Rockmans original double-fronted store opened at 39-41 Firebrace Street in 1930 where Tasty Express and Mackay Jewellers now occupy.
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In the 1960s, south from the Post Office were Bonwicks Jeweller, Coles, Rockmans, Shire of Wimmera upstairs, Barnes Honey, Barnetts Menswear, Lavithis Fruiterer, Puntons Shoes then Jenkins corner.
After closing in 1967, the Horsham branch of Rockmans reopened in the Plaza, Darlot Street c1993/94 before moving to 54 Firebrace Street c2001/2. This shop closed in mid-2017 and Farmhouse Deli and Café is now there.
When Laurence Balshaw-Blake left school in 1960 he was employed as a window dresser at Rockmans, trained by Charles Swift, head window dresser at Dorcas Street Melbourne.
Once as Laurence was designing one of the long windows with several mannequins in a line, disaster struck. He was on a ladder attaching a hook to the ceiling when he fell, hitting the nearest mannequin and creating a domino effect with the other mannequins.
The last crashed through the front window onto the footpath.
He transferred to Rockmans at Camberwell Junction when he was 18, replaced by Gary Schlichting.
Rockmans carried out minor alterations, if necessary, on the clothing they sold. When Laurence’s mother was married in 1935 she purchased her wedding frock from Rockmans.
Marlene Bloomfield (nee Kinnersley) remembers commencing work at Rockmans Variety Store in 1961 as a junior sales and office person until the store closed.
Managers were Genevieve Kelly then Val Slater from Hamilton a relief manageress until Dorothy Pickering was appointed. When the store closed staff who didn’t find other employment were offered positions at the Woolworths Store on the other side of Firebrace Street.
Other Rockmans employees Marlene remembers are Sherrylene Jackman (nee Lane), Alma Wells, Millicent (Midge) Logan, two Scottish ladies Mrs Campbellman, Shona McLennan, Mrs Mavis Budde, Katrina Muszkieta, Lorraine Bennett and June Saunders.
Other staff mentioned in the Horsham Times over the years were Miss Jean Watts (1941) who left to join R & G Frocks, Wilson Street, Miss Maureen Nolan, Miss R Smith (1946) returning to Sydney, Miss N Christie acting manageress then Mrs Floris Gibb of Horsham, Miss Betty Ballinger (1951), Miss H Williams (1953), Miss Marjorie Norman (1954), Mrs G Dawson former manageress of Rockmans who moved to Harmony House, Firebrace Street, Miss Betty McLean acting manageress and Miss June Mathews, manageress.