J A Geer's grocery store operated from 1909-1912 on the site established by George Sim in 1884. He bought a house and added a shop where, in 1889, he established the first post office in the area. Prior to this residents had to go the Box Hill to collect mail. Date is approximate.This records one of the earliest businesses in Surrey Hills. To begin with, businesses developed along Canterbury Road rather than Union Road, in part because of the muddy nature of the land north of the railway line.Black and white photo taken from a postcard of Canterbury Road, near the corner of Union Road, looking west in 1906 or 1907. Two children play on the LHS of the street and there is a man on a horse and carriage, and a cart, on the RHS. Buildings on the RHS are the Surrey Family Hotel and J A Geer's grocery store; on the LHS is a row of double-storey terraces including Hansen's Terrace on Canterbury Road to the west of Union Road.On LHS within the original image is 'Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills'; on the rear in top LH corner in blue biro in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting "J H / spare"canterbury road, geer's grocery store, surrey family hotel, businesses, horse drawn vehicle, hansen's terrace, post card, mr j a geer

This building was adjacent to Surrey Lodge, on the corner of Canterbury and Union Roads. The store was established by George Sim in 1885 and in 1889 he set up the 1st Surrey Hills Post Office here. The business was bought by Alfred Claude Geer in 1909; the Camberwell Rate books show that from 1913 Geer remained owner but the business was occupied by Alfred Henry Crump; confirmed by electoral rolls for 1913-1918. Prior to moving to Surrey Hills, Alfred was a grocer in Dandenong. Otto Kuhn was Alfred Crump's store manager and may have taken this photo. Alfred married Hazel May Ordish in 1913 in Dandenong. The marriage notice in the Argus on 5 July indicates that the couple resided at 'Hazeldene' in Leopold Crescent. Moran and Cato had already established a business across Union Road from McNeill's Hotel and in time this business and one other grocery store opposite closed as a result.Black and white photo of A H Crump's grocery and produce store in Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills in 1913. There are 4 men and 2 horse-drawn carts in front of a timber single-storey building with a verandah with a corrugated-iron roof. At least one of the carts has "A H CRUMP" painted on the side. Three of the men are wearing long white aprons; the other, AH Crump, is in a suit. Advertising signs on the hoardings are for Huttons hams and bacon and Empire flour. Cadbury's cocoa is advertised on the shop window. The hoarding above the verandah also indicates that the business was established in 1884. There is a block-fronted single storey house with a picket fence adjacent to the shop, to the east along Canterbury Road."SURREY HILLS.13.6.2" diagonally across the bottom LH side of the photo.post offices, grocers, shops, businesses, horse drawn vehicles, alfred henry crump, alfred crump, alfred claude geer, alfred geer, otto kuhn, george sim, hazel may ordish, hazel may crump

Albert and Hazel Crump at their home ‘Hazeldene’, 1 Leopold Crescent in 1916. ‘Hazeldene’ was opposite the end of Albert Crescent. Albert and Hazel lived here from the time of their marriage in 1913 until 1918 when they moved back to Dandenong. This Federation house is of rather unusual design with verandas on the front corners and the centre room projecting. It was demolished in the 1960s and replaced by units. From 1913-1918 Albert was proprietor of the grocery store in Canterbury Road (next to the present Surrey Lodge). This was owned by Alfred Geer and had opened in 1885 by George Sim. Pictured with their daughters Thelma and Joyce Joyce Kathleen Crump - BIRTH 1916, Surrey Hills; DEATH 16 MAY 1990, Pakenham [Married Thelma Osborne Crump - BIRTH 5 June, 'Hazeldene', Surrey Hills; DEATH 25 JULY 1943, Richmond [Married Reginald Thomas Elvish] Not pictured: Betty Nevill Crump.A sepia coloured photograph of a family group seated outside a house. The baby is seated on the ladies lap.(mrs) hazel crump, (mr) albert crump, (miss) thelma crump, (miss) joyce crump, house names, hazeldene, leopold crescent, surrey hills, federation style, grocer, clothing and dress, 1916, albert henry crump, hazel may crump, hazel may ordish