Old, vintage, historical book archives at the Morwell Historical Society

Gilbert’s Railway Store

A Journey in Time – A Resource for Local History

Gilbert’s Railway Store

No. 190. C.O. Gilbert Purchased Lot 10 Sec. 1 when sold by the government in 1878 and built the first store in Morwell on the site and was called the ‘Railway Store’. It included the second post office, first being at the railway station.

T. Miles and Mr Tinker conducted the business after Gilbert. Later it was sold to H. Tulloch who subdivided it into a number shops and offices and was known as ‘Tulloch’s Mart’. Tulloch had the newsagency which was later sold to G.P. Evans in 1914. (who later shifted to 176 Commercial Rd.). Others occupying the shops at that time were Thompson; Bicknell; Hinson; Hall; Maxwell; Rowley; Rowell.

The 1920s and 30s saw many changes.

Sharpe Bros., 1926, drapery occupied one of the shops and over time extended their business by purchasing the lot and taking over the whole area until closing in 1983.

Others were Langdon; Hughes; Dow; Jordan; Furlong and W.A. Purvis.

After Sharpes closed it was again divided into a number of shops. Clothing, Hairdresser, ‘Burgons Jewellery’ and ‘ Spotlight’ in 1983 which closed in 2012 after 29 years in Morwell.

The building was then converted into offices for ‘Anglicare’.