b'After the First World WarThe burden of war weighed heavily on Australia and itsvirusarrived in 1919. Cecil Cowper, one of the five partners economy. Before the First World War the Australian economyof the firm, was struck by the deadly virus and taken to was highly dependent on the export of wool, wheat andhospital. He died within two days. To recover from the loss minerals. Disruption to shipping during the war significantlyof Cowper, the firm employed experienced lawyer Minton impacted exports. This was coupled with a severe drought,Taylor to support Hemsley, who was managing most of the which saw wheat production fall from 100 million bushelsfirms legal work. in 1914 to less than 25 million bushels the following year. The mining industry also suffered with the collapse ofThe Bank of New South Wales continued to be the firmsmetal prices after the war. These disruptions caused muchkey commercial client after the First World War. As economic hardship, and saw the beginning of the transition Australian manufacturing expanded, new clients were of the Australian economy from primary production welcomed, including Australian Iron and Steel, Howard to manufacturing. Smith, Caledonian Collieries and the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company. Personal estate work, which had When the staff of Allen Allen & Hemsley returned from thealways been a large part of the firms portfolio, became war, the office had relocated to the corner of Castlereaghless prominent, especially after the introduction of the Street and Hosking Place. Arthur Allen had purchased theConveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), which simplified thisAthenaeum Club building and renamed it Wigram House.area of work. Feeling it was undignified for a law firm to be located at street level, Arthur let the ground floor to retail businesses.A number of new partners were appointed to the firm At one point the shop directly under Alfred Hemsleys officeduring the 1920s. They included cousins Denis, Dundas was rented to a fishmonger. The smell of the fish seepedand Richard Allen, none of whom showed great interest in into Hemsleys room with a stench so strong he was forcedlegal work. Richard left the firm two years later for a career to declare that either the fish must go, or he would. Arthurin stockbroking, joining the broking firm Patrick R Levy (later spent thousands of pounds installing vents, fans and ductsPatrick Partners), which became a client of the firm. Though to send the offensive odours to the back of the building.Denis and Dundas remained at the firm for many years, Hemsley stayed.their real passion developed during the war was flying planes. Norman Cowper (son of Cecil Cowper) also becameNo sooner had the war come to an end and the soldiersa partner during this time and supported Hemsley and returned home than the world was hit by the devastatingTaylor with the legal work, maintaining the firmsSpanish flu, which killed more than fifty million peoplepre-eminent reputation.worldwide. Despite Australias quarantine efforts, the No sooner had the war come to an end and the soldiers returnedhome than the world was hit by the devastating Spanish flu,which killed more than fifty million people worldwide.100'