Reginald Murray Williams AO, CMG, (May 24, 1908 and passed away on November 4, 2003, He was an Australian bushman and entrepreneur who rose from a swagman, to a millionaire widely known as just 'R.M.' He was born at Belalie North near
Jamestown in the Mid North, 200 kilometres north of
Adelaide, into a pioneering settler family working and
training horses. R.M. had many adventures in Australia's rugged outback as a bushman, and became famous for creating a uniquely Australian style of bushwear recognized world wide. He was married twice, had ten children and left an enduring contribution to the Australian identity.
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At 10 years old, Williams' family moved to
Adelaide so that he and his
two sisters could attend school there. School did not agree with him and so, at 13, he packed his swag and left for the land he loved. At 18 he started work as a camel
driver and spent 3 years trekking through the Australian desert, living with aborigines and learning to survive the harsh conditions. During the great depression, with the lack of work, Williams returned to
Adelaide where he met Thelma Cummins. They married and returned to the bush, living off the land in the
Flinders Ranges.
After his marriage broke down in the 1950s, Williams purchased 55 hectares of land at the rear of Yatala Labour Prison South Australia. He constructed a
homestead, planted vineyards and thousands of roses, and ran rodeos on the floodplain of Dry Creek. When the land was compulsory acquired during the time of former State Premier Sir Thomas Playford, Williams left South Australia for his Rockybar property in Queensland, vowing never to return. He re-married in 1955, had four more children, and died in his
home on the
Darling Downs in Queensland.
Williams learned his leatherworking skills from a horseman called Dollar Mick, making bridles, pack saddles and riding boots. In 1932, with his son's illness and the expense of hospital treatment, he was in need of money and began selling his saddles to Sir Sidney Kidman .R.M Williams soon had a small factory running in his father's back shed in
Adelaide that rapidly expanded. To address financial problems, R.M became involved with the successful gold
mine,
Nobles Nob, near
Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
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His most famous products were handcrafted riding boots, with the unique feature of all being one piece of leather and stitched up the back. To this day, The R. M. Williams Company still makes their boots with 70 hand processes and a single piece of leather. The Cowley family are the major owners of R.M. Williams Ltd.
Some R. M. Williams products are now made in China, but this is only a limited selection, mostly t-shirts and caps.