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:
Tuam Street Millers store post earthquake demolition, 2014
Photograph extracted from an unknown publication showing the demolition of the former Millers Ltd. building on Tuam Street following extensive damage in the 2011 earthquakes.
Tuam Street store construction publication extract, Circa 1938
Sheet taken from a publication showing the construction of the concrete columns as part of the Millers Ltd. Tuam Street building.
Window display concept drawings, 1960-1975
Concept drawings for various window display designs for Autumn, Winter and Spring at Millers Ltd including information and specifications for how the items should be arranged to fit the design. Includes annotated photocopies of drawings and one original colour handpainted design.
Worsted and Woollen Mills Ltd, Aranui photograph, Circa 1940
Black and white photograph of the exterior of Millers Worsted and Woollen Mills Ltd, Aranui, Christchurch. Image is a copy print with the title of the image written on it.