History about the shop...
Prominent Smiths Mill citizen Ben Pittersen was born in Norway and came
to Western Australia from Victoria. In 1888, he married widow Hannah Stribley (nee Heard) and they had three sons Norman, Stanley and Harold, who attended the local school. Only Stanley survived World War I whilst the names of the other two brothers are recorded on the Mundaring War Memorial (Site 42). Hannah died about 1918, and after a disastrous re-marriage, Ben Pittersen committed suicide in August 1921 by jumping off the Guildford Bridge.
Ben Pittersen’s timber grocery store in Railway Parade opened in 1896, and was replaced in 1920, by the brick building which forms the core of the present day Smiths Mill Restaurant. During his time at Smiths Mill, Ben was active in the community. In 1902, he was one of 3 trustees appointed to oversee the provision of a sports’ ground. This was opened in April 1903. In May 1903, he and W.H. McGlew were elected as Smiths Mills’ representatives on the inaugural Greenmount Road Board. Ben Pittersen represented the area for nearly 17 years and was Chairman from 1908 to 1909. Although there have been alterations to the store, both the original roof line and the former loading bay doors are discernible on the Railway Parade elevation.
Thank you to Laura South for sending in the great photo!
Information courtesy of the Shire of Mundaring
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