A Family History with The Strand
The Strand Arcade has a place in many family histories and shoppers hearts alike. One special connection that should be known is the legacy of the Hickson family, who through three generations, have continued a family learnt trade of sign making that started right here at The Strand in the 1890s.
Mervyn Hickson recently visited Tresors and wrote this beautiful letter reflecting on his family story and how important the Strand is, not only to him, but in light of the long standing businesses that have formed our community:
Dear Jennifer,
It was so good to meet up with you again on our recent trip to Sydney and I'm so glad that you are still a purveyor of rare and unique jewellery and trinkets.
The Strand is always one of my favourite places to visit, not only because, like you, I treasure places and objects which have survived the carnage of so-called modernisation and progress.
The Strand Arcade proves that people will still be attracted to and frequent its period architecture and beautiful décor and enjoy shopping in its wonderful 19th century atmosphere. Your own shop provides the perfect entry to the strand; it mirrors the glamour and style of its surroundings and provides a touch of glitz and sparkle. All of the shop windows are a delight to inspect, as they draw you into investigate the interior further. How thankful Sydney should be that it was saved from fire and modern development.
My wife and I, at long last, visited Paris last year and were excited to explore many of the Passages, like The Strand, all over the city, finally getting to appreciate other arcades from a similar era. How wonderful it was to see so many fascinating shopping precincts, with a small specialist shops under soaring ceilings and beautifully timbered facades.
In our Strand, the tables down the centre of the coffee shops offer a comfortable ambiance as a meeting place for shop trawlers, drawing more people in. The centre management should be congratulated on their obvious pride in their building and its continued maintenance- the timber and marble finishes on each stop front, every window and all the tilework shine to perfection. The uniqueness of each business is one of special value; as one walks through there is a surprise at every turn.
I feel privileged to have a connection to The Strand through my grandfather John James Hickson who was commissioned to carry out gold leaf lettering and scroll work lettering on Strand shop windows in the very early years of this building. Only the best quality lettering and sign work was stipulated to complement the high quality workmanship of the cabinet makers and artisans constructing the building. He was provided with an art studio at the back of the arcade itself where he could work with his brushes and equipment, without having to carry them back and forth.
John James Hickson in early 1890s
It was during this period that an unfortunate accident occurred to my grandfather. He was working on a shop window when he noticed two glaziers struggling to carry and manoeuvre a large glass pane into position in a shop opposite. He went to their assistance, but unfortunately the glass had a mind of its own and they lost their grip. It slipped and cut pops leg, severing an artery. A tourniquet saved pops life, but he lost a great deal of blood and took a long time to convalesce before he could resume work. The only after-affect from this drama was that his hair failed to grow again from the significant blood loss. This was not a serious outcome for his ongoing career, except that he was handicapped in working on his future gold work commissions without the help of his young son, my father, who would be required to stand next to him when he was gilding lettering on a window. Pop would use him to run his little soft gilding brush through jacks hair, using the static electricity to pick up the gold leaf from his gold book and place it on the lettering.
Jack Hickson at work 1950s
It was understandable, therefore, that Jack Hickson learned his skills from his father, and that I too continued the skilled tradition of painting an decorating signs using paints, brushes and gold leaf.
Jack Lazarus Hickson in later years
Gold leaf on glass signwritten for his business by Jack Lazarus Hickson
The inclusion of specialised shop owners, Like yourself, Jennifer, the Hatters and Peter Cooke with his shoe-shining business are wonderful asset to The Strand and forge a sentimental link back in time when people like my grandfather used simple materials like paint, polish, brushes to create a unique product that modern methods cannot achieve.
House name completed by Mervyn Hickson for Jacks house
It is a sign of happiness in your surroundings that people like yourself have chosen to stay in the arcade for so long. For your customers, your presence in the strand us a comforting certainty, something to always look forward too whenever we visit. There is an assurance that beautiful buildings like the Strand Arcade have an enduring place in our everchanging world.
My best wishes,
Merv Hikson