41-47 High St, UNION STORES, 30-32 Henry Street, WAREHOUSE

41-47 High Street (pre 1938 - 57/65/67 High Street) Union Stores Building, 30-32 Henry Street (pre 1938 - 52/54 Henry Street) Warehouse

The Union Stores is a two storey brick and stone building located on the south east corner of Henry and High Streets, Fremantle. It was designed by architect Herbert Nathaniel Davis and built in 1895 in the Federation Free Classical style. for J & W Bateman.

The decorative detailing on the tuck pointed brick facade is indicative of the original four shops. Stucco Corinthian pilasters, arched and triangular pediments, decorative urns, and an ornate shell pediment at the corner can be seen decorating the facade. The building also has a unique tiled dado of rectangular green and brown glazed tiles. 

One of the veterans of the Port Mr W.J Beisley started his hairdressing apprenticeship at the age of 10 with ‘Charlie the Barber’. Three years later in 1887 he hung out his own sign on a shop in Henry-street. This became known as ‘Beisley’s Corner- established where the Union Stores stand. His saloon was reputed to have been the largest and smartest in the West, netting him over £30 weekly on threepenny shaves and sixpenny haircuts. He completed 40 years in the business before he retired in 1927. (reference)

1898 In an instant it was seen that smoke was issuing from Mr. W. J. Beisley's tobacconist’s shop, on the ground floor of the Union Stores building, and with out loss of time the firemen burst into the premises from the back and the front and introduced three streams of water. The fire had started in a store-room at the rear of Mr. Beisley's hairdressing saloon, and the flames were making headway along the galvanised ceiling and on the pine wall which separated the manager's office of the Union Stores from Mr. Beisley's shop. (reference)

In 1902 the original single storey verandah erected over the pavement was replaced with an ornate double-storey lace verandah, comprising posts and brackets of cast-iron.

1914 Union Stores, Fremantle- To those about to marry and to those who, already married, are renewing or replenishing, the Union Stores present an irresistible attracttion. The home of a thousand bargains… (reference)

1929 Mr. W. T. Palmer, who succeeds Mr. H. C. Anderson as general manager of the Union Stores, is a son of Western Australia who gives promise of doing credit to his State. He has been in the hardware line of business most of his working life, and head of that department of his firm for the past five years. Blessed with a good physique he joined up early in the big war and came through unscathed excepting some slight snicks from German bullets. (reference)

1930 In December 30 last, Kenneth Hughes McKenzie, accountant at the Union Stores, told one of the employees that he was going up to Perth to Lysacht's, and might not be back by closing time. He asked the man to close up for him, and left the store. He never returned there, and the next heard of him was that he had been arrested in England, and that Detective-Sergt. Cameron was going to the Old Country to take charge of him and bring him back on a charge that, between March 1 and December 30, 1929, being the servant of Union Stores, Ltd., Fremantle, he had stolen the sum of £3,650/13/5… (reference) Names of other workers in this article include William Cook, Kathleen Western, Winifred May Bentley,

1935 Cr Fed Hollis As a young man he entered the services of the late John Bateman, and later married one of his employer's daughters, who died a few years ago. For nearly thirty years Mr. Hollis managed the business of the Union Stores… (reference)

Signage was originally attached to the building above the line of the verandah advertising the cast-iron ware that the Union Stores supplied. The Union Stores building was in poor condition in 1981/82 at the time the Fremantle City Council purchased the site from the Metropolitan Regional Planning Authority and it was restored, in 1985, with the aid of an America’s Cup grant. Duncan Stephens and Mercer commenced the restoration of the building, altering the internal layout to allow for four retail tenancies on the ground floors and four offices on the upper floor. A single verandah, in keeping the with the original design, was reinstated.

The Union Stores (Ironmongers and Grocers) was a hardware shop in Fremantle, established in 1896 and originally associated with the J.W. Bateman family. The early manager was Hughie Harling, followed by Fred Hollis who took over in about 1910.
Apart from serving the local community, the Union Stores had sales representatives who travelled to country town selling various goods.

