Bruce Blocksidge is currently the Governing Director of Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited, Auctioneers, Real Estate Agents, Property Managers and Valuers. His son Jonathan is Managing Director. The company currently employees 12 people in its central city office, including Jonathan’s daughter, Lydia. Bruce’s grandfather (Jonathan’s great-grandfather) George Henry Blocksidge was a tall man with imposing stature and a beard typical of a Victorian gentleman, and was referred to by his family of 9 children as "The Pater", by his friends as "Geo", and "G.H." by members of his staff. He was born at a house in Lisburn Street, East Brisbane in 1854 and opened a business in Stanley Street, Woolloongabba near the Post Office circa 1874. He traded under the name of G.H.Blocksidge – Real Estate Agent. He was interested in public affairs and was elected Mayor of South Brisbane when Brisbane was divided into 2 municipalities (the other centred at Clayfield) and took pride inter alia in the creation of Mowbray Park on the river at East Brisbane, and the Lookout Park at Dornoch Terrace, Highgate Hill near where "Torbreck", Brisbane’s first major home unit development now stands. His interest in politics led to a short term in the Queensland Parliament during the Philp administration. His gold watch and chain carries a tag inscribed – Past President 1899-1901 Federal Council PAFS of Australasia. To enable the business to be carried on during an overseas trip to London, G.H. invited Charles Douglas Ferguson to join him and so the partnership, which traded under the name of G.H. Blocksidge & Ferguson, was formed. Apart from general agency work the partnership arranged finance for its clients, securing loans on the mortgage of Real Property. It also managed the investment of other client’s funds and at the time was considered to have a significant mortgage business. The partnership also developed its own properties and carried out the subdivision of many estates from Sandgate, Boondall and Clayfield in the north to Greenslopes, Holland Park and Mt Gravatt in the south, and as far as Redland Bay in the east. Assisting them in these subdivisions was the distinguished surveyor Cyril Bennett, whose firm endures to this day and is also known by some as the other "B & F" – Bennett & Francis. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited maintains historic records of the early subdivisions of Brisbane in its unique collection of lithographs stored in very large leather bound Volumes, accessed at times by the Oxley Library and other researchers. On occasions estates would be subdivided, by comparison with the time taken today, in a very short period of time and after the surveyors had hammered in the boundary pegs the blocks of land would be offered for Sale by Public Auction. ₤2.00 deposit and with "easy terms" – on occasions the Auctioneers advising that a barrel of beer would be offered for refreshment on the completion of the sale. The philosophy that the Auction system works, in the best interests of both sellers and buyers by focusing maximum attention on the subject property at the time of offering and bringing the transaction to completion by a specified date in the shortest possible time at a price determined by the market itself, is firmly held by the principals of Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited to this day. Before 1920 the partnership operated out of rented premises in the old Town Hall Arcade in Queen Street, Brisbane. As the business prospered the partners aspired to owning their own building and to this end a Public Company was formed and named Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited, many of the original Shareholders being clients of the company. It was registered as No.36 under the Companies Act 1863-1913 and the original Certificate of Incorporation issued in 1920 is still in the Company’s possession. With sufficient funds in hand the Company bought the last remaining vacant site in Adelaide Street near where the City Hall was to be built, and in 1928 fulfilled the dreams of the two "appointed for life" Governing Directors, by building and opening the Company’s new headquarters in a new reinforced concrete building with the Real Estate office like a grand bank chamber occupying the rear of the ground floor. The architect was Charlie Driver, but the builder, Hall and Son having recently completed a National Bank Building in Brisbane may have influenced the design. A real property auction mart was a central focus of this new office with a large silky oak table and rostrum, special features. Adelaide Street front shops and upper floors were available for leasing to support the investment and it is of interest to note that one of Brisbane’s largest law firms commenced operations on the third floor under the name of "Morris Fletcher & Cross", the premises having access by lift and the security of its own fire proof strong room. George Henry Blocksidge and his wife, formerly Kate Georgina Bell had two sons and 7 daughters. One son, Henry Norman (Norm) who happened to be the eighth child (accordingly Henry the Eighth to some members of the family) to his father’s delight came into the business. The elder son who had studied at University in Germany without great encouragement from his father, pursued writing