Introduction:
The premises of the ‘Miss Gladys Sym Choon & Emporium’ fashion retail shop at 235A
Rundle Street in Adelaide, has a rich history that began in the early 20th century. It is a
two storey terrace, the second house in a row of 6 from Union Street, situated on the
south side of Rundle Street in the east end of the city. The present occupiers are Joff
Chappel and his partner Razak, who trade under their own fashion label with the name of
‘Miss Gladys Sym Choon’, the legendary past owner and business woman of Chinese
decent of the 1930s (Miss Gladys Sym Choon & Emporium).
Aims and methods:
The aim was to trace back the origine of this building through historic and archival
records, and link them to the history of the people that lived at the premises. The method
used was the investigation into government and archival records, as well as historic
papers, and oral history.
History and background information
Historic records show that the Sym Choon Family have owned the building since the
beginning of 1926 (Lands Titles Office 2005, vol. 1405, folio 122), (appendix 1). They
were the only Chinese Australian family in Rundle Street and Gladys was the first
Chinese woman in Adelaide, who owned and ran her own business in the East End (State
Yvonne Nowland
1
Library of South Australia 2005, Interview log). Gladys’ Gift Store was well known in
the 1930s among the middle and upper classes of Adelaide. Elaborate advertisements in
the ‘South Australian Homes and Gardens’ magazine invited the wealthy citizens of this
State to buy her wares, including tea sets, Chinese embroidery and artefacts that
symbolized the ‘exotic’ of the orient (State Library of South Australia 2005, South
Australian Homes and Gardens 1932), (appendix 2). Gladys Sym Choon was the first
private owner of the premises number 235, and her ownership continued until 1976,
when she past it on to her daughter (Lands Titles Office 2005, vol. 1405, folio 122, and
vol. 4395, folio 730) (appendix 3).
Her story starts with her father Sym Choon, a peasant from the Guangdong province in
China, who came to Adelaide in approximately 1890, where he began trading as a
vegetable hawker. His wife, So Yung Moon, followed him at the turn of the century
(Library of South Australia 2005, Interview log). They lived in Unley, where they had
three children. George was born in 1900, Dorothy in 1902 and Gladys in 1905. The
family moved to Rundle Street in 1908 (State Library of South Australia 2005, Interview
log), and in 1910 the fourth child, Gordon, was born. Due to illness, Sym Choon returned
to China in 1910 and he died there soon after. From then on the business was controlled
by So Yung Moon and the eldest son George (Library of South Australia 2005, Interview
log)
All the Choon children were educated, including the girls (Library of South Australia
2005, Interview log). In the early 1920s the Sym Choons acquired several shops along
Yvonne Nowland
2
Rundle Street, each owned by one of the siblings. They were first established in George’s
shop at 233 (appendix 4), then they acquired number 235, Gladys’s shop was in 235A,
and number 237 went to Gordon (State Library of South Australia, Interview log).
George and Gordon both sold a similar range of goods, such as fireworks, peanuts,
matches, pickles and paper goods. They operated from different premises competing for
customers (State Library of South Australia 2005, Interview log). Gladys opened her
shop ‘The China Gift Store’, as a very young woman, in 1923 (Miss Gladys sym Choon,
The stores). Her wares were imported from China and included items, such as napery,
fine embroidery, lingerie, ornamental china and cloisonné (Miss Gladys sym Choon, The
History). She first operated her gift shop from the Regent Arcade (State Library of South
Australia 2005, Australian Homes and Gardens 1931) (appendix 5), before she moved her
business to her premises at 235A Rundle Street in May 1931 (State Library of South
Australia 2005, Australian Homes and Gardens 1931), (appendix 6). Gladys was the first
woman in South Australia to run a business in her own right, importing goods from
overseas (Miss Gladys Sym Choon, The History).
Gladys married Edward Chung from Tasmania in 1939 (Lands Titles Office 2005, Vol.
1405, Folio 122) and moved to Hobart. However, she continued the supervision and
stocking of her shop in Rundle Street from her new home in Tasmania. Her shop was
passed on to her daughter Mei Ling in 1976 (Lands Titles Office 2005, Vol. 1405, Folio
122, and Vol. 4395, Folio 730), and in 1985 the store was closed down after 62 years of
trading (Miss Gladys Sym Choon, The History).