In May 1932 the Union stores was bought out by a group of Fremantle residents comprising Richard Rennie, Bill Bailey, Mr Grieve and Mr Piper (of Grieve and Piper customs agents), and Jim Duncan (who became manager).
At that time its name was changed to the Union Stores (W.A.) Limited.
Catering for the building trade it was owned by A. Roby & Co, who manufactured tin trunks and other sheet metal products, gutters, etc. They bought a factory in Hilton Park for manufacturing (Mr. Albert J Smith Manager).

In the 1950s the western end of Fremantle was becoming a backwater as the commercial area of Fremantle moved eastwards. There were plans to widen Henry Street (and High Street) and this would have affected the Union Stores Building. The Union Stores had no suburban branches, and the directors resisted any move to branch out. However, a branch was established in Kalamunda for a short time in the late 1960s.
Eventually the Union Stores was sold to an entrepreneur, Dickie Calthrop. When he died of cancer it was sold to Maclean Bros. and Rigg (another hardware firm in Perth). This company was later taken over by Metro Industries.
Information provided by Richard Edward Rennie (Jr) who worked for the company from 1932 to 1960, becoming manager in the late 1950s. (reference)

OCCUPANTS

Lot 82 owners: 1829 - 1837 Henderson, H E, 1855 - 1857 Beete, J B, 1858 - 1879 Bateman, Walter

No. 41

1899 - 1929 UNION STORES LIMITED grocers & ironmongers

(1901 - 1924 F Hollis, manager), (1925 - 1929 H C Anderson, manager)

1929 - 1930 Stammers, W J, grocers

1931 - 1932 Vacant

1933 - 1949 UNION STORES (WA) LIMITED builders hardware

(1933 - 1938 W T Palmer, manager)

No. 43

1904 - 1929 UNION STORES LIMITED grocers & ironmongers

(1904 - 1924 F Hollis, manager), (1925 - 1929 H C Anderson, manager)

1930 - 1949 UNION STORES (WA) LIMITED builders hardware

(1930 - 1938 W T Palmer, manager)

No. 45 corner shop

1887 - 1899 Beisley, William J, tobacconist, hairdresser,

Bank of Australasia (A. A. Hall, manager)

1901 Berry, W W, confer

1902 - 1908 Mayrhoffer & Co. A. picture frames

1909 - 1929 UNION STORES LIMITED grocers & ironmongers

(1909 - 1924 F Hollis, manager), (1925 - 1929 H C Anderson, manager)

1930 - 1938 Smith & Co Limited Wm, furnishers & drapers

1938 - 1949 UNION STORES (WA) LIMITED builders hardware

No. 47

1901 - 1906 Lovely, Arthur J, chemist

1907 Ritz, Hans, florist

1908 - 1910 Scott, Robert K, pastrycook refreshment rooms- the Vanduara

19011 - 1929 UNION STORES LIMITED grocers & ironmongers

(19011 - 1924 F Hollis, manager), (1925 - 1929 H C Anderson, manager)

1930 - 1938 Smith & Co Limited Wm, furnishers & drapers

1938 - 1940 Flint, A J, auctioneer

1940 - 1942 Ideal Auction Mart, auctioneer

1942 - 1949 Thompson, Samuel, auctioneer

2019 New Edition Bookshop

No. 30 Henry St.

1912 - 1949 Union Stores(W A) Ltd (bulk stores)

No.32 Henry St.

1902

Jeffrey, P P, customs agent

Royal Insurance Co.

1902 - 1904 Bateman, W. A., shipping agent

1902 - 1905 Grieve, J B, general commercial agent

1902 - 1906 Marie & Rundle, indent & commission agents

1905 - 1906 Highham, J J

1906 - 1910 Faulding & Co. F. H. whole-sale druggists

1907 Clark, J, baggage agent

1908 - 1910 Highham, John J, land agent

41-47 high st.JPG

ND14 47 Henry Street

Notre Dame University ND14 - School of Law (Academic Offices) - Bateman Buildings

47 Henry St (was 95 pre 1938)

Two storey rendered corner building with a zero setback to the pavement. There is a simple parapet and stucco architraves surrounding the arched sash windows.

