Cheal Road
Crown butter factory - 1898-1902 - James McAllister
Dates: 1898-1962
Location: Corner of Cheal and Skinner Roads, Ngaere, Taranaki (-39.39464, 174.34248)
Registration No: 45 (Crown from 1898-1902) and then 1047 from 1913 when it began producing cheese as a branch of the Eltham Co-op (in late 1912)
Brand names: CROWN; ELTHAM
NZMS13 - TN27 - 1924
The Crown Dairy Company originally built a butter factory on the bank of the Ngaere Stream in 1898 before selling the factory to the Eltham Co-operative Dairy Company Limited in 1902.
The Eltham Co-op ran the creamery as a branch until its conversion into a cheese factory in late 1912. The factory eventually closed in 1962.
Google Maps - 2026
Ron Lambert 2012
Factory life wasn’t all work with each branch competing annually for the Eltham Dairy Company’s Sports Cup from around 1926 until 1939. The Cheal Road branch won this on several occasions with varied events including cycling, running, hop, step and jump, nail driving, bun and balloon race, pole vault, high jump, highland dancing and even weight judging!
1962 aerial view of factory (Retrolens)
Ron Lambert 2010
Google Street View - July 2025
Google Street View - July 2025
Crown Dairy Company plan of creamery site - 1898
Plan showing factory location - 1944