Box, Ameera (Ala Mahomed Rhattamulla)

DESCRIPTION

NameBox, Ameera (Ala Mahomed Rhattamulla)OccupationStore KeeperPlace of ResidenceAlbion ParkBiographyAla Mahomed, also known as Charlie Ameera Box and Rhattamulla, was born in India in 1878.

He arrived in Australia in 1895 and eventually settled in Albion Park where he operated general store.

The store had a large verandah and its posts were used to tie up horses, sulkies and carthorses. Ameera sold jams, tomatoes, sauces and pickles, tinned meat, biscuits, paint, kerosene, porcelain, baths, stoves, furniture and more.

In 1914 Ameera married Ruby Anderson. The marriage was to last only a few years due to Ruby's death in 1920. In 1925, he retired from the store.

Ameera took part in many Albion Park Show's, in the 'buggy and pairs' class competition, and for several years won, with his pair of matching black ponies which were hard to beat. One year, the judge awarded first prize to a competitor who had one white and one black horse. In protest, Ameera walked down to his shop, put one black, and one white shoe on, walked back up to the judge at the showground and said, ‘now, have I got a pair of shoes on?’ Apparently, the judge was unmoved (Martin, Jack 2005, Tongarra Tales, Tongarra Heritage Society).

Ameera sold his shop when he retired, and spent his last days in hospital in Sydney. He had cancer of the spine and died in 1945, leaving his estate, including several properties, to a relative in India. Although his age was unknown, it was believed he was about 90 years old when he died in 1945.

Information - Zofia Laba, Migration Heritage Project, Wollongong.

External LinkAmeera Box's Buggy Ponies 1908Ameera Box's Trixie and Teddie 1908The Show Season Opens at Albion Park 1908Albion Park Buggy Accident 1909Buggy Accident 1909South Coast Agricultural Union 1911Disqualification of Ameera Box 1911Ameera Box Store 1915Death Ruby Box 1920Inquiry - Death of Mrs Box 1920Insulting Words 1926Box Boxes On - Albion Park Feud 1926Magisterial Inquiry 1928Ameera Box Store 1931Albion Park Court 1932Eva Alma Clark vs Ameera Box 1932Alma Clarke Acquitted 1932Lost Caste When Married White Girl 1936Obituary 1945

Photograph

Object

Organisation

View of floodwaters in Albion Park from the balcony of the Commercial Hotel, c.1945.

Ameera Box's store is across the road.

CONNECTIONS

CollectionPeopleLocalityAlbion ParkOrganisationMigration Heritage ProjectRelated ItemView of floodwaters in Albion Park from the Commercial Hotel

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Box, Ameera (Ala Mahomed Rhattamulla)