The History of Albany Business The greater Albany region has a rich history, originally inhabited by the Menang people, whose innovative practices and environmental management were crucial for survival. European settlement in 1826 brought new skills and objectives, transforming Albany into a major port within the Swan River Colony by 1831, opening opportunities for immigration, communication, trade and growth. The early foundational industries of sealing and whaling along our shores would quickly evolve, change, and expand into a more broad-based system of a modern economy underpinned by the movement of people, advances in technology and investment in infrastructure and enterprise. In the first phase, beginning in 1826, the brig Amity brought military personnel, convicts, and officers to Albany. This led to the construction of the town and military buildings, initially at old Frederick Town and later expanding eastward. The end of convict transportation in 1850 marked the start of the second phase. During this period, Albany experienced growth in shipping, agriculture, and trade. Stirling Terrace emerged as the commercial heart of the town, offering government services, entertainment, and social activities. The streetscape still showcases Victorian and Federation-era architecture, preserving the town’s heritage.
In 1853, the idea of establishing a Chamber of Commerce in Western Australia to “advance the Mercantile and Agricultural interests of the colony” was discussed in Perth. (Perth Gazette, 6th May 1853, p1.) Almost 40 years later, the proposal to form a local Chamber in Albany was explored. The merits of an Albany Chamber were championed in the editorial of the Australian Advertiser of 7th November 1892, highlighting the effectiveness of a united voice to advance mercantile interests and by extension, the interests of the town.
Later that month, John Moir a well-known local merchant, businessman and mayor (1889-90 / 1884-97) with interests in the printing and publishing of Albany’s first newspaper the Albany Mail, was elected inaugural President of the Albany Chamber with former banker and well-known merchant John Robinson, who established the store Drew Robinson with business partner Charles Drew, as deputy. The Chamber Council also included William Forster, co-founder of the Australian Advertiser with Lancel de Hamel in 1888 to challenge the views of the establishment expressed in the Mail; Frederick William Corney, bank manager of the Commercial Bank on Stirling Terrace; Francis Bird, colonial architect who had purchased and restored the old government farm and former home of Sir Richard Spencer and family ‘Strawberry Hill’; Felix Cecil Cowle, barrister and solicitor with offices in the Argyle Buildings on Stirling Terrace and husband of Francis Bird’s daughter, Mary Augusta; John Willis, manager of stock and station agents, Dalgety & Co on Lower Stirling Terrace; George Fenning Cummins, manager of the Union Bank on the western corner of York St and Stirling Terrace; Angus McDonald, manager of the National Bank on Stirling Terrace; James Henry Penberthy, auctioneer and Charles D Keyser, timber contractor, builder and municipal councillor. When the Albany Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1892, Albany’s population numbered around 3,000 people - a far cry from its time as a small military outpost of NSW of around 60 people - and Western Australia was on the brink of a major gold boom. The development and growth of Albany up to this time can be traced in three distinct phases.
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The third phase involved the development of York Street and the construction of the Town Hall, signifying Albany’s prosperity and maturity. The arrival of settlers and the construction of the Great Southern Railway boosted the town’s economy. The York Street precinct reflects the community’s values, traditions, and needs, while the slopes of Mt. Melville featured homes of prominent figures. On the eastern side of York Street, residences were occupied more by wage earners, managers, and government workers, with some homes adapted to boarding houses and hostels to accommodate the growing tourism and business markets.
Images supplied by Albany Public Library
