By Heather Wade, 2024.
Uduc Road, Harvey, 1945, looking east. Shops on the north side – The Baltimore Café, WJ Martin, grocer, and CL Squire, hardware. In 2024 Harvey Fish + Chips occupy Martin’s premises and CL Squire is the site of the Cosmano Complex. Photo: Harvey History Online Collection.
In 1964 when William John ‘Billy’ Martin retired, the Harvey Murray Times gave a brief summary of his life since he made Harvey his home in 1911. He married Sarah Robinson, daughter of John George Robinson and Emily Adams of Cookernup and the couple had four children. Billy died in March 1972, aged 77 and is buried in the Old Harvey Cemetery. Sarah died in 1981 and is buried at Karrakatta.
Mr Martin Retires After 53 Years.
Harvey: well-known business man, Mr. W. J. Martin, has retired and disposed of his business after 53 years in the town.
Born in Western Australia, Mr. Martin came to Harvey in 1911 at the age of 16 years and started as a shop assistant in a grocery store conducted by Messrs. F. and B. Driscoll.
Mr Martin served in the A.I.F. in the 1914-19 war and on his return started with Harvey Co-op store in the grocery department.
In 1936 Mr. Martin started his own grocery business in Uduc-road near the railway crossing. This was gutted by fire in 1941, [sic, 1944[1]] but Mr. Martin continued his business further west on Uduc-road until the present time.
During his long residence in Harvey Mr. Martin has taken an active interest in the sporting world and has served terms as president of the old Harvey football and cricket clubs.
An ardent bowler he has been club champion twice and has captained the championship pairs and fours on several occasions.
On his return from the first World War, Mr. Martin married into the old pioneering Adams family of Cookernup.
Mrs. Martin has taken an active interest in public affairs and was secretary-treasurer of the Harvey hospital women’s auxiliary from its inception in 1940 until it ceased operations about two years ago.
After a six months’ holiday overseas Mr. and Mrs. Martin will return to live in Harvey.[2]
New to running his own business in 1936, Martin advertised:
W. J. MARTIN
GENERAL STOREKEEPER HARVEY
Fresh Vegetables Daily.
Phone 50.
Caris Bros, have pleasure in announcing the appointment of Mr. W. J. Martin as their Harvey agent Mr. Martin has been a prominent figure in Harvey affairs and for many years was manager of the Harvey Co-op. Store. His recent move to manage his own business Mr. Martin has acquired a number of excellent agencies. Caris Bros, will enable Mr. Martin to merit patronage. He expects to render efficient and unapproachable service in watch repairs, modernising old jewellery, etc., and will carry a supply of Caris diamonds, crystal, plate and cutlery, watches, etc.
FOR QUALITY AND VALUE CALL OR COMMUNICATE WITH W. J. MARTIN – HARVEY
“The Most of the Best for the Least”[3]
In an advertorial in the local paper in 1940 titled ‘A Personality Review of Harvey, Waroona, Yarloop and Brunswick Junction’ Special Feature Section, Mr Martin is described as:
W. J. Martin, General Grocer HARVEY.
There can be no better business man in a town than one who takes an active and genuine interest in the community. With his mind concentrated on the various sporting and civil activities, he is at all times in a position to supply the residents with their appropriate needs. This is certainly the case with Mr. W. J. Martin, Harvey’s prominent grocer. Situated right in Harvey, his premises may only be described as excellent, and he deals in all types of groceries, which are exclusively of Al quality. Almost every conceivable article in groceries is to be found in his store and, without doubt, his varied extensive range of stocks are unequalled for their completeness.
A very old identity of the town, and acquainted with it for a number of years, Mr. Martin, or “Billy” Martin, as he is more commonly known, takes an interest in trotting and is a member of the tote staff. Besides being deeply interested in bowls and a prominent player of the Harvey Bowling Club, Mr. Martin is a member, and holds the honour of being the past-president of the Harvey Football Club. Football fans of the town will remember that he was present when it was affiliated with Brunswick and he has always been a keen and sincere follower of that sport. In public and sporting life, or in the business world, Mr. Martin is always the same—he does and gives his best. So when next you require groceries or any adjacent article, stocks of which he has a complete and large range, you could do no better than call on Mr, “Billy” Martin the town’s “progressive” grocer, By acting in this way and buying locally, you have the satisfaction of patronising your home town.[4]
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[1] Harvey Murray Times, 3 August 1944, p. 7.
[2] Harvey Murray Times, May 15, 1964.
[3] Harvey Murray Times, 18 September 1936, p. 5.
[4] Harvey Murray Times, 7 November 1940, p. 3.