Obituaries Australia

Alfred Cheadle, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 16 February 1923

One of the best known figures in the South Australian wool trade passed away on 5th January at Victor Harbor, in the person of Alfred Stanley Cheadle, at the age of 69 years. For many years he wielded the hammer at the Adelaide auctions as wool salesman for various firms with which he was associated. He had an intimate knowledge of the pastoral industry, not only of the State, but of the Commonwealth, and few were better versed than he in wool and stock affairs. He was bred and born among wool, as it were, having first seen the light of day in Bradford, Yorkshire, where for generations his ancestors had been in business. There in due course he was initiated into the processes of manufacturing and marketing wool. Two years were spent in Roubaix, France, and then he went back to England and acted as woolbuyer and salesman for his wool spinning relatives.

He went to Adelaide in 1880, and for some time was engaged on the late Sir Thomas Elder's Beltana Station. Later he joined the wool department of Elder, Smith and Co. Limited, Adelaide. After four years with that well-known firm he accepted the position of manager of the wool and produce department of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., when that company established an Adelaide branch. In 1889 the company relinquished its connection, and Mr. Cheadle, with Mr. R. Strachan, succeeded to the business, which they carried on under the title of Strachan, Cheadle and Co. In due course this firm was absorbed by Dalgety and Co. Limited, and Mr. Cheadle became director of the local wool department of that company.

Mr. Cheadle took a keen interest in affairs of the day, as well as in matters appertaining to his special calling. He was a past president of the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce, and an examiner in wool classing at the South Australian School of Mines and Industries. A few years ago Mr. Cheadle severed his connection with Dalgety's, and entered into partnership with Mr. A. V. Crase. The firm (Cheadle, Crase and Co.) was recently merged into Bennett and Fisher Limited. A widow, two sons (Tom and Peter, both well known in stock and station circles), and three daughters survive.