End of an era in fur trade

Press, 1 July 1985, Page 6

End of an era in fur trade

A part of Christchurch’s fur coat tradition, the Universal Fur Company shop in Manchester Street, closed on Friday, after 50 years of trading.

In the photograph are the shop’s owner, Mr Arthur Goodman, of Wellington, with the three staff mem-

bers (from left), Mrs Daphne Cundall, Mrs Jean Benham, and Mrs Jean Lister. Mr Goodman came from Wellington last week to supervise the closing of the shop, which he said was being shut because the rent had doubled. Two staff members, Mesdames Lister and Cundall, bade a fond farewell on Friday to the shop they had worked in together for the last 16 years. For Mrs Lister, Friday’s

closing meant her retirement, but the other two women are now out of a job. In 16 years of working together, Mrs Cundall said, she and Mrs Lister had never had an argument. “I think that is pretty good for two women who have worked together every day for so long,” she said. They would miss each other, but would still meet for a cup of coffee and a chat every now and again.

Mr Goodman, who owns similar shops in other centres, said that fashions in fur coats changed as much as any other fashion. “At the moment the big thing is fur jackets. For the last two seasons, 38 jackets have been selling for every coat,” he said. Quite a lot about a fur coat could change — the size and shape of collars, the width of sleeves, the type of fur and, of course, the length, Mr Goodman said.