Abel Hoadley was the founder of the well known Melbourne confectionary manufacturer Hoadley’s Chocolates. Abel started his business in the late 1880’s by making jams on his orchard Harkaway Farm on the south western corner of Springvale and Highbury Rd’s, Burwood East. He was also a Shire of Nunawading Councillor representing the South Riding now known as Burwood East.
In a thesis by Jacqui Donegan, 2015 The Confectionery Kings: Robertson, Allen and Hoadley, 1875-1945 mentions:
‘At the centre of their association was a triumvirate consisting of the foremost confectioner in the country, Macpherson Robertson; his former apprentice, Alfred (Alf) Allen; and their competitor, Abel Hoadley. All three were figures of considerable wealth and influence in Australian economic life’.
Hoadley’s Chocolates are famous for creating the much loved Violet Crumble that was introduced in 1913 and is still in production today and Polly Waffle which was discontinued in 2009 but resumed production in 2023. Other products the company made include: Artic Mints - discontinued, Bertie Beetle still in production, Clancy Bar - discontinued, Crumblettes - discontinued, Lady Beetle – discontinued, Luncheon Wafer bar – discontinued, Min-Tex bar – still in production but renamed Tex Bar and White Knight – discontinued in 2016.
Around 1904 Hoadley’s began manufacturing cough medicine which was sold as Hoadley’s Cough Mixture until c1954.
And it all started on a 135-acre block of land in Burwood East in the City of Whitehorse yet the Hoadley family’s contributions to Whitehorse’s early development are not recognised.
The City of Whitehorse and those interested in our heritage should consider what can be done in recognising Abel Hoadley’s significant contributions to Australia and therefore Whitehorse’s history.
The Hoadley family
Abel Hoadley was born in 1844 in Willingdon in England to Peter and Elizabeth Hoadley (nee Wheeler). In the 1861 British Census Abel’s occupation is listed as ‘apprentice grocer’.
Due to his failing health Abel decided to migrate to Melbourne and in 1865 he travelled from London onboard the sailing ship Essex arriving in Melbourne in May. On the ships passenger list his occupation is listed as ‘smith’ which presumably stands for ‘blacksmith’. By August 1865 Abel was living at Clifton Villa in what was then known as the town of Pentridge and is now known as Coburg.
In descendants Jack A Hoadley’s book Arch Hoadley – A man of Inspiration and Courage’ in regard to Abel Hoadley mentions:
‘It is thought that his initial employment was with nurseryman George Brunning. I believe he also established a commercial vegetable garden at Pentridge (Coburg). The open-air life with its clean air and summer sunshine transformed his health and laid the foundations for a long and productive life’.
In 1868 Abel Hoadley and Susanna Barrett were married at the Presbyterian Church in Fitzroy. Susanna Barrett was born in the town of Pentridge, Victoria in 1848, she was the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Barrett (nee Clifford). It is highly likely that Abel and Susanna met in Pentridge as they both lived there at the same time. Abel and Susanna had sixteen children – Peter, Elizabeth, Rose, Emily, Walter, Bertha, Louisa, Frank, Charles, Albert, Rupert and Emily. Frank did not survive past the age of 3 and Percy, Norman and Harold did not survive infancy.
In 1840 Susanna's parents Thomas and Sarah Barrett (nee Clifford) had sailed from London to Melbourne on board the John Bull as bounty immigrants. Thomas is recorded as being a 27yo ‘agriculturalist’ from Foxham, Wiltshire and Sarah a 26yo ‘biscuit baker’ from Calne, Wiltshire. The couple settled on a farm along the Merri Creek in Pentridge. They had at least 9 children from 1840, 5 of these births were registered at the same time in 1846. The birth of their daughter Susanna appears not to have been registered at all. It appears that making sweet products ran in the Clifford family as after Susanna married Abel Hoadley together they began to make confectionary and this eventually became Hoadley’s Chocolates.
