72-78 High Street (pre 1938 - 90/92/94 High Street) Pearse's Buildings
This three storey rendered building has a highly decorative façade and parapet with brackets featuring the name 'Pearse's Buildings' in stucco. There is a central, large pediment with a small pediment either side. The ground floor has a veranda awning over the shopfronts and 72 & 74 appear to be original shopfronts (with small tiles) intact.
The building was owned by James Pearse from 1884 -1949. The Pearse Bros. began business after admitting James Pearse to the Fremantle Tannery, run by W. S. & G. Pearse, in 1875. The business paid cash for kangaroo, sheep and other animal skins. They began manufacturing boots in their North Fremantle factory in 1883 (reference), operated a boot store in Hay St, Perth (until 1910) and showrooms in High St from 1884 (reference). Pearse Bros Pty Ltd, boot & shoe retailers was run from this building from 1884-1949.
1896 Strike at the Pearses Boot Factory in North Fremantle over making ‘Sydney bluchers’ (reference)
1898 The "Oroya" Tea-rooms, which are being conducted by Mrs. Haughton Bell and Miss Hunt, in the premises above Messrs. Pearse Bros. boot shop, in High Street, have gained an immense popularity and from all appearances they are quite likely to increase in favor as time goes on. There's no getting away from the fact that such an establishment as the "Oroya" was badly wanted at Fremantle. (reference)
1900 Mr. James Pearse, who has just been re-elected Mayor of North Fremantle unopposed for the third time, is a member of one of the oldest families in the Port. He was born in Fremantle in 1852, and is the youngest of five brothers. For 15 years he was a councillor for the North Ward of Fremantle, and when North Fremantle was declared a separate municipality he was returned as one of its first Councillors. Mr. Pearse is the head of the well-known firm of Pearse Bros., tanners and boot manufacturers, whose fine emporium in High street is so well and favorably known. Their large factory is situated In Swan street, North Fremantle, where a number of hands are constantly employed. (reference)
1902 The Fremantle School of Shorthand has been removed to Pearse's Buildings, High. street, Fremantle. Pitman's shorthand, typewriting, and book-keeping are taught at the school, and the principals also coaches for the civil service. (reference)
1904 DRESSMAKING.- Wanted, experienced Bodice Hand, able to trim. Miss Hardy, Pearse’s Buildings. High-st., Fremantle. (reference) Miss E Hardy later had a shop in Market St 1927.
1914 BOOTS FOR THE TROOPS. A PATRIOTIC GIFT. Messers. Pearse Bros., boot manufacturers, North Fremantle, have presented the Western Australian quota of the Expededitionary Forces with 400 pairs of military boots… (reference)
1927 MR. GEORGE WILLIS A widely respected resident of Fremantle who died last week at the age of 78. The late Mr Willis was born near Liverpool, England, and over 50 years ago came to Fremantle… Over 40 years ago he opened business for Pearse Bros. in a boot store in High-street, and later he started a business in the same line on his own account. (reference) This was called the Port Boot Mart (1894) on the corner of High and Market Sts. (reference)
1931 Hints to busy housewives- If you want good home-made cakes, pastry, pies, etc, you can't do better than give The Wattle Tea Rooms (opposite Watson's Supply Stores, Fremantle) a trial. (reference)
In 1945 alterations for Pearse Bros. to the upstairs verandah were carried out by R A Ellis.
The building currently houses the well-known Bodkins Bootery, which began in 1969. Frederick William Bodkin (Bull & Bodkin, auctioneers) worked from 108 (now 86) High Street, Fremantle, three doors east of the present Bodkins Bootery 1921 - 1922.
OCCUPANTS
Lot 410 owners: 1829 - 1837 Bond, Louisa, 1855 - 1859 Bond, L Morrison, 1876 - 1877 Curedale, George
No. 72-74
1899 McKenzie Kenneth, saddler
1900 Fremantle Music Depot
1901 - 1907 Nicholson & Co. music depot
1909 Wilkinson, J S, tailor
1910 - 1949 PEARSE'S BUILDINGS: Pearse Bros Pty Ltd, boot & shoe retailers
No. 76
1899 Healy, James, tailor
1900 - 1907 Wilkinson & Middleton, tailors
1908 - 1909 Wilkinson, J S, tailor
1910 - 1938 Pearse Bros Ltd, boot manufacturers & importers
1938 - 1949 Symonds Tailoring Co, tailors
No. 78
1900 - 1903 Singer Manufacturing Co (1900 - 1901 J E Kearns, manager)
1900 - 1901 Guilfoyle & Co (wm.), house & estate agents
1900 - 1907 Thompson & Co. house & estate agents
1900 Reid & Co. (F.C.), share brokers
1901 Master Builders' Association, E. Rudderham, secretary,
Jones, C. E. teacher of elocution,
Lawson, B L, music teacher
McLeod, registry office
1902 Daly, B T, contractor
1903 Fremantle School of Shorthand, R. Burton, manager
1902 - 1909 Wilkinson & Middleton (workrooms)
1903 - 1909 Burwell, F W, architect
1902 - 1910 Hardy, Miss E, costumier
1904 - 1907 Isaacs, S E, fancy emporium
1905 Bell—, photographer
1908 - 1924 G A Solomon Silbert, pawn broker
Barney, fancy emporium
1910 Lovegrove, William, solicitor
1912 Sefton Walter, architect & Liberal League Office,
Commonwealth West End Tailors & Brown, F W, tailor
1912 - 1913 Melville Roads Bd. (office) (1912 Percy Cram, secretary), (1913 James J. Kenny, secretary)
1912 - 1917 Curwen, Alex E, accountant
1916 Empire Typewriter & Supplies Co
Farrelly, F T, wholesale tobacconist
1917 Myers, Charles, tailor
1917 - 1919 Dennis, P, com agent
1921 - 1922 North Investment & Pstoral Co Ltd (reg off)
1921 - 1926 "Herald" (weekly) office
1921 - 1929 Terry, Claude H, dentist
1921 - 1930 Moss, John David, solicitor
1923 - 1930 Fielding Studio
1925 - 1927 R. London Novelty Co (G Welby, ppr), fancy goods
1927 - 1928 Dillon, Mrs G
1927 - 1930 Advocate, weekly newspaper
1929 Harrington, fancy goods & Prior, Mrs Martina
1930 Fremantle and Dist Retail Traders Association
1931 - 1932 Wattle Tea Rooms (Miss N Delaney)
Metro Typewriting & Dup Agency (Miss E Foreman)
Fremantle City Agency Debts & Rents Collected
1933 -1934 Equity Commercial Agency (A F Farrington, secretary)
McKeever, Geoffrey, debts & rents collected
1933 - 1936 Fed Millers & Mill Employees' Association of Australia, WA branch (1933 - 1934 C H Smith, secretary)
1933 - 1936 Hicks, Miss J, teacher dancing
1933 - 1938 Symonds & Co. tailors
1934 - 1935 Gospel Missions (Mrs Cousins)
1935 - 1936 WA Temperance League
1936 - 1949 Brooker & Co. signwriters
