This article by Dorothy & Bill Lemin written in 2006 was originally titled: “Business in brief – Heidelberg 1940s”. ‘Heidelberg was much a slower place. The saying was that you could fire a canon down Burgundy St and not hit anyone. Ivanhoe was a more up market place and closer to town. Lack of transport meant that most people shopped at the town nearest their location.’
ROUCH’S TIMBER YARD The timber yard whistle (8am, noon, 5pm) alerted the local residents and the surrounding district to the time of day and many people set their clocks by it.
STATE SAVINGS BANK Business people used the Commercial Bank and ordinary people banked at the SSB. Banks opened on Saturday morning as well as the usual week days.
BRIERTY’S GROCER Brierty’s also had stores in Ivanhoe and East Ivanhoe. As a lad, Ken Brierty used to ride his small pony around the surrounding district, collecting customers orders to be made up at the shop and then delivered on an arranged date by horse and cart. Ken always rode his pony at full gallop. Later, he became a Cannon in the Anglican Church.
‘SPIDER’ (CLYDE) CLINTON’S GARAGE Most people had a nick name and their Christian name was hardly ever used. Spider’s garage was near Cape St. It had been a bike shop before cars became a more frequent mode of transport. ‘Spider’ had an old Chev 4 tow truck.
TOMMY RENAHAN BLACKSMITH’S ‘General Blacksmithing & Wheelwright’ The shop was established in the 1870s. Tommy Renahan, the smithy, was a chunky man with big arms. He fashioned horse shoes and farming implements. He also carried out wheelwrighting, such as putting new steel tyres on jinkers, and general carriage work (eg. fitting new shafts and spokes)
O’KEEFE’S BUTCHERS This shop was run by brothers. It was considered the best and so was the most popular of the butcher shops. Sawdust covered the shop floor. A picture of a Hereford beast adorned the little gate adjacent to the shop
AUSTIN HOSPITAL The Austin was established as a Hospital for Incurables. A cancer ward was built in 1885 for terminally ill cancer patients. Those that went there knew that they would never come home. The saying was that the chiming of its clock sent shivers down the residents’ spines because it also meant another patient had died on the hour.
WRIGHT’S BAKERY Located in Cape St, it supplied all the surrounding districts with bread by horse and cart. In later years it was known as ‘ Granny Davis’.
GEORGE SHEFFIED Senior & Junior, Newsagents Sheffield’s was the major supplier of news papers and all other newsagents stock, although there were other sub agents.
BINGHAM’S ‘SHIRLEY’ CAFE What seemed a dark, dingy shop, this business sold ice blocks and lollies, as well as some delicatessen lines. You could also sit beneath the overhead fans and have a meal.
TAYLORS’ FUNERAL PARLOUR Later to become, Le Pines. Taylors also had a parlour in Ivanhoe, down the bottom of the street, near the fire brigade station.
THE SIR HENRY BARKLY HOTEL Known to all the locals and others further afield as ‘Johnny Dawson’s’ after its publican. The vacant block across the road afforded a short cut from there to the Old England Hotel.
Photo: Sir Henry Barkly Hotel, Heidelberg Historical Society in partnership with Yarra Plenty Regional Library. About 1910
