Albany Advertiser (WA : 1897 - 1954), Thursday 3 February 1938, page 2


Anthony Hordern Ltd.

COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET.

Issued in connection with the 150th anniversary celebrations, the "History of Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd.," by Thomas J. Redmond, tells and interesting* story of the founding and progress of what has come to be regarded as Australia's greatest commercial venture, at least in the department store realm. The firm of Anthony Hordern Ltd. ie actually world famous, and the great Palace Emporium in one of the land-marks of modern Sydney. The history

traces the fortunes of the Hordern family in Australia from the landing of Anthony Hordern the first, with his wife and family, to the present head of the family, Sir Samuel Hordern, and the story of the firm is virtually the story of Sydney, from 1832 to 1938. Old Sydney residents will find the booklet most interesting, for it must inevitably revive memories of old scenes and places.

The link between Albany and the Hordern family is mentioned, the history describing how Anthony Hordern III, attracted by the potentialities of Western Australia, floated a company, with a capital o' £10.000,000, to build thc Great Southern Railway, from Albany to Beverley, and to develop the adjacent land. His scheme provided for a settlement of some thousands of families, and the progressive development of the area. To arrange finance and other details, he travelled home to England, and returning after a successful mission, he unfortunately contracted sunstroke while passing through the Red Sea on the steamer "Carthage," and died. The history clears up a point that has been the subject of some argument, as to whether Mr. Anthony Hordern's remains were actually interred at Albany, or were buried at sea, as has been stated. The booklet says, "The funeral, which took place in the Church cf England Cemetary at Albany, was the largest ever seen there." It is some melancholy satisfaction to reflect on what Albany might have been had not the man who planned so much died so prematurely. Without his directing influence the Company completed the railway, but did not carry on his settlement scheme, and shortly j after the line was sold to the Govern

ment, which in the course of time has whittled away most of the importance that the Hordern project conferred

on the town.

The booklet is an illustration of the way great commercial enterprise plays its part in the building of a nation, and in the preservation of

valuable historical records. In this regard it is interesting to recall that two of the largest business undertakings in Albany hav been in existence for half a century, and that their records over that period must inevit