A PAINTING LEGACY
Our company history spans over 4 generations of painting excellence in WA both North and South of the river. You’d be hard-pressed not to find a suburb that hasn’t been touched by a Bullied or Van Didden’s paintbrush at one time or another.
Spencer Bullied
OWNER / OPERATOR
Following in the footsteps of his Great Grandfather and Grandfather, Spencer Bullied started his apprenticeship with MPA Skills in 2006 with Bergen & Co.
For the next decade he worked alongside R.J Mitchell on Webb Brown & Neaves houses up and down West Coast drive and surrounding areas.
Over the years he gained experience in all different types of residential and commercial work learning the trade and the processes needed to provide an efficient, top class job.
In 2021, Spencer and his wife Heather took over Van Didden’s Painting & Wallcovering and today are the proud owners seeing in the next era of this iconic Perth painting business.
REGINALD W. BULLIED SNR.
GREAT GRANDFATHER
Reginald Bullied immigrated from Plymouth South Devon England to Western Australia in 1928 and was employed by J W Nichols and sons. He later transferred to Ohlsson & Henderson as foreman painter until 1947 when he became proprietor of Ohlsson & Henderson on the death of Charles Ohlsson. Reg followed his late employers footsteps and became a member of the Master Painters Association. Charles had been a strong member and had served as Vic-President of the Association in 1941. After spending only a short time in the association Reginald Bullied succeeded J W Nichols as President. The office and workshop of Ohlsson & Henderson was in Gordon Street West Perth and the rear of the building was occupied by Phillip Goatcher & Son. Reg completed his first term as President in November 1950.
By the end of Reg’s second presidency in 1959 he had been a big part of the Painters Registration Act and helped to purchase the Association's first headquarters in Hay Street Subiaco.
Information from Artisans & Visionaries by Kenneth Carde
REGINALD W. BULLIED JNR.
GRANDFATHER
Reginald Bullied, also known as ‘young Reg’, started his working life as a painter and decorator in 1943 when he gained an apprenticeship with Rich Sign Co. In the latter years of his apprenticeship he had his indentures changed to signwriting after working his way into the signwriting the division of the company. He was well grounded in all aspects of the trade, completing his final examination in 1948 receiving top marks.
Having completed his apprenticeship at the age of 21 Reg joined his father's business, Ohlsson and Henderson and a year later became a partner. The company was considered to be one of Perth’s leading contractors at the time, employing up to 30 painters on wages and training many apprentices.
In 1967 his father retired and the company and partnership was dissolved. Reg then continued trading under his own name R W Bullied Painting Contractors for a further six years. Reg like his father was a dedicated member of the Association, serving on the Executive Committee In many capacities including the Presidency for three years (1971-1973) and as a delegate to the Federation of Master Painters. At the end of 1973 he completed his term as President. He then decided it was time for a sea change and closed down his Painting Business and hung up his paint brushes.
Reg resigned from the Association after being a member for 25 years to take up a position as a Painting Inspector with the Painting Registration Board. He had now come full circle from leading standards in his apprenticeship, applying them in his business and then enforcing them as an inspector. In 1992 he retired after please sing our industry for 18 years. In half a century working in the painting industry Reg was still a Master Painter at heart and his enthusiasm of the Association and the Painting Industry is highlighted by his voluntary roll on the judging panel for the Award of Excellence and Apprentice of the Year over many years.
In 1981 he received a commendation for his distinguished service and was granted honorary Master Painters Association membership, in 1992 he received the Minister’s Trophy for his outstanding achievements to the Painting Industry. He is also a Life Member.
Information from Artisans & Visionaries by Kenneth Carde
Reasons for painters Registration
When looking for a painter, it is important they are registered… and this is the story why!
The Association was receiving telephone calls from customers who were having problems with the workmanship of the painting contractors. This started out as a trickle but by the late 50s it had become a flood. In 1953 the Association investigated over 20 cases in Perth alone. It had no power to instruct the painter to rectify shoddy work and it had no control over non-members painting contractors. The Association's members on the other hand we're obligated to abide by standards of the code of ethics.
After the Second World War and throughout the 1950s, a flood of migrants transformed the shape of Australian society. Australia suffered a huge shortage of workers for the nations reconstruction efforts and Australia embarked on a programme to boost its population. In 1950, it was estimated that 170,000 immigrants arrived in Australia. By the end of the decade this figure would reach 1,000,000. Most immigrants came from Britain, are European countries, such as Netherlands, Greece and Italy.
This was in part one of the reasons for the influx of unskilled tradesmen carrying out painting work. This was a problem the Association had to control as it was affecting the reputation of the painting industry, its members and the apprenticeship training system. Why do a five year apprenticeship when you can just pick up a brush and start painting?
David Sterling put forward an idea to the Executive Committee that some form of licencing or registration of painting contractors could be the answer to the problem. A development subcommittee was formed which consisted of David Sterling, Reginald Bullied, Ernest Flade and James White. By the end of 1958 this subcommittee had produced a draught document that they thought would encompass their ideas to protect the painting industry. Their next step was to lobby the newly elected Labour Country Party State Government who's Premier was the late Sir David Brand.
David Sterling and Jimmy White was chosen to act as lobbyists, both had contacts within the Liberal and Labour Parties. In the last month of that year they had meetings with several Cabinet Ministers who interviewed them at length. They were sympathetic to the principle of the registration and the reason behind it. By the end of the year there had been no decision on the Registration Bill even though it had been discussed in Cabinet, getting the Bill through Parliament turned out to be more difficult than envisaged. So far the Association had spent about 110 pounds. This would equate to about $8000 in today's money, they believed the money was well worth spent.
Over the next two years the Association continued to lobby the Government to put the Registration Bill through Parliament but without success and it was eventually rejected.
Reg Bullied with the assistance of Jimmy White was able to gain the support of the Hon Herb Graham MLA member of the opposition Labour Party for the principle and he agreed to introduce it into Parliament as a Private Members Bill.
One of the key components in the original concept was far the Association to be the administrators of the Painting Registration Board, after its passage and amendments two it's adoption the association was informed that it would be a Government controlled Board, paid for by the Painting Industry.
The Painting Registration Act was established in 1961. Its main purpose was to provide protection for customers and the industry. The Bill provided that before a person could engage in painting, other than as an employee, that person had to be registered and was required to obtain qualifications prior to registration. The rationale was that in addition to having served an apprenticeship or acquiring painting skills through experience, a painter should have adequate business skills. The Painters Registration Board commenced on January 1st 1963.
The Board structure would be a Chairman and Nominees from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Master Painters Decorators & Signwriters Association of WA Consumer Affairs and the Operative Painters Union. Reg Bullied Sr became its first voluntary inspector and M Silver & Son the first registered painter.
The process of developing the Painters Registration Act from its conception in 1957 to its enactment in 1963 was a six year marathon and it was the tenacity and perseverance of the development committee that saw it through to the end.
Information from Artisans & Visionaries by Kenneth Carde