Nicholas Street, No 40-46, Ipswich

The history of 40-46 Ipswich City Mall is strongly connected with the history of 141 Brisbane Street, known as Nolan’s Corner.
“The site at 141 Brisbane Street was originally sold as a town lot to Martin Byrne in 1846. He established a pub on the site which had various names including The Melbourne Hotel and The London Tavern. In 1875 the site was purchased by John Greenham, the younger, who partnered with Thomas Bennet to create Greenham and Co. A fire in 1884 caused Greenham and Co. to move to temporary premises in Brisbane and Ellenborough streets.  In 1886-1887 a new block of buildings was built on the site that were ‘the best and most beautiful in town’ (Queensland Times, 15 Jan 1887,p.5). The new brick and wood building was designed by the architect F.D.G Stanley in the ‘Elizabethian Style’ (see Figure 1) (Queensland Times, 15 Jan 1887,p.5). It included four shops downstairs and a cellar. Upstairs was a studio and a dark room with three waiting rooms leased to Mr. Matthewson, photographer. There were also four upstairs offices facing Nicholas Street. 

A cope-stone was laid during the construction ‘in the hope it may be long undisturbed and that prosperity may attend all who inhabit these buildings’ (Queensland Times, 15 Jan 1887,p.5 ). It is unknown whether this cope-stone still exists. The building then became known as ‘Greenham’s block’ and upstairs, ‘Greenham’s Chambers’. It was leased to various tenants with different shops from the late 1800’s to the middle of the 1900’s. Upstairs, Greenham’s chambers were used by various groups and businesses as offices. These included architects, optometrists, the Ipswich Turf Club and the Ipswich Traffic Board.  Various sporting, religious and community groups have also used the space. Downstairs was leased to retail businesses including the Red Arcade in 1906. In 1913 it was renovated and leased by T.H. Thomas’s Hairdressing Saloon, Tobacconist and Marble Bar (see figure 4). None of the fabric from this renovation was evident on inspection. When T. H. Thomas retired in 1924 the premises were renovated again to accommodate chemist, Gerald Nolan who leased the corner shop from Greenham.  Nolan soundly established himself on the corner by 1925 and became ‘well known in business and social circles’ in Ipswich (Queensland Times, 15 Mar 1935, p.9). The site then became known as ‘Nolan’s Corner’.  Nolan became well known for his attractive window displays and for his luck in selling winning tickets in the Golden Casket lottery, becoming known as both the ‘Casket King’ and ‘Lucky Nolan’. He also sold various photographic supplies, opened a same day printing service and developing service and became an agent for Trans-Australia Airlines. 

The geographic location of Nolan’s Corner became a convenient place for a variety of community groups to meet. In 1939 as part of a project to modernise the shopfronts in Ipswich the site was once again renovated. The external veranda and awnings were replaced with suspended awnings (see figure 5). Nolan eventually purchased the property with his three daughters in 1970 and it is still owned by Nolan’s family today”.  (Merino, 2017)

46 Ipswich City Mall: re-subdivision 2
“On 27 April 1909, a public notice was printed in the Queensland Times stating that Mr Alf Shelton entered into partnership with brother P. Shelton and that the photographic business is now called Shelton Bros. Interestingly there is mention in the Queensland Times on 16 November 1909 that the Shelton Bros premises was being used as a place of workshop or ‘divine service’ until a permanent place of worship is found.

In a Queensland Times article on 14 December 1912, it is stated that H. O. Williams bought out the Shelton Bros and moved his Union Street ‘Bijou Studio’ to 46 Ipswich City Mall.  Harry Oakhill Williams, son of Mr and Mrs George Williams on Park Street Ipswich, was an honorary member of the Ipswich and West Moreton Amateur Photographic Society. On 11 October 1915, the name of the Title for the land was changed and a new Title was issued under the name Greenhams Pty Ltd. As shown in the 1918 Block Plans held at the Ipswich Library; 46 Ipswich City Mall was occupied by H. O. Williams who that year made improvements to the building. Improvements included new windows to allow more light into the studio and internal structures to partition rooms as stated in the Queensland Times on 26 January 1918. It is stated in the book, Australians Behind the Camera: directory of early Australian photographers, 1841 to 1945 by Sandy Barrie, that H. O. Williams ran his photography studio at 46 Ipswich City Mall until 1923.

As shown in the Ipswich City Council Building and General Purpose Committee Reports; on 15 November 1937, approval of building plans was granted to Greenhams Pty Ltd for alterations to the Greenhams Chambers building. This is the last time the outside of the building was structurally modified, from then until now the building was known as ‘Nolan’s Corner’ rather than Greenhams Chambers. On 30 December 1964, the larger Nolan’s Corner building was subdivided officially into seven lots. Lot number 2 is now 46 Ipswich City Mall. On the 10th February 1966, the title for the recently subdivided land of 46 Ipswich City Mall was transferred from Greehams Pty Ltd to Alfred and Jessie Preddey. On the 17 May 1981 the title is transferred by death to Kenneth Curry. On 18 September 1987, the property was purchased by Mary Geraldine Thompson, Margaret Josephine Hughes and Gloria Fish, partners and tenants in common. A trust was formed and the property is now held in trust with Mrs Gloria Fish, as the trustee. From at least 1909 until today, 46 Ipswich City Mall has been a commercial rental property”. (Castell, 2017)

44 Ipswich City Mall: re-subdivision 3
Lot number 3 is now 44 Ipswich City Mall. The 1918 Block Plan shows that H. O. William had premises on the top floor and J. Ball, seedsman and stationer had his business on the ground floor level of this site. Advertisements for J. Ball in Nicolas Street appear in the Queensland Times as early as January 1889.  James Ball’s death notice in the Queensland Times on 29 November 1929 stated that he was 87 years old and was living in Roderick Street up to his death.  He was noted as having ‘conducted a nursery and a florist’s, seedsman, and stationery business in Nicholas Street, Ipswich, in which he was actively, engaged until a few days before his death.

Mary Geraldine Thompson, Margaret Josephine Hughes and Gloria Teresa Fish became joint tenants of this property containing three perches and fifty-eight one hundredths of a perch on 11 March 1966. Part of the ground floor of the building was leased to Wallace Bishop Pty Ltd from 1987 to 1992.

42 Ipswich City Mall: re-subdivision 4
Lot number 4 is now 42 Ipswich City Mall.  The 1918 Block Plan shows that G. Saunders operated his ‘Central Fruit Mart’ from this site.

Articles and advertisements appeared in the Queensland Times from 1918 to 1930 for G. Saunder’s Central Fruit Mart. On 22 February 1930 an Auctioneer’s notice appeared in the QT advertising the sale of equipment in the Estate of G. Saunders, Fruiterer.

Alfred Edward Preddey and Jessie Violet Alexandra Preddey became joint tenants of the property containing four perches and seventy eight one hundredths of a perch on 11 March 1966.

40 Ipswich City Mall: re-subdivision 5
Lot number 5 is now 40 Ipswich City Mall. Sterling Minor purchased Allotment 28, Section 3 in August 1847. He owned the property until 1929 when it was purchased by Greenhams Limited.

The 1918 Block Plan shows that J. Scurrah & Son, Tailors and Merchant operated from the ground floor and the Friendly Society Meeting Room was on the top floor. John Scurrah started his business is Nicholas Street in 1906. He retired in 1920 after approximately 18 years as a tailor in Ipswich, leaving the business to his son Albert J. Scurrah to run. John died on 12 September 1923 died at his home in Darlinghurst, Sydney at the age of 70.

Archibald John Auld purchased Re-subdivision 5 in October 1964.