David John Callaghan, one of Walcha’s early saddlers, arrived in the late 1870s and, in 1880, moved into new purpose-built premises located in what is now Mountain Motors yard. The Armidale Express of February 13, 1880, said: “The building will be quite an acquisition to the place for its central position and neat appearance.”
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Frederick Dean purchased Callaghan’s business in 1884 but had difficulty maintaining his existing saddlery in Uralla as well as one in Walcha and was declared insolvent late in 1885. William F. Selden of Quirindi purchased Dean’s Walcha saddlery in January 1886.
Cornelius Seckold, who served his apprenticeship at Murrurundi before moving to Quirindi, also came to Walcha in 1886, perhaps engaged by Selden at his newly acquired saddlery. Seckold was certainly in charge of the business by 1890 and had purchased it from Selden by 1895.
Seckold soon decided to move to the other side of Derby Street and, during 1899, engaged William H. Lee, an Armidale architect, to draw up plans and specifications for the new premises shown above. The construction contract was awarded to Edmund Lonsdale, also of Armidale.
Mr Seckold is now actively engaged in moving to his handsome new premises in Derby Street.
- Walcha Witness, August 11, 1900
In its report on the new building, the Walcha Witness of August 11, 1900 said: “Mr Seckold is now actively engaged in moving to his handsome new premises in Derby Street. The building contains 13 rooms altogether with the residence, workroom and display shop conveniently attached. Business will commence today from the new building. The old premises, when fitted up with new windows, extra rooms and other conveniences will be occupied by Mr. A.J. Hudson as the new Walcha Medical Hall.”
In April 1933, after 47 years in business at Walcha, Seckold sold the saddlery to Worrad Brothers of Scone who conducted their affairs from the old building on the eastern side of Derby Street while the Seckold family continued to live in the newer building on the western side of Derby Street.
In March 1936, Bob Thurlow and family arrived in Walcha by way of Gloucester and purchased both the saddlery business from Worrad Brothers as well as the premises occupied by the Seckold family, which, after a break of three years, was once again a combined saddlery and residence.
Bob Thurlow embraced the advent of motor vehicles by taking on the manufacture and repair of canvas hoods and roll-up curtains for all types of motorcars. He had been in the saddlery business for 67 years and had not long retired when he died at Walcha in December 1962.
