Richardson and Co Store, Woodanilling

Statement of Significance

The place is notable as an early site in the business and commercial development of the town of Woodanilling.

Physical Description

The current building faces Robinson Road and replaced the original structure built for Mrs Quartermaine which faced the Railway Station (Burt Street). Prominent on this side is a large fading sign "Bushell's Tea". On the east side is a lean to structure which housed the second post office.
Large signs (Richardson & Co) are on both the west and south (above the verandah) sides.

History

Mrs Alfred Quartermaine's store, opened at the turn of the century gave way to F&C Piesse and Co. in about 1903 and WJ Rogers' General Store was sold to Harry Oldrey the same year. Mrs Quartermaine lived in the back of the corrugated iron store. More changes were to follow the next year when F&C Piesse announced that they had disposed of the firm's shops at Katarming and Woodanilling to
Richardson & Co.

RL Richardson, a South Australian, was 42 and had worked in shops since he was 15. By astute management, his stores flourished and expanded with six branches being established west to Kojonup and east to Nyabing. Eventually, the management was to pass to his son Max, whose birth after seven sisters had been bom was to cause his mother to remark to the attending doctor (House) when told she had given birth to a son - "/ am not a woman who takes kindly to practical jokes, Doctor". Bob Richardson did a lot for the early settlers. He financed many with credit without which they could not have remained on their farms. WJ Rogers who had vacated Woodanilling in 1903 became a strong competitor in Katanning, Kojonup and to the east for the general store trade. Each firm vied with each other to buy produce of eggs, butter, bacon etc, from the farmers' wives for their custom to purchase other essential groceries.

When Oldrey sold his store to Kealley in May 1905, Richardson's bought the stock as Kealley was turning it into a butcher's shop. The purchase of the Wcjcnianilling Store from Piesses caused the necessity to seek a manager and Richardson called upon his old friend Henry Kippin (1904) to take up the position. Kippin managed the business for seven years before moving to Nampup (Nyabing) to another Richardson store that was opening up.

Richardson's Store was very much a general store catering for farmers, shepherds, teamsters, rail and road workers as well as those involved in land clearing, poison grubbing and in the gathering of mallet bark, sandalwood and animal skins. These men often obtained their supplies of flour, tea, sugar, tinned food and other requirements for several months on credit before returning with bark, wood or skins to settle their account. On one occasion a person obtained 30 pounds worth of supplies, but when he did not return the manager had to stand the loss which made it very difficult for his family, as at the time 10/- a week was good pay. In February 1911, the Progress Association met to discuss the transfer of the Post Office to Richardson's Store. The new manager, JRA Wetherall, applied for the Post Office as his daughter, Zetta was looking for work. By 1914 Ben Hobart was the manager and lived in the Manager's house, next door. Hobart used to run the red spring cart (with Richardson & Co painted on it) out to the various farms about once a month with stores and take back in farm produce. Succeeded by a man named Bruce.

The store closed around 1966 and the manager (who lived in the house adjoining on the east, continued to operate the post office and telephone exchange adjacent (to the east).

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