A History of Wilberforce
Butcher Shop / Slaughter House
King Road
1889
An extract from “A Short History of Wilberforce – The Fifth Macquarie Town” By Doug Bowd
Butcher Shops
As everyone kept their own poultry, pigs and cattle in the early days they were able to cater for their own requirements of meat. It was not until well on in the development of Wilberforce that the first Butcher’s shop was started by Thomas Reynolds. This shop was opened prior to 1889 and carried on by the members of the Reynolds family on the corner of Duke and Macquarie Road until about 1932 when it was closed down.
Mr. Patrick Daley opened a butchers shop in 1889 in a slab building in King Road. At that time they killed one beast and two sheep per week. The slaughterhouse they erected remained a conspicuous landmark until it was demolished in 1957 to make way for a more modern premises. About 1928 the business passed to Mr. G. Barnsley for six years and then on to his widow. Mr. R Morrison took it over in 1934 and conducted it until his death in 1944. Since then it has been conducted by Mr. E. Morrison.
Information provided by Jill Vincent
Descendent of Patrick Daley
In the Sydney Morning Herald of 22nd February 1898 it was reported that “Mr. P. Daley a well known resident of Wilberforce had died from an attack of Typhoid”. According to the report then, there were several cases of Typhoid in the hospital at that time most of them were from Wilberforce. The School Master and his wife were among them.
On 29th August, 1908 the Hawkesbury Gazette wrote that Mrs. P. Daley of Wilberforce after continued the butchery business of her late husband for many years has retired and in the future the business will be carried out by her two sons, Messrs Ernest & Arthur Daley under the name of “Daley Bros”. They were both steady, energetic, courteous, popular young men and we feel sure that they will receive the same measure of liberal support that was accorded their mother.
Mr. Ernest Daley did the buying of the stock, he traveled to Homebush Saleyards by train and Mr. Harry Turnbull, a cousin of the Daley Bros was employed as the Slaughterman.
The large cool room for storing the meat was cooled by large blocks of ice which came from the ice factory in Windsor. Blocks of ice were carried in the butcher’s horse drawn cutting cart to keep the meat cool during the deliveries.
Deliveries were made by Mr. Ernest Daley to Ebenezer and Sackville and Mr. Arthur Daley carried out deliveries to Freemans Reach and Glossodia.
A shorter delivery called “parcel day” (which were already wrapped) was made as far as Geakes Road so the Saturday deliveries did not take so long. A different vehicle was used for this journey. When Wilberforce was a small village anything past the ‘Big Hill’, as it was called, at the intersection of Kurmond Road, Old Sackville Road and Putty Road was “out in the bush”.
My Aunt. Mrs. Yvonne Dean has told me several times how much she enjoyed going back with her father on the butchers cart. They were traveling through bushland and sparse population. Which no one around was to hear them sing at the top of their voices as they drove along.
From Mrs. Morrison the butcher shop was passed to her son Mr. Jim Morrison. It was sold in the late 1970’s.
Deliveries of meat to outer areas continued in this time by motor vehicle.
Like my Aunt, my friend Glenda Moseley used to accompany her father Mr. Oswald “Chilla” Moseley who was employed by the Morrison’s for the deliveries. Mr. Jim Morrison also delivered meat.
My Grandfather, Mr. Arthur Daley, retired from the butcher shop before I was born so I have no memories of him there.
However, I do have a lasting memory of Morrison’s butcher shop. Mrs. Morrison used to cook and donate the corned beef which was used to make sandwiches for our Empire Day 24th May celebrations at Wilberforce Primary School. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious.
The Morrison’s were very fine people and very much respected though out the Hawkesbury district.
Mrs. Margaret Hawkins (nee Morrison) has helped me with contributions and information for this article.
The butcher’s shop and residence have survived many floods though the years.
When the Hawkesbury River breaks its banks in Wilberforce it flows in from behind the butcher’s shop. Flood waters have been as high as the gutters of the shop and house.
Familiar smells and sights in Wilberforce over many years were the boiling of offal on Sundays and the animal skins hanging over the fences of the butcher’s property to be dried
Jill Vincent 2004