James Waddell Marshall (1845-1925), merchant, was born on 2 June 1845 at Falkirk, Stirling, Scotland, son of William Marshall and his wife Agnes Aitken, née Waddell. His father died in 1847 and the family estate was swallowed up in legal costs. At 12 Marshall had to go to work. At 14 he joined the Falkirk drapery of P. & J. Gentleman & Co. His apprenticeship ended, he moved to a drapery in Dundee and then to London, where he was employed by James Spence & Co., retail drapers in St Paul's Churchyard; he was there for a year and worked seventy-five hours a week. Through the London agency of David Murray Marshall was offered a job with J. A. Northmore, an Adelaide draper. As James Waddell he arrived at Port Adelaide on 21 November 1867 in the Saint Vincent and as James Waddell Marshall married Annie Walters on 24 September 1872; thereafter he dropped the name Waddell.
With a fellow assistant, William Taylor, Marshall began saving and in 1874 set up a store in Hindley Street. When John Hodgkiss, warehouseman, retired in 1881, they bought his business in Rundle Street and set up as James Marshall & Co., drapers and importers, with a furniture warehouse in Stephens Place. Soon afterwards they were burnt out but insurance covered the stock and they rebuilt. They bought adjoining premises and the business grew to the largest of its kind in South Australia with some 800 employees. From the start Marshall followed a policy of vigorous advertising. His influence on Adelaide business was great and from successful experience his advice was 'Stick to your business and put your heart and soul into it; Mind your own business … See that you do enough to satisfy yourself … Do everything you are asked to do, and do it promptly; study your employer before studying self … Make yourself indispensable … Do everything with a good heart'.
Marshall avoided politics and shrank from personal publicity. Always liberal towards deserving philanthropic causes, he served on the boards of the North Adelaide Children's Hospital, the Memorial Hospital, the Home for Incurables, the Royal Institution for the Blind, the Queen's Home at Rose Park, the Adelaide Benevolent and Strangers' Friend Society and the State Children's Council. He was a founder and member of the board of the Young Men's Christian Association for which he bought W. R. Fletcher's library. He was a member of the Flinders Street Presbyterian Church and superintendent of its Sunday school but later attended the Kent Town Methodist Church. He was an energetic member of the Adelaide City Mission. He was fond of cricket and football and regularly attended the Adelaide Oval. In his youth he had been active in such sports as tennis, cycling, boxing, fencing, skating and swimming even though they often meant rising at 4 a.m. He made about ten visits to Britain.
After his wife died Marshall married Florence Emma Stacy on 7 October 1913. For many years he lived at Payneham, and in the early 1900s bought a home with a lovely garden at Mount Lofty. After World War I he lived in Victoria Avenue, Unley Park, where he died on 10 March 1925 survived by his wife, three sons and four daughters. He was buried in Payneham cemetery after a service at Kent Town Methodist Church, and Marshall's store was closed for the day as a mark of respect. He left an estate valued at £26,000.
Select Bibliography Register (Adelaide), 11 Mar 1925.
Citation details 'Marshall, James Waddell (1845–1925)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/marshall-james-waddell-4158/text6673, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 29 February 2016. This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (MUP), 1974
DEATH OF MR JAMES
MARSHALL.
The Story of His life.
On Tuesday evening there died at his residence, Victoria avenue, Unley Park, one of the best-known business men in South Australia, Mr James Marshall, head of Messrs James Marshall & Co., Limited, drapers and general providers, of Eundle street, Adelaide. The deceased gentleman had been in indifferent health for some time, but had always preserved a cheerful demeanour, and even on his worst days viewed things optimistically and 'looked for the silver lining.'
The late Mr James Marshall was born in 1844 in the ancient burgh of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, where his parents had resided for many years. His father, a medical man, died when the subject of this sketch was two years of age, leaving behind him a considerable amount of property, but litigation in regard to its disposal ensued, and in the long run, as frequently happens, the whole estate was swallowed up in legal expenses.
