Editorial: Imlay proud home to a century of stories

HOW many Whanganui firms can boast 100 years in business?

Imlay can, and next month the Heads Rd industry will celebrate a century working with meat.

Peter Imlay died in 1881, aged 94, and had nothing to do with the freezing works, although it was built on land he once owned. He called the area -- which encompassed present-day Gonville and more -- Balgownie.

That Imlay has lived on as the informal name of the business, regardless of its official title, is either a tribute to an industrious pioneer or an indication that Whanganui people couldn't keep up with the ever-changing ownership of the Imlay plant.

So let's just call it Imlay -- you can be sure no one here will call it Talley's.

For seven seasons and one off-season between 1971 and 1980, I worked under the benevolent supervision of the Imlay bosses, from Brian Cadogan at the top to various foremen and leading hands on the mutton board. While it was a place of hard work, it was also the haunt of some wonderful characters, and despite the monotony of the job, the place was never dull.

No doubt many stories will be retold over the course of the reunion, and many names resurrected in the course of the telling.

There was never a standard "freezing worker", coming as they did from all walks of life and taking on the job for many reasons.

There were black-singleted shepherds in the yards and from the sticking pens to the freezers was an array of fascinating characters.

Men who had been there for decades; retired chaps topping up their pension; students saving for another year at uni (or varsity, as we called it then), as well as a diverse group coming in from Ratana every day.

Congratulations, Imlay. A century is a magnificent milestone, and everyone who contributed can feel proud. Perhaps someone can write down those stories.