Fred Tritton - From Second-hand Dealer to Furniture Manufacturer (1886-1910)

Guest blogger: Mary Howells - 2022 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow

Long-term residents of Brisbane will likely remember Trittons Furniture. Its flagship store faced George Street, near Adelaide Street, while its loading docks and distribution warehouse overlooked the Brisbane River at North Quay. In 2023, the site is occupied by Brisbane Square including the BCC Library.

Early in 1884, William and Sarah Tritton and their four sons, Charles (20) Frederick (18), Joseph (16) and John (8) migrated from England to Brisbane aboard the S. S. Sirsa. (1) William and Fred took up adjoining land selections in Ritchie Road, Pallara, in May 1884. William fulfilled the terms of his lease and acquired his property. Fred did not. He worked briefly at Freney’s sawmill nearby. (2)

In 1886 Fred and his brother Charles established a second-hand furniture shop in Logan Road, Woolloongabba. By 1888 they were also selling new furniture.(3) Prior to emigrating, Fred had been employed by a cabinetmaker and upholsterer and he was keen to capitalise on this experience.(4) The Tritton brothers were both married in late 1889 and that business was dissolved. Fred married English-born local girl Eliza Worrall and continued selling furniture at Woolloongabba, while Charles sought alternative ventures. (5)

In mid-1896, Fred moved his business to more commodious premises in Stanley Street opposite the railway yards. The larger store allowed for a diversification in stock, including crockery, glassware, carpets, and casual rattan furniture. Trittons became a homewares and furniture store and advertised that it could ‘furnish anything from a two-roomed cottage to a mansion’. (6)

A three storied brick warehouse and showrooms were built in George Street in 1899 for Robert A Rankin, of the confectionery firm Rankin and Morrow. Trittons moved into the building in April and the Woolloongabba store was later rebranded as Coupon Furniture. The floorspace was shared with Joseph and John Tritton’s hairdressing and fancy goods businesses.  From around 1899, Trittons operated a furniture factory in Melbourne Street. The firm used Queensland oak, black bean, and cedar as well as English walnut. Trittons began advertising in regional Queensland newspapers. The new store was close to Trittons major rivals, John Hicks and Co, on the corner of George and Ann Streets.(7)

Trittons business prospered during the early 20th century. In 1902 Fred Tritton and John Hicks began exhibiting in the Royal National Show. While no awards were given for furniture, the officials noted the excellent craftsmanship exhibited in both Trittons and Hicks locally made furniture. From 1902 Trittons began using the slogan – "It Pays to come to the Right Place". (8)

In 1905 the company published its first illustrated catalogue, which was promoted through statewide newspaper advertising, offering delivery anywhere in Queensland. Merchandise included pianos, linoleum, artificial flowers, tapestries, and curtains.  In 1906, Trittons and Hicks both supplied furniture to the new Mater Hospital. In 1910, Trittons outbid Hicks on supplying 450 chairs for St John’s Cathedral. (9)

A new factory in Russell Street was completed in 1908 (the site of the QPAC Playhouse). The factory was described as the best equipped plant in Queensland and employed its own artist to design furniture. In April 1909, Fred and Eliza embarked on the first of many overseas tours aimed at bringing the latest home furnishing trends from England, Scotland, and Europe to the Brisbane consumers. Fred also promoted the excellent working conditions in Australia to attract more skilled migrants.(10)

Fred and Eliza had six children. Four were born in the 19th century when the family lived at Lisburn Street, East Brisbane: Frederick Charles (b. 1890), Lillian May (b.1892), Ivy Jane (b. 1894) and Lydia Ellen (known as Nelle b. 1899). In late 1903, when Eliza was expecting the couple’s fifth child, a large Clayfield house, Elderslie, the home of business-man E B Harris at 151 Adelaide Street, was auctioned. The Trittons purchased the house and Eliza gave birth to Arthur (Roy) on 4 February 1904 at Elderslie. The youngest child, John Cyril, was born in July 1910.(11)

Mary Howells

The Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame is an initiative of QUT Business School, State Library of Queensland.

