Pelaco

Pelaco was an Australian clothing manufacturer based in Melbourne. Pelaco is best known for its men's shirts. The Pelaco sign over its former factory in Richmond is a Heritage Victoria listed landmark.

Pelaco International Pty Ltd[1]
Pelaco
TypePrivate company
IndustryRetail
Founded1910s

Foundation

The Pelaco brand was founded in the 1910s by James Kerr Pearson (born 31 July 1881 in Glasgow, Scotland — died 2 October 1950 in Richmond, Victoria) and James Lindsay Gordon Law (born 21 January 1881 in Ballarat, Victoria — died 18 February 1963, Fitzroy, Victoria). The company name came from the first two letters of its owners' surnames.[2]

Products

From its inception, Pelaco's main product has been men's shirts.[2][3]

Industrial relations

The Pelaco company under Lindsay Law has been described as innovative in its approach to industrial relations.

Saturday morning work was discontinued in its predecessor business in 1908.[3] The company management appointed an "industrial relations officer" to mediate with employees in 1928.[3] Pelaco was one of the first companies in Australia to employ an industrial psychologist.[2] Lindsay Law came into conflict with unions and arbitration courts over the issues of piecework wages and child labour.[2]

Business head office and factories

In 1922, the company moved its head office and factory from elsewhere in Richmond to Goodwood Street, Richmond.[3] The "Pelaco" neon sign over the Goodwood Street factory was erected in 1939.[4] At the company's peak in the 1950s, it had ten factories across Australia.[3]

Cultural references

Australian football player Royce Hart was recruited to Richmond Football Club from Tasmanian team Clarence Football Club with the promise of "a new suit and six shirts".[5] The "six shirts" were "half a dozen Pelacos".[6]

References
  1. "Pelaco International Pty Ltd". Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  2. Frances, Raelene (2005). "Law, James Lindsay Gordon (1881–1963)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  3. Mcleod, Amanda (25 February 2010). "Pelaco". eMelborne. School of Historical Studies, University of Melbourne. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  4. "Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1149". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. Government of Victoria. 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  5. McNicol, Adam (2013). "Legend: Royce Hart". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  6. Otto, Kristin (2011). Yarra: The History of Melbourne's Murky River. Text Publishing. ISBN 9781921776854. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
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