Historical information

Murray Comrie Collection.

Information written by Murray Comrie:
A meeting was called at the Golden Age Hotel on 11th June 1868 when it was resolved to build a flour mill. Thomas Comrie was the proprietor and was responsible for the Mill being built. Tenders were called by H.C. Bristol, in the Tarnagulla Courier of January 10, 1874, for the erection of the mill. Building of the Mill commenced in 1874. Pipes were laid to Company's Dam to obtain water for the Mill's boilers. Steam was got up for the first time on 30th March, 1882. A boiler burst about April 29th. Two men (J.H. Smith and W. Hargreaves) died as a result and two others were seriously injured. The mill commenced operations on 13th June 1882 with Mr. W. Fitzgerald as manager.

The Mill operated with grinding stones until 1899 when new rollers and a considerable amount of new equipment was installed, including a new, more powerful engine to drive the Mill. In January 1901, 6,000 bags of wheat were received weekly and it was a common sight to see the streets lined with wagons. In 1913, 15,000 bags of wheat were bought at three shillings and four pence per bushell. In January 1914, wheat came in at the rate of 1500 bags a day with 20,000 bags in storage. Thomas Comrie died on 4th August 1910. The Mill was carried on by his executors, then closed for a short period prior to being sold in September 1918 to a Mr. O. Albert of Talbot. Albert operated the Mill for a few years but during the 1920s it was closed down and then pulled down. It was later re-erected at Mildura where it operated for many years.

The far left section of the complex was originally John Pierce's Southern Cross General Store, a wholesale grocer and spirit merchant. It was put up for sale after Pierce's death in 1871, and later incorporated into the Mill complex.

This is a poor copy of an older original. Copy probably made by Murray Comrie in the 1960s.

Physical description

Monochrome photograph of men, horses and a wagon outside the Flour Mill complex formerly situated on the south east corner of King Street and Commercial Road in Tarnagulla. At far left the Methodist church is partially visible in the background. At far right is part of the Mill's storage shed.

Same image as THA-2019.0211

Inscriptions & markings

Written on reverse: 'M. Comrie'

Subjects

References