Murray Street 146 - 154 Piles Building

Fast Facts

Place type:	Building
Town or Locality:	Gawler

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Click here to see photos of 146-152 Murray Street.

Click here to see photos of 154 Murray Street, which adjoins the Piles Building to the north.

According to researcher Bev Burke, James Pile owned Allotment #93 and Frederick Kerr leased the building [Lease #87372] from Pile for 5 years from 19.11.1877 and was surrendered on 3.6.1881. According to Bunyip 24.6.1882, the northern shop [formerly occupied by L.N. Hemer] was to have a height and appearance equal to the other facades and a tender from Messrs Taylor and Forgie was accepted to make the necessary alterations and additions for 620 pounds.

Businesses in the Piles Building

The Piles Building consists of five shops, at times some of them have been combined to form larger premises. The fourth shop (south to north) is narrower than the others (it only has one upstairs window whereas the other shops have two). Some early photos of the building, show four completed shops with the fifth, most northerly shop yet to be built.

146 (Southern shop crn Finniss Street)

• Commercial Bank of South Australia - Gawler Branch opened in Murray Street in December 1878, it had a German Manager and attracted German colonists as customers. It discontinued payments and closed it doors at noon on 25th February 1886. The failure of the Commercial Bank of South Australia, severely affected several towns.
• 1891 R J Lavis - Draper & Grocer - Dairy Produce Bought.
• H B Crosby - Importer & General Merchant (multiple stores 146-150A - next door to Milledge in some photos)
• 1967 - Tom the Cheap Grocer (multiple stores)

148

• June 1879-1880 (possibly longer) Mr Vernon Stewart of London was operating a 'Musical Emporium' where he taught violin, piano forte and harmonium, plus sold pianos, harmoniums and organs. He arrived in Gawler in 1878 and had been operating from a different Murray Street premises 'next to C W Niquets watchmaker', prior to removing to the "Commodious Premises known as PILES' BUILDINGS". Apparently business didn't do too well because locals kept going to Adelaide to purchase organs. Click here to see a photo of Stewarts shop in the Piles' Building.

150

• J Turner - Draper (visible in photographs at same time at Commercial Bank and Musical Emporium)

150A (Shop is narrower - only 1 window on upper level)

152 (Northern shop)

• 'J B Milledge' - Baker - James Bates Milledge was a pioneer in Queensland and went on to have a bakery business in Gawler and Adelaide. He put his Gawler baker's equipment up for sale in September 1896 as he intended to remove from the area. He died in1935.
• 'G Levick' - Baker - George Levick sold his bakery and confectionary business of 21 years to Mr Rix in 1918 as he was retiring (ie. traded from about 1897-1918, it is not known if always located in Piles Building)

154 (Building adjoining to north of Piles Building)

• 1891 W Miller - Butcher
• F Lines & Sons Butchers - commenced trading at site in Sep 1893 & ended tenancy of council's 'market allotment' on 30 Sep 1894.
• Arthur Hewett Butcher

Piles Building Businesses in 2025

• 146-148 Tony Piccolo Member for Light Office
• 150 Table Top Warfare (Games)
• 150A Furniture Plus
• 152 Reminiscence Photography
• 154 [not part of Piles Building] Under Renovation (previously B Music)

References

Murray Street 154

MurrayStreet 144 to 154 c1890

Murray Street 154 Arthur T. Hewett c1923

Murray_Street_144_to _154 c1890

Murray Street 154 rhs 157 to 155 lhs 1935

murray_street_144 to 154 c1890 Piles Building built 1875

Murray Street 146 to 154 rhs 157 to 155 lhs 1907

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