RESPECTED business leader Tom Edwards has passed away at age 87.
Mr Edwards passed away peacefully on Friday (February 16).
Starting out as an apprentice electrician in the family business, Tom would go on to become General Manager of R T Edwards & Sons, building the business to a chain of stores across Queensland and interstate, employing more than 400 staff.
RT Edwards had an annual turnover of $100 million in 2008 when the business was sold.
Tom Edwards, then General Manager, R T Edwards & Sons, Ipswich. Photo: PICTURE IPSWICH
Tom’s father Roy started a door-to-door electrical repair business after being retrenched from Queensland Railways in 1931. From these beginnings Roy and his brothers Allan and Mervyn started to sell electrical goods.
The original R.T. Edwards store was located beside the Wintergarden Theatre in East Street. In 1952 the company moved to a new showroom at 56 East Street and then to the old Streets Cake Shop at 66 East Street.
In 1969 R.T. Edwards opened their first electrical appliance store at Booval Fair. Other stores opened in Brisbane, Surfers Paradise, Gatton, Redbank Plaza and Beaudesert.
In 1978 they opened a furniture showroom in South Street.
A funeral service will be held at 10am on February 23 at the Raceview Congregational Church.
