Anyone heard of a Hayden camp oven made in Taree by Hayden Engineering ?

Is it cast iron????

Yes cast iron , Hayden engineering and Foundry from what I can gather ceased operation some time in the sixtys , there building still exists today , I will have more info on them in the new year ex Taree Historical Society . not sure what sizes but certainly a 16 inch and it would appear a twelve inch , thanks to Chally assisting my discovery.

Some photos would be great.

Will get photos when I can its in molasses bath now

Posting these for Nguyen. Here are some photos of the Hayden Foundry camp ovens. The first three are of the 16" oven and the next three are of the 12". They obviously used a 12" Metters as a pattern for 12" oven.

Jeff

(Click on photo to enlarge)

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The fourth photo, the first of the 12" has a rectangular patch under the handle of the lid.
That is also similar to the Simpson CO.. Yet Simpson has the name Simpson on that patch under the handle.

Aart

There is also similar "patches" under the ears . Rod

Hi all, I lived in the Taree area for many years and grew up with the son of the blacksmith employed at Haydens for some 30 years. He definitely made camp ovens and skillets, tripods and all sorts of camp gear. His property had all sorts of inventions he had forged over the years. Certainly a lost art these days.

Steve

That's interesting Huey. Do you know when the foundry closed? Also have you any camp ovens or other stuff they made or any photos?

Jeff

Are these really just a rough copy of a metters?????

The 12 is similar but the 16 is different , but I'm no expert

TBF wrote on Dec 20^th, 2015 at 2:58pm:

The fourth photo, the first of the 12" has a rectangular patch under the handle of the lid. That is also similar to the Simpson CO.. Yet Simpson has the name Simpson on that patch under the handle. Aart

The camp ovens for the Millmerran Camp Oven Festival made by Larges Foundry in Toowoomba had those patches under the handle as well as the ears but they ground it off and made a horrible mess of them.

Thank you for your valuable contribution Huey. Rod

Thanks for the pics Jeff

As far as I know Haydens engineering is still trading, they are in Stephenson lane Taree. I am not sure if the foundry is still operational but their engineering works are. Could be worth a phone call.
Steve

I went to the site today , both businesses are long gone , the foundry closed between 84 and 89 according to a local , thr engineering works closed later but not sure when , part of one of the engineering works very big sheds are now occupied by a paint n panel shop the rest of the building and other buildings are empty and very run down .

Rod it is great that you were able to identify the origins of the camp ovens. Most times with unmarked ovens the makers remain unknown. I hope you can find out more about the foundry in the new year.

Jeff

Chally wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 1:23pm:

od it is great that you were able to identify the origins of the camp ovens.

I haven't seen any real evidence of who made these ovens yet.  One is a bad copy taken from a Metters as far I can make out. The other bigger and better cast oven is unmarked as far as I can see. The fact that Huey says they made camp ovens only proves that they did indeed cast ovens, it doesn't prove these were made there.

The only " real " evidence is that the person who passed them on to me ( an elderly gentleman in Taree ) gave me the story of the makers , I don't believe he would fabricate such a yarn as there was no reason to , I of course had not heard of the Hayden company at that time . You are no doubt correct in saying there is no real evidence as there would be with any unnamed oven and for that point I would imagine they would be a very easily counterfeited item if anyone wanted to go to that redicoulous level . For me I believe the gentleman that passed them on . Rod

Saltbush Bill wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 5:48pm:

I haven't seen any real evidence of who made these ovens yet.  One is a bad copy taken from a Metters as far I can make out. The other bigger and better cast oven is unmarked as far as I can see. The fact that Huey says they made camp ovens only proves that they did indeed cast ovens, it doesn't prove these were made there.

Rory I made my comments because I knew a lot more of the story than what was posted on here. Rod has been given a detailed account of where the ovens were made and how the old chap he mentions above got them.

Jeff

Nguyen wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 7:35pm:

The only " real " evidence is that the person who passed them on to me ( an elderly gentleman in Taree ) gave me the story of the makers , I don't believe he would fabricate such a yarn as there was no reason to

That makes everything a little clearer. The story told to you by the old bloke who gave you them is probably perfectly true.
Ive read and heard so many conflicting things about different foundries and camp ovens over the years that I'm always a little skeptical until I see some sort of positive proof. Your last comment goes a long way toward doing that.
I guess the next question is did they make these on a commercial basis or just knock up a few for friends and acquaintances. I cant imagine they were selling many with the Metters markings still on them. The other question that arises is that , is the other bigger oven made from an original pattern or has it too been made by using someone elses oven as a pattern.

Chally wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 7:55pm:

Rory I made my comments because I knew a lot more of the story than what was posted on here. Rod has been given a detailed account of where the ovens were made and how the old chap he mentions above got them.

Jeff if more of the story was told to begin with it may have saved some confusion.
SBB

Saltbush Bill wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 8:13pm:

Jeff if more of the story was told to begin with it may have saved some confusion.

Yes it would have but it really just started off asking if anyone knew of the foundry and it expanded from there as these things seem to do.  :)

Once Rod gets the ovens out of his molasses bath he will probably get more detailed photos. Also as he mentions near the start of this thread he should have some more details on the foundry etc early in the new year.

Jeff

There is an elderly foreman of the foundry around somewhere and I'm trying to track him down , I don't know the answers to your questions SBB but are trying to find out more . Rod

It will be interesting to find out eventually.  Like has been said a lot of Aussie foundries made a few camp ovens but not always on a commercial basis.

Back in 2006 when I was at Wagga Wagga in NSW I went to see the little local foundry to see about getting some ovens cast with a COCIA logo.  They, in the past had made camp ovens and even still had the base molds but no lid molds.  Was going to cost me near a years salary to get them to crank up to make some.  I think that is why Billmans and Larges at Toowoomba who make the Camp Oven Festival camp ovens now charge so much.

I can get a small container of 12 inch camp ovens from China, pre-seasoned and with anything I want on the lid as long as they are all the same for around $8 each but then you have GST and import duties to add to that.

Derek wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2015 at 8:36pm:

Back in 2006 when I was at Wagga Wagga in NSW I went to see the little local foundry to see about getting some ovens cast with a COCIA logo.  They, in the past had made camp ovens and even still had the base molds but no lid molds.  Was going to cost me near a years salary to get them to crank up to make some.  I think that is why Billmans and Larges at Toowoomba who make the Camp Oven Festival camp ovens now charge so much. I can get a small container of 12 inch camp ovens from China, pre-seasoned and with anything I want on the lid as long as they are all the same for around $8 each but then you have GST and import duties to add to that.

Sadly that is the way it is these days.

Jeff

Not sure it was large scale commercial operation , but anecdotal evidence suggests more than making a few for friends . The company was particularly strong in the war years , contributing to the war effort , from what I can gather talking to locals they made quite a range of cast iron products .

Nguyen hasn't been online since February.  I wonder if there is any update to these.