In 1857, William Garnsworthy Bennett opened a butcher’s shop at Linton’s Diggings, later acquiring land to open a shop here in the early 1860s. After W. G. Bennett died in 1903, Todd Brothers, who were related through the marriage of Elizabeth Bennett and William Todd in 1882, took over the business.
The first photo shows Bennett’s Butchers’ shop from the 1870s, highlighting the building’s enduring features. The second photo, taken around 1908, shows the shop under Todd Bros ownership, with members of the Linton Brass Band, including the Todd family.
In 1922, Armstrong Kerr, a local farmer, purchased the building, selling it to Daniel O’Connell, a hairdresser and tobacconist, in 1924. It was sold again in 1926 to James Ryan, also a hairdresser and tobacconist, who added a weatherboard billiard room on Clyde St.
Over the years, the adjacent shops housed various businesses, including Oliver the watchmaker, Terrett the tailor, Mrs Todd the milliner, and a drapery shop run by Jim Ryan’s daughter, Mary Hayes. More recently, the space has hosted a draughtsman’s office, craft shop, hairdresser, gallery, and currently, The Emporium, a collectables and antique shop.
