Any historian with an interest in Thornbury now has a chance to get their hands on a book about a record-breaking business that operated there.
R. H. Nelson & Sons first opened on Thornbury’s High Street in 1912, and traded for an unprecedented 60 years.
Starting as a modest single-fronted premises, Mr Nelson steered the business towards success, and was soon able to purchase the two shops either side. This expansion was vital to providing jobs not only for his own children, but his grandchildren too.
Now, one of Nelson’s grandchildren who was employed at the shop, Valorie Anderson, has written a book in which she relives her time working for her grandfather. She describes how, from poverty-stricken beginnings, he became one of the most important citizens of Darebin. Although his shop began selling hardware, he eventually branched out into Stationery, crystal, fine china and luxury hats.
Ms Anderson not only based her book, The Nelson Milbanke Saga, on her own recollections of life in the shop, but also used the memoirs that her grandfather had written to fill in any gaps in her tale. She said:
“It was a unique shop and I’m sure a lot of older residents would remember it.”
Even more impressive is the fact that Ms Anderson is 72 years old, and embarked upon writing the book after taking a course in memoir writing at the University of the Third Age. Her work was picked up by a Print company, and Copies can be ordered by emailing valorie@mmnet.com.au.Get a Free Quote for Print Get a Free Quote for Copies Get a Free Quote for Stationery
