Brennan & Geraghtys Store & two adjacent buildings and stables

Opposite St Mary’s College in Lennox Street Maryborough, stands a fascinating small museum; a local grocery store initiated by Martin Geraghty and Patrick Brennan in 1871. When the store closed in 1972, it still had trading records and more than 100,000 items of stock dating back to the 1890s. The complex is now managed by the National Trust of Australia (Queensland). It includes the store, stables, a cottage and the adjacent house; ‘Uskerty’, built after Martin Geraghty’s death in 1904 for his widow Catherine. Martin had married Brennan’s sister Catherine in 1864, and started the business in their two-roomed cottage, converted to a shop. He added the grand façade in 1886. In 1887, an extension to the rear created a larger storage area, and space where the family brewed their own vinegar. They also produced wine, jam, chutney, marmalade, port, sherry and other items from a factory two doors away. The youngest son, George, kept the store going until it achieved 100 years of operation. At the time, the contents included toilet paper from the 1950s, soap from the 1920s and curry powder from the 1890s. A collection of historic mail-order catalogues is being scanned to complement the museum display.