b. 1950, Lysekil Sweden

Immigrated with his father, Per Ivar Akerblom, to Australia post-Second World War.  Arrived at Maribyrnong Migrant Hostel in Melbourne on a Sunday and used the local ‘Pink Pages’ telephone directory to find suitable employment.  He began working at E.L. Yencken & Co. immediately, watching the experienced hands at first, before moving to cutting blocks of glass – 66 sheets in a block.  His father worked for the window manufacturer, Stegbar and later Peter joined him there, cutting glass for house lots.

Akerblom started making leadlight windows in his spare time and Akerblom Snr. opened Leadlight and Art at North Road, Ormond where both men worked before Akerblom Snr. founded Armadale Stained Glass with Bruce Jones in 1974, then based in High Street, Armadale.  Akerblom Snr. retired and Norman Beilby joined the firm.  Akerblom, Beilby and Jones worked together for eight or nine years.

Akerblom ‘retired’ in 1986 and was working as a builder when he answered an advertisement for a leadlight craftsman at Caulfield Leadlight.   He entered a short-term partnership with Warren Scanlan which lasted for the next 15 years, until Warren retired.  The firm became Caulfield Leadlight Pty. Ltd. in 2002 and continues to operate under this name, although it is now based in the Berwick/Narre Warren area of Melbourne.

Last updated 10/o2/09

PA

BEH19 Jan 2011