TOMASETTI ERA

THE TOMASETTI ERA

1928

THE Tomasettis were of Swiss descent. Melville’s grandfather, Gaetano Tomasetti, was the son of a stonemason in a small Swiss village, and migrated to Australia, settling in Daylesford. His son Charles changed course, convinced that money could best be made through trade. Charles established a number of general stores in country Victoria then with his wife and family moved to Melbourne for the children’s education. Son Melville also followed the retail path. He ran a post office and general store in Aspendale, and was one half of Tomasetti and Son, Grocers at 346 Chapel St, South Yarra. He later managed a licensed grocery business in High Street, St Kilda. In 1928, in the early years of the Depression, Melville took over Ritchies’ weatherboardfronted corner store in Frankston. Rose Deane continued to play a part in the background, making up the wine for Melville until 1942.

Pictured: Gaetano Tomasetti's house at Blampied. His second wife, Catherine Fitzpatrick.

1932 PHAR LAP

After winning the Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, the AJC Derby and the Agua Caliente Handicap in Tijuana, Phar Lap died suddenly in mysterious circumstances in California.

Melville introduced a wide range of products, along with unusual and exotic merchandise. Products included continental delicacies such as crab meat, pure mocha, New Zealand blue cod, Shetland cod, lima beans, almonds from Jordan, figs in glove boxes and any quantity of ales “right off the ice”. His slogan was “service with a smile” and he advertised with themes in mind. Delivery was by pushbike. The new Ritchies was a genteel store with a dark wooden façade and polished wooden and copper trim. Inside were sections for liquor, grocery and delicatessen. A counter displaying foreign food was salvaged from His Majesty’s Theatre. Cheese of every description was stocked, ranging from Gorgonzola, Camembert and Stilton to Edam and Roquefort. Melville introduced a hire service for large formal functions.

TOMASETTI

Tomasetti built new art deco buildings across the road in Bay Street. One would serve as Ritchies' grocery and liquor store, the other was leased to Hanton’s chemist. Upstairs were large apartments where the Tomasetti family lived. The cellar ran the whole length and breadth of the building and was used for bottling Ritchies wines and storing groceries.

Described as a “great business brain”, Melville was an important part of the development of Frankston, but to flourish at these other commitments, he had to bow out of the grocery and liquor trade and lease out his stores to various managers.

1936

IN 1936, a new manager was employed – Mr E Alan Marshall, whose master grocer father Robert was granted the liquor and grocery licence for Ritchies annually for the next seven years. EA Marshall was a remote manager and ran the store from a distance. He installed as manager Lance Aldridge, already a senior employee and a familiar face at Ritchies. As the Depression came to an end, a new optimism emerged. Buying groups were becoming a major part of enabling the independent grocer to compete, with goods bought in bulk and dispersed among the member stores. Lance Clement Aldridge knew the industry well. He was the son of Frederick Clement Aldridge, a hotelkeeper and stockbroker. Lance married Gladys Grigg, a vibrant personality, and the Aldridges moved to the large apartment above the store in Bay Street, now numbered 555. Staff members were fitted out in a manner befitting the refined store. Each of the gentlemen behind the counter wore a thick starched white coat with a shirt and tie, a triplefold apron and wellshined leather shoes. The starched apron was as stiff as cardboard.

The Australasian Grocer had run its own windowdressing competition for many years. Lance Aldridge was well known for his window dressing skills and his window displays at Ritchies were widely admired.

Ritchies was open all day Saturday until six. Frankston served the whole of the Peninsula and farmers and their wives would come in from Langwarrin, Red Hill and Pearcedale to do their weekly shopping. The men would attend the local football at the Frankston oval while the women shopped, and in the evenings many would stay in Frankston for dinner. Thursday was a half day and the store was closed Sunday. Oliver's Hill residents regularly shopped at Ritchies, the Number One store, known as “the store with class”. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch was a regular customer.

“The store with class”

1939 AUSTRALIA DECLARES WAR WITH GERMANY

1942

In the war years, the Australian way of life changed. Overseas supplies were interrupted and there were severe shortages of goods. In 1942 the government introduced a ration and coupon system. With military bases at Langwarrin, Balcombe and Flinders, soldiers flooded the town of Frankston. In 1942 Lance Aldridge was called up to the Army. His wife Gladys filled the void, recruiting a staff of reliable women, described by the younger Aldridges as “Mum’s band of women”.

In 1945, Ritchies stores came to another fork in the road when a gentleman by the name of Nelson Morris took on the lease.