George Hope Erratt arrived in Australia in the early 1850s and worked at David Jones’ store in Sydney for a couple of years, followed by a stint at Wolfe and Gorrick in West Maitland, before coming to Walcha in about 1863.
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His advertisement in the Armidale Express of September 24, 1864 announced he had purchased the Walcha Warehouse, but not the real estate, from William Armstrong.
He said the business would re-open on October 1 with an entirely “new and varied assortment of every description of articles suitable for station and family use including groceries, drapery and ironmongery.”
An advertisement in the Maitland Mercury of October 17, 1868 offered the Walcha Warehouse land and improvements for sale, which comprised a weatherboard store, house, stables and outbuildings situated on six acres of mostly vacant land.
The advertisement noted that all was “now in the occupation of George Hope Erratt at a rental of 98 pounds per annum”. Mr Erratt’s offer for the land and buildings was accepted.
The area is now occupied by the Apsley Riverview Aged Care facility, the Presbyterian Manse and by the old Erratt store and dwelling.
The position of postmaster at Walcha became vacant when Jane Daniel retired from that position in October 1867.
Erratt’s application was successful with his appointment taking effect from December 1, 1867.
The construction of the Post Office Stores building shown in the sketch was reported in the Armidale Express of July 27, 1887 which said in its report on activities at Walcha, “as is always the case at this time of the year, everything is flat and dull with nothing going on in the town except a new store, which is being built for Mr. G.H. Erratt at the corner of Derby and Apsley Streets”.
“The structure, which is two stories high, is of brick and, when competed, will be an ornament to that part of town,” the Armidale Express reported.
Erratt and Co. purchased McRae Bros. store in Fitzroy Street in 1961 and, in 1966, Permewan Wright Ltd. purchased the whole of the combined enterprise.
Permewan’s split the business between the stores with the Erratt’s in Apsley Street being responsible for hardware, counter service groceries, wines and spirits, produce, rural supplies, building materials and Caltex fuel and oil.
Permewan’s eventually limited their Walcha activities to Fitzroy Street and closed the Erratt store.
Since then, the building has been used for a few other purposes, including “Strawb” Miller’s workshop where he manufactured sporting trophies. It is now home to Antique Junque, which specialises in second-hand goods.
