Lasting legacy

Through cherished memories, Sue Walker tells the story of her grandfather, Home Beautiful's visionary first editor

- By Sue Walker

William Shum was the founding editor of Home Beautiful in its first two decades, from 1926 to 1946, a time when magazines had a powerful influence on how people lived. He was also my grandfather.

William's warm and friendly nature, open-minded curiosity and great interest in creative people proved to be valuable attributes for his editorship of the magazine. His great enthusiasm for life and broad-ranging interests attracted a ready and eager readership.

A practical man, full of energy, he spent happy hours in his garden, carpentry workshop and poultry yard, where stories for the magazine often began. His skill as a photographer also resulted in memorable images that brought his writing to life. Quick to recognise talent, he gathered writers whose fresh thinking encouraged readers to enjoy their homes and surround their lives with beauty.