(Material researched & presented by Barbara Armstrong)

By 1892, Wigg & Co were operating as homœopathic chemists in Perth, at Howick Street.

Later that same year they advertised that they had moved from Howick Street to Hay Street, opposite Messrs G & EC Shenton’s, and that in future the business would be under the supervision of Mr A. Tilly, a member of the firm. For a while, however, the business continued under its original name of Wigg & Co.

The head office of Wigg’s was actually in Adelaide. When Wigg retired in 1892 his homœopathic chemist businesses were sold to Charles Radcliffe, who subsequently joined up with Arthur Lindsey Tilly to form Radcliffe and Tilly.

Advertisement in 1895-1896

From late 1894 the business started advertising as Radcliffe and Tilly (late Wigg & Co). The post office directory for 1895-1896 included a listing for Radcliffe and Tilly (late Wigg & Co) homœopathic and dispensing chemist, at Hay Street, Perth, between Barrack Street and William Street.  

The 1897 post office directory listing had an entry for Radcliffe and Tilly at 117 Hay Street, Perth. There were also entries for Charles Radcliffe and Arthur Lindsay Tilly at that address. An early advertisement for that year announced that they had move to premises next to E.C. Shenton & Co, directly opposite their old premises.

Advertisement in 1898

The post office directory for 1898 included an entry for Radcliffe and Tilly at 504 Hay Street.  There was also an entry in the 1899 directory.

Wise’s Western Australian Post Office Directory of 1905 listed two homœopathic pharmacies, both operated by A.L. Tilley, dispensing and homœopathic chemist “(late Radcliffe and Tilly)”. Both pharmacies were in Hay Street, one at number 330, and the other at number 504. The entry for the latter included a statement that Tilly was also a “photographic merchant”, and had a telephone number of 181. He also operated from Northam.

According to the Cyclopaedia of Western Australia 1912-1913, Tilly, along with E. Parry, was on the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society. Mr Tilley was President of the organisation. Arthur Tilly died in 1947.

© Barbara Armstrong