T. Willmetts & Sons Printery facts for kids

T. Willmetts & Sons Printery
T. Willmetts & Son printery and stationery warehouse
Location	193 Flinders Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1883 - 1927
Architect	Waggepetersen & Bevan
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: T. Willmetts & Sons printery and stationery warehouse (former), Capitol Seafood Restaurant
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	21 October 1992
Reference no.	600898
Significant period	1880s, 1920s (fabric) 1883-1975 (historical use)
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The T. Willmetts & Sons Printery is a special old building in Townsville, Australia. It used to be a place where books, newspapers, and other paper items were printed. This building is important because of its history and how it looks. It was designed by Waggepetersen & Bevan and built between 1883 and 1927. Today, it is also known as the Capitol Seafood Restaurant. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992, which means it's protected because of its historical value.

A Look Back: The Printery's Story

The Willmett's building is located on Flinders Street, a main shopping street in Townsville. It's a three-story building made of brick. It was built in 1883 and 1886 for a man named Thankful Willmett. He was a well-known stationer (someone who sells paper and office supplies) and printer. He was also very involved in local politics.

How Townsville Grew

Townsville started in 1864. It quickly became a big supply center and a port of entry (a place where goods could officially enter the country) by 1865. By 1880, it was the main port for several large gold mining areas. Business was very important for the town's growth. Many early mayors of Townsville were also successful business people. Thankful Willmett was the mayor several times. He was also a key member of the group that wanted North Queensland to become a separate state.

Thankful Willmett's Journey

Thankful Willmett had businesses in other towns like Rockhampton before coming to Townsville in 1868. He worked at a store and as a postmaster at the Cape River goldfields. In 1870, he moved to Townsville. He worked for another company while also running his own small stationery business.

In 1873, he decided to focus only on his own business. He became Mayor for the first time in 1880. In 1882, he bought a printing press and bookbinding tools. This helped him make his stationery business bigger. He opened the Excelsior Printery in a new brick shop. This was very important because, back then, almost all news, letters, and business were done on paper.

In 1883, a new building was made for him by Waagepetersen and Bevan. The very first test telephone call in Townsville happened between the Exchange building and Willmett's printery that year. In 1884, a new printing office was built behind the stationery shop. They also added departments for bookbinding and lithography (a type of printing).

Overcoming Challenges

On October 15, 1885, Willmett's shop was destroyed by a big fire. This was a major setback. Luckily, the printery at the back survived. He still managed to publish "Willmett's North Queensland Almanac" by the end of that year.

In 1886, the current three-story shop was built. It included the printery behind it. The building had space for storage, offices, and a retail shop. The business became very successful. It even had branches in other towns like Cooktown and Charters Towers. Willmett's was more than just a printery. They imported and sold paper, made account books, sheet music, and all kinds of stationery and art supplies.

A Famous Cookbook

In 1898, Willmett's business published the first edition of "Mrs. Maclurcan's Cookery Book" by Hannah Maclurcan. This cookbook became very famous. The first edition sold out completely in just two weeks!

The Family Business

Thankful Willmett's sons and other family members worked in the company. His oldest son was the one who first suggested getting into printing. Miss E. Willmett managed the book and music sections. Percy Willmett joined the company in 1904. He took over the business when Thankful Willmett passed away in 1906.

In 1927, the machine room in the printery was made larger. This was to fit new machines. An extra story was added to this part of the building for more storage. This work was done by George Lear for architect Charles Venden Rees.

In 1932, the business continued to grow. They opened a second location at 287 Flinders Street. Willmett's used the ground floor as a stationery shop. They rented out the upper floor as offices. This branch store stayed open for almost 50 years.

Hume Willmett, Thankful Willmett's grandson, joined the family business in 1918. He ran the company from 1943 after his uncle retired. Hume retired in 1970. Then, Grahame Willmett Weir, a great-grandson of Thankful Willmett, took over. The Willmett family has always been important in Townsville's history, both through their business and their involvement in local events.

Later Years of the Building

Willmett's business moved to South Townsville in 1975. In October 1980, the company was bought by the North Queensland Newspaper Company. In 1981, the building itself was bought by Kern Corporation. Since then, it has been sold several times and rented out. The ground floor has often been used as a restaurant. The upper part of the building has been turned into a home for the owner.

What the Building Looks Like

The Willmett's building is on the north side of Flinders Street. It's in the middle of the block between Wickham and Denham Streets. The land behind the building goes up steeply towards Melton Terrace.

The building has two main parts. The front part, facing Flinders Street, is rectangular and has three stories. It's made of brick with a smooth, painted front. The shopfront on the ground floor has been changed to modern metal. But the original entrance to the upper levels is still there. It has a wooden door with glass panels on the sides.

Above the ground floor, there's a modern horizontal awning (a cover over the windows). Above that, there are three rounded windows with decorative frames. These frames connect to vertical pillars at the corners of the building. The very top level also has three rounded windows with decorative frames. All the windows have been replaced with modern metal ones.

Above the top windows, there's a band with the words "Stationery Warehouse" written in raised letters. There are decorative ledges (called cornices) above and below this lettering. On top of everything is a decorative wall called a parapet. This wall has a raised central part with a rounded top. The front of the building has recently been painted in modern colors. Behind the parapet, there's a simple corrugated iron roof with a raised skylight in the middle.

Behind the front part of the building, and a bit higher, is another section. This part has two and three stories. It's also made of brick and has a smooth, painted finish all around. This section is also rectangular but a little wider on the east side. The roof is made of corrugated iron and has a gambrel shape (like a barn roof). There are several high windows on the sides of this part of the building. On the north side, there's a small entrance with a path that leads up to Melton Terrace.

Why This Building is Special

The T. Willmetts & Sons Printery was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's recognized as an important historical place because it meets certain standards.

Showing History

This building's style and quality show how prosperous Townsville was in the 1880s. It also shows how North Queensland grew by setting up important ports as business and government centers. As an early printer and publisher of an almanac (a yearly book with facts and figures), Willmett's was a big part of this development.

A Special Kind of Place

The former Willmett's building is a great example of a business that had its retail shop, workshops, and storage all in one place. This was common in the 1800s but is not usual in city centers today.

Beautiful Design

The way the Willmett's building is designed, its shape, and the materials it's made from add a lot to the look of Flinders Street. It's considered a beautiful and important part of the street.

Connected to Important People

The building is strongly linked to the life and work of Thankful Willmett. He was a very important businessman and Mayor in Townsville. It's also connected to other members of his well-known family.