RYZOWY, Paul

29/6/1912 - 18/10/2008

Paul Ryzowy was born in Poland in 1912.  In September 1939 Paul was a university student in Warsaw (Jews were permitted to study law, but not medicine).

Warned of the imminent Nazi invasion, he fled with nothing but an overcoat.  He was unable to farewell his parents, who perished in the Holocaust.  Escaping to Russia with other refugees, he made his way to Japan via Vladivostok, then to Shanghai, China, latterly under Japanese control.  Because he spoke Polish, Russian and German he was able to work as a trader and to earn some money.

Post-war, Labor Leader Arthur Calwell visited Shanghai and invited refugees there to come to Australia.  Ryzowy went first to America, via Honolulu, to search for some relatives.  He stayed there until 1947, when he had little money left, and came to Australia, landing in Melbourne.

The Victorian Government of the time was encouraging decentralisation of industry from Melbourne to regional areas.  Paul, with a friend from his Polish home-town who had experience in the textile industry, borrowed £25,000 and purchased a property, previously used for a straw-thatching factory, in Creswick.  He then imported some second-hand carding machines from England and commenced spinning wool.

The business grew and prospered.  They not only spun wool but installed looms to manufacture fabrics.  Quantities of grey blankets were produced and sold in the 1940s.  In the 1950s they began making electric blankets which were marketed under the Linda trade-name, and fabric for fashion items.  By the 1960s the mill was employing up to 150 people, operating 50 looms.

Over 10,000 of the blankets produced during this time were donated through the Advertiser-Sunday Mail Foundation Blanket Appeal, as well as through Ballarat’s 3BA Winter Appeal, to the poor and homeless. 

Paul built a house in Williams St. Creswick where he stayed during the week, returning to family in Melbourne at weekends.  He also built houses for some of his employees, attracting skilled workers to the Mill.

In 1961, Paul went to London, carrying a letter of introduction from Premier Sir Henry Bolte.  This opened many doors to assist with improving his products. In 1965 the Mill won an Australia-wide wool fashion award.

When the Government began tariff reductions the manufacturing industry faced increasing competition from overseas countries such as China.  While many other mills ceased business, Paul was determined to adapt to change and for the mill to survive. He felt that local people should have jobs.

In 2004, the Mill gained a contract to design and produce a blanket for fire protection.  Made from wool and steel, it is distributed to Victorian and interstate CFAs.  The Mill also makes “Bluey” fabrics for jackets, the only Mill in Australia to do so.  The alpaca blanket is a luxury product developed in Creswick and, being both warm and light-weight, is very popular.  It’s label proudly proclaims

‘Creswick’

80% alpaca, 20% Australian wool

MADE IN AUSTRALIA

The Mill exported speciality items, including the alpaca blankets to New Zealand;  now they go to China, Japan, Russia and the USA.

At the age of 80, instead of retiring in comfort, Paul decided to build new premises in Creswick and invest in new infrastructures.  He was determined that his precious Mill would keep up with changing technology.

Creswick Mill products are taken all over the world by visitors and tourists.  The name ‘Creswick’ is well known for this reason. The Mill is the largest private employer in our region and for this we must recognise the man who worked in it until he was 92, when he handed it to his grandchildren.

Paul Ryzowy died in Melbourne in 2008.