Tenterfield, NSW - 1922 - Kytherian Cafe owner with his staff

Peter Tsicalas
on 07.05.2004

I’ll take a stab and say George Nick Combes is the squire occupying the throne and his standing acolytes are John Combes and James George and Theo Peter Georgopoulos. George Nick took over the Cordatos business in 1920, inheriting three wooden buildings, one of which he quickly knocked down to build the Cameo café. His second café, the Paragon, came later. His 15yr old brother, John Nick, joined him straight off the boat in late 1919. James George Poulos, who landed as a 13yr old in 1914, came to Tenterfield in 1921, remaining for 2yrs before moving to Goulburn in early 1923. Theo Peter Poulos, 16yrs old when he landed in 1914, came up from Casino in 1919, although it’s a guess that he was still there for this 1922 photo. He is probably the same Theodore Peter Georgopoulos who died 1923 Parkes. If you want to see some extraordinary Combes family research and technical computer wizardry go to http://www.tilemachos.com/ , http://www.tilemachos.com/mysite_22.htm , http://www.tilemachos.com/list_individ_en01.htm , http://www.tilemachos.com/tree/tree01.htm , http://www.tilemachos.com/tree/austral.htm . Telemachos Combes has traced nearly every descendant from the birth of the original Kytherian progenitor in 1701.

Peter Tsicalas
on 07.06.2004

Correction to above comment: George Nick Combes took over the Cordatos business next to the Exchange Hotel in 1920, inheriting three wooden buildings, one of which he quickly knocked down to build a brick café. In 1925, after a fire destroyed the other two remaining wooden buildings, he erected the Paragon Building, incorporating the brick café into a suite of three shops under one unifying façade. The salubrious Paragon café occupied the new centre shop, while the existing café next door on the northern side was relegated to a light refreshments cafe, known as the Regal Snack Bar at some stage. A little later he established or acquired the Cameo Café further north on Rouse Street. Theo Nick Georgopoulos took over the Paragon in the late 1930s. He died in 1943 and his wife (nee Erini Masselos) and family carried on the business until ~1946 when his nephew, Nick Con Mentis, took over upon return from WW2 service. Nick, born Baltimore, USA, married Mary Kepreotis of Werris Creek and together they ran the Paragon until 1977. They retired to Sydney in 1985, so ending the Kytherian presence at Tenterfield (leaving one other Greek who left in 1988.) John Nick Combes later had the Black and White and the Monterey cafés in Rouse Street, next door to the latter being The White Australia Café.

Rene Panagiotelis
on 23.01.2017

Cordato Bros are registered with NSW archives, a possibility: CORDATO BROTHERS Refreshment Room Keepers Fruiterers Confectioners & Tobacconists Rouse Street Tenterfield 31 Jul 1917 CORDATO, Jack; CORDATO, Constantine Chamberis - 28933 [2/8546] - CORDATO BROTHERS Fruiterers Confectioners & Refreshment Rooms Rouse Street Tenterfield 2 Jun 1919 COMBES, George; GEORGOPOULOS, Theodore - 32908 [2/8548] Rene Panagiotelis (nee Tortzopoulos)

Rene Panagiotelis
on 23.01.2017

Sorry didn't see Peter Tsicalas' detailed information before I posted above comment. Rene Panagiotelis