May 26th, 2024 The untold story of William Shum: biography of an early influencer

Way before social media influencers were a thing, the way we lived was subtly shaped by talented individuals like colourful yesteryear influencer William Shum.

Shum was founding editor of The New Idea and Australian Home Beautiful magazines and his progressive approach played a significant role in shaping and colouring the way Australians of the day lived their lives.

Now, former Daylesford local, arts doyen Sue Walker, who happens to be Shum’s grand-daughter, has released her second major book, The Untold Story of William Shum, a biography of her talented grand-dad.

William Arthur Somerset Shum (1875-1961) was a pioneer in Australian magazines at a time when they were a powerful influence on the way people lived. At the helm of these exciting publications, he came into people’s homes every month for 43 years, from 1902 to 1945.

Shum led his readers through a time of great change and encouraged people to break with traditional thinking about their homes and gardens and be open to ideas, particularly the modernist movement.

Australia, as we know it today, was taking shape, and Australian Home Beautiful and New Idea were leading the way.

However, not one to seek personal acclaim, Shum was happiest writing stories as a journalist, capturing people’s daily lives in photographs and working in the editorial role where he loved the creative challenges it presented.

“He was editor but he was very happy being behind the scenes. He brought it all together,” Sue said.

“He was was also great believer in women having many opportunities. He was a great fun character. He was a larger-than-life character in my life.  He was a fantastic photographer with a very impressive informal approach.”

Fascinated by new ideas he was ahead of his time in many ways, frequenting the clubs and societies of bohemian Melbourne where his friends included important artists and literary figures of the day.

Sue said that writing her grandfather’s biography has taken her “a good ten years” and included working with the support of a creative fellowship with the State Library of Victoria.

“I also wrote quite a lot of the book also while living in Ballarat,” she said.

With a significant background in the arts sector, Sue is well known in Daylesford from the time when she previously lived and worked here.

While Sue now resides in Fitzroy, many Hepburn Shire residents will remember her from her time she worked with the Visitor Information Centre, and from her time chairing the Hepburn Shire’s public art committee.

Sue is the oldest of William and Edith Shum’s eight grandchildren and obviously inherited quite a lot of her grandfather’s creative tendencies.

She is the founding director of the Australian Tapestry Workshop, a collaborative studio involving artists, weavers, architects and clients working together to create major works of public art.

Sue was responsible for the production of more than 350 tapestry projects including monumental commissions such as Arthur Boyd’s Reception Hall tapestry for Australia’s Parliament House, the Federation Tapestry at Melbourne Museum, and a number of tapestries now hanging overseas.

Clearly not one to rest on her laurels, Sue hinted that she is already fairly well entrenched in research toward another book, this time focussing on the other side of the family.

The Untold Story of William Shum Editor of Australian Home Beautiful 1926-1946  is now available in major bookstores including Collins Bookstore in Lydiard St, Ballarat.

Words: Eve Lamb. Images: Supplied