Old Coles Building Takes Many Memories With It

Once developers have finished their demolition work, the former Coles building in Townsville’s central business district will be little more than a twisted pile of rubble and steel on a vacant city block.

Former Coles Building, Sturt Street Townsville, 1959.
Photo:  CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

The erasure of this building from the cityscape takes 80 years of Townsville’s commercial history with it, but in the hearts of many, the memories of the building’s early life will live on.

Occupying a block of land with frontage to both Flinders and Sturt Streets, the site has been home to a number of commercial tenants over the years, including Burns Philp & Co. Ltd, Penneys Ltd. and Coles Pty Ltd.; but it is the original occupants - the Heatley family - that are remembered with fondness by many north Queenslanders.

The three-storey building was constructed in 1935 for F. Heatley & Sons Pty Ltd in order to cater for the significant growth the firm was experiencing.

The patriarch of the Heatley family was an Irishman named Francis Heatley, who settled in Townsville in 1880 and later that decade started a small business manufacturing and selling household furniture, with a branch of the business devoted to undertaking.

F. Heatley & Sons building, Flinders Street frontage, 1943.
Photo: CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

The Flinders Street frontage of the Heatley building was a furniture emporium with no less than eleven display windows, which perfectly showcased the firm’s expertly crafted furniture, all of which was built from north Queensland silky oak and maple.

In 1936 the employees of F. Heatley and Sons Pty Ltd held their first staff dance in the recently completed building. Held on a Wednesday night in May, the dance was attended by about 300 staff and guests, who assembled in an upper storey of the new building for the function.

F. Heatley & Sons staff dance, 1936.
Photo: Townsville Daily Bulletin.

According to the Townsville Daily Bulletin, the “spacious ballroom” was a sight to be seen, and had been “gaily decorated” for the occasion in shades of gold and red, the official colours of the Heatley firm. 

Streamers were draped in canopy effect from each end of the ballroom to the centre and “multi-coloured balloons were clustered around each massive pillar, flags draped the end walls, and myriads of tiny coloured lights were suspended around the hall”.

“Vic Foley’s Arcadian Orchestra of five players supplied the dance music, which was enjoyed by all.”

“A dainty supper was arranged at the end of the building, the centre of the tables being decorated with vases containing flowers of gold and red.  Altogether the scheme of decorations and the arrangement of the supper reflected great credit on the committee responsible.”

In a speech on the night, Mr W.J. Heatley, who took over as head of the family business after the death of his father Francis in 1928, said that “what particularly pleased him was the harmony which was displayed between the members of the staff, both shop and factory”.

“All had worked harmoniously in making the dance worthy of their firm, each realising it was their own dance in their own buildings, and priding themselves on this fact,” Mr Heatley said.

After the speeches were over, the dancing continued until 2am, when the evening ended with a rendition of “Auld Lang Syne”.

The building was a popular dance hall in the late 1930s and throughout the Second World War.

West End Cemetery Pioneers - Thankful Willmett

Next up in my series on our pioneers buried at West End Cemetery - Thankful Percy Willmett - who arrived in Townsville in 1870 and within a few years had started a long-running business supplying stationery, and providing printing and book-binding services.  Thankful also served on the Townsville Council for ten years, and served as Mayor in 1880, 1881, 1883 and 1884.

Headstone in the West End Cemetery, Townsville, for the Willmett family, including Thankful Willmett.
Photo:  Trisha Fielding, 2012.

This from the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Thursday, 22 August 1907.

“DEATH OF MR. T. WILLMETT.

Another link between the past and present history of Townsville was severed by the death on Wednesday evening of Mr Thankful Willmett at the ripe old age of 76 years.

The late Mr Willmett throughout his long association with Townsville played a prominent part in the admin- istration of local government affairs. Born in London in 1831 within hearing of the chimes of the Bow Bells, the deceased at an early age entered into maritime pursuits, and during the Crimean War was one of the crew of a transport engaged in conveying British troops to Balaclava Bay where he heard the roar of the guns of the combatants. Subsequently joining an emigrant ship as an officer he came to Australia, and it was then he first met the lady destined to become his wife. Returning with the ship to England he resigned, came out to the Central district of Queensland, where he entered the ranks of the benedicts and spent 10 years between Rockhampton and Nebo.

Attracted by the Cape diggings rush he came to Townsville in 1868, and two years later established the business with which he was associated up to the time of his demise. Shortly afterwards he entered civic life, and his ability was not long in being recognised. In 1880 the Aldermen showed their appreciation of his worth by electing him Mayor, a position he filled on four subsequent occasions. The separation movement next claimed his attention and for a number of years he occupied the post of president of the North Queensland Separation Council, devoting with enthusiasm his ability in the struggle to free the north of the fetters linking it with the south.

In other local public bodies he was also a prominent figure, one of the notable charitable functions he performed being the laying of the foundation stone of the Townsville Hospital. While holding the position of Mayor it fell to his lot to preside at the function organised in connection with the opening of the Northern Railway line as far as the Reid River. Some years ago he entered the political arena, but suffered defeat by Mr A. Ogden, in the contest for the seat in the State Parliament rendered vacant by the death of the late Mr G. Burns.

Of late Mr Willmett had sought retirement from public affairs and left the management of his business pretty well in the hands of his sons Fred and Percy. Of a genial disposition the deceased had a wide circle of friends, whose sympathy will go forth to the family in their bereavement. His wife predeceased him some six years ago but he is survived by two sons and three daughters.  Messrs Fred and Percy manage the Townsville business, and Miss E. Willmett controls the Charters Towers branch. Another daughter (Alice) who married Mr R.B. Taylor, is now in England, while a third is resident in Townsville. The funeral takes place at 4 p.m. today moving from his son's residence, The Avenue, Hermit Park, for the old cemetery.”

Mr Thankful Percy Willmett, of the Townsville Council, 1887
Photo: CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.

Willmett & Co.'s Stationery Warehouse and Printing Works, Flinders Street, Townsville.  Most likely taken in 1913.
Photo: CityLibraries Townsville Local History Collection.