SHOEBLACKS
BAD DAYB VANISHING RACE. “Shine, sir?” Time was when this invitation greeted the passer-by at almost every corner in Sydney, but nowadays there is a decided slump in the shoeblack business. Organised competition on a commercial scale, say the few remaining street shoeblacks, has taken the shine out of the job. In Sydney at present 17 stands are licensed but only nine are operating. “Yes, times are not too good,” said one man, “but I can remember, not so many years ago, when there were about 150 of us, and all doing fairly well, too.” Holiday Rush. Like many other businesses, the shoeblacks’ calling benefits at holiday periods. “I did fairly well over Christmas,” said one man, in Railway-square; “but I expect to be slack now until Easter.” There was just a bare living in the job. People now seemed to prefer to go to a shoeshop to have their shoes cleaned. Street shoeblacks are becoming a vanishing race, but their handful of survivors in Sydney still pay their Is a month license tee, and carry on.
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Bibliographic details
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11934, 28 January 1936, Page 4
Word Count
178SHOEBLACKS Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11934, 28 January 1936, Page 4
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