Wheelwright’s art lives on at Okains

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 9

Wheelwright’s art lives on at Okains

On Waitangi Day for the last 16 years Mr Knox Cook, of Christchurch, has been demonstrating the art of wheelwrighting — fitting metal tyres to wooden wheels — at the Okains Bay museum.

Mr Cook, aged 75, said he “felt like 85” after yesterday’s efforts, when one tyre broke and another refused to fit on to the wheel. He did not look 85 and was philosophical about the unco-operative tyres.

“This is what used to happen in real life. It was hard, cruel work — donkey’s work,” he said. “As I work at this my mind has a habit of flitting back to 1925 when there were always many wheels to repair, tyres to shrink, and new tyres to make. “Twenty or 30 wheels was quite a common weekly quota.” Mr Cook and his two brothers learnt the art at their father’s smithy at Lyndhurst, near Methven.

Mr Cook sen. settled at Lyndhurst in 1888, when he was 15. “He lived there for the rest of his life and was working in the shop the day before he died. In later years we diversified into engineering and motor-car servicing,” said Mr Knox

Cook. In 1969 the business was sold and many of the old tools now are in the Okains Bay museum. Mr Cook handles the old, rusted pieces with familiarity. “All hand-worked they are. See, this fits in here; it was used to make horse shoes.”

Fitting a metal tyre involves heating it in a large furnace until it is red-hot then manipulating it on to the wheel with hammers and tongs. Mr Cook is one person who is not sorry the “good old days” are passed. “Many times I just loathed this work on wheels, especially on a hot day. It was hot, tiring, and dirty work. “The motor car wheel was a good thing because it replaced this arduous process. I became very proficient at changing rubber tyres and vulcanising tubes and tyres.” The children of today had not the slightest idea what went into the making and repairing of waggon wheels and were always intrigued to watch him at work at the museum, said Mr Cook. It is likely they will see him at work on one day a year for some years to come.