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WALSHE & WHITELOCK 701 SYDNEY ROAD BRUNSWICK PHONE: 9384 1400 www.walshewhitelock.com.au

A promotional publication to celebrate over 120 years in real estate.

Walshe & Whitelock commenced business in 1889 at exactly the same location as

today — 701 Sydney Road, Brunswick. Providing quality real estate service for over 120 years is a

record current Walshe & Whitelock directors and staff proudly uphold today. Walshe & Whitelock’s

long story is strongly linked to the history of Brunswick. From modest beginnings in a double fronted

timber shop, with veranda onto Sydney Road, Walshe & Whitelock has grown to become Brunswick’s most

established real estate agency.

From the Director…

Current director David Sowersby, attributes Walshe

& Whitelock’s continued success to sound business

practices and the knowledge gained from each generation

of the Walshe & Whitelock family.

“I knew a lot about real estate

from when I was very young.

My father started at Walshe &

Whitelock in 1937 when he was

16. In the late 1950’s, early 60’s

most after hours calls came to

our home phone. I was taught

the importance of customer

service from a very early age.

Walshe & Whitelock still has

clients today who remember me

as a young boy. Today I proudly

stand at the helm of a business

that sets a record most real

estate agencies could only dream of achieving. This dream

has been achieved by Walshe & Whitelock focussing on

consistent and reliable business practices. By concentrating

on evolving technologies and incorporating these into the

business, I ensure a sound future for Walshe & Whitelock.

Real estate is in my blood and I can now proudly recognise

my own children’s (3rd generation) contribution to

Walshe & Whitelock’s continued success.”

“Our history gives you an edge in real estate.”

Past, present & future

“O ur grandpa, Bryan, told us that when he irst

started at Walshe & Whitelock he was only

16 years old. In the early days he was sent out to

collect many of the rents on foot. He used to have

a leather bag over his shoulder and when he had to

go further aield he used to ride his bike, sometimes

as far as Fawkner. Today when we collect rents,

tenants pay over the phone, over the internet, at

the post ofice or by credit card. Grandpa would be

happy to know rents are collected 24 hours a day

7 days a week.”

10 Sowersbys over 3 generations have now

worked at Walshe & Whitelock from 1937.

In the genes

The promotional artwork used by Walshe &

Whitelock is by Tony Sowersby, a well known

Melbourne artist.

As son of Bryan and brother of David, Tony

remembers many of his earliest sketches were

on the scrap paper his father brought home

from Walshe & Whitelock. Tony still keeps special

sketches from his boyhood many of which are on

the back of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria

Multi Listing Bureau forms.

Celebratingover 120 years

If the walls

could talk!. . . . . . . . . .2

A 70 year

testimonial . . . . . . . . .2

Knowledge and

experience = $$$$ . . .2

Success through

the decades. . . . . . . . .3

Period styles

– a guide to keep . . . .4

inside

A T T H E A G E N C Y

1 9 7 2 – T O D A Y

WALSHE & WHITELOCK 701 SYDNEY ROAD BRUNSWICK PHONE: 9384 1400 www.walshewhitelock.com.au

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If the walls could talk!

The Walshe & Whitelock business opened

its doors on the corner of Sydney Road

and Albion Street in 1889 as the population of

Melbourne had began to spread north.

In the ‘land boom’ of the 1880’s large tracts

of land were opened up on the outskirts of

Melbourne as purchasers, including many

speculators, rushed to become land owners.

The Victorian Parliament had provided for the

full legal recognition of auctioneers in the

early 80’s and for Walshe & Whitelock business

was brisk, very brisk, as the real estate agency

specialised in selling and the re-selling land

parcels and subdivided lots.

As homes and shops were built in Brunswick,

Walshe & Whitelock commenced its well

known property management business

alongside its already established and very

busy sales department. Brunswick was new,

employment was available and businesses

were quickly springing up along the famous

Sydney Road strip.

Improved transport including the train line to

Coburg in 1882 together with the cable tram

line being laid along Sydney Road in 1887

attracted new settlers.

Gold Fever and opportunities further aield

also helped to establish Brunswick and gave

Walshe & Whitelock the chance to continue

to sell, and rent properties as many families

and speculators, keen to improve themselves,

moved even further aield. The large double

shop allowed for the monthly auctions of

furniture and estate goods, another service

provided by the real estate agents of the day.

Many of Melbourne’s inest homes were

built in Brunswick – many still in immaculate

condition today. Over a century and a half later

these ine examples of Victorian, Federation

and Edwardian homes are still Brunswick’s

most sort after and most expensive properties

to own or rent.

It is also so very pleasing and deserving that

Walshe & Whitelock continues to sell and rent

many of Brunswick’s best period home and

shops year in and year out.

Walshe & Whitelock has continued to trade

successfully through World Wars, the Great

Depression, land boom periods, the rises and

falls in the economy and the constant changes

and movement patterns of the inner city

population.

Today Walshe & Whitelock, by embracing the

ever changing property market and adapting

the latest innovations of the business world,

successfully provides its clients with the best real

estate service and practices.

