Charles Hoadley

This article is about the Australian scientist and explorer. For the American librarian and historian, see Charles J. Hoadly.

Charles Hoadley
In the Antarctic
Born	(1887-03-01)1 March 1887 Burwood
Died	27 February 1947(1947-02-27) (aged 59) Footscray
Nationality	Australian
Education	University of Melbourne
Known for	Member of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition
Awards	King's Polar Medal
Scientific career
Fields	Geology
Institutions	Ballarat School of Mines

Charles Archibald Brookes Hoadley CBE (Burwood, 1 March 1887 – Footscray, 27 February 1947) was an Australian geologist.

Early life and education

The son of Abel Hoadley and his wife Susannah Ann née Barrett (he was the tenth of their fourteen children). He attended Toorak Grammar School, and from 1900, Wesley College.

He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1911 with a degree in mining engineering.

Australasian Antarctic Expedition

Hoadley was a member of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Douglas Mawson from 1911 to 1914. Hoadley was a member of the Western Base Party. Cape Hoadley was named after him upon discovery by the exploration party. As well as his geological activities, Hoadley was involved with building the party’s hut, cooking, baking bread and taking part in a number of sledging parties.

Hoadley on ski at 'The Grottoes' (Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914)

Educationist

From 1914 to 1916 he lectured in engineering at Ballarat School of Mines, before becoming the Principal at the Footscray Technical School, a post he held until his death in 1947.

Scouting

In 1909, he founded one of the first Scout Groups in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. He was Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association's Victoria Branch from 1927 to 1937, where his major achievement was the creation of Counties to take administrative duties away from Branch Headquarters. He was better known as founder and from 1924 until his death in 1947 Warden of Gilwell Park, Gembrook and a key part of Leader training, being one of the state's two first Deputy Camp Chiefs – authorised to award Scout Leaders with the Wood Badge. In 1952 the new Senior Scout competition hike was named in his honour. The former Hoadley Scout Region in western Melbourne was also named after him. He was awarded the Silver Wolf Award in 1931.

Personal life

On 21 May 1932, he married Rita Cadle McComb at Holy Trinity, Kew. They had two children. Hoadley died from coronary thrombosis at home, in Footscray on 27 February 1947.

Honours and awards

• 1913: Caroline Kay Scholarship and Government Research Scholarship in geology
• 1915: Polar Medal (Silver, Antarctic, 1912-14)
• 1931: Silver Wolf Award
• 1936: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Archival collections

• Australasian Antarctic Expedition collection of records, pictorial and other material (1910-1934) / State Library of New South Wales

Further reading

• Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14 : scientific reports. Series A Vol 1 (Activities of the Western Base Party)
• Hoadley, Jack A., Antarctica to Footscray: Arch Hoadley, a Man of Inspiration and Courage (Melbourne: Sid Harta Publications, 2010).