Snow’s and the Golden Age of Australian Department Stores

Description
Additional information

Around the world, the big department stores of the 1920s to the 1950s wielded great power in dictating national tastes and fashions; a visit to any of these stores was an event in itself and an important social outing.

In Australia, Snow’s department store was a household name. Its leaders and their families could be seen as a commercial aristocracy who socialised together, holidayed together, and collectively shaped business and industry. They were pioneers not just in retailing but in politics and other spheres – such as manufacturing, advertising, banking, heavy industry, horse racing and education. Their weddings, parties and business deals were closely watched and widely reported in the press.

Ballarat-born Sydney Snow, the eponymous founder of Snow’s, headed a retail and commercial dynasty that extended throughout Australia and maintained strong trade connections with Britain and Continental Europe.

Sir Sydney’s youngest daughter, Elizabeth (Betty), married Richard Lane, one of the three brothers who founded the publishing house Penguin Books, thus entwining two families with a significant place in Australian cultural history. The story of Snow’s is evocatively told here by Sir Sydney’s granddaughter Elizabeth Lane and historian Stuart Kells in collaboration with Elizabeth’s daughter Louise Lane and art historian Fiona Kells. Lavishly illustrated with photographs from family and public archives, this beautifully designed publication is a proud tribute to the golden age of Australian department stores.

Additional information

Weight	1500 g
Dimensions	27 × 23 × 4 cm
ISBN	9781761452161
Publisher	Hardie Grant Media
Publish Date	September 16th, 2025
Format	Hardback
Genre	History, Social & cultural history, Business, Retail, Department Stores
Page Count	296
Dimensions	26cm x 22cm

In stock

$59.99

Author’s note

As is often the case with family history, it sits locked in memories, old photograph albums and, where we are lucky, objects passed down over time. I am grateful to Margaret Snow, a relative in Edinburgh, for writing a detailed history in 1988 of the Snow family and their origins. I received a copy of this in the 1990s from my aunt, and the transcripts of correspondence, family trees and Census records have made this journey so much easier. Perhaps looking into Emily Lark, Sydney Snow’s mother, was a catalyst for this book. Wanting to tell the stories – the poetic and mundane, the culturally significant and heartbreaking, the lives and laughter of those who came before me – was my driving force. I learnt from my cousin, Syd Jones, that Emily had been born illegitimate, to Elizabeth Lark. In 1876, it was a 19-year-old Emily who had to identify the body of her mother, who had been murdered by her second husband, and give testimony at the inquest into her death. Elizabeth was an early victim of domestic violence. Proving to be a woman of extraordinary character, Emily overcame these adversities to marry my great-grandfather John Snow. It was from this foundation that Snow’s was formed. So to all who discover this book, we hope these stories of resilience, family, and the foundation that built Snow’s inspire you to preserve and celebrate your own family history.

Elizabeth Lane, 2025

We thank the wonderful team at Hardie Grant Custom for their collaboration, team focus and bringing this book to life. Publishing Director Courtney Nicholls and Project Editor Mahalia Brooks have been great partners throughout this journey, providing guidance and support at every stage. The team were a true pleasure to work with – their professionalism, creative insight, attention to detail and importantly genuine passion for this project made for a great working partnership. We are grateful for their trust in our story and skill in helping us share it with the world.