Ginn & Hooper

William Ginn and Harry Hooper established themselves as wholesale  and general merchants c1878. Both men were well known residents of Ipswich, and Hooper had served as mayor of the town in 1869.

It seems that the firm had a shopfront in Brisbane Street and a warehouse in Bremer Street. The warehouse was in front of Collins Wharf so the position would have been handy for receiving goods being delivered by boat. This was likely the former location of Walter Gray & Co.  In 1879 the Ipswich Clothing Company was adjacent to Ginn & Hooper. This was opportune when the Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company decided to divest itself of these retail operations.  The Ipswich Clothing Company had been set up to sell goods manufactured by Qld Woollen Manufacturing Company. Ginn & Hooper seized the opportunity to keep the business operating in the same place, an  iron shed in Bremer Street that had previously been where J. & G. Harris carried on business. These premises and the clothing company became part of Ginn & Hooper's wholesale store and warehouse. For sale were woollen fabrics, tweeds and flannels. A tailor was also employed. Initially the business had a contract to supply 150 uniforms for Qld Railway officials but when this was completed ready-made clothing was to be produced for Ipswich consumers. Some years later Haigh & Co. would occupy Ginn & Hooper's premises in Bremer Street.

Like much of Ipswich, particularly riverfront properties, Ginn & Hooper were inundated 2 or three times over the next few years due to the Bremer River breaking its banks. The 1893 flood was severe and this may have been the catalyst for moving the business to the intersection of Union and Nicholas Streets. Whatever the case, Ginn & Hooper were to be found here from at least 1895. This was opposite T. C. Beirne's and close to the railway station. The Farmers Exchange was next door. Some years later Dalton Brothers General Grocers would be located on the same spot. By the mid1890s the business sold tobacco, pipes, groceries, alcohol, seeds and local produce amongst other things. 

The partners died within a month of each other in December 1896 (Harry) and January 1897 (William) and the firm was wound up within a short time. H. T. Hooper, Harry's son who had been employed at Ginn & Hooper, then opened his own general store business in Hughes & Cameron's buildings on Nicholas Street. This entity stocked the same sort of merchandise and became the local agent for the same products that Ginn & Hooper had been. 

Ginn Cottage, built for William 1859-1860 at the corner of Meredith Lane & Ginn Street is one of the oldest surviving brick cottages in Ipswich and is now heritage listed. Harry Hooper lived at The Palms, Ellenborough Street on Denmark Hill.