66-70 High Street (pre 1938 - 84/86/88 High Street)
The two storey building, built in 1908, on the corner of Packenham and High Sts shas elaborate stucco decoration on the first floor façade, a parapet with balustrade and pilastered and stucco arched windows with decorative stucco above and engaged low piers below. No 66 addresses the corner and the ground floor shops are at 68-70.
The property was owned by Frederick Mason from 1882-1921. Mason (aka May) a Fremantle jeweller and entrepreneur owning considerable property in the Fremantle and North Fremantle areas.
By May 1908 a tender had been accepted by Mr J. P. Anderson for the erection of four shops for Mr F. Mason at a price of £5, 546. By October 1908, the work was completed. Constructed of brick with cement dressings, the premises consisted of four two-storey shops with residential premises above. Late in November 1908, it was handed over to the owner, Mr Mason.
1899 ALFRED E. WEBSTER, CHEMIST, (of 88 High-street, Fremantle) Begs to notify that he has purchased the business ately carried on at the corner of Hay and Pier streets by R. Birch and Co., and intends re-stocking the establishment as a thoroughly up-to-date Pharmacy. A. E. WEBSTER, Chemist, Hay and Pier streets, Perth, and High-street, Fremantle. (reference)
1911 J.H. Manning, 82 High Street. TAILORING DEPARTMENT, All work executed on the premises. Ladies' Costumes from £5 5s. a speciality. Mercery and Hats every description of First - class Goods kept in stock. (reference)
1914 PINK-TOP Fined £2, David John Simcock (known throughout the State as Pink-top), the hustling fruit and vegetable merchant, was proceeded against by the Fremantle health authorities this morning for exposing for sale vegetables that had not been inspected by the authorities. He pleaded not guilty to the charge… (reference)
Dec 1914 To his Fremantle friends. Mr. ‘Snowy’ Cole, the genial manager of the Fremantle branch of Pink Top's well-known fruitery business, has handed to us a letter addressed by our old friend to his legion of customers. The letter is written from Cairo, Egypt, and is dated December 27, 1914… (reference)
Before his death David Simcock aka ‘Pink Top’, wrote many letters from Egypt. In June 1915 ‘PINK TOP’ was killed while leading his platoon against the turks on Gallipoli Peninsula. (reference) and (reference).
In a well-known photograph of the famous 11th Battalion, taken when they were seated, sprawling and standing on the lower face of the Cheops Pyramid, the soldier in the highest position of the crowd is Private "Pink Top" Simcock, one-time of the Barrack-street fruit shop. (reference)
1925 COMMERCIAL BANK. New Fremantle Site. The appearance and architectural character of High-street, Fremantle, is rapidly changing…The latest alteration to be made is at the corner of High-street and Pakenham-street, which was recently bought by the Commercial Bank of Australia and is now in process of conversion from shops into bank premises at a cost of £2,727. (reference)
1929 Mr Reeve, of the Commercial Bank, has been transferred from Bruce Rock to the Port. (reference)
1930 Mr. A. E. Fountain, manager of the Commercial Bank, Fremantle, is spending a short holiday in Bunbury (reference)
OCCUPANTS
Lot 409 owners: 1829 - 1859 Dixon, W M, 1876 - 1878 Ridsdale, W
No. 66 (84)
1899 Port Clothing Co. D. J. Williams, manager
1899-1908 Wheeler, Frederick, watchmaker
1900 Groth, W, watchmaker
1900 - 1906 Davis, R E, tailor
1907 - 1914 Manning, J H, tailor
1910 Armstrong Cycle & Motor Agency
(1910 - 1912 G F Wyatt, manager), (1913 - 1925 N Solomons, manager)
1915-1917 Pink Top, fruiterer, Simcock, David (1914), (1916 Henry Cole, manager), (1917 Richard Walker, manager)
1918 - 1925 Walker, Ritchie/Walker & Co, R, fruiterers
1926 COMMERCIAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED
(1926 - 1932 A E Fountain, manager), (1933 - 1934 A J Fraser, manager), (1934 - 1949 C F Secombe, manager)
No. 68 (86)
1899 - 1908 Stubbs, Mrs E L, stationer & tobacconist
1910 - 1914 Slater, George, tobacconist
1910 - 1922 Selwood, Job, watchmaker
1915 - 1916 Klix, William, tobacconist
1917 - 1919 Dahl, Alfred, tobacconist
1920 - 1927 Pike, Chris, tobacconist & hairdresser
1923 Shrimoki, Julie, tobacconist
1926 - 1927 Bell, Daniel, watchmaker
1928 Allen, Eric, hairdresser & tobacconist & Star Phonos
1929 Curtis, Mrs F, hairdresser & tobacconist
1930 Vacant
1931 - 1935 Somes, Fred C, bookseller
1935 - 1936 Chapman, A R, newsagent
1936 - 1940 Payne M, newsagent
1940 - 1949 Newton L M, newsagent
No. 70 (88)
1899 - 1906 Webster, Alfred E, chemist (1903 - 1904 S. Molloy, manager), (1905 - 1906 D. Richardson)
1903 - 1904 Flintoff, T, dentist
1905 Watts, A J, dentist
1906 Mattingley, H V, dentist
1907 Tirton, R G (propr. Webster's pharmacy)
1910 - 1920 Kirton Ld. Richard G, chemists Kirton, Richard G (Kirton Ld)
1921 - 1923 Burlinson, R L, chemist
1922 - 1923 Galen, day & night chemist
1924 - 1925 Attwood, D & M, hosiery & gloves
1926 - 1935 Armstrong's Cycle & Motor Agency (N F B Solomons)
1935 - 1936 Vacant
1936 - 1938 Cox, Charles, com agent
1938 - 1943 Spathopoulas, Joe, com agent
1944 - 1945 Maynard, Frederick, com agent
1946 - 1949 Snow's, com agents
