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South Australian Company

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The South Australian Company was formed in London on 9 October 1835 by George Fife Angas and other wealthy British merchants to develop a new settlement in South Australia; its purpose was to build a new colony. The South Australian Company ended business in its own right on 17 March 1949 when it was liquidated Elders Trustee & Executor Company Ltd, which had been managing its Australian affairs since the death of the last Colonial Manager, Arthur Muller in 1936.[1]

Foundation

The formation of the company followed considerable lobbying by the South Australian Association, a group consisting of philanthropists, radical thinkers, dissenters and merchants. After a years of negotiation, false starts, changes and amendments to suggested charters, the British Parliament finally gave approval and passed the South Australian (Foundation) Act on 15 August 1834.[2]

The founding Board of directors were George Fife Angas (Chairman); Raikes Currie; Charles Hindley M.P.; James Hyde; Henry Kingscote; John Pirie, Alderman; Christopher Rawson; John Rundle M.P.; Thomas Smith; James Ruddell Todd; and Henry Waymouth; with Edmund John Wheeler, Manager; Samuel Stephens, Colonial Manager; and Edward Hill, Secretary pro tem,[3]

Arrivals of 1836

In January 1836 four ships sailed from England on behalf of the Company. They developed a settlement at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, in July 1836, but when farming proved unviable, they transferred their settlement to the mainland. The Company provided basic infrastructure for the new colony, as well as sold or leased land to immigrants who came to settle. All told, nine ships, which may be termed the First Fleet of South Australia, arrived in the new colony:

27 July Duke of York (190 ton) S.A. Company 38 passengers
30 July Lady Mary Pelham (206 ton) S.A. Company 29
16 August John Pirie (105 ton) S.A. Company 28
21 August Rapid (162 ton) Commissioners 24
11 September Cygnet (239 ton) Commissioners 84
5 October Emma (181 ton) S.A. Company 22
2 November L'Africaine (316 ton) Various 76
20 November Tam O'Shanter (360 ton) O. Gilles 74
23 December HMS Buffalo (850 ton) Commissioners 171[4]

The Commissioners

Under the Acts that established the Colony, the UK government appointed Commissioners to oversee implementation of the Acts; Thirteen based in London with a Resident Commissioner stationed in the colony. Those first appointed were Colonel Robert Torrens (Chairman), Rowland Hill (Secretary), G. Barnes (Treasurer), George Fife Angas, E. Barnard, William Hutt, J. G. Shaw-Lefevre, W. A. Mackinnon M.P., S. Mills, Jacob Montefiore, G. Palmer, and J. Wright. The first Resident Commissioner was James Hurtle Fisher.[4]

Colonial Managers

The Colonial Managers ("CEOs" in South Australia) of the South Australian Company were:

Manager
 From
 To
 Notes
Samuel Stephens 1836 1837 [5]
David McLaren 1837 1841 [6]
William Giles 1841 1861 [7]
William John Brind 1861 1894 [8][9]
Henry Yorke Sparks 1894 1900 [10][11]
Henry Percival Moore 1901 1929 [12][13]
Arthur Leopold Albert Muller 1930 1936 [14][15]
? 1936 1949

Officers of the company

Most of the major streets in the Adelaide city centre were named after the founding directors of the company

Chairmen
Directors
Company Secretaries
  • 1878–1911 James Hutchison [25]
  • 1911-1930+ Henry Brandreth Gibbs F.C.I.S.[26]
Attorneys in South Australia
Local Board of Advice, Adelaide
Accountants

Company offices

From 1872, the South Australian Company occupied offices on North Terrace on the corner of Gawler Place. The new building, "Gawler Chambers", was completed in 1914.

List of people associated with the South Australian Company

Most of the major streets in the Adelaide city centre were named after the founding directors of the company

Who Association Streets Notes
George Fife Angas Commissioner Angas Street
Divett, Edward Trustee Divett Place
Sir James Hurtle Fisher (1790–1875) Resident Commissioner (#1) Hurtle Square [34]
Fussell, John Trustee
George Gawler (1795–1869) Governor of SA (1838-1841) Gawler Place Gawler (town), Gawler Ranges, etc. Refer Gawler (disambiguation)[35]
William Giles (1791–1862) Colonial Manager (1841-1860) [7]
Robert Gouger (1802–1846) Colonial secretary (#1) Gouger Street [36]
Pascoe St Leger Grenfell MP Grenfell Street
Sir George Grey (1812–1898) Governor of SA (1841-1845) [37]
Charles Hindley Founding director Hindley Street [3]
Sir John Hindmarsh (1785–1860) Governor of SA (1836-1838) Hindmarsh Square [38]
William Hutt Commissioner Hutt Street
Kingscote, Henry Founding Director Kingscote, Kangaroo Island[3]
Sir George Strickland Kingston (1807–1880) Deputy Surveyor General [39]
William Light (1786–1839) Surveyor General Light Square [40]
David McLaren (1785–1850) Colonial Manager (1837-1841) [6]
Moore, Henry Percival Colonial Manager (1901-1929) [12][13]
Sir John Morphett (1809–1892) Morphett Street [41]
Muller, Arthur Leopold Albert Colonial Manager (1930-1936) [14][15]
Sir John Pirie Founding director Pirie Street [3]
Rawson, Christopher Founding director [3]
Frederick Robe (1801-1871) Governor of SA (1845-1848) Robe, South Australia[42]
John Rundle Founding director Rundle Street [3]
Smith, Thomas Founding director [3]
Sparks, Henry Yorke Colonial Manager (1894-1900) [9][10][11]
Edward Stephens (1811–1861) First manager of SA Banking Co [43]
Samuel Stephens (1808–1840) Colonial Manager (1836-1837) [5]
Todd, James Ruddell Founding director [3]
Robert Torrens (1780–1864) Commissioner [44]
Edward Gibbon Wakefield (1796–1862) Wakefield Street [45]
Henry Waymouth Founding director Waymouth Street [3]
Sir Henry Edward Fox Young (1803-1870) Governor of SA (1848-1854) [46]

