Tūātapere History - Grocery & General Stores of the past, Templeton's

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Tūātapere History - Grocery & General Stores of the past, Templeton's: Shown here is an old Invoice from William & James Templeton, Waiau storekeepers. They were brothers, with Andrew, all sons of John Templeton, Seaview. (This information on the Templeton family is from the Allen Templeton book, “A Timespan of Templeton’s”, further reproduced in “The Hole in the Bush” A Tūātapere Centennial Review - compiled by Des Williams, and used here with permission) The FIRST GROCERY/GENERAL STORE: We have evidence that this was Templeton’s Store, West of the Waiau - About 1889 – Templeton Bros., James & William opened the first store - This was a tent at Breakfast Creek, where they supplied Goldminers - Later their store moved to Waiau Mouth, they were here until c1902 - The third store (invoice) was at west Waiau, the far side of Tūātapere - In 1901 they moved to east Waiau in the bush, so founded Tūātapere - They sold to Charles Sneyd, both their east & west Waiau stores, in 1903, which included Templeton’s later Store, right here in Tūātapere BRIEF TEMPLETON HISTORY: Author of many local history accounts, Allen Templeton says in his Timespan of Templetons book, that the Templeton Bros., in the invoice shown here, were brothers of his grandfather Andrew Templeton, and all three were sons of John Templeton of Seaview, near Riverton. The two brothers, William and James, had operated both the early businesses independently of each other but that there is proof that this later store, built in a bush clearing at a peg in West Waiau, which is in the middle of what is now Tūātapere, they were working together. There is no evidence of when they started this business, but the invoice date does not lie, and shows a date prior to the other early township business, on the west bank, of the West's Angler's Rest Hotel. In this case, Allen (and we as history collectors) believe that means that the Templeton Bros., business was the start of Tūātapere, not Charles Sneyd as we had been led to believe in some other earlier history accounts. But, early Tūātapere settler Charles Sneyd appears to have bought the 2 shops off the Templeton’s on 22 July 1903, along with much land. Interestingly, as Sneyd was the original Telephonist at the Telegraph Office and later, also the Post Master of the newly formed Post Office at Tūātapere, James C Templeton is recorded as having been instrumental in getting a petition signed by local residents, for this Post Office. So under Sneyd, the Store was more than groceries and general items. More about Sneyd's ownership can be found in his entry in these Community Archives. Other later owners will be added too. Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of Templeton's Stores or other General & Grocery Stores during the years, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page. Note: these entries are compiled with information provided by donors with the records, from locally reported news, from national and occasionally international reports in publications, from personal records made by the people themselves - such as their electoral enrollments, wills, war records etc., also from government and council held records such as births, deaths and marriages or cemetery information, and lastly, from community memories, such as those passed on by friends, family and contemporaries. It is not always possible to verify memories from others, so please let us know if you believe we have any incorrect information. If you believe that any public or personal record information quoted is wrong, if you can provide proof of any alternative fact to us in a document showing evidence of the correct details, that would be very helpful to us. Thank you.