Obviously of a French derivation, the name in Tamworth traces back to Jacques (later James) Thibault, who was born in Marseilles in France, migrating at age 18 to Port Phillip in Victoria in 1858.

On arrival he changed his name from Jacques to James. After gold-seeking in Port Curtis/Rockhampton, Murrurundi and Grafton, his connection with Tamworth was soon to come when he then sought gold at Bowling Alley Point.

This led to his marriage in Nundle in 1865 to Isabella MacPherson, the couple moving to Tamworth in 1869, where James worked for Lewis Bros in their 'Tamworth House' Peel St store.

He was also involved with horses and stabling in West Tamworth.

During 1875 James bought land from John Barnes, who had purchased it in the first 1851 land sales at the corner of Ebsworth and Bridge (then known as our other Peel St).

Erecting a storage shed on the corner, a little further up the rise he set about erecting a small general store.

Many older residents (like me!) would still refer to this as "Thibault's Corner", now occupied by Gasweld Tool Centre (see photo).

James became active in community affairs, being one of the early initiators in 1881 for the establishment of the nearby West Tamworth Primary School.

During 1900 Thibault's Store was largely rebuilt, being expanded to include the previous storage shed allotment, being described as "a long colonial style building".

James Thibault then built his residence between the Store and the Woolpack Inn, which stood on the site of the present KFC in Bridge Street.

The expansion enabled the addition of drapery, footwear and hardware to the Store's merchandise.

Thibault's were the first storekeepers in Tamworth to use a motor lorry for deliveries, an old Ford with solid rubber tyres.

Unfortunately, the highly respected James Thibault died suddenly at age 64 in his Store on June 15, 1904. His children at the time were Wilhelma (36), Gustave (33), Margaret (31), Andrew (29), William Honore (27) and Kenneth (25). Of these, William Honore Thibault left a significant Tamworth legacy, after working in his father's store until the early 1900's.

He had considerable property holdings in and around Tamworth, was very prominent in civic affairs between 1917 and 1940, and was 11 times Mayor of Tamworth.

Prior to World War I Andrew Thibault was reputed to be one of the best horsemen in Australia, being a champion buckjumper, with no record of him ever being bucked off a horse.

For some years he would give buckjumping exhibitions on vacant ground in Fitzroy Street, where the Police Station is now located.

Gustave Thibault succeeded his father as General Manager of the Store, continuing the Store's expansion. In his younger days he had been a prominent local cyclist, winning a 15.5km handicap road race in 1986 from the Court House Hotel to Moore Creek and back.

When Gustave retired from the Store's management in 1944 he appointed his son Vince Thibault as Governing Director of the Thibault business.

Under Vince's management, in 1948 a new frontage plus extra windows were added to the building.

During 1970, following the growth of supermarkets, Thibault's Store discontinued all of its food lines, concentrating on the sale of hardware, building supplies and paint.

In 1978 Thibaults Pty Ltd bought the considerably altered Royal Oak Hotel next door in Ebsworth Street, which dated back to 1851.

The then Director, Noel Thibault, son of Vince Thibault, demolished the old hotel building to make way for a parking lot that also provided an alternative rear entrance into Thibault's Store.

This is the spacious carpark adjacent to Gasweld Tool Centre, now also containing a takeaway coffee outlet.

Noel Thibault became Governing Director upon his father Vince's death in 1982.

There were further extensive building additions and alterations during 1984/85.

To avoid possible future flood damage following the severe 1984 flood, there were no windows in the Ebsworth Street frontage.

In October, 1989 Noel Thibault sold the 114-year-old family business, the site then trading as 'Hardwarehouse', later 'Bunning's Warehouse', and now 'Gasweld Tool Centre'.

Noel's oldest son Warren currently operates a solicitor's practice in Tamworth, while his younger son Paul, a former vice-captain of Tamworth High School, moved into a medical career in Newcastle.

Thibault's business had survived two major depressions, numerous Tamworth floods and a number of severe droughts.

In honour of the Thibault name we now have a Thibault Street running off Goonoo Goonoo Road along the side of the Red Hill Motel.

An impressive tall vertical Thibault's sign is now located at the back of Calala Cottage, headquarters of the Tamworth Historical Society.

These local history articles appear in the Northern Daily Leader every Wednesday.