THE sign says “Est. 1925” and by my calculations that makes this year the Culley’s Bakery Centenary!
They’ve certainly not made a lot of fuss about it, hardly a word, but I suspect they are just far too busy!
And that is terrific, but 100 years is a big deal for any business, especially in this day and age.
Four generations of Fremantle folk have grown up relishing Culley’s culinary delights, from their pies and pasties to the famous horseshoe rolls, so let’s take a look at the Culley’s story.
Edward Ernest Toynbee Culley married Alice Josephine Downey in York, WA in 1907.
They had three children, two daughters, Alice and Edwina, and a son, Edward (Ted), and in 1917 moved from the country to set up a bakery in Cottesloe.
Their names are listed in the WA Post Office directory that year:
Quite unusual for both husband and wife’s names to be listed, this might say something about Alice.
Mason Street became Stirling Highway; the shop was located between Stuart and Glyde Streets and their home was in Stuart Street, Cottesloe.
A second son, Darrell, was born in 1918.
Over the next few years the business was quite successful and the Culleys started to look for larger premises.
Legend has it that Ms Culley chanced to meet Mary Abbott on a train trip into Fremantle one day, who mentioned that she and her husband John had a confectionery shop in High Street, Fremantle and were looking to sell.
By the time the train reached the station an agreement had been reached.
The Culleys had so established their reputation as a ‘high-class confectioner’ during their time in Cottesloe that the move to Fremantle was greeted by the newspapers of the day singing their praises.
The Advertiser 7th Jan. 1927 stated:
Once again the business prospered and during the 1930s the shop was extended into Atwell Arcade and a ‘modern milk bar’ was added.
Sons Dick and Ted took over when Edward and Alice retired.
Shirley Caley got a job there in 1946 when she was a young teenager and the brothers were her bosses.
“The war had not long since ended,” she said.
“Three scones with jam and cream and a pot of coffee cost 9p. Ham was very dear so a ham sandwich with a pot of tea was 1/-.
“They sold sandwiches, pies, pasties, cakes, pastries, tins of chocolates and lollies, and offered a very small menu of cooked dishes such as bacon and eggs, and tomatoes on toast.
“They used to make dozens and dozens of cream sponges, there was a long list of orders to fill.
“After work each day there would be a queue a mile long waiting outside for the 6-penny bags which had a selection of leftover sandwiches, pies, cakes and whatever food could not be sold the next day.
“The shop girls were allowed to help themselves to whatever they wanted, it was a good place to work.
“Girls did not have to leave when they got married, which was what normally happened in the 1950s.
“In time Darrell Culley and Bob Wegner became the next generation of bosses, and the high standards of service were upheld.
“Customers (boys particularly) were not allowed in the shop wearing singlets or thongs.
“The counter girls were expected to wear make-up and would dash up to the hairdressers in the arcade to get their hair ‘combed up’ before work or during the break at 10.30 each morning.
“Culley’s girls had a reputation as being the best-looking and best dressed girls in Fremantle.
“Perhaps more importantly, staff members described their time with Culley’s as the happiest working years, the Culleys’ – kind and considerate employers.
“While the menu was simple fare, Culley’s was always very very popular, with a reputation as being the cleanest café with the freshest food.
“Grandfather Culley said he would give £10 to anyone if they found a cockroach in the shop. Nobody never did.”
Edward died 1965 aged 90, Alice died in 1969 aged 80.
The Culley’s story has now run over four generations.
Sons Dick and Ted took over from Edward and Alice, Darrell Culley and his friend Bob Wegner were the third generation to continue the tradition.
Culley’s is now in the hands of the latest generation, with great grandson Michael Culley running the business with his wife Melissa, taking over from his father Darrell in 2007.
In 2016 Atwell Arcade underwent a substantial redevelopment which led to Culley’s moving from the premises it had occupied for 91 years, to a shop two doors down and the actual bakery moved to a new location in Kardinya.
The décor has been updated to give it a more contemporary feel, while remnants of the past such as pressed tin on the walls, old fans and photographs have been retained to preserve something of the old charm.
Maybe their enduring success is due to a combination of uncompromising standards of service, along with a willingness to adapt to change.
The menu today includes continental delights such as baguettes, wraps and Portuguese tarts, and of course there are now gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.
These contemporary goodies sit comfortably alongside the traditional pies and pasties, lamingtons, scones, jam and cream, catering to the many and varied tastes of today’s consumers.
by KRISTI McNULTY
Fremantle History Society
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THE FREMANTLE HISTORY SOCIETY is a non-profit, community group that seeks to promote interest in, research on and publication of the history of the Fremantle area. New members are always welcome, and are encouraged to come along to the events held throughout the year. News and coming events are circulated in the quarterly newsletter.
We hold monthly meetings with a guest speaker to talk about some particular feature of Fremantle’s history. There are site visits such as the Fremantle Passenger Terminal, Woodman Point Quarantine Station, and then there is the annual Pub Lunch in August and the Christmas Party late November.
Fremantle Studies Day each October is the big event of the year, where four speakers present a summary of their work, which is then published biennially in a journal called Fremantle Studies. The 14th volume has just been launched.
Contact our Secretary at: secretary.fhs@gmail.com for membership details and form.