by 1887, jm headrick and andrew newton, operating as jm headrick & co, general merchants and importers, had moved their business to clewett's quay street building where they had taken up a seven year lease from 1 april 1887. newspaper advertisements from 1887 for john m headrick & co. identify the ship used to transport the company's goods, emphasising this local firm's direct links to suppliers overseas. prior to taking up the lease on clewett's property in 1887, jm headrick & co were situated in east street. the headrick family were strongly associated with business and civic interests in rockhampton, with john headrick snr commencing business as early as 1862.