Yvonne Nowland
3
The terrace building at 235A Rundle Street has been altered several times in the past,
according to needs and wishes of the occupiers. The row of terraces are typical for their
style of the early 20th century, and they were part of a busy trading street near the East
End Fruit and Produce Market that incorporated halls right up to Union Street (Marsden,
Stark & Sumerling 1990, p. 139).
Records from the Acre books from 1868, show that on the site of 235A Rundle Street,
which belongs to acre no. 90, the land was divided into irregular sections that do not
match with the block division of today (Adelaide City Archives, 2005, (C5), (S36))
(appendix 7). The’ Smith Survey of 1881 indicates the existence of a different building
on the site of the terraces, including number 235A. (C.W. Smith 1881) (appendix 8).
Results:
The purchase of terrace number 235A, Rundle Street
The Certificate of Title, volume 1405, folio 122, was issued on the 21st. of January 1926
and represents the acquisition of no. 235 Rundle Street by Gladys Sym Choon (Lands
Titles Office 2005, vol. 1405. folio 122). The three previous titles are numbers 947315,
27391 and 27392, dating back to 1868, indicating ownership of sections of land with no
buildings (Lands Titles Office 2005, vol. 1405, folio 122). A Memorandum of Transfer
from the South Australian Company grants Gladys Sym Choon ‘free and unrestricted
Right of Way’ over the portion of the ‘Private Road’ at the back of her building and the
building on the east side next to Union Street (Lands Titles Office 2005, vol. 753, folio
Yvonne Nowland
4
26) (appendix 9). It is dated the 30th of November 1925. The vendor is the South
Australian Company, which was formed in London and played a major role in developing
the South Australian colonial economy. The document is added to her Certificate of Title,
volume 1405, folio 122, on the 22 of January 1926 (Lands Titles office 2005, vol. 753,
folio 26).
Family history confirms that the Sym Choons moved to Rundle Street in 1908 and lived
in one of the terrace houses from then on. Her papers show that Gladys bought her
premises in Rundle Street in 1926. The terraces were therefore built after 1881, when,
according to the Smith survey, another building was present, and before1908, when the
Sym Choons moved into one of the terrace houses. In 1925 the South Australian
Company still owned the land at the back of the terraces, and it is therefore possible, that
they had previously owned other sections of acre 90 (Adelaide City Archives 2005,
Memorandum of Transfer). Oral information from the current proprietor of ‘Gladys Sym
Choon & Emporium’ indicates that the row of terraces was one of the last building
projects of the South Australian Company (Chappel 2005).
Alterations to the architecture of premises number 235A
According to the ‘Rate Assessment Book’ of the city of Adelaide, there were several
alterations done to the premises (Adelaide City Archives 2005, Rate Assessment Book)
(appendix 10). The recorded changes to the architecture took place between 1934 and
1938. The document also indicates that there were some unrecorded alterations, such as
Yvonne Nowland
5
repairs to the balcony, as well as gutters and downpipes. Later changes were mainly done
to number 237, which belonged to Gordon Sym Choon (Adelaide City Archives 2005,
Rate Assessment Book). It was not until the 1990s, when the present occupier, Joff
Chappel , completely modernised the premises for contemporary shop requirements and
initiated major alterations to the whole interior of the building (Fielder M. 1994, plan)
after a fire had caused extensive damage (Chappel, J. 2005).
Store alteration, 8 February 1934
The first alteration, regarding Gladys’ and Gordon’s premises, was the store, done in
1934 (Adelaide City Archives 2005, Rate Assessment Book). The store comprised a new
building, separate from the two-storey terrace houses. It replaced an existing storeroom at
the back of number 235A that was slightly longer in shape with stairs within. The new
store incorporated a fireproof room and stairs with a landing on the outside (Cowell 1933,
Plan 4). According to the specifications by the architect Walter D. Cowell, the old store
was to make place for the new, substantial brick building. A concrete foundation was laid
with reinforced 5 1/2 inch rods (Cowell 1933, p. 5). All walls were made of bricks and
the fireprove room also featured brick floors. Internal ventilators were fixed and covered
at the back with galvanised fly wire (Cowell 1933, p. 10). Four doors were attached to the
wide opening at the south side adjacent to the back lane. Three windows were placed in
solid casement frames on the eastern side, and the external staircase, constructed of
jarrah, led from the ground to the flat roof on the same side (Cowell 1933, p. 13). The
waterproof roof was to be carried over the wall opening at the top of the staircase and
Yvonne Nowland
6
through the wall on the western side into the tow cistern heads (Cowell 1933, p. 15). The
new store was built boundary to boundary with the existing store on the western side
(Cowell 1933, plan No. 4) (appendix 11 & 12).
