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44. 418 Grand:
A Cut Above Fish ‘N Chips
Originally a butcher shop belonging to Thomas E.
Donnelly, early town councillor and mayor of Indian
Head for the 1910 – 1911 term, 418 Grand was built
in 1896. It later became a private residence, until it was
purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John Hunter, who turned it
into Hunter’s Tea Room.
According to the Indian Head history book, the
Donnellys and the Hunters had more than a building in
common. First there was farming—Thomas Donnelly
(and son Thomas) first settled in what became the Sunny
South School District, and Thomas senior is credited
with naming the district. John Hunter also had a farm—
west of town.
Hunter was also a builder. According to his biography
in the history book, he “played an important part in
building the town of Indian Head” (p. 465). Among
his construction credits is St. Andrew’s United Church
(1907). Donnelly was a builder in another sense, a
strong supporter of agricultural enterprises such as the
Qu’Appelle Valley Agricultural Society, formed in 1884.
Tea made way in time to more hearty fare, and a man
known as “Dad” Harman turned the building into a fish
and chips shop. Apparently the menu included more than
just fish and chips. After all, the staff of the municipal
office lunched there, and they were presumably “a cut
above” fish ‘n chips.
More recently, the compact buff-coloured brick
building was converted back to apartments. AK
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