The boot factory
This venture began in a shed behind Alexander (‘Sandy’) McLeod’s grocery and drapery shop situated half way between Grey and Weld street – now a Home Stay. In the days before sealed roads and footpaths everybody, of necessity, wore boots and the new enterprise thrived. Sandy McLeod turned the day to day managing of the store over to his son in law Murdoch Ross and then in 1897 sold the business to him to become Ross Bros. Store.
With business expanding McLeod, who by then also set up a leather tannery by the Huangarua River, realised that he needed the assistance of a partner experienced in the boot making trade and arranged with a John Smith of Bristol to emigrate to New Zealand to take up a partnership.
John Smith left Bristol on the tenth of April 1893 and arrived at Wellington on the twenty eighth of May, writing in his diary: ‘Arrived Wellington 6am. Went to Post Office to Wire Waihenga but Sunday – couldn’t do it. Monday, sent telegramme to Waihenga. Reply, come by train to Featherston, McLeod will meet train. Tuesday, We will never forget journey over the Rimutaka, it looked like the end of the world. By trap to Waihenga and met McLeod family and start work. The back of beyond’.
The business had by then expanded to employing fifteen staff and required bigger premises, a purpose built factory was erected on McLeod’s Lane, now Radium Street. In 1905 a new product was added to the business, manufacturing boot polish. Available in black or brown it sold in two sizes at four pence (52 cents) and sixpence (78 cents) a tin. Boot polish, which was currently being imported, was a necessity to keep boots and shoes waterproof so was a high demand item,.
The polish, which was brewed in sheds behind the factory, was by all accounts a excellent product and was soon finding a demand nation wide. An advertisement claimed ‘A Dominion production superior to the imported article. Support your country’s industries.’ The trade name was Radium Polish playing on the latest excitement of the mysterious new substance discovered by Madame Marie Curie. McLeod’s Lane where it was produced was renamed Radium Street.
The business continued to expand until twenty people were being employed in the boot making and polish operation. The polish side was taken over by Sandy’s son Matt who subsequently relocated it to Wellington from where more efficient distribution could be achieved. By 1908 floor polish and metal polish had been added to the range with the products being advertised in newspapers nation wide.
Tragedy stuck in 1910 when the boot factory was destroyed by fire. John Smith moved some production to Jimmy Green’s, now the site of the Four Square Dairy, with Sandy continuing making boots in the former boot polish sheds. The two storey McLeod home and John Smith’s house still stand in Radium Street.