In 1870 Abel and Susanna were living in Box Hill as their daughter Elizabeth was born there. Around this time Harkaway Farm in Norwood (Burwood East) was being advertised for sale by the Donaldson Brothers and in December William Kay leased Harkaway Farm from John Donaldson but there is no mention of the length of the lease. Harkaway Farm was located on the north western corner of Highbury and Springvale Rd’s in Burwood East and was 135 acres in size.
By 1871 Abel and his family are listed in the directory as living in Cheltenham on a 12 acre farm and his occupation is listed as ‘gardener’.
In January 1876 Abel signed a five-year lease with John Donaldson and William Kay for Harkaway Farm.
Yet in 1878 Abel was living in Ballarat as his daughter Bertha was born there but by October the family were living back at Harkaway Farm.
In January 1881 Abel renewed the lease with John Donaldson and William Kay for Harkaway Farm for another five years.
In the book A History of Nunawading by Niall Brennan,1972 mentions:
‘A family named Hoadley owned land along South Boundary Road and their children attended the Harkaway School. To supplement their meagre income, they went in for jam making and extended this later into the making of sweets. The pioneers had a sweet tooth and the Hoadley’s never looked back….’
In Abel’s biography in the Australian Dictionary of Biography mentions:
‘According to family legend, jam was first made from windfallen fruit in a copper under a chestnut tree, and the children sold it in the district after school’.
In August 1887 Abel was elected as a Shire of Nunawading Councillor representing the South Riding area now known as Burwood East. In October Abel entered the tomato sauce that his family had made at Harkaway Farm in the Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition and he won second prize. The range of products that Abel and his family made in Burwood was expanded to include preserved fruits, candied fruits and peels, and sauces using fruit from their orchards.
In 1888 Abel Hoadley exhibited a selection of tomato sauces, jams and jellies from his Burwood orchard in the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition that was held at the Exhibition buildings in Carlton. Abel received a ‘Third Order of Merit’ for his jams and jellies.
Around 1889 Abel established the first Hoadley’s factory and named it Barrackville on the corner of Park St and St Kilda Rd (224 Park St), South Melbourne presumeably this name was derived from its proximty to the Victoria Barracks on St Kilda Rd; here he initially made jams, preserved fruits, candied peels and sauces and then started making confectionery.
In the 1890 directory Abel is mentioned as ‘Hoadley, Abel, sauce and jam mfr, Boundary rd, Burw’.
In 1892 Abel made a trial shipment of canned fruit to England. It is likely that some of the fruit came from his farm in Burwood East. In an article in The Reporter - Box Hill newspaper in 1893 titled Success of a Nunawading Settler mentions:
‘Last year he sent a selection of canned fruits to England chiefly peaches, apricots, pears, pineapples and quinces. The reports on the shipment lately received are of a flattering character. The quality of the fruit is admitted to be highly suitable and the test of prices is now to be applied. The shipment in bulk by the Orient is composed of a few special lines, viz.., quince jelly, raspberry jam, apricot jam, melon and lemon jam – a preserve almost unknown in the English trade – and tomato sauce in the manufacture of which the firm have been very successful, and for which at the exhibition now open they have just secured a first award’.
In 1893 Abel as a devout and active Methodist, supported the establishment of the Wesley Central Mission in Lonsdale St, Melbourne as a response to the severe economic depression and associated inner-city poverty of the early 1890s. Abel went on to become Treasurer of the Wesley Central Mission from 1895-1906, and later an Executive member.
In 1895, due to the rapid expansion of his business Abel relocated to a newly built four-storey factory at Wells St, South Melbourne. The business was now trading as the Rising Sun Preserving Works, the trademark was registered the following year. It is interesting that the factory was again located close to the Victoria Barracks, the headquarters of the Victorian Colonial Army and the future Australian Army and that the company’s rising sun logo is similar to the Australian Army’s ‘rising sun’ badge.
In 1899 Hoadley’s entered their jams, jellies, and preserved fruits at the Earls Court Exhibition in London and won a gold medal and a Diploma of Honours (highest award) for them.
In 1902 the Hoadley family moved into their newly built Federation style home Bella Vista on the eastern corner of Thomas St and Cotham Rd, Kew.