as a career and published his works - and verse under the name of William Baylebridge. He was a successful investor in the stock market but is more widely known as the "Browning of Australian Literature" and for his Shakespearean sonnets. Ironically some of his original manuscripts are now stored in the archives of the Company. Bruce, son of Henry Norman Blocksidge and his wife Alice Bessie (Gant) of Childers Queensland, recalls the early days when letters were written by hand using quill pens and Indian ink. The letters were put into a big book and then placed in a letterpress. In Bruce’s extreme youth he remembers coming into the office on Saturdays and playing with the letterpress. When the press was wound down the handwritten letter was copied onto a form of tissue paper. The tissue paper was then peeled off prior to sending the letter and an exact copy remained which was subsequently filed. The introduction of carbon paper and typewriters made the system redundant. Fortunately some of these pressed copies remain today in the company’s archives. When Bruce’s father Norm came into the business, as an office boy after leaving the Brisbane Grammar School, he did not have a very easy time being required as the junior, to carry out all the menial tasks around the office. Norm said to Bruce "I don’t want you to come into the business as an office boy; I want you to come in with some qualifications". As a result, Bruce was bundled off to the Queensland University to do an Arts/Law course. He was later articled to Leo J Williams Snr, who happened to be a solicitor in the building, starting work on 10 shillings a week, grateful to be among the first of the clerks whose fathers did not have to pay to have their sons articled. Bruce later had the opportunity to become a Judge’s Associate and worked at the Supreme Court for five years as Associate to the Honorable Mr Justice W.G. Mack. While he was still studying Bruce decided to go to England to get some experience in real estate, sensing that his destiny was to be in this field. In 1957 he joined Winkworth & Company an Estate Agency established in 1835 in Mayfair, London. There was a somewhat strong parallel in antiquity between both companies. Bruce was impressed by the fact that the senior partner, a Mr. Fox, at ninety-four years of age travelled up to London from Hove near Brighton on the Managing Director’s special train every morning. Mr. Fox and Henry Winkworth would go through the correspondence following which each department would be given its instructions for the day. Mr. Winkworth would then disappear into his office and read the stock exchange reports. He would then have lunch at the Army & Navy Club, and on his return, in typical English fashion, would say "I met Major so and so at lunch and his daughter is coming up to London for the Season and wants a place for four months". Bruce worked in the townhouse department at the time and Mr Winkworth would ask him to fix it. Bruce would go to Langdorf who was the letting man and it was Langdorf’s job for the day to go out and find a suitable rental property. Mr Winkworth was a very wealthy man and he made his money not directly out of real estate but indirectly out of the change in the value of stocks and shares. When he had a large parcel of money to invest he put it into real estate. At that time real property offered great security but did not change much in value. A satisfactory rental return was obtained from the investment but the larger profits were made out of the volatility of the stock market. It was this close relationship between the stock market and the real estate market that Bruce watched with great interest. Bruce says it remains true that it would be very rare for a situation to arise where an investment in real estate will become worthless, whereas you can invest in shares and the bottom can fall out of the market. Shares can be worth a fortune one day and nothing the next. "We believe in bricks and mortar," says Bruce. The company has made good money by making wise investments in strategic locations and holding them sometimes for forty or more years. Who has not heard of stories of beach front cottages costing originally a few hundred Pounds and being sold today for a million Dollars (and pre Capital Gains at that - what an inhibitor Capital Gains Tax is today on property activity and employment opportunities). Gradually as trends changed, the sale of residences by Agents in the central city became less common as people went directly to the areas where they wanted to buy. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited at one stage met that challenge and built premises at Ipswich Road, Annerley Junction. That branch become the Southside Office and was managed by Norm in the 1920’s. At the same time a Northside Office was opened, in Bayview Terrace at Clayfield, and was managed by Norm’s brother in law, Aubrey Nobbs. The branches in those days proved most successful when a member of the family was the Manager and a Director of the Company as a whole. With the advent of new technology that brought improved communications, the company again concentrated its business back to the Central City. Sale by auction of properties, be they be in deceased estates or other ownership, continues today much as it did in the early days. