Behind the name

The May Morn Estate Sawmilland how Maymorn got its name

As a tribute to our roots, Maymorn Gin takes its name from the historic May Morn Estate Sawmill that once stood at the end of MacLaren Street, in the scenic Mangaroa Valley where our distillery resides today. The last vestiges of the chimney’s red brick base can still be seen at the end of the cul-de-sac.

The May Morn Estate Sawmill at work, with MAY MORN painted down its chimney and the rail siding in front of the yard — The mill at work, with its rail siding running past the front of the yard. The railway line came from the Upper Hutt valley through a tunnel at the end of Cruikshank Road, and via Maymorn Station on Flux Road.

The May Morn Estate Sawmill was established in the early 1900s by May Morn Estates (NZ) Ltd. At its peak, the mill was reputedly the largest sawmill in New Zealand, with the capacity to process up to 40,000 feet of timber each day.

It played a vital role in the development of the Maymorn Estate, supplying timber for local construction projects while clearing extensive areas of forest for conversion to pastoral farmland.

The mill later faced financial trouble after World War 1’s first year dried up investment from the London Money Market and was shut down soon after.

Rows of Army tents filling the valley floor at May Morn Camp in 1915, with the mill chimney at the left — In 1915, the area near the sawmill was converted into an Army tent camp that operated in conjunction with nearby Trentham Camp.

The area later became known as Maymorn — a condensed form of the original name, May Morn.

The May Morn sawmill chimney, smoke rising from it, above the mill buildings and the valley beyond — The Maymorn sawmill chimney can be seen to the left of the tents.

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