18/08/2024
The following article appeared in the August Edition of the Toowoomba Historical Society newsletter. It is about the history of 'Bailey's Corner', which, from the early days, was known as 'The Corner'.
Corner of Ruthven and Margaret Streets
The north-western corner of Ruthven and Margaret Streets was commonly referred to as ‘The Corner’. Many major retailers have operated from this site.
1853: The site was purchased by William Hancock. William Hancock (1808-1890) was a storekeeper at Drayton. He entered politics and in 1859 was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly for Darling Downs. When, in 1859, Queensland was established as a separate colony, the seat was discontinued.
1860: William Witham built the Argyle Rooms and Sale Yards. In 1862, James Taylor purchased the building. Various businesses operated from these rooms.
April 1860-April 1862: Thomas Alford’s Auction Mart. Thomas Alford (1817-1864) was a pioneer of Toowoomba and Drayton. By 1845, in Drayton, he set up a store and post office. It was Alford who gave the name Drayton to the township. It is said that the Alford family are responsible for the naming of Toowoomba.
April 1860-August 1861: Frederick Taylor, auctioneer. In the 14 June edition of the Darling Downs Gazette it advertised that a new auctioneer, accountant and stock and land agent with fifteen years’ experience in some of the largest mercantile houses in England was opening offices in the Argyle Rooms in Ruthven Street. Frederick Taylor was hoping for support from the ‘squatting community and the public generally’.
June 1860-August 1861: L C Johnson, harness and saddle maker.
May 1862-July 1865: H J Lavers & Co, general store and drapery. In June 1866, H J Lavers & Co opened his new premises at Queensland House which was opposite the Sovereign Hotel in Ruthven Street (near the intersection with James Street).
April 1863-June 1869: T G Robinson’s Auction Mart. Mr T G Robinson died suddenly on 28 March 1883 from a rupture to the intestine. Robinson, on leaving his hometown of Windsor in NSW, initially settled in Ipswich before moving to Toowoomba in 1860. He started a tanning business which he sold to the Beer Brothers. He commenced a Saddle and Harnessing business in 1861. Mr Gaydon conducted this business for him. He then sold out to Mr Fisher. Together with Mr Stephens, he started an Auctioneer and General Commission Agent business. This business was in crisis in 1866, after which he conducted the business on his own. He was an alderman on the council and mayor in 1866.
May 1869-September 1870: Francis Sutherland Homfray, auctioneer. Homfray was born in 1844 in Calcutta. He died in 1888 in Peshawar, Pakistan. He married Thomas Alford’s daughter Frances on 29 December 1868. Frances died in Calcutta in 1886. It was reported in the Brisbane Courier that Homfray’s business became insolvent in September 1870.
July 1871: The building was considered old and unsightly. It was demolished.
December 1873-August 1878:
Frederick Holberton purchased the site from the Pitt family. Holberton was born in England in 1821 and came to Australia in 1866. He established F H Holberton & Co (Merchants and General Storekeepers). He retired from business around 1887. He was on the Legislative Council from 1885 until his death in 1907. Holberton operated the business from December 1873-August 1878.
September 1978-August 1883: The business was sold to Messrs Fullarton & Rookes. Holberton retained ownership of the building. John Ritchie Fullarton died in Melbourne (at his mother’s residence) in 1879, aged 29 years.
August 1883-October 1883: Paul, Boys & Co. Crawford Maxwell Paul left the firm around 1895 and took over a business in Charter’s Towers in 1895. The business Paul, Boys & Co went into liquidation shortly after Paul left the firm.
October 1886-June 1889: White & MacKirdy. By 1889, J R Mackirdy was part owner of the Mountain Maid mine at Pratten.
This mine wasn’t very successful and he moved to Warwick. He was very involved with the School of Arts Committee and the Caledonian Society. Mackirdy arrived in Australia from Glasgow around 1875. When he arrived in Australia, he was a man of ample means and opened the business of White and Mackirdy. In May 1905, he went back to the ‘old country’. In September he passed away after a brief illness.
June 1889-1891: White & Ackland. The business of White & Ackland went into receivership at the end of 1891. From the 24 Dec 1891 edition of the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser:
From our business columns it will be seen that Mr. John White, late of the firm White and Ackland is now prepared to receive pupils who desire to be taught the pianoforte, the organ, and singing.
In the same article, Cato & Harper were advertising their cash sale of White and Ackland’s stock.
December 1891-July 1893: Cato & Harper.
1893-1896: Cato & Co.
November 1896-December 1899: Carew, Gardner & Billington Drapers established themselves on this site. The firm was very successful in Brisbane and wished to open a business in Toowoomba.
January 1900-March 1905: Billington Ltd Drapers. Richard Billington acquired the business of Carew, Gardner & Billington Drapers.
1905: Cramond and Stark. In 1918, this block was put up for auction as part of the estate of Frederick Holberton. In 1937, Sinclair & Co Auctioneers held an 'Important Auction Sale' on the premises at the corner of Ruthven and Margaret Streets, owing to the retirement of the business Cramond and Stark. Everything needed to be cleared.
April 1938: Coles: see the article in this edition of the newsletter.
1959: Bailey’s
2008: Lincraft
(Sources: various editions of the Darling Downs Gazette; research conducted by Professor Maurice French.)
Below is a photo of the saleyards and a photo of 'Holberton & Co'.
