Shops

In the early to mid 20^th century, shops in Shellharbour were basic. General stores operated as small supermarkets and sold everything a family could require. Often they operated as a post offices and paper shops as well.

The butcher shop at Albion Park was run for many years by the O'Gorman family, who would deliver meat straight to your door. Hazelton's, Grocers at Albion Park for generations, would also deliver about once a fortnight.

Meat in those days was kept in an ice chest and people often had to go to Wollongong to get their ice. A wet roll of hessian was wrapped around the ice to keep it cold until they got home. In later years, the ice man would come and deliver the ice, dropping cold water all over the floors of houses.

Many people from Shellharbour caught a bus to Port Kembla to do their main shopping, prior to the establishment of Warilla in the 1950s.

Shellharbour Village had a butcher shop operated by the Thomas family. John Thomas ran a bakery (the old ovens are now located in the foyer of Addison's Seafood Bar and Grill Restaurant, which stands on the site today). A corner store operated for many years on the corner of Wentworth and Addison Streets (known as the Country Kitchen today). Beazley's General Store was situated on the opposite corner, on the southern side of Addison Street.

Swyny's was the first store at Lake Illawarra. The shop was at Reddall Parade and operated as a post office, a paper shop and grocers.

Graham's Store was also located at Lake Illawarra in the 1920s. At the store you could buy general supplies and even hire boats to go rowing on the lake. Mr Graham built a jetty out into the lake to people to launch from. During the Depression, people couldn't afford to pay their bills and so the shop had to close.

The Stanford's opened the first post office, paper and grocery shop in Kingston Street, Oak Flats in the mid 1930s . Mail was delivered in a horse and Sulky by Mr Stanford. The store was operated by Mrs Stanford who also had the job as Gatekeeper for the railway line.

Edward Hazelton's Store, Tongarra Road, Albion Park, c.1916.
Shellharbour Images Shellharbour City Libraries.

Swynys Post Ofice Store, Reddall Parade, Lake South, c.1925.
Shellharbour Images Shellharbour City Libraries.

The Post Office Store, corner of Central Avenue and Kingston Street, Oak Flats c.1938.
Shellharbour Images Shellharbour City Libraries.

Rosetta Hill

Rosetta Hill was once part of the 2000 acre estate promised to Samuel Terry in 1817. Terry was a convict who was transported to Australia for stealing 400 pairs of stockings and on his death, was the richest man in the colony. In 1821 he received his grant of land from Governor Macquarie which he called Terry's Meadows (now Albion Park). Rosetta Hill was named after Terry's wife, Rosetta.

 

In 1884 Gabriel Timbs, an important member of the Albion Park community, purchased the property and built the home which remains today. Gabriel gave much to the township in the late 1800s and constructed many shops and public buildings in the main street. He served as Alderman on Shellharbour Municipal Council 1876-1883.  He had 21 children and many of his descendants still live in the area today.

Rosetta Hill homestead at Albion Park c.2003.
Tongarra Museum collection.

View north from Mount Terry at Albion Park 1995.
The farm in the distance is Rosetta Hill.
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries.

 

Tullimbar Inn

The earliest reference to a store at Tullimbar was in 1856 with Robert Wilson noted as storekeeper of Macquarie River, agent for the Illawarra Mercury. Joseph Dunster purchased the store from Wilson in April 1856 and Thomas Davis purchased the store some time after the Dunsters moved to the 'Hill' property in 1865.

The Tullimbar Store, residence and Post Office was purchased by Daniel Fraser in 1882 and was destroyed by fire ten years later, while still owned by the Frasers.

An 1892 article in the Illawarra Mercury states 'The Tullimbar post office stores and residence which were destroyed by fire some six monts ago have been replaced by a much more ornate and commodious structure'.

 

The Tullimbar Inn that stands on the Illawarra Highway today was built c.1892 presumably on the same site as the original store.

Alfred Sawtell and his family used the ormer store as a residence for many years. In 1923 Bessie Sawtell married James Aitken and leased the residence until c.1926 when they purchased the home.

In the 1970s the residence operated as the White Horse Inn Restaurant, and now operates as the Tullimbar Inn.

Thomas Davis' store at Tullimbar, Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries

 

Tullimbar Inn c.2003, Tongarra Museum collection



Keith Wickham Allen

In remembrance of the 100th anniversary of the First World War, we will feature some of Shellharbour's WWI soldiers in the coming months.

