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Archiver > AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS > 2005-05 > 1116370048


From: Ron and Jeannie Lister <>
Subject: Re: Beehive Store Bendigo/Ball and Welch
Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 10:49:05 +1200
References: <000001c55a79$cfe10360$c754543a@oemcomputer><005d01c55ada$10625fa0$0100a8c0@DADSTUTA><010301c55adc$3f0c41c0$9400a8c0@vic.bigpond.net.au>


Taken from information given by Ball and Welch in the 1960's and an article
in the Melbourne Sun "From gold rush to Flinders St".:

The former Ball and Welch "empire" began at Vaughan in 1855. Mr. C.
(Charles) Ball and his family and nephew, Mr. W. H. (William Henry) Welch
were said to have arrived in Victoria in the 1840's. Charles Ball was a
surveyor and was attracted to Vaughan when the development of the alluvial
goldfields attracted a large population seeking their fortune there. Ball
and Welch were fairly successful, finding enough gold to enable Ball to send
his wife "home" to England for a holiday.
When news of Mrs. Ball's trip spread through Vaughan she was quickly
inundated with orders from the town's housewives for fabrics and fashions
unprocurable in the Australian bush. She returned to the colony in 1855
laden with goods ordered and for sale. So Ball and Welch switched from
digging to retailing. From this sprang the idea of setting up a shop in
Vaughan which was done in 1855. The store flourished and Mr. Ball and his
nephew took a leading part in its development. Although the foundation of
Ball's is attributed to Mr. Ball and his nephew, Mr. Welch, rumours have
suggested that the real founders were Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Welch.
The Ball and Welch premises at Vaughan, which was then being used as a
drapery store by Mrs Spurling, burned to the ground in a fire on 27 December
1888.
From the University of Melbourne Archives Database search of historical
notes : Charles Ball and his nephew, W. H. Welch founded the firm when they
set up a drapery store in Vaughan in 1855. The Carlton branch was started
in 1870 and in 1882 the business transferred from Vaughan to Castlemaine.
As the Carlton store declined, the firm built the branch in Flinders Street
in 1896 where it prospered. Ball & Welch was listed in the Stock Exchange
in 1935. In 1962 the company expanded and established a store in Frankston
and other suburban locations. Ball & Welch was taken over by George's in
1970.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Cunning" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 12:30 AM
Subject: Re: Beehive Store Bendigo+chat


> Ball &Welc(s)h were in Flinders St also and Dimmeys is still in Richmomd,
>
> Cheers, Bob in Melbourne
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Phillips" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10:15 PM
> Subject: Re: Beehive Store Bendigo+chat
>
>
> > I think it was called Ball and Welsh (Welch) not Balls!! :-)
> >
> > Ron
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bev Walker" <>
> > To: <>
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10:45 AM
> > Subject: RE: Beehive Store Bendigo+chat
> >
> >
> > > Hi,
> > > I have no memory of visiting the Beehive store in Bendigo but it does
> > > remind me of the time we lived in Richmond as children and loved going
> > > into Dimmeys, and I think it was called Balls in Swan St. They had
> > > the vacuum type cylinders for sending the money to the cashiers office
> > > and we were fascinated with them. They used to have a table piled
high
> > > with odd socks and we often rummuged through them until we found a
pair.
> > > (it wasn't easy to match them to size).
> > > Memories eh?
> > > I notice now that quite a few shops have the vacuum type systems for
> > > there money delivery.
> > > Bev
> > >
> > >
> > > ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ====
> > > Support RootsWeb and help it support genealogy
> > > http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html
> > >
> >
> >
> > ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ====
> > Practice safe genealogy - don't include the personal details of the
> living.
> >
>
>
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>


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