A 70 year testimonial

“M y parents were involved in real estate

from the late 1920’s and as a young

girl I can remember them receiving Walshe &

Whitelock rental statements.

For over 48 years I have been involved with

Walshe & Whitelock myself. I have had a

great rapport with them. It is wonderful

to have a stable, trusting and engaging

relationship with the members of the irm

including Bryan and David Sowersby, Robert

Keily, John Di Santo and now David’s family. I

appreciate the sound advice and help I have

received from them. Congratulations on your

real estate irm trading from the same location

for 120 years!”Audrey Biggs (nee Miller)

Serving our country

When Walshe & Whitelock’s two young

employees Robert and Bryan requested

leave to serve their country in World War 11,

their leave was enthusiastically granted. While

Robert Keily and Bryan Sowersby answered the

call to overseas active service, their jobs were

put on hold until their safe return. When they

returned after years of being on overseas soils

they were able to come home, return to their

jobs, continue to earn a living and settle back

into everyday life.

Joseph Robert Keily (known as Robert)

enlisted on 16/3/1942 and was discharged

on 11/4/1945, he was a Sergeant in the Royal

Australian Air Force. Bryan James Sowersby

enlisted on 6/9/1943 and was discharged on the

7/1/1946, he was a Corporal in the Australian

Army. On his return Bryan became Secretary to

the returned serviceman of the 29/46 Battalion,

a position he held for 55 years. Today Walshe

& Whitelock staff continue to assist the 29/46

Battalion by keeping the data base current

and posting out regular newsletters to the

remaining members. This connection with the

29/46 Battalion families is a special link to the

past that Walshe & Whitelock cherishes.

“My grandparents’ house was the irst built

in Grantham Street, Brunswick. They were

surrounded by market gardens.”

“At 6pm Friday nights and Saturday mornings,

Sydney Road was crowded with shoppers —

the foot path was very congested. Sydney

Road was a vibrant shopping area.”

Knowledge and

experience = $$$$

Today Walshe & Whitelock adopts a pro

active approach to all aspects of real

estate. Our clients have access to the most

up to date companies and methods available

to the current real estate market. We

have contracts with realestate.com.au and

RP Data, both leading companies in their ields

providing the latest property information and

marketing. Our iVisual digital window display is

amongst the latest marketing tools available to

the real estate industry.

Our exemplary record allows us to service our

interstate and overseas clients, Government

organizations, Municipal councils, deceased

estates, solicitors’ trusts, a Secondary college,

Perpetual Mutual Trustees, many individual

clients and companies.

Walshe & Whitelock leads the real estate ield,

year in and year out. Avail yourself of our

services and knowledge and you too can watch

your wealth grow year in and year out.

“As a girl I can remember a wave of cyclists

riding home from work. Sydney Road was a

sea of cyclists, 3 or 4 abreast in the inside lane.”

A T T H E A G E N C Y

1 9 3 2 – 1 9 4 1

S e r v e d W W I I

1 9 4 5 – 1 9 8 7

A T T H E A G E N C Y

1 9 3 7 – 1 9 4 1

S e r v e d W W I I

1 9 4 6 – 1 9 8 9

WALSHE & WHITELOCK 701 SYDNEY ROAD BRUNSWICK PHONE: 9384 1400 www.walshewhitelock.com.au

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Success through the decades

A selection of Walshe & Whitelock sale and auction brochures. View the full

collection in our meeting room at 701 Sydney Road Brunswick.

1889Walshe & Whitelock’s original building

circa 1950

circa 1945

circa 1940

Walshe & Whitelock

excels in all real estate:

• Private Sales• Auction Sales

• Property Management• Owners Corporation

Management

WE CAN HELP YOU TOO

CALL TODAY!

HISTORY

PROVES

circa 1955

1935

Today

SOLD

$237,000 ABOVE RESERVE

Boom or Late Victorian (circa 1880 -1900)

WALSHE & WHITELOCK 701 SYDNEY ROAD BRUNSWICK PHONE: 9384 1400 www.walshewhitelock.com.au

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•FREESalesAppraisal•PropertyManagement•OwnersCorporation

Managers

FOR ALL YOUR

REAL ESTATENEEDS

The changing period styles of the Walshe & Whitelock building…

701 Sydney Road Brunswick Victoria 3056phone: 9384 1400 fax: 9383 6439

email: realestate@walshewhitelock.com.auweb: walshewhitelock.com.au

© Copyright 2012 all rights reserved.

This work is copyright. Apart for any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate at date of publication. This publication is for promotional purposes and is not intended for academic use. The publisher takes no responsibility for those relying on the information. The publisher disclaims any responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by readers in connection with the information contained herein.

our history gives you an edge in real estate

CALL TODAY!

Early Victorian (circa 1840 -1860)

Italiente (circa 1840 -1870)

New England (circa 1920 -1950)

Art Deco (circa 1930 -1950) Early Cubic (circa 1950)

Early Modern(circa 1930 -1940)

California Bungalow (circa 1915 -1930) Spanish Mansion (circa 1920)

Federation / Edwardian (circa 1900 -1915) Federation / Queen Anne (circa 1895 -1910)

Mid Victorian (circa 1860 -1880)

Period styles – a guide to keep