Family Stories: The Goulburn Saddlery

During the 1800's to early 1900's Auburn Street, Goulburn, had many stables where travelers could leave their horses to be fed and watered while they were staying in Goulburn. There were also blacksmith shops so that horses could be shod, so it is logical that a saddlery would also be there.

At first I thought that the site of the current Goulburn Saddlery was the same place, as it too is on Auburn Street, but that is not the case.


The current Saddlery in Goulburn, also on Auburn Street.

A little research revealed an advertisement from Mr. Musgrave, whom Henry Blackshaw was apprenticed to for his saddlery at the corner of Auburn Street and Market Square.

1858 advertisement - Thomas Musgrave moved his business next door until some renovations were finished.

1858 advertisement for Thomas Muscrgave's saddlery. This must have been where Henry completed his apprenticeship.

Thomas Musgrave died in 1865, this may have been when Henry took over the business.

By 1929 the saddlery was being demolished to make way for a more modern building, and this gives us more information about its location.

Transcript:

Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881 - 1940), Tuesday 25 June 1929, page 6

"THE CORNER", OLD, LANDMARK TO GO

Big Re-Building Move

With the rebuilding of Knowlman's Corner, Goulburn loses its oldest Auburn St. building, and one which for 90 years has been a landmark in tile history of our city. It was built when Goulburn was a village of but a few hundred inhabitants-when Sloane and Market Sts. Vere the principal commercial centers, and when Belmore Park was a tealsters' camp. As was quite. natural, Goulburn's first settlers built along the river, and Grafton and Sloane Sts. were tlhe main avenues. After a few years business gradually filtered into Market St., which soon became the principal business thoroughfare. It contained tile post office next to the site upon which the Goulburn 'Gas Company's office now is, all the principal stores, and with Cobb and Co.'s coaches putting up on the corner where the Hotel Goulburn now stands.

Auburn St. actually came into prominence as the overflow from Market St., but for 'years' values in what is now our main street did not approach those ruling in the latter. It is on record that when the late Mr. A. G. Finlay bought the site upon which the Gas Company's offices now stand, he .remarked to a brother auctioneer, the late Mr. R. Sands, that as he had paid for it only £2 a foot more than the purchaser of what is now known 'as the E.S. and A. Bank corner,: he had. got a cheap property.

Knowlman's Corner was built first as a two-storey residence, but later the ground floor was converted into -a saddler's shop, kept by one .Musgrove, who tanned his leather in the back yard. Sixty years ago it became Stelling and Lane's drapery shop, and was the beginning of Knowlman's Department Store, which In time absorbed Armstrong's Albion- Hotel and later Frazer's Buildings, then occupied by the Bank' of Australasia and the City Bank. The new building, which was designed by Messrs. Manfred and, Son, i.s being built by Mr. H. C. Gould, and will be a modern commercial structure. Special attention has been paid to store layout, and 17 large show windows.s will provide facilities ' for splendid' display. . Perfect -natural lighting will be a feature of the new building, and 220- feet 'of cantilever awning will give "The Cornor" a striking appearance. Over 100 feet of the most modern display. windows will be in Market St., so that after 90 years the scene of Goulburn's early commercial prosperity will begin to again come into it's own. The erection of this modern store is but' another example of the confdence that leading commercial firms have in tie future.of of our city.'