Ditchfield's grocery store

J. P. Ditchfield's grocery store was a business in Redan, <1878-1930>.

Location
The store is on the corner of Skipton, Drummond and Darling Streets, Redan. It is currently the Redan Post Office.

History
In October 1878, Ditchfield was called as a witness in a case of alleged rape. The licensee of the Redan Club Hotel told him that she had been assaulted and raped by a customer. Ditchfield told her to go straight to the Redan Police Station and report it.

The store was robbed in September 1900: "Yesterday Detective Armstrong and Constable Hooley arrested a boy named Albert Flowers on a charge of larceny of tobacco and cigars from the premises of Mr Ditchfield, Redan, on the 5th inst. Flowers will this morning appear at the City Court in company with another lad named Charles Milner, who was arrested some days ago for the same offence, and is now on bail. Flowers confessed to having committed the robbery and led the police to a house near the Redan Racecourse, beneath which several of the stolen articles were discovered." "Albert Flowers, the youth who was arrested by Detective Armstrong and Constable Hooley on a charge of being concerned in the robbery from Ditchfield’s store at Redan, was remanded to appear on the 14th, in company with Charles Milner, who was arrested on the same charge."

J. P. Ditchfield promoted Dr. Sheldon's cough mixtures, and wrote testimonials for advertising purposes. These were published in various newspapers and magazines, including the Age, the Bulletin, and the Broken Hill Barrier Miner: "Mr. J. P. Ditchfield, Grocer, corner Skipton and Drummond streets, Ballarat, writes as follows:— 'Can heartily recommend DR. SHELDON'S NEW DISCOVERY for COUGHS, COLDS and CONSUMPTION. 'I have used it in my own home, and found it very effective, and my customers speak of it in the highest terms.' Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery is sold everywhere at 1/6 and 3/.— (Advt.)"