 | Oxford Street looking south showing "This is Dean's", "W.M. Clark" and Hotel Arcadia - about 1920. |
NEW SHOPS
It was demolished in 1933 and a new, two-shop structure erected for Rimmer. At this time he ran a Shilling Shop, in one of the two new shops. In the 1930s perhaps half of the grocery items required by the average family could be bought for a shilling or less each.
On the current Bank of New Zealand site Clarry Bould had a tobacconist and sportsgoods shop on the south side, while George Cooper ran a barber's shop with billiard saloon behind, on the north side for Clarry. About 1934 Clarry sold the businesses to George. George continued with the barbering and the billiard saloon until about 1952.
Kath Black started a florist business in 1949 or 1950 in the south part extending north into the barber's premises in 1952. Miss Findlay bought that business that year.
She moved to her own, new shop opposite Levin Service Station in 1954. The Bank of New Zealand opened a branch there then, later closing down the Queen Street bank and transferring all facilities to the Oxford Street location. In 196o theold building was demolished and a new one erected.
The Northern Terminating Building Society bought the next building from Smith Bros menswear in 1980, dividing the building into two shops as it was originally. The society occupied the north shop themselves; letting the south one to 2468 Fashions in 1981.
The original south shop was occupied by Mrs Mackays De Luxe Tearooms in 1945 or 1946 until about 1949, when Ethel and Bill Wisnofski took over. They ran the business until 1962.
MENSWEAR
The Cameron brothers, George and Alec, commenced their menswear business in the south shop in 1923. Alec left the business about 1933. In 1948 Ross and Keith Smith bought the business and operated it as Smith Bros' Men's Outfitters. They extended into the De Luxe Tearooms in 1962. The property was sold to the building society in 1980.
Marjorie and son Kevin Clark's Sound Centre has been in the next shop since 1974. This, I think, was the site of Hannah's Footwear before they moved to their present premises about 1963.
Fitzroy's Sewing Centre is on the site of Ted Henderson's cycle shop from about 1924 to about 1950. Ted was well-known for his often free help for children's faulty bikes. The building was demolished in 1963, and Bill Donnelly had a new pharmacy built.
In 1965, the year after Mr Donnelly died, J. H. Berry Ltd bought the business and traded there until 1971, when Mr Berry shifted his pharmacy to The Mall.
Palmer's Sporting Goods Specialist's are on the site where Self Help (now Wardells in Queen Street) started a grocery in the 1950s.
RESTAURANT
The Majestic Restaurant has been conducted by Adria and Chris Vodanovich since 1943, preceded by Vince Matulich from 1932. A Mr Morgan and a Mr Nicalus were earlier proprietors with a Mr Harris there as a land agent in early days, probably before 1920.
The site must be close to where Mr Frechtling ran a tailor's business earlier still.
The Bank of New South Wales opened in 1929. It is said that Retter's Dairy was in the premises before that. It must be about this area that Sid Hall, a well-known dentist of early days, had his rooms, upstairs. Park and Adams were probably downstairs.
The Singer Sewing Centre, next on, was the site of Gibson's Red Store about 1925.
KEEDWELLS
The next shop is probably where Clarry Keedwell had, his pharmacy from about 1913, when he shifted from a shop in the old Levin Hotel. Arthur Dempsey Senior had his footwear business here in the 1930s, with Dave Crozier taking the business over in 1941. Frank Blewitt's Estate. Agency is now on the site.
The next two shops are probably on the site of Jack Smith's livery stable, which was also the home for the two greys which pulled his coach service about 1900. Where Fashion Footwear stands was probably where Hock Keys had one of his groceries.
The neighbouring shop, Supameats, was a restaurant - the Olympic Café - in the 1940s and 50S.
Next is the A.N.Z. Bank. The Union Bank of Australia opened in 1950 in the south half of thee present premises, Letiticia Clapperton and May Vance had a dairy/grocery in the north half for some years.
In 1951 the bank merged with the Bank of Australia to form the Australia and New Zealand Bank Ltd, with the Oxford Street premises continuing as a branch of the Queen Street bank.
Four years later both the shop and bank premises were demolished and a new bank built on the site. The A.N.Z. moved its entire Levin banking operation into the new building in 1956.
CLARKS
The history of the Clark buildings is a detailed one. William Clark and Son's menswear is now managed by a grandson of the original W. M. Clark, Brian Campbell: W. M. Coark Ltd womenswear, now run by Elsie and Alan Arcus, and Rushton’s Personality Centre were the drapery section of W. M. Clark's department store up to 1956.
