Glimpses of Old Melbourne: Richmond Industrial Zones

Richmond Melbourne - industries old and newer. Photos from 2013-2014 to be reposted and years up to 2020 to be posted in July.

Those photographed and some of the first on this blog in 2013 were VitaNut Spread (now apartments) cnr Church and Balmain; Alexanders Clothing (now CBA and some small shops) cnr Church and Bridge; Marathon Sportswear ( rebuild has removed sign) beside railway parallel to Swan, Rich-SouthYarra Burnley and Tyre Centre above shops, north east corner of Swan and Lennox. To lead in to these signs I have a sign which used to be on an old grain store advertisement. Posting it here to focus briefly on the signwriter. It was done by Setford Bros who had a long standing business in Richmond. Most of sign now obscured by the wall of a carpark to recently built apartments called Cubo, just down Coppin from Bridge Rd.

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Walters Motor Vans off Elizabeth St Richmond near Hoddle and Victoria - photo 2013

Tyre Centre Swan/Lennox Cnr 2018

Longer View to North East

                           

Hersch's Tailors Lennox St Richmond near Richmond Terrace

Having lived in Tanner St not far from this tailor's store it has been, and to some extent still is a window to the past. Found some photos from 2013 when more was in the window. It also has its street number in the door by way of wrought iron and attractive typeface.

Alex Barfoot Surgical Footwear

Alex Barfoot Shoes (continued) - Progress of Research

Got some great assistance by Local History person at East Melbourne Library. Seems this shoe company was in the Little Collins St vicinity from at least 1948 to 1974 per Sands& Mc Dougall. There were also newspaper advertisements for Barfoot, one of which is shown below and sourced from Trove. This is from 1947

Sands & McDougall entry for 1947 (1974 entry was the same except for address change to 29 Ridgeway Place in 1974)

Shakespeare Hotel Exhibition St Melbourne

Shakespeare Hotel Exhibition St Melbourne City

Currently researching the origins of this hotel
and note the cost of a room at 3 pence per night way back compared to $17 per day for early bird
parking around 2013.

Malcolm Reid Furnishings Bourke St Melbourne

Malcolm Reid Furnishings Bourke St City

Davis Music House Russell St Melbourne

Davis Music House Russell St Melbourne

             

Alex Barfoot Shoe Repairs, in Little Collins St near Spring

This is a wonderful sign that catches the eye due to its colour and unusual subject matter. It is quite near the famous and exclusive Melbourne Club which itself has a long history. As yet I know little about Alex Barfoot and his company but I am researching it.

Industrial Traces - Melbourne Inner Suburbs

Industrial Traces-general background theme commenced September 2015 

 INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH re Faded Signs was planned and started for this site in 2015 and also for my part in Melbourne Ghost Signs Facebook page.

Working on grouping of my signs/historical interests by area and related businesses/communities. Some examples of "industrial and retailing critical mass groupings" from 19&20th centuries Melbourne are:


1. Abbotsford - Tanning, Brick making Leather and Wool, Breweries and Food Production around Victoria Street Abbotsford between Burnley and Church streets- backing on to Yarra river. Key reference: Collingwood Historical Society Walk

2. Richmond - Heavy equipment production, matches, food, shoes, clothing and textiles, yeast, breweries, church organs, metal fabrication. Key Reference: Hard Yakka, Richmond Historical Society etc.,

3. Collingwood and Fitzroy - Textiles, Wool Products conversion, Confectionery, large scale merchandising and distribution of clothes and furniture

4. Hawthorn - Brick-making, Home Preserving Bottling Kits, Department Store, Carriage production

5. Prahran and Surrounds - Biscuit, Cakes and Bread manufacture and distribution

Some of the well known company and brand names I intend to focus on are MacRobertsons, Foy and Gibson, Phoenix Biscuits, Pelaco, Alexanders, Rosella, Bryant and May, Maples, Moran&Cato ----- the list is almost endless but the aim is to demonstrate how the social fabric of the times was heavily influenced by the companies that employed and sometimes housed people.


I have started with Richmond today and have some Abbotsford places to follow. They are shown in Pages listed top right and I also have a link there to Guildford Lane in Melbourne City.