THE HISTORY

1955 - 2020 HECTOR AND FLORENCE MCGOWN PLUS FAMILY
After growing up, meeting and marrying in Melbourne, Hector and Florence relocated to Tasmania in 1937 shortly after their honeymoon. They then developed a dry cleaning business with many shops located in the Hobart region. In the mid-1950s they travelled overseas on a world cruise and brought back grand plans for their business and family life in Hobart. In 1958 they opened the first shopping arcade in Hobart, creating the Bank Arcade at 64–68 Liverpool Street. The creation of the arcade walkway through the middle of an existing building saw it pass straight over the top of an old lightwell and window, which had provided light to the basement for many years. Family ownership of the Bank Arcade has continued to the present day with the great-grand-children of Hector and Florence being the current owners.
Building in 1955. Quinary Investments
1922 TO 1955 ATHELSTAN AND ARISTIDES PALFREYMAN
The brothers Athlestan and Aristides Palfreyman were the only owners of the Liverpool Street property who neither lived there nor had an active business on-site at any time during their tenure. It appears that their interest in purchasing the propertywas as a short-term investment, as they tried to sell the building at a profit only one year after purchasing it. The Palfreyman family remains well known in Tasmania and has been active in sporting clubs and social life as well as in many business ventures. The window in the basement remained largely untouched from 1922 until 1955, the only addition being that the glass panes were painted a mustard yellow colour, to suit the décor of the nightclub that the basement had become.
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