Three generations of Craigs — Patrick, his grandfather John and father Simon — are approaching the end of an era in retailing. Patrick is studying engineering and Simon’s eldest son, Andrew, has graduated after studying law, politics and international relations and works for a Canberra legal firm. Photo: John Thistleton.
One of Goulburn’s oldest family businesses, Craig’s Furniture One, will close at the end of this year.
Managing director Simon Craig, who has been with the company for more than 40 years, will retire. His two sons, Andrew and Patrick, are pursuing careers outside the retail sector.
Consequently, the family will lease their large showroom and warehouse on Hume Street to national retailer Sydney Tools.
“Our staff will be supported through this period with transition arrangements and voluntary packages consistent with their tenure,” Simon said.
For almost two centuries, the Craigs have been in business in Goulburn. Simon’s father John ran the furniture and flooring business during a pivotal period.
His earliest lessons in the business came from his father, Bill, in the aftermath of World War II on the wharves and factories in Sydney when he was eight years old.
“It was very hard to get things after the war,” John said. ”He would take cash and homemade butter from the farm, anything to get past the receptionist to see if there was any stock.
“Everything came over in big pine boxes or sewn into wool packs or barrels. “He [Bill] would sweat on the docks, he would watch the cargo being off-loaded, he would sling the gateman some money so he could talk to the ship’s second-in-charge, never the captain. He’d give him some money and find out what the cargo was.”
Later at the warehouses, when staff insisted they had no carpet, Bill would make his move, saying: “You have just got 15 rolls in the back of the truck that’s in your dock now.”
Bill would offer a little more cash and get a few rolls of carpet.
In 1960, Craig’s had 14 shareholders.
Following the death of John’s grandfather Jack, Bill became managing director and bought a site in Civic, Canberra, and developed a furniture store, which Anthony Hordern & Sons later offered to buy.
Bill sold the business to Anthony Hordern, but the family retained shares. The sale came with several conditions.
What became known in Goulburn as Craig’s Great Fire destroyed the furniture shop in 1911. A horse-drawn fire tender can be seen in the centre of the photograph. Photo: Craig family collection.
Craig’s staff in 1938 on the same site as the fire in the above photograph. Fourth from the right is Bill Craig. Eighth from the right is Jack Craig. Photo: Craig family collection.
“I was about 19 at the time; I was to become the executive cadet trainee for four years, which I did,” John said. “I loved it. I went through 37 different departments, I went to tech twice a week. I did accountancy and marketing.”
Later, the directors asked John to return to Goulburn and take charge of the store.
“I was 23. There were 33 on the staff. I managed that for seven years. While I was there, I doubled the size of it,” he said.
When Waltons acquired Anthony Hordern & Sons in January 1970, John resigned and started on his own, selling carpet on the corner of Goldsmith and Auburn streets, where the NRMA office stands today.
“I used to hire the Masonic Hall and sold furniture out of there,” he said.
He later moved to another site in Bradley Street, then later to Auburn Street. The business relocated to its present location in Hume Street in 2013.
The Craig’s story in Australia began in 1833 when Robert Craig senior, a cabinetmaker and undertaker, came out from Edinburgh, Scotland, and settled in Goulburn.
His son Robert Jnr took over the business and was father to George, Lindsay, Bert, Jack and Elizabeth. Jack became the founder of the retail furniture business in the early 1900s, with his brother Bert looking after the store, which was in Auburn Street, across the road from today’s Target store. Jack continued his work as a cabinetmaker and builder.
After several successful years, Jack moved the business to 318 Auburn Street, near the corner of Auburn and Goldsmith streets, where they continued to flourish until disaster struck.
At 11 am on 11 November, 1911, a ferocious fire gutted the shop and spread to neighbouring premises.
Despite the setback, suppliers urged Jack to carry on his business from his original, still-vacant store. They extended his credit, enabling him to stay afloat, and in 1926 he built the substantial store on the corner of Auburn and Goldsmith streets.
John Craig recently received from president Bruce Hammond a Paul Harris Fellowship with two sapphires in recognition of his outstanding service and commitment to Rotary. Photo: Goulburn Rotary.
Much of the furniture throughout Goulburn homes and businesses today has the Craig’s black stencil under or on the back of it.
Simon said he and John were grateful for the long-standing support and trust of their customers, and acknowledged their staff’s commitment and professionalism, which shaped the company’s reputation over many years.
“The Craig family is proud of serving the people of Goulburn and district since 1833, a period of 193 years,” he said.