References

  1. ^ Our history, Australian Executor Trustees
  2. ^ History of the South Australian Company, SA Memory
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The South Australian Company South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register 18 June 1836 p.6
  4. ^ a b Majority of the Colony of South Australia South Australian Register 5 January 1858 p.3 accessed 2 July 2011
  5. ^ a b Stephens, Samuel (1808-1840), Australian Dictionary of Biography online retrieved 1 July 2011
  6. ^ a b McLaren, David (1785-1850) Australian Dictionary of Biography online retrieved 2 July 2011
  7. ^ a b Tregenza, John (1966). "Giles, William (1791-1862)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  8. ^ William John Brind SA Memory
  9. ^ a b 'The South Australian Company' The Adelaide Observer 7 July 1894, p.14 col. E.
    Resignation of Mr. W.J. Brind and appointment of Mr. H.Y. Sparks as Manager; biographical sketch of Henry Yorke Sparks.
  10. ^ a b Death of Mr. H. Y. Sparks South Australian Register 22 October 1900 p.4
  11. ^ a b Death of H. Y. Sparks The Advertiser 22 October 1900 p.5 – Includes biography
  12. ^ a b Personal The Advertiser 6 December 1913 p.19 (Henry Percival Moore)
  13. ^ a b Personal The Advertiser 11 January 1901 p.5 – Includes brief biography of Henry Percival Moore
  14. ^ a b New Manager – South Australian Company The Mail 28 December 1929 p.3 – Includes brief biography of Arthur L. A. Muller
  15. ^ a b Obituary – Mr Arthur L. A. Muller The Advertiser 10 March 1936 p.21
  16. ^ Angas, George Fife (1789–1879), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  17. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/brg/42/122/BRG42_122_17.htm
  18. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/brg/42/122/BRG42_122_1.htm Joslin, Henry, 1839-1927
  19. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_1.htm Clarke, Stanley, Sir, d.1911
  20. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_2.htm & http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/brg/42/122/BRG42_122_3.htm Kennaway, John H., Sir, d.1919
  21. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_3.htm Johnston, Andrew, d.1922
  22. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_4.htm Grant, John Henry
  23. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_5.htm Hodge, R.H. Hermon, Sir
  24. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_13.htm & http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/36500/B36432.htm Barr Smith, Thomas Elder, 1863-1941
  25. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_6.htm Hutchison, James
  26. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_7.htm
  27. ^ a b http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_28.htm
  28. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_9.htm
  29. ^ a b http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_10.htm
  30. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_14.htm
  31. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_11.htm
  32. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_12.htm
  33. ^ http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/07500/B7334_29.htm
  34. ^ Fisher, Sir James Hurtle (1790–1875), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  35. ^ Gawler, George (1795–1869), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  36. ^ Gouger, Robert (1802–1846), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  37. ^ Grey, Sir George (1812–1898), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  38. ^ Hindmarsh, Sir John (1785–1860), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  39. ^ Kingston, Sir George Strickland (1807–1880), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  40. ^ Light, William (1786–1839), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  41. ^ Morphett, Sir John (1809–1892), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  42. ^ E. J. R. Morgan (1967). "Robe, Frederick Holt (1802-1871)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2. Melbourne University Press. pp. 383–384. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  43. ^ Stephens, Edward (1811–1861), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  44. ^ Torrens, Robert (1780–1864), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  45. ^ Wakefield, Edward Gibbon (1796–1862), Australian Dictionary of Biography online
  46. ^ H. J. Gibbney (1976). "Young, Sir Henry Edward Fox (1803-1870)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6. Melbourne University Press. pp. 452–453. Retrieved 18 September 2011.

Further reading

  • Copyright photo of a South Australian Company promisary note for sixpence, issue Kingscote, 1 June 1836, signed by Samuel Stephens
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