Improvements in the City.-Messrs, John M…

Very rare hand coloured c.19th engraving of John Martin, Rundle Street, Adelaide in 1878.

John Martin’s had its origin in a single draper’s shop “Peters and Martin” founded on Rundle Street by Otto Peters and John Martin on 24 October 1866. Peters withdrew from the partnership after a few years and opened his own store in Palmerston. He later died in the wreck of the Gothenburg. The partners had taken over two adjoining shops to the east, and in 1875 Martin took over two more, and by 1880 a further two had been purchased, giving the store a frontage of 120 feet. The principals of the company were then John Martin, E. W. Hayward and Richard Martin, with a staff numbering 500. On 22 August 1889 the business was restructured as a limited liability company. John Martin died at his residence on 25 November 1889.

From the original edition of the Illustrated Adelaide News.

Collections:
State Library South Australia: record=b1064988~S1
National Library Australia: Bib ID 6893366