See other blogs by Mary

• Trittons - Gold Medal Manufacturer (1910 – 1930)

• What Depression? Trittons prosper during the early 1930s

• Fred Tritton: Renaissance man

• From Austerity to Prosperity: Trittons in the 1940s.

• Trittons: Flourishing through the fifties

• Tritton’s Legacy
  
   

References

1. Queensland State Archives Immigration lists, Item 18480 – pp. 713, 730, 735.
2. Selection Files LAN AG/150, Item ID 35829, 35830, Queensland State Archives; Queensland Historic Cadastral Maps 40 Chain Moreton Series AG2 Sheet 4 South 1927; Freney’s land is now in the suburb of Durack.
3. Classified ads, Telegraph, 27 August 1886, p.1; Classified ads, Telegraph, 2 January 1888, p.6.
4. Brief autobiography of Fred Tritton, typescript, see also http://henrywickhambreaux.tritton.org.uk/1211.htm
5. Queensland birth death marriage indexes; ’Notice of Dissolution of Partnership’, Telegraph, 5 November 1889, p.5.
6. Classifieds, ‘Selling off’… Telegraph, 20 July 1896, p.7; ‘F. Tritton’ Telegraph, 21 December 1897, p.6.
7. ‘A New Furniture Warehouse’, Brisbane Courier, 4 April 1899, p.3; ‘F. Tritton, Complete House Furnishers’ Brisbane Courier, 24 July 1899, p.7; Classified ad for Coupon Furniture, Brisbane Courier, 14 February 1901, p.8; ‘F. Tritton’ Telegraph, 18 December 1901, p.4; ‘To the People of Rockhampton’, The Capricornian, 29 April 1899, p.40.; Image of John Hicks New Furniture Warehouse, George and Ann Streets, Queensland Figaro and Punch, 16 March 1889, p.9.
8. ‘F. Tritton George Street,’ Queensland Figaro and Punch, 11 September 1902, p 16; ‘Industrial, Manufacturers Reviewed’, Brisbane Courier, 14 August 1903, p.6; Classified advertising, Trittons and Coupon use the slogan ’the right place’ – Brisbane Courier, 13 September 1902 p.10, Brisbane Courier, 15 September 1902, p.2.
9. ‘F. Tritton’ The Northern Miner, Charters Towers, 6 February 1905, p.7; ‘F. Tritton’ Telegraph, 20 December 1905, p.5; ‘A new Hospital’ Brisbane Courier, 4 January 1906, p.2; Michael Rogers, (Anglican archivist), ‘St John’s Cathedral archives blog ‘Anglican Focus’ 5 August 2020 on Eliza Tritton OBE. https://anglicanfocus.org.au/2020/08/05/eliza-tritton-obe/ accessed 6 December 2022; see also Rod Fisher and Brian Crozier (eds) ‘The Queensland House; a roof over our heads’, Brisbane, Queensland Museum, 1994, p.78.
10. ‘Cabinet makers and improvers wanted’ Classified ads, Telegraph, 21 August 1907, p.8; Classified ads ‘Many are curious to know who owns the big furniture factory going up in Russell Street’ Telegraph, 14 October 1907, p.8; ‘Brisbane Business Pars', The Catholic Press, Sydney, 4 June 1908, p.17; ‘Employees presentation’, Telegraph, 14 April 1909, p.7; ‘An interesting Tour’ Brisbane Courier, 3 December 1909, p.2.
11. Queensland birth death marriage indexes;’ Advertisement for auction of ‘Elderslie’’, Telegraph, 26 November 1903, p. 8; ‘Auction Sales’ Brisbane Courier, 2 December 1903, p.8; ‘Birth Notice - Tritton’, Telegraph, 12 February 1904, p.4.