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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Storekeepers, Grocers, Etc

Storekeepers, Grocers, Etc.

The Dannevirke Co-Operative Association, Limited, —better known as the D.C.A.—corner of High Street and Station Street, Dannevirke. This business was established in the year 1899, when the “Corner Store” and the business of Messrs Baddeley Brothers were amalgamated, and conducted for a time on the co-operative principle. Subsequently the share list was closed, and the association converted into a private company, with the following directors: Messrs W. F. Knight (chairman), J. Hindmarsh, Charles Baddeley, C. R. Baines, F. J. Knight, and P. Ashcroft. The business continued to be conducted in the separate establishments, but in 1902 the present fine premises were erocted. The building—the front portion of which is of wood, two storeys in height, and the rear three storeys, built in brick,—measures fifty-eight feet by 120 feet. The fore part of the ground floor is divided into two large shops, which comprise the grocery, ironmongery, crockery, clothing, merecery, Manchester, boots and shoes and fancy departments; and at the rear are the general offices, the manager's private office, and the electrical generating room. On the first floor there are extensive furniture show-rooms, handsomely furnished tea rooms, millinery, underclothing and dressmaking departments, and a fine page 565 show-room; and the second floor is reserved as a bulk store-room. The whole building is well appointed, and is lighted by electricity, generated on the premises. It possesses a direct flight cash carrier, and a lift, worked by electric power, runs to the top floor. In connection with the business there is a large furniture factory, situated in Burns Street, where most of the furniture retailed is manufactured. The firm have buyers in London and Glasgow, and regular and frequent shipments come to hand direct from the Home markets.

Dannevirke Co-operative Association's Premises.

Dannevirke Co-operative Association's Premises.

Mr. Carl Ludwig Thomsen, manager of the Dannevirke Co-operative Association, was born at Norse-wood, on the 12th of August, 1881, and is the eldest son of Mr. A. B. Thomsen. He was educated at the Norsewood public school, where he won an Education Board scholarship, and at twelve years of age proceeded to the Napier Boys' High School. At the close of his second year he won a provincial scholarship, and twelve months later matriculated. Mr. Thomsen then became a clerk in Messrs Godfrey, McPhee and Company's “Corner Store,” and continued in the same position when the business was taken over by the D.C.A. Soon afterwards he was promoted as accountant, then as confidential secretary, and was subsequently appointed manager. Mr. Thomsen is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the committee of the Dannevirke Athletic and Cycling Club, and a member of other social organisations. He married Miss Edith Hunter, of Dannevirke, in the year 1905.

The Red, White and Blue Supply Stores (Messrs Copeland and Myers, proprietors), High Street, Dannevirke. These stores were established by the present proprietors on the 20th of June, 1906. The premises consist of a wooden building of one storey, and contain a shop, with an office and store-room at the rear. The shop is well fitted up, and carries a considerable stock of general groceries. The proprietors devote their whole attention to the interests of the business, and a very large turnover is done.

Mr. Harry Myers, of the firm of Messrs Copeland and Myers, was born on the 17th of November, 1884, in Lithnania, Russia, where he was partly educated. In the year 1895 he went to England, where he completed his education. He was then apprenticed to the drapery trade at Newcastle-on-Tyne, where he remained for seven years. Subsequently he came to New Zealand, and settled in Dannevirke, where he joined Mr. Copeland in partnership. Mr. Myers takes a keen interest in chess, and gained a high reputation as a player in well-known clubs in the North of England. In 1904 he won the Bainbridge Challenge Trophy, competed for by about thirty players from the Newcastle-on-Tyne Young Men's Christian Association, of which he was a member; and shortly afterwards carried off the Newcastle “Weekly Chronicle's” Silver Knight trophy, valued at fifty guineas, which was competed for by about 250 persons.