Millers Ltd.
Biography
Millers was founded in 1924 by Leslie Beaumont Miller in Greymouth on the west coast of New Zealand. By 1928 Millers had expanded to Christchurch with two retail sites. Seeking to expand his drapery business further in Christchurch, Leslie Miller acquired a site at 163-173 Tuam Street. George Alfred James Hart was hired to design the building Miller wanted and Campbell and Morrison were employed as the engineers.
The building Hart designed was the first in New Zealand to feature beamless concrete floor slabs. These were supported by hexagonal columns which were set apart at length to create a spacious retail environment.
The escalator was designed by Carl Flohr and Co. of Berlin, constructed in England and assembled in Christchurch. It was the first to be installed in the South Island and the longest escalator in New Zealand.
The ground floor and the first floor of the building were dedicated to retail and office space. The ground floor also featured a milk bar with a tea lounge set on an upper gallery. The second and third floors of the building were for manufacturing. The fourth floor was for staff recreation. This floor housed a cafeteria, dining room and provided space for games such as indoor bowls, ping pong, tennis and basketball. The roof also was used for staff recreation and housed a custodian’s apartment.
The building was completed in 1939. Later in that year, with the declaration of war, the company was responsible for the manufacturing of military uniforms for the New Zealand Army. After the war, Millers expanded, opening stores throughout the South Island of New Zealand.
Leslie Miller died in 1960 and his son Reginald ran the business, opening their flagship factory on Wairekei Road in 1970. They introduced the Dial A Curtain service in 1980, with van-based furnishing consultants. In 1993 Reginald’s son Geoff took the reins as Managing Director working with his wife Jill. As of 2022 Millers Ltd operates as a custom curtain and blind business.
Found in 64 Collections and/or Records:
Exteriors of Millers Tuam Street store, Circa 1960
Colour and black and white photographs of the exterior of the Millers Tuam Street store. Photograph by Mannering and Associates Photographers.
Fashion parades and store displays at Millers Ltd., 1950-1960
Former Millers employee letter, 1980-1990
A handwritten letter by Flo[?] Holliss[?] discussing working for Millers in 1934. The letter was written to Jill Miller and includes a small handwritten note on the reverse.
Happenings at Millers Ltd, 1939-1979
Photographs with contents list from an album titled "Photographs of Happenings at Millers Ltd" including shoppers in various departments at Millers including crowds during store sales. Includes those of store interiors, window displays and of Santa at Millers.
Photographs credited to V.C Browne, Robun Smith Photography, Ayton's Ltd and Mannering Associates Ltd.
Leslie Beaumont Miller portraits, 1939-1960
Portraits of Mr L. B. Miller [Leslie Beaumont] of Millers Ltd. Includes a black and white portrait as well as colourised prints of the same photograph. Photographer V.C Browne.
Leslie Beaumont Miller portraits, 1940-1960
Black and white portaits of Leslie Beaumont Miller, one from circa 1940 and another one by photographer V.C Browne circa 1960. Also includes a copy of an advertisement for Millers 21st Anniversary featuring the later portrait of Mr L. B. Miller.
Memorandum of Lease, 16 November 1931
Memorandum of Lease for property between Lichfield and High Streets, Christchurch. Affixed to the front of the memorandum is a plan of the building area to be leased.
The lease is from W. Strange and Company Limited (Lessor) and for Millers Ltd (Lessee). Aditional parties to this agreement are Adelaide Ellen Fenerty, Mary Marisa Armstrong (Lessors) and Leslie Beaumont Miller (Lessee).
Millers Dial a Curtain fleet, 1980-1989
Colour photographs of the Millers Dial a Curtain trucks and vans, established by Reginald Miller in the 1980s.
Also includes a Millers 'With Compliments' slip.
Millers Golden Jubilee 1973 draft layout publication, Circa 1973
Annotated draft layout copy of a Millers Golden Jubilee 1973 50 years anniversary publication.
Millers Loom by at the Industries Fair, August 1971
Stall featuring the largest loom in New Zealand by Millers Ltd. at the 1971 Industries Fair at Canterbury Court. Photographers Mannering and Associates Ltd.