1903 was a busy year for Abel as he acquired the factory of the old-established Melbourne confectionary firm of Dillon, Burrows & Co near Princes Bridge. He focused his company towards confectionery products and commenced the production of cocoa and chocolate. At the height of the season 800 staff were employed at the factory, and in the early 1900s Hoadley’s Chocolates was by far the largest Victorian customer of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. Later in the year Abel became a partner in the Australian Liquorice Company.
When in 1903 the Central Mission decided to establish a 'country home for boys', Abel offered them his Harkaway Farm (38-acre,15 ha) in Burwood East for £1000 which was £500 less than the market price; another nearby property was also purchased and these became the Boys' Training Farm at Tally Ho.
In 1909 Abel decided to convert his company A Hoadley and Co to a Proprietary Limited company.
In 1910 Abel sold the Rising Sun Preserving Works to the Henry Jones Co-operative whilst retaining the confectionary side of the business. Henry Jones was a well known Melbourne based Australian manufacturer of Jams, Conserves and Marmalades that were sold under the IXL brand.
In 1912 Abel decided to sell his factory near Princes Bridge as mentioned in an article in Architecture, Au – Howard Lawson the forgotten architect ahead of his time by Virginia Blue:
‘When the Hoadley’s decided to sell their jam factory at Snowden Gardens near Princes Bridge, South Melbourne, in favour of new premises a little further out of the city, the large landholding set Lawson’s active imagination into top gear.
Abel Hoadley had wanted to sell the factory as a whole but, due to lack of interest, split it into two parts: south (which was to be leased) and north (which was to be sold)’. This gave Lawson the chance to get involved in both parts, but in different ways. Lawson purchased the northern portion for the sum of £14,000 in August 1912.Considering that he was only 27 years old and, at that stage, a building manager with architectural aspirations, it was an extraordinary sum of money.
Lawson planned to convert the factory into flats, and would fund the works, as well as recoup the original purchase price, via the raising of shares for a new company to oversee the process……
The southern part of the Hoadley factory was also recycled into a totally new use, again with Lawson’s involvement. A new company, Snowden Pictures, leased this portion, with the intention of converting it into a silent picture theatre. ‘The alterations will be under the supervision of Mr Lawson, who has just completed the Britannia Theatre’, explained the prospectus. Lawson held financial interest in the project too, as he was also a director of the Snowden Picture company. One of his fellow directors was his friend, Walter Hoadley, son of Abel Hoadley’………
This site has had many incarnations up to the present time. The Snowden Picture Theatre was located on Aikman Street (now known as Southgate Ave) opening in 1912 but closed 3 years later in 1915 only to re-open as the live performance Playhouse Theatre from 1916 to 1932. Then again it opened as the Garrick Theatre, continuing live performances until 1937. It was then converted and used as the corporate offices for the Australian Glass Manufacturers before the building was demolished in 1961 to be rebuilt as the headquarters for the Australian Paper Manufacturers. This too was demolished in the mid-1990’s and is currently the Quay West Apartments.
In 1913 Abel Hoadley applied for registration of the name Hoadley’s Chocolates Ltd, the new company was operating by the end of the year. In the same year Abel retired, leaving the operation of the new company to his sons.
Abel Hoadley died of cancer in 1918 at his home, Bella Vista, Kew and was buried in the Burwood Cemetery, he was survived by his wife, four daughters and four sons.
Abel’s sons, Walter , Charles and Albert were responsible for managing the company after his death.
After operating for nearly thirty years Barrackville on the corner of Park St and St Kilda Rd was destroyed by fire in January 1919, but by February a new nearby site was acquired on the corner of Coventry St and St Kilda Rd and here a new factory was built in the record time of 34 days. This type of business was obviously quite dangerous and risky as only 9 months after the original fire which destroyed Barrackville this new factory was extensively damaged by fire in October. It was repaired and continued operating until 1983 when it closed and was demolished.
Susanna Hoadley died in 1928 and was also buried in the Burwood Cemetery.
