popular

Benjamin Fuller operated many companies (one of them being Brennan & Fuller Circuit") presenting first-class vaudeville, revue, pantomime, melodrama, operetta, and film. At the height of his career, he had 40 separate companies. He, and to a lesser extent his brother John, was the important entrepreneur of John Fuller and Sons. He was its general manager from 1901 onwards and came to Sydney in 1912 taking over the Brennan Vaudeville Circuit. The Depression in 1929 impacted the theatrical business and the two brothers split Fullers' Theatres Ltd in 1934. In 1941 they went into partnership with Garnet H. Carroll forming after the war the Carroll-Fuller Theatres. The Fullers owned many theatres and had eclectic tastes in entertainment which included showing movies from 1922. Source: catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/346367

(1906-1912) Between 1906 and 1911 James Brennan (Brennan’s Vaudeville Entertainers) operated a circuit comprising Sydney (National Amphitheatre) and Melbourne (Gaiety Theatre). He began sending companies to other interstate capitals in 1911, and the following year floated the business as a public company (Brennan’s Amphitheatres Ltd). He over-reached his financial reserves in 1912, however, after building a new Melbourne theatre, and was forced soon afterwards to sell his interest in the company to the Fullers. The circuit operated as Brennan-Fuller until 1915, by which time its former owner’s name was dropped. Source: ozvta.com/organisations-a-l/

The Lathouras brothers—Jim, Jack, Mick, and Mark—opened the Café Royal and the Elite Café on the main street of Bundaberg in 1920. At that time, the Londy family’s Blue Bird Café and Harry Lewis’s Marble Café also traded in Bourbong Street. Greek shopkeeping was a widespread phenomenon. Greek cafés of the period were elegant shops with silky oak furniture, marble bars and mirrored back bars, monogrammed crockery, and gleaming soda fountains. Lathouras Bros sold icy-cold fruit drinks, sodas, and ice cream sundaes. In addition, they specialized in making confectionery for sale through both shops—rocky road, jellies, coconut rough, and a nougat and marshmallow creation called a Rocket—and Jim sold homemade ice cream from a horse-drawn cart. Beginning with light refreshments, the menu at the Royal and the Elite soon expanded to include roasts, mixed grills, fish dinners, steaks and the like. Everything was freshly made. If some Greek migrants spent a lifetime behind a counter in a country café, many of their descendants gravitated to Brisbane. Greek café stories now reside with people like Goldie Lathouras, whose father Mick came to Australia at the age of ten and ran the Elite Café until his death in 1957. Goldie vividly recalls the Easter eggs her father created. An enormous sugar egg had pride of place in the front window in the weeks leading up to Easter. It had a wristwatch on top—ladies’ one year, gents’ the next—and was raffled to raise money for the ambulance service. Mick also made personalized chocolate eggs and sugar eggs with the name of the lucky recipient on top. These eggs contained lollies, a toy, a watch, a necklace, or some other treat supplied by the customer. Source: greekcafesinbrisbane.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/lathouras-b... Under Goldie’s influence, the Lathouras family has been active throughout this project in documenting the Lathouras Bros story. On their behalf, Goldie lodged a significant collection of café artefacts with the John Oxley Library. Crockery emblazoned with café logos, silver teapots and coffeepots, docket books and photographs, sundae dishes and lolly packets help to tell the story of the Café Royal and the Elite Café. Along with an illustrated booklet, which was written by Goldie and designed by fourth-generation Lathourases, Theo and Melissa, these precious objects tell the story of the Lathouras family, who had cafés in the main street of Bundaberg from the early 1920s to the late 1970s.

The site of the Kiosk and Bandstand (former) Flinders Parade, between Fourth and Fifth Avenue Designed by Brisbane-based architect Mr HGO Thomas as part of the Sandgate Municipal Council's foreshore scheme in mid-1900. Source: www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/outdoor-acti...

To benefit the numerous visitors to our beaches the Sandgate Town Council decided to construct two kiosks one in Moora Park and another on Flinders Parade. Both were similar and designed by T R Hall and built by Sandgate builder Samuel Drew. The Moora Park Kiosk was built in the late 1890s and the Flinders Parade Kiosk in about 1902. The Flinders Parade Kiosk was positioned on the foreshore in the vicinity of Fourth Avenue. Mangroves were still growing on the foreshore, and a jetty was built across the rocky ground to access the beach and seawater. The existing rock wall was built during the depression years of the 1930s by relief workers. The Sandgate Town Band played at both kiosks on alternate Sundays. Teas and locally made soft drinks and ice cream (Kreamco) were served. Also, lollies were sold, costing about one penny, and a vending machine dispensed 'three pence' Nestles chocolates. An open-air theatre was built on the seaward side of the kiosk. Gas lamps were installed for lighting and a water tank was installed until town water and electricity were established in the district in the 1920s. In 1927, saltwater baths were built just to the north of the kiosk. The council-owned and maintained the kiosk and over the years, there were several different tenants. For many years the tea rooms were well patronized and popular for functions. By the 1940s, visitors to the area had decreased considerably mainly because of the increase in motor transport and the opening of the Hornibrook Highway which made access to northern beaches more accessible. At this stage, the council renovated the kiosk and added another tea room. The rotunda (bandstand) was removed and placed on a brick base. The larger tea room was built on the seaward side closer to the saltwater baths. To enhance the building, the entire structure was enclosed with brick and cement. As the popularity of the Sandgate seaside reduced, patronage died off and the tenants found the tea rooms unprofitable. The Brisbane City Council called tenders to purchase and demolish the building. Despite efforts from concerned citizens requesting the council to preserve the building as a local landmark, the kiosk was demolished in July 1962. Story supplied by Sandgate & District Historical Society & Museum Inc. www.sandgateguide.com.au/news/475-remembering-sandgate-kiosk