{{Short description|English artisan and land dealer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Samuel William Copley | image = Sam Copley 107.jpg | alt = | caption = Caricature by David Low | birth_date = {{Birth date |1859|10|21}} | birth_place = Huddersfield, United Kingdom | death_date = {{Death date and age |1937|11|04|1859|10|21}} | death_place = Elstree | occupation = Artisan and businessman | years_active = | known_for = Developing businesses in Australia and the UK | notable_works = | spouse = {{Marriage |Henrietta Maude Marguerite Sands|1897 }} | children = 4 }} '''Samuel William Copley''' (21 October 1859<ref name=exposed>{{cite web|url=https://huddersfield.exposed/wiki/Samuel_William_Copley_(1859-1937) |title=Samuel William Copley (1859-1937) |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref> – 4 or 5 November 1937) was an English artisan who made a fortune in land deals in Western Australia and returned to England, where he continued to be involved in business.<ref name=boy>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11182106 |title=Barber's Boy to Magnate |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=28,620 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 May 1938 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
==History== Copley was born in Berry Brow, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, and trained as a tailor, but worked at his father's barbershop in Huddersfield. He subsequently worked in that trade in Manchester and Blackpool before returning to his father's business. In 1882, aged 23, he left for Pontypridd, Wales, where he practised hairdressing and made extra money by trading in such lines as boots, furniture,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57961480 |title=Perth Prattle |newspaper=Sunday Times (Perth) |issue=1148 |location=Western Australia |date=4 January 1920 |accessdate=7 January 2022 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and musical instruments.
===Australia=== A half-brother, Ben Copley,<ref name=Ben/> had emigrated to Australia around 1883, and Copley and his brother-in-law Joe Willie Ellis sailed for Australia, travelling steerage,{{efn|Copley was careful with money: his philosophy being that no matter how little he earned, he would save half, and anything he "had to have" he didn't have to have.}} on the ''Grand'' in 1885.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221389554 |title=W. A. Millionaire |newspaper=The Sun (Sydney) |issue=2992 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 February 1920 |accessdate=7 January 2022 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He settled in Melbourne, where he worked as a barber for three years. His savings from England amounted to £400, which he invested in local businesses, but failed to make a profit,<ref name=money>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71269168 |title=Sam. Copley's Money |newspaper=The Worker (Brisbane) |volume=48 |issue=2633 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=21 December 1937 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=19 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> losing substantially on silver shares when Broken Hill mines were being developed.
==== Fremantle ==== In 1888 he moved to Fremantle, Western Australia, working as a barber and tobacconist for two years, and in 1890 founding a bookmaking<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76463693 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Daily News (Perth) |volume=X |issue=3022 |location=Western Australia |date=4 June 1891 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and money lending business,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3021362 |title=Classified Advertising |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=7 |issue=1,682 |location=Western Australia |date=22 June 1891 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> in Fremantle and Perth.
==== Passenger ferries ==== He became associated with Joseph Charles{{efn|Joseph Charles, real name John Joseph Charles Maloney, was an energetic real estate developer, a founder of Subiaco and the local "Tattersall" sweep,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199466541 |title=The West Australian Tattersall's |newspaper=Ovens and Murray Advertiser |issue=7507 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=11 February 1899 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Senate candidate and mayor of South Perth.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33210439 |title=The First Mayor of South Perth |newspaper=The Western Mail (Western Australia) |volume=XVII |issue=858 |location=Western Australia |date=7 June 1902 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=47 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Married to "Ethel Charles" (real name Annie Maloney) he died penniless on 31 December 1906.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25692805 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=XXIII |issue=6,486 |location=Western Australia |date=3 January 1907 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>}} and his South Perth Ferry Company{{efn|South Perth Ferry Company ran shuttle services between Barrack Street, Perth and Mends Street, South Perth}} some time before 1898,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article256023760 |title=Personal. |newspaper=Clare's Weekly |volume=1 |issue=23 |location=Western Australia |date=29 January 1898 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> when their new steam paddle ferry ''Duchess'' was built by the Perth firm of {{thinspace|W.|&|S.}} Lawrence<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3209592 |title=News and Notes |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=14 |issue=3,980 |location=Western Australia |date=1 December 1898 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> to join their ''Princess'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3211308 |title=Wants of South Perth |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=14 |issue=4,005 |location=Western Australia |date=31 December 1898 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> ''Countess'' and ''Queen'' (previously named ''Empress''). In 1903 Copley became sole owner of the business. In 1910 ''Princess'' was auctioned off.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article257747456 |title=News |newspaper=The Umpire (Perth) |volume=6 |issue=32 |location=Western Australia |date=4 May 1901 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The government acquired the company around 1912.
