OLD-ESTABLISHED SHOP CLOSING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28819, 13 February 1959, Page 6

OLD-ESTABLISHED SHOP CLOSING

Business Moves To

New Area *

When Mr W. R. Nuttall puts up the shutters on his butcher’s shop at 417 Selwyn street this evening it will end 82 years’ use of the building for a butcher's business and Mr Nuttall’s 34 years’ association with it. Mr Nuttall has sold the property at 417 Selwyn street but is continuing his butchery business in a new shop in Curletts road, Upper Hiccarton. The premises at 417 Selwyn street were first opened as a butcher’s shop by Mr A. S. Bull in 1876 and have remained continuously in that trade until today. ‘ Since the business was established in 1876 the trade has continued to expand and it is now one of the leading suburban businesses in Canterbury.” said an encyclopedia published in 1903. “Three carts are constantly employed in delivering orders to Mr Bull’s numerous customers, among whom there are many leading citizens. During the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, Mr Bull had the honour of supplying the city’s Royal guests.

“The premises in Selwyn street are specially designed for the work in connexion with a large butchery business and the shop is admirably fitted up for the display of meat with heavy marble slabs and polished hanging rails. Immediately behind the shop there is a large workroom for the manufacture of smallgoods. The machinery is driven by an eight horse-power gas engine and the largest meatcutting machine has a capacity of 5001 b an hour. The stables, traphouse and men’s quarters are spacious and well kept Water is laid to all positions where it is required and an excellent supply is Obtained from an extra deep well, the flow from which rises 26 feet The whole establishment is a model of cleanliness and comfort” said the encyclopedia. Began As Message Boy

Mr Bull died in 1906 and his widow and one son carried on the business. Mr Nuttall began employment there as a message boy in March, 1924. He delivered the joints, steaks, cutlets and smallgoods by motor-cycle. In earlier days delivery was made by a messenger on horseback. For about eight years Mr Nuttall drove a horse and cart selling meat at the doors—he still calls it a hawker’s cart—and his area was Spreydon. Addington and Sydenham. He was an employee for 18 years and then bought the property and took over the business in 1941. The building is the original one and the old stables are still on the property. He recalls that, in times of heavy frost, salt had to be put down before the horses could pull the carts away from the yard. Families who had been customers for two or three generations have broken up or moved away. The area has become commercialised and shopping blocks have been established elsewhere. “There is a vast difference in the price of meat,” said Mr Nuttall. “Old ledgers of 18761900 show that legs of mutton were Is 6d to 2s. Mutton is more than that per lb now. Legs of mutton sell at from 13s 6d to 16s 6d. There were hazards on the roads in the days of the horse and cart, like the frosts I've mentioned when the horses used to slip and slide. I would not like to be driving the horse and cart on the streets now. In addition to my ordinary work I had to groom the horse and clean the harness. We started at ' 5 a.m. and the carts used to leave ' the yard at 7 a.m. I got time off ‘ in the afternoons. My wages ■ were £2 10s a week when I be- : gan. A first shopman got £5 15s , la week in those days, less than half what he gets today,” said Mr Nuttall.