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White's Shoes archive

Identifier(s): MS 16378

 Collection

Content Description

The collection contains the business records of White's Shoes, and family papers covering three generations of the White family. It includes a large collection of family photographs showing portraits of various family members, the family's homes, travels and sporting interests (yachting and golf), photographs of staff at work in the factory at Cromwell Street, Collingwood, and store fronts and window displays of the various White's Shoes stores. Includes a genealogy, published in 2012.

Dates

  • 1870-2012

Creator

  • White family (Family)

Biographical / Historical

Arriving in Australia, from Great Britain in 1864, Richard Henry White began his business of supplying boots and shoes to the people of Victoria. Within a few years, he had established a three-storey boot factory in the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, producing around 4500 pairs of boots a week. By 1873 there were seven retail outlets of White's Shoes. When the Fitzroy factory burnt down in 1914, manufacturing moved to a renovated warehouse in Cromwell Street Collingwood. By 1926 the company owned 34 retail shops, and Roy White formed a public company, R White & Son Limited. By the time the company was sold to the British shoe firm, Clarks, it had grown to 61 stores, scattered throughout the eastern states of Australia. The family lived in the Melbourne suburbs of Brighton and Toorak, holidayed on their property in Sorrento and owned a number of yachts over the years, some of which were entered in races. The family contributed to milestone events in the history of yachting in Australia when in 1878 Richard Henry White built the largest yacht for its time in Victoria, (the May Queen).

Extent

2.8 linear metres (20 boxes)

Language

English

General note

Genealogical and historical notes provided by the donor.

Creator

  • White family (Family)
  • White, Richard Henry, 1840-1909 (Person)
  • White, Roy Alfred, 1882-1954 (Person)
  • White, Richard William (Dick), 1917-1984 (Person)
Title
Guide to the White's Shoes archive
Status
Completed
Dates
2022
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository details

Part of the Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library Victoria Repository

Contact:
328 Swanston Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
03 8664 7002