Thomas Russell Hadley was born and baptised in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1829. From the family bible he was the “fourth son” of John, a Printer and Mary. Susanna Capel was born on September 12, 1829, in Gretton, Gloucestershire to John, a gentleman, and Susan. They were married on October 21, 1854, in nearby Winchcombe. At that time Thomas was a newspaper editor and his father a newspaper proprietor.
They had three children born in the UK between 1856 and 1860 before emigrating to Australia. Travelling aboard “Suffolk”, they arrived in Melbourne in August 1860. Thomas had accepted a job as a journalist at the Argus newspaper in the rapidly growing town of Melbourne.
The Argus was an Australian daily morning newspaper in Melbourne from 1846 to 1957. It was considered to be the general Australian newspaper of record for this period. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left-leaning approach from 1949.
The Argus Office in Melbourne, 1867
Those early years in Melbourne must’ve been grim for Thomas and Susanna as four of their next 6 children, born between 1861 and 1868, died in their first year.
The most consistent killer in early Melbourne was diarrhoeal disease as the new settlers quickly set about befouling their immediate environment with human and domesticated animal waste. The ubiquitous Australian fly ensured that germs spread far and wide. Despite the healthful environment, infant mortality from gastro-enteritis and dysentery was to remain scandalously high throughout the 19th century. Melbourne's infant mortality rate would exceed that of London until the 1890s. 'Colonial fever' was soon a scourge but it would not be reliably diagnosed as typhoid until the 1870s. With overflowing cesspits, polluted rivers and creeks, open sewers in the city streets and casual use of pans, “Smelbourne” had a pervasive odour of human excrement. http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00473b.htm
Thomas worked at the Argus for 6 years and then founded, in partnership with 2 others, Victorian Hansard – the official record of Parliamentary proceedings. He became the Chief of staff and worked there for 24 years until his retirement.
Many years later, Thomas owned a block of land in Upper Beaconsfield and leased another next door. [The current address of the property is 227 Dickie Road, Upper Beaconsfield.] He tells the story in a letter to the Lands department about his lease:
Of their nine children, four died as babies and another two as young adults – Tom Jnr was a clerk who left a wife and 2 small children when he died aged 30 at his parent’s house and Henry was 28 when he died of enteritis in South Africa during the Boer war. Their 3 surviving children were Arthur Capel (our ancestor) and two girls: Constance married Alfred Webster and had 5 children (including Herbert who was an Anzac at Gallipoli (SN: 259)) and Edith who never married.
Susanna died on July 26, 1909, at her home in Fitzroy. She was 79. Little else is known about her. Her death notice was a bit brusque: “HADLEY – On the 26th July, at 49 Gore street, Fiztroy, Susanna, wife of Thomas Russell Hadley, and only daughter of the late John Capel, of Gretton, Gloucestershire, aged 79. Interred privately.”
But a year later – in memorium – son Arthur and Lillian placed a notice which read: HADLEY – In loving memory of our dear mother, Susanna, beloved wife of Thomas Russell Hadley, who departed this life 26th July, 1909. “The best friend we ever had.”
Thomas died at his daughter’s home in Windsor on Sunday December 12, 1920 at the age of 92. It wasn’t sudden - The Argus published his obituary the next day:
DEATH OF MR. T. R. HADLEY.
Mr. Thomas Russell Hadley, whose death in his 92nd year occurred yesterday morning, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Alfred Webster, of Lewisham road, Windsor, was one of the earliest members of "The Argus" literary staff. After following the profession of a journalist in England for some years, first in Gloucestershire and subsequently in Essex, he accepted an engagement on "The Argus" staff as the result of an interview with the late Mr. Edward Wilson in London, and arrived in Melbourne in 1860. He was connected with "The Argus" for six years, at one time occupying the position of sub-editor, and at another that of chief of the reporting staff.
In 1866, with the late Mr. W. V. Robinson and the late Mr Howard Willoughby, Mr. Hadley founded the Victorian "Hansard." In less than three years Mr. Willoughby resumed his connection with the press, subsequently becoming editor of "The Argus," while Mr. Robinson was appointed clerk to the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Hadley, who was eventually recognised as chief of the "Hansard" staff, relinquished his position voluntarily on reaching the public service retiring age after service extending over 24 years. A most dexterous and accurate Parliamentary reporter, who never varied in his excellent methods of working, he did much to establish "Hansard" as a reliable recorder of Parliamentary proceedings. When there were only three reporters on the "Hansard" staff, no typewriters, and no assistants, the work of bringing out the weekly publication was most arduous. It kept the men almost continuously employed (with intervals for sleep) note-taking, transcribing, and proof-reading, from the time Parliament met on Tuesday till the following Monday night, when "Hansard" went finally to press. The only pastime Mr. Hadley cared for was bowling, and he was one of the earliest patrons of the game in Melbourne, His first club was the Victoria (in Victoria parade, Fitzroy), of which he was for some time the secretary. Later, when he left the neighbourhood of Parliament House, he became a playing member of the Armadale club. It was under his auspices that a bowls column was established in "The Australasian." His wife died in 1909. Mr. Hadley leaves a son and two daughters. The son, Mr. Arthur C. Hadley, is the engineer to the Shire of Wimmera. The funeral will take place this afternoon.
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Mon 13 Dec 1920 Page 6 DEATH OF MR. T. R. HADLEY.
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*3500 pounds in 1910 worth about $500,000 today
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