Shop alterations, 13 October 1936
The plan detailing this alteration consisted of the replacement of the interior staircase,
leading to the upper floor. It involved relocating the stairs in the store room to the side
wall that contained a fire place (Cowell 1936, plan 1). The removal of the fire place was
necessary and a landing was built in the corner, before the turning of the original upper
stairs. A new ramp to the upper floor was also installed (Cowell 1936, plan 1). The wall
between the existing shop and the store room was removed revealing the staircase. The
‘L’ shaped staircase incorporated a landing before the turn onto the second floor (Cowell
1936, plan 1). The existing fireplace in the store room was taken out and a corbel was
formed at the top. The old burned bricks were chipped back and the area was plastered
(Cowell 1936, p. 2). After the removal of the fireplace and wall between shop space and
store room, cement and plaster was used to connect the present plaster walls (Cowell
1936, p. 3). Tapered joints were used to the ramp between the shop and store room, and
the lower flight of stairs in the store room were removed and refixed in the new position.
The new landing across the back wall incorporated a wrought and bull nosed corner
jarrah post (Cowell 1936, p. 3) The new stairs were treated with egg-shell varnish to
match existing work, and skirtings were painted with oil colour (Cowell 1936, p. 4)
(appendix 13 & 14).
Yvonne Nowland
7
New shop fronts , 4 December 1936
The alteration of the new shop fronts to the two premises, the ‘Gorden Sym Choon’s Nuts
Ltd. in number 237, and ‘Miss Gladys Sym Choon’ in number 235, are no doubt the most
noticeable change to the architecture of the terraces. The new shop fronts, incorporating
an area from the inside, became the new entrance that was flanked by new shop windows
on both sides (Cowell 1936, plan). The open entrances at pavement level were enlarged,
and the shop windows at the side of the entrances were stepped in shape. A set of double
door frames, made of Pacific Maple, and finished with splayed mould on the outside
edge, were applied, and plate glass panes were set into the rebated timber frames (Cowell
1936, p. 6). Each door was hung with antiqued loose pin butts and secured with Vaughan
latches with cromium plated face-plates. Each door had vertical cromium plates and
horizontal metal bars as well as cromium plated kicking plates (Crowell 1936, p. 6). Stall
boards of jarrah were formed to suit the window shapes. The top of these boards were
covered with 5-ply oak parquetry (Cowell 1936, p. 6). The fronts facing Rundle Street,
and Union Street (No. 237), as well as the entrances, were constructed of “White Metal”
mouldings, which contained the plate glass and Vitrolite (Cowell 1936, p. 7). Flat
aluminium and cromium faced bars were fixed across the two shop fronts showing the
shop names in cromium plated letters with painted edges in an ‘oriental’ design (Cowell
1936, p. 7). Above the lettering “vitrolite” panels were applied showing a Chinese
Dragon on Gordon’s side, and a Chinese Pagoda with Dragon on Gladys’. These panels
were sand blasted and painted with “Dulux” colours (Cowell 1936, p. 10). Name panels
Yvonne Nowland
8
over each doorway were sand blasted with the proprietor’s business name and street
number (Cowell 1936, p. 11) (appendix 15 & 16).
Magazine in basement, 15 July 1938
A concrete ceiling reinforcement was made in 1936 by A.W. Allen & Son to the ceiling
in the basement of Gladys Sym Choon’s premises. The reinforcement was constructed
under the existing ceiling in the basement. This alteration strengthened the ceiling of the
magazine that was 6’4 x 9’4 feet in size (Allen 1938, plan) (appendix 17).
Breach of building act, 16 September 1938
The letter to the town clerk of Adelaide, written by Gladys Sym Choon on the 26 of
September 1938, seeks permission for building alterations concerning the relocation of
the kitchen from the ground floor to the upper floor (Sym Choon Gladys 1938, letter)
(appendix 18). According to the ‘Rate Assessment Book’, the alterations had already
been done on the 16th of September in that year. The building plan shows a new ‘open
landing’ on the upper floor, coming from the stairway. This landing consists of jarrah
beams and leads to the half glass door to the kitchen area. There is a stove in the north
western corner next to a single sink. The kitchen area leads to a passage into the bath
room (Adelaide City Archives, plan 5405) (appendix 19). There are no previous plans
available of the interior in the premises, and it is therefore not possible to see the changes
that have been made.
