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The locally made Simpson automatic washing machine eased the burden of weekly duties for South Australian housewives when it was first produced in the 1940’s. The Simpson name became synonymous with the production of innovative ideas and labour-saving machines, including its range of white goods. 

But what you might not know is that the Simpson family business began its origins in millinery in London.

From millinery to white goods 

In the 1840s, Alfred Simpson, a former tinplate apprentice, in partnership with this tailoring brother Tim, created the fifth largest factory in London making Parisian silk hats. By the late 1840’s the factory has succumbed to a devastating fire setting Alfred back financially. With the looming depression in England and a lack of economic opportunities, Alfred chose to move his family to South Australia in 1849, in hope to restore his family’s fortunes. Alfred was a Unitarian and with South Australia’s early reputation of towards religious tolerance, gave further impetus to emigrate. 

After seeking several avenues of employment such as woodcutting, gold prospecting, and shopkeeping, Alfred eventually returned to his original trade of tin smithing and established ‘A Simpson Colonial Tinware Manufactory’ thus beginning the five-generation legacy of the Simpson Family business. 

Cabinet portrait of the Honourable A Simpson c1860. SLSA: PRG 246/27/152

Cabinet portrait of the Honourable A Simpson c1860. SLSA: PRG 246/27/152

Hat liners in silk from Alfred Simpson’s hat making business in London, framed and under glass. SLSA: PRG 173/3/5/1

Hat liners in silk from Alfred Simpson’s hat-making business in London, framed and under glass. SLSA: PRG 173/3/5/1

A Simpson & Son, Gawler Place corner of Grenfell Street, 1899. SLSA: PRG 631/2/46

A Simpson & Son, Gawler Place corner of Grenfell Street, 1899. SLSA: PRG 631/2/46 

Worthy of the finest SA Homes, News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Mon 6 Dec 1954, NAA: Trove
Cabinet portrait of the Honourable A Simpson c1860. SLSA: PRG 246/27/152
Hat liners in silk from Alfred Simpson’s hat making business in London, framed and under glass. SLSA: PRG 173/3/5/1
A Simpson & Son, Gawler Place corner of Grenfell Street, 1899. SLSA: PRG 631/2/46
Worthy of the finest SA Homes, News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Mon 6 Dec 1954, NAA: Trove

Growth of the SA business 

The Simpson family business was built over time through five generations, beginning in tinware manufacturing and wholesale, to specialising in household white goods from 1940s to the 1980’s. The companies, including ‘Colonial Tinware Manufactory’ later ‘A. Simpson and Son’, then ‘Simpson Pope Holdings', each navigating the business through recessions and booms, both world wars, and the impacts of industrial action. 

Alfred Simpson and his family arrived in South Australia in 1849 and established himself as a tinsmith in Topham Street in 1853. Simpson manufactured many products for agricultural uses, and as this industry grew in South Australia, so did the family business. The family regularly travelled overseas bringing back ideas for labour-saving factory machinery, and new products and finishing methods. At the time of Alfred Simpson’s death in 1891, the business had the largest metal manufacturing plant in Australia.  

Post-WWII saw a boom in demand for home appliances and ‘A Simpson & Son’ responded by opening a new manufacturing facility in Dudley Park to produce washing machines. In the 1950s, ‘Simpson Distributors Ltd’ was formed, to sell the factory output and ‘Pope Industries’ was acquired in 1963 to improve the financial returns of the company. Finally, in 1986, ‘Simpson Pope Holdings Ltd’, was sold to ‘EMAIL Ltd’ under the stewardship of Antony Simpson, the last member of the family directly involved with the business. 

Automatic can-making machinery used to manufacture jam tins and condensed milk cans, c1951. SLSA: BRG 9/36/188 

Automatic can-making machinery used to manufacture jam tins and condensed milk cans, c1951. SLSA: BRG 9/36/188 

Gas cooker final assembly line, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/206 

Gas cooker final assembly line, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/206 

Workers on the factory floor, producing washers, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/214 

Workers on the factory floor, producing washers, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/214 

Simpson washers in display window of a store, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/216 

Simpson washers on display in the window of a store, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/216 