With three boys and a girl on her hands, and with her full share of that spirit of independence that has ever characterized her native land, Mrs Marshall faced the situation bravely, and, before he was 12 years of age, little James had secured employment, and was 'doing his bit.' Then, looking to her boy's future, and recognising that if he was to make his way in the world it was essential that he should possess a thorough knowledge of a trade, she apprenticed him, at the age of 14 years, to a large Falkirk drapery firm, bearing the somewhat peculiar name of P. & J. Gentleman & Co.
Early Days.
Those were the days when trades were learned thoroughly. Always an ambitious lad, young Marshall started out with the intention of thoroughly mastering every detail of the business he had set himself to learn;. and he succeeded. The Mr Gentleman, who
was head of the firm, was a hard task master. He insisted on every employee's strictest compliance with his instructions; orders had to be carried out with attention to the most trifling details; and the position of an apprentice to such a man was little better than that of a serf. Speaking some time ago about the vicissitudes of his early life, Mr Marshall said, 'To this day I can remember how I hated that man. He was commanding in stature; brusque in manner, with never a kind or encouraging word,' and I, as a small boy, looked upon him as a veritable tyrant. And yet, after all, he was my best friend, for I am free to confess that any success I have attained in my business career I attribute to the hard grinding I did under Mr Gentleman, for he was the man who instilled into me
the undeniable fact that if a thing was worth doing at all it was worth doing well.'
'Up in the Morning, Early.'
Life was one incessant round of drudgery for the young apprentice. But 'merry goes the day when the heart is young,' and, despite his long hours of toil, young Marshall, always a lover of athletic sports, contrived to snatch a few minutes occasionally for relaxation. But to do this it was necessary to rise at 4 a.m.! It was a relief when his apprenticeship was ended, and he passed through the portals of Gentleman & Co. for the last time, his
completed articles in his pocket, certifying to the fact that he had learned all the arts and mysteries of a draper's business, and was, at length, 'free of the city,' so to speak. He experienced no difficulty in securing a position in a large drapery establishment at Dundee, and, during some 13 months that he spent in that city, famous for its jute and its marmalade, he further increased his knowledge of the trade. Then he turned his eyes in the direction of London, that Mecca of all young Scottish drapers, and succeeded in obtaining employment with James Spence and Co., a well-known firm of retail drapers in St. Paul's Churchyard.
Comes to Australia.
Spence & Co. would appear to have been built on somewhat similar lines to Gentleman & Co., but, after the Spartan training that Mr Marshall had received during his seven years with the latter firm, he dropped into their groove quite easily. If an assistant failed to give satisfaction he was dismissed at a moment's notice, and during the 12 months that the young Scotsman remained with the firm, something like 100 men and boys
received their conges for trifling derelictions of duty. During that time, he worked 75 hour's a week— 7 o'clock in the morning till 8 o'clock at night, and 11 o'clock on Saturdays, and it will readily be understood that when, through Messrs D. & W. Murray, of London, he was offered a position with Mr John A. Northmore, a well-known Adelaide draper, he lost no time in accepting it. Mr Northmore had two shops in Adelaide, where he carried on a considerable drapery business. Mr Marshall came out in 1867, and at once took up his duties. He had certainly come to a better climate, and the remuneration was much larger, but there was no great improvement as regarded the hours— 7 a.m. till 7.-p.m., and 11 p.m. on Saturdays. But the opportunities for advancement were greater, the atmosphere was more congenial, and Mr Marshall, possessed of the keen business acumen of his race, soon saw that he had made no mistake in deciding to seek his fortune in the 'Sunny South.'
Founding of James Marshall & Co.