Yvonne Nowland
9
Most recent alterations to 235A Rundle Street
The most recent alterations to the premises at 235A Rundle Street have been made in
1994, after fire damage had occurred. The most extensive changes to the building were
made earlier in the late1980s, when the ‘Miss Gladys Sym Choon & Emporium’ fashion
house was established (Chappel 2005).
At present, the building comprises of the whole block containing no 235A, from Rundle
Street at the front to the rear lane at the back. The whole of the building is two stories
high, with the original restored balcony at the Rundle Street end and sliding aluminium
doors at the back lane. There is a large window at the back wall facing the lane on the
first floor (Fielder 1994, plan 9421-A05©).
At street level the entrance has been left in its original shape, however, the floor tiles
have been replaced and the walls in the display windows have been plastered and
restored. A display area at the entrance of the shop has been placed in the middle, over
the stairs leading to the basement. A few steps lead up to the main shop area that includes
another display area with the shop register on the right side, and the stairs leading to the
mezzanine on the left side. A wall has been built to enclose the existing toilet and
bathroom, and it also serves for display shelving. The rest of the ground floor is open
with displays along the walls and movable displays within the space. There are curtained
changing cubicles along the back of the building (Fielder 1994, plan 9421-A05©).
Yvonne Nowland
10
The stairs at the ground floor lead up to a mezzanine display area. This area is on the
north side of the building, incorporating two changing cubicles and leading to the large
window at the front of the building. This display window is above the entrance under the
veranda roof, and it exhibits historic Chinese objects that were recovered during
restoration (Fielder 1994, plan 9421-A05©).
Steps from the mezzanine floor lead along the western wall to the first floor of the
building. It is an open space with no dividing walls. It is open at the stairway, as well as
further south above the centre of the shop. This open area is encased with a glass
balustrade and allows a view down to the ground floor. On both sides of the interior fire
rated walls have been installed. These walls cover approximately half the length of the
upper floor. On the northern side a structurally unsound fireplace has been removed, and
a door is leading onto the balcony (Fielder 1994, plan 9421-A05 ©)
The roof has been replaced with zincalume roof sheeting. The roof construction was built
on an angle from one side-wall to the other, and a gutter to collect rainwater has been
placed along the lower side of the roof. On the higher side of the roof the wall has been
extended (Fielder 1994, plan 9421-A06(B).
Discussion:
Yvonne Nowland
11
The building at 235A Rundle Street has undergone substantial changes during its
existence. As it is one in a row of terraces, the width of the building has not changed, but
the length and height have been altered. According to Cowell’s building plan from 1933,
all the terraces had a toilet block on the back wall on the outside. This same toilet
position still exists in today’s modernised fashion shop, but it is now situated within the
building, at the centre next to the western wall. The position of the fireproof room, that
was within the detached store-room of the 1930’s has been pointed out to me by the
present proprietor to be in the open space display area. The distinct display windows at
the entrance are still in the original shape and form, including the chrome frames. The
board above the entrance, which featured a pagoda and dragon design, has been changed
to a clear glass window for exhibition display. The premises on the eastern side, that
belonged to Gordon and featured an identical shop front, had been altered in 1960,
according to the ‘Rate Assessment Book’. The building containing the ‘Miss Gladys Sym
Choon & Emporium’ fashion house represents a part of South Australian history that
includes the early building of the South Australian business community, the busy life at
the East end Fruit and Produce Market, the Chinese people in Adelaide, and also, the
courage and flamboyance of Gladys, the first Chinese business woman in Rundle Street.
Problems:
Problems were encountered during the research process. Government documents, such as
early ‘Certificates of Titles’ were difficult to understand. The language of these
documents, as well as the content, were sometimes unclear. The meaning was not always
Yvonne Nowland
12
understood. Research into archival records is a time consuming process, and time
management has been a problem. This was partly due to inexperience in applying
systematic research methods. The dates, concerning access of material, meetings and the
general development of the project, were not always immediately recorded (appendix
20), and therefore sometimes lost. Time was wasted in looking for material in the wrong
places, or asking the wrong questions. Oral history has provided information that may
have closed some gaps in story lines, however, the back up of documents is always
needed for an accurate record. Better planing of the required research method would have
brought better results. The project provided a valuable learning experience that
demonstrated the importance of time management, lateral thinking and organization.
Yvonne Nowland
13