Thos Hayward & Sons Original Store - Site

Statement of Significance

DEMOLISHED
Thomas Hayward & Sons Original Store was one of the earliest businesses established in Bunbury. It was also one of the longest running importing and trading concerns in the town. Hayward's first store is commemorated with a stone plaque at Guppy Park.

Physical Description

DEMOLISHED.

History

At the age of 21 and financed by his father, Thomas Hayward sailed to Western Australia in 1854. He first established a prosperous farm at Wokalup before establishing Thomas Hayward and Sons, one of Bunbury’s first businesses.

Thomas Hayward founded his merchant and import business in 1862 when he purchased Edward G Hester’s store, which had been established in the harbour area in the 1840s.

Hayward built a small warehouse to sell imported ironmongery and farm implements ‘on each and every Saturday’. The business grew and was firmly established in daily trading by 1862. By 1874, Hayward had built a house next to his store. The house and store were located on the original alignment of Wollaston Street (now Guppy Park).

The property stretched across three allotments and contained many buildings common to a warehouse, store and dwelling on the one site. The main brick and iron building had one and two storey levels and newspaper reports suggest that it was replaced in 1897 by a new warehouse to a design by architect T B Jackson.

Thomas Haywood, one of the earliest farmers in the South West, was a storekeeper, importer and member of the Bunbury Town Trust, as well as member of the Legislative Assembly for Bunbury (1901) and Wellington (1904-11).

Thomas Hayward and Son did most of the ironmongery in the district, carried farm tools and equipment, bought local produce and shipped and made advances on wool.

George Hayward (Thomas’ son) and A R Foreman (Thomas’ son-in-law) took over the business in 1898 and in 1910 F W Roberts purchased a partnership in the business. In 1912, Thomas Hayward and Son became a limited liability company.

In 1919, the firm established new premises for a department store on the corner of Stephen and Arthur Streets (this site). Thomas had died by this time.

The large department store had high trussed ceilings and carried a wide range of stock on shelves running the length of the pavilion. Later, this store was taken over by Boans and was demolished in 1969 for a new store.

Integrity/Authenticity

DEMOLISHED. Commemorative plaque for Hayward's 1st Store in Guppy Park.

Condition

No visible remains.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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