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Painters, Decorators, &. dRAPERS, &c
DRAPERY AND GENERAL IMPORTING COMPANY OP NEW ZEALAND
FISH, H. S., AND SON (Mrs. Fish, and Messrs. W. L. Simpson and J. Hyman, as Executors under the will of the late Henry Smith Fish). Painters and Paperhangers, 131 Princess Street, Dunedin. Telephone 135. Bankers: Bank of New Zealand. This well-known firm of decorators, painters, and paperhangers, was founded in 1862 by the late Sir. Henry Smith Fish, senr., with whom the late member for Dunedin city (whose career is given under “Dunedin Ex-members”) was associated till the death of the former, since which event the business was carried on by the latter till his death. The freehold premises owned by the firm comprise a four story brick building at the back, the main street frontage being of two stories. In the shop and show-room, on the Princes Street level, a splendid assortment of paper-hangings occupies the greater part of both sides of the flat, paints, varnishes, and glass, being also kept in stock. On the top floor are all kinds of dry colours and paints, the first floor beneath the shop being the mixing room; bulk and heavy goods, including glass of all sizes, weights, and designs, are stored in the basement of the building. Messrs. Fish and Son have made their mark as a decorative firm, a large number of the important buildings of the city having been finished and decorated under their supervision. Among these buildings may be noted the Garrison Hall, Princess Theatre, Criterion Hotel, Provincial Hotel, Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition Building of 1889-90. Fernhill Club, the large warehouses of Messrs. Ross and Glendining, Ring, Harris and Co., and A. Briscoe and Co., City and Choral Halls, besides many other business premises, to say nothing of private houses. The firm are direct importers from leading English manufacturers of paints, oils, glass, wall-papers, and numerous other lines in which they deal. From fifteen to twenty workmen are employed in connection with the business, Mr. Harry D. Fish, elder surviving son, acting as manager..
BROWN, EW1NG AND CO. (Thomas Brown), Importers of Drapery, etc., Tailors, Clothiers, Milliners, and Dressmakers, corner of Princes and Manse Streets, Dunedin; Bankers, Bank of New Zealand: Private residence, Broomland, Montecillo; London house, 93 Finsbury Pavement, E.C. Within twelve mouths after the first contingent of the Otago settlers landed in Dunedin, a small wooden building was erected on a hill near the corner of Princes and Manse streets. The premises, which were approached by a number of steps, were opened early in 1849, as a draper’s shop, by Mrs. Bain, a widow. This enterprising lady was rewarded for her plucky attempt to establish the soft goods trade in this part of the Colony, by securing the support of the early settlers, and met with great success. Sir. (afterwards the Hon.) J. Patterson, who had a business not far away from this drapery establishment, subsequently entered into a matrimonial alliance with the widow-, and the business changed hands. Messrs. Begg, Christie and Co. were afterwards the proprietors, and they likewise met with a considerable amount of success, the business being in consequence largely extended. Mr. John Ross became interested in the firm, and on the retirement of the two senior partners, was joined by Sir. Robert Glendining in 1862, under the style of Ross and Glendining, and for about three years this well known firm conducted a highly satisfactory business. Messrs. Brown, Ewing and Co. purchased the business from them in 1896, and since that year they have conducted a steadily developing trade. At the time of their establishment the partners were Messrs. Ralph Ewing, John Glendining, and Thomas Brown. Mr. Glendining, who retired from the firm many years ago, became a runholder in Hawke’s Bay, and has since died, the business being conducted by Messrs. Ewing and Brown until 1893, when Mr. Brown became sole proprietor. The old wooden building, in which the business was conducted when Messrs. Brown, Ewing and Co. became purchasers, was removed, the firm having acquired the freehold of the land on which it stood, and it was replaced by a handsome three story brick building with basement, which was finished in 1874. At the time when this structure was erected it was one of the finest and most complete business premises in Dunedin. Meanwhile, the volume