William Shade - Ironmonger

358 High Street, Northcote

When William Shade arrived in Northcote in 1848 the town was little more than a few scattered huts with High Street (then known as Plenty Road) being a dirt track. He set up a tent under trees on the west side of High Street just below Arthurton Road.

The 19 year old Shade established a second tent on the east side of High Street and began operating as an ironmongery. It was the first shop established in Darebin. As more shops began to appear, Shade purchased a block of land at 358 High Street and built a modest two storey brick building. 

Soon other shops began to appear in High Street, including the grocery and hotel built by the Bastings brothers. The Bastings may well have been related to the Shade family as William Shades mother was Annie Maria Bastings.

By the time Shade died in 1883, his family was well established in the district. His wife, Mary, operated the ironmongery, whilst his son Edmund Ernest William Shade operated a plumbing business next door. Just up the road Williams brother, Walter Shade, worked as a carpenter. Walter Shade was to continue working in High Street well into the next century but the ironmongery closed down and the shop was to undergo a number of changes over the years, although Mary Shade continued to own the premise.

Within twenty years it was a bootmakers shop (operated by Robert Pettigrew), a tobacco shop, a grocery and finally in 1910 it became a licensed wine merchants shop. In more recent years it has been a Salvation Army shop and is currently a clothes shop.

City of Northcote (1933). Northcote Jubilee celebrations 1883 – 1933 : souvenir & official program. Northcote: Author.

Lemon, Andrew (1983). The Northcote Side of the River. North Melbourne: Hargreen.

Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne and Suburban Directory 1864- 1974. [Microfiche]. (1974). Melbourne, Australia: Sands & McDougall.

Swift, William George (1928). The history of Northcote: From its first settlement to a city. Northcote, Vic: Leader Publishing.

Ward, Andrew (2001). Darebin Heritage Review 2000. Burwood, Vic: City Of Darebin.