Over about five years I have found two excellent signs that reveal a long heritage in rubber products and signage in Australia. The signs have been related to car tyres but a publication has reminded me that rubber use extends to personal items such as waterproof clothing.
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| Sign from Commercial Rd Armadale |
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| Cnr Tooronga and Malvern Rds East Malvern |
Full wording is " Perdriau Balloon Tyres". Garage is heritage listed but sign is fading fast. I'll post pictures taken more than 5 years ago to show the contrast.
Henry Perdriau (1845-1935), rubber merchant and manufacturer, was born on 6 December 1845 at Balmain, Sydney. His family was English and of French Hugenot origin. His father arrived in Australia in the 1830's and was prominent in steam boat traffic around Sydney Harbour. Henry worked his father's company but had also become involved in importing and cutting up bulk rubber for railway-carriage buffers. By 1888 Perdriau & Co. had agencies for many large English, German and American rubber firms and a large intercolonial trade for rubber goods for mechanical, agricultural, surgical, mining and general purposes. Perdriau Rubber Co. Ltd was formed on 16 April 1904 and Henry as chairman. In 1928-35, after the company amalgamated with the Dunlop Rubber Co. of Australasia Ltd, he was a director of Dunlop-Perdriau Rubber Co. Ltd.
Source: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Article by GP Walsh on Henry Perdrieu
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| Lovely Fashion Mackintoshes by Perdriau |
