Presentation for "History for Historians."
Transcript: As part of this remodelling, the store expanded its selection of goods, offered seasonal sales, and issued regular catalogues—business practices still used by companies like Myer and David Jones. By the early twentieth century it sold everything from confectionary to clothing, offered a regional delivery service, and even manufactured some items locally. During this period, Foy & Gibson expanded their operations to Perth (1895), Prahran (1902), Brisbane (1903) and Adelaide (1907). The company was sold in 1955 to Cox Brothers, before closing entirely in 1968. Yet many of its buildings remain as landmarks in Collingwood. Prices variations or shortages? Discussion The first catalogue we have is for the winter and spring of 1913. Note that the prices are given for all items; including imported goods, such as cayenne pepper. The former Foy & Gibson factory and stable complex, on Oxford St in Collingwood. The significance of the catalogues Yet somewhat surprisingly, most goods remained available in the second Foy & Gibson catalogue, dating from the winter of 1918. At this point, the war was in its fourth year, having cost millions of lives and untold billions of pounds sterling. But besides the absence of prices for most items, the war appears to have had little effect on the availability of consumer goods. The outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 caused tremendous disruption to the world economy. Despite her remoteness, Australia was not exempt from this disruption. The nation was, at that time, strongly linked to British international trade. Indeed, it was significant that the Prime Minister Andrew Fisher pledged not only Australia’s last man, but also her last shilling to the defence of Britain—the burden placed upon the nation was to be not merely human, but material. As such, it might be expected that shortages or price rises of goods, due to disruptions to their manufacture or transit, might be reflected in Foy & Gibson's catalogues. Collingwood Historical Society, “Former Foy & Gibson factory buildings.” 2011. http://www.collingwoodhs.org.au/index.php?p=2_3 (accessed 26 May 2013). Dyster, Barrie and David Meredith. Australia in the Global Economy: Continuity and Change. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Foy & Gibson Pty Ltd, "Autumn and winter catalogue, no. 44, 1913," Foy & Gibson Collection. The University of Melbourne Archives (Brunswick, Victoria). ———, "Winter catalogue, no. 54, 1918," Foy & Gibson Collection. The University of Melbourne Archives (Brunswick, Victoria). The First World War and consumer shortages in Australia, as seen through the catalogues of Foy & Gibson A similar story is told by the illustrations of ladies' garments from the same catalogue (winter 1918). Note the prominent pleats on the skirts and blouses, and the generally loose fit. Unlike the rather frugal cuts of clothing which appeared during the Second World War, due to textile shortages, these clothes indicate that fabrics were in relatively plentiful supply. Sources Note that whilst prices for some items cannot be listed, most goods remain available. Whilst these catalogues are not revelatory, as they merely demonstrate what is already known about the Australian economy during the war, they provide an interesting insight into the social history of the period. Despite the horrific loss of Australian men in the war, life on the ‘home front’ retained much of its normality. As a net exporter, Australia suffered less from goods shortages than from a decline in export markets and credit. The true economic effects of the war would be felt in its aftermath, as international trade dried up—reaching crisis point during the depression of the 1930s, which impacted Australia particularly badly (largely due to its reliance on primary exports). Foy & Gibson were one of Australia’s first department store chains. The business was founded in 1870 by Mark Foy, an Irish immigrant. It began as a draper’s store on Smith Street, Collingwood, gradually expanding to six shops by 1880. It gained its name in 1883, when Foy decided to sell a share of the business to William Gibson, who had formerly worked at the firm of Mann, Byers and Co. in Glasgow. Foy died shortly thereafter, but Gibson continued to operate the company for several decades. After visiting the Bon Marche department store in Paris, during a trip to buy wares, Gibson was inspired to emulate the store’s model. A brief history, pt. 2 Foy & Gibson: a brief history The outbreak of the First World War Foy & Gibson’s seasonal catalogues were a key part of their business model during the early years of the twentieth century. They included listings of goods, frequently accompanied by illustrations, which had yet to be replaced by photographs as the dominant visual medium for advertising. Included were comprehensive prices for the season. As these catalogues were issued through the duration of the First World War, they provide an interesting insight into the availability and price
Prezi Present
Prezi Video
Prezi Design