Refrigerator interior view of Model 172, 1964. SLSA: BRG 9/36/680 

Refrigerator interior view of Model 172, 1964. SLSA: BRG 9/36/680 

Factory equipment, the Version press, 1962. SLSA: BRG 9/36/800 

Factory equipment, the Version press, 1962. SLSA: BRG 9/36/800 

Views of the machining and assembly areas for domestic sealed units at Morley Park, W.A. prior to the move to Beverley, 1963. SLSA: BRG 9/36/881 

Views of the machining and assembly areas for domestic sealed units at Morley Park, W.A. prior to the move to Beverley, 1963. SLSA: BRG 9/36/881 

Automatic can-making machinery used to manufacture jam tins and condensed milk cans, c1951. SLSA: BRG 9/36/188 
Gas cooker final assembly line, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/206 
Workers on the factory floor, producing washers, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/214 
Simpson washers in display window of a store, c1950. SLSA: BRG 9/36/216 
Refrigerator interior view of Model 172, 1964. SLSA: BRG 9/36/680 
Factory equipment, the Version press, 1962. SLSA: BRG 9/36/800 
Views of the machining and assembly areas for domestic sealed units at Morley Park, W.A. prior to the move to Beverley, 1963. SLSA: BRG 9/36/881 

Acquiring the collection 

In February 2023, the State Library of South Australia took possession of A. Simpson & Son Ltd (later Simpson Pope Holdings) business records which became part of the A. Simpson & Son Ltd (SLSA: BRG 9). Records were listed and boxed onsite at the donor’s residence and transported to the Library for appraisal and item descriptions. 

The Simpson business records in donor’s home. SLSA: Archival team
The Simpson business records in donor’s home, documents date from 1850s to 1999. 

This addition to the existing Simpson Business Record Group collection provides the core business records of the company, primarily in the form of manuscripts and typescripts and to a lesser degree photographs, books, and serials.  

Simpson business records ready for transfer to SLSA.
The records boxed and ready for transfer to the State Library of South Australia archive collection.

Of significance, is a full set of business minutes and diaries of Moxon Simpson AC, CMG (SLSA: BRG 9/48) from the 1930s to 2000 which document the business history in detail which have been transcribed courtesy of the donor. Moxon Simpson AC, CMG was a key figure in the family business, serving 55 years with 26 of those, as Chairman. He was well known as a leader in the South Australian manufacturing industry. 

A collection of Manufacturing Specification scrapbooks recording how much metal/material and associated costings required to manufacture the products, featured in A. Simpson & Son (BRG 9).

A collection of Manufacturing Specification scrapbooks recording how much metal/material and associated costings required to manufacture the products, featured in A. Simpson & Son (SLSA: BRG 9). 

Collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in SLSA: BRG 9/27.

A collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in A. Simpson & Son (SLSA: BRG 9).

A collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in A. Simpson & Son (BRG 9).

A collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in A. Simpson & Son (SLSA: BRG 9).

Front of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900. SLSA: PRG 246/21/3

Front of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900.  SLSA: PRG 246/21/3  

Back of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900. SLSA: PRG 246/21/3V  

Back of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900. SLSA: PRG 246/21/3V  

A collection of Manufacturing Specification scrapbooks recording how much metal/material and associated costings required to manufacture the products, featured in A. Simpson & Son (BRG 9).
Collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in SLSA: BRG 9/27.
A collection of product catalogues, brochures, and pamphlets, featured in A. Simpson & Son (BRG 9).
Front of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900. SLSA: PRG 246/21/3
Back of a birthday greeting wish to Allen Simpson; watercolour on card, c1900. SLSA: PRG 246/21/3V  

More to explore 

Selected photographs and artefacts from the collection have been digitised and are available via the image viewer and the State Library’s catalogue.  

To search for the images, select ARCHIVAL NUMBER and then add one of the following numbers into the search field and search: BRG 9, PRG 173, PRG 246, or PRG 1240.  

We’ve included the links here for you: 

Did you know this entire collection (besides artefacts withdrawn to preservation storage) is available for researchers to view in the Library’s Reading Room? 

Simply click the Ask Us (online enquiry form) in the ‘More on your topic’ section of the catalogue record to request an item from storage.

You will discover much more about this fascinating insight into the history of early manufacturing in South Australia spanning 133 years of business history.  

Written by Andrea McKinnon-Matthews, Archivist