After being absent for decades, an antique cream can, newly restored and painted has again appeared atop the premises of 83 Keen Street.

The cream can spent decades atop the building when it was the home of Sidney & Hacking Plumbing - and was a symbol to the local community that they could get their cream cans repaired there.

Now, the building is now the new home of Daleys Homewares and Monogramming, which is moving from its Woodlark Street location.

In a tale that spans generations, John Daley and Matthew Healy, owner of Daleys Homewares & Monogramming, are keeping the old stories alive – along with a piece of history from the Sidney & Hacking family business, which was founded in 1903.

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The cream can can be seen on top of the Sidney & Hacking shop c.1930 - and today.

“Repairing cream cans was one of Sidney & Hacking’s major operations,” John Daley said.

“The cans were always silver - they have a lead/tin coating over them and every couple of years they had to be recovered, inside and out.

“I think the first cream can was up on top of the shop in the 1930s. Then their business moved to south Lismore in about 1995 and they rented the Keen Street building to the Northern Star as offices - that’s when they took the cream can down.

“Sidney and Hacking were a large plumbing shop with 50 men working here - and it was here for a long time. The business is still going but this cream can is a link with the past. They were a fine family.”

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Matthew Healy, owner of Daleys, getting the new shop ready.

Sidney & Hacking history

Sidney & Hacking Plumbing was founded by Norman Sidney and Charles Hacking. Handed down the Sidney family from father to son, the business is currently owned by Andrew Sidney, great grandson of Norman. Today, Andrew's son Taylor, a trade certified plumber, makes the fifth generation of people to work in the family business.

John said Max Sidney – one of the previous owners of the business - is about 85 now and he is a twin.

“When Matthew bought this new shop building, I spoke to Max about it and Max asked if we would put the cream can back up,” John said.

“Max had saved it all this time, so we cleaned it up and painted it in Sidney and Hacking colours- silver, red and green. As far as we know it’s the original can.”

Matthew Healy said it was important to keep the historical connection to place, community and business alive.

“It’s been a part of Keen Street history for almost 100 years,” Matthew said. “Old families and stories will be forgotten if we don’t maintain them.

“We thought it was good to reinstate it, we are only 30 years old, but we are also a part of the landscape of Lismore. It’s a way we can keep the old stories alive in town.”

Monogramming

Matthew said the move to the new shop was a complex logistical exercise, as the large embroidery machines were heavy and needed to be winched out of the roof of the old shop on Woodlark Street.

“They are now in place in the new shop and working again,” he said.

Matthew said the old shop location will cease trading on Friday this week and will open the doors of the new shop location next Monday.

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