All the buildings in this group have historic significance and association with the Bateman family who were involved in the shipping industry in Fremantle in the nineteenth century.

The original owners, the Bateman family, arrived from England in 1830. John Bateman supplied provisions for the Swan River colony until his death in 1855. By 1859 his sons, John and Walter Bateman were the colony's leading importers and exporters, with their own fleet of sailing ships.

J & W Bateman's hardware and plumbing supplies, warehouses, etc occupied both sides of Mouat St through to Henry St (lots 37-38 Mouat St, lots 50-54 Mouat St and lots 67-72)

Currently used by Notre Dame University. 

OCCUPANTS

1893 - 1928 Bateman J & W, wholesale ironmongers, merchants & importers

1929

Bateman LTD, J & W, merchants, importers & wholesale grocers

Bankers & Traders Ince Coy Fire, Marine (J W Bateman Ltd, agents)

1930 - 1947

Bateman LTD, J & W, merchants, importers & wholesale grocers

Eagle and Star British Dominions Insurance Co Ltd (J and W Bateman Ltd, agents)

1949 Bateman Pty Ltd J & W, merchants & importers

ND16 39 Henry Street

Notre Dame University ND16 - General Classroom Building - Bateman Buildings

All the buildings in this group have historic significance and association with the Bateman family who were involved in the shipping industry in Fremantle in the nineteenth century.

The original owners, the Bateman family, arrived from England in 1830. John Bateman supplied provisions for the Swan River colony until his death in 1855. By 1859 his sons, John and Walter Bateman were the colony's leading importers and exporters, with their own fleet of sailing ships.

J & W Bateman's hardware and plumbing supplies, warehouses, etc occupied both sides of Mouat St through to Henry St (lots 37-38 Mouat St, lots 50-54 Mouat St and lots 67-72)

ND15 32 Mouat Street thru to 44 Henry St

Notre Dame University ND15 - Bateman Courtyard - Bateman Buildings

All the buildings in this group have historic significance and association with the Bateman family who were involved in the shipping industry in Fremantle in the nineteenth century.

The original owners, the Bateman family, arrived from England in 1830. John Bateman supplied provisions for the Swan River colony until his death in 1855. By 1859 his sons, John and Walter Bateman were the colony's leading importers and exporters, with their own fleet of sailing ships.

J & W Bateman's hardware and plumbing supplies, warehouses, etc occupied both sides of Mouat St through to Henry St (lots 37-38 Mouat St, lots 50-54 Mouat St and lots 67-72)

47 Henry Street

Bateman Buildings -

now include the Notre Dame University schools (see below):

ND9 - Chaplaincy

ND11 - School of Law

ND 13 - Law Library

ND14 - School of Law (Academic Offices)

ND15 - Bateman Courtyard,

ND16 - General Classroom Building

ND34 - School of Medicine

All the buildings in this group have historic significance and association with the Bateman family who were involved in the shipping industry in Fremantle in the nineteenth century.

The original owners, the Bateman family, arrived from England in 1830. John Bateman supplied provisions for the Swan River colony until his death in 1855. By 1859 his sons, John and Walter Bateman were the colony's leading importers and exporters, with their own fleet of sailing ships.

J & W Bateman's hardware and plumbing supplies, warehouses, etc occupied both sides of Mouat St through to Henry St (lots 37-38 Mouat St, lots 50-54 Mouat St and lots 67-72)

In the early 1990s the building were converted for use as part of Notre Dame University. 

Occupants

1893 - 1928

Bateman J & W , wholesale ironmongers, merchants & importers

1929

Bateman LTD, J&W merchants, importers & wholesale grocers.

Bankers & Traders Insurance Coy Fire, Marine (J W Bateman Ltd, Agents)

1930 - 1947

Bateman LTD, J&W merchants, importers & wholesale grocers.

