General News
20 November, 2023
T. Ismay & Co celebrate 100 years
For 100 years, Rainbow hardware store, T. Ismay & Co, has been a cornerstone of the community, and is firmly etched in the chronicles of history as more than just a hardware store. A testament to the endurance of entrepreneurial spirit, and...
For 100 years, Rainbow hardware store, T. Ismay & Co, has been a cornerstone of the community, and is firmly etched in the chronicles of history as more than just a hardware store. A testament to the endurance of entrepreneurial spirit, and a constant through changing economic climates, advances in technology and changes to the fabric of the township which it serves, the Ismay family, along with staff and the wider community, have commenced centenary celebrations in recent weeks.
As the Rainbow township began to take shape at the turn of the century, Tom Ismay arrived from England alongside his father, Herbert Ismay, with the first Ismay property being noted as being in Railway Street, just a few doors down from the current location. Following a period of service in the Australian Light Horse during the Great War, Tom returned to Rainbow and opened the hardware store in 1923. The initial store was small, with a household type front door featuring a small glass panel and a sash window to the side, and this was the extent of the showroom, recalled Ron as we chatted this week. The timber would be loaded onto a rack at the front of the store until they later refurbished and moved them to the side of the store. As would later become custom of a lot of entrepreneurs of the area, the Ismay family, in particular Herbert, son Thomas, and later Dudley, were focused not only on the hardware store itself, but were also well known for their building skills, responsible for the construction of many houses and barns throughout the district, including the stables at Rainbow’s Eureka Hotel which were the largest in Victoria at the time of their erection.
John Dudley Ismay, the father of current custodian Ron, was born at the end of the first world war, while his father was overseas fighting in the Great War. Dudley, as he was known, would later enlist in WWII in his mid twenties, serving in the Australian Air Force flying Lancaster bombers, prior to his return to Rainbow where he started his own family. Initially working for his father, Thomas, as a labourer for quite a period of time, Dudley became a partner in the business in the 1950s, one of five generations to date that have been involved in T. Ismay & Co.
Ron’s Grandmother, Dudley’s cherished wife, also worked in the business. “She did everything,” says Ron, “she was an absolute dynamo. She was a very small lady and she would weed the timber yard and the house yard by hand. The house yard was about the size of three house blocks.” Ron also noted that she would pack stock away and complete all of the bookwork in fountain pen while standing up, while also running a household and raising a family. She also somehow managed to find time to go to Church on Sundays.
As Ron began working in the business in the early 1970s, he was fortunate to enjoy a twelve month period working alongside his Grandfather, prior to him passing away just 12 months later. At the conclusion of the second of the world wars, the family were able to continue to set their roots in the southern Mallee, ultimately creating the institution that is the ‘Ismays’ that the community know today.
As they celebrate their huge centenary milestone, we will continue their story over the next couple of weeks.
While celebrations have been underway for a few weeks, and rightly so for such a huge achievement, the official commemorations will conclude on December 6th. Until then, customers can enjoy in-store supplier promotions, door prizes and giveaways.