… Grocers and Liquor Stores in Mount Lawley, North Perth and Inglewood areas

Information provided by Frank Blennerhassett’s daughter, Maureen.

The Blennerhassett family originally came from Ireland. Sir Richard Arthur Blennerhassett was a wealthy gentleman farmer and he married his first cousin, Mary Blennerhassett, in 1829. They had nine children. Their eldest son, Arthur Richard (1830-186?) emigrated to Australia in 1857 to Victoria. Three other siblings emigrated to Australia later in 1857 on the Jessie Munn and they lived with Arthur until his death in 1860. After Arthur died, the rest of the Blennerhassett family from Ireland also decided to emigrate in 1862 on the Accrington. Whilst on the journey, Sir Richard contracted pneumonia, died and was buried at sea.

When the family arrived in Melbourne, Mary Blennerhassett purchased land from all over Victoria finally settling down in Miners Rest where she died in 1902.

John Rowland (1839-1909), the second eldest, worked first as a labourer and became the storekeeper of the General Store and Post Office in Miners Rest in 1867-1892. Two of his sisters helped him. He married Mary Anne Parker in 1867. They had nine children – all born in Miners Rest, Victoria.

In 1898, three of John and Mary’s children, John Rowland Blennerhassett, aged 24 (1874-1938), Arthur Parker Blennerhassett, aged 16 (1882-1969) and Thomas William Blennerhassett, aged 14 (1884-1956) moved from Victoria settling in Southern Cross in 1898.

Arthur Parker married Priscilla Fairclough (1888-1949) in 1910 in Southern Cross and they had five children.

As reported in The Southern Cross Times Saturday 30 April 1910 Blennerhassett / Fairclough Wedding:
The toast of ‘The Ladies’ was left in the hands of Mr D McDonald, who jocularly referred to them as a necessary evil. Mr Hugh Williams blushed and bashfully responded on behalf of the fair sex. After the good things which were provided had been greatly reduced in volume, and the inner man was full of toasts and turkey, the young folk adjourned to the parlour and indulged in songs and dances, whilst the old buffers remained in the marquee drinking everybody's health until train time, then the happy couple left to catch the train for Cottesloe, where they intend spending part of their honeymoon.

John Rowland married Amelia Payne (1875-1943) and they had five children. Thomas William married Lucy Jane Payne (1885-1940), sister to Amelia Payne who had married Thomas’s brother John Rowland.

In 1910, Thomas William went into a grocery, wine and spirits business with brother John Rowland under the name of ‘Blennerhassett Bros’ 574 Beaufort Street, Mt. Lawley. The business was not successful and in 1915 the Gallon License was transferred to Isabella McFayden and the business then known as Beaufort Supply Store.

Thomas William lived at 45 Burt St Mt Lawley. John Rowland lived at 60 Wasley St Mt Lawley.

Arthur and Priscilla’s children were Arthur Parker Jnr (known as Parker)1911-1979, George 1913-1978, Samuel Rowland (known as Rowley) 1915-1994, Francis (Frank) 1917-2009 and Leslie (Les) 1920-2010.

Arthur Snr worked in the grocery business in Southern Cross progressing to Manager of the Co-op Store. He worked at two grocery stores in the 1920s before moving to Inglewood 242 Eighth Ave and working at Central Provision Store Fitzgerald Street, North Perth progressing to Head Manager in the early 1930s. In 1930/31 the family moved to their newly purchased house at 165 Seventh Avenue, Inglewood. In 1932 he bought the grocery store at 161 Walcott St (cnr Burt St) and managed on his own for a few years as ‘A Blennerhassett’.

Frank, at the age of 13 years, had gone to work at Central Provision Store and at 16 years, began working at Gordon Matheson’s store in Oxford Street, Mt Hawthorn, later being promoted to the Scarborough Beach Road store Mt Hawthorn. When Frank turned 20, he joined the family business and the name changed to ‘A Blennerhassett and Son’, later to become Blennerhassetts and Sons as more sons joined the family business.

Around 1935, Rowley went to Leonora and worked in the grocery trade for 12 months. Les went to Koorda and also worked in the grocery trade for 12 months before they both returned to work in the family shop. The family lived at the back of 161 Walcott St. In 1937 Arthur moved to Wiluna as Manager of the Co-op Store to boost the family income leaving Frank, Rowley and Les to run the store on Walcott St.

At the outbreak of WWII Arthur and Priscilla returned to Perth to run the family business. Frank, Rowley and Les enlisted. Rowley was to go overseas but when he found he was to go to Rottnest he applied for an exemption to stay and help at the store.

In 1946, there was a dissolution of ‘A Blennerhassett and Sons’ between all, and incoming partner Les took the business over and the business became ‘Blenner Bros’ and was run by the three brothers. After a few years together, Rowley left the business and bought a store at 329 Bulwer St (cnr Fitzgerald Street) North Perth. PHOTO2103

It started out as a combined greengrocery and grocery. Later it became a liquor store only. It was granted a ‘gallon license’ which was possibly the first of its kind in WA Under that license it could only sell one gallon lots of beer and had to be three miles from any hotel. The Hyde Park Hotel was not yet built. The store catered for weddings and the like, supplying kegs etc. Later the license rules were changed and single bottles sales were permitted. Another condition was that there were to be no deliveries of alcohol on Sundays and most of the Jewish and Greek weddings were held on Sundays. The Police used to watch the premises from the top of a nearby hill to see if they could catch them out. Frank and Les used to give a hand if a ‘Sunday’ event was to be catered for. One would load up the panel van with cool drink and ginger beer and leave. The police would follow. Once gone, the ute was loaded with the required alcohol and quickly and quietly be delivered to the venue.

Rowley married Anetta McGahey (1921-2012). They had three children, one of whom is John Rowland, who owns Blennerhassett Fine Jewellers in Broadway Street, Nedlands.

Les at the same time as Rowley, left the business and bought a grocery and deli store in Adair Parade, Mt. Lawley. Leslie married Daphne Mary Thomas (1924-2018). The family lived at 41 Lanark St, Mt Lawley.

Frank was now left to run Blenner Bros on his own which he did until late 1959-1960 when he sold it. This was the time that Tom the Cheap grocery supermarkets came into being causing many small businesses to sell. Blenner Bros was one of these. Frank married Hazel Lillian Lockhart (1919-1974) and lived in 27 Nelson Street, Inglewood.

In 1949, Priscilla died and Frank, Hazel and family (Maureen and siblings) moved to 165 Seventh Avenue, Inglewood to help Arthur.

George did not go into the family business but worked as a travelling salesman and managed a tyre business. George married Alice Doreen Williams (known as Doreen) 1915-2012. They had two children. Arthur Parker Jnr was a French polisher.