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited have confidence in the auction system of selling property, which in 95% of cases has achieved successful results. In the small real property mart within the company’s office, regular sales of stamps and coins used to take place, residential and commercial properties were offered from time to time and on occasion, sales of jewellery and works of art were held. It is no longer possible to hold auctions of furniture and effects in the central city (in former times such sales were held every Tuesday when it was possible to park out the front of the building and deliver household furniture to the lower ground floor). "On site" auctions, where the contents of a house in a deceased estate can be offered for sale, are today’s favoured auction activity. Henry Norman Blocksidge and his wife, formerly Alice Bessie Gant of Childers, had two children – Bruce and Nerida. Norm was one of the foundation members of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland. He became the wartime President (1941-1945) and earned the distinction of being made a Life Member. Norm was also a fellow of the Commonwealth Institute of Valuers. Bruce followed in his father’s footsteps, and in turn served on the Board of Management of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland for a record twenty-seven years. He was Chairman of the Arbitration Committee of the Institute for twenty-three years, and at the end of that time he too was made a Life Member of the Institute. Norm was an Auctioneer and a Valuer. Bruce is a General Auctioneer and Registered Valuer. Jonathan is also a General Auctioneer and elected to develop his skills as a Commercial and Retail Property Manager, following an eight and half year career with Woolworths Qld Ltd which led to his becoming a Supermarket manager with considerable management experience. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited currently maintain a substantial residential Rent Roll that has been built up over many years. This has been achieved by offering clients and customers a comprehensive service in the management of their investments. A number of years ago the roll doubled in size due to a merger with the roll of Frank Walters Real Estate at Stones Corner. Frank was the retiring second generation of his family managed business that fitted well with Blocksidge & Ferguson’s business. Following the merger, Jonathan went out to manage the Stones Corner office. Yet again, history repeated itself with the advent of computers and with the resulting improved communications the business of the Stones Corner office was successfully transferred to the City Office. The Company has acquired other rent rolls, which it is able to manage successfully thanks to the power of computers, and sees the expansion of its rent roll as a key to future success. G.H.’s fundamental work ethic was that it was far more important to keep an honest name than to make a "quick quid" and he is also remembered for his saying "you should always endeavour to leave a place better than you found it". The essence of this is how you can be of service to your Clients and Customers. It may be old fashioned but a reputation for good service that is honest and reliable remains essential for the continuing success for any long standing business, and may be a reason why Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited has been able to adopt the slogan Real Estate Since 1888. Jonathan has two younger sisters Anna and Vanessa. Both have worked in the business. Jonathan and his wife Janye Charlotte Graham have three daughters, Georgia, Lydia and Thea. This is the first time in four generations there is no son in line to take over the business. It remains to be seen whether women will take over in the next generation. The Company is fortunate that many historic records and items have been preserved in the Company’s care. The general public too has been very generous over the years in passing on items of historical interest to the Company for which they are very thankful. For instance, a gentleman forwarded a page of the Telegraph dated August 12, 1922 advertising a number of properties by auction including one at Coorparoo, one at Toowong and another at Clayfield. The newspaper had been found under linoleum in an old house. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited has changed its mix of business over the years. The Company owns investment properties and a large proportion of its income comes from the management of its own properties. A major refurbishment of its Adelaide Street building was completed in 1998; $3.5 million having been invested to ensure the "Blocksidge & Ferguson Building" meets future needs. As a contribution to "Public Art" when the refurbishment of the Adelaide Street premises was nearing completion a mosaic was commissioned which depicts the icons of Brisbane in 1928 and in 1998 to show the relationship of the company then and now and to claim some part in the development of our beloved great city of Brisbane. This work is to be found in the lift foyer located at a central point in the Arcade. Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited are very proud of their early beginnings in the Brisbane region and look forward to remaining part of the growth of one of the great cities of Australia. |
