Historical information

A bandage is a piece of material used either to support a medical device such as a dressing or splint, or on its own to provide support to the body; it can also be used to restrict a part of the body.
G. J. Coles opened the 'Coles Variety Store' on 9 April 1914 on Smith Street in the Melbourne, Victoria suburb of Collingwood. Further expansion occurred and Coles' interest in food retailing was spurred in 1958 when it acquired 54 John Connell Dickins grocery stores. It then acquired the Beilby's chain in South Australia in 1959 and 265 Matthews Thompson grocery stores in New South Wales in 1960 .In 1960, the first supermarket was opened in the Melbourne suburb Balwyn North, at the corner of Burke and Doncaster Roads where a modernised version continues to operate. By 1973, Coles had established stores in all Australian capital cities. From 1962, its supermarkets were branded Coles New World with accompanying rocket imagery. In 1991, the stores were re-branded Coles Supermarkets and from 1998, simply as Coles.
George James (G. J.) Coles learned the retail trade working for his father's 'Coles Store' business from 1910 to 1913. The store continued operating as "The Original Coles" at Wilmot, Tasmania until it was destroyed by a fire on 24 January 2014.

Physical description

An unused, 1 inch ( 2.5cm ) x 6 yards ( 2metres) cotton, ‘open wove’ bandage in a cellophane wrapper sold by G.J. Coles Pty Ltd Variety Stores

Inscriptions & markings

Cellophane wrapper top: WHITE OPEN WOVE / BANDAGE / 1 X 6 YDS. / SPECIAL QUALITY / G.J.COLES