most popular matches in Australia! However, they are now made in Sweden, not in this factory.
Bryant and May was also special because it was a "model factory." This meant it offered great working conditions and facilities for its employees. Imagine having a dining hall, a tennis court, and even a bowling green at your workplace! These were built in the 1920s and were very generous for the time.
The factory stopped making matches in Australia in early 1987. This happened because it was hard to compete with matches imported from other countries. After that, the factory complex was turned into offices and showrooms. The building is still very well-preserved and is an important historical site. It is even listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
A Look at the Factory Building
The Bryant and May complex is located at 560 Church Street, Richmond. It has several factory buildings. The main building is a large, red brick structure that is three or four stories tall. It even has a clock tower! You can see this building from far away, especially from nearby streets and train lines.
The First Part of the Factory
The front part of the main building was built first, in 1909. A famous Melbourne architect named William Pitt designed it. It has a classic Melbourne Edwardian style. This means it uses bold red bricks with lighter cement decorations. The building has a long, rhythmic look on its south side, with sections marked by brick pillars.
The very front of the building has even finer pillars and cool decorations with leaves, called Art Nouveau style. There's a big archway for the entrance, with the letters "B & M" above it. On top, there's a unique arched design.
How the Factory Grew
Over time, more buildings were added to the complex. Smaller buildings were built on the north side in 1910 and 1917. They matched the style of the first building.
A large addition was made to the back of the main building in 1921–22. This part was designed by Klingender & Hamilton. It also used matching red bricks but had a simpler, more modern style. This new section had an extra floor and big signs. It also featured another clock tower on the north side! Instead of numbers, the clock face on this tower proudly shows the name "BRYANT AND MAY." At this time, a new chimney, a boiler house, more offices, and a large hall called Brymay Hall were also added.
