Wednesday, September 16, 2020
We have recently had a query about the history of the old shop on the corner of Alice and Queen Streets so perhaps a bit of history of chemists in Barraba would be appropriate. Richard Blackall Snr was a chemist in Barraba for many years. It seems that he and his wife, Louisa Gertrude Sinclair, were married in 1879, possibly somewhere down the Hunter Valley. Their first child, William Robson Blackall was born at Wallabadah in the same year. William was followed by Louisa, John, Richard Jnr, Harry and Horace who were all born at Wallabadah. After Horace was born in 1888, the Blackall family moved to Barraba so it is likely that they arrived in the 1890’s. Richard Blackall senior settled his chemist business into a shop on the eastern side of Queen Street and the family lived in a house on the western side behind the row of shops. The Frazer family lived in the house after the Blackalls moved out.
The Masonic Lodge was formed in Barraba in 1910. The foundation stone for the erection of a Temple was laid on 14th July, 1911 and the temple was built and put into use for the first time on 7th February, 1912. The foundation Worshipful Master was Br WR Lockrey and it seems that Br Richard Blackall was the second Worshipful Master.
When World War I began several of the Blackall boys joined up and Richard and Louisa left Barraba to live in Sydney by 1916. It seems that Harry Nicholson Blackall took over the old chemist shop in the main street at first, but soon built a new shop and residence on the corner of Alice and Queen Streets. In those days there was a verandah around the building. It is probable that the building was erected in the early 1920s. Gordon Mallam opened a pharmacy in the old chemist shop in the late 1920s. Don Coote came to relieve him in 1930 and soon took over the business and then moved the business across the street next door to Hagan’s Sports Shop. After a number of years and a rapidly becoming cramped shop, the Coote family purchased two shops on the northern side of the café and after some renovations moved into the present site of the Barraba Pharmacy. Returning to the corner shop – Harry Nicholson married Amy Stella Mikkelsen, a Danish girl, and they had a daughter, Wanda, who grew up in Barraba. On 21st January 1949 Harry died at the age of 61 years. His chemist shop was sold to Ken Stanton who moved the shop up the street into the next block. This business closed after about ten years and the stock was sold to DJ Coote & Son.
The Masonic Lodge was formed in Barraba in 1910. The foundation stone for the erection of a Temple was laid on 14th July, 1911 and the temple was built and put into use for the first time on 7th February, 1912. The foundation Worshipful Master was Br WR Lockrey and it seems that Br Richard Blackall was the second Worshipful Master.
When World War I began several of the Blackall boys joined up and Richard and Louisa left Barraba to live in Sydney by 1916. It seems that Harry Nicholson Blackall took over the old chemist shop in the main street at first, but soon built a new shop and residence on the corner of Alice and Queen Streets. In those days there was a verandah around the building. It is probable that the building was erected in the early 1920s. Gordon Mallam opened a pharmacy in the old chemist shop in the late 1920s. Don Coote came to relieve him in 1930 and soon took over the business and then moved the business across the street next door to Hagan’s Sports Shop. After a number of years and a rapidly becoming cramped shop, the Coote family purchased two shops on the northern side of the café and after some renovations moved into the present site of the Barraba Pharmacy. Returning to the corner shop – Harry Nicholson married Amy Stella Mikkelsen, a Danish girl, and they had a daughter, Wanda, who grew up in Barraba. On 21st January 1949 Harry died at the age of 61 years. His chemist shop was sold to Ken Stanton who moved the shop up the street into the next block. This business closed after about ten years and the stock was sold to DJ Coote & Son.