Frederick William Tritton [1211] ^14,110

  General Notes:

The Life Interests of F.W.T.

I was born on the 17th July, 1865, in the Island of Jersey (English Channe1 Islands) and was brought back to England a baby in arms.

My father was born in Canterbury, Kent, and when a boy he attended Canterbury School and Cathedral.

We lived in London most of our lives, my brothers all having been born in London, When 1 was about 12 years of age my parents moved to Dover and subsequently to St. Margaret's at Cliff, where I attended St. Margaret's at Cliff School.

My parents then returned to London and my first working experience was with a German firm of manufacturing jewellers. My next business experience was with a Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers firm in Kilburn, where I received the first insight and grounding into the furniture and manufacturing business. My parents at this tine were contemplating coming to Australia1 and in the year 1884 we arrived in Brisbane - Mother and Father and three brothers,

In the first few years here, my father took up some land and wished to make us all farmers, but not having had previous experience, it became irksome and my brothers and I wished to start out in business on our own account.

My brother Charles joined me in opening a furniture business in South Brisbane, and we were there for some years. On contemplating marriage we dissolved partnership and we were both married during the year 1889. 1 married Miss E.LWorrell on the 10th October, 1889. I carried on the business for some years and was advised to start business in North Brisbane in George Street, immediately after the 1893 flood. The owner of the land arranged to erect the present building in George Street, in 1899. We have since acquired this property and built right through to North Quay. We have also acquired the adjoining properties on the right and left of our George Street premises, giving us a frontage now of 110ft.

Up to the outbreak of war, our business progressed yearly. We had our first factory established in Russell Street, South Brisbane, and in recent years, we built a larger factory in Vulture Street, West End, having a most advanced factory with up to date machinery, Our latest addition is a sawmilling plant. We turned our old factory in Russell Street, into a bulk store and carpet planning premises.

During my occupancy of the George Street premises, in company with Mrs. Tritton, I twice toured Great Britain and Continental countries, inspecting the latest designs and methods in Prance, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Belgium and Switzerland.

One of our most interesting trips was across America from Vancouver to New York, when we saw the great Ford works in Detroit, the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. In 1927 we went to New Zealand and toured the North and South Islands, visiting Rotarua.

In 1934 we made a most interesting trip to Japan, through Java, to Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai in China, then on to Kobe and Yokohama in Japan and travelled through Japan over the Alps and back to Yokohama; then on to Singapore, Panang and Colombo. During our stay in Colombo, we visited Kande and Ranpura, a buried city in the jungle. We came back by the Australian, coast to Freemantle and on home to Brisbane.

We have also extensively toured Queensland and the Southern States of Australia.

We came to live in Clayfield in 1904 and have lived here ever since. Six children were born to us, three sons and three daughters, but our eldest son and daughter died in 1919.


My two sons, Messrs. Roy and Cyril, are succeeding me in the business, Cyril is now a Lieut. in the Army. Our Grandson, Norman, who is a son of the late C. Tritton (my eldest son) is a Flying Officer in the R.A.A.F.
At age 12 moved to Dover
Came to Australia 1884 with mother father and three brothers
At age 12 moved to Dover
Came to Australia 1884 with mother father and three brothers ⁹²

Frederick married Eliza Ellen Worrall [2219] [MRIN: 600] on 10 Oct 1889 in Holy Trinity, Woolloongabba. (Eliza Ellen Worrall [2219] was born in 1871, died in 1968 in Brisbane, Australia and was buried on 11 Oct 1968 in Brisbane, Australia.)