Ardath Post Office and Store (site of fmr)

Statement of Significance

The site represents a way of life no longer practised. It demonstrates associations with commerce and communications for generations of the Ardath community.

History

In 1924, Eric and Steve Knipe came to Ardath. They had previously owned 3 shops in Menzies. Those shops were deconstructed and the materials trained to Ardath where the brothers employed a builder to construct the Ardath Store from the materials. Eric Knipe ran the store and Steve worked in farms and was a horse team driver, much in demand during the construction of the railway dams. He later took up and established a farm. The shop employed up to three girls and a man. Orders were collected on a Tuesday and delivered on a Thursday. At one time Alwyn Ridley collected the orders on a pushbike (up to 10 miles away) and he and Eric would deliver them in a motor vehicle. The shop catered for any needs, it sold groceries, green groceries, haberdashery, hardware, machinery parts, petrol, bread, clothes and orders were avaliable through the catalogues. In 1946/47 Mrs Jo Roberts bought the shop from Knipe. At that time the POst Office began operating from the Store.The shop finally closed about 1985 and by 1990 it was demolished.

Condition

Site only

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.