Williams the Shoemen on Wyndham St.
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Many would remember the Williams the Shoemen store on Wyndham St. The first Williams shoe store opened in Ballarat in 1864, and in the 1890s, the company had three stores in Ballarat and stores in Bendigo and Stawell. In later years, it had stores in most major towns and cities in Victoria and in a few other states of Australia.
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The oldest photo shows the staff standing outside the store in the 1930s with the manager, Cliff Gill, second from the right.
“Kevin McCoy, the young lad on the right, left school at 14 and worked at the shoe store for two years until gaining employment at the SPC can shop. His employment in the food processing industry freed him from enlistment obligations during World War II, but because his mates enlisted, he followed in 1942, aged 19.” — Thanks to Greg McCoy for this information and the photo.
“There was a little wooden cobbler that used to sit in the window of the shop in the ’50s/’60s era. Adults and kids alike loved watching his hammer going up and down as he mended the soul of a shoe.” (Margaret Marlow)
The 1971 News photo features staff with their retiring manager, Mr Gill, who had seen many fashion changes in footwear during the past half-century. He retired after 51 years of service for Williams the Shoemen. Forty-one years of that time was spent as manager at Shepparton. He is pictured with fellow employees on the eve of his retirement.
Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your pics of the past at pastpics@mmg.com.au
Cliff Gill retires from Williams the Shoemen in 1971. Pictured are Lyn Sutton, Maxine Zerbato, new manager Des Comline, Mr Gill, Betty Van Asperen, Jenny Kay and Gerald Beard.
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Williams the Shoemen’s animated Cobbler circa 1945.
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Williams the Shoemen staff in the 1930s.
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