"Where shopping touches the purse but lightly"

From the day John Barsby opened the doors on what has become one of Kempsey's major family businesses, the enterprise was set on a firm course of expansion and modernisation.

John Henry Barsby arrived in Kempsey on the streamer S.S. Yulgilbar with his eldest son, Cecil, in 1908, having purchased the business of Mr. Joe Marjason, thus establishing "Barsby's of Kempsey".

Marjasons store was a small general drapers shop on the eastern side of Smith Street. Prior to coming to Kempsey, John Barsby had a general store in Wyong, but he was so impressed with the Kempsey district he sold the Wyong store, deciding to settle in Kempsey.

After the big fire of 1907 which had gutted the western side of Smith Street from Savages Lane virtually to the Forth Street corner, new shops had been built. With the initial enterprise prospering, John took a 10 year lease on one of the three shops in the newly built "Macleay Buildings". Expansion soon followed in 1911 and 1918 when the adjoining shops were taken over, giving "JH Barsby & Sons" occupation of the entire ground floor of the "Macleay Buildings"

About this time John Henry Barsby retired from an active roll in the business, and went to live at Coogee in Sydney, leaving his eldest son Cecil in charge. The following year Charles Barsby, (Cecil's brother) joined the firm taking on the management of the Mens and Boys Wear department (such appointment being interrupted by war service in 1940-45).

The business continued to prosper and to achieve suitable additional space the owner of the premises (Miss Cochrane) was induced to put an extension on the building of about 2400 square feet around 1933. In 1955 Cecil acquired the premises from Mrs. Renford (nee Cochrane) for the sum of £28,000 (Pounds). Prior to the purchase the rent was £25/15/6 weekly.

In 1960 Stan Browns Menswear Store at the southern end of the building was taken over to become Barsby's Mens and Boyswear department. The groundfloor area of the entire property is now fully occupied following extensions in 1972 and 1976, with a new shopfront added in 1978.

The latter improvement was almost undone, when, in October 1980, a semi-trailer and its load of chemicals came to grief on the highway bend just off the Kempsey Traffic Bridge. It tipped over, leaving the entire volatile mess on the footpath outside the northern door of the store, and then to top things off, the truck caught fire. The resultant near disaster took place, luckily, in the early hours with no-one around. The heat was so intense, parts of the aluminium awning melted, windows exploded and residual smoke damage penetrated every nook and cranny of the two-story structure. A keen menswear traveller had left his vehicle parked in front of the store overnight (ready for an early start the next day) only to find his vehicle was reduced enough in size to be moved by the shovel of a front end loader the next day after ending up under the truck then further damaged by the following fire, a rather sad sight!

The Barsby strong family commitment to the ongoing management of a complex operation is repeatedly illustrated by the procession of sons following their fathers into the business. Cecil's son Don worked in the business for a short time after leaving school and Charles' sons John and Geoff worked in menswear for some years. In 1947 Ken joined his father Cecil.

Following Cecil's death in 1965, Ken was joint manager with Charles until the latters retirement in 1968 when Ken took over the reigns. Upon Ken's retirement in 1999 his son Graeme then continued the family tradition taking over as store manager. Both Don and Ken continue to maintain a keen interest with Don being chairman of directors of the holding company.

Writing in 1960, Cecil recalled some of the changes he had seen :

• 52 hour working week.
• Saturday late night trading (and what a busy time it was)
• Wednesday afternoon half day off.

Wages, according to a time book kept in the office in 1912, could be calculated to the nearest farthing! Tom King earned 7 shillings and 6d per week (52 hours); R. Bowen 12 shillings and 9d (50 hours). Cecil Barsby earned £1/17/6 (52 hours).

The store once boasted a change booth and a network of wires used to centralise transactions - 'the cash railway' as it was called. Remnants of this were still to e found around the storeroom into the late 1970s.

The main danger to continued operation of the store over the years has been the advent of several sizeable floods. In 1929 a flood came within a brick of entering the store, but in 1949 and again in 1950 the water came to within a couple of inches of the shop countertops, but no further, fortunately , because the low display stock had been piled high on those very countertops. The difficult and time-consuming task of removing layers of heavy mud out of the shelves and fittings also hampered trading.

It is very evident that the family status of the business has had a settling effect on the staff over the years. Many old staffers often call in with news and a yarn about their own days behind the counter. The store is an integral part of the business community and history of the Macleay as well as reaching into (in one way or another) the lives of past, present and future residents of the Valley.

Over the years the store has brought the city to Kempsey as well as providing the basic necessities of life, fulfilling the role of meeting place and being actively involved in sport and the support of sports, charities and other worthy causes. …….!

With the modern times, the internet and the chance to trade the Australian icons of Akubra (Kempsey owned) RM Williams and Driza-bone, Barsby's are moving forward and while still remaining loyal to its customers up and down the Mid North Coast, it has expanded its services supplying these famous Aussie names to both Australian and International markets through the Internet.
Barsby's of Kempsey - where shopping touches the purse but lightly.