HENDRY George Sharp

“75 Years of Commitment Concludes"

THE NAME, HENDRY, was first heard in Gnowangerup when George Sharp Hendry arrived to take a position in Montgomery's hardware and grocery store.
The store was situated in Yougenup Road on a small section of what later developed into the large area which is now known as Hendry's Holden premises.
The year was 1924 and George was 21.
Being an ambitious, astute young man of vision he saw an opportunity for a bright future in a young and growing district and set about purchasing the store from the Montgomery's, which he did with his father in 1925. His father owned a store at Highbury, situated between Narrogin and Wagin.
 The following year, 1926, he married Marion Taylor and decided to expand his business to include drapery, thus taking a further step on the road to success as a businessman in a small country town.
All was not so rosy in the latter 20s and early 30s, when "The Great Depression" engulfed the world.
However, further opportunities presented themselves when George acquired the agencies for Wigmores in 1932, General Motors (Attwood Motors) 1936 and Massey Harris - Sunshine Harvesters - H. V. Mackay in 1937.
Whilst all these aquisitions were taking place, the premises of his business were being expanded to accommodate the machinery; the building was doubled in size by 1935.

GEORGE SHARP HENDRY              #1
 

   GEORGE HENDRY'S FIRST BUILDING          #2
 

 IMPERIAL STORES THAT LATER BECAME MONTGOMERY'S            #3
 

As a great employer of staff he engaged his nephew Ken Thomas to manage the Grocery and Hardware and two young ladies in the dra-pery. George managed the Stock and Station Machinery.
When World War Two interrupted so many lives, four of his staff joined the armed forces. The drapery ladies Nellie Farr and Vera Head joined the womens' services, whilst Tom Scott and Ken Thomas enlisted with the RAAF.
With a depleted, staff, Marion went to work in the hardware and grocery section and the drapery was phased out.
George's and Marion's only child, Douglas Raymond, was growing up and attending high school.

In 1948, George became the Holden Dealer for the district, the size of the premises had to be enlarged again and was completed in 1954.
Doug had been studying and working at metallurgy in Melbourne for ten years and. in 1955, he and his wife Pos came home to assist with the rapidly growing business and had two children in Pamela and David who grew up in Gnowangerup.
George and Marion were both proud grandparents and followed the progress of Pam's and David's education with great interest. Pam achieved a degree in medicine whilst David was successful working with BP Australia.
The 1960's saw the recruitment of many long term employees by the Hendry family, to name some they were Frank Osman, Bill Seward, Peter Boucher, Elizabeth Cockram and the late Keith Syme.
 At this time Jerramungup Land Settlement was on the move, Hendry's set up a business in the townsite there.
In the late - 60s Hendry's reached its peak and was employing 26 staff.
David and wife Sue returned from Melborune in 1982, their marriage produced two children, Steven and Kate.
George's health was deteriorating, although he still resided in Gnowangerup with Marion, he paid visits to the business but took little interest in it as it was in Doug's control.
Marion passed away in 1982, George survived her by three years.

    G. S. HENDRY ADVERT           #4
 

     HENDRY'S NEW PREMISES        #5
 

David and Sue took over the management of the business when Doug and Pos retired to Nedlands in the early 1990’s.
With staff difficult to replace throughout small businesses in the country areas, David and Sue decided to wind down business and move to Perth where their children are continuing their education.
The Hendry family have taken the responsibility of running a successful business for 75 years, providing employment, at times housing to assist their staff, they, still found time to be useful citizens and gave honorary service to many organisations in the community, such as sporting clubs, Ambulance work, hospital board duties, local P&C Association, as major office bearers and committee members as well as Gnowangerup Rotary.
George, Doug and David were all Justices of the Peace.

   DEMOLISHION OF THE PREMISES          #6
 

     DEMOLISHION OF THE PREMISES             #7
 

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.