By the 1930s the firm was on the verge of bankruptcy. Albert Hoadley re-established Hoadley's, largely by imaginative marketing of chocolate bars, notably the Violet Crumble, named by Susanna Hoadley after her favourite flower.
In the 1940s Charles was Chairman of Directors and Peter was Purchasing Officer. Albert's son Gordon presided over the company during a series of mergers in the post-war period, the last being that with the English firm as Rowntree Hoadley Ltd in 1972 and then by Nestlé in 1988.
The Hoadley company developed and made many confectionary ranges including Violet Crumble that was introduced in 1913 and is still in production and Polly Waffle which was discontinued in 2009 but resumed production in 2023.
Other products the company made include:
And it all started on a 135-acre block of land in Burwood East in the City of Whitehorse.
Charles A Hoadley was born Burwood East in 1887 he was the tenth child of Abel and Susanna Hoadley.
Charles’s early education was at the Toorak Prepatory Grammar School (Est 1887) in Armadale and from 1900 to 1904 at Wesley College. He then enrolled at the University of Melbourne 1905 and by 1911 he had completed degrees in Mining Engineering and Science.
After leaving university he was employed for a short time at Cath Reef Mine in Eaglehawk and later in the same year he was working as junior laboratory assistant Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd (BHP) at Port Pirie, South Australia.
Late in 1911 Charles joined the Australasian Antarctic Exploration Expedition led by the famous explorer (Sir) Douglas Mawson, spending a year as geologist to the western base party which covered more than 800 miles (1287 km) in Queen Mary Land. He was one of the group which undertook a 300-mile (483 km) trip into Kaiser Wilhelm II Land. He examined Haswell Island and Gaussberg and collected rock specimens.
In 1913 Charles returned to Melbourne where he completed a Master of Science at Melbourne University and was awarded the Caroline Kay Scholarshipin Geology. In the same year Charles was given a government research scholarship to undertake a chemical analysis of rocks that he had gathered in the Antarctic, but he was appointed senior lecturer in engineering at the Ballarat School of Mines and Industry (SMB). Upon his appointment at SMB the Courier newspaper mentions:
'Mr C.A. Hoadley M.Sc, B.M.E., comes to the School with a high reputation as a scholar and teacher; and the fact that he did excellent work as a member of Dr Mawson's expedition to the Antarctica is ample proof of his pluck and energy ... [he] should be a decided acquisition to the teaching staff.'
He was also one of six ushers at Sir Douglas Mawsons wedding in Melbourne in 1914.
In 1914 the famous Australian explorer Ernest Shackleton organised an expedition to attempt to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent, via the pole. This expedition was known as Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917. In 1915 the expedition was struck by disaster when its ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and finally sank in the Weddell Sea off Antarctica in November 1915.
The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the South Atlantic Island of South Georgia, enduring a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles (1,330 km; 830 miles). After numerous failed rescue attempts, Ernest Shackleton was lent a tugboat named Yelcho by the Chilean government and he finally reached Elephant Island on August 30, 1916. A smoke signal was sent from the shore while Ernest approached the beach in a small boat. The crew emerged from the capsized lifeboats that they had used for shelter and when Ernest was close enough, he called out "Are you alright?" - “All well!” came the reply, all of the crew had survived. Charles Hoadley offered his services to the Ross Sea landing party, projected as part of the Aurora relief expedition to rescue Ernest Shackleton's expedition.
In 1915 Hoadley was awarded the King's Polar Medal, and Cape Hoadley in Antarctica was named after him.
Local residents and newspapers had campaigned for many years for a technical/training school to be built in Footscray. In his book titled Arch Hoadley – A man of Inspiration and Courage his son Jack mentions:
‘through the decade of the 1890s the Footscray Independent often expressed community concerns about the lack of post-primary education’.
‘James Jamieson, the proprietor and the editor of the Footscray Advertiser was another prime mover building community support for a post secondary school’.
