Reflecting on a name & signature in Mildura
When I was a kid, I did that thing where you practise your signature — probably a combined version of my mum and dad’s.
I showed Dad my effort: “C de Garis”. Dad responded: “It’s good but you should include the J”. . . making it C.J. de Garis.
Dad told me I was named after a “distant uncle”, Clement John De Garis (there’s plenty of conjecture about the capital or lower case D). He was an entrepreneur, aviator and public relations genius who had it all, lost it all, faked his own death, and then took his own life.
His story has been legend in our family since I was that kid practising his signature and, indeed, is an epic Australian tale. It all started at Mildura, where I have just pulled into a caravan park on my journey around Australia.
Mildura is one of several of Australia’s claimed food bowls (fruit bowl is more appropriate) thanks to the irrigation scheme that comes from the mighty Murray River on its doorstep — New South Wales on the Mildura side, Victoria on the other.
I’ve always planned to get here eventually to find out what more I could discover about C.J. and see where his story began. I’m wondering if my surname will get noticed.
“There’s a De Garis kindy here, you know,” says the lady checking me in. Is that right? I’ll take a look.
I miss the day the historical society is open, which I think would’ve been my best chance for a rousing “prodigal son returns” reception, so instead I’m at the library, where the lady behind the counter shows zero recognition when I say I’m looking up a family member.
There’s a small section of Mildura history books, as well as C.J.’s autobiography. I find a bit of joy in one section of a local book titled “The De Garis Era”. I’m taking a photo and circulating it to my punters’ club Whatsapp group, family chat and old mates from primary school, confirming we are a big deal. We work in eras.
Camera IconA copy of one of CJ De Garis’ publicity campaigns. Credit: Christien de Garis/Supplied
C.J. first made his mark in the dried fruit game in the water-rich town. There are interesting comparisons to recent events, as it was in the post-war influenza pandemic that the industry realised it was too reliant on British sales.
With difficulty shipping overseas, C.J. created a series of massive publicity stunts, capturing the nation’s attention, and significantly increasing domestic sales.
The name Sun-Raysed (raised in the sun) came from a national campaign, first teased in all the big State papers: “Wanted — a name”. Much of the nation became intrigued and invested, and offered thousands of names in hope of being chosen.
Sun-Raysed was immediately put to work in slogans, adverts and campaigns. The next stunt was CJ’s national competition to guess the number of berries in the various Sun-Rayed packets, for a £1000 prize. With ads running across the country, families bought pounds and pounds of fruit to try to count the correct number, boosting sales and publicity.
I like to think this was the start of the school fete favourite guess the number of lollies in the jar.
C.J. De Garis has a strong connection to WA via Kendenup, near Mt Barker. As outlined in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, it was during a flight to Perth in 1920 that he conceived the plan for a new settlement at Kendenup, formerly the home of the Hassell family.
He made his home there in December 1921, and 350 settlers moved to the region to grow apples, potatoes and other produce. But the finance he used was on shaky ground, and the settlement and business plan never took off, preceding his tragic end.
Just like my trip to Mildura, this account of C.J. De Garis’s life is just a snapshot, and there’s so much more.
As in Kendenup, I’m almost certain there’s a De Garis street here, and I find it and head there after my library research. It’s pretty uneventful but as I slowly cruise along De Garis Drive in Mildura with a number of cross streets, each with a De Garis Drive sign, I notice something peculiar.
My family has always used a lower case d. My distant cousin (let’s go with that) and the only other De Garis wing in WA, David, uses an upper case D. Much ridicule and conjecture goes with this between clans.
So imagine my surprise and when I see De Garis has been written not two but three different ways on the one street. They can’t even agree in the town C.J. helped put on the map.
Camera IconA Mildura Kindergarten named after C.J. De Garis. Credit: Christien de Garis/Supplied
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