Historical information

Dust coat worn by Mr Frederick Alister Jennings when he managed a family grocery store circa 1948 at 510 Point Nepean Road, East Brighton. Frederick was born at Nagambie, Victoria in 1909 and died in Brighton in 1979. He was the son of Hugh Edwin Jennings and Alice Constance Warren. He married Margaret Jean Hughes in 1934 and served in the Second World War.

He lived at 1 Valda Grove Brighton. Frederick was a commercial traveller as well as his time spent managing the store in Point Nepean Road. It is believed this coat dates from his time at the store c1948 - 1955.

The store was owned for many years by his father-in-law W. G. Hughes and was one of a group of shops near the corner of Centre Road. In 1944-45 the group of shops included Fletcher’s fuel merchants, a haberdasher, butcher, fruiterer, grocer, Brighton East post office, a ladies’ hairdresser and Hughes’ grocer.

In 1950 Hughes’ grocery store was between a service station and the Commercial Bank on what had been renamed Nepean Highway.

The business was sold to G. S. Maynard, grocer, sometime before 1960.

Physical description

Unlined dustcoat of beige cotton. Fastens centre front with three brown plastic buttons. Two large patch pockets. Separate cloth belt with metal buckle. Signs of wear and mending.
.1 - coat
.2 -belt

Inscriptions & markings

Garment label reads: APEX (RLG.) Dust Coat DEPT. MYER STORE for MEN. MELBOURNE & ADELAIDE