Cecil Augustus Motteram

Cecil Augustus Motteram (1853 – 13 June 1943) was an Australian baker, born in England. He founded a biscuit-making enterprise in Adelaide, South Australia, first known as Motteram & Williamson, then Motteram & Sons, which was later taken over by Arnott's and renamed Arnott's-Motteram. The company, through various mergers and acquisitions, was the precursor to Arnott's Biscuits.

Early years Cecil Augustus Motteram was born in 1853 in London, England, and John Motteram established a practice in Bendigo (then known as Sandhurst) in the colony of Victoria.

Cecil Motteram studied law and entered practice with his father for a while after completing his education, but left the practice to become assistant librarian at the Bendigo Mechanics Institute, where he stayed for two years. on Waymouth Street, in Adelaide city centre.

By 1881 he was the company's manager.

In 1892 Motteram and fellow-employee engineer Edward Williamson (c.1864 – 27 July 1927) took over its operation, and as Motteram & Williamson bought the business in 1894. Another son, Philip Motteram, after graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Adelaide, joined the company in 1919.

Motteram's slogan was "Progress", and his factories, which employed 130 people in 1927, worked in excellent conditions. Some of the employees had gained experience in Europe, and the latest machinery was used to make the biscuits. Only a few ingredients were imported, the majority being source in Australia.

Williamson continued as E. Williamson & Co. in Waymouth Street; he sold the business to E. Williamson Ltd, a company in which he had no interest, in 1924 – three years before his death.

Cecil Motteram died on 13 June 1943, after which his son Philip became chairman of the firm. They had two daughters, Ethel and Gertrude, and two sons, Philip and Walter.

Motteram died on at home at 23 Pier Street, Glenelg.

The sons and a grandson, John Philip Motteram, were involved in the business and continued to manage the company after Cecil's death. In November 1946, Philip Motteram became president of the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures.

The State Library of South Australia holds the records of Motteram Family Biscuits Co. 1897-1964.