Store

From Tomerong Past Wiki
Tomerong General Store about 1927

For many years Daniel WATTS & Son, storekeepers of Milton, brought goods into the Tomerong district, so it is not surprising that they were the first to establish store premises in the village. The Tomerong General Store commenced operation about 1882, opposite the Traveller's Rest Hotel. Daniel purchased the half acre block off John James PARNELL in 1883 and this was probably the first subdivision in the village. The store was situated on the north-western side of the crossroads of the Shoalhaven to Ulladulla Road (Hawken Road) and Turpentine Road (William Bryce Road). Daniel Watts had the premises erected and his son Frederick Morris Watts was the first proprietor of the store. In 1885 the General Store would also become the location of the Post Office.

Assistants listed at the Tomerong store in 1899 were James Jones, storekeeper and Robert Arney, carter. In August of that year Frederick sold the Tomerong business and leased the premises to Matilda Jane MILLER. Matilda Miller had been an assistant to Frederick for seven years before taking over the business at Tomerong. She soon after married William George LACKERSTEEN who in turn ran the business and it was known as W Lackersteen’s Pioneer Store. Bill and Matilda were assisted by William Edwin Ganderton. Following Bill and Matilda Lackersteen, the operation of the store was taken over by Woodhill & Co. and in 1910 the storekeeper at Tomerong was Joseph CANAVAN, assisted by Clive Sullivan. It appears that the store building was redeveloped at this time.

Horace Murdoch WATT commenced working at the store in 1912 at the age of 16 and continued doing so after his father James WATT II and his Uncle Charles purchased the store in 1915. The store was known as Watt Bros. After Edward Charles WATT (also known as ‘Digger’), returned from active service in Egypt at the end of World War I, he and his brother Horace purchased the store. Others to work in the store were Dorothy Watt (Horace and Edward’s sister), Lyn Condie, Jean Bryce, Bill Wrightson, Mervyn (Tim) McGuire and Bill Bryce for a time in deliveries.

In 1926 the permission of the Clyde Shire Council was requested to erect a petrol bowser at the store. Horace continued in the store until 1939, when the business was sold to Mr and Mrs Mel (Jack) Scott. Following the Scott family, the store changed hands in quick succession, first to a Mr Lovatt who sold the store to Mr Davis in 1946 and a year later to Ron and Jean Morton who took up residence there. The Morton’s operated the business for seven years and during this time, and prior to her marriage, Natalie Parnell (nee Clements) worked for them as an assistant. The store carried a variety of merchandise including groceries, fruit and vegetables, small goods, kitchenware, animal feeds, petrol and hardware. They weighed up all flour, sugar, biscuits, dried fruits, lollies, dried peas and vegetables. The cheese was cut from 14lb blocks enclosed in cheesecloth. Following the Scott family, the store changed hands in quick succession, first to a Mr Lovatt who sold the store to Mr Davis in 1946 and a year later to Ron and Jean Morton who took up residence there.

The next proprietor of the store business was Barfoot William Simpkin, better known as Bill. Following Bill’s retirement, about 1966, the business was operated by his son Henton and his wife Margaret who continued it for another three years. Bill and Audrey Anderson and their daughter Patricia purchased the store in 1975. In 1979 Bill and Audrey also purchased the service station from Ken and Natalie Parnell, combining the two businesses once again. The decision to purchase the service station was a result of the development of the larger shopping chains in Nowra. The introduction of these large supermarket chains effectively changed the function of the local store.

In 1985 the front portion of the old store was removed, changing its appearance dramatically. The old store premises were later removed and the store was then operated from the residence situated to the north of the old store building. Peter and Gail Dawson commenced operating a business from the store and service station in 1991 assisted by their son Dwayne. As well as selling small grocery lines, they also supplied all types of stockfeed. Gail and Peter continued to operate from the store premises until August 1996 when the business and Post Office was relocated to the old Post Office premises once again where it continues to operate in 2024.

The old store/service station building finally ceased operations in April 2000 when fire gutted the premises. The remains of the building were removed in October of that year. [1]

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Notes and References

  1. ↑ Blair, Margaret (2000). From Bullocks to Bypass : a local history of the NSW south coast village of Tomerong. M. Blair, Tomerong, N.S.W.

Images

Links

  1. Tomerong Local History Web Page- tomeronghistory.com
  2. Tomerong Past Facebook Album- Tomerong Past Facebook This site may provide more information relative to this institution, business or location. Check the appropriate album; e.g. Village, Sawmills, Clyde Shire etcetera.
  3. Tomerong History- From Bullocks to Bypass
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