Simmie and Company are identified as the builders responsible for the successful completion of many Canberra buildings. While the Australian War Memorial, St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, the United States Embassy, the West German Embassy, the Institute of Anatomy, CSIRO buildings at Turner, and the Albert Hall stand out, the company also quietly completed much of the early building of Civic Centre.
The man behind all of this was John Ernest Simmie, known as Simmie. He did not seek fame, but he became one of the most respected and outstanding personalities in Australia's building industry. In 1922, Jock and his brother Bill formed Simmie and Company in Melbourne. The company soon became a force in the industry, and its name was to be associated with many prominent Victorian buildings for well over half a century. One of its projects in the early 1950s was to carry out extensions to the Shrine of Remembrance in St Kilda Road. Simmie and Company had earlier completed the Australian War Memorial.
The company established itself in the Federal Capital Territory in 1926. The story of Jock's early career path may provide lessons and inspiration for others. Jock learned his trade of carpentry with the old firm of builders and suppliers, W.W. Moore and Sons of Echuca in Victoria. He enlisted in the AIF (21st Battalion), serving at Gallipoli and then in France, where he was wounded in action. Brought back to Australia and discharged because of his wounds, he was still on crutches when he started work with the Commonwealth Audit Office in Melbourne.
The story goes that his supervising officer, Colonel Lang, asked him about his career plans. Jock replied that when fit enough, he'd become a builder. The Colonel is quoted as saying:
"Well, my advice to you is to study accountancy while you are here with us, because no matter what you do later, it will stand you in good stead."
Jock accepted the advice, put his head down, and in due course established a record as the first builder in Australia qualified to be a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries, an Associate of the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants, and a Fellow of the Association of Cost Accountants of Australia.
Jock was once described by his peers in these terms:
A typical Australian of many fine parts—with a delightful sense of humour—able to mix in any company—a keen businessman of undoubted ability—who, in his success, was always mindful of the needs of others, ready to assist. Jock Simmie's word was his bond in all things.
Although still bearing the effects of his war wounds, he was physically untiring, putting up with the lengthy journeys when spending at least a third of his time with his company in Canberra. The greater part of that time was on the job on one or more of his projects. Being the sort of character he was, many tales were told about him. He often repeated the following one, even though it went against him.
A carpenter's outfit in those days was not complete without the well-filled nail bag strung around the waist. The boss’s ploy was to keep down the lost time caused by breaks to the store shed for refills. Jock chipped a young bloke of Irish ancestry about having a bag smaller than usual. The response was:
"Ah, yes, for sure, for sure, and when you'll be seeing all them others knocking off with big full bags, they'll be your very own nails, Mr. Simmie, they'll be taking home to use on their odd jobs!"
Another story he told in a good-natured way was about being an honoured guest at the handing-over ceremony of the West German Embassy. He whispered to a fellow guest that when he was lying in the mud on the Western Front, examining the mess a piece of German shell had made of his leg, he'd never imagined one day he'd be enjoying a drink in Australia's national capital with a smartly-uniformed German military attaché!
Jock also observed the custom of having a drink on-site with the boys, handing out the Christmas pay packets, offering a few personal remarks, and giving a hearty handshake to each one. This ritual was always well received, although on one occasion, he recounted overhearing one wag observe that, like all accountants, Jock's largesse was not likely to start an unruly inflationary surge!
