Background
He was born in Ballyroney, County Down, Ireland in about 1850.
He was born in Ballyroney, County Down, Ireland in about 1850.
Waddell migrated to New Zealand in 1877, settling in Dunedin where he led Saint Andrew"s Church from 1879. In October 1888, his sermon "On the sin of cheapness", stirred many of the local community into action, and the cause was taken up by Sir George Fenwick, editor of the Otago Daily Times, and the paper"s chief reporter Silas Spragg. In 1890 a royal commission on sweating was established, and formed the basis of many of the country"s social reforms of the following decade.
Waddell was a believer in the value of trade unions, and became the first president of the Tailoresses" Union of New Zealand in July 1889.