History of Harry Jones
A Kennedy, Billy Ryan and Harry Jones first started a stock and station Agency business in Burren Junction about 1904. According to information supplied by Mrs Kate Keys (nee Jones), Harry Jones was the country traveller. He first came to Pilliga to ride a race horse "Grand Son" for Houlahan and Dempsey in 1897, this horse having won three bracelets in three years running. He started a butchery at Pilliga in 1897, but after 6 months, he went to work as a station hand at Cashel from 1897 to 1900, and then at Keelendi until 1902. After that, he was employed by Fred Holcombe to manage Balmers and Charles Peter's places. The 1902 drought was in progress, and as it was too expensive to feed the sheep with corn, he left for the New England district with 6,000 sheep and was away for 8 months in 1903. It was a successful droving trip, as he was able to deliver the full complement of sheep home. He then bought the Burke McKellar Mail contract from Pilliga to Yarraldool. When the contract expired after 1904, he went into partnership in the agency business at Burren Junction in 1905.
The Namoi Valley Echo of September 30th, 1905, contained the following advertisement:
Mr H. W. Jones, auctioneer of Pilliga, has entered into partnership with Mr Ryan, and the new firm has opened a branch of their business at Burren Junction. Business at the Junction is evidently flourishing if the large amount of stock and wool trade is a criterion.
In 1910, Bill Ryan had left the business. According to Mrs Keys, he later started out on his own, employing Julian Church as a clerk from a wool firm. By 1915, Kennedy and Jones had dissolved their partnership.
Hamilton Spier was a partner in the Jones agency for a while. James Duncan bought Harry Jones ' share in the business, and Jones then purchased "Plain View" from Johnathon Houlahan in 1916. Julian Church may have taken over Ryan's Agency business by 1915, as Wise's Post Office directory of 1915 lists Julian Church, Stock Agent.
Next door to this building is the Delta Agency today.
There is some conjecture regarding the construction of the old store situated on the corner of Slack-Smith and Waterloo Streets, opposite the R.S.L. Bowling Clubhouse. (Cafe today No. 4) One source of information has said it was first constructed by Wright Heaton, a large wholesale chain of grocery suppliers, while another states that it was constructed by Peter Kennedy and Wright Heaton used the old original Hall on the corner of Alma and Corunna Street as a storehouse. Regardless of its origin, by about 1922, it was operated by E.Brumby and Kennedy as a general store. Jim Brumby, a son of the proprietor, has recalled that the store was taken over by McIntyres about 1927 to 1928, and they are listed in the 1930 Wise's PO directory as store proprietors. C.I. Evans and Son took over the store in the late 1930's, with Irwin Evans maintaining the management for some years before the store was closed about 1946. It operated as a temporary R.S.L. Club before the present premises were built, and following the vacation was used as a private residence until it was badly damaged in a windstorm in 1987. The absence of efficient refrigeration and frozen food during those early years highlighted the need for fresh fruit and vegetables. Wise P.O. directory of 1910 shows William Battman as a fruiterer. Later, Mrs F Blulpitt is listed as a fruiterer, but by 1920, this passes back to the Battman family again as George Battman is recorded in the Post Office directory of 1920.
More about the Agents on No 9. Hec Radford Agency.
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