page_title: GS Curtis Stores
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: GS Curtis Stores / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Hon. George Silas Curtis, 1845-1922. Born 1845 at Tamworth N.S.W. Married Dorinda Ann Parker at Rockhampton. Auctioneer. Member of the Legislative Assembly for Rockhampton 1893-1902. Member of the Legislative Council for Rockhampton 1914-1922. Died 6 October 1922 at Sydney. (Description supplied with photograph.).
context_page_description: GS Curtis Stores is a heritage-listed warehouse at Bolsover Street, Rockhampton City, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John William Wilson and built from 1882 to 1883 by P Waters & Sons. It is also known as AMV Warehouse. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
context_section_description: This masonry warehouse was erected in 1883 for auctioneer George Silas Curtis MLA for Rockhampton, as a consignment store for imported goods. It was designed by architect John William Wilson and stands in a precinct of 19th century warehouses that developed in the area to serve the passing trade at the wharves.
  GS Curtis first arrived in Rockhampton in 1863 and returned in 1866 to enter Wormald's auctioneering firm which he acquired in 1872. As a prominent auctioneer, land holder and real estate speculator Curtis became one of the city's most vigorous and influential public figures. Curtis had campaigned through the Chamber of Commerce for railway extensions and a deep-water port for Rockhampton and from 1889 acted as the leading exponent of territorial separation in Queensland. Curtis was chairman of the Central Queensland Territorial Separation League when it formed in 1889.
  In late 1882 George Silas Curtis commissioned architect John Wilson to design a warehouse to accommodate his merchandise. The warehouse was constructed at a time when Rockhampton had established itself as the major port in central Queensland serving a vast area of pastoral, agricultural and mining lands and was entering a boom period corresponding with the commencement of gold mining at Mount Morgan in 1882. Rockhampton was the commercial centre of central Queensland where merchant's like Curtis could successfully base their business.
  Curtis had originally commissioned Wilson to design a single-storeyed warehouse with foundations to carry a second floor, but was convinced by Wilson to construct a double-storey building outright. Wilson was reported in the Daily Northern Argus of 1883 as wanting to construct a building that would provide a continuing substantial capacity and that "would be different in its general outline to other buildings in the town" as well as being reasonably inexpensive. P Waters & Sons commenced construction of the warehouse in August 1882 and completed the building in early 1883.
  The warehouse was described as "substantial & roomy" and as the only building of its size in Rockhampton. The erection of the warehouse was seen as an advancement for the city and was associated with the atmosphere of confidence which promoted Rockhampton as the possible capital of a new separate state.
  At the time of construction the building had frontages to Bolsover Street, East Lane and Derby Street and had been rendered with a tint imitating the colour of the local Stanwell freestone. The Derby Street frontage had four double-sliding doors on the ground floor with arched windows above protected internally by iron bars and surmounted by a half-circle motif connected with the pilasters. On the upper storey there were 23 arched windows with the top portion hinged to allow opening.
  At each end of the warehouse was a corner splay which formed an entrance with the inscription "G.S. Curtis, 1870" in ribbon lettering. The words "G.S Curtis Consignment Stores" were also in relief at either end of the building. The second floor was accessible by two staircases which were boxed and separated from the ground floor, each fronting Bolsover Street and East Lane.
  The ground floor had an open plan with eight iron pillars supporting a timber first floor. The upper storey also had an open plan with the only opening for loading being a pair of sliding doors facing East Lane. The roof had 5 sky-lights and was constructed of king-post trusses with hips at both ends.
  The warehouse was constructed with the intention of dividing the ground Derby Street frontage into 9 shops at any given time by removing the brickwork between the pilasters, although there is no evidence that this ever occurred.
  GS Curtis became insolvent in November 1898 and his affairs were liquidated. The property was transferred to Mount Morgan trustee Thomas Skarrat Hall in December 1898 and at the time of his death in June 1903, was again transferred to trustees. In 1918 the stores were purchased by Denham Bros of Rockhampton. The building was purchased by the current owners in 1973.
caption: George Silas Curtis
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