of trade transacted by the firm bad enormously increased, and the premises soon became too small; a site was therefore secured in Manse street, where a handsome three story brick building with basement was erected to afford increased accommodation. A portion of this building is still used by Messrs. Brown, Ewing and Co. as a bulk store. In 1896. to provide still further accommodation for the growing business, two large shops, being portion of Wain’s Hotel, were added, and now Messrs. Brown. Ewing and Co. have probably the largest frontage to a main street of any retail drapery house in the Colony, their freehold being over 90 feet to Princes street and over 100 to Manse street, and the leasehold from 50 to 60 feet additional to Princes street. In the five shops on the ground floor are five leading departments, viz.:—Bespoke tailoring, men’s clothing and mercery, general drapery, Manchester and heavy goods, carpets and general house furnishing. The basement is utilised for general storage purposes. On the first floor, which is readied by a wide and handsome stairway, are spacious and elegantly furnished show-rooms, where the latest fashions in ail styles of millinery, mantles, dresses, and ladies’ undergarments are displayed, there being also private apartments for fitting where special experts are in attendance. The public and private offices of the firm are also located on this flat. The top floor is occupied by the several manufacturing departments. The number of employees, including clerks, book-keepers and shop assistants, is over two hundred. Messrs. Brown, Ewing and Co. have in the course of their career as a leading drapery house, succeeded in obtaining a very large connection. Many of their regular customers are residing in all parts of the Colony, hundreds of miles distant from the “Edinburgh” of New Zealand; but, notwithstanding this disadvantage, orders are regularly sent direct to the firm, whose methods of doing business are of the most satisfactory character. Complete and perfect arrangements have long existed in the very important matter of buying and importing. At the London house, 95 Finsbury Pavement, B.C., there is a competent staff of buyers in touch with the needs of the Colony, and the proprietor makes periodical trips to Great Britain in the interests of his large business. Gene rally, the establishment of Messrs. Brown, Ewing and Co. is up-to-date in every respect, a carefully selected stock valued at tens of thousands of pounds being thoroughly well maintained all the year round. Mr. THOMAS BROWN, the proprietor, was born in Northumberland in 1840, and was apprenticed to the soft goods trade in Berwick-on-Tweed. Soon after completing his term, he decided to emigrate to the Colonies, and arrived at the Bluff early in 18fi3 by the ship “Sir William Eyre,” after a weary passage of five mouths. Soon after reaching Invercargill, he joined Mr. Henry Reed, under the style of Reed and Brown, in a general store, and two years later removed to Dunedin, where he has since been known in connection with the large and successful drapery house of which he is now the sole proprietor. Mr. Brown took part in the municipal government of the borough of Mornington for several years, and was mayor for one term. Naturally aesthetic in his tastes, he has ever been ready to further any movement that would tend to increase the natural beauty of the scenery and surroundings of the streets, parks, and reserves of the city. He was one of the promoters of a society that has been very successful in its operations, the Conservation Society, better known as the “Amenities Society.” This association was established in 1887 to assist, both by advice and practical support, in beautifying the breathing spots or lungs of the city. Its operations have resulted in the many improvements which are patent to all who remember the condition of the Octagon, Triangle, Southern Market Reserve, and Jubilee Park, a few years ago. These reserves are now a credit to Dunedin. being conspicuous for their verdant lawns, graceful foliage of the trees, and the beauty of the flower borders. Mr. Brown’s lovely residence, “Broomland,” Montecillo, stands on one of the most picturesque sites in the neighbourhood, exquisite and varied views being obtainable of land and sea. Mr. Brown was married in 1865 in Dunedin to a daughter of Mr. James Lamb, of Kelso, Scotland, and has one surviving son who is engaged in farming near Palmerston.
