Harding's Auction Mart

Late in 1882 Scott & MacGregor who were auctioneers, property and stock agents in Ipswich sold their business to Elias Harding, junior. It seems that Elias was working with the firm and involved to some degree in the business for a couple of years prior to the purchase however he was primarily known around town as a horse breeder and trainer. Scott & MacGregor had an Auction Mart in Nicholas Street sometimes called Ipswich Land Exchange, and sale yards also known as show grounds at Sandy Gallop where stock auctions were performed. These facilities seem to have changed ownership as part of the business purchase. 

By 1891, Elias's eldest son Elias Gordon Harding known as Gordon, had a general auctioneer's license and was working for his father, together with employee Ernest Cole.  Four years later the building in Nicholas Street housing Harding's Auction Rooms was demolished and then re-built. The new construction included premises for Hardings and two shops for other tenants like Joseph Sparks the tailor who moved in next door. The brick building was owned by Mrs Henry Thorn of East Street and designed by H. E. Wyman. Facilities for the auctioneers included an office, auction room and auction mart. Outside was an area for horses with auctioneer's rostrum. At the beginning of December 1895 Hardings reopened there. Their yards at Sandy Gallop were still in use for stock auctions. Neighboring businesses in Nicholas Street around this time were: Ginn & Hooper's store, Robert Worley (green grocer), Russell Wilkins establishment (later Red Arcade), Hargreaves & Co. , Dave Jackson's hairdressing & tobacconist shop. In the 1890s the Harding family were still heavily involved in horse breeding and training. In fact Elias, Gordon and Silas Harding were all members of the Ipswich Polo Club, forming a team with F. W. McGill. 

The business was 21 years old in 1903 when Elias sold his company to son Gordon and Ernest S. Cole, his employee. The firm was to trade under the new name of Harding & Co. About 18 months later the new partners dissolved their agreement by mutual consent with Gordon retaining Harding & Co. while Ernest Cole moved on to open his own business near the corner of East & Brisbane Streets.

The circumstances leading up to it are unclear however one year later in December 1905 the company was liquidated. Then about a month after that event in January 1906 Gordon Harding unexpectedly died by drowning. Within days Elias Harding announced his intention to resume the business of auction and property agent in partnership with brothers Francis Tottenham Lucas Cardew, and Pollett Loftus Cardew a local solicitor. Elias was deemed manager of the enterprise with F. T. L. Cardew assisting.   This time the firm was called Elias Harding & Co. This arrangement lasted for three years until both Elias and P. L. Cardew retired and the existing partnership was dissolved. F. T. L. Cardew then carried on his own business for some years under the name of F. Cardew & Co. from the Nicholas Street building until it was gutted by fire in 1912. 

By April 1914 Charles James Harding, a son of Elias,  resumed the family business, operating as an auctioneer from temporary premises located at No. 6 O'Sullivan's Buildings (upstairs, over T. Archibald) in Brisbane Street. After moving to East Street to conduct business for a while, Charles then moved to Nicholas Street to the same site as his father's auction mart.

After several years in the business, in 1920, Charles and Harrild Martin Walker formed a partnership and the firm became known as C. J. Harding & Walker. As such, the pair were to perform fortnightly cattle sales, weekly horse, pig and poultry sales, and property sales & rentals. This was apparently the status quo until Charles died early in 1928 leaving Harrild to carry on as principal of the company under the name of Harding & Walker. This he did until his own untimely death in May 1937. By this time, the name of Harding had been associated with auctioneering and property sales  in Ipswich for over 50 years. Within a few short weeks their former business premises were claimed and back in use with Charles Herbert Summerville at the helm.