Martha Murray

700 Richmond Street, corner of Maitland Street and Philip Street

 

In 1904, Ken Murray started the Murray Shoe Company, and four years later built the Murray-Selby Shoe Factory Building, which you can see across Piccadilly Street rising to five storeys. In the following story, Martha Murray tells a story about her grandfather, Ken Murray. Ken Murray’s wife Hazel Murray also features in the story.

Transcript

I think my grandfather, who was the Murray of Murray Selby shoes did a lot of vaudeville stuff and there was this story that he’d gone to Chicago or somewhere on business, on shoe business, and my grandmother was listening to the radio listening to Guy Lombardo who was in Chicago, and all of a sudden Guy Lombardo said ‘Well, there is my best friend Kenny Murray, all the way from London, Ontario!’ And I guess my grandfather got up on the stage and my grandmother sitting in London, Ontario saying excuse me?

If you’d like to hear more stories about The Village, walk north on Richmond Street to the stoplights, cross Richmond Street, head west for about half a block, and look for the orange Hear, Here sign.

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