==== Real estate ==== He was involved with<!--not partner--> William Britnall<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article24746420 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=18 |issue=5,063 |location=Western Australia |date=30 May 1902 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> in the subdivision of Chatsworth Estate to form the Perth suburb of Highgate Hill,<ref name=dies/> now Highgate. In 1900 with Ben Copley<ref name=Ben>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70415379 |title=Ben Copley Dead |newspaper=The Albany Advertiser |volume=13 |issue=1386 |location=Western Australia |date=22 April 1940 |accessdate=7 January 2022 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and James Patterson (died 11 July 1924), he purchased the Ord River cattle station, which in 1912 they sold to the Vestey brothers for £250,000. Also in 1900, in conjunction with R. T. Robinson, Copley and his brother purchased {{Convert|730|acres}} of the Mount Lawley estate which they sub-divided into quarter-acre blocks, yielding a vast profit<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92521416 |title=Mr R. T. Robinson. |newspaper=The Kalgoorlie Miner |volume=22 |issue=5484 |location=Western Australia |date=8 August 1916 |accessdate=7 January 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and incidentally triggering Perth's building boom which began around 1905.<ref name=dies/> In 1900 he purchased {{Convert|40,000|acres}} at Upper Swan, Western Australia, which he developed as a sheep and cattle station with some {{Convert|300|acres}} of high-class vineyards for the dried grape market.<ref name=dies/> In 1900 he purchased {{Convert|60,000|acres}} at Baker's Hill, from which he harvested many thousand tons of wandoo timber.<ref name=dies/>
==== Last years in Australia ==== In 1912 Copley was forced by the government to sell the ferry company, by cancelling its contract for use of the government wharves.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57727823 |title=Five Minutes with Thunderbolt |newspaper=The Sunday Times (Perth) |issue=737 |location=Western Australia |date=3 March 1912 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Copley had sold his fine house at Mount Lawley<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article80206241 |title=A Suburban Residence |newspaper=The Daily News |volume=XXX |issue=11,208 |location=Western Australia |date=17 May 1911 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> after the government compulsorily acquired the ferry company's docklands, and in September 1913 he left for England.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79860106 |title=Mainly About People |newspaper=The Daily News (Perth) |volume=XXXII |issue=11,909 |location=Western Australia |date=26 August 1913 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
=== England === On his return to Britain, Copley received medical attention for some chronic problems, and after several surgical operations he settled in London. In 1914 Copley became chairman of directors of the Atlantic Insurance Company, the West Australian Insurance Company, and Copley's Bank Ltd.<ref name=boy/> He founded the Atlas Insurance Company (later Domestic & General), a silk factory on the Thames, and a bird-seed factory at Camberwell. He founded Copley's Bank Ltd, which around 1917 took over management of these businesses, and Copley retired to his estate at Elstree.<ref name=dies>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83216691 |title=Sam Copley Dies |newspaper=The Daily News (Perth) |volume=LV |issue=19,539 |location=Western Australia |date=6 November 1937 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
When the Huddersfield Corporation (municipal council) wished to acquire a very large freehold (the Ramsden Estate)<ref name=exposed/> that had come onto the market in 1919, Copley fronted up with the £l,350,000 purchase price and transferred the property to the council when it was in a position to reimburse him.<ref name=money/>
He made a return to Western Australia in 1927, expressing pleasure at the state's progress, and at the Merredin hotel in particular, which he had built 21 years earlier.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article252472881 |title=Mr Sam Copley in Merredin |newspaper=Merredin Mercury and Central Districts Index |volume=XV |issue=702 |location=Western Australia |date=8 September 1927 |accessdate=6 January 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
He died at his home in Elstree, Hertfordshire, leaving an estate valued at £39,089, the bulk having been sequestered with Copley's Bank Limited.<ref name=exposed/>
== Recognition == A blue plaque in his memory has been fixed to the Berry Brow Liberal Club.
==Family== Copley married Henrietta Maude Marguerite Sands (1869–1947) at Holborn, England on 13 August 1897. They had four children: *Mary Copley (1899– ) *Phyllis Copley (1901– ) *Samuel Richard Copley (23 July 1909 – 2002) *David William Copley (23 July 1909 – 1998) The twin boys spent most of their young life in England, returning to Australia in 1932.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58689561 |title=Peeps at People |newspaper=Sunday Times (Perth) |issue=1813 |location=Western Australia |date=23 October 1932 |accessdate=8 January 2022 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> His widow died on 11 June 1947 and her remains were buried at Elstree Parish Church alongside those of her husband.
His grandson via his son Samuel was financier and conservationist Martin Copley, the founder of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy in Perth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Late Australian millionaire and environmentalist Martin Copley was grandson of Samuel Copley who 'bought Huddersfield' |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/late-australian-millionaire-environmentalist-martin-7914681|date=October 11, 2014|access-date=December 5, 2024|publisher=Yorkshire Live}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copley, Sam}} Category:1859 births Category:1937 deaths Category:People from Huddersfield Category:Australian pastoralists Category:Australian real estate agents Category:Settlers of Western Australia