DRAPERY AND GENERAL IMPORTING COMPANY OP NEW ZEALAND, LTD. (D.I.C.). Directors: Messrs. B. Hallenstein (chairman), H. E. Hart, E. Hallenstein, and W. Fels. Head office, High and Rattray Streets, Dunedin. Mr. P. Laing, manager; Mr. W. Bowden, secretary; Telephone 284; P.O. Box, 342; Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand, Ltd. Branches: Cashel and Lichfield streets, Christchurch, Mr. E. C. Brown, manager; Mr. F. Aslin, secretary, Panama and Brandon streets, Wellington. Mr. A. A. Corrigan, manager; Mr. .7. Paul, secretary. London Office, 17 and 18 Basinghall Street, B.C. Capital, £125.000 in 250,000 shares of ten shillings each, with power to increase to £250,000 in 500,000 shares. This extensive and successful company was founded by the present chairman, Mr. Bendix Hallenstein, in Dunedin, in 1884. The business was expanded by the establishment of the Christchurch branch in 1885, and subsequently by the Wellington branch in 1890. The head offices, principal warehouse and show-rooms of the D.I.C. in Dunedin are situated in large brick premises with floor Mr. A. A. Corrigan, Wgtn. Mr. E. C Brown, Ch.ch. space equal to in, acres, and having large frontages to High and Rattray streets. Entering the ground floor from High street are the counting-house and the various departments described as follows:—Clothing, mercery, hats and caps, rugs and trunks, general Manchester, flannels and blankets, shirts, haberdashery and trimmings, gloves, ribbons, laces, carpets, floor-cloth and linoleums, house-furnishing, crockery, household ironmongery, furniture, bedsteads and bedding, pianos and organs. On the first floor are departments for coloured and black dress goods and prints, mantles, silks and umbrellas, corsets, ladies’ underclothing and baby linen, millinery, fancy wools, fancy needle-work and fancy goods. There are also a refreshment room, and ladies’ dressing room, besides three large, beautifully fitted and well lighted rooms for dress and mantle fitting. On the top floor are the work-rooms. A large number of hands are employed by the company. The latest addition to the D.I.C. Dunedin is a large three story furniture warehouse, on the first floor on the Rattray street side, the top floor of the building being used as polishing and finishing work-rooms. The entire basement is devoted to the storage of bulk goods and packing. Another development is a new department established at the Christchurch branch for the manufacture of bicycles which is proving a great success. A London buyer of great experience selects stock of the latest, most up-to-date, manufacture and purchases direct from the manufacturers for prompt shipment to the Colony. The company conducts business on co-operative lines, and may be described as being as unique in its operations as it is typical of colonial energy and commercial enterprise. A dividend at the rate of six per cent, per annum was authorised for the year ended August, 1897, and a bonus of three and three quarter per cent, was allotted to shareholders on the amount of their put-chases. Particulars of the Wellington branch appear on page 622 of the Wellington volume of the “Cyclopedia,” and a description of the Christchurch premises will appear in the volume for Canterbury.
HERBERT, HAYNES AND CO. (Daniel Haynes), Drapers and Clothiers, 8, 10 and 12 Princes Street, Dunedin. Telephone, 503; Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Smith Street. Branch, Tay Street. Invercargill. London house, Herbert, Haynes and Co., Portland House, Basinghall Street, E.C. The large and important business conducted by Messrs. Herbert, Haynes and Co. was established in 1861 by Messrs. George Herbert, Daniel Haynes, and A. It. Hay, under the style of Herbert, Haynes and Hay. The junior partner retired from the firm about eighteen months after its inception, and Mr. Herbert continued in the partnership till 1872, since which year Mr. Haynes has conducted the large and growing business as sole proprietor. The original wooden building at first occupied—(an illustration of which is given in the engraving)—covered but two thirds of the frontage on which the present imposing structure stands. Six years after the founding of the business, the premises were destroyed by fire and were replaced by a substantial brick building, which served as the head quarters of the firm till 1896. Prior to this year the needs of the business for greater accommodation had become more and more apparent. Mr. Haynes planned the greater number of the conveniences which have been embodied in the new structure, and had carefully thought out the design before deciding on the pulling down of the old building. Messrs. Mason and Wales, the well-known architects, were entrusted with the preparation of the plans and specifications for the new building, in conformity with the ideas of the proprietor. Full effect was given to Mr. Haynes’ ideas for the accommodation of the various departments of the business, and for the comfort and convenience of the several staffs