Dales's drapery

Dale's drapery was a shop in Redan,. It was operated by a Mr. and Mrs. Dale.

Location
The robbery report of 1886 places the business on the corner of Skipton Street and Darling Street. This site is now the Redan Post Office - on the other corners were the Skipton Street Methodist Church, the Redan Club Hotel, and a brick warehouse/barn used by the Ballaarat Tramway Company.

History
The shop was robbed in April 1886: "A CLEVER CAPTURE. Yesterday afternoon two ruffianly-looking fellows, bearing the names of George Wilson and Charles Rutherford, aged 21 and 22 years respectively, entered the shop of Mr Dale; draper, at the corner of Skipton and Darling streets, and requested to be shown some silk handkerchiefs. Mrs Dale, who was alone, complied with the request, when the apparent purchasers said they wanted red ones. Mrs Dale said she had none in stock and left the shop for a moment, but upon her return she found one of the men behind the counter near the till, which contained some loose cash. She immediately ordered both of them out, but, upon their departure, missed some studs, whereupon she followed the prisoners as far as the Redan police station, and gave information to Constable Brennan. The thieves had by this time decamped, but upon the direction they had taken being indicated to the constable he, accompanied by Constable Taylor, started in pursuit, tracing the fugitives to the rear of the Band and Albion office, from whence they ran across the mullock heaps near by. The police were, however, too fleet, and succeeded in capturing their quarry near the site of the Catholic school, after a smart chase. A determined resistance was offered by both men, who fought desperately to escape. Constables Brennan and Taylor, however, stuck valiantly to their men, and succeeded in lodging them in the Redan look-up. Prior to this, however, they were viewed by Mrs Dale, who identified them as the robbers, whereupon they again endeavored to escape. Constables Brennan and Taylor (remarks our local correspondent) cannot be too highly eulogised for their plucky and prompt arrest of the men. That they did not intend to purchase silk handkerchiefs was verified by the fact that upon being searched the prisoners had but one shilling in their possession. During the chase the studs were thrown away, but were ultimately discovered."