Eagle and Star British Dominions Ins Co Ltd (J and W Bateman Ltd agents)

1949

Bateman Pty Ltd J & W, merchants & importers

47 Cliff Street

COMMISSARIAT BUILDINGS, CUSTOMS HOUSE, currently the WA SHIPWRECKS MUSEUM

Architecture: Built in 1853, the Commissariat Buildings are a substantial utilitarian building of limestone construction in the Victorian Georgian and the Victorian Regency styles. Australia. The design, scale and siting of the group of Commissariat Buildings combine to define the south west boundary of the West End of Fremantle.

Originally built to store the food, clothing and building supplies of the Swan River colony, these buildings are among the first Western Australian sites built using convict labour.

See Sketch of 1832 Fremantle showing(on right): (1)Rottnest (2)The Straggler Rocks (3)Mewstone Rocks (4)Rous Head (5)Channel over the bar (0)Arthur's Head and Gaol (7) Signal Flag Staff (8)Harbour Master's Office (9) Wreck of the Marquis of Anglesea (10) Colonial Schooner- Ellen (11)Egyptian (12) McDermott's Store (13) George Leake's House (14) Shenton's Mill and Brick House (15) Stirling Hotel (16) Harbour Master's House (17) Dr. Harrison's House (18) Post Office (19) Mr. Dod's House.

With the creation of the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, the Western Australian Museum became the delegated authority for management of Commonwealth historic shipwrecks and relics in Western Australia.

As a result, the State Government funded the conversion of the heritage Commissariat Buildings into what is now known as the WA Shipwrecks Museum. It opened to the public in 1979.

HISTORY

1897 Bandicooting! William Ruddy steals 10 lbs of potatoes from Customs House and gets 1-month imprisonment (reference)

1898 Now that the river has been dredged and steamers can bring their cargoes of ever-restless humanity right up to the wharf, the old system of discharging them at the pier has been done away with… The procedure at the pier was, perhaps, one of the most incomparable and incongruous scenes imaginable. Passengers' luggage was thrown out on the wharf. Those who could afford be rooked by the carting spielers (who hung around the vessels like crows on a dead carcase) had their luggage looked after, but those who had come to find the El Dorado of the West were subjected to a terrible shock when told it would cost them 5s. to get their traps up the pier, for a start. They had to hump their luggage about a mile and then have the satisfaction of seeing a Customs officer pull everything upside down without any reason for so doing… the clothing and paraphernalia of the deluded victims to W.A. snares is roughly and indecently handled by those august, pompous porcupines called Customs officers. It is quite a common occurrence for ladies, who are only, as a rule, too glad to get off the ship quickly and join their friends, to have to stand amongst these inquisitive, vulgar crowds of gazers while their boxes are opened and their various articles of underclothing and other things peculiar to the feminine wardrobe (and which in good society are not even mentioned) are pulled cut and examined with the low-bred and disgusting insinuendo adopted by these Customs officials.

Sunday Chronicle 14 August 1897, p 1 -The Fremantle Custom House Vagaries’’ (reference)

1898 A preliminary inquiry was held at the Customs House, Fremantle, to investigate attending the wreck of the Norwegian barque August Tellefsen, attended by Mr Clayton T Mason, Collector of Customs and Mr J Lilly JP … (reference)

1902 After sixteen years service as Chief Harbour master of Fremantle, Captain Russell is leaving for England this afternoon by the G.M.S. Konigin Luise, on six months leave, at the expiration of which period he will retire from the service. Captain C. J. Irvine, who has been appointed Acting-Chief Harbour master, presided over a farewell function. (reference)

1905 The old Customs House in Cliff-street, Fremantle, has been vacated, and the new premises in the A.U.S.N. Co.'s buildings, in Phillimore-street, opposite the railway station, have been opened for business. (reference)

