| Address: | 2 Ocean Beach Rd |
|---|---|
| Suburb: | Sorrento |
In 2013 Stringers is the place to meet for pleasure or business. It is located on a prime corner site overlooking the Bay. It is a typical late 19th century building constructed from locally quarried limestone. It is of a scale and type now readily associated with Sorrento’s identity as a historic coastal town. Commercial premises as well as substantial 19th century “cottages” were built with this material. (A number can still be seen along Hotham Road – turn right at the Ocean Beach / Melbourne Road roundabout.)
According to the 1978 Shire of Flinders Sorrento Townscape Study, ratepayer documents suggest the corner limestone building was originally single storey, constructed in 1886 for J. Lentell and preceded the adjacent brick building by five years. A second storey was added in the mid 1890s. Today there are many Sorrento landmarks named after previous proprietors of the stores, including Lentell Ave, David MacFarlane Reserve and Stringer Rd Reserve. The current trading name has been continuous from 1925.
Under Construction: ca. 1889 ----- Detail image of the unfinished corner “Stringer’s” store, middle distance right, owned by a one E.M Lintel. Image Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.
Reid and Thorpe’: ca.1901 ----- A report by the Shire of Flinders suggests the corner limestone structure, right originally 1886, received a second storey during the mid 1890s with the centre structure built in 1895 by a Mr. Marsden. Note the left hand side building as a previous Sorrento Post Office, built 1880s. The building right, prior to A.C Head proprietor 1903. Image courtesy of the Nepean Historical Society Inc. (NHS).
‘Macfarlan’s’: ca. 1907‐1915 ----- Early proprietors include Marsden, 1895, Reid and Thorpe, 1899, MacFarlan 1907, MacFarlan and Stringer, 1913. Image courtesy of the Nepean Historical Society Inc. (NHS
‘Stringers’: 2013 ----- 1921 saw the two adjacent shops combine with Stringer becoming sole proprietor in approximately 1925.