Clark's buildings go back to 1892, when Walter Mace Clark opened a drapery shop for Te Aro House of Wellington at the front of Tommy King's billiard-saloon, soon buying him out using the whole building. In 1894 Walter bought the business.
In 1901 an extension was built to the north, closing in an alleyway. By 1905 another extension was built to the south, leaving a gap which was built on in 1907 when yet another extension was added to the south.
A small extension in 1955 covered in the front of another alleyway to the south, creating another shop which grandson Wally ran as the Sound Centre. This extension later continued to the rear.
From 1934 William's sons Elsdon and Bill managed the business until it was divided in 1956. Bill took on the southern half, as William Clark and Sons' menswear, while Elsdon became the proprietor of the northern half, as W. M. Clark Ltd womenswear.
A further division of the latter shop was made in 1964, when Elsie and Alan Arcus acquired the shares of W. M. Clark Ltd. They have continued in the same line of business, in the south part of the shop.
Electric Refrigeration moved into the north shop, probably in 1964. In 1971 Ivan Oxnam opened his photographic business. Rushton's Personality Shop, which includes kitset furniture, has been in the shop since 1978.
PHARMACY
Keedwell's Building, currently occupied by W. W. Nockels' pharmacy and G. W. Brownhill's jewellery shop, is the site of an earlier building. E. August had a furnishing factory and shop here about 1907. He was also an undertaker.
By 1911 or before, F. Hedgeman had the business as records show that it had been bought, and shifted across the road, by Josiah (Joe) Harvey by 1912.
This building was burnt out by 1923 or earlier. C. S. Keedwell built the present building subsequently shifting his, pharmacy into the southern shop from further south.
Like all chemists of early days he treated minor health problems and minor injuries without recourse to a doctor.
Bill Nockels took a partnership in the business in 1947, taking over as owner with his wife Elaine in 1959. From March of this year the proprietor will be Dave Bennett, following Bill's retirement.
Stan Worsfold moved into the north shop in 1923 with his jeweller's business from across the road. Mr G. W. Brownhill bought the business in 1956 and is the present proprietor.
The rooms upstairs have been used as a dentist's surgery for many years, including Mr Parrington and the present occupier, Murray Hanlon.
The site now occupied by the Montana Coffee Lounge and the Post Office bookshop was H. Walkley's "'general and fancy drapery", from 1905 to 1925.
There has been a milk bar/tea rooms/coffee lounge in the southern part of the building for many years. Proprietors have included Russ Kenny and, from 1978, the present proprietor Murray Yule.
SINCE 1894
The C.B.A. bank stands on the site of a shop which existed at least in 1894, because Reg Butt was born that year in a house at the back of the section. His father, Dick, had a butchery at the front.
From then on, the shop was a butchery for many years. They included Bulliman's, Craddock and Klue, and Carter Bros (from about 1916 to 1920 when they shifted across the street). Later joint proprietors were George Lamb and Mr Earle (from about 1925 to 1930). Later still, Carter Bros moved back into the shop with their Excelsior branch butchery.
The building was converted to two shops at some stage as the legal firm of Harper, Atmore and Thomson were in what was probably the south shop from 1927 to 1958.
Noel Thomson acquired the whole practice in 1934, running it until 1958. During the war, while he was overseas for three years, his wife May managed the practice. Mr Atmore of Otaki was the legal consultant at that time.
Frank Hamilton Jones ran the business for four years until 1962, when B. C. Steele purchased the practice. He worked from here until he moved to Oxford Street north.
The C.B.A. bank started in 1950 in part of the building, later enlarging the premises and finally erecting anew building.
Where the Post Office public counters are now was originally two shops. In 1909 Leong On Tie started a greengrocery in the south shop, trading there until he shifted across the street in 1914.
A Mr and Mrs Cole had a fish shop and restaurant in the north shop about 1918. Later Mr and Mrs Dean had the Boro sweet shop, and also sold fruit at some time.
In my memor, Aldred Dempsey had a footwear shop for several years in the early 1920s. Melvin Wright had his National Suit store from 1933 to 1940. Both were in the north shop.
POST OFFICE
About 1933 to 1938 the Public Trust was in the south shop. The Post Office took over the building in 1940 for extensions.
The original part of the present Levin Post Office (due to be demolished this year) was built in 1903 on the Oxford - Queen Street intersection at a cost of $3400. The section cost $1400, $400 was donated by residents toward the cost of the section..
Miss H.E. (Emma) Bowen was appointed Postmistress. Printed accounts vary as to the date of her appointment as Postmistress of the Queen Street Post Office. However post office records prove the date of her appointment as 1896.