engaged in the numerous branches of this great concern. The Princes Street frontage measures seventy-eight feet, and has four fine principals of Waikawa stone on which rest massive iron girders, supporting the superstructure, which consists of Oamaru stone. Four massive plate glass show windows each ten-feet deep face the street, and a splendid verandah extends along the entire front. Part of this valuable frontage was occupied by Messrs. Paterson and McLeod for many years, but as it formed a part of the leasehold property of the firm it was included in the space now utilised for the purposes of the business. Behind this leasehold land, Messrs. Herbert, Haynes and Co. have a large freehold, which extends some distance back with frontage to the Octagon on one side and to Moray Place on the other. The major portion of this large section is now covered with buildings used by the firm. The business is divided into eleven departments for convenience of administration, viz.:—the Manchester, blankets and flannel; dress, carpet and floorcloth, mantle and costume, millinery, ribbon and gloves, hosiery and haberdashery, clothing, mercery, and ladies’ underclothing departments. Each-of these branches of this large business—is managed by trained experts who also superintend the buying. The southern portion of the ground floor front is occupied by the mercery and clothing departments, the principal’s private office being located at the back. The general drapery, including all the other departments, have ample space on the main portion of the ground floor, which extends with the exception of the carpet and floorcloth department, 120 feet back from Princes Street. Further behind is situated the carpet and floorcloth departments with a work-room adjoining where carpets are sewn by a most ingenious machine. Heavy floorcloths encircle huge rollers of which there are two tiers of eight; each supplied with a handle by means of which any pattern can be unrolled and as easily put away after inspection. A large cellar, which runs under the basement of the entire establishment and has a concrete floor, is used for reserve stock; each department being kept quite separate, so that all confusion is avoided Many thousands of pounds worth of goods of all kinds are stored awaiting demand. Here also are the country orders, packing and parcel departments, and a back entrance, through which all cases of imported or local goods delivered to the house are received ready for opening. A good strong-room is situated in the cellar not far from the staircase, which descends close to the offices of the firm. The offices are situated on the ground floor between the general drapery and clothing departments. A large heating boiler in the cellar furnishes hot water for equalizing the temperature of the shops and offices, while in the yard is a specially constructed destructor, in which large quantities of rubbish are consumed. Ascending from the basement in an elegant lift by a Waygood and Co., specially fitted for the accommodation of lady customers, the fitting room of the dress-making department on the first floor is reached. Two expert dressmakers — each having separate work-rooms, where a large number of girls find employment—are in attendance. From this flat there is a back entrance by way of the Octagon, which is used by the employees of the firm. Between the two large work-rooms on this floor is a very fine waiting-room for ladies which is most elaborately furnished. The first and second floors of Messrs. Herbert, Haynes and Co’s main building are heated by gas, as are likewise the irons used in the tailoring department on the upper story. The tailoring department is connected with the basement and first floor by an iron spiral stairway. There is a large and comfortable dining-room—for the girls—on the top floor, and lavatories fitted with the latest sanitary appliances are situated here and in other parts of the large establishment. The rooms designed for the caretaker are also on the upper floor. These fine premises—the cost of which exceeded £10,000—are replete with the most modern appliances in every respect, including lighting, and ventilation, and are excellent in style and finish. Messrs. Herbert, Haynes and Co.’s connection is a steadily growing one and the expansion and development of their business has been phenomenal. Mr. HAYNES was born in 1832 in Napton, Warwickshire, the little education obtainable in those days was gleaned in the country school. At the age of thirteen he was engaged with a large drapery firm in Coventry with whom he served a seven years apprenticeship. On the completion of his time and after one week’s holiday, Mr. Haynes made his way to London and was successful in getting into some of the best business establishments, where he gained an experience which has since been of inestimable value in the early part of 1857, he decided to try his luck in New Zealand and embarked in the S.S. “Lord Ashley,” which took over 150 days in making the voyage to