In 1911, John Albert Williams moved to O’Leary from Summerside where he had been employed at the McCullough Tailor Shop. He purchased a building originally located directly behind the railway tracks towards Coleman. Later it was hauled to the present site of the Batt and MacRae building - a bit nearer the street. Displayed on a cement block in front of the shop were a giant pair of scissors and a plane (iron) - his advertisements.

Johnny specialized in making men’s clothing. His suits sold for eight dollars each. By 1918, business was thriving. Soldiers were plac- ing many orders for clothing. While recuperating from an ankle injury, Johnny’s daughter, Jennie, helped her father in the shop. She also trained her sister, Myra, to be her replacement.

In 1921, Jennie gave up her salary of three dollars a week in the shop to become Mrs. Lester Waite. Jennie relates there were less than perfect working conditions in a tailor shop in the early nineteen hundreds. The hours were long and the ammonia vapours strong. The girls were advised by Dr. Champion to get out in the fresh air as much as possible.

Johnny eventually became lame from sitting with legs crossed sewing for many long hours. He died in 1957 and the business died with him. The original tailor shop was moved to Jennie’s backyard in Springfield West.

Robert Hardy had a tailor shop in the village (circa 1918). His shop was located where the Co-op store is today. Robert built the house which David Ferguson now owns. Later he moved his business to Alberton. As there were no dress shops in O'Leary at that time, women had to buy material and make their own dresses or hire a seamstress.

THE TANNERY

Thomas Turner operated a tannery behind the present location of Texaco Service Station. He made leather from cowhide using a very simple but effective technique. First, he dug a large hole in the ground near his tannery, filled it with water, then added tan bark and salt. The hides were left to soak in this solution for a specified time to loosen the hair. They were then taken out, the hair scraped off and sold to plasterers. The tannin in the bark helped to loosen the hair and acted as an astringent. The hides were then sold to shoe- makers and harness makers.

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