STORM
Emma Bowne's appointment raised a storm in two Palmerston North newspapers. One, the Manawatu Daily Times, condemned her promotion as "another of those little jobs characteristic of the present (Sir Joseph Ward) administration."
A third paper, the local Manawatu Farmer, supported and praised her for her charming efficiency and she proved that. Emma stayed until 1909, when she transferred to Aramoho. Three years later she returned to Levin to take up an appointment at the Weraroa Post Office.
With the new post office came a telegraph service and subsequently, in 1907, a telephone exchange. Initially the exchange had 46 subscribers, but by 1930 it served 544 subscribers.
A page teleprinter to handle press copy was installed about 1950. The first exchange, in the main post office building, was later replaced by a large exchange at the back of the section. This in turn was replaced by the Exeter Street exchange in 1963.
The building at the back of the post office is now used for various purposes.
Before the Post Office was built in 1903 the comer section, known as Hamilton's
Corner, was noted as an area for drinkers from the Levin Hotel to settle arguments. A large, half-burnt rata on the section also served as a haven for travellers when the hotel was full.
QUEEN STREET
East up Queen Street and over the railway tine where Bonners Garage Ltd. stands was formerly W.B. Macintosh's coach building business, established about 1900.
Son Frank came into the business in the 1920s, introducing motor vehicle repairs under the name of Empire Garage. Coach building was carried on in to the late 1920s.
In 1933 Andrew Banner became a partner of Frank. Andy became the sole owner in 1939. His son Vkc managed the business from 1970 until 1976 when another son, Stuart, took over. He is currently managing the business.
Bonner's spare parts section and backyard was the site of the People's Picture Theatre from about 1920. It was run by Les Scott and Jim Sullivan (Scotty's Theatre to us). Saturday matinees were 3d with probably only a 1d to spend at the Chocolate Box over the road. It was 1/- for adults at night.
The, main floor was flat, with balcony above: Between changes of films, or when breakdowns occurred, Scotty would play a one-string fiddle or some other weird instrument to quieten the noisy audience.
The theatre was a grain store in earlier days. When the Municipal Theatre was opened fire gutted the old theatre shortly after. The remains were demolished in 1935. Bonner's Garage bought the section and later extended on to it.
HALL
The Century Hall, on the Cambridge Street corner, was built in 1900. It was used as the Methodist Church after their original small church proved too small. This was originally where the vicarage is now. It was shifted behind the Century Hall later. The hall was used for church functions and as a public hall.
On the western side between the hall and the old theatre was a building of three rooms owned by the church. This was known as the Whakatane Rooms.
In 1910 H. Williams had a plumber's business here. Over the years the rooms were used by organisations such as the Y.M.C.A. for small meetings. Later George Thompson and then Les Edwards, ran plumbing businesses from here.
The hall and the three-roomed property were bought by Bonnners in 1969. The buildings were demolished, and the site is now Bonner's used car yard.
BYKO CORNER
Returning to Oxford Street, the corner occupied by Kay Johnson corsetry and lingerie was known as Byko Corner before 1920. A bicycle shop was on the comer for many years, with a Mr Clarkson one of the proprietors probably about 1910. The name of the corner originated from the name of the shop for many years.
Other proprietors were Jack Phillips (probably 19101920 era) and the firm of Joplin, Stallard and Carmichael. Motor cycles had been added to the stock by then.
Early photos show that the corner was a focal point for many bike and motor bike road races. A sign showing on Jack Phillip's shop in a photo states Bouttrell's Pictures, Century Hall, every Saturday night (probably 1910-14).
For some years before 1964 H.W.S. Walker had his accountancy business in the building. The Manawatu Trustee Savings Bank was established in the building in 1964. In the same year the name was changed to the Manawatu and Wairarapa Trustee Savings Bank.
In 1971 the bank premises moved to The Mall, with another name change in 1972 to the Eastern and Central Savings Bank.
Continuing east along Queen Street was where Immortal Phipps, an American, ran his Silver Grid restaurant probably about 1910. He claimed to be immortal, hence the nickname.
He was probably the George Washington Phipps who was a proprietor of the Temperance Hotel at one time.
RYDERS
Fred Ryder had his barber's shop here from 1930.
At some stage, probably after 1933, Wally Hume had a billiard saloon at the back of Ryder's shop. Fred Ryder moved to Oxford Street in 1931.
Stan White had a footwear shop here prior to and including 1957, when Bill and Harding (Snow) Benning bought the business. Snow is the sole proprietor now.
The area past Benning's Footwear to the railway line had, about 1900, a land mart run by
Hudson and Easther on the first part. Next was a hairdresser's business run by a Mr Jenson.
