Hairdressing to Health Foods

A recent request for information regarding a particular building in Campbelltown led me to discover some information about a former resident as well as the building he occupied.

Born in 1842, Francis Joseph married wife Mary McMahon in 1885, and then came to Campbelltown in 1886, wasting no time setting up in business as a hairdresser and tobacconist on Queen Street.

It would appear that four children were born to the Josephs during their time in Campbelltown.

Frank operated out of the same building for just over 12 years, but then, it seems, moved into a brand new building in 1900, on the corner of Queen Street, and Sewer Lane (later to become Dumaresq Street).


F. Joseph Hairdresser and Tobacconist on the side of the building right in the
 centre of the photo. (Photo c1900 Campbelltown City Library)



Frank must have been a bit of a character, as his advertisements in the paper often took the form of poetry, with such entertaining stanzas as

“ Who is it when you’re old and grey

Takes the snow of age away

And makes you jolly, young, and gay,

FRANK JOSEPH”

The Joseph family stayed in Campbelltown until 2nd May 1907 when Frank and his family moved from the district. He was given a farewell at Edmonson’s Railway Hotel, where he was presented with a gift by a number of residents as a token of their esteem and respect. 

The census of 1913 shows Frank Joseph living in Leichardt, and in 1916 he died. I was unable to trace any further information about his family after leaving Campbelltown. Over the years other businesses operated in the store, including Mort Clissold's barber shop (before he moved further up Queen Street to Atherstone). During the 1960s and '70s a health food was operated here by Daphne and Colin Hendrie. It's street address was 237 Queen Street.

The Health & Bulk Foods store sometime between 1971 and 1977.
Photo - CAHS

 It, along with its neighbors, was finally demolished in 1977 and is now the site of David Wilson Chemist.

237 Queen St was demolished with it's neighbours in 1977.
Photo - Trevor Richardson Collection, Campbelltown City Library

Thanks to Julianne, daughter of Daphne and Colin Hendrie, who spent a lot of her childhood in this building.
Written by Claire Lynch


Sources
Trove
Our Past in Pictures
Norm Campbell
Grist Mills Vol.31 No.1
1974 Phone Directory