I am here because of John Martin’s. Let me explain.
I was recently interviewed as part of John Martins | The Big Store Documentary and through researching my maternal grandmother’s role at the store, I discovered that she met my grandfather when he went there in the late 1930s to install new lifts during a major redevelopment of the store.
She was working in the basement, or Lower Ground Floor, in kitchenware, and he would have seen her while going back and forth building lifts.
The lifts, or elevators, were a major feature of the store with their Lift Ladies who ran the lifts and announced what departments were on the next floor the lift was heading to. They also used to announce their direction by saying “up please, going up” or “down please, going down”, and that catchcry is burned into my subconcious.
Years later, I worked in the West Lakes branch of John Martin’s and one of my sisters worked at Arndale, and then the Adelaide store.
My grandparents’ lives were entwined with the store but they were not alone. Many, many South Australian families have (and had) deep roots with the store through working there, shopping there, or by enjoying the famous John Martin’s Christmas Pageant, which I reflected on in the song, Pageant Time.
And I must thank Alex Patsan, and her father, Robert Tedstone. Robert worked at John Martin’s for many years in the planning department and he provided me with a list of every department on every floor, to aid historical accuracy in the writing process. His list helped me latch onto some structure for the narrative.
JM Departments 60-70s era
Lower Ground Floor
Delicatessen
Bucher Shop
Manchester
Kitchenware
Crockery & Glassware
Handyman & Gardening
Electrical Appliances
Sporting Goods
Restaurant
Accounts Payable
Ground Floor
Mens Wear
Cosmetics
Hosiery
Ladies Hand Bags
Jewellery
Cameras
Confectionary
Books
Gift Shop
Heavy Electrical
Chemist
Watches & Repairs
Mr Tippet Shoe Repairs & Key Cutting
First Floor
Ladies Fashions
Miss J M
Millinery
Corsetry & Underware
For Seasons Coffee Lounge
Second Floor
Childrens Wear
College Wear
Baby Wear
Childrens Shoes
Toys
Auditorium
Magic Cave
Third Floor
Curtains & soft Furnishings
Blinds & Awnings
Buttery Restaurant
Ladies Lounge
Fourth Floor
Furniture
Lighting
5 th Floor
Carpets
Rugs
Lino & Vynil Flooring
Shergis Hair Salon
Elizabeth Arden makeup
6 th & 7th Floors
General Offices
If you remember John Martin’s, I hope this song brings back fond memories for you because pleasing you is important!
Jack And Lil (Up Please, Going Up) Raw Scratchings
Jack And Lil (Up Please, Going Up) Lyrics
[Verse 1]
The handyman enters the handyman department
Down on the lower ground floor
He walks past the deli, and the kitchenware
But he won’t do that any more …
(‘Coz that’s where) Jack met Lil
(As she stood) Behind the till
As she caught his eye, instead of passing by
He lingered there until …
[Chorus]
(When they heard) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[Verse 2]
The next day he entered the gift shop department
Up on the upper ground floor
He was looking for a card, to express his love
‘Coz he was smitten to the core …
(He went down) To find Lil
(She was there) Behind her till
He was frozen there, his card was in mid-air
As he struggled with his will …
[Chorus]
(When they heard) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[Verse 3]
The next year she went to the millinery department
Up on the ladies first floor
She walked past the fashions, and the coffee lounge
She had a wedding to dress for …
(She went down) To find Jack
(He was working) On his back
He was on his shift, building another lift
As she said come see my hat …
[Chorus]
(So they went) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[Verse 4]
The next year she went to the babywear department
Further up on the second floor
She went straight past the shoes, and the Magic Cave
She had a daughter to buy for …
(The staff said say) Hi to Jack
(He keeps our) Lifts on track
She found him alone, he saw how much she’d grown
And before he could react …
[Chorus]
(Then they heard) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[Bridge]
You could say it was just a big store
And we could have met another way
But no-one else could ever please me more
I’ll be with you for the rest of my days
And even if the store should fold
Or if it ever burned to the ground
You’ll always have someone to hold
Through every little up and down
[Chorus]
(I’m with you) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[Verse 5]
Throughout their lives they shopped at the other departments
On the third and fourth and fifth floors
She often took her girls, to the Ladies Lounge
Then toys to distract from the war …
(When home they’d) Show their dad
(All the new) Things they had
Then Jack said to Lil, I’m glad this wasn’t a drill
I was the luckiest lad …
[Chorus]
(When we heard) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found
[refrain]
(We’ve found) Love dear, we’ve found love
(We’ve found) Us dear, we’ve found us
(We’ve found) Love dear, we’ve found love
(We’ve found) Us dear, we’ve found us
[Chorus]
(We remember) Up please, going up
(Oh oh) Down please, going down
Whatever it is you’re looking for
We’ll help you look around
Up please, going up
Down please, going down
John Martin’s may be a department store
But look at what we’ve found