Alexander's slaughter house
50 Oakover Road Preston
William Alexander opened his slaughter yards in Oakover Road Preston in 1896. Like all businesses located in Oakover Road, the supply of running water from the Bullen Drain was an important element in the location of a site. It was one of a cluster of small industrial buildings stabled between St. Georges Road and Austral Avenue.
By the turn of the century George Alexander had succeeded William in the business. In 1901 the Board of Health notified the Preston Council that as a result of an inspection of slaughter houses in Preston, they were recommended the closure of six sites. Alexander's premises was one of them.
The outraged proprietors of the businesses appealed to Council against what they felt was an arbitrary decision by the Board of Health, especially as they had invested much money in the construction and improvements to their premises. The Council agreed that they were entitled to be given the opportunity to improve their premises to meet the Board of Health requirements.
The following year Mr. G. S. Cameron of the Board of Public Health visited the condemned sites and passed them all due to improvements. The one exception being Alexander's as work was still being undertaken to improve the buildings.
In 1905 Albert Alexander was fined with 'exercising their worldly calling on the Lord's day.' In other words killing a cow on Sunday. In their defence, Alexander and local butcher John Hawse claimed that the cow had fallen and injured its lets and the killing was an act of mercy. The Meat Inspector for Preston Council, E. J. Sullivan had examined the carcase and his evidence supported the case for the slaughter man and the butcher.
The slaughter yards remained in Alexander's hands until the early 1940s when H. Townsend took over. The site was later absorbed into the Hutton's small goods factory.
'Sunday work prosection'. (1905, October 10.) The Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854 - ), p.4
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne and Suburban Directory 1864- 1974. [Microfiche]. (1974). Melbourne, Australia: Sands & McDougall