1906 Recruits for the Navy- Instructions have been received by the Commander of H.M.S. Challenger from Sydney to enrol ten seamen. Applicants will have to be at the Harbour Master's office, Fremantle. at 9 o'clock this morning, as the cruiser sails on Thursday. (reference)

1919 PHENOMENAL HAILSTONES. Of the many buildings which suffered damage in the Fremantle district as a result of the severe hailstorm, the Government Stores at North Fremantle was perhaps damaged as much as any. Hailstones of phenomenal size struck the building, piercing the 24-gauge galvanised iron roofing, and smashing all the sky lights. A single hailstone weighed a quarter of a pound, and the hailstones lay piled up against the building for 24 hours after the storm. (reference)

1920 The Chief Inspector of Fisheries (Mr P. Aldrich) referring to a shark seen near the Fremantle jetty, by Mr. L. Pascoe: “…was not a tiger shark, but a wobbegong”said Mr. Aldrich “The wobbegong, or carpet snake, is a hideous-mouthed creature, and attains a large size, individuals of 10 feet being not uncommon.” (reference)

1923 The premier and parliamentary party photographed at the Government Stores, Fremantle, inspecting the first bales of cotton (totaling 6,672 lb), ready for shipment to Liverpool. (reference)

1924 WIRE NETTING - Government Stores Overcrowded - Yesterday morning the Minister for Lands and Migration (Mr. W. C. Angwin) said that the Government Stores at Fremantle were becoming full of wire netting being landed under the Commonwealth grant. The delay of supply, he says, is at present due to the farmers themselves. (reference)  

1925 Handling of Explosives. It was stated that certain regulations in connection with the handling of inflammable cargo and explosives were not being carried out by some shipping companies. It was not sufficient that a vessel should show a red flag during the day and a red light at night. There was frequently enough explosive cargo on the wharf to blow it up, and it was necessary that precautions should be taken…About the middle of last year the City of Singapore was 'blown up at Adelaide, and all that was found of a fireman who was on the vessel was 13 buttons and his top teeth…” (reference)  

1926 Captain Harris, late Harbour Master at Albany, has been appointed Chief Harbour Master. Captain Winzar is retiring on the 4th of March after 30 years service. Captain Harris is a native born West Australian, who in his young days roughed it with the best and worked his way up from the lowest rung of the ship's ladder. (reference)

1931 News has been received here of the death of Captain John Wellstead Kent Harris, Chief Harbour Master for Western Australia, at Fremantle early on Sunday morning. Captain Harris, who was only a middle-aged man, had been in ill-health for some time, but had not relinquished his duties. He is stated to have suffered a sudden seizure on Saturday, and his death occurred the following day. (reference)

1933 Photo of an old Lock. This relic from Commissariat Building, used during the days of convict transportation, was given into the care of the Historical Society of WA…Given to Mr Sweetman, an officer of the Customs Department when the locks were changed by Mr Clayton Mason. (reference)

1936 During last night Harbor and Light Department's workshops, Marine Terrace, Fremantle, were broken into and paint, tools, nails and rivets, total value £14/5/ stolen (reference)

1938 The death occurred yesterday, after a short illness, of Captain Harold Stephen Nicholas, harbour-master and berthing master at Fremantle. He was in his fifty-sixth year. He had been associated with Fremantle Harbour and with the work of the Fremantle Harbour Trust for 25 years. (reference)

1940 NEW HARBOUR-MASTER. Captain W. R. Clack Retires. After 24 years in the pilot service of the Fremantle Harbour Trust, Captain W. R. Clack, who followed the late Captain H. S. Nicholas, as harbour-master at Fremantle two years ago, will end his active career on Sunday, when he will commence six months' leave prior to retirement. His successor will be Captain H. K. Saunders, who joined the trust as a pilot in September, 1918. (reference)

OCCUPANTS

1897 - 1905 Customs Department, Railway Goods Depot, Harbour Master's Office 

1906 - 1942 Harbour Master's Office, Harbour & Light Department Inspector of Fisheries

1906 - 1949 Government Stores Department

1942 - 1949 J. & W. Knell, wool merchants