Finniss Street 41
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | Mrs Broderick's Tuckshop |
| Address: | 41 Finniss Street |
| Town or Locality: | Gawler |
Click here for an album relating to 41 Finniss Street.
Initially contemporary blocks 41 & 43 Finniss Street formed one property [part Lot 71 on original Gawler Town Plan], which was purchased by William Broderick in 1877.[1] There had been humble, tenanted cottages on the site since at least the late 1850s, some constructed of pine and built with skillion rather than gable roofs. It seems the Broderick family built a more substantial bluestone workers cottage on the eastern half of the site in 1879, and then resided there (the heritage cottage that stands at contemporary address 41 Finniss Street). Of interest, the cottage has a fireplace on the side wall that faces into the garden, suggesting the cottage had an additional section at some stage. Over the years, the property was passed on to successive members of the Broderick family, from William to son Nicholas Alyosius Broderick (I), Nicholas to his widow Miriam Harriet Broderick, then to their children, first Patrick Broderick, then unmarried daughter Mildred Hazel Broderick and finally youngest daughter Dorothy Broderick, who was also unmarried.[1] When Dorothy sold the property in 1984 it had been in the Broderick family for over 100 years.
In 1939-1943 widow Miriam Broderick and her unmarried adult children Joseph Francis Broderick, Mildred Hazel Broderick and Dorothy Broderick were all residing there (Joseph living in the shed out the back), at this stage the address was known as 18 Finniss Street,[2] the street was renumbered c1950s (Contemporary 18 Finniss Street is the site where the Primitive Methodist Church used to stand). Joseph and Miriam remained at the cottage until their deaths in 1948 and 1949.[3][4] Then unmarried daughters Mildred and Dorothy lived there together until Mildred's death in 1978, Dorothy stayed until 1984, when at 80 she sold up and moved to the metro area.
During her time, to support herself, widow Miriam Broderick operated a tuckshop, referred to as "Mrs Broderick's Tuckshop" and children from the Catholic School and Gawler Primary School used to go there to buy pies, pasties and lollies.[5][6] Ray Hicks recalled "I remember this cottage. When I was at the Gawler Primary school, this cottage sold pies pasties, sandwiches and lollies to the school children. There was a small window alongside the chimney and you had to approach from the outside. This was not a shop. Do you remember the Deanshaw family, as they were the people running this enterprise? This family moved to the Salisbury area and were involved in Parafield Market area. This was burnt down and restarted again."
If you know anything about Mrs Broderick's Tuckshop please message the Gawler History Team information@gawlerhistory.com
The western portion of the original property (contemporary address 43 Finniss Street), had three less substantial cottages (likely row cottages that ran back from the street) that the Broderick family rented out. One of these cottages was the site of the 1883 Finniss Street Mystery. These more humble cottages were demolished at some stage and in 1987 the site was subdivided into two blocks,[1] and a heritage-style cottage was built on the western portion (at the time of building strict guidelines were imposed "to ensure it harmonised with the overall ambience of the area"). At one stage this was the residence of Margaret Cheffirs.
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Certificates of Title 131/208, 4146/607, 4290/313 & 4290/314
- ↑ (Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 via Ancestry)
- ↑ (The News 11 Aug 1948)https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129910854
- ↑ (Advertiser 28 Nov 1949) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35779680
- ↑ Ian McDonnell - local historian (pers. comm.)
- ↑ Colin Hillier (1996) 'My Memories of Gawler 1923 - ', unpublished, pg 35. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gawler_history/27135969963/ (Gratitude to Colin for recording his memoirs, aged 73, and sharing them with Gawler History Team.)
Memories of Finniss Street 41
Please email information@gawlerhistory.com with any information you have about Finniss Street 41, and we'll add your comments and information to this website.
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