History Notes - Queen St businesses in the past

Queen Street Businesses in the past

This information was documented by Maurie Conway, for the Historical Society, and was up to date in 2022

77 Queen St.  Corner of Queen St and Alice St (Northern side)
The Church of England Church used to be on this corner before it was moved to its present location.  The present building was owned by Lillis & Treloar and there used to be the initials “L.T.” on the façade of the corner building.  Treloars of Tamworth were descendants of the Treloars who had the business in Barraba.  Jack Lillis and his sons are descendants of the Lillis family who were in partnership with Treloars.  Later Alan O’Keefe had a Dry Cleaners in the corner shop which was later owned by Jim and Joan Quigley.  Stan Williams also had a business there.  Then David and Julia York had a Furniture business there and in the adjoining shop.  Pat Maddison also ran her Screen-Printing business for a while in the Corner Shop of Treloar’s building.  Other business owners were O.L. Rodgers and J.B. Ryan.  The building was being used by The Salvation Army as an Op Shop.

79 Queen St.
This shop was originally Rodger’s Supermarket before they moved further along the street.  Noel Garske’s son had an Antique Shop here for a while.  Then Peter Milson started the Lottery Office in this building, and this was later bought by Gordon Taylor.  The Lottery Agency was then taken over by Charlie Hart.

81 Queen St.
The Barraba Bakery dates back to World War II.  Barnes was there during the war, then a couple of short stays and then McCusker for some 20 or 30 years.

83 Queen St.
Next door is the Greengrocers’ (where Bill Pringle had his Dental Practice) which has been run over the years by L. & M. Matthews, Col & Sue Howarth, Bill & Rita Saunders and at present by their daughter, Toni Waugh & husband, John.

 85 Queen St.
In the next shop, Amy Simmons sold both baby and children’s wear and flowers and plants. 
Afterwards, Betty Sawyer had a business there, where she sold gifts and did flower arrangements for funerals.  It was also a Video shop for a while.  This shop is now “Polkadot” owned by Sandra Allen selling shoes, accessories & gifts with an attached Coffee Shop.

 89 Queen St.
Next shop along is the Butcher’s Shop which was run for many years by C.R. Hancock & Sons. It is now in the hands of John & Robyn Freeman.  Before this shop became a Butchers, it was owned by R. Byrnes.

91 Queen St.
Tom Garland had his Taxation business there for a while. 
N. & M.J. Fenn had a Ladies Fashion Shop. It was also a plant shop at one stage.

 93 Queen St.
Ruth Simpson’s Dress shop in the 1960s, then Jan Clark’s Hair Dressing Salon in the 1990s. 

95 Queen St.
The Golden Bell Café run by Peter Oglos and Leo James which started in approx. mid 1930s.  Later became Rodgers Supermarket when they moved from 77/79 Queen St.

97 and 99 Queen St.
Old tailor’s shop was there in the 1940s. Garlands renovated and then moved from 91 Queen St. Bruce Crossman also worked from there for a few years.  Rhonda Phillips Hair Dressing Salon (Salon 97) was probably next.  Then there was a Health Shop. 

 101 Queen St. 

In this building next to the vacant block, Theo Hawkins conducted 4 businesses, one in each
corner of the shop premises:  Hair Dressing Salon, Photography business, Cycle shop, Motor Bikes (selling and maintaining).
Scarf’s then had a business here. Then Barraba Dry Cleaners & Melva’s Art Gallery, John Perry’s Antique and Old Wares and at the present time Babes in the Bush run by Kerry Smith.