Know your town
In the 1980s Charles D Harris had a number of shops built on Otaraia Road (now Jellicoe Street). The saddler’s for his son Abraham (known and Dick) who had one leg shorter than the other due to contracting Polio as a child. He had one boot built up to counteract this.
Later the business was run by H Stannard then later again by Alf Wilton. The shop then became a boot repair shop run by John Charles then passing to Les Drake then again to T Malton. Going home from school we would stop and listen to the stories told by three or four elderly gents who spent their time sitting on a seat outside in the afternoon sun smoking their pipes and telling tales.
Inside Mr Drake would be working at his shoemaker’s last repairing the boots and shoes. How he knew each person’s shoes I don’t know, but he would rummage through a huge pile and hand you yours as good as new again. I remember the shop’s great smell of new leather.
The shop was eventually pulled down to make way for the Electric Power Board’s Show Room (now Cotter and Stevens).
Another Harris building was on the site which is now Morgan and Co Accountants. This was relocated to Cambridge Road where it is now part of the Pinot Villas complex. The shop was a tailors run by Jane Harris and partner J Taylor who supplied made to measure ladies and gents costumes and suits. Jane Harris married Joe Baghurst.
Charles Harris also had Billiard Rooms, Caves Store, a tobacconist and the Palace Boarding house built along that side of Otaraia Road. These were all destroyed by the fire described in an earlier ‘Know Your Town’
Recent Comments