R. M. Williams

Reginald M. Williams
R.M. Williams with his blue heeler in 1988.
Born	(1908-05-24)May 24, 1908 Belalie North, South Australia
Died	November 4, 2003(2003-11-04) (aged 95) Toowoomba, Queensland
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Entrepreneur, bushman

Reginald Murray Williams AO, CMG (24 May 1908 – 4 November 2003) was an Australian bushman and entrepreneur who rose from a swagman to a millionaire. Widely known as just 'R.M.', he was born at Belalie North near Jamestown in the Mid North, 200 kilometres north of Adelaide, into a pioneering settler family working and training horses. R.M. had many adventures in Australia's rugged outback as a bushman, and became known for creating an Australian style of bushwear recognised worldwide. He was married twice, had ten children, and left an enduring contribution to the Australian identity.

Personal life

Stockman's quarters on RM's property at Dry Creek

At 10 years old, Williams' family moved to Adelaide so that he and his two sisters could attend school there. School did not agree with him and so, at 13, he packed his swag and left for the land he loved. At 18 he started work as a camel driver and spent 3 years trekking through the Australian desert, living with aborigines and learning to survive the harsh conditions. During the great depression, with the lack of work, Williams returned to Adelaide where he met Thelma Ena Cummings.^[1] They married and returned to the bush, living off the land in the Flinders Ranges.^[2]

After his marriage broke down in the 1950s, Williams purchased 55 hectares of land at the rear of Yatala Labour Prison South Australia. He constructed a homestead, planted vineyards and thousands of roses, and ran rodeos on the floodplain of Dry Creek.^[3] When the land was compulsory acquired during the time of former State Premier Sir Thomas Playford, Williams left South Australia for his Rockybar property in Eidsvold, Queensland, vowing never to return. He remarried in 1955, had four more children, and died in his home on the Darling Downs in Queensland.

Company

Early years

Williams learned his leatherworking skills from a horseman called Dollar Mick, making bridles, pack saddles and riding boots. In 1932, with his son's illness and the expense of hospital treatment, he was in need of money and began selling his saddles to Sir Sidney Kidman (a wealthy pastoralist). Williams soon had a small factory running in his father's back shed in Adelaide that rapidly expanded. To address financial problems, he became involved with the Nobles Nob gold mine, near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.^[2]

Products

R.M.Williams elastic side riding boots

Williams' most successful products are handcrafted riding boots. Williams' boots were unique when they were introduced to the market, as they consisted of a single piece of leather that was stitched at the rear of the boot (the models that featured an elastic side have been particularly popular). As of 2013, the R.M. Williams Company produces handcrafted riding boots, with the use of 70 hand processes and a single piece of leather.

Some R. M. Williams products are now made outside of Australia (mostly in China and SE Asia), this includes t-shirts, caps, seasonal shirts/shorts, polo shirts and some leather wallets.^[4]

Ownership

Following the founding of the R.M. Williams company in 1932, Williams sold the business in 1988, but the business went into receivership in 1993. R.M. Williams was then placed under the ownership of long-time friend Ken Cowley (who acted in partnership with Australian business mogul Kerry Stokes) who, together with his family, presided over R.M. Williams Ltd for two decades. The company employs 600 people globally, 300 of them are based in South Australia, Australia.^[5]

On 26 March 2013, the Cowley family released a statement in which the public was made aware of an intention to sell the company to a new owner for AUS$100 million sum. The statement described the sale process as an assessment of "external commercial growth and expansion plans" and the list of potential buyers included Oroton Group, Premier Investments and LVMH. As of March 2013, R.M. Williams Ltd consists of 50 retail stores and 900 stockists, and also exports to 15 countries.^[5] In April 2013, R.M. Williams sold a 49.9% stake to L Capital, the private equity affiliate of LVMH.^[6]

Honours

In 1985 Williams was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), for services to the outback community.^[7]

In 1992 he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), for service to business and to the community.^[8]

In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal.^[9]

Legacy

RM Williams Way road sign at Orroroo.

• The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame. Originating as an idea by artist Hugh Sawrey, RM Williams was an original board member of this institution that was opened in Longreach Queensland, Australia., by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on 29 April 1988.
• Founded the Australian Roughriders Association.
• Helped to form the Equestrian Federation of Australia (1951).
• Led a committee which initiated and planned the Bicentennial National Trail.^[10]

A major road in South Australia's mid north, which runs between Stanley Flat (near Clare) and Hawker, via Jamestown has been named the RM Williams Way in his honour.^[11]

R.M. Williams Monument in Jamestown, South Australia

Published works

Other book by RM Williams...

• Animal Stories ...... Outback Publishing ISBN 0-9579709-1-9

References

Further reading

• ABC Audio (2004), I Once Met a Man, R.M. Williams, 4 CD Set, Australian Broadcasting Corporation 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to R. M. Williams.

• R. M. Williams Australia
• R M. Williams AO, CMG
• Online Guide to Records at the South Australian Museum Archives