Keith Wickham Allen (known as Barney) was the grandson of Walter Allen and Charlotte Dunster of Shellharbour who operated Allen’s Store in Addison Street from 1868. The Allen family lived in the house next to the store.

 

When his grandfather died in 1876, his grandmother and other family members continued the business for generations. Clothing and other goods were ordered from the store by the townsfolk, and arrived by ship, train or mail.

 

Keith was born 19 September 1893, the son of Joseph Dunster Allen and Anne Rachel Wickham. He grew up in Shellharbour and attended Newington College at Stanmore. When he was just 13 years old in 1906 he joined the Senior Cadets and six years later received his Bronze Medal from the Royal Life Saving Society.

 

When he became a partner in Bjelke-Petersen Bros Gymnasium in 1910 when he was 17 years old, he became involved in developing programs and teaching physical education in many leading colleges and convents in the Sydney area.  The Bjelke- Petersen brothers, Hans Christian, Johannes and Harald established gymnasiums in Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney and specialised in treating people with deformities of the spine.

 

In November 1915 he enlisted in the AIF. He completed his training at Goulburn and acted as Sergeant on several occasions during this time.

 

Keith embarked for Plymouth on the Port Sydney with Unit D Company, 55^th Battalion in September 1916, and by October he had been appointed to Sergeant 4^th Reinforcements, 55^th Battalion. In December of that year he proceeded to France where he reverted to the rank of Private.  He served in France from December 1916 to June 1918.

 

In February 1917 Keith was evacuated to hospitalised as he was sick. Just a month later in March he was wounded in action and hospitalised suffering from ‘shellshock’. On 8 April 1917 he rejoined the 55^th Battalion and was with them for just 11 days before being evacuated to hospital, suffering from ‘shellshock’.

 

He rejoined his Battalion in May 1917 and in June was promoted to Sergeant.  He attended the Army Infantry School in November and rejoined the 55^th Battalion in December 1917.

 

Keith was selected to attend the Officers Cadet Battalion at Oxford in June 1918 and was appointed Cadet.  

 

A report on Keith’s training revealed ‘Cadet Allen has plenty of ability and has given satisfaction in every way. He will in my opinion make a good Platoon Commander’.

 

In November of that year was Armistice Day. Keith remained overseas for a time where he was given several different posts.

 

 In January 1919 he was appointed 2^nd Lieutenant on probation and allotted to the General Infantry where he travelled to France via Southampton. Keith served as 2^nd Lieutenant 5th Division Reinforcements, before being sent to P&RT (Physical Training) School, where he was involved in helping troops gain the required fitness to be able to return to Australia by ship.

 

Mr and Mrs JD Allen of Shellharbour have received a cable from Oxford stating that their son Keith Wickham Allen is now a Lieutenant. Lt Allen has just completed a six month course at Magdalene College Oxford after having put in two years heavy work in France during which he had an argument with shells upon three different occasions, one being nearly too much for him as it rendered him unconscious for several days. Lt Allen was stationed in Goulburn camp for some time and has many friends here. Goulburn Evening Penny Post Jan 1919

 

In April 1919 Keith disembarked for Southampton and was appointed Sports Officer with the 14^th Brigade at Weymouth, the where he remained until his return to Australia in July 1919 on board the Ulysses. When Keith returned, his rank was Lieutenant.

 

He rejoined Bjelke- Petersen Brothers on his return and in December 1923 he married Valmai Jean Woodley Taylor Gilder. Keith and Valmai had four children,

27.1.1927 Wickham Taylor Allen born

9.1.1929 Louise Ann Allen

13.3.1931 Michael Taylor Allen

7.1.1933 Keith (Kim) Taylor Allen

 

On 1 April 1940, Keith enlisted for service in World War Two. He was eager to serve overseas and was on the docks at Freemantle to board a ship bound for New Guinea to fight in the war against the Japanese. An order stated he was to remain behind as he was more useful getting the troops fit before they embarked for overseas. He was also to train the instructors who would carry on the job on board the ship. In 1944 Keith Wickham Allen was placed on the Retired List.

 

In 1938 Keith joined Sydney Legacy and became a Legatee in July of that year. He was a member of the Junior Welfare Committee 1938-1962, after which he became a Reserve Member (retired).

 

Keith became Managing Director of Bjelke-Petersen Brothers from 1948 to 1962 and served as Chairman of Directors until his death in May 1972.

 

Many thanks to Michael Allen, son of Keith Wickham Allen for providing us with detailed information about his father’s service.

Keith Wickham Allen c.1915

Tongarra Museum collection