Auckland. Mr. Haynes obtained a situation on arrival with Messrs. David Graham and Co., which he retained till going to Dunedin and founding the present business as before described. He has taken no part in public life, having found sufficient employment in attending to his own business affairs. Mr. Haynes has visited England five times in the interests of the business —so as to keep in touch with the march of progress in the old world. At the London House of this firm an expert buyer trained in the colony, watches the interests of the business. Mr. Haynes is a member of Trinity Wesleyan Church, with which he has been associated since its inception, and holds office as a trustee of the Church and Manse. In 1864, Mr. Haynes married a daughter of Mr. Alexander Miller of Sunnyside, Otago, and has two sons and four daughters. MORRIS AND SEELYE (John Cassilis Seelye), Clothing Manufacturers, Australian Mutual Provident Society’s Building (top floor and part second flat), Princes Street, Dunedin. Telephone, 237. Private residence, Mornington. Established in 1879 in the old Princess Theatre, High Street, by Messrs. Aiken and Pasco, the business was afterwards taken over by Mr. Goldwater, and subsequently acquired by Messrs. Morris and Levy; the latter dissolved partnership in July, 1885, Mr. Levy retiring, and the present proprietor joining the firm. Since Mr. Morris’ death in 1890, Mr. Seelye has conducted the business solely. In the large, well-lighted workroom, which has both top and side windows, on the top floor, about eighty hands are busily engaged, twenty-one sewing machines being in use, besides three button hole machines. Adjoining are the offices and store-rooms, where trimmings of all kinds are kept in stock. There is a smaller workroom (where twenty hands are engaged) on the same floor, besides cutting rooms (with six expert cutters) and two press rooms. The girls’ dining room, which is fitted up with table, scats, and appliances for heating purposes, in conformity with the Factory Acts, is also on the top floor. On the second flat is a cutting and work room specially for the manufacture of mole trousers, of which about 600 pairs per week are turned out, forty hands and about fifteen machines being engaged. The mechanic in charge of the machines has a room, which is fitted up with lathe and all other necessary appliances. The examining and folding room is a very important department of the establishment; care is taken to prevent imperfect work being sent out, the goods being ticketed and folded ready for packing. Messrs. Morris and Seelye’s trade is chiefly with the wholesale firms of the various leading ports of the Colony. Mr. Seelye, the energetic proprietor, was born in Williamstown, Victoria. He learned his trade with Messrs. Sargood, King and Sargood, of Melbourne, leaving with the late Mr. J. F. Anderson, who came to Dunedin in 1873 to start the New Zealand Clothing Factory for Messrs. Hallenstein Bros, and Co. Mr. Seelye is a member of the Masonic order, Lodge St. Andrew, and is also a P.G.M. of the Loyal Albion Lodge of Oddfellows, M.U. In 1884 he went to Auckland, and joined Mr. George McBride in founding the firm of Seelye and McBride, eventually returning to Dunedin, and becoming proprietor of his present business as described herein.
SMITH, WILLIAM ABSOLON, Wholesale Tailor, 67 Princes Street, Dunedin. Bankers: Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Vogel Street, South Dunedin. Mr. Smith began business as a retail tailor in 1875 in George Street, where he was established for fourteen years. He removed in 1889 to Union Chambers, where he has accommodation for a large number of work-people. The office and cutting-room are on the ground floor, the work-room being situate on the first floor of the building, and in which about fifty hands are engaged with eleven machines, the greater proportion of the work being done by hand. Mr. Smith receives suport from all classes of the public, and does a considerable business in chart work, for which orders are forwarded from various parts of the Colony. He also does a considerable amount of work for the trade and imports direct all the tailors’ trimmings required for the business, the tweeds used being mostly colonial. Mr. Smith was born in Wallingford, Berkshire, England, in 1845, and was educated at private schools in Oxford. He learned his trade in London, where he had special instruction as a cutter, and worked for about ten years at the West End before coming to the Colony in 1873, where he arrived in 1874, per ship “Dunfillan” at Port Chalmers. He became cutter to Messrs. A, and T. Inglis, and afterwards to Mr. D. R. Hay, commencing business on his own account as above described. Mr. Smith was married in 1875 to a daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Darling, who died in 1878, leaving one son. He was married again in 1880, to a daughter of Mr. Joseph Walsham, of Dunedin, by whom he has four sons and four daughters. |
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