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.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19850701.2.49
Bibliographic details
Press, 1 July 1985, Page 6
Word Count
266End of an era in fur trade Press, 1 July 1985, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.