Rose Breeder  

Listing last updated on Wed Aug 2024

Henley Beach Road,
Brooklyn Park, South Australia 5032
Australia

From Years of Endeavour by Rob Swinbourne
p65 Towards the end of the 1920s Keith Copas left the family business and joined with James White in a partnership which was to only last a couple of years, ending with White's death. Keith then established himself in his own right, about 1930.

p102 Towards the end of the 1920s James ('Jim') White and Keith ('Joe') Copas joined forces as White and Copas, Rose growers and Nurserymen......White and Copas started trading fully by 1928, and the partnership continued for a couple of years until the untimely death of Jim White. They conducted their business at Brooklyn Park and traded extensively [in] roses.

p103 After the death of Jim White, Keith Copas continued trading as Copas Rose Nursery at the site on Henley Beach Road, Brooklyn Park. Commencement of trading for this business is dated from 1930.

p108 As the 1930s period arrives so we find other changes and new nurseries emerging.
About this time, and following the death of his partner, Keith Copas commenced trading in his own right at Henley Beach Road, Brooklyn Park. Keith, also known as 'Joe' to his many friends, came from a long line of nurserymen, whose family had operated nurseries in South Australia since 1876. He was well known as a rose grower and exhibitor as well as a judge of the plants.
He traded under the name of K. Copas, Rose Grower, and soon built up a very extensive clientel. As time went by it became evident that with the expanding business, more area was needed, so Keith moved his nursery to Briar Road, Payneham, during the 1940s, where he had at least a couple of acres of roses near the 'Eureka Nursery'. By the mid 50s he again found it necessary to move the nursery to Second Avenue, Klemzig, where he was to remain for a while. In the 1960s his official address was given as 404 Henley Beach Road, Lockleys, trading in wholesale and retail. The business during the early 1960s became referred to as Copas' Rose Nursery once again, and mid 1960s was registered as Copas Rose Nursery Pty. Ltd., wholesale rosegrowers and importers of new varieties. By this time the Nursery was operating from Main North Road, Parafield and was the largest Rose Nursery in Australia. Keith died in August 1975 and the business ceased.

The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens edited by R. Aitken & M. Looker
p160. Keith Copas (1904-1975)