Mr Marshall had as a fellow assistant the late Mr William Taylor. They soon became great friends, found that their ambitions were identical, and decided to watch their opportunities. They were saving their knowledge of their business and their courtesy made them popular with their customers and enlarged their circle of friends and acquaintances; and when, three and a half years later, they started in a modest way in Hindley street, under the title of Marshall and Taylor, they speedily realized that they had made no mistake in launching out on their own account. Naturally, they experienced a struggle at the inception of the business, and their finances were
very restricted, but the hard training they had experienced in the old land stood them in good stead. Their chance came at last, and seizing upon it, as Wordsworth says, they turned the common dust of servile opportunity to gold. Hearing that Messrs John Hodgkiss and Co., large wholesale and retail drapers, of Rundle street, had decided to retire from business, they made up their minds, if possible, to purchase it.
'From Six to 800' Employees.
The premises where John Hodgkiss and Co. carried on business stood on part of the land now occupied by Messrs James Marshall & Co. The purchase of such an extensive business was a big undertaking, as apart from the all important question of finance, there was the wholesale aspect to be considered, and this was a proposition in regard to which the two partners had had no practical experience. It was therefore necessary
to look around for men whose lives had been spent in this department of the drapery trade, and who at the same time could be relied upon for their integrity as well as their knowledge. Their choice
fell upon Messrs J. W.Porterand H. T.
Fry, who had been connected with the
wholesale side of the trade from their
youth. They were in due course ap-
proached, the prospects appealed to them.
Messrs Hodgkiss & Co.'s business was
purchased, and the present firm of James
Marshall & Co. came into being. Shortly
after the new firm had commenced opera-
tions, a disastrous fire broke out. The
premises, even in those days, were so ex-
tensive that the fire brigade, despite the
most strenuous efforts, were unable to
'cope;' with the flames, which spread so
rapidly that the huge buildings and their
contents, were completely destroyed.
But, as keen business men, they had taken
the precaution to cover the stock and pre-
mises by insurance, and undismayed by
the setback they at once set about re-
building, and, the erection of the present
palatial building was at once put in
hand. Subsequently, the firm secured
the premises on either side of them, and
further buildings were erected, until to-
day the firm conducts the largest business
of its kind in South Australia. Marshall
and Taylor commenced with six hands;
to-day James Marshall & Co., Limited,
employ about 800.
Mr Marshall's Business Axioms.
It is not the object of this sketch to
describe the rise and extent of Messrs
James Marshall & Co.'s business. That
is another story. The writer is merely
concerned with the life work of the late
Mr Marshall whose wonderful influence
on that business so largely contributed to
its remarkable success and the bright posi-
tion it occupies to-day. in the Australian
trading world. Asked one day as to the
reasons for the phenomenal success of the
business, Mr Marshall always of a re-
flective turn of mind said:— 'They are
very simple, and if you care to listen I
will enumerate them for you. They are:
— Stick to your business and put
your heart and soul into it.
Mind your own business; never
worry about other people's;
always cherish the best wishes for your
opponent's, but mind your own. See
that you do enough to satisfy yourself,
then the figures of other's will never
trouble you. Be willing to do anything
properly required in the interests of your
employer. Do everything you are asked
to do, and do it promptly. Study your
employer before studying self: no master
can afford to disregard faithful and useful
service to-day. Strong men are as much
in demand as ever; the difficulty is to
find them. Take forethought as to how
you may please your employer. Make
yourself indispensable, and make your em-
ployer's interests your own. Do every-
thing with a good heart.
Philanthropic Work.
Despite the fact that he was the head
of such a huge concern, and was so
widely known, Mr Marshall, never sought
publicity; on the contrary, he shrank
from it. But he took a great interest in
most philanthropic institutions, (and espe-
cially those concerned with the welfare,
of the young and the indigent. He lived
to be the sole surviving foundation mem-
ber of the Y.M.C.A., of whose board of
management he was long a member.
