Charles Hoadley

Charles Archibald Brookes Hoadley (1 March 1887 – 27 February 1947) was an Australian geologist, and leader in the Victorian branch of the Australian Scouting movement.

Hoadley was born in Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria, on 1 March 1887, 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.^[1] He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1911 with a degree in mining engineering.

Hoadley was a member of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Douglas Mawson from 1911 to 1914. As a member of the Western Base 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.^[2]Cape Hoadley was named in his honour upon discovery by the exploration party.^[3]

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.

In 1909, he founded one of the first Australian Scout groups, located in Footscray, Melbourne.^[1][4] He was Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Branch of the Scout Association 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 as 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.^[5]

On 21 May 1932, he married Rita Cadle McComb at Holy Trinity, Kew. They had two children. Hoadley died from coronary thrombosis in his Footscray home on 27 February 1947.^[1]

• 1913: Caroline Kay Scholarship and Government Research Scholarship in geology^[6]
• 1915: Polar Medal (Silver, Antarctic, 1912-14)^[6]
• 1931: Silver Wolf Award^[6]
• 1936: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)^[7]

• Kariwara District Scout Headquarters

• Hoadley, Jack A. (2010). Antarctica to Footscray: Arch Hoadley, a Man of Inspiration and Courage. Melbourne: Sid Harta Publications.

• "Australasian Antarctic Expedition collection of records, pictorial and other material (1910-1934)". State Library of New South Wales.
• "Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14 : scientific reports. Series A Vol 1 (Activities of the Western Base Party)". State Library of New South Wales.