RUNDLE STREET ADELAIDE

"Beehive Corner"
Rundell & King William Streets,
Adelaide
1900
State Library of South Australia
B60076

JOHN RUNDLE, after whom Rundell Street was named, was an English MP, member of the House of Commons, and one of the founding Board of Directors of the South Australian Company that was formed on 9 October 1835 to establish the new colony.
Rundle Street is in the 'East End' of Adelaide and is today known for its eateries and coffee shops.
Its western section which ran to King William Street, and where George Mawbey's Refreshment Rooms were located, was closed in 1972 to form Rundle Mall, a pedestrian shopping precinct.
Rundle arrived in South Australia on 6 February 1840, while George Mawbey was still in Adelaide.
In 1849 the former English politician owned a two-storey building on the corner of Rundle and King William Streets called 'Beehive Corner'.
There is a painting of it in the State Library of South Australia.
I am seeking permission to publish that on this blog.
Update 10-2-2012
Permission was kindly granted.


"Beehive Corner"
ACRE 46: A view of Rundle Street
showing the Beehive Corner
ca.1900
State Library of South Australia
B56370

THE STREET WHERE GEO. MAWBEY WORKED

In the June 1939 newspaper advertisement in which George Mawbey announced his new Refreshment Rooms in Rundle Street, Adelaide, he mentioned another business operator across the road, Mr J [John] Stuckey as a locational point of reference.
Several other advertisers of businesses in the street area did the same.
Mr J Stuckey was a bread and 'Fancy Baker' operating from a building on the corner of Rundell and King William Streets.
He was also an importer of goods like manchester and clothing from England which he sold from his residence in King William Street, and a wealthy landowner and member of the local 'establishment'.
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In May 1839, the business next door to him in Rundle Street was that of Mr Weston, Surgeon, Adelaide General Dispensary.
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And opposite, near George Mawbey's Refreshment Rooms, W Mincham, plumber, painter and glazier who provided specialised services like 'Writing, Graining, Sign and Ornamental Painting', had just let his business premises and was working from his home in Currie Street.
[Source: All of this information comes from digitalised newspapers on the National Library of Australia website.]
See Google Maps Rundle & King William Streets, Adelaide.

GEORGE MAWBEY'S SHORT-LIVED STAY IN ADELAIDE

I have learned so much about my country since embarking on this family history in 2010, particularly about the state of South Australia.
This occurred recently while I was sifting through reams of digitalised newspapers on the National Library of Australia (NLA) website, trying and find out more about my ancestor, George Mawbey, and his short-lived stay in Adelaide from 1839-40.
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He appears to have gone there prior to June 1839 to set up his own business - Refreshment Rooms - in a building he was leasing near the corner of Rundle and King William Streets.
That month he placed an advertisement in the privately owned newspaper, the Southern Australian, telling his friends and the public that the new eating establishment was now open.
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Around the same time, his wife, Ann, whom he had married in Sydney in July 1838, was booked on a ship to go to SA to be with him, but the voyage was cancelled because of bad weather.
She subsequently sailed there on the Abercrombie.
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Just five months later, in November 1839, George was attempting to dispose of the lease of the eatery.
In August 1840 he and his wife returned to Sydney on the brig, Christina.