Speaking of his connection with that asso-
ciation, a well-known member recently
remarked that his cheery optimism in the
midst of difficulties invariably engendered
a spirit of hopefulness, and his thought
for the interests of the young men was
evidenced by the fact of his purchase of
the extensive and valuable library of the
late W. Roby Fletcher which he pre-
sented to the association. In religious
circles he was for a considerable period
connected with the Flinders Street Pres-
byterian Church, and was superintendent
of its Sunday school, but subsequently
worshipped at the Kent Town Methodist
Church. He was also an energetic wor-
ker for the Adelaide City Mission. Among
other institutions with which the late
Mr Marshall was closely connected, and
upon whose boards he occupied positions,
were the North Adelaide Children's Hos-
pital, the Memorial Hospital, the Home
for Incurables, the Royal Institution for
the Blind, the Queen's Home (Rose Park);
the Adelaide Benevolent and Strangers-
Friend Society, and the State Children's
Council. He paid about 10 visits to Eng-
land.
Home Life.
Apart from the interest that the late
Mr Marshall evinced in our many philan-
thropic institutions, as well as the large
body of workers in the employ of his
firm, he took a keen and active interest
in all healthy sports. Cricket was his
favourite pastime, and no international
or interstate match was complete with-
out his presence. Football was another
game that appealed to him, and he rarely
missed in interstate match on the
Adelaide Oval. In his younger days he was
an adept in all manly sports, lawn ten-
nis, cycling, boxing, fencing, skating and
swimming, in addition to cricket and
football, claiming him as a devotee. One
of the delights of his life was to get away
from the worries of business, and spend
a quiet time in his garden. His beauty-
ful home at Mount Lofty has with its
lovely gardens been much admired; and
before settling at Unley Park, he pos-
sessed a delightful suburban residence at
Felixstow, on the banks of the Torrens
in Payneham. All Mr Marshall's origin-
nal partners-have predeceased him, with
the exception of Mr F. A Lakeman,
who joined him in 1886. The present
directors of the firm are Messrs F. A.
Lakeman, A. R. Taylor, J. A. C. Mar-
shall, F. W. Porter, and D. Reid. By
the death of Mr Marshall, South Austra-
lia has lost a most worthy, and popular
citizen, whose name has been closely
identified with the growth of the State,
and who possessed the regard, and esteem
of every one privileged to enjoy his
friendship. He was twice married, and
his second wife (nee Stacey) survives
him, as do the following children:— Mr
Fix this textJ. A. C. Marshall; Mr Percy W. H.
Marshall, Mrs B. Gilman. Mrs J Lang,
Mrs Gurner and Miss Doris Marshall.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63720084
Groom Given Name(s): James Waddell Groom Last Name: MARSHALL Bride Given Name(s): Annie Bride Last Name: WALTERS Marriage Date: 1872, September 24 Marriage Place: Res of George Rose Adelaide Groom Age: 26 Groom Approx. Birth Year: 1846 Groom Marital Status: S Groom Father: William MARSHALL Bride Age: 26 Bride Approx. Birth Year: 1846 Bride Marital Status: S Bride Father Name: Joseph WALTERS District: Adelaide Symbol: Book/Page: 92/622
Groom Given Name(s): James
Groom Last Name: MARSHALL
Bride Given Name(s): Florence Emma
Bride Last Name: STACY
Marriage Date: 1913, October 07
Marriage Place: Res of groom Felixstow
Groom Age: 67
Groom Approx. Birth Year: 1846
Groom Marital Status: W
Groom Father: William MARSHALL
Bride Age: 48
Bride Approx. Birth Year: 1865
Bride Marital Status: S
Bride Father Name: William John Sheppard STACY
District: Norwood
Symbol:
Book/Page: 257/72
Given Name(s): James
Last Name: MARSHALL
Death Date: 10 Mar 1925
Gender: M
Age: 81y
Approx. Birth Year: 1844
Marital Status: M
Relative 1:
Relative 2:
Residence: Unley Park
Death Place: Unley Park
District: Adelaide
Symbol:
Book/Page: 477/24
File Format: jpg. PHOTO Scrapbook: Y. Format: jpg. marshall.JPG PHOTO Scrapbook: Y.
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