W. Haigh & Co. Ltd.

William Henry Haigh had been in business in Ipswich for 40 years when he died in 1922. He was an auctioneer, produce merchant, and property & insurance agent. Following his death, son William Clifford Haigh introduced wireless and refrigerator sales into the business. Cliff had become manager of W. Haigh & Co. around 1916.

W. Haigh & Co. first had premises in Brisbane Street, opposite Allen & Minnis's pharmacy. In 1886 W. Haigh & Co. were property agents, auctioneers, valuers, insurance agents, and money lenders trading from premises in Bell Street. Later that year the firm moved to premises in the School of Arts.

In 1888 Haigh appears to have had rooms in the Royal Bank Chambers. By 1892 the firm moved to Union Street where Alexander Stewart's clothing factory would stand in the 1920s. Later the firm would trade from Collins Wharf and when Customs House was demolished they would move to Nicholas Street, opposite the Memorial Hall. The firm would remain there until late 1933 when they made a move back to Brisbane Street into Carter & Duncalfe's old premises, opposite St Paul's Anglican Church. The business would remain in this location until at least December 1954.

In the 1920s Radiola receivers were sold by Haigh's. The business was the first Queensland distributor for Amalgamated Wireless Australia (AWA), and were distributors of Frigidaire products and Palbos hot water systems.  By the 1940s W. Haigh & Co. dealt in radios, torches, lamps, and refrigeration sales and repairs. In the 1950s they were also Hallstrom dealers. They appear to have remained produce merchants until about the mid 1940s. However  auctioneering activity may have petered out with William's death or split off from W. Haigh & Co. Another of William's sons, Ernest Vernon Haigh received an auctioneers licence in 1924 so perhaps this indicates when that side of the business ceased to be.

William Henry and Elizabeth Haigh, fourth daughter of Benjamin Cribb, lived at Dorrington, 88 Chermside Road.