Tailors’ buttons
Perry & Core, Sydney
What are you to do if the business you work for fails? Start your own! The gentlemen were William Henry Perry (1841 -1918) and Archibald Core (1857-1913)
The Sydney Morning Herald, 2nd February 1887 page 3. A ‘late firm’? Firms can die too?
The business survived through many changes of address and owners, as well as ongoing disputes with the tailors’ union, including a strike that lasted several years.
A little over one year since commencing, they moved to 70 Hunter Street. In 1893 they moved to 323 George Street, then in 1898 to 327 George Street. They moved again to Norwich Chambers, Hunter and Bligh Streets in 1912. By 1922 they were situated in Elizabeth Street. (See below).
City of Sydney Archives: Elizabeth Street Sydney 1920s. Perry & Core’s shop is the one with the street level large windows behind the car in the middle of the picture.
In 1913 Mr Core died, aged only 56 years. William Henry and son Henry John Perry (1884 -1941) continued under the same name. When William died in 1918, he was reportedly a wealthy man. From 1922 until 1931 Alfred George Plowright joined as a partner. After the death of ‘Harry’ Perry, Constance Margaret Ethel Gallon and Ewart Reginald Lloyd took over the firm. Mr Lloyd continued alone after 1946, by which time the address was Watson House, Bligh Street. They stopped advertising in 1949.
E. Doyle, Coolamon
Coolamon is 40 km NW of Wagga Wagga in NSW.
This tailor may have been Bryan Doyle, who died in 1925. He was a tailor in Coolamon from at least 1904-1912. He supplied guernsys for the local football club, and uniforms for the town band. In 1912 a fire destroyed all the stores stock and supplies.
F. V. Davies, Coolamon
Freeman’s Journal (Sydney), 28th October 1920 page 32.
Frank Vivian Davies was born in Launceston but was living in Coolamon when he enlisted. He also served as a tailor during WW2.
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