‘He devoted many editorials to expanding the mind set of readers, building a sense of community pride and advocating innovative public investments. In 1909 he too floated the idea of a technical school to serve the Footscray district’.
‘The foundation stone was laid in September 1915 for a building to cost £7,500 with £2,500 equipment, and accommodation for 200 day and 200 evening students’.
From 1913 Charles Hoadley was lecturer in engineering at the Ballarat School of Mines until 1916 when he was appointed the Principal at the Footscray Technical School where he remained until his death in 1947.
Charle's vision was for students to gain a technical education, and also an appreciation of the arts, sports, the outdoors and community activities. Under his leadership, the school grew rapidly and began offering trade certificate courses, diplomas in architecture, building and contracting, as well as evening classes. He promoted technical education among district parents in press articles and public addresses.
Enrolment grew to 2500 by 1943. Footscray thus became the largest diploma teaching school in the State system. In 1968 the Footscray Technical School was renamed Footscray Institute of Technology. In 1992 the Footscray Institute of Technology and the Western Institute merged and became Victoria University.
In 1918 Charles Hoadley, Frank Tate (the first Director of Education, Victoria) with his son William, Martin P Hansen (Chief Inspector of Secondary Schools) and Arthur Richardson with his son went on a six week camping trip to East Gippsland. You can read about Frank Tate on this website on the page titled St Elmo.
At the end of WW1, a global influenza pandemic had broken out. Australia's quick implementation of quarantine restrictions slowed the arrival of the flu, but cases began to appear across the country in early 1919. In the same year the students from Footscray Technical School were transferred to South Melbourne Technical School - Footscray Technical School was used as an influenza hospital. Charles Hoadley stayed on and volunteered for the roles of secretary, superintendent and quarter master. William Tate, the son of Frank Tate (Director of Education, Victoria) was at the time a 5th year medical student had accepted the position of resident physician. An estimated 50 million people worldwide died as a result of the global influenza pandemic.
In 1919 Charles joined the Boy Scout Association, and was Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Boy Scout Association from 1928 to 1937. The scout area of Moonee Ponds is named the Hoadley Area in his honour.
In 1921, Charles joined the Boy Scout Association and became scoutmaster of 1st Footscray troop. As Commissioner for Scouter Training, he was active in the creation of Gilwell Park at Gembrook. In the ‘Gilwell Park Bushwalking Scouting History Walk – Eastern Side’ mentions:
‘In 1924, several Victorian Leaders attended the Wembley Jamboree in England and, afterwards, qualified for their ‘Wood Badge’ at this camp. Two of the Leaders were so outstanding that they were recommended to be Deputy Camp Chiefs (DCC) - qualified to run similar courses.
These were Mr C.A. (Arch) Hoadley and Mr E.H.C (Tom) Russell.
Mr Hoadley was greatly influenced by his experience at Gilwell (England), where Baden-Powell’s foresight had envisaged an area where boys could come to camp as Andrea for the Training of Leaders. Following the Second Woodbadge course run at Gilwell Park, Victoria, in 1926, Mr Hoadley purchased 200 acres of land on Clark and Sheppard Creeks, adjoining the original gift of the training area by the Russell family. Mr Hoadley donated 20 acres on the East side of the Gembrook-Launching Place Rd to increase the size of the training area. The Eastern side of Gilwell Park can be explored using the “Gilwell Park’s Scouting History Walk Eastern Side” guide’.
As Chief Commissioner of Victoria from 1928 to 1937, Charles reorganized the district and county workings of the Association and was generally credited with re-energizing scouting in the state.
In 1929 Charles led a contingent of Boy Scouts to England for the 3rd World Scout Jamboree also known as the “Coming of Age” Jamboree. The Jamboree was opened by the Duke of Connaught, the president of the Boy Scout Association. The Jamboree took place on a 450 acre site at Arrowe Park in Upton, near Birkenhead and was attended by thirty thousand Scouts and Girl Guides from many countries.
Charles was a member of the Freemasons and in 1930 became Deputy Worshipful Master of the Baden-Powell Lodge and a member of Melbourne Rotary in 1932.
