["A West Australian Millionaire", The Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA), Tuesday 30 December 1919, page 35]

A WEST AUSTRALIAN MILLIONAIRE

STARTED AS A BARBER.

(From the London "Daily Chronicle.")

Mr. S. W. Copley, who has made an offer to purchase Sir John F. Ramsden's Huddersfield estate for £1,300,000, informed a "Daily Chronicle" representative that it was a one-man deal entirely. "I shall pay for the lot myself should the negotiations go through," said Mr. Copley, "and if Huddersfield Corporation cannot get the authority of Parliament to carry out the scheme for the purchase of the town for its own people, I shall have the town on my own hands."

"For two years," he added, "I have been negotiating with Sir John's agents, and have offered the price asked. I have not been acting as agent for the Huddersfield Corporation, but informally promised one of the councillors to give the town the benefit of the purchase by transfer, and I shall keep my word if these conditions are fulfilled."

Asked if any developments were likely to follow the acquisition of the town, Mr. Copley said he had a very big scheme in mind, the details of which he was not at present in a position to go into. The project was not merely one for commercial gain, but for the benefit of the townsfolk.

He had one idea of cutting up the estate to give Huddersfield people an opportunity to purchase their own homes; and he would be willing to finance schemes for the benefit of the small tenant.

Mr. Copley gave some details of his career.

"I was born in 1859, a poor lad in Huddersfield," he said, "and during my life I have been all sorts of things, but I never had a penny of interest in this country until I came here again from Australia in 1914. I am a director and have interests now in over 20 businesses." Mr: Copley started for himself as a barber in West Australia nearly 30 years ago. From barbering he went into house buying, and he skilfully dabbled in land, ranches, cattle stations and engineering. Having developed businesses all over Perth, he took up enormous tracts of land and built and established a ferry service.

At one period he smashed the Australian meat ring and brought the profiteers of those days to heel. Latterly his interests have been in brewing, insurance, cotton, and banking.

His generosity has been equal to his personal success. "I came to England in 1914 to undergo an operation," said Mr. Copley, "and I did not intend to remain, as all my interests were in Australia, but I do not think I shall go back again--I am too old.