Whyte's Building

The erven between present Rectory Lane and Union Street was initially purchased by John Osmond from the Widow Rossouw in 1846 who constructed a store building on it. He ceded it to his daughter Agnes Barrow who sold part of it to John Wright & Alexander Black, parts to George Stadler, Tiffley Manual, and parts to Wright and Stadler over the period 1847 to 1854. Stadler built a grocery store and bakery which was operated, and later owned by D Mc Kay a leading suburban bakery until 1899.The manager, Robert Whyte bought the property, demolished the buildings and built the three storied building with a modern bake house with up to date sanitation and ventilation trading as a "Confectioner & General Dealer selling English & French Confectionery". The 1st floor comprised a sitting room, dining, kitchen, servant's, pantry, lobby and five bedrooms with a verandah over the pavement. The rear building around the courtyard provided a yeast, fuel, flour, bake house, oven room, store rooms & cart house. After a fire the main front building was rebuilt but as a two storeyed building. Later owners have been, Patel & Khan, Fred Leih, and presently a Mr. Botha. For a while it was the Kay & Moore Hardware Store. Now occupied by a furniture store.

STHS