Summary

Black and white photograph of the exterior of a general store in Murrayville, in far western Victoria, circa 1911. The business advertises food and clothing on the side of the building.

This particular building was constructed around July 1911, and was the second shop in the town of Murrayville. This photograph is thought to have been taken shortly after the building was constructed and the general store business opened. There is little other development on the street nearby.

The store was opened by HT Baldock and operated as a grocery and drapery business. By 1914 it was operated by W Smith and C George, then in 1915 by Mr W Jones. Subsequently, around 1915-1916 it was operated by Siemerings as the Mutual Store. The Mutual Store had branches in nearby Pinnaroo and Tutye. In about 1916 this shop was demolished and another building erected on the same site.

Description of Content

A man and a small girl seated outside a general store which advertises boots & shoes, flour, bran and pollard. There is a verandah on the front of the building, a door on the right hand side [viewer's left] and windows with curtains at the front. Boxes are stacked on the side of the building at right. Trees are visible behind the left hand side of the store, and a stump is in the foreground.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    The Biggest Family Album in Australia

  • Collecting Areas

    Images & Image Making, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Copied from Keith Pearse, 09 Nov 1987

  • Place & Date Depicted

    Murrayville, Victoria, Australia, circa 1911
    Research by local historian Jocelyn Lindner suggests that this building was constructed in about July 1911, and the photograph taken shortly afterwards. This building was demolished around 1916 and a second building was constructed on the site. See 'Murrayville 1910-2007: A History of the Development of Murrayville & District', Jocelyn Lindner, published by Murrayville Liaison Committee, 2007, Murrayville, pp.78-79. Note that this edition of the publication has some errors regarding dates. Conversation with the author has clarified the chronology. For a later image of the first building, with Mutual Store signage, see page 79 of this publication. This later image dates to around 1915-1916, when operated by Siemerings and before the building was demolished. This later image also shows another building on the left of the Mutual Store [at viewer's right], which operated as the temporary premises of the Commercial Bank of Australia.

  • Format

    Negative, 35 mm, Black & White

  • Classification

    Commerce & retailing

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Image

  • References

    'Murrayville 1910-2007: A History of the Development of Murrayville & District', Jocelyn Lindner, published by Murrayville Liaison Committee, 2007, Murrayville, pp.78-79.

  • Keywords

    Advertising, General Stores, Shops, Verandahs