Myers House

Despite the depression, the 1890s were a significant period in the expansion of the Valley as a retail centre. The disastrous floods of 1890 and 1893 caused extensive damage to stores on the south side of the river and cut them off from the town centre. This prompted many retailers, such as TC Beirne, to move to the north side of the river. In the late 1890s all three major Valley stores – TC Beirne, McWhirters and Overell’s – expanded their businesses considerably. The extension of the train line from the city to Fortitude Valley also contributed to the growth of industry.  

During this early part of the twentieth century the premises at 253-263 Wickham Street were tenanted by a number of small merchants, many of whom manufactured and sold their goods directly from the premises. They included at various times, a plumber, carpenter, milliner and tobacconist.  On at least one occasion one of the terraces was used solely as a dwelling, but this is uncommon, with the majority of tenants appearing to operate businesses from the address, while residing above.

The 1920s were a decade of economic growth throughout Brisbane. The Valley in particular, with its success as a commercial and industrial hub, expanded even further. Electric trams, which passed the busy corner of Brunswick and Wickham Streets, brought thousands of shoppers to the Valley. The first stage of the McWhirters building that had been completed in 1912 was extended in 1923.  

Wickham Street was affected by road widening and remodelling at the junction of Ann, Queen and Wickham Streets that occurred during the 1920s. In 1923 the Brisbane Municipal Council resumed properties in Wickham Street where it met Ann and Queen Streets for this purpose. In this decade the cutting on Duncan’s Hill for Ann Street was widened opening the Valley even more to the rest of Brisbane.  Some of the older commercial premises in Wickham Street were given ‘modern’ facelifts between 1921 and 1928, with some ornamentation being removed to give a simpler, sleeker appearance.  It is during this period that these terrace shops in Wickham Street would appear to have undergone similar cosmetic changes to the front façade. 

Continuing to maintain its occupancy type, the row of terrace shops was tenanted by bootmakers, a costumier and a confectioner during the decade of the 1910s. Long term tenants such as a launderer from 1914 until the late 1930s and Kloake’s tobacconist for twenty years from the late 1920s until 1948 show the continuity of use as commercial premises.  By 1951 the premises were identified as Myers House, a name that was still evident on the façade of the building as late as 1995.

1. Brisbane City Council aerial photographs, 1946, 2005, 2009

2. Brisbane City Council Archives, Survey plan, 1916

3. Brisbane City Council Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Detail Plan, circa 1924

4. Brisbane City Council, Properties on the Web, Building Cards

5. Brisbane City Council Heritage Unit, Fortitude Valley Heritage and Character Study, 1995

6. Lawson, Ronald. Brisbane in the 1890s: a study of an Australian urban society ( St Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1973)

7. National Library of Australia, Trove newspapers, Brisbane Courier, The Queenslander, Courier Mail

8. Queensland Post Office Directories

9. Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland Certificate of Title and other records