Before the tall apartment building was built, the corner of Dundas St & Plenty Rd had been the site of a significant small goods business. This and the Huttons ham factory (nearby in Oakover Rd) and with the various tanning businesses further along led to Preston being dubbed the ‘Porkopolis’ of Melbourne.
William Watson & William Paterson established a business in 1862 in a small wooden building along Plenty Rd probably near the junction.
Later the business expanded. Now with two tall chimneys. The site was corner Dundas St and Plenty Rd. The buildings are still weatherboard.
At some time, probably early part of twentieth century, brick buildings were built at the rear of the property. Including the two storey building along Dundas St – the only part of the original site buildings that still exists.
Probably around the 1920s the front wooden building was demolished.
The side building (Dundas St) is the only structure left since the apartments have been built.
One of the people who worked for Watson & Paterson was James Carruthers Hutton. He would later form his own Ham empire both in Queensland and nearby in Oakover Rd. The firm’s motto ‘Huttons is Best’ became well known. Many others learnt their knowledge with Watson & Paterson’s South Preston business.
Often been considered the birthplace of smallgoods.
For many decades over half Melbourne’s metropolitan pigs were processed in Preston.
The Paterson family retained control of the business until 1958 when taken over buy Otto Wurth. Adding another name to the various iconic smallgoods brands produced here.
The front of the property was leased for decades as car yard. In 2003 it was Bob Jane. At the rear can be seen the back of the buildings with chimneys.
By the 1990s the junction site was little used.
These pictures record arguably the most important site for smallgoods production in Victoria, if not Australia.
See part 2 – for site images taken July 2010. (To Follow …)
More information on Northcote: northcotehistory.weebly.com
Sources: All colour images – P Michell.
Early history and B&W images: Carroll & Rule, Preston: An Illustrated History: Preston, City of Preston, 1985.
