Our interviewee this week, has been part of the Queen Victoria Market for nearly 40 years and royalty is an appropriate title because it is often said that he holds court on Saturday’s and Sunday’s at his prominent corner locations on the W walkway.
Tim is a farmer who doubles as a jewellery trader at the QVM. He dispenses a rare brand of wit which at times can be outrageously provocative and sometimes culturally inappropriate but always in good nature and balanced with a human understanding and compassion that few possess.
His courtiers include customers and traders and it is rare to pass his stall without one or the other stopping for a quick chat often laced with irreverent barbs of wisdom. However, Tim takes his business seriously and few traders are as polite and service oriented to the general public. Indeed, one of his outstanding attributes is his love for the market and his belief that the QVM is a very important part of Melbourne’s social fabric.
If you pass Tim’s stall and he is on a rare break, stop for a chat. Otherwise, just do like the rest of us – smile, bow low as you pass, and be grateful for the part that Tim plays in making our Market such a special place.