In 1932 Charles Hoadley and Rita McComb were married at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Kew. Charles and Rita had two sons Jack and Peter.
Rita was born in Box Hill in 1893 to James and Emily McComb (nee Cadle). The McComb family lived in Box Hill from c1892 to 1897. In 1897 James McComb and his family moved to Lilydale where he was appointed to the position of ‘Shire Engineer’ for the Lilydale Shire Council.
In 1934 Baden Powell personally conferred on Charles Hoadley the Silver Wolf Award, the Association’s highest award for “services of the most exceptional character”.
In 1936 Charles Hoadley was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 1937 in an article in The Age newspaper mentions:
‘The resignation of Mr. C.A. Hoadley as Chief Commissioner of the Boy Scouts Association of Victoria was announced yesterday. The resignation which was accepted by the State executive committee, was tendered owing to the strain of Mr. Hoadley’s professional and private duties’.
In 1940 the Footscray Technical School celebrated its 25th anniversary with four of its original staff Charles A Hoadley, F.A. Treyvaud, C.F. Mudie and N. Nicholls.
In 1945 Charles was elected a chairman of the executive committee of the Victorian branch of the Boys Scouts Association.
Charles Hoadley died suddenly in 1947, at his home, "The Oddynes," Geelong Rd, Footscray, he was survived by his wife and two children. He was cremated, and his ashes buried beneath the altar at the Gilwell Park Scouts camping facility, Gembrook.
In 1956 the Hoadley Memorial Hall at Gilwell Park was opened by the President of the Boy Scouts Association Sir Edmund Herring. Sir Edmund Herring was Lieutenant Governor of Victoria and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria for many years.
Bertha Hoadley – the daughter of Abel and Susanna Hoadley
Bertha Hoadley was born in Ballarat in 1878.
In 1907 Bertha Hoadley and David Christie were married at ‘Bella Vista’ the Hoadley family home in Kew. David Christie was born in Ballarat in 1872, he was the son of David snr and Agnes Christie (nee Melrose). Bertha and David had three children Merle, Marie and David jnr.
According to directory records by 1915 David and Bertha were living at ‘Warrawoona’ (the house is still there at 83 Victoria Cres, Mont Albert) in Victoria Cres, Surrey Hills.
In a book titled ‘Arch Hoadley – A man of Inspiration and Courage’ by Jack Hoadley the son of Charles Hoadley mentions:
‘My earliest memories of Arch’s siblings are anchored in the Christmas day family dinners. I recall a journey by train from Footscray to Mont Albert and then a walk across Cotham Road* into Victoria Crescent. Aunty Bertha’s was a classic Federation home with multitudes of large rooms to explore and an expansive shady garden with tennis court beyond the garden’. *Cotham Rd is now known as Whitehorse Rd.
For Rita and Charles Hoadley their visits to Mont Albert may have been like coming home as Rita was born in nearby Box Hill and Charles in Burwood.
In 1928 David Christie was the Chairman of the Mont Albert State School committee when the Mont Albert Mothers League celebrated the second anniversary of its founding. The event was held at the Mont Albert State school and was attended by 250 guests.
David Christie died in Mont Albert in 1951.
Berth continued living at 83 Victoria Cres, Mont Albert after Davids’s death until c1965 when she moved to Ringwood East where she died in 1970.
The family home at 83 Victoria Cres, Mont Albert is still there.
The Hoadley family’s contribution to Whitehorse
Abel Hoadley made a vast contribution to the business and food culture not only of Melbourne and Victoria but also to Australia.
His son Charles ‘Arch’ Hoadley’ also made a vast contribution to education, exploration and the Scout movement in Victoria.
And it all started on a 135-acre block of land in Burwood East in the City of Whitehorse yet the Hoadley family’s contributions to Whitehorse’s early development are not recognised.
The City of Whitehorse and those interested in our heritage should consider what can be done in recognising Abel and Charles Hoadley’s significant contributions to Australia and therefore Whitehorse’s history.
Sources:
©Whitehorse Heritage