John Danks & Son
| Company type | Private (formerly public) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1857 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Founder | John Danks, Samuel Danks, Thomas Danks |
| Fate | Acquired by Metcash (2016) |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Key people | John Danks, Aaron Turner Danks, Frederick Miles Danks, John Twiston Danks |
| Products | Iron piping, plumbing components, brass castings |
Number of employees | 200 (circa 1900) |
John Danks & Son was a prominent industrial manufacturer operating out of Melbourne, Victoria, and Sydney, New South Wales.
History
Born in January 1828 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, John Danks trained as an apprentice under his father, who specialized in wrought iron tubing production. Alongside his brothers Samuel and Thomas, he helped establish a similar manufacturing enterprise. In 1857, the trio emigrated to Melbourne aboard the Shaftesbury and commenced production of iron piping and plumbing components. One of their initial significant contracts involved supplying connectors for Melbourne's Yan Yean Reservoir.
Thomas retired in 1860, followed by Samuel in 1871. Under John's guidance, the business experienced continuous growth. He collaborated closely with his son Aaron Turner Danks, an expert in brass casting who also launched a branch in Staffordshire. The employee count expanded from 35 to 150, aided by import duties ranging between 12.5% and 20%. Despite difficulties during the economic downturn of the 1890s, the firm inaugurated a factory in Sydney and secured a major contract associated with Melbourne's sewerage system expansion; by the turn of the century, the workforce numbered approximately 200. Aaron took over as managing director following John's death in 1902.
Between 1927 and 1929, the company was responsible for casting and installing the eight bells at St Bartholomew's Church, Burnley.
The Great Depression of the 1930s caused a reduction in manufacturing output, prompting a strategic shift toward retail operations through outlets such as the store at 391 Bourke Street, Melbourne and additional locations.
John Danks & Son transitioned to a publicly traded company in 1950.
In 1970, John Danks Holdings Ltd. merged with Australian Hardware Distributors Pty. Ltd., a nationwide hardware retail network that included Sandovers Ltd. (Western Australia), Colton, Palmer and Preston Ltd. (South Australia), W. Hart & Sons (Tasmania), Homecrafts (Tasmania), and Brett and Co. Pty. Ltd. (Queensland).
In 2009, ownership transferred to a joint venture between Woolworths Group and Lowe's. Subsequently, Metcash acquired the former Danks operations in 2016.
People
John Danks (1828–1902) held office on the Emerald Hill Council from 1871 until 1880, serving two years as mayor between 1874 and 1876. He unsuccessfully contested the Emerald Hill seat in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1877. A dedicated Methodist, he contributed £3000 towards Cecil Street Wesleyan Church along with various charitable causes. His residence was "Vermont" in South Melbourne, where he passed away in 1902.
Sir Aaron Turner Danks (1861–1928), educated at Wesley College and Horton College, married Jane Blaylock Miles in 1887. Their offspring included Frederick Miles Danks, who later assumed the managing director role. Sir Aaron played prominent roles within philanthropic institutions such as presiding over the Melbourne Hospital Committee from 1920, involvement with the Walter and Eliza Hall Research Institute, and leadership within the Child Welfare Association. He received knighthood in 1925 and lived at "Hazeldene," Canterbury.
Frederick Miles "Fred" Danks, son of Sir Aaron and managing director himself, was recognized for his horticultural skills and plant breeding achievements, including developing the "Gartref" variety of Iceland poppy. He married Dorothy Twiston Williams in 1924; their children were John Twiston Danks and David Miles Danks. The family home was "Gartref," Canterbury.
John Twiston Danks (born 1926) attended Camberwell Grammar School and Wesley College before joining John Danks and Son in 1948. He advanced to director of Danks Holdings by 1952 and became General Manager in 1959.
David Miles Danks (1931–2003), renowned for his contributions to human genetics research, discovered the cause of Menkes' disease in 1972. He was appointed Professor of Paediatrics at Melbourne’s Royal Children's Hospital in 1974. The University of Melbourne honors him through the David Danks Professorship of Child Health Research named after him.