01/03/2019
F. Tritton Furniture Warehouse, Stanley Street, Woolloongabba.
(Click Photograph To See All Four)
This is a first, I have located 3 photographs of this location!
Here we have the building that was once on the corner of Stanley Street and Gibbon Street Woolloongabba.
The first photograph was when F. Tritton’s Furniture occupied the site.
In the very beginning Frederick Tritton was in a partnership with his brother Charles for “some years”. Previous to this location, their store was located on Logan Road just around the corner but moved to this site in the 1890s.
I assume that the business began in 1882, though other sources state Frederick and his brother arrived in Australia in 1884 and the business started in 1886. The signage on the building though states “EST 1882”.
So maybe there has been a mistake somewhere?
In 1889 both men agreed to dissolve the partnership as they both were getting married. Obviously Frederick continued the furniture business with his new wife.
Like many other businesses, after the 1893 floods, it was decided to relocate to higher ground. The site chosen was on George Street near Adelaide Street.
Now when I found the next photograph (which was the first photograph found), I assumed that it was a separate business, I then read that “Coupon Furnishing Company” was owned by “Tritton’s Furniture” and that it’s factories supplied furniture for both their stores.
Apparently this store remained very busy as many of their customers were still shopping here and it was decided to change the name at this location to Coupons, as at the time coupons were a type of reward system that could be used to trade for goods.
In this 1903 photograph the neighbouring business was called J. Tritton’s Stationery and Fancy Goods. I assume this business belonged to Frederick’s son John.
I also assume that the company must have closed during WWII as I have found a document that claims that the building was occupied from 7th July 1943 by 832nd Signal Service Company of the United States Army. The building was used to house their officers quarters, mess hall, kitchen and orderly room.
After the war I read that Frederick’s Son, John Cyril Tritton, became managing director of this store and managed around 70-80 employees.
He ran this store until its closing in 1965.
As for its demolition, it disappeared somewhere in late 2003/early 2004 for the construction of Gabba Central Appartments.
The building that was located to the left was the Woolloongabba Hotel which could be traced back to 1868. Sadly it too was demolished for the apartment development, though once complete found itself a new home inside the shopping complex below.
More on that pub in a future post.
(Taken: 1895/1903/1937/2018)
(Source: SLQ/SLQ/SLQ/John Prpic)
