Weekly Times, Melbourne VIC, 10 September 1898
Bailie Bros Bakers – KALGOORLIE.
The large business now being conducted by the Messrs Bailie Bros, at Kalgoorlie, affords a striking instance of the success which perseverance and hard work, added to personal popularity, can attain in a comparatively new gold mining town. Prior to starting in this business, Mr J. C. Bailie, who is the senior partner, was occupied in agricultural and grazing pursuits with his father near Bendigon VIC, being a native of that district.
Bailie Bros Bakery, Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie
Mr George A Bailie
Mr John Collins Bailie
In the beginning of 1896 he decided to try his fortune in Western Australia, and went direct to the centre of the most productive district around Kalgoorlie. For about three months he followed mining pursuits, but in May 1896, he entered upon a grocery and bakery business, with Mr J. Henry. This partnership continued until March, 1898, when Mr Bailie purchased Mr Henry’s share of the business, and took his brother, Mr G. A. Bailie, into partnership.
Mr J. C. Bailie is personally very popular, and deservedly so. He is an ardent footballer, and although he has now retired from the field is held in such esteem that he is the President of Hannan’s Football Club. It is a pleasant reminiscence with Mr J. C. Bailie that he played with the first Kalgoorlie team on the goldfields. He is also a member of the racing club, and generally a keen sportsman. Mr G. A. Bailie, the junior partner, is also a Victorian. He was originally in business in Bendigo, and subsequently In Perth and Coolgardie. He remained in the latter goldfields town for about eighteen months, and left for Kalgoorlie in the beginning of 1897. He is a good footballer, and has made his mark in Bendigo, Perth, and Coolgardie.
The business of the Messrs Bailie Bros, is a very large and increasing one, extending to all the mining districts around Kalgoorlie and the Boulder, their carts being familiar features on the roads. The bakery business alone employs five hands, who turn out from nine to ten thousand loaves a week, in addition to large quantities of the dainties known in the trade as a baker’s small goods. The flour used is chiefly from Adelaide and Sydney, and is of the best quality obtainable. The grocery business is an important branch of their trade. All goods are carried which make up part of a high-class grocer’s stock, and Kalgoorlie is as well supplied as Perth in this respect. The firm imports butter from Sydney and Melbourne, cheese from New Zealand, bacon from Victoria chiefly, and hams from Queensland. It has also large stores of tinned and canned goods imported from the other colonies.
Bailie Bros Bakery Delivery Carts
Bailie Bros employ altogether sixteen hands, and run five carts in connection with their bakery and grocery business. The pictures we present give a view of the neat and well-appointed premises occupied by them, portraits of the members of the firm and their employes and a view of the carts of Bailie Bros. The business is one of the largest of its kind on the fields, and has been built up from a small beginning. It gives promise of further increase; and being well conducted, is certain to achieve this end.
Bailie Bros Bakery Employees
I have found that Bailie Bros store was at the top end of Hannan Street, but I can’t be exact with the location. The business was relinquished in 1900. Mr John Bailie and his wife took over the Federal Hotel at the top of Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie Miner Monday 5 March 1900
Moya Sharp
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Moira, my guess on where the Bailie’s bakery was situated is next door to the house occupied by the Strothers who had the undertaking business opposite the Federal hotel. The Strother’s buildings are there still.
My parents used to talk about Stubbs’ bakery occupying the shop there back in the 1930s. I have a vague idea it was still operating when I was a kid in the late ’40s. I definitely recall the stone/brick building derelict on that site in the ’50s and ’60s.
It was probably somewhere in the late ’60s – possibly encouraged by the nickel boom – someone reopened it baking pies and pasties, using the “Stubbs” name, and taking them around to the hotel bars as well as catering for the after pub closing time (11.00pm) crowds.
It was a semi-sunken building and you entered from the street level and descended a dozen or so stairs to the counter; their products were delicious. I descended those steps on more than a few occasions, coming direct from Joan Percy’s 100 metres away.
For whatever reason they closed up after a relatively brief time.
I don’t remember seeing the building demolished but it might have been around the time the first Trilby Cooper complex was established.
Thanks Bernie, I do have a photo of that building before it was demolished, I will email it to you and you can see what you think.
That sounds about right Bernie but have no recollection of Stubbs bakery.