After returning from the First World War I N Thomas purchased the section and put a building from the Featherston Military camp on the front section as a start of his building firm. In 1928 this was removed and the reinforced concrete building there today erected
The ground floor was occupied by John Moran the tailor with upstairs housing John Smith also a tailor and then a dentist, Mr Trustram. Later it became a ladies’ hairdressers then an accountant’s offices. It is now private accommodation.
Following the tailor the ground floor was occupied by Mr G Brasell’s second hand shop and later by Claude Moore’s sports goods. It is now a video shop.
The neighbouring building, now an accountant’s, was built in 1905 and occupied as Joe Kwong On’s fruit and vege shop. In 1908 the fruit shop moved across to the former Ramsden and Ussher’s building with this shop being taken by Ted Playle a tailor. An avert of the time ran: ‘Edwin James Playle Tailor and Costumer, Large shop and fitting room. Large stock of Ladies’ and gentlemen’s materials kept. A specialty is to make ladies’ riding habits’.
Following World War Two Jim Brasell and his wife Betty took over the shop as a tea rooms and dairy where younger people purchased ice cream sodas or milk shakes and listened to the juke box – at one shilling a go. The business was later bought by Whitby’s and run as the South End Dairy. The building was later was used as a child care centre before being refurbished as the current accountants offices.
Mate Higginson
