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| GHOST SIGN |
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| CASCADE HOUSE, GEORGE STREET |
Although they have now relocated, this
warehouse in George Street was for most current-day Launceston
residents the home of Tulloch's Auctions.
Broomby and Dent were agricultural
agents – involved in the sale of everything from animal feed, to
flowers. They already had the warehouse when they purchased
adjoining property on the corner of the street in 1909 – one
suspects the current building has evolved into its current form over
time.
(A picture of how it looked around 1907
can be seen in Michael Simco and Pete Jermy's little book “Launceston
on old Picture Postcards”)
A newspaper report from February 1894
says that “Broomby and Dent
have
taken possession of the store in lower George.street until recently
occupied by Messrs R. Newey and Sons. Both men had worked in the
field for some time and proposed to store and sell wheat, hay and
corn as well as engines to drive chaff cutters, crushing machines and
more. At the time it was opened the building enjoyed the advantage
of being close to both the railway station and the wharves. In this
regard times have certainly changed! Newey's had been hay and
product merchants in Launceston since the 1850s, the business having
been founded by Richard Newey, who died in 1891.
Instead
of Broomby and Dent, the inscription on the front of the building now
reads :Irvine and McEachern. They were wine and spirit merchants and
also sold cigars and tea, and had previously operated from 128
Brisbane Street. Rather confusingly the building has “Cascade
House” on the front, but most newspaper references give the address
of “Cascade House” as 38 Charles Street! Presumably there were
two buildings with that title, both operated by the same company. I
suspect someone out there will know whether or not the title was
simply an association with Irvine and McEachern's business, or was
related to the brewery in a more direct way. (All input
welcome!!!!!)
Among the many enticing products wholesaled by Irvine and McEarchern was AB Tonic wine, advertised extensively in the 1930s. It was said to not only relieve exhaustion, lassitude and depression but to feed “the wasted tissues” and built up the system after influenza and other illness. All this for only 3 shillings!
As
far as I can tell this building is not on the Heritage Register, but
it stands as a reminder of Launceston's agricultural and commercial
history and has a certain solid appeal, that paint aside, has not
been overly damaged by overenthusiastic “development.”
