End of an era as Logan family exits furniture business after 136 years

Narrabri has marked the end of an era following the sale of the long-established Logan & Co, operating as Furniture Court and Beds R Us in more recent years, a mainstay on Maitland Street for more than a century.

Generations of the Logan family have been involved in the furniture business, which traces its beginnings to the family’s arrival in Narrabri around 1890.

Emigrating from Scotland, the Logans first called Moree home before establishing themselves in Narrabri with a furniture and joinery works at the back of 88 Maitland Street.

The Narrabri West sawmill in its later years.

The family has also operated a timber mill and a hardware store, still provides funeral services across the North West, and in later years has expanded into retailing electrical products.

John Logan, great-grandfather of current Narrabri businessman Tim Logan, brought his young family to make a life in Australia.

John died in 1899, and the family continued to develop the successful businesses in the North West.

Henry, John’s son and Tim’s grandfather, was particularly involved in the exciting business growth period in the early 1900s.

The funeral business started in Narrabri in 1901 and then Moree in 1927.

The Logan family would later expand into Goondiwindi many years later.

Taken in front of Logan’s Furniture Store in 1913: left, Heather Logan, third from left Henry Logan, young Harry Logan in front, and Tom Logan, second from right.

Henry was a prominent figure in Narrabri, so much so his obituary in the North Western Courier in 1945 read that “his name was synonymous with any move designed for the advancement of Narrabri and the district”.

He built up an extensive list of involvement with local organisations and had served as an alderman with the Narrabri Municipal Council.

Tim’s father, Bob, and uncle, Harry, also played important roles with the family business from early in their adulthood.

Harry was sent up to Moree to manage the family’s business interests there while Bob’s focus was firmly on Narrabri.

Like his father, Bob was heavily involved in community life and was a respected figure.

He was one of the charter members of the Rotary Club of Narrabri in 1946.

Tim proudly continues the family’s involvement in Rotary and was this year awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for his contributions to the club and community.

Like the generations of Logans before him, Tim has also maintained a keen interest in the advancement of Narrabri and the broader district.

Tim remembers fondly the glory days of the family business, particularly when the timber mill was in operation, first in Fitzroy Street and then in Narrabri West from around 1974.

Timber initially came from Mount Kaputar and would be brought down using draught horses.

“It was such an effort getting down off Kaputar,” Tim said.

“The draught horses would pull the logs around. They were heavy, hardwood.”

Pictured in front of Logan’s Furniture store in the early 1940s: back, Jock Logan, Jim Richardson, Jim Hardman, George Peno, A. Heagney, S. Peno; front, Bert Hedley, Albert Holliday (was funeral director), Muriel Logan, Henry Logan (patriarch), J. Macare, Rob Miller (who became sawmill manager) and Earl Jenkins.

The wood would be later sourced from the Pilliga Forest, however a state government shutdown of the local forestry industry brought devastating consequences to local sawmill businesses – including the Logans – and to the communities that relied so heavily on the industry including Pilliga, Gwabegar and Baradine.

“There had been about five or six sawmills operating in the area,” Tim said.

“The town is still reeling from the loss of that industry.”

Tim also recalls the great impact of the joinery works on the family’s business interests.

“The joinery here was big. We had 15 to 20 men working there at one stage,” he said.

The joinery enjoyed a great reputation and supplied materials to infrastructure and community projects across a broad area.

The various details of all the family businesses is kept in many records now held by Tim.

With another step taken towards retirement, Tim wants to have time to go through the extensive records and is particularly interested to compile a list of the employees who worked for the Logans across the years.

Across the family’s history in business, it would have employed hundreds of locals.

While the family’s interests in furniture retail have been sold, the Logans continue to operate neighbouring Bi-Rite as well as Logan Funerals.

The Narrabri West sawmill in its later years.

Tim has expressed his gratitude to the shire community for supporting the Logan family.

“We have had generations of some families do business with us,” Tim said.

Tim also encouraged people to continue to support local businesses.

“People need to support our local businesses or we won’t have them,” he said.

“We need the money to stay here in our community.”

Tim encouraged people to look to Narrabri businesses, instead of other locations including Tamworth as well as online.

“If we shop locally, it will keep the town vibrant,” he said.

The legacy of the Logan family will continue through the naming of Logan Street, near the railway station, and with Logan cabin in Mount Kaputar National Park.